Oct 2016 IBAW Magazine

OCTOBER 2016 October 10th

October 21st

Sales Roundtable

Justice Dan Kelly Wisconsin Supreme Court

What Makes Sales People Tick

Inside This Issue:

ROTH: REPORT: STEM EDUCATION: BEYOND THE BUZZWORD

KEATING: DURABLE GOODS REPORT POINTS TO LONG-RUN INVESTMENT WOES

MCMAHON: THE JOSEPH PROJECT: RESTORING THE SOUL TO MILWAUKEE'S INNER CITY

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 Who is Mike Gallagher? _________________________________________________________

A conservative leader, Marine veteran, and private-sector problem solver. Mike is running to serve Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District in Congress.

Executive Director Steve Kohlmann President Jim Leef ITU AbsorbTech Secretary Dan Hansen Waukesha State Bank President Elect 2015-16 Craig Coursin Stier Construction VP. State & National Programs Charles Fry Baird Treasurer Casey Malek Sikich

To view, click here.

Directors Ann Barry Hanneman Simandl Law Group S.C John Weber Hypneumat Je Homan Boerke Co. Richard Blomquist Blomquist Benefits Lisa Mauer Rickert Industries Tom Boelkow BSI Design, Build, Furnish Robert Gross Gross Automation Scott Seroka Seroka Brand Development

IBAW Mission: To advance business prosperity through insightful programming, executive networking and member-driven public policy and advocacy.

Sales Roundtable: What Makes Sales People Tick Monday, October 10th 2016 | Time: 7:30 am - 9:00 am | Location: CT Access, 740 Pilgrim Parkway, Elm Grove

BUSINESS LEADERS...LEADING BUSINESS

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

Independent Business Association of Wisconsin

MONTHLY MEETING Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly Friday, October 21, 2016 | Time: 7:00 am - 9:00 am | Location: Wisconsin Club, 900 W.Wisconsin Ave. Meet newly seated Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly at our October 21st meeting. Justice Kelly was recently appointed by Governor Walker to fill the retirement vacancy left by Justice David Prosser.

Justice Dan Kelly Wisconsin Supreme Court

LOCATION

THE WISCONSIN CLUB 900 W. WISCONSIN AVE. MILWAUKEE

7:00 AM

REGISTRATION & NETWORKING

7:30 AM

BREAKFAST & PROGRAM

9:00 AM

PROGRAM ENDS

To register, click here.

WORKPLACE ACTIVE SHOOTER:

Special Lunch Workshop

Friday, November 4th

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

WHAT WILL YOU DO? It’s a normal business day. You sit at your desk answering emails and returning a few phone calls before a 10:30 meeting. Then you hear something odd and think; “Who’s lighting off firecrackers?”

SUDDENLY...

Join the IBAW as we present FBI Special Agent Jay Darin who will present this Lunch & Learn workshop. This workshop covers “pre attack” indicators of active shooters, historical events, psychology of survival and the Avoid, Deny, Defend strategy. This is a very intimate workshop and as such is limited to 40 people and includes a light lunch. It is only open to IBAW members.

AFTER THE WORKSHOP...

Tour Wisconsin Firearms Training Center. WFTC is one of IBAW’s newest members and features shooting lanes for both pistol and rifles as well as a pro shop complete with the latest firearms.

If you wish to utilize the range and shoot, bring your firearm. There is an extra charge for range time ($20 for an hour NOT included in your registration.)

Hosted at IBAW member Wisconsin Firearms Training Center 12730 West Burleigh Road, Brookfield, WI 53005

Workforce Solution: A Captive Audience?

Steve Kohlmann, IBAW Executive Director In my role as director for the IBAW I often talk to business owners and high level management about the concerns they have and operating their business. It probably comes as no surprise to you the main issues concerning business owners are often taxes and government regulations. But with the economy slowly coming back the issue of most importance seems to be workforce; finding qualified workers and keeping the ones you have. As a matter of fact, a survey by the IBAW a few months back put workforce as the top issue manufacturers are concerned about.

At IBAW, we have had many meetings regarding this issue. Particularly for manufacturers and people in the construction industry, the workforce issue seems to be lack of interest of younger people to get into those sector. Who hasn’t heard of the topic of getting more young people interested in manufacturing and the skilled trades? Who will fill in the slots of our workers as they get older and retire?

On September 19th, I traveled to Appleton Wisconsin to attend the Governors Small Business Summit. Not surprisingly, the big issue at the Summit was again, the discussion of the lack of available workforce. However, at the Summit a surprising “common denominator” solution constantly arose throughout the day. And that common denominator was hiring people that have previously been in prison.

At the Summit I met with Richard Brown who runs The Captive Project here in Milwaukee. The Captive Project focuses on areas of the inner city and reaches out to individuals who have been incarcerated (Richard calls them returning citizens) and are in need of work. The key to the success of The Captive Project is devoting 3 to 5 years of personal attention to each individual with spiritual counseling, and mentorship to guide them down the right path and become a productive member of society.

After I talked to Richard, I bumped into someone during the summit in the manufacturing sector who told me of their issue about finding qualified workers. I said to them, “I have somebody to introduce you to who maybe be able to help.” And then I introduced them to The Captive Project. They had a nice 15 minute conversation together. I don’t know if anything will come out of my introduction but a connection has been made and a possible solution has been offered.

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of hiring individuals who have been incarcerated. At our own Manufacturing Summit on September 16th, Tim Sullivan of the Rev Group stated that during his tenure at Bucyrus, some of his best workers were previously incarcerated or were on a work release release program. Those individuals had gone through the prison system and picked up valuable educational training and technical skills. Tim also mentioned these workers we’re highly grateful for the opportunity for work and a second chance.

Mike Wabiszewski from Maynard Steel also touched on the subject during our August meeting. Mike told us that one of of his workers was on a work release program from county jail and this individual was a hard-working and productive member of the team. He always showed up on time because he had a ride to and from work provided by the county. And at the end of the day, he always had a ride “home”.

Without a doubt, having some individuals in your company who have had run-ins with the law and may have been in the prison system interacting with your workforce can certainly make you feel uncomfortable - even scary. But with the manufacturing workforce getting older and nearing retirement with no one behind them to take their place all options are going to have to be looked and considered.

Utilizing individuals that have had previous runs with the law may not be THE answer. But it maybe PART of the answer.

If you are curious about this topic and would like more information about the captive project, please contact me.

IBAW:The Issues

Exploding Cost of Healthcare

c a n af fo rd it.

THE OVERVIEW The Affordable Care Act has accomplished a couple of notable goals for small business in bringing the percentage of Americans who are insured up to 90%, preventing exclusions of pre-existing conditions, and establishing the SHOP exchange for employers with less than 50 full time equivalent employees.

While the ACA has attempted to improve the heath care delivery model in the United States, it is evident that the architecture of the legislation will collapse in the very near future due to an unsustainable cost model that has decreased competition within the insurance industry, stifled innovation, and has lead to a hyper inflation environment for the cost of insurance.

The Challenges • The projected price increases in 2017 for the 4 insurers in the Wisconsin exchange are anywhere between 12%-31%.

Competition within markets is decreasing as high profile insurers such as United Healthcare and Humana are pulling out of markets due to significant losses.

• The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that as many as 664 U.S. counties may be served by only a single insurer in 2017, up from 225 in 2016 • Healthcare currently accounts for 20% of total consumer consumption and this number is projected to grow to 25% in the next 10 years. This number is up from 5% in 1960.

The Opportunities • Immediate action must be taken to stabilize insurance risk pools, increase competition within markets and fundamentally bend the cost curve in the delivery of healthcare.

• Aggressive investment into technology that delivers transparency to the marketplace for the consumer to better compare cost vs. quality in the delivery of healthcare.

• Allow small businesses and individuals to band together in buying pools which will open up the opportunity to increase buying power and drive down costs.

• Allow States to opt out of the ACHA requirements and create a

• The Urban Institute estimates that the median consumer who earns

system where consumers that do not have coverage provided

between 400% and 500% of poverty must spend 18% of after-tax income on an Exchange policy.

by an employer can still qualify for federally funded tax credits if the plan is approved by the State

• Due to the limited penalty for not having insurance, the consumer pool for insurance policies is smaller, older and less healthy than forecasted which has been devastating to actuarial modeling.

Learn more at IBAW.com

STEM Education: Beyond the Buzzword Collin Roth, Research Fellow, Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty

R

ecently, business leaders have been warning that a “skills gap” is preventing Wisconsin’s economy from

View this new report, as well as WILL’s other work, at www.WILL-LAW.org

reaching its potential. And they say it is only getting worse. A new report from the Wisconsin Institute for

Law & Liberty (WILL), STEM Education: Beyond the Buzzword, explores the ways that Wisconsin’s K-12 public schools are working with businesses to develop STEM education to equip today’s students to be tomorrow’s workers, inventors, and

The link to the report is here.

leaders.

The report, authored by WILL’s Collin Roth, is based upon extensive interviews at Three Lakes School District in Oneida County and, thanks to IBAW, the LakeView Technology Academy in Kenosha County, where forward-thinking school leaders have successfully implemented a STEM curriculum.

LINKS FOR SUPPLEMENTAL VIDEOS: Their stories show the success of their students, the importance

Three Lakes School District | LakeView Technology Academy

of attracting high quality teachers, and the pivotal role that local businesses can play in curriculum, resources, and mentorship for students. Wisconsin is on the right track, and the collaborative investment in STEM education from school leaders, the business community, and the state has the potential to pay off big for the Badger State.

Collin Roth Collin Roth has been involved with the conservative movement for more than five years in Wisconsin, writing and commenting extensively on policy, politics, and elections. Most recently, he was Managing Editor of RightWisconsin.com, a digital home for conservative commentary founded and edited by Charlie Sykes.

Roth’s stories and commentary have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Beast, Politico, National Journal, MSNBC, 620 WTMJ, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and more. Collin is a native of Ada, Michigan and attended Hillsdale College. He currently lives in Milwaukee.

The Joseph Project...Restoring the Soul to Milwaukee’s Inner City Christine McMahon, President, CMA, llc Do you believe in miracles?

For many graduates, “miracle” is the word they use to describe what’s happened to their lives since graduating from the Joseph Project and finding regular employment.

After giving their “all” to countless temporary positions so they would stand out and be selected for full-time employment, time-after-time they were let go because “the company no longer had a need.”

This revolving door of false opportunities became the door to nowhere. People who believed in a better future began to internalize that “their best would never be good enough.” Self-doubt replaced hope, and fear swallowed their remaining selfworth.

Pastor Smith, founder of Greater Praise Church of God in Christ, located on 54th and Center St., Milwaukee, knows personally, and sees daily, the destruction that can happen when people live in poverty and despair.

The Joseph Project, http://www.greaterpraisecogic.com/joseph-project, named after Robert L. Woodson Sr.’s 1997 book The Triumphs of Joseph, is a non-denominational faith-based career placement program that connects inner city unemployed individuals with employers. Supported by Sen. Ron Johnson and staff members, Scott Bolstad and Orlando Owens, the program launched October 2015, in Sheboygan County.

Finding the right candidates is important, and Pastor Smith is the secret sauce. He interviews every individual to find the 10 to 15 people who are ready to make the life-changing commitment.

Candidates must pass a drug test, show up on time daily for classes, and demonstrate the right attitude. Smith tells each candidate, “You have to want this more than we want this for you.”

Bolstad and Smith then facilitate the soft and life skills training that includes: goal setting, communication skills, teamwork, conflict resolution, interviewing and presentation skills, spiritual fitness, and financial management.

Johnson has participated in every training session, either in person or via conference call, to provide encouragement and support, and to congratulate each individual. He tells graduates that their success carves a path for future candidates and also stresses that “Attitude is most important!”

Over the last 10 months, The Joseph Project has graduated 143 individuals, males and females, and has employed 80 people.

Thirty-one are undergoing the hiring process and the program has a 71 percent retention rate.

When interviewed, Paul Bridges, almost 60 years old, said, “Having a job means that I have a future!”

The Joseph Project has a proven that a bridge from poverty to self-sufficiency can be built. With the security of a regular paycheck, some graduates have been able to rent an apartment or purchase a car for the first time; some have engaged a financial planner to plan for retirement.

“The Joseph Project has completely turned my life around,” said Willie McShane, age 54. “I used to wake up with all the stresses of the world on me. I didn’t have a clue what to do. Now, I am stress-free and comfortable. I can see tomorrow and have hope. More than anyone, I’m proud of me!”

In the book, The Triumphs of Joseph, author Robert L. Woodson Sr. refers to the people who change the game as modern-day “Josephs.” He outlines ten defining characteristics that successful “Joseph’s” share in common and some of these include: 1. The program is open to all comers – there is no exclusivity.

2. Neighborhood healers have the same “zip code.” They have firsthand knowledge of the problems that people live with and also have a stake in their success.

3. Clear behavioral guidelines and discipline play an important role in the program’s success.

4. Grassroot healers fulfill the role of a parent, providing not only authority and structure, but also the love that is necessary for an individual to undergo healing, growth, and development.

5. Today’s Joseph’s are committed. They are in it for the Brotherhood of Service, which means that they are in it for long haul and make themselves available.

What you learn quickly when attending service at Greater Praise Church of God in Christ is that unconditional love fills every crevice of this small church. Each person is met with kindness, understanding, and support. When Smith says a personal blessing out loud to each parishioner, and hugs and holds those who need it, he demonstrates his fundamental belief that we all need the same things: to be seen, to be heard, to be loved, to be understood, to belong, and to feel safe.

For many who reside in the inner city, the unpaved road to self-sufficiency is a mountain with a narrow ledge and slippery slopes; the many attempts at scaling the mountain has left many feeling woefully unsafe and defeated.

Yet, in less than a year, the Joseph Project has shifted the trajectory of many graduates lives and their immediate family members. Children go to school with a deeper sense of pride; the home is more stable; and spousal relationships have become more loving.

The program has expanded and currently supports five vans and an SUV that transports employees to and from Milwaukee and Sheboygan employer sites six times daily, seven days a week, racking up more than 10,000 miles per month. Employees receive free transportation for the first month, and then pay $10 a day thereafter, which doesn’t cover costs.

Currently, the program has two critical needs: 1. Funding. As a grassroots initiative, financial support comes from donations and a lot of prayers. Donations to support vehicle maintenance, driver salaries, and a dispatcher are urgently needed as the winter months approach.

2. Employment. In the greater Milwaukee area, employment is needed. When asked what seems to be the greatest stumbling block, Smith said, “Finding employers who are willing to make an exception to a candidate who doesn’t have their GED or a solid work background.”

Unable to look Smith or Johnson in the eyes before enrolling in the program, Billy Phillips, age 24, with months of stable employment, walks into the church, makes direct eye contact, and extends his hand wearing a big smile.

This is proof positive that the Joseph Project is changing lives and has the potential to improve Milwaukee’s inner city neighborhoods – one person at a time. Please consider a holiday gift, no matter how small, or if you have entry-level jobs, please contact the Joseph Project. You will certainly change, and maybe even be saving a life, and the world needs another miracle.

Greg Larson of Bank Mutual welcomes manufacturers.

Tom Parks of Annex Wealth Management introduces Ed Bogle from the U.S. Dept. of Labor

John Staehler of Vrakas CPAs + Advisors introduces Tim Sullivan of The REV Group.

Ed Bogle, Senior Investigator for the U.S. Department of Labor discusses what his department looks for that may trigger an audit.

Tim Sullivan’s Slide Deck LINK HERE. Tim Sullivan, CEO of The REV Group talks about the challenges Wisconsin manufacturing faces but also the opportunities for growth in the sector.

A full ballroom at the Wisconsin Club!

7 IT Pains Solved by a Top-Notch IT Pit Crew Scott Hirschfeld, CTaccess

Wouldn’t it be awesome if you had your own personal pit crew?

I’m imaging pulling my car into my garage and going about my business at home. Sometime during the night, a highly trained pit crew enters my garage.

They quietly and confidently top off fluids, change tires, fix anything that needs repairs, take care of any recalls, certify my brakes are good, wash, wax, vacuum, and then leave quietly.

The next morning I head off to work and step into the garage knowing my car is set from top to bottom. It is in the best condition it can be and is far less likely to have an issue on the road. I also know that if I do have any roadside problems, this same pit crew will be there in short order and solve whatever the problem is with skill and care. This really isn’t practical or even truly necessary for the typical automobile and the typical driver, but one can dream!

While the Pit Crew Story is a pipe dream for my personal car, it is a necessity for a business network. IT is the central nervous system of your business. If your servers are down, or your team is frequently having IT issues, or you lose data due to poorly functioning backups, there is a significant impact on your business.

Unlike the fairly static and consistent nature of a newer vehicle, your IT network is a complex web of different PCs, Macs, Tablets, Switches, Servers and Software that is frequently being updated, changed, tweaked, and even used differently than it was in the past. Your IT is being targeted by every hacker and would-behacker who can create an automated bot to break your security. These factors make having a top notch IT pit crew necessary.

Here are 7 IT Pains That a Top-Notch IT Pit Crew Will Solve: 1: Always Being Behind – Your IT person always seems to be stretched and fighting to keep up. This is quite common if you are relying on a single technical person for your IT. One person can’t do it all. You need the depth of a full team with varying knowledge and skill sets. Some IT people excel at troubleshooting, others have strength in being innovative, or in security, or in working with people to solve their computer issues. In addition, with only a single individual you are at risk if they win the lottery, just leave, or even go on vacation.

2: Lack of Stability – IT feels like a fire drill. Priorities are always shifting and getting projects done is painful. Strong process is extremely important to be effective at IT. There has to be a process for things like prioritizing immediate trouble type user issues and balancing that against long-term objectives. Quite often in a one or two person IT environment there is very little process and everything is done in reactive mode. The result is the long-term objectives of the organization often suffer.

3: No Benchmark – I am worried that things are not being done the right way and don’t have any way to benchmark our IT. Best practices are essential to build a solid IT platform. A top-notch IT team has an established best practice baseline and is willing to share it. They are able to point to their experience at other organizations and at industry standards, and will be able to provide an assessment of your current state and recommendations to improve.

4: Security and Recovery – I am concerned about security and avoiding viruses and information theft, but it seems like my IT person often brushes over these concerns. Security creates pain for everyone. Having to change passwords, deal with screen locks, use email encryption, and other security measures is no fun. However, these things can save your company huge amounts of down-time, lost information, and even financial damage. If you have the right IT resource, they will regularly bring up security and help you build a network that balances functionality and security.

5: No Technology Wins – We haven’t had any real technology break-throughs in a long time. There are some areas where we believe we could make changes, but there is always something in the way. This is a common IT problem. In order to consider ways to build efficiency and automate, you have to first be stable. If you never achieve stable and planned, you never move on to leverage technology to the next level, and the next level brings real productivity.

6: Shifting IT Budget – Our IT expenditures are a bit of an unknown. We have a lot of unexpected purchases and our IT budget is rarely on target. IT can be planned and budgeted with very few surprises. A solid IT team will address the issues creating instability, correct them, and make IT a constant. Instability and inability to budget are usually created by trying to “get by”, and by failing to follow best practice. Once these items are addressed, stability comes.

7: Too Much Mystery – Because our IT seems a little unstructured, I am concerned about the behind the scenes stuff. I’m concerned about whether the IT equivalent of brakes, tires, and oil changes is really happening. IT done right just includes these things. Things like bi-weekly security patches, reviewing log files, updating firewalls, tracking software licensing, testing backups, and so many more should be systematized and even automated using specialized monitoring tools. If this is a manual process it rarely or at least only sporadically happens.

The highly performing IT Pit Crew is a bit of a rarity. It is particularly difficult to create the process and discipline needed if you only have one or two people addressing IT in your organization.

This specialized IT Team is what we focus on at CTaccess and strive to deliver every day. If you don’t have an awesome IT Pit Crew, please contact us. We welcome the opportunity to talk and see if we can help!

: 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

The Risk of Making a Brand Promise You Can’t Keep Scott Seroka, Seroka Brand Development

One of the great truths about delivering on a brand promise is that it is much easier said than done, and buyers have a right to expect that a brand will do what it claims it will do. Unfortunately, too many companies feel pressured to make bold claims about their brands to make their competitors seem less relevant, even though the claims are not entirely true or cannot always be delivered.

Any claim about your brand, especially those that are bold, will require you to have the resources and the culture to be able to deliver on your claims time and time again – no excuses. The reason is because as soon as a brand fails to deliver on what it claims, its credibility suffers and it soon becomes a brand that is untrustworthy. For example, if you manufacture gear drives that boast “maximum uptime” and yet they fail often, your claim of maximum uptime (your brand) will be on its way to becoming a mockery.

I was inspired to write about this topic because Cisco is now branding itself as the “global networking leader and technology visionary of tomorrow.” It’s bold.

It’s courageous. It sets the bar at the maximum height because any company branding itself as a leader must be able to back it up with evidence of performance, and can never lag behind a competitor. It’s also a risky claim to make about their brand because the word “leader” is one that is overused by a lot of companies in just about every industry. Another issue with such a strong claim is that it must be defined. What does “leader” mean? What does it look like? How does Cisco lead exactly? What metric is being used to define “lead?” Innovation? Quality? Performance? User experience? Cost of ownership?

Cisco is a huge company with a strong reputation and brand. I have no doubt they will be able to deliver. However, there are also many other networking companies that are quite large with strong reputations and brands, such as Microsoft, Citrix, Google, Juniper, AT&T, Apple, Amazon, and others that are gaining a lot of traction in the networking space. In the heat of competition, you can expect that Cisco’s competitors will proudly explain how and why they lead, and how Cisco is, at best, only second best.

Can Cisco pull this new brand off? Time will tell, and so will twenty or more other companies preparing to battle for first place.

How to Tame the Content Approval Monster Chuck Frey, Cultivate Communications Lurking in the corner of your office is an unseen threat to the success of your content marketing efforts. It’s the approval monster and his favorite activity is not to dismember, devour and destroy, but rather to plant his fat butt on top of your content, bringing your publishing process to a screeching halt.

No approvals. Not today. Not for a week or two, if you’re lucky!

As you scale your content marketing production, one of the challenges you’re likely to encounter is content approvals. If you don’t have a streamlined process for managing them, they WILL become a bottleneck and compromise your ability to publish content consistently.

Here are some ideas for keeping content flowing smoothly in your organization: Clearly define your content workflow, and make sure you distribute it to everyone who has a hand in content production, as well as any relevant subject matter experts and stakeholders. Everyone needs to be working from a common set of expectations and roles. This article includes a simple “swim lane” diagram that can help you understand what a typical content process looks like.

Don’t treat all content the same. Certain types of content, such as ebooks and video scripts, deserve a full-blown vetting process. Other types of content, such as social media posts and images for your company’s Facebook page or Instagram feed, should he managed with much less attention and oversight. You should be able to publish them as soon as they’re produced, or on a schedule that you decide. For a valuable perspective on this topic, including an awesome red light/yellow light/ green light model, please see Marcia Riefer Johnston’s article on the Content Marketing Institute’s website.

Centralize all of your internally-written and contributed content in Google Docs. This cloud-based word processing tool enables you to collaborate easily with others, track revision history and much more. This article from SmartBlogger explains how to make it the engine of a scalable content production and publishing empire.

Set time limits on content reviews. Let your article sources and department managers know the turn-around time you require. But here’s the important part: Also let them know that if you don’t hear from them by that date, you will assume they are okay with the content as is, and you may proceed with the publishing process.

Identify production bottlenecks and reduce or eliminate them. Diagram your content production process, so you understand who is involved and what the dependencies are at each step. Next, measure and document how long each step takes. Then select a standardized period of time (such as a week) and determine how much content each person could produce within that time frame. Gathering this data will help you identify where the bottleneck is in your process, so you can reduce or eliminate it. For a full explanation of this process, please read this article.

Follow the model publishers use. Publishers don’t have the luxury of having content hung-up in approvals. They operate on a very tight schedule. Accordingly, they take a more streamlined approach to this important part of the publishing process.

They establish rules and monitor for editorial compliance once and then enforce them rigorously to all content. This model enables content producers to focus on what they do best – creating high-quality content, – but within an agreed-upon framework. This article contains a deeper explanation of how this works.

What is your approach to content production, reviews and approvals? If you don’t have clearly defined content roles, responsibilities and processes, now is the time to set them up.

Durable Goods Report Points to Long-Run Investment Woes Raymond J. Keating, SBC Council, Washington D.C.

Private-sector investment within a free enterprise system is central to economic growth and development.

Sluggish investment – for example, as noted in the recent SBE Council Gap analysis on a decade of lost private investment – has been a key underlying reason why this economic recovery has been so poor.

The Census Bureau’s durable goods August 2016 report does not exactly offer encouragement that things are picking up in any significant way. Indeed, the top-line story was a bit grim, as noted in the report: “New orders for manufactured durable goods in August decreased $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $226.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease, down three of the last four months, followed a 3.6 percent July increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 1.0 percent.”

Key Numbers One looks at the numbers excluding transportation and defense because those areas tend to be very volatile. Taking note of new orders over the past year, total manufactured goods was down 0.6 percent, and orders excluding transportation were off 1.1 percent, and excluding defense down 1.3 percent.

But there’s more to consider. Nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft warrants watching because it provides a measure of private investment in equipment and software. That makes up a significant share of private investment in the GDP report. In particular, the shipments numbers provide some information about output in the current quarter, and orders give guidance for future investment.

Nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft shipments fell by 0.4 percent in August – the fourth straight month of decline. Over the past year, shipments were down by 5.1 percent. Meanwhile, nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft orders increased by 0.6 percent, which actually was the third consecutive monthly increase. At the same time, orders in August were below the January level, and off by 4.0 percent over the past 12 months. In fact, it must be noted that orders have been on a notable decline since September 2014.

Here’s a truly depressing point: In August 2016, nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft orders (seasonally adjusted monthly data) stood at $63.3 billion. That compared to $67.2 billion at the start of this last recession in December 2007, and $68.3 billion in June 2000. Factor in inflation (as these are nominal numbers), and these orders have declined or been flat for more than a decade-and-a-half.

What’s This All About in the End? The U.S. has suffered under increased costs and uncertainties regarding tax, regulatory, trade and monetary policies, thereby undermining the incentives for private investment. Those issues need to be solved in order to recharge investment and economic growth.

Unfortunately, the first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump failed to offer substantive encouragement on these issues. Mr. Trump did speak positively on tax relief and generally on regulation, while Mrs. Clinton’s comments on taxes were clearly negative. And both candidates were way off the mark on trade policies. It was hardly inspiring from a growth standpoint.

The need for implementing a true growth agenda is clear – that is, substantial tax and regulatory relief, free trade and sound money – and we need clear, consistent recognition and adoption of this agenda on the campaign trail. _______ Raymond J. Keating is chief economist for the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council.

SALES ROUNDTABLE

Even if you're seasoned in sales, learn what other professionals are doing and some new techniques and skills you might be missing.

This is open to anyone at an IBAW member company who would like to share their real world challenges and most successful strategies for growing business. This Roundtable is meant to serve as a confidential means to learn from your peers in other industries and to help others learn from your experience – good and bad.

Click HERE to register for the next roundtable.

The IBAW Legislative Team

Mike Kuhn Jeff Hoffman

Charles Fry

The IBAW Legislative Team keeps our members up to date and informed on business issues coming out of Madison and Washington D.C..

G r e g Ly o n s

Ann Barry Hanneman

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.

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2016 Membership Committee

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.

Magazine Content Needed Consider Submitting an Article!

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.

The IBAW magazine is in need of content, we rely on our members and sponsors to supply us informative articles. The digital magazine is sent out to over 650 contacts statewide and the magazine is parked on the web where, on average, it gets over 1100 views.

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.

Consider writing an article on a timely business related topic to your particular field of business. This is an outstanding opportunity for you and your company to gain exposure and increase your brand awareness to a statewide audience. There is no cost to submitting an article.

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.

Contact Steve Kohlmann for details.

Articles submitted by our members & sponsors.

Welcome New IBAW Members!

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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THERE’S ROOM AT THE TABLE

As an advocate for small business, the IBAW offers intimate meetings on relevant topics such as Leadership, HR, Sales, and Political Issues.

Business Leaders...Leading Business

Join us. “...the sales round table was very informative, Judson will be renewing our membership in the IBAW. Thank you and I look forward to more roundtables!”

Dominic Misasi, Judson and Associates s.c.

“ I almost always come away from an IBAW meeting with useable material that helps me with my business. Many times, a speaker will give me something that applies to ITU AbsorbTech. Other times, it is a conversation over breakfast that gives me value.”

Jim Leef, President & CEO, ITU AbsorbTech

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