Business Times - November 2013 by Business Times of Edmond

ED M O N D, O K LAH O MA

November 2013

VOL. 5 | NO. 11

INSIDE

2013

PUBLISHER Karan Ediger 405-341-2121 kediger@edmondsun.com MANAGING Lisa Shearer EDITOR 405-341-2121 lshearer@edmondsun.com

DigiMedia makes big plays in domain name industry

MULTIMEDIA Carolyn Womack-Jenner SALES 405-341-2121 MANAGER cjenner@edmondsun.com

Friends working together in a leadership capacity in business might sound like a recipe for trouble for some. But for a trio of childhood companions from southern Oklahoma that has never been the case and today that company, DigiMedia, at 102 S. Broadway in Edmond, has quietly become a brand name in the online domain field across the nation and abroad.

Wireless is where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at these days

Landlines lose luster in homes, but remain viable in businesses.

SALES TEAM Terri Bohanan Brittany Eddins CONTRIBUTING Mike Crandall WRITERS Jim Denton

Cyndy Hoenig Nick Massey Patty Miller Van Mitchell Tim Priebe Terri Schlichenmeyer Mark Schlachtenhaufen James Coburn

Batteries Plus Lightbulbs lights a new path with LEDs

Santa Fe grad fast tracks cellular repair

Miss your Business Times? Call 341-2121 to get on our mailing list. Thanks! The Business Times is a monthly publication of The Edmond Sun devoted to business in the Edmond area. All rights reserved. Copyright ÂŠ November 2013.

Brandon Boozer is excited about some changes coming to the 600 nationwide stores of Batteries Plus Bulbs, which includes his store location at 1601 S. Broadway in Edmond.

T.J. Huston always had an interest in taking things apart and figuring how to put them back together. Huston, a 2006 Edmond Santa Fe High School graduate, is putting that talent to work in his business Fast Fix Cellular Repair, 16720 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Edmond.

Cover Photo by Karen Moore | the Business Times November 2013 | The Business Times

from our Publisher

Preparing for a big 2014

o our readers: Are you gearing up for 2014? I’ve just spent the last couple of months preparing the 2014 budget, promotional calendar and strategic plan. It’s always a task, but 2014 will bring some exciting events for our

company. The Edmond Sun will celebrate 125 years in business. We are actually the oldest continuously publishing newspaper in the state. Because of this some exciting things will be taking place next year including a reception at the Edmond Historical Society Museum in the fall. This issue of Business Times of Edmond focuses on technology and our industry definitely has embraced it. Those of you who have subscribed for a long time will remember when we had carriers and delivered five days a week. We then moved to mail in 2008, and in 2010 we realized that our readers wanted their news in both print and digital formats. Thus, we began delivering an E-edition Tuesday through Saturday with print editions each Tuesday and Saturday. We also added other features such as a Newsflash, which is email blasted out twice a day Tuesday through Friday and once on Saturday to keep readers up to date on the day’s headlines. If you’re not receiving our Newsflash simply email me at kediger@edmondsun.com and I will get you on the mailing list. You also can receive the latest news at www.edmondsun.com. We’re excited about the future of our products and embrace 2014. I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t thank our advertisers and readers. We would have not come this far without you. Enjoy this issue of The Business Times of Edmond. We wish you and your family a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

November 2013 | The Business Times

KARAN EDIGER is publisher of The Business Times of Edmond, The Edmond Sun and Community Connection.

Q & A with Jay Chapman and Michael Cady

DigiMedia makes big plays in domain name industry By Van Mitchell Special to The Business Times

Photo By Karen Moore | Special to the Business Times

riends working together in a leadership capacity in business might sound like a recipe for trouble for

some. But for a trio of childhood companions from southern Oklahoma that has never been the case and today that company, DigiMedia, at 102 S. Broadway in Edmond, has quietly become a brand name in the online domain field across the nation and abroad. DigiMedia was founded in 1997 by Scott Day and was later joined by childhood friends Jay Chapman, who serves as president of the company, and Michael Cady, executive director. The company has been located in Duncan, Wichita Falls, Texas, and now Edmond. 6

November 2013 | The Business Times

“All three of us grew up in Jefferson County in southern Oklahoma,” Chapman said. “We worked together, played together. We went to different colleges but we stayed in touch. Our original goal was to build our business from our hometown in Waurika but we couldn’t get the bandwidth and we couldn’t recruit the people to work on the projects we wanted to. We were in Duncan for four years and then we moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, for seven years. It was a pretty easy decision to move to Edmond.” Chapman said DigiMedia had its roots on a watermelon farm near the Red River. About 1996 Day discovered the Internet and decided that if his family owned the domain name watermelons.com they would be able to do better business. He

later acquired the domain name. Day soon became an expert in acquiring generic dot-com domains, which later became the portfolio that DigiMedia maintains, manages and operates. The company owns and operates a portfolio of domain names and corresponding web sites. Its domains and sites are directly sought by Internet users via a type-in in their browser’s address bar thus providing the purest and highest quality web visitors. “The light bulb came on when he (Day) realized the margin in generic dotcom names was a lot better than what it was in selling your average watermelons,” Chapman said. Today, DigiMedia’s portfolio includes domain names like Recipes.com, Shops.com, FantasyFootball.com and MovieReviews.com “We are online developers,” Chapman said. “We are the same as (real estate development) except we do it primarily on the web and the genesis of that is our domain names. We want to build businesses on top of these generic dot.com names and brand them and run profitable businesses on them. We have been doing that going on 14 years now.” Chapman, who has a law degree, said

his role in the company evolved after Day asked him to help write contracts for acquiring domain names. Cady, who previously worked at Oklahoma Christian University as a controller and taught accounting, joined the company two years ago after initially doing consultant work for the firm. “It is an exciting thing and it is not your everyday common job you would find,” Cady said. Chapman said the company serves several fronts, which includes helping people build businesses based on the portfolio of generic dot-com domain names where it serves as both an incubator and venture capitalist. “We have become a sort of venture company and an incubator,” Chapman said. “In the domain community most people tend to look at their domains as commodities. We decided it is part of our core goals that these opportunities were too big to miss. We wanted to take advantage of those and build companies out of them. We are now letting third parties come to us.” Q: How has being friends made this a successful partnership? A: “We count it as an asset,” Chapman said. “Trust is something that you just can’t buy. We know each other so well. There are disagreements about things but there is unity at the end of those things. It is like a solid family. We knew coming into it there was a tremendous amount of respect we had for each other and that the professional abilities we have compliment that.” Q: What is your company’s management style? A: “I would say it is a very empowering style,” Cady said. “Every guy that is here has an expertise whether it is computer programing or accounting. We want to empower each person with what they are doing. At the end of the day Jay is a great president and he doesn’t want to micromanage and lets people have the autonomy and authority to do their job.”

Q: Where does most of your business come from? A: “We are pro-Oklahoma but 99 percent of our business comes from out of state and abroad,” Chapman said. Q: What is your thought process when developing a domain name or company? A: “We find we are better at things that we like and things that we care about,” Chapman said. “For example we have MovieReviews.com. We opened it up for people to use it and people can be a movie reviewer and have it posted. It has become its own self-sustaining community and we don’t do much to it.” Q: How do you find partners for your business ventures? A: “We have a reputation of wanting to do deals,” Chapman said. “We have become experts in investing in domains and turning them into companies. The domains attract a lot of attention and we continually get inquiries to purchase those domains. We don’t go out and seek the clients all of the time. For the most part they actually come to us to acquire a domain name.”

meeting with people face to face.” Q: What is the biggest challenge facing the company today? A: “There are a lot of opportunities and it is important not to be distracted by things,” Cady said. “The challenge is to pick the right (projects) and give them the attention that they need.” Q: How do you view yourselves in light of your success? A: “We are pretty content with being low key,” Cady said. “We are not flashy. Our reputation is very important to us. So we want to create businesses that we are proud to tell our families and friends about.” Q: How do you balance work and family time? A: “We are very deliberate about it,” Chapman said. “We love what we do but we won’t sacrifice family or faith at the altar of trying to make a profit.”

Q: How has technology changed since your company’s inception? A: “Technology has changed with bandwidth because it now allows for video conferencing,” Chapman said. “You don’t have to go get on a plane to meet with somebody. Now you can get in front of people with a couple of clicks and make things happen. But there is still nothing better than November 2013 | The Business Times

Wireless is where it’s at these days Landlines lose luster in homes, but remain viable in businesses By Van Mitchell | Special to The Business Times

im Tillman and his wife Cathy are like a growing number of people in Oklahoma and across the country who are ditching their landline telephones in favor of cellular phones. And some recent studies have shown the numbers of households going wireless is expanding. “We made the decision to go completely mobile for a number of reasons,” said Tillman, sustainability coordinator at the University of Central Oklahoma. “The convenience of having two numbers rather than three, the cost savings from eliminating land line service and equipment and the safety factor of always being able to contact one another were the main considerations.” According to statistics provided by AT&T: 95 percent of U.S. households no longer rely solely on landline telephone service to stay connected, and rather are choosing high-speed Internet-based services as their preferred means to communicate. • As of year-end 2012, 38 percent of Americans relied exclusively on wireless technologies and services to communicate. • By the end of 2013, 60 percent of U.S. households are expected to be wireless-only or wireless-mostly. • 99.5 percent of the U.S. population has mobile wireless broadband coverage from one or more providers and 91 percent have the choice of three or more providers. • 99.9 percent of the U.S. population has mobile wireless voice coverage from one or more providers and 97 percent have the choice of three or more providers. “Wireless technology has obviously changed the landline market,” said Aaron Catlin, AT&T spokesman. “At one point almost everybody had a landline. Now more people have gotten rid of their landlines and gone wireless. Doing away with the landline was the consumer’s decision given 8

November 2013 | The Business Times

the convenience and economics.” Although the home landline market has shrunk in the past decade, Catlin said as long as there is a need companies like AT&T will continue to offer those services. “AT&T is not doing away with the landline,” he said. “As long as there is a demand for that AT&T and other companies will provide it.” Technology also has been a reason for more people wanting to switch to wireless phone service, Catlin said. Catlin pointed to AT&T’s Project VIP as a case in point about technology improvements. “In late 2012, we announced a threeyear, multi-billion dollar investment plan, called Project Velocity IP (VIP), to expand and enhance our wired and wireless networks and improve service, quality and reliability for our customers through the end of 2015,” Catlin said. According to the Federal Communications Commission 16th Mobile Competition Report wireless data traffic doubled between the first quarter of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013. The report also showed that about 50 percent of all mobile phones sold in the first quarter of 2013 were smartphones, compared to about 40 percent for the full year of 2012. It also stated that LTE is now growing strongly, with around 20 million new subscriptions added in the first quarter of 2013. “The wireless revolution is already here,” Catlin said. “The majority of Americans who use a cell phone have some sort of a smartphone.” According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, by the end of 2013, the number of mobile-connected devices will exceed the number of people on earth, and by 2017 there will be nearly 1.4 mobile devices per capita.

The report also showed that mobile data traffic in 2012 was nearly 12 times the size of the entire global Internet in 2000. While the number of home landline phones has dropped, business landlines are still a part of the business landscape as well as having wireless capabilities. “It is a simple case of economics,” Catlin said. “Many businesses have wireless capabilities as well having landlines. I don’t know if the desk phone will go away.” Jason Duncan, an owner and sales manager of Café Evoke, at 103 S. Broadway in Edmond, said they have a landline service but it is used primarily as a relay device to get customers to the right department or employee. Duncan added that they also utilize wireless technology. “We do a lot of payments through smartphones,” Duncan said. “It (wireless) is definitely the lifeline of our business.” Jill Ogden and her husband David are owners of Second Street Wine Company located at 1340 E. Second St. in Edmond. They have also ditched their home landline but maintain a work landline phone. “We have not had a home phone since 2004,” Jill Ogden said. “We both have cell phones and we both work and we are always running around with our cell phones on us. We have this landline in the store for people who call and have questions. All it is used for is customer interaction.” Ogden said they utilize wireless technology to place orders and process payments. “We order products here every day on an iPad and our credit cards are processed through U-Verse with AT&T,” she said. “We haven’t had a desktop computer for three or four years. We just use a laptop, iPad and iPhone at home. I can think of zero downside for having wireless at home or work.”

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Batteries Plus Lightbulbs lights a new path with LEDs By Van Mitchell | Special to The Business Times

Photo By Karen Moore | Special to the Business Times

randon Boozer is excited about some changes coming to the 600 nationwide stores of Batteries Plus Bulbs, which includes his store location at 1601 S. Broadway in Edmond. And those changes have to do with the pathway of how LED lighting gets from the manufacturer to the store shelves. “In roughly 30 to 60 days this whole (LED) section is going to change,” said Boozer, chief problem solver with BPB Oklahoma. “The reason is they are going to be ours. We are bringing out a whole new line of LEDs that are going to be ours. Batteries Plus Bulbs is the exclusive provider of the Duracell Procell line of LED, CFL, and commercial lamps. Duracell and Switch, both leaders in their products, trust us for the same reason: Unparalleled quality and expertise their customers can depend on. We are cutting all the links out of the distribution chain. It will be us and the LED manufacturer for all 600 stores nationwide.” 10

November 2013 | The Business Times

Boozer said as a result LED products will see a price reduction. “A lot of these prices are going to go down further and it won’t be sacrificing quality,” he said. “It will be increasing quality and lowering the price.” Batteries Plus Bulbs has access to more than 15,000 light bulbs and related products, for interiors and exteriors of homes and businesses, and is a one-stop source for all types of light bulbs including LED lighting. Boozer said LEDs are considered the best energy-saving lighting option on the market. According to a Batteries Plus Bulbs fact sheet, while LEDs cost more money up front than other energy-saving light bulbs, they have a lifespan of more than 30,000 hours (23-plus years) and on average will save consumers hundreds of dollars on energy costs over the life of the light bulb compared to a standard 60 watt incandescent. This makes them 85 percent

more energy efficient than an incandescent light bulb all while producing the same amount of brightness. LED light bulbs consume less than a quarter of the electricity of compact fluorescent lighting while lasting almost 10 times as long. They will not burn out like typical bulbs, but will gradually decrease in light output. They also do not produce heat like incandescent bulbs. Maintenance cost savings are especially being realized by businesses like large retailers, casinos and airports who are switching all of their lighting over to LED products, according to the fact sheet. For office buildings and hotels, replacing light bulbs can add up to enormous maintenance costs, which can be curtailed by using LEDs. The fact sheet states by the year 2030, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates LED lighting could save about 190 terrawatt-hours of electricity per year, which equates to $15 billion in annual savings or the annual output of 24 large power plants (enough electricity to power 95 million homes). Boozer said in addition to saving money and energy, LEDs offer three major advantages over other conventional light sources: Environmental because they contain no mercury; durability because they have excellent cold weather performance and are highly resistant to shock and vibration; and control because they are dimmable and have a quick turnon time.

Boozer said in 2007 a new federal law was enacted that aimed to reduce energy usage and establish energy efficiency standards for homes and businesses. The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) is intended to reduce energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions, and established new energy efficiency standards for buildings, vehicles and products — including light bulbs. The Department of Energy issued new energy efficiency standards for fluorescent and incandescent bulbs. This federal legislation required manufacturers to produce certain reflector bulbs and other household light bulbs that meet or exceed the new energy efficiency standards as stated in EISA. “It tried to make it as energy efficient as possible,” Boozer said. “In January of this year they did away with the 75 incandescent watt bulb. In January 2014 they are doing away with the 60 and 40 watt incandescent light bulb.” Boozer said this change has helped open the door for more LED affordability. “What is happening in LED lighting

is really exciting,” he said. “Technology is getting better. A 60 watt bulb used to cost $20 to $30 and now we have them on the shelf for less than $15 and soon they are going to be under $10. We currently have price points that nobody else competes with us on. This is going to make it ever more cost effective.” Although LEDs are becoming more affordable customers still need to take time to make sure they are getting a quality product, he said. “We tell them to be buyer beware because there are some companies putting out LEDs that are very low-grade and lowquality,” Boozer said. “You need to make sure that you deal with a specialist to make sure that you are a getting a good quality product.” Boozer suggests that homeowners work from the outside in when looking to change over to LED lighting. He advised working with an electrician to have the work done. Boozer said LEDs aren’t the only change happening with Batteries Plus Bulbs. The

company recently changed its name from Batteries Plus to its current moniker. “We used to be Batteries Plus,” he said. “Batteries were always a specialty for us and we saw that bulbs were very similar items to batteries in that they are relatively inexpensive but they carry a high level of complexity in meeting the consumers demand. We saw a growing consumer need for a product that required a thorough understanding of how it applies to our lives. (The Edmond location was) one of the first stores in the nation to convert to Batteries Plus Bulbs.” Boozer said the name change was the right move to make. “For a long time we carried bulbs but Batteries Plus was the brand,” Boozer said. “It was very difficult for people to match that need. We had to change to that logo. We stock in the store about three to four times the variety of bulbs than any other (store) in town. We are truly a specialist in lighting. If it is available we are going to be able to get it for you.”

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November 2013 | The Business Times

Santa Fe grad fast tracks cellular repair By van mitchell | Special to the Business Times Photo provided | edmond area chamber of commerce

.J. Huston always had an interest in taking things apart and figuring how to put them back together. Huston, a 2006 Edmond Santa Fe High School graduate, is putting that talent to work in his business Fast Fix Cellular Repair, 16720 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Edmond. He opened for business Feb. 1. “I did not go to school (for training),” Huston said. “A lot of this is self-taught. I am a problem-solver. I like to take things apart and put them back together.” Huston said his business is a one-stop shop for cell phone, tablet and other electronic repairs. “Our main business is fixing cracked screens, audio issues, really anything that has to do with a phone,” Huston said. “We also do tablet repair including iPads.” Huston said he is customer-service driven and has worked diligently to create a positive working relationships with some of the area’s cellular phone businesses. “I am a customer service kind of guy,” Huston said. “A big part of my business

Fast Fix Cellular Repair recently had a ribbon cutting to celebrate is I put together a relationship its grand opening at 16720 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Fast Fix Cellular with AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Repair was established in response to high demand for fast, reliable and Sprint. They don’t have to and cost-effective cellular repair services. The Fast Fix Cellular send me customers but they do. Repair staff is certified by major manufacturers such as Apple, They want their customers to be Blackberry, HTC Nokia, Samsung and Motorola. happy and in return I take care of them.” Huston said his work ethic “I knew it was going to be pretty good and quick turnaround has gotten him after a couple of months,” he said. “And noticed. that is very rare for a small business owner “The No. 1 thing that sets me apart to say. … I am always out working on my from everybody is how fast I can do it,” business.” Huston said. “Most of my repairs are done Huston said he enjoys the ability to be in 30 minutes or less. If I am really busy it his own boss and credits his girlfriend Kelly could be two hours max.” Pham with helping maintain a balanced In addition to cellular phone repair, schedule. Huston said he offers customers a no“I like making my own decisions,” he contract nationwide wireless package on a said. “I really like being my own boss.” 4G network starting at $49 per month that Fast Fix Cellular Repair is open includes voice, text and data. Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Huston said his business has continued Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and to grow and says part of that success is Sundays by appointment. through simple networking. He is also a FOR MORE information call 726-8939 member of the Edmond Area Chamber of or visit www.FastFixCellularRepair.com. Commerce.

November 2013 | The Business Times

Ben Purkeypile, Bridget Jaime & Beth Burney

T Bryan Evans, Jill Castilla & Karan Ediger

Amber Price, Jill Castilla & Karan Ediger

Beth Burney, Jill Castilla & Karan Ediger 14

November 2013 | The Business Times

Photos By Karen Moore | Special to the Business Times

he Business Times of Edmond and Citizens Bank of Edmond brought together several members of the elite Top 20 under 40 classes for a reception Oct. 17 comemmorating the fifth anniversary of this program. The first class in 2008 was the Top 20 under 35 produced by The Edmond Sun. The Business Times of Edmond began publishing in late 2009 and published the first Top 20 under 40 young professionals in Edmond class in summer 2010. There are now five classes, equaling 100 elite young professionals who help make the Edmond business community vibrant. Several attended the first annual reception where the 2013 honorees received framed copies of their profile framed by the Framin’ Gallery of Edmond. Publisher Karan Ediger and bank Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer Jill Castilla welcomed the crowd to the bank’s 32 N. Broadway location to enjoy a catered meal by Italian Jim’s Restaurant and networking among the Top 20 classes. Honorees are listed by year of induction into the Top 20 under 40: 2013 — Jeremy Baldwin, Lenzee Bilke, Beth Burney, Kyle Dillinham, Jason Duncan, Bryan Evans, Dr. Timothy Geib, Mike Grindstaff, Peter Markes, Sara Maulsby, Jay McCurry, Shea Moseley, Amber Price, Ben Purkeypile, Kenny Reinbold, Piper Riggs, Dr. Jeanna

Townsend, David Underwood, Carson Vanzant and Christin Vaughn. 2012 — Justin Young, Blaine Pinard, Taber LeBlanc, Brett Brinkley, Jill Castilla, Kelly Lualin, Jilian Gardner, Emily Lang, Nicole Woodson, Rep. Jason Murphey, LeAnne McGill, Brian Hackler, Kellie Clements, Derek England, Marcus Crawford, Dr. Renee Grau, Robert Menja, Rep. Randy Grau, Jerome Braggs and Kyla Betche. 2011 — Kip Baird, Dusty Boren, Cole Bowen, Gina Britt, Jessica Bullock, Brian Busey, Mike Crandall, Jarod Conrady, Rand Foster, Allison Fine, Pam Gonzaque, Jordan Herget, Stacey Huddleston, Bridget Jaime, Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, Rachel Morris, Myron Pope, Charlie Price, Tim Priebe and Jenny Rottmayer. 2010 — Bob Ault, Brian Blundell, Philip Busey, Lee Cantrell, Brian Downs, Kristen Figart, Gary Goldman, Levi Heard, Angie Johnson, Heather Lytle, Casey Moore, Jena Mottola, Stacy Musser, Mary Nemcok, Cassie Papin, Megan Stone, David Tester, Keith Weber, Whitney Williams and Lori Wohl. 2008 — Amanda Bowen, Aaron Bastian, Amy Bailey, Christian Sangree, Brian Bush, Carrie Tomlinson, Darin Kent, Jarrett Jobe, Ben Davis, Jon Austin, Josh Moore, Kenneth Wohl, Leslie Buford, Lydia Miller, Zach Newman, Natasha Baird, Nicole Westbrooke, Shannon Entz, Toni Weinmeister and Wynter Olson-Casallas.

Charlie & Amber Price

Robert Menja, Kim Hannah & Cynthia Hendershot

Lenzee Bilke, Barbara & Lacee Bilke

Cynthia Hendershot & Emily Lang

Dr. Dunham & Carolyn Womack-Jenner

Dennis Dunham, Andrea & Kyle Dillingham

Robert Menja, Karan Ediger & Eunice Menja

Lisa Shearer, Lenzee Bilke & Karan Ediger

Lisa Shearer, Amber Price, Charlie Price & Karan Ediger

Jeremy Baldwin, Bryan Evans & Jill Castilla November 2013 | The Business Times

Business matters

Tim Priebe Webifiable

4 Quick and Easy Website Improvement Tips

f your website has been online for a while, you’ve probably started to notice things you would like to change about it. There are usually changes that would make it more effective. You may even feel overwhelmed with all the updates you could make. To do everything you could possibly do to make your website more effective is probably cost prohibitive, or would at least take more time than you have. With that in mind, here are four quick tips for improving your website that can be done relatively quickly. 1. Make Action Easy — The goal of all online marketing should be to get others to Know, Like, Trust and Value you and your organization. And once they do that, you want them to take action! Choose one primary action you want users to take. It may be to connect with you on social media, to sign up for your email newsletter or to call your phone. Whatever the case, pick one thing. Next, working within whatever system your website is built on, get the button, the phone number or the sign-up form as close to the top right of every page as possible. American website visitors tend to start looking at websites at the top left, then move to the right before looking further down on the page. That’s why a lot of sites have the logo at the top left, so people immediately know what organization’s website they’re looking at. And that’s why the main action you want them to take 16

November 2013 | The Business Times

should be on the top right. That makes it the second thing they see, right after the affirmation that they’re looking at the right website. 2. Include Links — Many organizations now have a presence on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus and others. And, of course, those are great, because people can find you when they’re on those social media sites. However, many people will still start by coming to your website first. They may still have an account on one or more of those social media websites, and be interested in connecting with you, but that’s just not where they found you. Make it easy for them to connect with you as well. Include links on every page of your website to your various social media pages. 3. Use Images — It’s a great idea to include images on every page of your website for a few reasons. • They provide visual interest, and don’t make your page look dull. • By the same token, they actually make it easier to read the text on a page. • They show up when people share the page on social media, making people more likely to click on the link. Do not just go grab photos off Google Images for your website. Those are likely copyrighted, and people have been sued for doing that very thing. Instead, use a stock image website if you don’t have the resources to hire a

photographer. There are some free sites, like morguefile.com and www.sxc.hu. Of course, a lot of times you get what you pay for, so consider paying a small perimage fee on sites like istockphoto.com or depositphotos.com. 4. Make Contact Easy — Finally, make it as easy to contact your organization as you can. At the minimum, have your contact information on your home page. If your website allows it, have it somewhere on every page. And don’t forget to still create a dedicated Contact page, even if you already have the information on every other page. Different people surf the web different ways. Some of them will check your website’s menu for a Contact page, even if the phone number is on the page they’re already looking at. Of course, you may not be comfortable making these changes on your own. The good news is, since they are fairly quick, that also means that they’re fairly inexpensive, even if you have to hire a professional to do them for you. So stop making excuses, and make these basic improvements to your website! TIM PRIEBE is a public speaker, the author of the book “The Beginner’s Guide To Facebook Timeline for Business” and the owner of T&S Web Design in Edmond. He can be reached by email at tim@tandsgo.com, by phone at 405-285-0348, or online at www.tandswebdesign.com.

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business matters

Nick Massey Astute Investor

Uncertainty in an Uncertain World E

ach morning we wake up with a set of assumptions: The sun will rise, our light switches will work and water will flow from our faucets. We expect roads to be passable and our government to keep our systems of law and commerce operating. While some things seem beyond question (the sun really will rise in the east), others are up for debate. What happens when the systems on which we rely become unpredictable? As we head into fall we’re facing increasing uncertainty on a number of fronts. In Europe there’s talk of yet another Greek bailout. The nation is now in its sixth year of recession, still struggling with debt repayment, high unemployment and a lack of growth. If that isn’t bad enough, there are now calls for a Special Forces Reserve Union military coup. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund expects Spanish unemployment to remain above 25 percent for at least the next five years. Spain’s real estate market is in free-fall, refusing to find a bottom. Today, the situation in southern Europe is no more certain than it was at the onset of the global financial crisis. Back home we have our own worries.

November 2013 | The Business Times

For months the members of the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee hinted that they would start to wind down the quantitative easing program. Then in late September, just when everyone thought the Fed would announce a start to the long-anticipated taper, chairman Ben Bernanke said the economy was not yet strong enough to stand on its own and QE would continue indefinitely. Naturally, this confused almost everyone. It was as if the Fed, which had been signaling a slowdown for months, came out and said: “Just kidding!” It appears the Fed has no idea how it will smoothly wind down QE. In its attempt to create more open communication and guidance with investors, it created more uncertainty, not less. If market confusion isn’t enough, the U.S. federal government decided to pile on at just the wrong time. As I write this in October, we face yet another debt ceiling deadline in mid-October. Rather than attempting to agree on a sustainable and workable framework for government spending, our elected representatives instead have decided to play a game of political chicken. At stake is a shutdown

of the federal government. While our expectations of government performance may be low, we at least expect it to remain open. Each of these trends and situations is weighing on capital markets around the world, causing volatility and a lack of direction. I expect the smoke to clear on some of these issues, like the debt ceiling and budget debates in the U.S. While this would likely give some relief to equities, such relief would only be fleeting, as there is always another worry right around the corner. That’s why it’s important that you develop, maintain and consistently reassess your financial plans to make sure you are taking the best direction possible given the facts on the ground today. I’ll try to keep you posted on where things are going. Thanks for reading. NICK MASSEY is a financial adviser and president of Householder Group Financial Advisors in Edmond. Massey can be reached at www.nickmassey.com. Securities offered through Securities Service Network Inc., member FINRA/SIPC.

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Cyndy Hoenig S ocial Strategies

How to grow your Facebook page community S

mall businesses can support their online marketing activities by creating a Facebook business page. Once you create your page and begin to build a following, you can use it to promote your business on a daily basis. But, growing your page can be challenging, especially as more and more business pages are being created and the competition for “likes” is increasing. Here are some ways to grow your Facebook community once you have created and customized your Facebook business page. 1. Build a Custom Welcome Page — A custom welcome page or tab is a great way to introduce your page and your brand to your fans and guide their interaction. You can encourage them to like your page, click through to your website, share your page and more. 2. Add Photos and Videos — Use the photo and video upload function to show off your business, products, services andmore. Adding headshots or introduction videos of yourself and your staff can also be a great way to connect to your fans. 3. Ask a Question — Use the status updates function to ask your fans questions. Try “fill in the blanks” or “true/false” questions that are easy to answer, and give your fans a quick way to participate. You also can encourage more interaction with the apps provided by engagement tools like Involver. 4. Create a Contact Form — Creating a contact form on your Facebook page with an app like Contact Me provides your fans with a quick and easy way to contact you. 5. Add a Blog Feed — Use an app such as Networked Blogs or RSS Graffiti to im20

November 2013 | The Business Times

port blog posts from your blog right to your Facebook page as they are published. You also can add an RSS feed from someone else’s blog. 6. Organize an Event — Organize or sponsor an event, and use the Facebook event features to share it through your page. 7. Add a “Like Gate” — You can grow your community by creating a “like gate,” or hidden content on your page that is only revealed after someone has liked your page. 8. Monitor Your Page — Keep track of activity on your page through email notifications so you can respond to comments or feedback, delete spam and continue to interact with your fans in a timely manner. 10. Keep it Relevant — It’s good to add in some personality by posting a bit off-topic occasionally, but most of your posts should be links to timely, useful and relevant content for your audience. 11. Develop a Mini-Website — Apps like TabSite allow you to build out your page into a mini-website with multiple links, features and interactions. You can integrate parts of your business website and blog and create a well-rounded experience for your fans. 12. Promote Your Page — Include your Facebook page URL on your website, blog, email signature, business cards and other marketing materials to direct people to visit your page. If you have other social network accounts, share the link to your Facebook page and ask others to do the same. 13. Be Consistent — You don’t have to be logged on and engaging all the time, but your fans need to know you are there. Set a schedule and be consistent when it comes

to posting, commenting and interacting. 14. Get Involved on Other Pages — “Like” other Facebook pages that are relevant in your industry and participate in discussions on those pages (when using Facebook as your page). You also can tag pages in your status updates to help get your page noticed. 15. Blog about Your Page — Blog about your page on your blog, explain why people should like your page and join your Facebook community, and offer an incentive for people to like it (free download, discount, etc.). 16. Advertise on Facebook — Advertise using Facebook Ads or sponsored stories to get the word out about your page. I do $1 a day to promote my book. It’s easy and only $31 per month. And, very effective. 17. Reward Your Fans — Thank your fans for their support by providing special offers only available on your page, featuring a member of the week or helping to promote them. 18. Encourage Sharing — Make your page easy to share by adding icons and a “like box” to your website and blog, and asking your readers, customers and site visitors to like your page and pass it on. CYNDY HOENIG is a PR strategist who owns Pure PR in Oklahoma City. She is the author of “600 PR, Marketing and Social Media Tips,” which is available as a free download at http://pureprokc.com/600-diy-pr-tips. She also is the author of the recently released “PR Rock Star.” Email Cyndy at cyndyhoenig@ymail.com or call her at 245-4668 for more information.

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business matters

JIM Denton L edger Lines

2013 Will Be a Taxing Year W

ith all of the budget concerns coming out of Washington, D.C., little has been said lately about how 2013 sets up to be a very taxing year for businesses as well as their owners. For example, the top tax individual bracket moves from 35 percent to 39.6 percent for married couples with a taxable income more than $450,000. Dividends and long-term capital gains are to be taxed at 20 percent for taxpayers with incomes more than $450,000. Here are a few other taxing examples: • Obamacare Provisions — In 2013, earners of more than $200,000 are subject to an additional 0.9 percent tax to fund Obamacare. Married couples have a threshold of $250,000 in earned income before the additional tax. Collection of this tax will occur at the payroll check level

“With all of the budget concerns coming out of Washington, D.C., little has been said lately about how 2013 sets up to be a very taxing year for businesses as well as their owners.” 22

November 2013 | The Business Times

and for couples it will be reconciled at the individual tax return level. Additionally, there is now the Obamacare tax of 3.8 percent on investment income for taxpayers with incomes of more than $250,000. • Deductions — Itemized deductions such as state taxes, mortgage interest and charitable contributions are now limited by a convoluted formula that reduces their deductibility for couples making $300,000 or more. Personal exemptions are phased out similarly. Starting in 2013, taxpayers under the age of 65 are subject to a 10 percent of adjusted gross income limitation for their medical expenses. • Business Deductions — Section 179 allows for expensing of property (equipment or real estate) up to $500,000 but phased out for purchases more than $2 million. Additionally, 50 percent bonus depreciation may be taken on qualified property placed in service before 2014. In 2014, expensing of property will revert to its previous $25,000 limitation and the bonus depreciation will be eliminated. • Qualified Plans — The maximum amount that you can defer into a 401(k) plan is $17,500. If you are older than 50, you can defer an additional $5,500. • Expiring Credits — Certain popular tax credits will be expiring in 2013 such as the New Markets Tax Credit that rewards businesses for their investment in low-

income areas of the country. Also the Work Opportunity Tax Credit is expiring, which rewarded businesses for employing minorities. If you approach your tax planning by just withholding or paying in the same as last year, I would urge you to review your situation and consider contacting your tax adviser and plan for the current and coming years. 2013 and 2014 will prove to be taxing years ahead of us. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. JIM DENTON is a CPA and a managing partner with Arledge & Associates P.C. in Edmond. He may be reached via email at jim@jmacpas.com.

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November 2013 | The Business Times

business matters

Mike Crandall Growth S olutions

How one word blew a $150,000 sale E

very single sales interaction is filled with tremendous amounts of psychology. If you know what to look for the scenario is quite an interesting dance between the buyer and the seller. Each thing both parties do, or don’t do, elicits specific responses from the other person. Many of these things are tiny, almost to the point of invisible — especially to the seller. Recently my firm was engaged by a new client to help transform their sales culture. This process involves many things. One of the first things is to begin analyzing what is and what is not working. Especially in the actual sales interaction between the salespeople and the prospective clients. Often this includes us observing calls, sitting in on appointments or riding with salespeople. Typically we are able to find many small things that each salesperson is doing or not doing that transform each interaction. While working with one of their top salespeople we noticed something interesting. The salesperson was fearless in picking up the phone and making calls. However this person was only getting one appointment out of every 20-25 calls. As the salesperson made the calls we noticed that it was very common to have the person on the other end of the phone raise a concern or objection about the industry they were in. Each time the concern 24

November 2013 | The Business Times

was raised — the salesperson responded with the word “really?” Immediately we made note of it and brought it to the salesperson’s attention. Like many salespeople this one refused to believe that one word could make a big difference. As we worked on transforming it, we helped this salesperson learn it was not just the word but also (and more importantly) the tonality. The salesperson continued to fight the fact it could make a difference. Until something crazy happened. The salesperson was on the phone with a very interested prospect that was ready to place a $150,000 order, but they shared they had one concern they needed to express before they could move forward. The concern was about a story they had heard from someone else. The prospective client shared the story/concern and the salesperson responded with their normal “really?” Shortly after the phone call quickly ended. The salesperson was frustrated, even angry about this. We encouraged that they reconnect with the prospect to see if they would be willing to share what happened. They were honest enough to share the tonality the salesperson had with that one word made them feel so stupid that they decided spending $150,000 with them was a bad idea. Think about that: The tonality of one single word blew a $150,000 sale. You may

think this is crazy, however, we see things like it on a regular basis. So let me ask: Have you ever had an interaction with someone else that went (or ended) very differently than you thought it would/should/could? If so the difference was likely something tiny, maybe almost invisible (especially to you). This happens not just in sales interactions, but also in employee/manager; employee/employee; spouse/spouse; parent/child; as well as every other interaction between two or more people. If you are not 100 percent sure what, where, when, how or why you blow it then you likely would benefit from some professional guidance to help you figure it out. MIKE CRANDALL is an Edmond resident and the owner of Sandler Training in Oklahoma City. He can be reached via email at mike. crandall@sandler.com or by phone at 405-8441700. For more information, go to online to www.customgrowth.sandler.com.

QuickBooks implementation novemBer 11-13 - 8:00 a.m. until noon

a hands-on class that will provide basic knowledge of how to implement the functions of both the pro and premier versions of QuickBooks. classes conducted at the Business innovation center 2824 progressive drive 路 edmond, ok 73034 For more information visit: launchpadft.org/events or call 405-717-7730.

November 2013 | The Business Times

BUSINESS CALENDAR Planning Commission 5:30 p.m. Nov. 5 (First and third Tuesday) City Council Chambers 20 S. Littler Ave. Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda

Edmond Economic Development Authority Board of Trustees 8:15 a.m. Nov. 19 (Third Tuesday) 825 E. Second St. Visit www.eeda.com; Call 340-0116

Edmond Chamber of Commerce New Member Reception 4-5 p.m. Nov. 6 Edmond Chamber 825 E. Second St. RSVP required to info@edmondchamber.com. Cost: Free

National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association 11:30 a.m. Nov. 19 Lunch, $8.50 Gaylord University Center Oklahoma Christian University 2501 E. Memorial Road Call 348-2879 for more information

Edmond Young Professionals EYP Leadership Latte 7:30-9 a.m. Nov. 7 Speaker: Corporation Commissioner Patrice Douglas Coffee Commission 309 S. Bryant Ave., Suite 230 RSVP required to info@edmondchamber.com; cost is free but seating is limited

Planning Commission 5:30 p.m. Nov. 19 (First and third Tuesday) City Council Chambers 20 S. Littler Ave. Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce Morning Mingle 8-9:30 a.m. Nov. 20 AT&T 2003 W. Danforth Road, Suite A No RSVP required and event is free for chamber members. Member Rewards drawing will be at this event

Women’s Network 2013 Women’s Power Luncheon 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 8 Quail Creek Golf and Country Club 3501 Quail Creek Road, Oklahoma City Keynote speaker: Kelly McDonald on How to Market to People Not Like You RSVP required to info@edmondchamber.com. City Council Cost is $60 for chamber members and $75 for 5:30 p.m. Nov. 25 (Second and fourth Monday) non-members. City Council Chambers 20 S. Littler Ave. Launch Pad FT Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda QuickBooks Implementation class 8 a.m. to noon Nov. 11-13 Edmond Turkey Trot A hands-on class designed to provide knowledge of both the Pro and Premier versions Edmond 5K run and 1-mile family wobble 8 a.m. Nov. 28 of QuickBooks. Downtown Edmond Registration: $149. Call Launch Pad FT Register online by Nov. 22 to receive a T-shirt. Business Incubator at 717-7730 Last-minute registration will be available online and at packet pickup on the morning of the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce event at the Downtown Community Center, Business After Hours 28 E. Main St., but T-shirts will not be 5:30-7 p.m. Nov. 12 offered. Laser Spine Institute The event will be part of a nationwide 4727 Gaillardia Parkway, Suite 140, Thanksgiving Day Guinness World Record Oklahoma City No RSVP required for chamber members; cost attempt for the largest recorded multi-venue running event taking place in one day. All free. proceeds benefit Turning Point Ministries, which is an affordable housing mission in Edmond. City Council Register: www.edmondturkeytrot.com 5:30 p.m. Nov. 12 (Moved one day from regular schedule in Edmond Community Thanksgiving Dinner observance of Veterans Day) 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 28 City Council Chambers Nigh University Center on the University of 20 S. Littler Ave. Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda Central Oklahoma campus Free community Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. Edmond Young Profesionals For information on home delivery, call EYP Networking Event 341-3602 ext. 130 or email to 5:30-7 p.m. Nov. 14 edmondthanksgivingdinner@gmail.com. The Shack Seafood and Oyster Bar 13801 Quail Point Drive, Oklahoma City RSVP required to info@edmondchamber.com. Small Business Saturday Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated Cost: Free. to supporting small businesses across country and encouraging consumers to support local Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce businesses on that day. Founded by American Business Development Luncheon Express in 2010, it is celebrated the Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 19 after Thanksgiving. This year, it’s scheduled for Speaker: Panel discussion on cash flow observation Nov. 30. management Edmond Chamber TO ADD your business event to this 825 E. Second St. free calendar, email the details to RSVP required; Cost is $10 for members, lshearer@edmondsun.com. $15 for non-members 26

November 2013 | The Business Times

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Ribbon Cuttings

framin’ gallery

BANCFIRST OPENS FIRST OF THREE EDMOND BRANCHES

BancFirst recently had a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of its newest branch at 1264 S. Bryant Ave., the first of three new Edmond offices planned for the next five years. Customers can visit the new location for general banking services, treasury management services, insurance and investment services as well as commercial, retail and mortgage loans. BancFirst is now Oklahoma’s largest state-chartered bank with assets of more than $5.8 billion and has more than 25 locations in the central Oklahoma area. It has been named in the top 20 “Safest and Strongest Banks in the Nation” by Bank Director Magazine for seven consecutive years. For more information, call 270-1657 or visit www.bancfirst.com.

Framin’ Gallery recently had a ribbon cutting to celebrate its 30th anniversary at its location at 416 W. 15th St. Family owned and operated since 1983, Framin’ Gallery has received several awards for excellence including being named Edmond’s favorite picture framer nine years running, national competition ribbons, and awards for community and civic group involvement. Kelly and Sherrye Van Osdol thank their customers and community for Framin’ Gallery’s continued success and also attribute their accomplishments to family and several community and small business groups, but mostly to a focus on quality and customer satisfaction. For more information, call 341-0922 or visit www. framin-gallery.com.

integris health edmond celebrates new heart suite

DR. WILSON OPENS CHIROPRACTIC BUSINESS

Wilson Family Chiropractic recently had a ribbon cutting to celebrate its grand opening at its location at 14511 N. Santa Fe Ave. Dr. Joshua Wilson is a graduate of Parker Chiropractic College where he received his Doctorate of Chiropractic, along with a bachelor’s degree in anatomy, and health and wellness. Dr. Wilson examines patients’ posture before correcting misalignment, relieving pain and helping bodies function properly. He treats patients of all types and ages tending to conditions as diverse as sciatica and removable trick kneecaps. For more information, call 242-4911 or visit www.wilsonchirookc.com.

INTEGRIS Health Edmond, at 4801 Integris Parkway, recently had a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of its Heart Catheterization/Interventional Radiology suite, the first of its kind in Oklahoma. Located steps away from the emergency room, the goal of the new facility is to treat heart attack patients as quickly as possible. The hospital ER is equipped with the LifeNet System allowing EMS crews to transmit an EKG from the field allowing patients to go directly to lab saving valuable minutes. Interventional radiology is equipped to do additional heart studies as well as procedures for dialysis, perm cath insertion, removal and repair, fine needle aspiration for thyroid biopsy and kyphoplasty, a procedure for patients with compressed vertebral discs or spinal stenosis. For more information, call 657-3131 or visit www.integrisok.com/edmond. November 2013 | The Business Times

Business Briefs Coalition encourages businesses to participate in the Great American Smokeout The Oklahoma County Tobacco Use Prevention Coalition is urging all local businesses to participate in the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 21 by hosting an event for their employees to encourage them to quit smoking and/or using other tobacco products. Every year, businesses lose an average of $4,400 for every employee who smokes. This cost is due to shorter, less productive work-lives, increased sick days and disability and higher medical and insurance costs. GASO is a national event that encourages smokers to make a one-day quit attempt in hopes of quitting for life. There are a variety of ways that businesses can participate in this annual event to benefit their employees such as: • Setting up a drop-off site where employees can throw away their tobacco products in exchange for an incentive or entrance into a prize drawing. • Sharing with employees what cessation aids (such as gum, patches, and medications) are provided free of charge or at a discounted rate by insurance providers. “Individuals who use tobacco are constantly encouraged to continue using a particular tobacco brand through coupons and gifts sent by the tobacco companies,” said coalition member Jennifer Damron. “It is important to show those individuals they are supported when considering the decision to quit. Employers and co-workers are an ideal group to help provide that encouragement and support.” For more information about how worksites in the Oklahoma County area can participate in the Great American Smokeout, call 425-4498.

Cox doubles Internet speeds for OKC customers Cox Communications has announced that it will make its Preferred, Premier and Ultimate High Speed Internet packages two times faster. The new speeds — as fast as 100Mbps — automatically went into effect Oct. 24 and customers will not need to do anything to receive the new speeds. The speeds of Preferred High Speed Internet, Cox’s most popular Internet tier, will more than double from 12Mbps to 25Mbps. Cox’s Premier and Ultimate tiers also will see double the speeds, increasing from 25Mbps to 50Mbps and 50Mbps to 100Mbps, respectively. Additionally, Cox’s Essential High Speed Internet service will increase from 3Mpbs to 5Mbps. “Our customers tell us that speed matters,” said Percy Kirk, SVP and general manager of Cox Central Region. “We know this is especially important in today’s connected world where more and more devices are connected through home WiFi networks. We are continuing to invest in our network to bring our customers the best online experience possible.” These speed increases also mean that the speeds for Connect2Compete, Cox’s broadband adoption program that provides low-cost Internet to low-income families in Oklahoma, will increase from 3Mbps to 5Mbps at no additional charge. More information is available at http://www.cox.com/ highspeedinternet, or customers can visit a local Cox Solutions Store to test speeds for themselves. 28

November 2013 | The Business Times

BancFirst ranked best in privacy policy BancFirst has been selected as one of the top financial institutions in America by Carnegie Mellon University. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon studied and reviewed the consumer privacy practices of 3,422 banks for their data collection policy, as well as sharing and selling customer data for marketing purposes. According to the study released in June, BancFirst was selected as one of the top banks in the nation based on how it handles personal information collected, and how it protects the privacy of its customers. “We never share personal information about our customers at BancFirst,” said David Rainbolt, BancFirst Corporation CEO. “We believe financial information belongs to our customers and is not ours to distribute.” How financial institutions handle customer privacy is mandated by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999. The Carnegie Mellon study found many financial institutions in partial or complete violation of this law, freely sharing or selling some, if not all, of their customer data and for the level in difficulty in customer opt-out options. BancFirst, ranked high in the study because of its tightly controlled and strictly implemented policy of not sharing customer information with affiliates or selling customer information for marketing purposes. With assets of more than $5.8 billion, BancFirst is Oklahoma’s largest state-chartered bank. BancFirst has more than 100 locations in 50 communities across the state. BancFirst is listed on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol BANF. More information can be found at www.bancfirst.com.

Local business owner receives top honors Davis Merrey, owner of the TeamLogic IT office in Oklahoma City, has been named “Franchisee of the Year” by TeamLogic IT Inc. This is the franchisor’s most distinguished award. It is given annually to the franchisee that demonstrates exceptional leadership, innovation, growth and stewardship of the brand among all Teamlogic IT locations worldwide. The award was presented at the TeamLogic IT Owners Summit, an annual three-day event where franchisees and their key managers meet to learn and share information to help them grow their businesses. This year’s event was Oct.. 3-5 in Huntington Beach, Calif. Merrey is an Edmond resident. TeamLogic IT provides proactive IT management to help businesses increase productivity throughout their organization while also gaining better return on investment from their technology investments. Managed IT services and other solutions are designed to meet client needs while helping them build an IT platform for future growth. TeamLogic IT has been ranked the No. 1 technology franchise for two years in a row by Franchise Business Review and has received numerous Top 50 Franchisee Satisfaction awards. The company is owned by Franchise Services Inc., a management company that owns the franchise brands Sir Speedy, PIP Printing and Marketing Services, Signal Graphics and MultiCopy in the Netherlands. For more information about the Oklahoma City TeamLogic IT office, call Merrey at 840-1545 or go online to www.TeamLogicIT. com/OklahomaCity.

Business Book Review

by Terri Schlichenmeyer | The bookworm sez

“The Book Of Money” by Daniel Conaghan & Dan Smith

c.2013, Firefly Books $29.95 U.S. and Canada 256 pages

here’s not enough money in your wallet. Actually, when you get right down to it, there never is. There’s always something else you want to buy, always another plan, idea or future desire to save for, or buy. The truth is, you just can’t get enough money. But what do you know about those Benjamins in your bankbook? Whatever your knowledge, learn more by reading “The Book of Money” by Daniel Conaghan and Dan Smith. Nobody, of course, knows exactly when humans created currency, but historians believe that it happened in Mesopotamia “at least 5,000 years ago.” A king in the Middle East later minted coins, and the Greeks followed suit by making them from bronze nearly 2,500 years ago. That money had to go somewhere, so banks were eventually created — and since banks need funding, too, methods of credit were invented.

We’ve come a long way from there: We have PayPal, mobile money, a global economy, and online banking. We have more options than did our ancestors — and we have more disparit y. Today’s wealth is very unequally distributed, worldwide, and the gap is becoming a canyon: A tiny percentage of the world’s adults own the vast majorit y of the money pie. Land prices skyrocket on some continents and nose-dive on others. A single dollar buys a half-gallon of milk in Kenya, but only a third of a latte here. Our debt ceiling climbs to headspinning heights, while that of Germany and the Netherlands is “relatively modest.” So what’s a person to do? Well, you could play the lottery or the market, but there are pitfalls to both. You can go into politics. You could invent the next new thing in banking, or you could rob one. If you’re savvy, you might marry into money, or inherit it. You could get more money by borrowing it, but you’d have to pay it back. And if all else fails, you could do it the old-fashioned way, and save. Getting more money is going to take familiarit y with science and psychology.

You’ll need to know terms and differences between t ypes of banks, and have an understanding of the world’s economies — information that’s all in this book. But just remember: Money can’t buy happiness. It does, however, buy you more fun. So you say you know what you like: It’s green and foldable and that’s what matters. But there’s a lot more to moola, and “The Book of Money” helps you understand it all. It would be difficult, in fact, to come up with some facet of economics that isn’t included here. Authors Daniel Conaghan and Dan Smith even touch upon subjects that don’t, initially, seem to have anything to do with money but they point out correlations in easy-to-grasp language, graphs, full-color pictures, and plent y of sidebars. This is one of those volumes that you’ll want to keep in your office, for reference or for fun. Either way, if you’ve a passion for pesos (and more!), “The Book of Money” is a book you’ll never get enough of. Terri Schlichenmeyer is a book reviewer in Wisconsin. She may be reached via email at bookwormsez@yahoo.com.

November 2013 | The Business Times

LAST LOOK

Story by James Coburn | THe Business Times

Francis Tuttle launches business incubator Inventor secures 2 patents

Gibson and his wife, Christi, have a 4-year-old son, Ryder, who lives with spina bifida. Oct. 25 was Spina Bifida Awareness Day. Gibson credits his son for giving him the inspiration to invent his products.

he Launch Pad Francis Tuttle Business Incubator is running ahead of schedule at the new Francis Tuttle Business Innovation Center, said Fred Green, executive director. The 38,000-square-foot building stands near the northeast corner of Covell Road and Interstate 35. Doors opened earlier this month at the center, 2824 Progressive Drive. Officials dedicated the new building Oct. 24 with Lt. Gov. Tod Lamb, R-Edmond, as the keynote speaker. Business incubation is a 12-36 month process with the intention of a business becoming sustainable, Green said. Five resident clients and one non-resident client are established at the Launch Pad Francis Tuttle site. The Business Incubator has three remaining offices to fill with 14 applications vying for the spots. A SCORE resource office is also on campus. SCORE is a national nonprofit that partners with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Business entrepreneurs may receive mentoring and training through more than 11,000 volunteers representing 340 chapters in the U.S. The Department of Commerce notes there is an 80 percent failure rate in new businesses. However, the National Business Incubation Association reports 87 percent 30

November 2013 | The Business Times

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of all firms that have graduated from their incubators are still in business after the first five years. Individuals enter the incubation knowing they will not survive in business until they identify the constraints of creating their business. They have to offer a viable service with a solid business plan. “Take my inventor, for instance. He came in with (50) products — didn’t have a clue what to do with them that he’s invented — and he now has patents on two,” Green said. The inventor, Brian Gibson, has created a business model that is workable with his company Simpliuniik Inc., Green said. Two of his products are already being manufactured. “The goal by the end of the year is to get additional orders for those,” said Gibson, 31. One of products, the Seally Cap, is a silicone product that helps preserve food and beverages in open containers. The cap is useful for can sizes ranging from a small energy drink to a large can of dog food, he said. “It’s made out of silicone so it can stretch over a wide range of those products,” Gibson said. “It has a domeshaped design on top. Once you put it

on the can, you press on the dome. That presses the air out and creates a vacuum.” The second product is called a Kooze Kube, which serves as an ice cube to put in the bottom of a Kooze. It builds a domeshaped void at the bottom of a canned beverage. “The market is so huge that we’re going to focus on the beer industry,” Gibson said. “Basically, it keeps your beer colder for a longer period of time.” Gibson and his wife, Christi, have a 4-year-old son, Ryder, who lives with spina bifida. Oct. 25 was Spina Bifida Awareness Day. Gibson credits his son for giving him the inspiration to invent his products. Ryder uses a wheel chair, so his dad also has designed a line of mobility toys for children with disabilities. The market for disability toys for children is small, he added. “The idea is to create a company that can fund a division to launch those toys to where parents can purchase those at cost,” Gibson said. “It’s hard to be able to afford that stuff if you’re already having to pay for a lot of other things.” TO LEARN MORE about Simpliuniik, visit the company’s website at http://www. simpliuniik.com.

BUSINESS INNOVATION CENTER Building a Better Future...Together

Located in the Cross Timbers Northeast office park, at the intersection of I-35 and Covell Road in Edmond, the Business Innovation Center provides a new, purpose-built environment in which Francis Tuttle can deliver programs and services to customers more efficiently and more comfortably.

The Center serves four main functions: Customized Training Services - Francis Tuttle’s Business and Industry Services team assists companies in developing training programs that deliver innovative workforce solutions Personal Enrichment & Career Development - the Center offers short-term courses designed for avocational interests as well as those focused on helping individuals advance in their jobs and careers Business Incubator - Launch Pad FT assists start-up companies and entrepreneurs in building successful businesses and promoting economic development for the region Center for Municipal Excellence - this award-winning venture between the City of Edmond and Francis Tuttle provides training for municipal employees from across the state

2824 Progressive Drive • Edmond, OK 73034 francistuttle.edu/bic • 717.7799

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