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INSIDE — Tennis enthusiasts plan unique Bay St. Louis retreat — Page 2

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March 1, 2019 • Vo. 41 No. 9 • 16 pages

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Opponents ‘99% sure’ to take Costco gas station ruling to highest court — Page 3

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SMALL BUSINESS {Section begins P7}

» Jose’s Mexican Restaurant in Pearl specializes in authentic Mexican food

{The List P10}

» Small Business Development Centers

MISSISSIPPI PROFILES {P6}

» The Mississippi Business Group on Health

Spotlight on challenges of Mississippi’s rural small businesses » Broadband legislation could prove timely to rural small businesses

» Small Business Majority report details roundtables in state

THREE-STORY PACKAGE BEGINS PAGE 11

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2 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 1, 2019 HANCOCK COUNTY

Tennis enthusiasts plan unique Bay St. Louis retreat

By LISA MONTI mbj@msbusiness.com

Three tennis-loving New Orleanians want to create a new kind of resort on the Bay of St. Louis where guests can immerse themselves in the sport and also relax and recharge. Not surprisingly, the idea for the boutique resort was born three years ago on a tennis court and resulted in the formation of their company, aptly named 78 X 36 LLC for the dimensions of a court.

Cindy Hart, Karen Sulzer and Terri Sisk are combining their professional backgrounds and passion for the sport to develop Grand Bend Tennis Retreat, an all-inclusive getaway offering group tennis clinics and private lessons, massage therapy, yoga and other wellness programs along with healthy breakfast and lunch menus for overnight guests.

The trio wants to give their guests “an opportunity to work intensely on their tennis game, balanced with relaxation, proper nutrition, enriching workshops and healing arts so they will depart refreshed, inspired and empowered,” said Hart.

The nearly $3 million project was approved by the Bay St. Louis Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council last

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Above: From left, New Orleanians Terri Sisk, Karen Sulzer and Cindy Hart plan to build a boutique tennis retreat on the Bay of St. Louis where guests can up their game and enjoy wellness activities. Sisk is a tennis instructor, Sulzer is a certified wellness coach and Hart is a marketing and sales professional; Right: Rendering of Grand Bear retreat,

year. Since then, the partners have been designing and otherwise fine-tuning their resort. Sulzer said, “The idea and vision are very much alive. We’re dotting every I and crossing every T. We feel confident it’s happening.” The partners are expected to close on the purchase of 2.5 acres on North Beach Boulevard once they have secured

funding. They hope to break ground later this year.

Sisk, the resort’s director of tennis, was the tennis coach at Tulane University for 10 years. Sulzer, a graduate architect, is a certified wellness coach. Hart retired from premium sales with the New Orleans Saints and handles sales and marketing for Grand Bend. All three travel the country

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pursuing their passion for tennis and are part of what they call a thriving tennis community in the Gulf South. “Unfortunately, we don’t have any facility that offers tennis instruction with accommodations between Texas and Florida. We plan to bridge that gap,” said Hart.

See TENNIS, Page 3

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Opponents ‘99% sure’ to take Costco gas station ruling to highest court

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

Madison County Circuit Court Judge Steve Ratcliff ruled in favor of the city of Ridgeland in its approval of a site for a gas station for a proposed Costco Whole store.

Ratcliff, who ruled from the bench Feb. 7 for the city, signed the order on Monday.

With that, homeowners can now appeal to the state Supreme Court.

“We have thirty days from the order to file a notice of appeal. I am 99% sure that we will appeal,” Steve Maloney, attorney for six homeowners who have challenged the city’s action, said in an email on Tuesday.

“When both parties are willing and able to take their arguments to the highest available court, the only decision that matters is the last one.”

Homeowners in upscale neighborhoods who believe that the high-volume wholesale store would disrupt and devalue their property, already have a major victory over the city and Renaissance at Colony Park Phase 3 LLC led by Andrew Mattiace.

The state Supreme Court ruled 7-0 last April that the city had acted illegally in rezoning a 45-acre plot on the Highland Colony Parkway to allow a fueling station, a particularly nettlesome aspect to the plaintiffs.

The ruling did not preclude the building of the 100,000-square-foot-plus store – only that it could not include a fueling

TENNIS Continued from, Page 2

They plan to market the resort to fellow USTA recreational players, college teams and professional players looking for a place to train between seasons. The resort will be open to players of all ages and abilities.

Unlike “big box” tennis clubs at hotels and condominium resorts, Grand Bend will have just four tennis courts and overnight accommodations for 20 between the main house and the carriage house.

There will be a swimming pool, a hot tub and other amenities.

While guests will be immersed in the sport and holistic wellness, they’ll also be able to take in the hospitality and amenities of Bay St. Louis, which is what drew the partners to the site in the first place.

Sulzer compared the resort with a B&B where guests will have a unique experience with a high level of service.

Sisk now teaches private lessons in New Orleans and said her students are telling her they’re ready to make the move to Grand Bend. “A lot of them are building second homes here,” she said of the Bay St. Louis area.

station as part of that plan.

So the Issaquah, Wash.-based chain approached the city with a plan for a separate station, which is just south of the 45-acre Phase 3 site and on the west side of Highland Colony Parkway.

The Board of Aldermen voted 4-3 on June 19 to approve the fueling station site, which would be located on about two acres of a 9.5-acre plot.

Homeowners sued, arguing that the city once again had wrongly decided to accommodate the development.

Also, the suit argued that two of the aldermen, Charles “Chuck” Gautier and Wesley Hamlin, should have recused themselves because conflicts of interest.

Ratcliff wrote that “nothing about either alderman’s employment gave rise to an issue requiring or even justifying recusal.”

Also, Ratcliff said that “the city’s approval of the site plan is supported by substantial evidence and not arbitrary or capricious.”

Would Costco move forward with its store should it lose in the Supreme Court?

Not all Costcos have fueling stations, but a Costco official said in another case in another state that “plans for every new store include a gasoline fueling station.”

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MBJ PERSPECTIVE March 1, 2019 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 4

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Website: www.msbusiness.com March 1, 2019 Volume 41, Number 9

Churches have role to play in opioid epidemic

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» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

GOP brawl brewing with Reeves, Waller and (probably) McDaniel

“G

overnor’s race just got interesting,” read a text message the day after columnist Geoff Pender announced Bill Waller, Jr., will enter the race.

Oh, the just retired Supreme Court Justice deciding to take on frontrunner Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves in the Republican primary stirs a lot of interest. But adding state Sen. Chris McDaniel to the mix really whips it up.

Waller was one of the candidates I wrote about 18 months ago that pragmatic Republican leaders were considering as fears mounted that Reeves could not beat Democrat Jim Hood in November. Those fears only increased as early polling data showed Reeves trailing the attorney general.

As I wrote, Waller comes with a “substantive resume” that could play well with military friendly, Bible-belt Mississippians. He spent 30 years in the Army guard and reserves, rising to brigadier general. He was awarded the Legion of Merit and is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College. He is also a deacon at First Baptist Church in Jackson.

A Mississippi State University

graduate, Waller got his law degree from Ole Miss and rose to become a well-regarded, conservative Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Bill Crawford Court.

In the aftermath of Pender’s revelation, political pundits generally agreed Waller will be a credible candidate able to raise money and positioned to tap dissatisfaction with Reeves.

But, it won’t be easy. Reeves has won statewide Republican primaries since 2003, first as State Treasurer, then as Lt. Governor in 2011. He has catered to the tea party Republican base and has $7 million is his political kitty. Waller, as a non-partisan judicial candidate, has never won a party primary and starts with an empty kitty.

Now throw in McDaniel. The twice-defeated U.S. Senate candidate has a rabid ultra-conservative base and access to big outside funding that would make him a serious See CRAWFORD, Page 5

he opioid epidemic is still spreading across our nation. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that more than 130 people in the U.S. die from opioid overdoses every single day.

Opioid deaths rank highest in New England. New Hampshire, Maryland, Washington D.C., Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine and Connecticut all fall in the top 10. West Virginia tops the list with 43.4 deaths out of every 100,000 deaths attributed to opioid overdose.

In New Haven, Connecticut, ambulances responded to more than 70 overdoses in a single city park in a single day back in August.

Churches like The Center Church, in Hartford, Connecticut, are training their leadership to respond to opioid situations. In 2018, a man overdosed on the church’s front steps. Police came to retrieve him, but the church’s pastor said she never found out what happened to him.

That led her to the Harm Reduction Coalition, an educational organization that prepares faith leaders to deal with drug problems in their areas – including the administration of Narcan, a drug used to counteract an overdose.

Other organizations have popped up, too, like Pivot Ministries in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Pivot ministries is a faith-based residential rehab that works with almost 50 churches throughout New England.

SMART Recovery is a self-management program for those dealing with addiction, with 27 meeting places in Connecticut. SMART Recovery also trains people and organizations who work with the addicted – churches and ministries are becoming more and more included in those seeking to help.

Not only do these organizations provide training for ministers, they seek to reframe the conversation about drug abuse and addiction. For too long, the church’s attitude about drug use hasn’t offered much hope to those who need it.

Though Mississippi ranks low on the list of opioid deaths (43rd), our state ranks fourth in the mass prescription of opioids. In Lee County, according to the Centers for Disease Control, there were 112 opioid prescriptions per 100 people. That’s right, there are enough opioid prescriptions written in this county for every person to have one, and then some. That’s true for Tishomingo and Alcorn counties, too.

This problem is all around us. The discrepancy between the prescription rate and death rate feels like a foot about to drop. Our church community needs to think ahead on this issue and be prepared to meet people where they’re at.

— The Daily Journal

Perspective » RICKY NOBILE

March 1, 2019

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Continued from, Page 4

factor in any Republican primary. With Waller pulling disgruntled GOP voters from Reeves, McDaniel’s base could easily get him into a runoff.

This becomes all the more likely if President Donald Trump endorses McDaniel, apparently a real possibility. McDaniel told WAPT, “He’s shown an inclination to support me whatever I decide.”

Waller will have to move fast on a number of fronts. He must quickly raise millions; gain positive name ID with GOP voters; gain traction with the tea party conservative base, e.g., he may fare well with pro-life and pro-gun voters, but be viewed skeptically by anti-tax voters if he runs on a pro-infrastructure platform as expected; and, convince primary voters he has the best chance to beat Hood in November.

Reeves’ challenge will be to hold off business, Baptist, Bulldog, and military defections to Waller while (probably) fighting McDaniel for the tea party votes he has worked so hard to corral, then exit the primaries strong enough to take on Hood. Getting Gov. Phil Bryant’s endorsement was a plus.

McDaniel will need lots of outside money and Trump all in to win.

How all this will play out is anybody’s guess. Could behind-thescenes scheming head off a Waller or McDaniel candidacy at the last minute? Can Reeves cut off their avenues of support?

No longer the only anti-Reeves alternative, Hood can only watch and hope a down and dirty Republican primary brawl enhances his chances in November. » Bill Crawford (crawfolk@gmail.com) is a syndicated columnist from Meridian.

» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Analysis: Mississippi lawmakers reject college aid changes

T

here could have been a shift in how Mississippi helps students pay for college after findings showed one program benefiting many affluent families doesn’t appear effective, while less affluent families remained underserved.

Legislators, though, appear to have decided to do little for now.

That’s because subsidies to relatively affluent students have powerful protectors, including Republican lawmakers, the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University.

“I don’t have any interest in trying to do away with any merit-based program that we have,” Senate Universities and College Committee Chairman Josh Harkins, a Brandon Republican, said earlier this legislative session.

Mississippi has three main financial aid programs. First, there’s the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant , which gives $500 a year to freshmen and sophomores and $1,000 a year to juniors and seniors. An eligible student must have at least a 2.5 GPA, and entering freshmen must score 15 or higher on the ACT college test. Plus, students can’t have so low an income that they’re eligible for the full federal Pell Grant of up to $6,195.

Second is the Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant , worth $2,500 a year. An eligible student must have at least a 3.5 GPA, and entering freshmen must score 29 or higher on the ACT. Finally, there’s the Higher Education Legislative Plan , or HELP. A family with no other college students must make less than $39,500, and students must have a 2.5 or higher GPA, score 20 or higher on ACT, and qualify for a full or partial Pell Grant. Students get tuition and fees — $7,805 on average this year at Mississippi’s public universities.

Mississippi will spend nearly $40 million on those programs this year, up from $30 million in 2015, with HELP driving increases.

Mississippi will spend nearly $40 million on those programs this year, up from $30 million in 2015, with HELP driving increases. Such growth and tight budgets led lawmakers to eliminate funding to many student loan repayment programs meant to aid Mississippians who go into teaching and medical fields.

“There is not enough money to fund all of the programs,” Jennifer Rogers, who leads the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid, said in January.

Lack of money and concern about college affordability for families earning just above the HELP income ceiling led to a yearlong financial aid study.

Rogers proposed killing tuition assistance grants, saying they pay such a small share of college costs that they have little impact. More strongly, she asked lawmakers to get rid of eminent scholar grants. That’s in part because those recipients are likely to come from affluent households, with almost half of new freshmen coming from households

earning above $110,000. But it’s also because the study found little evidence the money keeps high-achieving students in-state.

Lawmakers were cold to such changes. Harkins said he believes the eminent scholars helps hold high flyers in Mississippi, despite statistical evidence Jeff Amy showing otherwise. And universities who enroll most eminent scholars — Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi — feared losing revenue.

Legislators did consider other changes. Harkins proposed a bill to smooth the HELP “cliff,” offering reduced amounts to students from households earning up to $55,000. That could have cost millions, and the price tag may have killed the plan.

Lawmakers discussed unifying deadline for the three programs at May 1, later than the current HELP deadline, but earlier than the deadline for the other two programs.

But no bill advanced.

Finally, a bill would have required eminent scholars and tuition assistance recipients to complete federal financial aid applications. Not all do now, and Rogers wants to learn more about recipients. It died too.

Lawmakers could still increase funding to repay student loans of teachers, aiming to recruit more educators. But the broader rethinking of Mississippi financial aid has foundered for now.

» JEFF AMY has covered politics and government for The Associated Press in Mississippi since 2011. Follow him at http://twitter.com/ jeffamy .

6 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 1, 2019 MISSISSIPPI PROFILES

AGRIBUSINESS

The Mississippi Business Group on Health

Sanderson Farms records loss for quarter

» The benefits of healthy workplaces

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here are many challenges in the health care field these days. Costs are skyrocketing, access to care is a continuing problem in many areas, and businesses and their employees are being negatively impacted in many ways.

One group in Mississippi is working diligently to make a difference. The Mississippi Business Group on Health, established in 2014 as an association for Mississippi employers who were becoming increasingly concerned not only with the rapid rise of cost in providing good health care benefits for their employees, but also concerned over the negative impact on workplace productivity for employees who were not healthy.

The mission of the MBGH is straightforHarber ward: to work hard at creating healthy workplaces for employees, encouraging good health practices, and supporting employees and their families. This is obviously a win-win scenario in which all benefit, and during the past few years, both small and large employers have seen the benefits of adopting wellness and healthy workplace programs for their employees.

I talked recently with Murray Harber, Executive Director for the MBGH, for a perspective on how these programs benefit companies and employees alike.

Murray came back to the South after spending years in Minnesota, where he was an exercise physiologist, college coach, and had in-depth experience in building and supporting wellness programs. Since arriving in Mississippi, he’s been a leading proponent of workplace wellness programs throughout the state.

I asked Murray why healthy workplaces are so important for businesses of all sizes.

“To begin with, it’s the right thing to do,” he said. “Workplace wellness programs definitely help to lower absenteeism, increase productivity, improve morale, and help to reduce costs for the companies and their employees. Those are great benefits for all concerned.”

Murray told me that they’re working to create partnerships between employers and employees through transparency and consumerism, so that employees become more knowledgeable about their

own health practices and options.

“We work hard to help folks get the best care at the lowest cost,” he said.

How can that be accomplished?

Alan Turner “A great program is which compromise their lives and those one that incorporates good choices, such of their families,” Murray said. “Through as diet and water, exercise, and definitely, the Mississippi’s Healthiest Workplaces awareness of important and beneficial awards, we all learn about those compractices for employees and their famipanies that have helped their employees lies,” he said. to achieve that goal, and coincidentally, Does a company need to be large in helped to reduce their own costs and order to create and support workplace wellness programs?

“Absolutely not,” Murray said. “Even companies with a small number of employees can develop an effective program in their workplace, and everyone will share the benefits.

We see many instances of smaller companies getting folks involved and excited, because it’s hard to argue that healthier employees are not happy and productive employees.”

We discussed the upcoming Mississippi’s Healthiest Workplaces awards. The program is a partnership between the MBGH, the Mississippi State Department of Health, and the Mississippi Special to the MBJ Business Journal.

Farmers Market held at Levi Strauss & Co. in Canton “That’s coming up in July,” Murray said.

“There’s a lot of excitement about this improve workplace productivity.” year’s program, and it’s really great to be Murray encourages all Mississipable to recognize employers of all sizes pi employers to consider establishing for their accomplishments in workplace wellness programs. More information wellness.” about the MBGH and the Healthiest To participate, companies submit Workplaces event can be found on their information on their workplace wellness website at MSBGH.com, as well as on programs, what they offer, how they the Mississippi Business Journal site at support the programs, and the results MSBusiness.com. that they have seen in their workplaces as a result of the program.

Contact Mississippi Business Journal publisher “It’s all about keeping folks healthy Alan Turner at alan.turner@msbusiness.com or and away from catastrophic health events (601) 364-1021.

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com Sanderson Farms Inc. reported on Tuesday a net loss of $17.8 million, or 82 cents per share, for the first fiscal quarter, which ended Jan. 31.

Net sales for the period were $743.4 million, compared with $771.9 million for the year-earlier period, the company said in a news release.

The consensus of analysts for FactSet was for a loss per share of $1.55 and sales of $699 million, according to MarketWatch.

Shares consequently leaped $2.75 by noon Central Standard Time to reach $120.86 on the Nasdaq global sales market. Shares have ranged from $93.88 to $128.88 in the past 52 weeks.

Laurel-based Sanderson, the nation’s third-largest poultry processor, benefited in the year-earlier quarter from a one-time federal tax cut that enabled it to record a net income of $51.2 million, or $2.24 per share.

Chairman and Chief Executive Joe Sanderson Jr. blamed “significantly lower market prices for boneless breast meat,” which were partly offset, he said, by higher prices for tray packs sold in grocery stores.

Tray packs were 1.4 percent higher than in the year-earlier period and boneless meat prices were 7.6 percent lower, Sanderson said in the release.

Sanderson said during a teleconference Tuesday morning that he expects the price of soybean and corn – crucial for growing chickens – to be “benign.”

TOURISM Ambassadors visit Mississippi in program to build ties

More than three dozen ambassadors from countries on four continents are on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

They’re part of a federal government program that brings international diplomats to different parts of the United States. The State Department’s Experience America program is designed to help diplomats learn about the country and to help local groups develop global partnerships including investment and trade ties.

An opening reception was held Sunday in Biloxi.

It’s being followed by a tour of the port of Gulfport, presentations by the University of Southern Mississippi and meetings with local leaders.

Lithuanian Ambassador Rolandas Krisciunes told WLOX-TV he hopes to build connections between his country and Mississippi. Albanian Ambassador Floreta Faber says she’s trying to meet with companies that might want to invest in her country.

— MBJ Staff & Wire Reports

March 1, 2019 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS: Small Business

Jose’s Mexican Restaurant in Pearl specializes in authentic Mexican food

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com

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ose’s Mexican Restaurant located at 136 South Pearson Road H in Pearl is not far away from a number of chain restaurants.

You usually know what you are getting at a chain restaurant. But for people who want a unique dining experience with authentic Mexican food, Jose’s has become a big favorite.

“Our menu is different from any other Mexican restaurant,” said Tiffany Jimenez, the wife of owner Jose Jimenez. “My husband was a cook in Mexico City and he knows the secret spices to put in to change it up. We are about a quarter mile down from the interstate in a nice outlet mail.

We are not a chain, so it is harder to get people to come in and try something. We had one customer visiting from out of town who was very skeptical.

But he liked the food so much the first night that he came back the next two nights, as well.”

Jose’s started out as a tamale shop serving homemade vegetarian, beef and chicken tamales, and a special sweet tamale during the holiday season that is traditional in Mexico. In 2000 they tripled the size of their space to open a full-service restaurant and bar. Their tamales are still a big hit, but so are other menu items like the chicken tortilla soup. And some people drive quite a way just to eat Jose’s ceviche, a marinated fish and seafood dish that is served on Saturdays.

“Ceviche is very popular from Peru to Mexico,” Jose said. “I make mine with fish, crab meat and shrimp marinated in lemon juice for 24 hours.

The lemon doesn’t cook it, but it is almost a pickle. We add tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, oregano and olive oil. We serve it as a cold cocktail dressed with sliced avocados and little catsup and Mexican hot sauce on the side. It is served with saltine crackers. It is pretty healthy.

It is good.”

Tiffany said they’ve been at the same location for 18 years and wouldn’t have made it without their community in Pearl and the Pearl Chamber of Commerce.

“They are really amazing people,” she said. “And the City of Pearl works as a team to help every business here.”

Word of mouth has been their biggest advertis-

From Jose’s Facebook page

Sopaipillas are one of the many dessert options at Jose’s Mexican Restaurant.

ing tool. And, they have been heavily involved in the community. They often provide free chips and salsa and other food at different events.

Recently the Pearl Chamber named Jose’s their Small Business of the Year. Chamber Director See JOSE’S, Page 8

Small Business

8 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 1, 2019

JOSE’S Continued from, Page 7

From Jose’s Facebook page

Jose’s Mexican Restaurant located at 136 South Pearson Road H in Pearl

Kathy Deer said they are famous for their tamales and margaritas.

“Jose’s has been here a long time and is a good community partner,” Deer said.

“Tiffany is an ambassador for the chamber and attends ribbon cuttings, open houses, business after hours, other chamber events and city events. She volunteers her time and resources for events. They contribute a meal each month to the Firefighter of the Month and his wife. They are involved in the school. They are members of

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Pearson Baptist Church and are involved there. They are one of those family-owned-and-operated business really involved with everything that goes on in the community. Not only is the food good, but their service is great. It is nice to have businesses like that in the city.”

“I love Pearl and the City of Pearl,” Tiffany said. “The people of Pearl are very supportive of the community and they are there if you need them, especially the chamber members.”

Some of the other favorite dishes with customers are fish tacos, honey chipotle shrimp tacos and Santé Fe tacos, which are rolled flour tortillas stuffed with chicken, corn, black beans and melted cheese, and served with creamy chipotle cheese sauce.

They serve all kinds of enchiladas, and milanesa steak, which is similar to a chicken-fried steak, but breaded with cracker crumbs.

Jose is also known to make a special hot sauce for customers who like it really hot.

And they have regular customers who say, “You just make me something special.”

“He does everything to make his customers happy,” his wife said.

They pay particular attention to having friendly and efficient wait staff. If there are three bad comments from a customer, the server is gone.

“I can understand a server having one bad day, but three is unacceptable,” Tiffany said. “We try to do extra for our customers. We had a customer coming through town with his mother who accidentally left her purse. We mailed the purse to them the next day. He said on Facebook we went way beyond what was necessary, but that is just what you should do.

People say a lot of nice things about us on Facebook. We feel blessed by the Lord and thank him for everything we have.”

Jose says the secret to their success is dedication, discipline and love.

“My father had a restaurant in Mexico City and I used to help him when I was young,” he said. “Later on, I worked for someone else for seven years. I’ve been in the food business all my life. I love doing it.”

He said it is important to be consistent, so he is training his staff all the time. If something gets overcooked or isn’t perfect, they start over and do it again.

He also attributes their restaurant’s success to the support of customers, the city and his family. His wife doesn’t work there full-time, but helps out. Their son, Ricky, 27, helps on Fridays and Saturdays. Their daughter, Cheyenne, 18, works three or four days a week.

“They are really friendly to people,” Jose said. “They got that from me. I’m a very friendly person to everyone.”

Jose’s is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It is closed on Sundays.

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Small Business

10 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 1, 2019

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SMALL BUSINESS

Report puts spotlight on challenges of Mississippi’s rural small businesses » National business advocacy group says optimism strong but so are the obstacles

By TED CARTER mbj@msbusiness.com A national business advocacy group says a survey it did of small businesses in rural Mississippi found a troubled landscape with a growing need for problem solvers.

One consequence of the difficult terrain is lingering pain from the “great recession”. It has yet to entirely lift in the harder-to-reach stretches of the Magnolia State, say the authors of the 42-page report prepared by Washington, D.C.based Small Business Majority.

It’s hardly just Mississippi, said Small Business Majority Founder & CEO John Arensmeyer, in a cover letter to the report “Examining the Unique Opportunities and Challenges Facing Rural Small Businesses.”

“Rural communities,” he said, are “lagging behind their urban and suburban counterparts. If we want to revive rural economies, we must stimulate entrepreneurial activity in these communities to help reverse these trends.”

Any reversal, the introduction to the report suggests, will require ending a “reluctance among major companies, banks and healthcare providers to serve the area.”

At the same time, they need more help overcoming difficulties in hiring and retaining qualified workers as well as accessing capital to build their businesses, the report says.

The report emphasizes that although owners of small businesses in isolated parts of the state play a key role in all facets of life within their communities, business downsides keep piling up as a consequence of operating in isolated regions.

“They face unique barriers as rural small business owners, including a lack of awareness of resources available to them and challenges accessing local business support programs when they are aware of them,” say the authors whose report drew from roundtable discussions and focus groups in Mississippi, Georgia, Texas and New Mexico.

Some of the challenges accessing local business networking and support programs come down to covering memberships in basic small-town mainstays such as chambers of commerce or Rotary clubs, the report authors say.

The owner of a small business in Starkville who took part in a focus group See CHALLENGES, Page 12

BROADBAND LEGISLATION COULD PROVE TIMELY TO RURAL SMALL BUSINESSES » Online banking done right could be boost as well

By TED CARTER mbj@msbusiness.com The director of national outreach for the Small Business Majority left Mississippi last year having compiled a lengthy list of the challenges the state’s rural small businesses face. Atop the list: An absence of broadband internet service and spotty cellular phone service.

That broadband problem could ease, however, in the months ahead now that the state’s rural electric co-ops have the green light to own broadband systems and operate them themselves or through affiliates. The promise of change came via House Bill 366 sponsored by Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn of Clinton and Democrat Rep. Steve Holland of Tupelo and gained Gov. Phil Bryant’s signature in early February.

The measure addresses an issue listed as a top concern in roundtable discussions and focus groups Washington, D.C.-based Small Business Majority held in Mississippi in compiling data and information for its newly issued report, “Examining the Unique Opportunities and Challenges Facing Rural Small Businesses.”

The report came from lengthy discussions with rural business owners and support officials in Mississippi, Georgia, Texas ad New Mexico, followed by a national survey of small business owners.

“We definitely saw that broadband access was a challenge in some communities in Mississippi,” said Small Business Majority outreach director David Chase in an interview.

“In some areas you couldn’t get cell phone,” he said. “They were really cut off.”

Even if a rural business manages to secure broadband for itself, customers who do businesses with it too often have no internet service, Chase said.

And if the businesses don’t have it, they can’t have digital communications with either customers or suppliers, Chase noted.

The Small Business Majority said in its report that owners of rural Mississippi small businesses would welcome help with telecommunications infrastructure. The owners urged state and lo-

cal governments to create state grants or tax incentives for big providers such as Comcast or Verizon.

More regulatory reforms like HB 366 could promote broadband construction, they said.

While Mississippi leg- Chase islators addressed broadband this session, the state’s rural small businesses would also like lawmakers to turn their attention to other pressing problems such as financing options, health-care coverage and workforce-development Wilson and retention.

A number of things can be done, according to Chase, referring to help on the education and resources side. “Access to capital is also a major issue,” he said. “Traditional banks are not lending to small businesses in these areas.”

One reason, Chase said, is the businesses want to borrow small amounts. “Twenty-five thousand to $50,000 is not worth their time to go through the process of writing the loans.”

Help is scarce, and Chase laments that when it is available, it is too often something the typical small-business owner does not know how to access. “There is no infrastructure out there in place to educate and inform them about options,” he said.

“No one is guiding them in the process.”

That’s not entirely so, said Judd Wilson, senior vice president of the Tupelo Chamber of Commerce and director of the Renasant Center for IDEAS, Tupelo/Lee County’s regional business incubator.

“I don’t disagree with the report one iota,” Wilson said in an interview. “These are problems that are out there.”

Wilson, who worked with the Small Business Majority to organize its focus groups, said that in the dozen years since inception of the Renasant See LEGISLATION, Page 12

March 1, 2019

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REPORT DETAILS ROUNDTABLES IN STATE

By TED CARTER mbj@msbusiness.com Optimism still has a hold on small businesses around the country, but in rural Mississippi keeping or increasing that positive outlook is going to require more opportunities to borrow money and achieve a host of other business enhancements.

So says a Feb. 12 report compiled by business advocacy group the Small Business Majority after holding focus groups and discussion roundtables in the Mississippi. The report titled “Examining the Unique Opportunities and Challenges Facing Rural Small Businesses” also details perspectives shared by small business owners and others in rural regions of Georgia, Texas and New Mexico.

The Small Business Majority followed those efforts with a national online survey of more than 500 small-business owners. That survey found owners more concerned about taxes and an adequate work force, while the in-state surveys found access to credit the top concern followed by hiring and retaining talented workers.

“These focus groups were intimate conversations with rural small business owners, with up to 15 participants,” the report said of sessions held in Jackson, Tupelo, Oxford and Rankin County.

In community roundtables held in Biloxi and Hattiesburg, the Small Business Majority heard from stakeholders who serve small businesses.

These included leaders of local Small Business Development Centers and representatives from city halls and chambers of commerce.

Pollsters Greenberg Quinlan Rosner conducted the 43-question online survey with 530 small business respondents in September of last year.

The report authors say the work represented a rare examination of rural small business in Mississippi and the three other states. It also provided a better idea of perspectives held by small business owners across the country, they say.

“Entrepreneurship represents enormous potential for stimulating economic activity, creating jobs and increasing wealth in rural communities,” the report says. “This is especially critical given the slower rate of recovery rural areas have experienced following the Great Recession.”

Insufficient research has left a void in understanding the needs and challenges of business owners in rural areas, the report says. “More information is needed to better understand how to support rural entrepreneurs and their communities.”

The roundtables and focus-group sessions led to a series of suggestions on meeting thoroughly addressing needs of rural small businesses.

Among the suggestions, were: • Promoting more regional cooperation among rural small business assistance organizations and other area anchor institutions. Do this by supporting regional economic clusters/partnerships between small businesses and local educational institutions with the resources to provide industry-focused training and skills development.

See ROUNDTABLES, Page 13

12 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 1, 2019 Figure 6: Top challenges facing rural small business owners as identified by poll respondents

LEGISLATION Continued from, Page 11

40% External factors may hurt your ability to maintain or grow your business. Choose up to 3 factors that are the largest barriers for you to maintain or grow your business in your community.

30%

20%

40%

39% 32% 25%

10%

25%

22%

18% 11%

9%

8%

8%

8%

0%

Courtesy of Small Business Majority Report

CHALLENGES Continued from, Page 11

emphasized it’s a tough call on spending any spare money for networking. “Startups have to be mindful of who they first connect with,” the business owner said.

“As a start-up, there are countless organizations and groups that want you to join, but they’re all expensive just to network— sometimes $500 or more every year, which is not reasonable.”

In introducing the report, the authors noted the focus group participants put barriers to credit and difficulties hiring the right workers atop their lists of concerns. “Rural small business owners also face challenges in accessing financing options, and they struggle to find and retain a talented workforce,” they said.

“Additionally, their more remote locations lead to challenges accessing broadband, healthcare providers and goods and services,” they note.

The business advocacy group also found the recession brought existing small enterprises some new compadres -- men and women who worked in occupations until the economic crisis displaced them.

Business gave them a lifeline, and an opportunity to employ themselves in ventures related to knowledge and skills gained on the job. It also gave them the same challenges of older small businesses – remoteness, tight money and limited options, according to the report.

The report included community roundtables of civic and government stakeholders in Hattiesburg and Biloxi and focus groups of rural small business owners at stops in Jackson, Tupelo, Oxford and Rankin County.

The Small Business Majority followed with a national survey of businesses in rural regions and small towns. Greenberg

Figure 4: Rural small business owners participate in their communities in a variety of ways Are you involved in any of the following community-based organizations? Please select all that apply.

Online social networks, such as Facebook groups, with other local small business owners

39%

Faith-based organization

34%

Local chamber of commerce

25%

Informal in-person networking groups

19%

Local trade association

13%

Rotary Club or similar service organization

11%

Local government

9%

Other

12% 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Courtesy of Small Business Majority Report

Quinlan Rosner did the online survey of 530 small businesses from Sept. 17 to Sept. 25, 2018. Pollsters restricted participants to small businesses with 1-100 employees, with a cap of 25 percent on sole proprietors.

The worries and concerns drawn from the discussion groups and online survey were offset by an increasing sense of optimism from the business owners about their communities’ economic condition, the report authors said.

The owners “are eager to help generate economic development in their towns, but there is still more work to be done to coordinate and expand efforts to support these entrepreneurs,” the report noted.

The close of the report proposes steps for making rural small businesses more viable.

To start, the report says, small-business

assistance providers, philanthropic institutions and policymakers at the federal, state and local level should take targeted action on the needs and role of rural small business owners and other members of the small business ecosystem in rural places.

The targeted action should: • Promote and increase small-business assistance in rural areas; • Increase small-business lending options and investments in rural entrepreneurs; • Improve affordability and access to health care in rural areas; • Invest in rural infrastructure and access to broadband; • Improve opportunities for rural small-business owners to attract and retain a skilled workforce.

Center for IDEAS, many bankers in the region have begun sending small-business loan seekers to the Center to help make them more viable loan candidates. “Now we have banks calling us and saying, ‘Help this person out,’” Wilson said.

This happens because they see a viable product or service and an entrepreneur who needs help with a business model, Wilson said.

Bankers expect that loan candidates who get mentoring from the Tupelo/Lee County Community Development Foundation will build a firmer basis for success, according to Wilson.

Chase, meanwhile, said he worries that difficulty getting conventional business financing has caused start-up entrepreneurs and small-business owners to tap into “predatory” online financing.

These loans “are sort of like payday loans,” Chase said, referring to small-dollar consumer loans carrying very high interest and the potential for financial ruin.

Roundtable and focus group participants in Mississippi say cyber loan transactions could be a boon for rural small businesses – if done responsibly and fairly.

“New online platforms that offer responsible lending options could help close the funding gap for these entrepreneurs, assuming issues related to broadband access among rural residents are also addressed,” authors of the Small Business Majority report said.

“Local and state governments can help facilitate safe, responsible online loan options,” the report added.

Chase said the quest for more conventional business financing “is sort of like a chicken-and-egg situation. Lenders can be reluctant to lend” if the loan seeker can’t show a customer base.

“These are things start-ups aren’t likely to have.”

The 14-year-old Small Business Majority has a national entrepreneurial program it wants to spin off to focus on unique challenges in rural communities, according to Chase.

“We didn’t dive deep enough in these communities,” he conceded, and added his organization hopes to develop a “small-business eco system mapping.”

The idea, Chase added, is to look at business support groups and what they are really doing, whom they are serving, and what kind of services they are offering.

After its fact-finding in Mississippi, Georgia, Texas and New Mexico and national survey, the small business advocacy organization concluded entrepreneurs in rural regions have a lot of potential for success but are too often unnoticed, Chase said.

“We definitely felt that some of the communities we visited have been overlooked and ignored for too long,” he said.

“There are a lot of unique challenges they are facing, but also a lot of potential. We feel strongly that entrepreneurs in these communities — when armed with the tools and policies they need – can succeed.”

ROUNDTABLES

March 1, 2019

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Figure 2: Rural small business owners are optimistic about economic conditions Continued from, Page 11

• Connecting regional business support organizations with more federal resources and SBA programs. This involves maintaining and expanding SBA lending, counseling and procurement programs.

• Ensuring current programs that support rural entrepreneurs continues.

• Equipping business support organizations with more resources to do comprehensive outreach and education programs. These provide rural small-business owners with essential business information on topics such as loan options, where to find business assistance, offering employee benefits to recruit and retain talented workers and the like.

Get the owners to the right small-business technical assistance providers, lenders and other resource providers in their areas, the report suggested. Look for gaps in assistance and fill them by creating formal consortiums of local business support organizations to meet regularly, share resources, streamline processes for small businesses and solicit their thoughts on economic development decisions.

On the lending and investment side, the business owners and stakeholders suggest: • Expanding online resources and lending platforms for rural small-business owners who have few local options. Online lending provides one of the best ways for rural business owners to secure a loan given the lack of viable options in their communities. New online platforms that offer responsible lending options could help close the funding gap for these entrepreneurs, assuming issues related to broadband access among rural residents are also addressed.

• Increasing transparency in online lending to improve a small business lending landscape that is unregulated and predatory. Local and state governments are key to providing safe, responsible online loan options for these businesses.

• Strengthening and expanding local lending, especially community bank lending, which provides more than half of all small business lending. One proposal to stimulate community lending includes updating the Community Reinvestment Act activity by streamlining the process by

80%

60%

40%

Please rate the current economic conditions in your community for small businesses such as yours today, on a scale of zero to 10, where zero means very poor economic conditions in your community for small businesses today and 10 means very good economic conditions in your community for small businesses today.

68% 20%

0%

17%

15%

0-4 (negative)

5 (neutral)

6 or better (positive)

Courtesy of Small Business Majority Report

which banks can earn CRA credit by investing in regions outside their branch service areas.

• Ensuring Opportunity Zones guidelines are designed to benefit Main Street small business owners rather than focusing on incentivizing real estate development. Roughly 40 percent of Opportunity Zones are in rural zip codes. Measure program success on the number of jobs created, where those jobs are located, employee wages and the number of businesses created.

• Using tax credits as a tool to spark economic development.

Addressing health-care affordability, the business owners and stakeholders suggested: • Expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Mississippi has so far refused to take part in an expansion under the ACA. • Creating more transparency on pricing and quality to allow patients to make informed decisions about where they receive care, which will benefit the healthcare system overall.

• Supporting healthcare tax equity for the self-employed so solo entrepreneurs can deduct their healthcare expenses from their FICA tax obligations, a deduction taken by other business entities.

On attracting and retaining skilled workers, the roundtables and focus groups suggested: • Enacting policies that make it easier and more affordable for small business owners to offer robust employee benefits such as health insurance, retirement savings and paid leave to help firms recruit and retain workers.

• Improving coordination with small businesses among workforce development organizations, community colleges, high schools and career tech education programs. The aim is to better understand their hiring needs to ensure training programs match the needs of the employers.

• Expanding internship and mentoring programs to create career paths for youth, and to ensure access to skilled, entry-level workers for small businesses.

You, Your Health,

Your Life.

Newsmakers

14 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 1, 2019

Merit Health Medical Group welcomes Kim Gross

Reunion adds Nguyen, Traylor to culinary team

Merit Health Medical Group has added Kim Gross, FNP, PMHNP, to its allied health staff.

Gross has over 20 years of nursing experience and is a member of the Mississippi Association of Nurse Practitioners. She holds her master of science degree in nursing in both Gross family practice and mental health from The University of Alabama.

Additionally, she holds her bachelor of science degree in nursing, also from The University of Alabama.

Mississippi Concrete Assoc. elects new president

Courtesy of Reunion Golf & Country Club

The Mississippi Concrete Association elected Tripp Hammett of Hammett Gravel Company as the 2019 MCA President on January 31. He was installed as president of MCA during its Winter Meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown in Tupelo.

Tripp Hammett is the president and part owner of Hammett Hammett Gravel Company where he has worked for 15 years. He received his business degree from the University of Mississippi in 2004. Hammett is also a board member of the National Stone Sand and Gravel Association. He has been a board member of MCA for several years and has served in various roles. This is Hammett’s second time to be elected to lead Mississippi Concrete Association as president.

The first was in 2015.

The Mississippi Concrete Association was formed in 1956 and represents the ready mix concrete, cement, sand & gravel, and related industries in Mississippi. The association services the concrete industry in Mississippi by providing certification programs and technical support on concrete topics through seminars and lunch and learns, supports local universities through scholarships and educational materials, and holds an annual high school essay contest. For its membership, the association provides representation in government affairs through lobbying efforts, promotion of concrete products, and networking opportunities at events and conventions. Each year, the president of the association is instrumental in helping the association set and achieve its goals.

and oversaw multiple strategic planning processes.

Previously at Northrop Grumman, Prakash managed international business development.

Prior to joining Northrop Grumman, Prakash, who is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, held leadership positions at various levels in operations, training and developmental flight test. He worked directly for the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force developing strategy and policy. He also served as the principal military advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy, covering matters related to mergers and acquisitions, and the preservation of essential industries and technologies. He was a fighter test pilot with over 3,000 hours in over 60 different aircraft.

Prakash earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he also studied Japanese language and culture. He earned a master’s degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master’s in national security strategy from the National War College.

Prakash replaces Stan Crow, who is returning to the U.S. from his international assignment.

Northrop Grumman appoints Prakash chief executive, Japan

Amason named content marketing strategist

Northrop Grumman Corporation has appointed Om Prakash, chief executive, Northrop Grumman Japan, as the company strengthens its partnership with Japan.

Prakash will report to Dave Perry, corporate vice president and chief global business officer.

As chief executive, Northrop Grumman Japan, Prakash will be responsible for ensuring effective performance on current programs, as well as developing in-country growth opportunities.

Prior to this role, Prakash was the director of corporate strategy for Northrop Grumman, where he helped shape the business portfolio and established the company as a thought leader in several technology areas. He conducted analyses of business initiatives

Reunion Golf & Country Club Executive Chef William “Billy” Kistler (center) recently announced Sous Chef Tho H. Nguyen (left) will lead the club’s fine-dining restaurant, Kristie’s, and Sous Chef Rick Traylor will lead casual dining restaurant and pizza bar EJ’s. Nguyen is a graduate of California Culinary in San Francisco with a degree in Culinary Arts & Nutrition. He moved to Mississippi in 2001 to work at Madison’s Bonefish Restaurant. He also has worked at Walkers and Parlor Market. Traylor, who hails from the Mississippi Delta, and has worked in Nashville; Glacier National Park, Mont.; Lake Tahoe, Calif.; and Columbus, Ohio. He returned to Mississippi by way of Oxford, working with James Beard award-winning Chefs John Currence and Vishwesh Bhatt. Locally, Traylor has worked at Parlor Market and the Country Club Of Jackson.

The Cirlot Agency has announced that Randa Amason, has been named Content Marketing Strategist at its headquarters in Jackson.

Specializing in analytical research, consumer reports, and client advocacy, Amason works to deliver growth and marketing opportunities that will build relevant audiences and promote strategic success in a variety of brand-building efforts.

Amason’s prior work with The Cirlot Agency included managing social media accounts for the PGA TOUR Sanderson Farms Championship, generating and distributing press releases, and assisting in project management for several statewide initiatives.

A native of Pearl, Amason is a graduate of The

University of Southern Mississippi where she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. While attending USM, she was a member of the Southern Miss Dixie Darlings.

ASSET Engineering hires Rossmaier and Neal ASSET Engineering has announced the hiring John Rossmaier, who joins the firm with over six years of experience in electrical power generation and transmission design, as well as a specialization in low and high voltage distribution systems.

Rossmaier is a 2006 graduate Rossmaier from Arkansas Tech University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. After graduation, he spent a few years in graduate school where he was a direct-to-PhD student with an emphasis on power systems at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. While there, Rossmaier taught their undergraduate Power Systems Analysis Neal and Design Course.

Rossmaier is an avid fan of classic and modern video games. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling to scenic vistas and sampling cuisine from across the globe.

Also hired was Walker Neal as a Graduate Engineer.

Neal graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in May. Neal working towards becoming a Professional Engineer (PE).

Growing up in Alexandria, La., Neal’s personal activities and hobbies consist of watching and playing sports, enjoying music, and spending time with his family.

King joins Hattiesburg Clinic Vascular Specialists Kimberly B. King, CNP, joined Hattiesburg Clinic Vascular Specialists.

King provides preoperative and postoperative care for vascular surgery patients. She also provides follow-up and management for chronic vascular disease.

King King received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss., where she also obtained her Master of Science in Nursing. She completed internships with Hattiesburg Clinic and Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative.

King is board certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the Mississippi Association of Nurse Practitioners.

King, who has nearly 10 years of experience in health care, said she likes helping to improve the quality of life and outcome for patients with vascular disease.

Memorial Physician Clinics adds Lobrano, Rubenstein Memorial Physician Clinics recently added William Lobrano, MD, and Louis A. Rubenstein, MD, in the practice of Family Medicine at Memorial Physician Clinics Ocean Springs Primary Care.

Lobrano received his medical degree from Louisiana State University. He completed his internship at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, and residency in family medicine from Lafayette Charity Hospital.

Rubenstein received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

He completed his internship in family medicine at the Lloyd Noland Hospital in Birmingham.

Lobrano and Rubenstein are board certified in Family Medicine and have been in practice.

Rick McLaughlin named 16WAPT news director Rick McLaughlin has been named news director for 16 WAPT, Hearst Television’s ABC affiliate in Jackson.

The announcement was made today by 16 WAPT President and General Manager, Mike Neelly.

McLaughlin, a graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, brings a wealth of career experience to the news director position. He began his career as a morning news producer in Cincinnati, then rose to lead newsrooms in Milwaukee, Saint Louis, and Boston as an Executive Producer. He joined the Hearst Television family in 2010 when he accepted the role of Assistant News Director at Cincinnati’s WLWT-TV. Since 2014, he has served as Assistant News Director at WESH-TV, Hearst’s NBC affiliate in Orlando. In his current position, McLaughlin has helped earn the station multiple awards, including an Edward R Murrow award and two EMMY awards for coverage of the 2016 Orlando Pulse Nightclub shootings.

Rick and his wife Stefanie will make the move to Jackson after the conclusion of the February sweeps period. He joins WAPT in his new role March 4.

March 1, 2019

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Mississippi Business Journal

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THE SPIN CYCLE

Top blogs for PR practitioners, communicators W hen it comes to pithy PR, marketing and communicating, the digital domain is filled with social media, website and blog best practices, So what’s the best to turn to get the scoop? With the industry undergoing seismic shifts, along with our media brothers and sisters, there’s a deep thought leadership well to dip your bucket in, and keep up with the evolving marketplace.

Here are eight great blogs for communicators from PR News: Public Relations Society of America: PRSA is the bellwether organization for the industry and its great blog, PRSay, features posts covering a range of topics, including news, training, diversity, careers and more.

Spin Sucks: Spin Sucks bills itself as the blog of “professional development for PR and marketing pros,” and it includes tips on how PR folks can do their job better.

But it isn’t afraid to challenge the industry, either, and much of that comes from blog founder Gina Dietrich, CEO of Arment Dietrich, who writes many of the posts that appear on the site.

The Flack: The Flack does a terrific job of weaving the narrative of how public relations plays a role – however subtle – in almost everybody’s life. That includes politics, journalism, entertainment, marketing, sports and more. The blog is overseen and written by industry veteran Peter Himler, principal of Flatiron Communications.

Edelman Insights: One of the biggest names in the PR galaxy, Edelman does a great job with this blog by providing insights and thought leadership from its own examples. It’s also a cool look into how an international agency operates on a day-today basis.

PR Couture: Technically, this blog centers on the fashion and lifestyle worlds.

It’s included for a couple of reasons. One, it also blogs about careers in PR as well as the all-important new trend of influencer marketing. Two, there are some great tips and best practices in the posts that can easily translate to industries and companies outside of fashion.

The Shift Blog: How do you stay topof-mind after a product launch? That’s just one of several compelling topics you’ll find on this blog, written by account executives and staffers at Shift Communications.

Reddit’s r/PublicRelations: This is a different sort of blog, since Reddit is a user forum driven primarily by Q&As from contributors. But r/PublicRelations is valuable nonetheless as a resource that solicits and receives opinions about the industry, with recent topics ranging from giving exclusives to certain media outlets, to career advice, to how digital marketing and analytics can complement PR efforts.

PR News: offers excellent industry insight it its own blog, full of stories, trends

and opinions from SVP and Group Publisher Diane Schwartz and Editor Seth Arenstein.

Digital ad spending set to surpass traditional this year The advertising world will reach a major milestone in 2019.

For the first time, digital ad spending in the U.S. will exceed traditional ad spending, according to eMarketer’s latest forecast. By 2023, digital will surpass twothirds of total media spending.

Total digital ad spending in America will grow 19 percent to $129.34 billion this year – 54 percent of estimated total ad spending. And mobile will continue its dominance, accounting for more than twothirds of digital ad spending, at $87.06 billion this year.

Also for the first time, the combined share of the duopoly (Google and Facebook) will drop, even as their revenues grow, according to eMarketer.

The big winner this year will be No. 3 in the marketplace, Amazon, which continues to take share from all platforms. Its ad business will grow more than 50 percent this year and its share of the U.S. digital ad market will vault to 8.8 percent this year.

What’s fueling the digital dominance?

Directories, such as the Yellow Pages, will take the biggest hit – down 19 percent this year. Traditional print (newspapers and magazines) spending is a close second, with a drop nearly 18 percent. Overall, traditional ad spending’s share in the U.S. will fall to 45.8 percent in 2019, from 51.4 percent last year, according to eMarketer.

TV ad spending will drop 2.2 percent to $70.83 billion this year, largely because there are no elections or big events, such as the Olympics or World Cup. The presidential election next year should propel TV ad spending back into positive growth, before falling again in the following years.

America approved of President Trump’s State of the Union address Seventy-six percent of Americans who tuned in to President Trump’s State of the Union address approved of the speech he gave. Just 24 percent disapproved, according to a CBS News poll following the SOU. As is often the case in State of the Union addresses, the people who watched the speech leaned more toward the president’s own party, at least compared to Americans overall. In the latest CBS national poll released last month, 25 percent of Americans identified themselves as Republicans.

Among those who watched last Tuesday night’s address, that figure was 43 percent, and Republicans helped bolster the overall approval of the address.

And while 97 percent of Republicans approved of the speech, far fewer Democrats who tuned in did (30 percent). Most

independents did approve, according to the CBS survey.

Fifty-six percent of Americans who watched felt the president’s speech will do more to unite the country, rather than divide it, although 36 percent don’t think it will change things much.

Democrats who watched saw things differently, however, according to CBS. Just 15 percent of Democrats think the president’s speech will unite the country.

On bipartisanship, just a third said what they heard in the speech made them think Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will work together more going forward.

Sixty-three percent said there wouldn’t be much change.

On some of the specific issues the president touched upon, most viewers had a favorable opinion of what Trump said about immigration and what to do about U.S. troops in the Middle East.

From what they heard, 71 percent of speech-watchers thought there is a crisis at the southern border. Democrats who watched do not.

And, on North Korea, 78 percent of the audience think a second meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a good idea. Republicans are particularly likely to think it’s a good idea. Most Democrats (57 percent) don’t think it is, but 43 percent do, according to the poll.

Golden Hour Mic | Kacey Musgraves was big winner at the Grammy’s Kacey Musgraves – one of country music’s hottest artists – stole the show at the Grammy Awards.

Musgraves won album of the year, the music industry’s most prestigious prize, for her critically acclaimed “Golden Hour.”

“I would have nothing without songs,” Musgraves said during her acceptance speech. “To me it’s just all about songs.”

She was one of many women who took center stage throughout the show, as the music industry attempted to address the criticism it has faced over how few female

artists it has honored.

Musgraves was Music Todd Smith City’s most celebrated artist during the show – and grabbed the spotlight as the night’s top winner, tying hip-hop artist Childish Gambino with four trophies each. That included a win for Album of the Year with “Golden Hour.” It was the first country album to win that award since Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” took home the Grammys’ top prize a decade earlier.

The Grammys also paid tribute to country pioneer Dolly Parton with a star-studded, stage-filling medley of songs featuring Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Little Big Town and Musgraves. Diana Ross, another recipient of a Grammy tribute, who turns 75 this year, was introduced by her 9-year-old grandson for a performance she starred in.

The Nashville sound was on full display throughout the evening. Brandi Carlile, who recorded her top-nominated “By the Way, I Forgive You” at Studio A, energized the audience with an audacious performance of “The Joke,” which offers encouragement to the marginalized in our society.

All in all, it was a sho nuff Nashville shindig, with top artist Musgraves leading the way!

Todd Smith is president and chief communications officer of Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service branding, PR, marketing and advertising firm with offices in Jackson. The firm — based in Nashville, Tenn.

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