MAY 2017 May 19th
May 8th
Monthly Meeting
Sales Roundtable
“How to Capitalize on
“Technology in the Workplace and Beyond”
the New LinkedIn for Growing Your Sales Pipeline” Presenter: Wayne Breitbarth
Presenter: Scott VanderSanden President, AT&T Wisconsin
Inside This Issue:
FLANDERS: THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF SCHOOL CHOICE
KEATING: DYNAMIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEPENDS ON STRONG IP PROTECTIONS
e is ut... m i o ! T ing Now n n r MAY 12TH: Ru giste e R SPORTING CLAY SHOOT Door Prizes Include:
• Pistol Giveaway • Packer Tickets • Electronics ...and more!
Networking matters
At AT&T, we know that making connections is critical to success. In Wisconsin and across the nation, we link businesses with their customers and the world through our wireless network with access to the nation’s largest Wi-fi network. It’s just another way we help our customers stay connected. AT&T is proud to support the Independent Business Association of Wisconsin.
© 2014 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.
IBAW thanks AT&T for it’s continued sponsorship.
IBAW MEDIA LINK Milwaukee Streets are in terrible condition - and there’s nothing the State of Wisconsin can do. _____________________________________________________
Milwaukee's local streets are in terrible condition, and there's nothing the state can do to change that.
Executive Director Steve Kohlmann President Jim Leef ITU AbsorbTech Secretary Dan Hansen Waukesha State Bank President Elect 2016-17 Craig Coursin Stier Construction VP. State & National Programs Charles Fry Baird
To watch, click here. Story courtesy of MacIver Institute.
Treasurer Casey Malek Sikich Directors Ann Barry Hanneman Von Briesen Law Office
Benny Hill Tribute Chase in Fitchburg ____________________________________
The MacIver Institute's Tyler Brandt gets crossed-eyed while admiring Dane County's bike roundabout and finds himself in a Benny Hill tribute chase featuring Vicky McKenna and Bill Osmulski. It's just something to think about the next time you hit a pothole in the area. #WISDOTwasted
John Weber Hypneumat Jeff Hoffman Boerke Co. Lisa Mauer Rickert Industries Tom Boelkow BSI Design, Build, Furnish Robert Gross Gross Automation Scott Seroka Seroka Brand Development
To watch, click here. Story courtesy of MacIver Institute.
IBAW Mission: To advance business prosperity through insightful programming, executive networking and member-driven public policy and advocacy.
Independent Business Association of Wisconsin
MONTHLY MEETING
May 19th Technology in the Workplace and Beyond Technology is racing forward at breakneck speed and this creates opportunity for business to increase productivity, efficiencies and sales. What’s on the horizon for technology in the office and manufacturing setting? How can it be leveraged to its fullest advantage? Find out at this event!
Scott VanderSanden President, AT&T Wisconsin
Register at IBAW.com
LOCATION
THE WISCONSIN CLUB 900 W. WISCONSIN AVE. MILWAUKEE
7:00 AM
REGISTRATION & NETWORKING
7:30 AM
BREAKFAST & PROGRAM
9:00 AM
PROGRAM ENDS
The Robots are Coming Steve Kohlmann, IBAW Executive Director
It’s no secret there’s a workforce shortage. It seems almost all sectors of business have been actively hunting workers since the economy picked up. There’s a number of factors contributing to this shortage; an aging workforce that is retiring, possible workers that can’t pass a drug test or lack basic skills of reading and math, a demand by workers for higher wages and benefits, competition for those workers between sectors, etc. But it really comes down to the old business philosophy of supply and demand. Low supply, huge demand. There’s an old saying that necessity is the mother of invention and to respond to the situation business has looked for more automation to fill the workforce gap and increase production. Whether you are looking for hamburger flippers, someone to work in manufacturing, construction or a service industry like hospitality, the lack of qualified workers are pushing automation. Just last month Wendy’s fast food restaurants announced they would be installing order kiosks in some of their restaurants. They are following suit with this alongside McDonald’s and Panera Bread. No doubt the growing call for a $15 minimum wage and a call to unionize workers in the fast food industry has played a part in this decision. But automation just isn’t happening to private business. A community college in Upstate New York announced self serve kiosks will replace cafeteria staff workers at the end of the spring term. The Orange County Community College Association, the nonprofit in charge of managing the SUNY Orange cafeteria, said that the decision came after the school’s food services division reported a $150,000 deficit, according to the Times Herald Record, which originally reported the story. The school will lay off nine full time workers and three part time workers. “By doing nothing we could have been out of business in 12 to 18 months. We would not have been able to make payroll,” Vinnie Cazzetta, executive director of the nonprofit, told the Times Herald. To help the construction sector, an industry that is really feeling the workforce shortage, companies are developing robots for the most intricate part of construction including brick laying [Video here]. Even the service industry, specifically the hotel industry in Japan is experimenting with life-like robots behind the counter to check you in. And I have to admit it is a little creepy [Video here]. Workers may have a fear of being replaced by a machine. But if you really want to have some nightmares, take a look at what a company by the name of Boston Dynamics is doing for security and military applications [Video here]. Boston Dynamics is developing robots meant to be more autonomous than ever before; walking, rolling, and making decisions on the fly as conditions change. No doubt these robots will have a role in military applications for reconnaissance missions in dangerous areas. Automation always has, and will, be a key factor to helping business become more efficient and profitable. With a growing gap in the workforce and the development of robotics on the increase, we’ll certainly see more automation in our lives. I just hope they get my order right at McDonald’s.
UPCOMING EVENTS Note new location for this event!
Sales Roundtable:
How to Capitalize on the New LinkedIn for Growing Your Sales Pipeline Monday, May 8th 2017 | Time: 7:30 am - 9:00 am | Location: Waukesha State Bank, 151 East St. Paul Ave. Waukesha
Join the 80,000+ people who have learned how to achieve business and career success with LinkedIn, the world's most popular professional networking site, from Wayne Breitbarth, a nationally recognized speaker, consultant and author of the best-selling book The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success, now in its third edition. In this month's Sales Roundtable session Wayne will help you: • Find prospects that lead to sales • Drive traffic to your profile and website • Discover insider information about your prospects • Build credibility in your marketplace • Develop an overall strategy to accomplish your most ambitious business development goals Presenter: Wayne Breitbarth,
Cost: Free. Open only to IBAW members
Register now
3rd Annual Sporting Clay Shoot Friday, May 12th 2017 | Time: 11:30 am - 4:00 pm | Location: Waukesha Gun Club
o ut... nning u r is Time ! er now Reg ist
Join us for a fun afternoon of shooting and networking. We have some great door prizes including a pistol giveaway, Packer tickets (complete with transportation and lunch) as well as other valuable prizes. Who will win these on site awards?: • Best score award • Best new shooter award • Best dressed award • You can open you’re eyes now award
Registration is required and time is running out. Click here.
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
IBAW Membership is Unique and an Experience Not to be Missed Ann Barry Hanneman For the last ten years, I have been an active member of the Independent Business Association of Wisconsin. I am proud to say unequivocally that my involvement in IBAW has been a pleasure and a rewarding part of my business career. As a labor and employment lawyer that represents business and a former business owner myself, IBAW provides me with a unique opportunity to engage with business owners to discuss challenges and issues they face in running their businesses successfully.
That insight has been particularly
valuable to me when providing advice to my clients. For any business owner and any professional that partners with business owners, this experience is invaluable. I have been a member of the Board of Directors and know that IBAW’s commitment to advancing the interests of small business owners is what drives our organization and the reason it exists.
At membership
meetings, I am grateful for the opportunity to exchange ideas, resources and referral information with business owners. As well, IBAW’s programs and events specifically focus on both the internal and external challenges facing small business owners. These programs have benefitted attendees and guests by imparting valuable information and tips that can be put to use right away. That is awesome! It has been my personal experience that IBAW members are open and willing to share information with one another.
Because of its members, it is an organization that provides a unique opportunity to develop
personal contacts and relationships and to gain perspective on the ever changing and challenging environment in which small businesses thrive. It truly is unique and a business experience that should not be missed by any small business owner or anyone that provides services to small business owners.
President’s Circle IBAW / DALE CARNEGIE PRESIDENTS CIRCLE A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR CEOs, PRESIDENTS, AND BUSINESS OWNERS
As the CEO, President, or Owner you are asked to produce more results with fewer resources, meet and exceed competition, innovate and motivate. This creates very difficult teams and leadership challenges. Leaders must encourage teamwork, bottom-up idea generation, alignment, loyalty and above all commitment. Rather than direct and dictate, leaders must inspire and motivate!
The Presidents Circle: The IBAW and Dale Carnegie Training have developed an exclusive Leadership program for IBAW members only. The Presidents Circle combines peer group engagement and highly targeted executive Dale Carnegie Training among peers to help you achieve significant results. These results will be achieved by providing insights, peer challenges, and developing leadership skills which are aligned with your organization and which will help drive agendas. By combining corporate mission, vision and values with our unique methodology employees will begin supporting a world they helped create.Ultimately, the only sustainable competitive advantage is the innovation, motivation, and creativity of the employees of an organization. Establishing a strong leadership culture provides the environment where innovation and creativity can flourish.
Program Specifics: • • • •
Meetings with other IBAW CEOs/Presidents/Business Owners 10 monthly meetings Dale Carnegie Executive Leadership Training workshop each session. Round Table Issues Discussed and Resolved
• • •
Guided Yearly planning Accountability among peers. Business Results
The President’s Circle will help you achieve results by: • • •
Providing training among peers Creating and sustaining change initiatives Ensure continuous improvement and bottom-line impact
• • • • •
Align the organization behind a common vision Develop a habit of fact-based decision making at every level. Strengthen and implement strategic planning Create a value based culture to ensure loyalty Build energy and trust up and down the organization to insure customer loyalty.
Program Leader: Steve Bobowski
“Knowledge isn’t power until it is applied.” -Dale Carnegie
Commitments: • Attend meetings • No cost for meetings, a benefit of IBAW membership •
Referrals or 3 enrollments
This program is now forming and is limited in the number which can attend. For more information, contact Program Leader Steve Bobowski by clicking here.
Here’s why . . . W-9’s Sue Kohlmann Kohlmann Management Group
Here’s why we incorporate this task into our normal Accounts Payable routine. The IRS requires every company to
retain a current W-9 form for all vendors to whom your company has paid $600 or more in one calendar year. (Well, that’s the simplified version. See this link for the IRS regulation: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/ fw9.pdf) Every January when completing our year-end procedures for 1099 forms, we inevitably find we don’t have a W-9 form for some vendors. There’s that frantic response of sending the request for the W-9, waiting for the reply, and then completing the 1099’s in time to file. Want to stop the madness? Every time, yes, every time, your accounts payable staff receives an invoice and before you send out that payment, ask “Is this a 1099 Vendor?” You can answer that question by sending out a cover letter and a copy of the W-9 form to the vendor indicating you cannot pay their invoice until you receive a completed W-9 form for your files. Their desire to get paid generally provides a quick response. Keep all completed W-9 forms on file (in case of an audit) and document receipt of the W-9 for all vendors, usually an accounting software classification. Now send the check. It’s as simple as that. And it will make your January a little less crazy. We all want to streamline our procedures and run our offices as efficiently as possible. Here’s an example of how you can do that.
Sue Kohlmann is principal of Kohlmann Management Group (KMG). KMG is dedicated to helping small business incorporate proper office practices and procedures. She can be reached via email by clicking here.
Economic Benefit of School Choice William Flanders, PhD., Research Director at the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty
Debates on education choice and K-12 education policy in Wisconsin often hinge on issues of funding despite the fact that the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) receives nearly $3,000 less per student than Milwaukee Public Schools. Yet lost in this discussion are the economic benefits generated for the city and state from the better student outcomes associated with the school choice program. Research at the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) shows that higher graduation rates and lower crime rates of the Milwaukee school choice program will generate nearly half a billion dollars over a 20 year period. Academic studies have found that students in the MPCP are 4% more likely to graduate from high school compared to similar students in Milwaukee Public Schools. We know that high school graduation opens up a plethora of options that are not available to the high school dropout including attending college and better job opportunities. Other academic research has found that MPCP students are less likely to commit felonies and misdemeanors than similar students in traditional public schools. Avoiding the criminal justice system is an important first step in building a successful, economically productive life. I partnered with Corey DeAngelis, a distinguished doctoral fellow from the University of Arkansas who has extensively researched the MPCP, to quantify exactly how much Wisconsin stands to gain from the school choice program. Using peerreviewed estimates of the societal benefits from high school graduation and avoiding the criminal justice system, we made projections for the next 20 years based on the number of students enrolled in the MPCP. We project that the MPCP will reduce the number of felonies committed over the next two decades by approximately 700. Over that time frame, this has an economic benefit of approximately $24 million than if the MPCP did not exist.
The economic benefits associated with higher graduation rates are even more staggering. Over the next two decades, this means that the MPCP is projected to result in more than 2,500 more graduates than if the program did not exist. The economic benefits of this increased graduation rate is more than $470 million than if the MPCP did not exist.
These benefits extend to certain high-performing schools such as St. Marcus Lutheran School. Only 3% of St. Marcus’ male graduates are incarcerated for commission of a felony. This rate is much lower when compared to the rate for African American males in Milwaukee, approximately 12%. Roughly 90% of their graduates will graduate from high school. Our study shows that children at St. Marcus Lutheran School will generate an aggregate benefit of about $7 million due to the school’s low incarceration rate and $64 million due to their high graduation rate. City politicians should be mindful of these economic benefits the next time a private school wants to expand into a vacant Milwaukee public school building. But the successes of the Milwaukee choice program don’t have to be limited to Milwaukee. These benefits could be realized elsewhere in the state where school choice is stifled. A new study by WILL highlighted the problems of rural education in Wisconsin. 31 of the 38 lowest performing districts in the state are located in rural areas. The lowest performing district is not Milwaukee or Racine, but rather tiny CambriaFriesland; population 700. The state stands to realize dramatic economic benefits from increased access to better education options in these communities that may rival or surpass those that have been found in the MPCP if impediments to the growth of the statewide program are removed. School choice saves Wisconsin hundreds of millions of dollars over and above the difference in per student funding that public and choice students receive. More importantly, it provides vulnerable students, regardless of the zip code, the opportunity to choose the best school for them. When policymakers evaluate parental choice programs, it is vital that they take these factors into account.
An old military adage calls for the cavalry to “ride to the sound of the guns.” As a tactic, it has both its strengths and weaknesses. As a sentiment, it is a call for courageous engagement. At the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, we hope to answer that call. Through education, litigation, and participation in public discourse, we seek to advance the public interest in the rule of law, individual liberty, constitutional government, and a robust civil society. We strive to do so, moreover, in partnership with like-minded individuals and organizations – often our clients – who are committed to classical liberalism and constitutional government. We recognize that these ideals are neither Democratic nor Republican, but American. Our focus is primarily, if not exclusively, on Wisconsin – a state that has become one of the focal points of our ongoing debate about the proper role of the government within society and of the courts within government. As a non-profit and non-partisan organization, we litigate in the areas of property rights, the freedom to earn a living, voting rights, regulation, taxation, school choice, and religious freedom. As an educational organization, we strive to advance the debate concerning law and public policy in these and other areas.
Culture Case Study:
Handling a Compensation Confrontation
During one of my recent enculturation workshops, I was approached by the plant manager of a manufacturing firm who confided in me that he had an urgent need to fix a volatile workplace environment.
He discovered that some of his employees, mostly of the Millennial generation, were openly sharing the details of their individual compensation plans with one another.
Scott Seroka, Seroka Brand Development Consulting / Strategic Communications
And as much as he was dismayed by the breach of employer/employee confidentiality, he found himself struggling with a much larger issue – individual employees were confronting him, crying foul and demanding an explanation for the variances in compensation structures among others sharing similar titles. And, it wasn’t just the lower-paid employees who were complaining – it was also those with premium-level compensation packages sticking up for their counterparts. He explained, “I’m stuck on the defensive line, and as much as I explain to these guys that compensation packages are supposed to be confidential, and that each employee is paid based on a variety of different factors, they either don’t care or aren’t listening. What other people make is none of their business. It’s affecting morale and our culture is in trouble”. Perhaps you can empathize with this manager’s situation. Aside from the trend of employees sharing such professionally intimate details with each other, information once considered private and confidential is rather easy to access despite password-protected CRMs and accounting software. Such unintended and unwanted transparency is forcing organizations to rethink how to onboard, train and manage employees who know “too much.”
Proposed Solution Given this manager’s urgent need to defuse his tense, volatile environment, I offered the following advice: 1.
2.
Schedule a department-wide meeting with everyone on the team to let them know he was aware of the sharing of information, and then proceed to explain the many complex variables and considerations that go into structuring individual compensation packages. Typical elements include: •
Experience
•
Education
•
Scarcity (supply and demand) of skills required for the job
•
Leadership potential
•
The value of additional skills the employee brings to the company
•
History/track record of productivity
•
Level of responsibilities
•
Level of expectations
•
Career path
•
Market forces
•
Factors of negotiation (salary/incentives/benefits/schedule flexibility/hours/time off/etc.)
•
Other considerations
Rework the way offers are created and presented to prospective employees so that each understands the logic and rationale behind the offer. Ideally, all offers would include the same level of detail as provided in #1, above. The purpose of this approach is to minimize, or even avoid contentious confrontations on compensation packages going forward. It’s a fact that the more employees know how decisions are made in an organization, the more likely they will respect and accept decisions even if they do not completely agree with the decisions.
The success of the meeting would not only be based on the clarity and communication of the information, it would also be based on giving everyone the opportunity to engage in time for Q&A. And although not everyone may agree with how compensation packages are structured, they will appreciate and value the explanation.
There is a push for organizations to become more transparent and upfront not only with customers, but also with their employees. Employees know more than we care to believe, and can gain access to confidential information easier than we realize. For these reasons, along with several others, some organizations are beginning to witness the value of becoming more transparent to build trust among employees and their customers.
Scott Seroka Wisconsin’s only Certified Brand Strategist Principal of Seroka Consultant ⬥ Speaker ⬥ Trainer ⬥ Author
World IP Day, April 26: Dynamic Entrepreneurship Depends on Strong IP Raymond J. Keating, SBC Council, Washington D.C.
World IP Day is (was) April 26th. As the World Intellectual Property Organization points out: “Every April 26, we celebrate World Intellectual Property Day to learn about the role that intellectual property rights (patents, trademarks, industrial designs, copyright) play in encouraging innovation and creativity.”
Small Business and IP From a small business perspective, establishing and protecting IP rights is essential. In a booklet published by SBE Council, Unleashing Small Business Through IP: The Role of Intellectual Property in Driving Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Investment, I noted that “the centrality of the entrepreneurial sector to the U.S. economy was the case yesterday, is the case even more so today, and if the U.S. remains friendly to entrepreneurship – including protecting property rights – then it promises to be increasingly the case far into the future.” As documented throughout the book, dynamic entrepreneurship relies on strong IP protections at home and in international markets, thereby encouraging startups, allowing entrepreneurs and small businesses to attract financial capital, pushing innovation forward, providing entrepreneurs with confidence in seeking and capitalizing on opportunities in domestic and international markets, and serving as an engine for economic growth and job creation. For good measure, it’s also unmistakable that each IP-intensive industry – from software to entertainment to pharmaceuticals – is overwhelmingly populated by small businesses. For example, among pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturers, 57 percent of employer firms have less than 20 workers, 79 percent less than 100 employees, and 91 percent less than 500 workers. If we want robust entrepreneurship in industries like pharmaceuticals and so many others, then IP rights and protections are essential.
Growth in IP Investment It is worth noting that while private-sector investment has performed poorly over the past decade, investment in IP has been the strongest broad category of investment in the GDP data. From the first quarter of 2006 to the fourth quarter of 2016, for example, real investment in intellectual property products grew at an average real annual rate of 3.6 percent. That compared to average growth in gross private domestic investment of 1.4 percent, and in nonresidential (i.e., business) fixed investment of 2.5 percent. Also, the 3.6 percent rate of growth in IP investment ran well ahead of the average rate of growth for the economy, which registered a woeful 1.5 percent.
America’s IP System Best Among Ranked Nations There is overarching good news on the IP front for the U.S. economy from an international competitiveness standpoint. As noted in the 2017 edition of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s The Roots of Innovation: U.S. Chamber International IP Index , the United States offers the best IP system among the 45 nations ranked. The index scores economies on six categories: “patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and market access, enforcement, and ratification of international treaties.” Regarding the importance of IP rights, it was pointed out, “The most up-to-date data on the benefits of IP protection reveals that IP is, in fact, a critical instrument for countries seeking to enhance access to innovation, grow domestic innovative output, and enjoy the dynamic growth benefits of an innovative economy. Conversely, weak IP protection stymies long-term strategic aspirations for innovation and development.”
The highlighted key strengths in the study for the U.S. were: • “Key IP rights, including sector-specific rights, in place” • “Largely supportive technology transfer and licensing environment” • “Generally deterrent civil and criminal remedies” • “Commitment to and implementation of international treaties”
As for U.S. weaknesses: • “Patent opposition system adds substantial costs and uncertainty” • “Somewhat narrow interpretation of patentability of biotech and computer-related inventions compared with international standards” • “Inconsistent enforcement against counterfeit and pirated goods, especially goods sold online” So, while there is still work to do, including advancing free trade accords that protect intellectual property, IP rights and protections in the U.S. amount to a good news story for entrepreneurs, businesses, job seekers, and ultimately, consumers. It is SBE Council’s mission to make sure policies continue to strengthen IP protections for our small businesses at home, and that U.S. policies have a positive global impact toward ensuring IP is respected and protected in international markets. After all, protecting IP is a win-win for all countries that want dynamic entrepreneurship within their borders and stronger economies that create quality jobs and more opportunities for their citizens.
Raymond J. Keating is chief economist for the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council. Keating’s latest book published by SBE Council is titled Unleashing Small Business Through IP: The Role of Intellectual Property in Driving Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Investment and it is available free on SBE Council’s website here.
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MAY 24TH FREE REGISTRATION IN ADVANCE [$20 AT THE DOOR]
REGISTER TODAY! BIZTIMES.COM/BIZEXPO
What to Do When a Client Breaks Up With You These days, customer relationships have the life span of a Hollywood marriage, or, worse, a series of one-night stands. Here's how to learn from the breakup.
This story originally appeared on the website, Entrepreneur “You probably saw this coming,” she said. Marco Greenberg, “Not really,” I said.
President, Thunder11
While I often have a sixth sense and can feel when something isn't right in my relationship with one of my clients, it still takes me by surprise when I eventually get the call that lets me know our relationship is coming to an end. I’ve been a professional service provider for the last 25 years, and I’ve been fired, let go, put on hiatus, given "the news" and received the dreaded 30-day notice hundreds of times. And yet, each time stings like the first: As those of us who have clients know, even the best business relationships eventually end, and hearing that final goodbye always hurts. Why are we so poorly prepared for accepting this inevitability? Perhaps it’s because we hold on to the rosy exceptions, like the story of Al Golin. The veteran communications maven, who passed away last week, picked up the phone more than 60 years ago and called Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s, offering advice on how to build the hamburger chain into a globally recognized brand. Kroc was grateful, and Golin’s firm remains McDonald’s agency of record to this day. That’s a heartwarming story, but for most of us these days, customer relationships have the life span of a Hollywood marriage, or, worse, a series of one-night stands. You don’t have to be an organizational psychologist or a clairvoyant to see the signs. Sometimes, the break up is mutual, and sometimes it might even be your initiative. But when it happens -- and it will -- it’s important to bounce back quickly.
Thankfully, unlike romantic breakups, which can be emotional and protracted, business breakups are cleaner and offer a few key lessons to learn:
Remember it’s probably not about you. Being dumped by a lover is painful because it’s a reminder that something about you personally fell short of meeting expectations. That’s not the case in business: When you’re let go, the first thing to do is to feel the pain but remind yourself that the breakup was likely precipitated by many reasons -- the needs of the organization, the dips of the economy, etc. -- and that it usually does not mean that you yourself are at fault. Often, it’s much more about personalities or budget constraints than it is about results.
Stay graceful. When you get the dreaded call or email, your first instinct may be to respond with a long and angry rant, reminding the other party of all the great things you’ve done for them. Resist the urge. Instead, wish them the best of luck. And mean it: I can’t tell you how many times a former client re-emerged, years later, sometimes working for a different company, to offer new business. Often, these business exes would note how grateful they were by the way I handled being let go. No drama, it turns out, is a good principle in business and personal relationships alike.
Learn from your breakups. When a former boyfriend or girlfriend splits, the advice you usually get is to forget all about them and start anew. In business, that’s not solid advice. When a breakup happens, ask yourself why it did. Be brutally honest, and learn from the experience. Is it possible that this specific assignment wasn’t really your sweet spot? Can it be that you gravitate to the wrong kind of client? Should you be dealing with a different level of person at the organization, say, the CEO instead of the CMO? Sweat the small stuff, and tweak accordingly; these breakups will teach you more about your business than any other experience.
Reconsider your core propositions. If you keep getting frustrated about being let go, ask yourself if you’re offering your clients the right relationship model. Are you built for long commitments? Or would you do better with short and thunderous engagements? And which would your clients appreciate? Throughout the years, I’ve come to realize that while some clients need long-term commitments, others appreciate quick and laser-focused assignments, and that, if we build the breakup into our contract -- agreeing, say, that our relationship is only for a few months -- there’ll be no need for hurt feelings. Even if you make and sell products to customers, the same lessons still apply. After all these years, I admit to still feeling the sting, the kick in the stomach, the loss of sleep, when the relationship ends. But, contrary to conventional wisdom, I believe that taking it personally in business is not a sign of weakness and immaturity. Instead, it shows we care deeply, are committed to mutual success, are constantly learning and evolving, and are very much alive. The ones that don’t take it personally are the ones we all need to worry about.
3rd Annual...
Sporting Clay Shoot
Get Your Team Together!
Location: Waukehsa Gun Club * More Fun! * More Prizes! * More Food! A Great Place To Network! Register at IBAW.com
MAY 12
11:30 am - 4:00 pm
The Issues Impacting Wisconsin Business One of the hallmarks of the IBAW is to keep business owners informed on important topics coming out of Madison in Washington D.C.. The IBAW has released topics we feel are important to you and give you the challenges and opportunities for each. Many of these issues can be complex. It’s IBAW’s job to distill down issues and present them in a manner that’s easy to understand and quick to read. Read these White Paper Issues at our website: IBAW.com.
• REGULATIONS • TAXES • WORKFORCE • ENERGY • HEALTH CARE
: S E L A S
2nd Monday of the Month SALES ROUNDTABLE 7:30 am - 9:00 am Free & open to IBAW members only Register at IBAW.com
Sales can be a tough road of ups, downs, potholes and a few bumps. But it can also be fast paced, exhilarating and rewarding. If you’re in sales, you know there are things only other sales people understand; the thrill of scoring the big account, the uncertainty of “let me think about that.”, the frustration of phone calls or emails that don’t get returned. IBAW’s Sales Roundtable is a support and knowledge resource for sales professionals, business owners, marketing and branding experts who are charged with driving sales. Join us to discuss the strategy, tactics, inspiration, and motivation to increase sales. It’s a FREE benefit of your membership! Who should attend: • Sales professionals of any level. • Business owners • Sales Managers • Marketing & P.R. Professionals
“For many years I ran sales meetings for as few as 3 and as many as 22 sales rep’s now I can go as a participant once a month to IBAW’s Sales Roundtable.
BONUS! Join the IBAW Sales Roundtable and get a compact disc with the BEST in Sales Survival Music. Play it to pump you up before that big meeting or to console you if you hit a sales slump. Guaranteed to make life better.
It’s a focused meeting and everyone wants the same thing – to be more effective at selling.” - Jerry Wick, CEO, Custom Data Too Mail
More information at MKELeaders.com
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BUSINESS PROGRAMMING • Timely Speakers on Business Issues • A Powerful Resource for You and Your Team
PEER TO PEER NETWORK • Connect With Your Business Peers • Intimate Setting = Meaningful Dialogue
VOICE TO GOVERNMENT • Member Driven Advocacy • Voice on Public Policy Issues
Learn the benefits of membership at IBAW.com
IBAW is on an upward trend of growth and we are actively recruiting businesses just like yours to join! When you join IBAW your entire company is a member - anyone from your team can attend our fine educational and networking events. Help yourself, your business AND your Team Members. Come on in...we’re open for business!
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2017 Membership Committee welcomes Jeanie Brown, Katie Ross and Mike Poludniak as new committee members!
Craig Coursin Stier Construction
Scott Seroka Seroka Branding
Charles Fry Robert W. Baird
Mary Stark Waddell & Reed
Dan Hansen Waukesha State Bank
Legislative Fix Moving Ahead for Wisconsin’s New Manufacturing & Agricultural Credit Jim Brandenburg, CPA, MST - Sikich LLP
In IBAW meetings and publications in recent years we have introduced you to Wisconsin’s new tax incentive - the Wisconsin Manufacturing and Agriculture Credit (referred to as the “MAC”). The MAC came about in 2011 to provide an incentive for Wisconsin manufacturers and agricultural companies to remain and grow here, and also perhaps to have out-of-state companies move here. It was scheduled to begin in 2013, and when fully phased-in by 2016 it would essentially exempt any Wisconsin manufacturing and agricultural income from Wisconsin income tax. The MAC was championed by Representative Dale Kooyenga and Senator Glenn Grothman in the legislature.
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The MAC, however, had some problems for individual taxpayers when it was drafted and this glitch was recently identified. Here is the issue in a nutshell: the MAC would reduce a taxpayer’s Wisconsin individual income tax, but then would trigger a Wisconsin minimum tax for nearly the same amount. Thus, there may be little, if any, net savings for the MAC in 2013 (a “MAC Attack?”). The legislature is trying to remedy this situation now so that taxpayers can realize the proper tax savings with the MAC on their 2013 Wisconsin individual tax returns.
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Legislative Update: It seems that all key legislative leaders are now on board to correct this issue. It was approved by the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee last week. The Senate and Assembly will be in session in March and voting on final passage for several bills, one of which is this tax bill with the MAC correction. It looks like the legislative timetable will have the bill passed near the middle of the March, before going to the Governor. Thus, a best guess now is that the bill would be enacted into law somewhere in the latter half of March, 2014. MAC Attack Options: For any of our individual taxpayers taking advantage of the MAC, this may present some filings logistics. Here are the possibilities:
1. Best case scenario - in some cases the taxpayer’s share of the MAC for 2013 will be used and not result in a Wisconsin Minimum Tax. A taxpayer in this situation could go ahead and claim the MAC and file their 2013 Wisconsin individual return. There would be no need to wait for the legislation to pass.
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2. Next, a taxpayer has generated a MAC for 2013, but it will trigger a Wisconsin Minimum Tax. The taxpayer in this case could wait until the law is changed (and then wait a little for the WDR to update its computer processing systems) and then file their Wisconsin tax return and claim the MAC, and not incur the Wisconsin Minimum Tax. This could present a tight timeline for the April 15 deadline, and you may need to file for an extension.
3. Similar case as #2, but this taxpayer could file their Wisconsin individual return with the MAC, but also incur and pay a Wisconsin Minimum Tax for 2013. Then, once the corrective law is enacted go back and file an amended 2013 Wisconsin tax return to obtain the proper tax benefit of the MAC. You would not need extend, but you would need to amend. We’ll keep you posted as this legislation moves forward. If you have any questions, please contact Jim Brandenburg or Brian Kelley at Sikich, LLP in Brookfield (262)754-9400.
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Meeting Recaps 2014 Wisconsin Manufacturing Knowledge Summit
Power Test
On June 20, 2014 the IBAW partnered with the Tool, Die & Machining Association of Wisconsin (TDMAW) to offer Wisconsin manufacturers and their suppliers a unique look at trends within the industry and to also report on some of the challenges the industry faces in the next 5 years.
Power Test, Inc. is an industry leader in the design, manufacture and implementation of dynamometers and control systems.
Special thanks to the event sponsor, First Business Bank for their efforts in helping organize this event.
For more than 37 years, Power Test has provided specialized test equipment to manufacturers, rebuilding facilities and distributors globally. Our products can be found in use at these facilities in nearly 100 countries on six continents.
Chris Halaska
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Our headquarters and manufacturing operations are located in Sussex, WI with sales representatives worldwide. Our unparalleled customer service is well known throughout the industry. Power Test employs a dedicated staff of talented machinists, fabricators, electronic technicians, assemblers, designers, engineers, software developers, and administrative and customer service personnel. Our exceptional product life and excellent customer service is well known throughout the industry and has made us one of the industryleading dynamometer manufacturers. Our dedication to the customer and to the advances in powertrain component testing keep us there.
Power Test N60 W22700 Silver Spring Drive Sussex, WI 53089 Phone: 262-252-4301
4 Advanced Waste Services Advanced Waste Services is an environmental services company that provides wastewater recycling and other waste and risk elimination services to manufacturers in all industries. Each day, AWS helps hundreds of businesses, both large and small, meet their community and environmental obligations. Annually, we collect, treat and recycle more than 50 million gallons of contaminated wastewater into clean, reusable water and other valuable resources like fuel, steam and electricity. AWS is constantly helping our clients manage, reinvent and improve their sustainability successes. For example, we recently partnered with Forest County Advanced Waste Services Potawatomi Community to help Wisconsin food and beverage manufacturers convert 1126 South 76th Street food waste into clean, green renewable energy. Suite N408B West Allis, WI 53214 Founded in 1993, AWS employs 55 people in the Milwaukee area and a total of 150 people companywide in 5 states. 414-847-7100
Photo Key 1: A full house in the main ballroom of the Wisconsin Club as IBAW & TDMAW members prepare to hear about the state of manufacturing and the challenges the industry faces in the workforce.
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2: David Vetta of First Business Bank delivers opening remarks and highlights the importance of a strong relationship between banking and manufacturing working together for success. 3: New IBAW President, John Weber of Hypneumat addresses the change in IBAW Bylaws and calls for voting in new board officers. 4: Kent Lorenz of Acieta gives the main presentation on “Manufacturing Matters” pointing out the trends on manufacturing now and what to expect in the future. 5: Outgoing IBAW President, Steve Van Lieshout receives his award for his efforts as 2013 - 2014.
6 Photos courtesy of Tim Townsend.
6: IBAW Executive Director, Steve Kohlmann (Left) presents David Drumel with an award for his service on the IBAW board.
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