Inland Business Catalyst Issue 62

rachel a. dolezal

20 15

President, Spokane NAACP

Power of

LifeLong Learning

Upping Your

Social Media Game SPRING 2015 #62 • $2.95 (Display Until June 15, 2015)

IBCatalyst.com

Contents

Vol. 11 Issue 2 Spring 2015

21 2015 Women in Business Leadership Awards

15 0 2 On the cover

Rachel Dolezal, president of the NAACP Spokane (among many other roles and titles), is the epitome of a powerful woman and a pillar of righteousness and equality in our community. We are proud to feature her as a Woman in Business Leadership honoree.

Photo taken by Diane Maehl Photography | Make-Up/Styling by Julie Farley of the Make-Up Studio

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Business Homecomer

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Some say the health of a city depends on retaining the creative and innovative people who grow up there. A good indication of a city moving forward is its ability to lure back those who moved away. This issue’s Newcomer profile features a Homecomer. Laura Becker grew up in Spokane and left for greener pastures in 1995. She recently moved back to take the position of executive director of Spokane Arts.

What Works for Me

16 Upping Your Social Media Game

It’s true that Millennials are massive users of social media, but does that mean any young friend or family member has the background to give your business’s social media campaign the attention it needs? Author Jay York examines several good reasons to put your social media marketing in the hands of a professional.

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Editor’s letter 6 The BOMB 9 Travel like a pro 10 Business news clips 10

We hear six topics from the heart and soul of Kim Plese, owner of Plese Printing and Marketing, now in its 25th year. Kim is also board president of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Spokane County.

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Editor's

Photo by Kelly Tareski

Letter Ignighting Your Team

Located on the ground floor of

the historic Flour Mill building,

Chateau Rive is an elegant venue with old world charm.

The perfect venue for company parties, weddings, luncheons, meetings, retreats and trade shows.

509.795.2030 chateaurive.com

Best Event Facility

621 W Mallon | Spokane 6

CATALYST | www.ibcatalyst.com

R

ecently I posed a question, via social networking avenues: “What makes employees excited, passionate, and happy at work?” The wide variety of answers included an atmosphere of creative freedom; space for risk-taking; great coffee; and a sense of value and meaning. The comment that resounded most in my mind was, “When my value as a person and the value of my work receive equal attention and respect.”

This reminds me of a story one of my friends shared about his experiences as executive director of a nonprofit organization. One of the numerous hats he donned was as planner of the board of directors’ annual retreat. The first year into it, he went along with the status quo meeting of the organization’s past, filing everyone into a spacious, elegant boardroom for a day of tidy presentations on the organization’s history, and a concluding talk about the direction he planned to take the organization in the future. At the end of a “successful” day void of program hiccups, everyone shook hands, smiled at one another, and went on with life.

Over the course of the next year, he forged on with his goals, using the board members as his workforce. With their assistance, he created major, noteworthy changes. And while everyone thought he was amazing, they were becoming increasingly drained of their desire to

contribute. He, too, began to lose inspiration. And the bottom line began to suffer.

As the time to plan another board retreat approached, he knew he had to do something different to align and inspire the team. In an unorthodox move, he invited the group into his home for a potluck-style gathering. There were no presentations to quietly focus on, no lengthy speeches members could melt into and disappear. Instead, he asked the board members what had inspired them to join the board and what they hoped to contribute. He asked them what their goals were for the next year. He asked them to share what they loved most about the organization, what they felt was going well and what frustrated them.

The meeting was twice as long as was originally scheduled, yet no one complained. He marveled at the energy building in the room. Their shared inspiration had all but erased the sour memories of the derailed days.

The organization has since grown in ways he had not foreseen. Although challenges arise occasionally, team members have embraced a culture where they know they matter beyond just getting the job done. When people feel passionate, when they feel they are part of something important (part of the accomplishments and the success, rather than just a limb for another’s accomplishments and success), it pays off with higher morale, production, passion . . . which is one of the biggest boosts to business.

I would love to hear how you inspire your team and ensure each one of them has a voice—and a starring role—in the success of your business.

To admirable leadership,

Stephanie Regalado Stephanie@ibcatalyst.com

Vol. 11 Issue 2 Spring 2015 Editor Stephanie Regalado editor@ibcatalyst.com

Creative Director/ lead graphics Kristi Somday kristi@spokanecda.com

graphic Designer/ Traffic Manager Camille Martin camille@spokanecda.com

Photography Diane Maehl Photography Contributors Dennis Held Cheryl-Anne Millsap Kim Plese Tony Rubleski Jay York Business Development Emily Guevarra Bozzi emily@spokanecda.com

VP of Sales Cindy Guthrie

cindy@spokanecda.com

Senior Account manager Jeff Richardson jrichardson@spokanecda.com

Account managers Erin Meenach erin@bozzimedia.com

David Vahala

dvahala@bozzimedia.com

events Stephanie Regalado | stephanie@spokanecda.com Jennifer Evans | j@allfortheencore.com Operations director Kim Morin kim@spokanecda.com

accounts receivable and distribution Theresa Berglund theresa@spokanecda.com

Publisher and CEO Vincent Bozzi vince@spokanecda.com

Co-Publisher Emily Guevarra Bozzi emily@spokanecda.com

Find us on

facebook View our e-magazine ibcatalyst.com

Inland Business Catalyst magazine is published quarterly by Bozzi Media.

104 S. Freya St., Suite #209, Spokane, WA 99202-4866 Phone: 509.533.5350 | Fax: 509.535.3542 All content Š 2015. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.

Neither Bozzi Media nor Inland Business Catalyst magazine assume responsibility for errors in content, photos or advertisements.

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B MB ✲

business at its best

the

Roast House

to Open Tesla of Coffee Bars

W

inning last year’s Good Food Awards has brought more and more attention to your favorite local artisan roaster, Roast House. So they are taking a step, or perhaps a leap, forward by opening Spokane’s first coffee lab/tasting room with a state-of-the-art Modbar. Their new tasting room will allow them to easily share with you new coffees and blends, and give them enough space to show off whatever cool new brew methods they’re playing with. The expansion will allow them to train roasters, too, refining their methods and allowing them to play a bit by showing them some crazy drinks (espresso + tonic = delicious) and neat toys and host barista throw-downs to help engage their full interest. www.roasthousecoffee.com spring 2015

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the

Travel

Li ke a Pr o

By Cheryl-Anne Millsap

Business

News Clips

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usiness travel is not for the unprepared. Especially these days. Crowded airports, security lines and constantly changing procedures, fluid luggage restrictions and all the other rules, regulations and unexpected fees can defeat even the most enthusiastic traveler. Business travelers quickly learn to invest in quality and practicality to get the job done on the road.

Below are three items that helped make the 100,000 miles I flew last year a little less stressful and a lot more efficient: The Mighty Purse One of my favorite travel accessories—the Mighty Purse—was a gift from my daughter, a marine geologist who travels the world as she works. The Mighty Purse is a pretty little leather clutch but it hides a sweet secret: it holds a rechargeable battery with enough juice to recharge my phone twice. I put it in my travel bag as a charging station but with slots for credit cards and enough room for my phone, glasses and a few other necessities. I use it when I want a smaller purse. www.mighty-purse.com EMME Bag I like to keep my toiletries packed and ready go to and the Emme Bag, a well-made, stylish and practical organizer designed by a frequent traveler, makes it easy. The bag is flexible, allowing the user to hang it, or fold flat in a suitcase or a drawer. I like to have mine hanging in my hotel or stateroom so my lotions and potions aren’t taking up space on the vanity. One special feature is the removable TSA approved kit that can be zipped off and taken through security separately. www. emmebag.com Une Bobine USB Sync+Stand+Dock Cable This flexible metal USB charging tool coils and has shape memory. Plugged into a computer or any USB outlet, it charges my iPhone, and serves as a hands-free stand when I am conducting phone or video interviews and typing on my computer. The Bobine isn’t perfect—it takes both hands to get it shaped to support the phone—but it does let me lift my phone off the table and get closer to a faceto-face view. www.fusechicken.com

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Cheryl-Anne Millsap is a traveling writer based in Spokane. She can be reached at catmillsap@ gmail.com.

Rose & Blossom

Just Roses Plus has changed their name to Rose and Blossom. Terri O’Connor started the business in 1992 and has grown it to be one of Spokane’s favorite florists. As the business expanded to a full-service florist specializing in weddings, O’Connor wanted to re-brand with an image that fit her vision. It is her goal to “Make your world beautiful!” www.roseandblossom.com

The Globe Reopens

Proudly located in the heart of Downtown on Divison and Main, the historic Globe Building is revived and remodeled as Globe Bar and Kitchen.

The ambiance caters to every Spokanite for any occasion, with gourmet specialties to tavern favorites and everyday dining to nightlife and dancing.

The Globe Bar and Kitchen aims to reclaim its position as a staple Bar to our great community.

M. Garrett Consulting

Led by Meagan Garrett, Spokane native and experienced communications strategist, M. Garrett Consulting specializes in creating and implementing comprehensive communications, marketing, branding, media relations and content plans that deliver results. She says, “You make the awesome products. You deliver the incredible services. Let us tell the world about it.” mgarrettconsulting.com

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business

homecomer Laura Becker

Spokane Homecomer

By Cheryl-Anne Millsap

S

ome say the health of a city depends on retaining the creative and innovative people who grow up there. A good indication a city is moving forward is its ability to lure back those who moved away. With that in mind, this issue’s Newcomer profile features a Homecomer. Laura Becker grew up in Spokane and left for greener pastures in 1995. She recently moved back to take the position of executive director of Spokane Arts and shares her thoughts about Spokane:

Thank you for voting us one of the best!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born and raised in Spokane. Growing up, I lived in various neighborhoods of the city. I was always a visual person, always really interested in art and forms of creative expression; I think a lot of that was passed down to me by my late mother, who was an artist. I graduated from Mead High School in 1995 and I chose to move away to go to school. I wanted the experience of a bigger city, a different climate, and at the time Spokane didn’t have a hook to keep me here. I’ve lived in California, Rhode Island and most recently in Seattle for 14 consecutive years before moving to Spokane.

What brought you back to Spokane?

I started returning to Spokane in 2009 when I was working for the Washington State Arts Commission managing public art projects for the State Art Collection.

I eagerly volunteered myself to take on the Spokane territory and I’m glad I did.

Maybe I was different, maybe Spokane was different . . . either way, I saw it differently and it beckoned me back. I was offered the job with Spokane Arts, which was the perfect hook to bring me back. Spokane’s future in arts, culture and economic vitality is bright. I’ll do what I can to continue in that direction.

2901 E. Trent Ave., Spokane, WA 99202

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What is your impression of the city’s current attitude and attention to arts?

I think Spokanites value the arts but I also think that when times are lean, arts programs and attendance at arts and cultural events are the first things to suffer, not recognizing that it is the continued attention toward the creative disciplines that allows for the revitalization and re-imagination of communities. A community without the arts is like having a clipped wing.

Looking forward, what would you like to accomplish?

I would like to play a big part in making Spokane an arts destination, a place where people talk about wanting to go to check out our cultural events, incredible collection of public art, our music scene, our beautiful parks and investment in shared civic spaces and of course all of that in tandem with the natural beauty of the terrain. I would also like to work on creative retention, keeping Spokane talent here in town.

I am an artist and advocate for artists.

I want to live in a city where you can make a livable wage in a creative field.

I think we would, as a city, benefit tremendously from that.

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spring 2015

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life-long

learning The Power of Life-Long Learning

By Tony Rubleski, Mind Capture Group

L

ife-long learning is no longer optional, but is a necessity in the changed economy where getting attention and differentiation with today’s super distracted and overwhelmed customer is becoming increasingly challenging and tough to achieve.

The writer Henry David Thoreau summed it up best when he wrote that most people lead lives of quiet desperation. What a shame and tragedy that this happens in an age of massive possibility and countless opportunity. A huge abundance of knowledge and collective wisdom from successful people is readily available at little or no cost today.

This level of shared genius that most people take for granted or dismiss would boggle the minds of people from past generations if they were still alive to see how things have changed.

Here are three tips related to your own life journey to help keep you inspired and your powerful inner genius burning bright: #1. Learn something new each day.

There is no shortage of ways to access great information. There are podcasts, videos, TED talks, and millions of ebooks available at your fingertips. There is no restriction on learning or access to specific knowledge.

The challenge is to make it a habit to keep upgrading your skills and looking for ways to grow your mind.

In addition, I strongly recommend getting and keeping an updated written journal that you keep with you at all times. This provides you the ability to capture, create and reflect upon the ideas and goals you seek to put in play and work toward. For maximum learning and retention, I recommend you keep your notes from books you read and seminars you attend or listen to within your personal success journal for easy access, and review, monitor, and add new items of interest.

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#2. Look for the life lesson in each success or temporary setback you experience. Self-reflection is a powerful talent and blessing from God to be utilized for wisdom, improvement and good. In a sped up digital world, slowing down and disconnecting at the end of the day or on the weekend to analyze and reflect upon the week is incredibly helpful. A major clue as to why people experience either success or failure on a consistent basis in their own life is built upon how they view, monitor and reflect upon the lessons learned from the unique experiences of their own life.

We must never forget in the midst of life’s complexities, ebbs and flows, that we all have a choice each day when we awaken: We can grow, adapt and keep learning from a combination of the past (wisdom) and present moment, or we can choose the path of apathy and a negative mindset to stifle our growth, talents and abilities to see the potential beauty and learning lessons that life brings us each day. Again, capturing the distinctions and lessons from our daily lives and writing them down is another reason keeping a life journal is so incredibly valuable. #3. Strive to pass on your wisdom, legacy and genius to others. If someone would have told me 19 years ago, at the age of 20 and in college, that I’d be reading, learning, and writing at an even faster progression in my thirties, I would have thought they were joking. Yes, time does give us the blessing of perspective. You have unique wisdom, talents, stories, and genius that could and should be shared with others. However, you must have the courage and passion to share it with others despite the naysayers. There will never be another you.

You are one-of-a-kind. Everything you’ve experienced is a lesson in disguise whether you know it or not. Take a deep breath, smile and realize that you’re a miracle. Let no one else attempt to sabotage or fool you into thinking otherwise.

Tony Rubleski is the president of Mind Capture Group.

For feedback, questions, suggestions or article ideas he can be reached via email at Tony@MindCaptureGroup.com.

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Social

Media

Why You Shouldn’t Leave Your Social Media to a Niece or Nephew Or Your Son, Daughter or Even the Kid Down the Street

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By Jay York

I

t’s true that Millennials are massive users of social media, but does that mean any young friend or family member has the background to be enlisted to give your business’s social media campaign the attention it needs?

Probably not.

Let’s take a look at several good reasons to put your social media marketing in the hands of a professional: Experience and education. Simply put, unless one of your family members has a background in marketing and—more specifically—digital marketing, they likely won’t have a real theoretical basis for their methods.

Yes, we all know how to like, comment, share, tweet, etc., but a real social media expert will have a formal and professional background in their craft. This is vital for ensuring that your social media channels play a real role in the overall marketing strategy behind your brand or product.

Real social media managers continually hone their knowledge and keep up to date with trends throughout the social space, marketing world, et al. All of this experience and focus are vital to ensuring your social media follow a thought out and effective . . .

Strategy. While most of your young family members may have seriously impressive strategies when it comes to Clash of Clans, they likely don’t have a clue about how to build and execute a proper social media strategy.

Why is strategy so important?

Stephen Covey points out that highly effective people must “Begin with the end in mind.” This is essentially the basis of all strategy—what are we trying to accomplish? Are we seeking more likes? Do we want to increase our sales? Do we seek to drive more traffic to our blog? These questions we answer with an outline of strategies and actions that we believe will help us accomplish our goals and objectives.

Power 50 Nominations Open Deadline: April 16th at 5:00 p.m.

ibcatalyst.com

Who are the people making things happen in our region? Who has the means and the vision and the talent to truly affect change locally? Who is holding the power now, and who is taking over the reins next? We turn to YOU to help us develop this year’s Power 50 list . . . So, please tell us, WHO are the most powerful and influential men and women in the Inland Northwest? Think BIG and think ALL sectors of leadership. We’ll share the results in the next issue of Inland Business Catalyst, scheduled to hit the streets in early June.

Save the date for the Awards Party at Chateau Rive in the Flour Mill Thursday, June 19th from 5:00p.m. - 9:00p.m. event sponsorships are available

Questions: stephanie@spokanecda.com B r ou g h t to you by

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Tools. When you hire a social media strategist you aren’t simply paying for their time. A good social media manager will have a gang of tools procured through countless hours of research or through larger-than-you’d-bet credit card transactions.

Time and attention. A lot of times when we ask others for a favor, they will enthusiastically accept. This enthusiasm will gradually and inevitably decay, leading to your social media presence— and possibly your business—taking a hit.

Strategists live and breathe social media, but more importantly they love to get their clients results. Just like a chef wants to put out a great tasting meal, a social media strategist wants to have a positive impact on your brand.

Their job is to provide you with the support you need to allow you to focus on the things you excel at. If you’re an author, you can focus on your writing.

If you’re an organic food company, you can focus on your farmers and the health of your production. If you’re a CEO, you can focus on the most important and timely aspects of your business. A real social media manager gives their time and attention to giving you back your focus.

Cindy Guthrie VP of Sales - Bozzi Media

"Adam has provided excellent customer service for the past three years! The home pick up AND delivery is as convenient as it gets!"

Because you love them. Yes, your young family members look up to you and want to help. Unfortunately, social media management is a lot more work than most assume. It takes wit, writing skills, formal training and education, strategizing, and expensive tools. It takes a lot of time, too. Time your niece or nephew could spend following their dreams, getting scholarships or studying for their finals.

As the adage goes: “If you love something, set it free.” Your relatives will thank you—as will your business.

Jay York is a social media strategist at EMSI Public Relations, an award-winning national agency.

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By Stephanie Regalado

W

e are proud to honor the spectacular women in business leadership in the 5th Annual Women

in Business Leadership Awards. Please join us in celebrating this year’s Top Twelve along with all the remarkable women in business across our region.

Cheers, Ladies!

Photography By: Diane Maehl Photography 168 S. Division Street | www.dianemaehl.com (509) 459-0766 Make-Up and Styling By: Julie Farley of the Make-Up Studio 216 N. Barnard | www.themakeupstudio.com (509) 455-7430 Location: River Park Square Atrium in Downtown Spokane

Human Resources Director, Inland Northwest Health Services

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President/Owner, Weldon Barber

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eldon Barber is the innovator of today’s modern barbershop and was founded in Spokane with locations now on both sides of the state.

Your Role: To lead with passion and enthusiasm every day, while always keeping the big picture in focus.

I view the privilege of getting to work with young and talented people as a blessing and I’m always careful to not let process and rules get in the way of self-accountability and empowerment.

Proud Moment: Without question, my two daughters and 26 year marriage. A person that I highly respect once told me that a strong foundation of family is the single most important factor to success in all others areas of life. It’s a mantra I use often with my employees today.

Five Year Plan: I hope to be doing cartwheels and back handsprings (well maybe not back handsprings) because Weldon Barber will be a local company from Spokane that is on its way to becoming a national brand.

What do you feel Spokane’s Business environment has to offer women and how do you see your role in that?

I have been blessed to have lived in Seattle, San Francisco, New York and Washington DC. What I learned in each case is that fulfillment does not come from what your community offers you, but what you make of your community. The opportunities for women to contribute and have positive impacts here in Spokane are endless.

Advice: The same thing I tell my daughters and employees: look up from your cell phone and be present, as every day is a gift. Also, I tell them to find their passion and when they do, lead others to find theirs. That’s when great things happen.

nz

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NHS represents a collaborative approach to health care. With forward-thinking solutions, unique partnerships and innovative technologies, we bring safer, more cost-effective and higher quality health care to Spokane, the Northwest and the nation.

Your Role: My role is to provide leadership for all aspects of Human Resources to include recruitment, selection, retention, evaluation processes, training, employee engagement, legal issues, training and development and team relations.

Proud Moment: Over the course of my career in Human Resources, I recognize the need for businesses to collaborate with education and government to develop a sustainable workforce community. When I started in HR at St. Luke’s Rehabilitation, I led therapy recruiting. In collaboration with the leadership team, we established regional and national relationships with universities to develop a robust internship program that currently serves as a pipeline for therapy recruiting. I became a member of the Washington Business Week (WBW) planning committee and Greater Spokane Incorporated (GSI) Healthcare Committee. Involvement in these local committees assisted with St. Luke’s success in connecting high school students to local business in an effort to encourage the pursuit of post-secondary education and choice to pursue healthcare careers.

Five Year Plan: I would like to continue to develop collaborative relationships with local, regional and national business/academic/ government partners, to respond to an ever changing healthcare environment. I see Human Resources as contributing to leadership development, employee engagement, staff recruitment and retention.

Advice: I encourage young women to reach out to senior business leaders to establish mentors. This will not only assist in networking with the business community but it will establish long lasting partnerships that can lead to collaboration and opportunities in the future.

established leaders

Bringing the Wineries to YOU.

Director and Owner, Ballet Arts Academy

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allet Arts Academy’s philosophy is to teach excellence and discipline, to inspire, education and enrich the lives of their students through training and performance of classical and modern ballet.

Your Role: My role is to be a guide, and a mentor. To present students with opportunities to see for themselves what other professionals in the ballet world have achieved in their lives. To show students how hard work and dedication can lead to greatness and humbleness in any field they choose.

Proud Moments: Being invited, among 22 teachers and directors in the nation, to the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet, for a national teacher’s weekend in 2013. Also, having a stellar guest faculty like Amanda McKerrow, Daniel Ulbricht, John Gardner and Zippora Karz.

Five Year Plan: I want Ballet Arts Academy to be known on the West Coast as one of the top ballet schools, where well-respected ballet companies know us and are reaching out to us for the next generation of dancers.

Advice: I always advise my girls to believe in themselves and to go after what they love to do, using the same principles they have learned in ballet class: hard work, perseverance, discipline, knowledge, and personal health.

Reasons why you should NOT miss this industry and wine connoisseurs tasting event

@ Chateau Rive

Some of the best Walla Walla wineries will be swirling as the beautiful Spokane River rushes just beyond the banks of the historic Flour Mill and Chateau Rive event center in the heart of Spokane. Savor, Walla Walla, an industry buyers and connoisseurs tasting event will make its debut on Sunday, May 17, 2015.

Bozzi Media, has teamed up with Vino! A WineShop, Spokane’s only stand alone wine store, to introduce Walla Walla wineries to our region and lend you the opportunity to become part of Spokane’s growing market.

Chateau Rive at the Flour Mill | 621 W Mallon | Spokane WA Industry Tasting: 1-3 p.m. | Premier Tasting: 5:30-6:30 p.m.

General Admission: 6:30-9 p.m.

FIND TICKETS April 1st at www.TicketsWest.com

SAVE THE DATE | May 17th , 2015

621 W Mallon | Spokane, WA

Amavi Cellars, College Cellars, Dunham Cellars, El Corazon Winery, Northstar Winery, Pepper Bridge Winery, Seven Hills Winery, Sinclair Estate Vineyards, Spring Valley Winery, Woodward Canyon Winery spring 2015

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CEO, Desautel Hege Communications

Director of Gift Planning, Inland Northwest Community Foundation (INWCF)

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NWCF connects people who care with causes that matter. They manage $90 million in 450 charitable funds and have awarded $50 million in community grants since their inception in 1974.

Your Role: I support local businesses, nonprofits and philanthropists throughout the Inland Northwest in accomplishing their philanthropic goals. Together, during my ten years at INWCF, we have doubled the foundation’s total assets, as well as the number of funds and the value of annual grants.

Proud Moment: I love working with philanthropists and their professional advisors at the community foundation. I was honored to be asked to serve my fellow Rotarians as their Rotary Club president. I am thrilled to have published my first book this year.

To my amazement, this has all been possible despite having been diagnosed in 2013 with Addison’s Disease—just six weeks after becoming a care partner for my sweet, brilliant husband of 33 years who is facing his own health challenges.

Five Year Plan: As a new author, with 60 years of life experience and many stories to tell, I expect to be publishing my fifth book five years from now. I started a publishing company in April 2014, co-founded with my incredible 85-year-old mother. I also expect to continue working at the community foundation for at least the next five years, helping philanthropists structure their legacies, and mentoring my successor to ensure a smooth transition after I retire.

Advice: Be yourself. Be bold. Be truthful. Be fair. Look for the open doors, rather than jumping out the window, pounding your head against the doors not open to you, or pointing fingers at the people who have closed them. It is certainly okay to learn all this the hard way. I’ve enjoyed that journey.

Mich

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Heg

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esautel Hege Communications is an integrated marketing, public relations and design firm serving clients around the Northwest and beyond. They build programs that build reputations, educate consumers, influence people and support organizational goals.

Your Role: My role is to help facilitate the leadership of our partner/owner team, support our high performing team and to provide counsel to clients. It’s truly my dream job.

Proud Moments: I am really proud to be a mom and a wife. Those are my most important relationships, and as far as I know, these roles don’t always get the societal recognition they deserve. I am really proud to have had a hand in building a company of super talented people who are also really good people.

Advice: The company or organization you work for is more important than what you are doing. Organizational fit is really, really important. Some people love a large company, others hate it. Some people really want to work in an entrepreneurial setting, others feel fulfilled in the nonprofit setting. You can find new opportunities within an organization, but you can’t change the culture or structure of an organization. Attitude is king. My experience in the workplace, and in hiring, is that a positive, can-do attitude, a great team orientation, a willingness to jump into anything and a drive to succeed can’t be taught. People either have it or they don’t.

movers & Shakers

15 20 2014 PGA Teacher of the Year Director of Golf Teaching and Coaching, Indian Canyon Golf Course Owner, KGJgolf

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our Role: I’m the director of Golf Teaching and Coaching. Recently, I have been the recipient of the 2014 PGA National Teacher of the Year, the first woman in the history of the PGA of America. There are several firsts: First from the Pacific Northwest, from Spokane and Indian Canyon.

Proud Moment: Being honored with the 2014 PGA Teacher of the Year. I’m the 29th person ever in history to receive the highest honor in the Golf Teaching Industry, and the first woman named. It is like winning the Super Bowl of all Super Bowls in the PGA in Teaching, not only on a local level, but regional, national and global level.

Five Year Plan: Promoting the game of golf to all for the rest of my life. It has so many benefits, especially for women, businesses, charities, and families.

What do you feel Spokane’s business environment has to offer women and how do you see your role in that? My role is bigger than I have ever expected. To be amongst all of PGA of America and being a needed hinge to open the door for others in the golf industry is truly amazing.

Advice: Keep executing what you believe and never give up. The world needs our input and we should stand up more . . . we will be noticed and we belong. Golf is an amazing game with many benefits to any business. I am a keynote speaker on this very subject in a male-dominate industry: everyone wants to know.

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thedealplanet.com spring 2015

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Owner/ President, Mountain Dog Sign Company

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local, woman-owned company providing custom signage, including consultation, design, fabrication, and installation of many products from Braille/ADA, directories, lobby signage, interior graphics, canvas, and trade show displays, to vehicle graphics.

Your Role: Interfacing with clients for site surveys and concept development, collaborating with my team on projects, creating and implementing our marketing strategies, networking and developing relationships with current and potential clients, and making executive decisions about current or long-term company issues.

Proud Moment: A year or so after we first opened, a couple of younger men came into the showroom asking for help creating a dimensional lobby sign from a logo on their business card. They said they had been to nine other sign companies in the area, and no one would help them. It was a fairly complex logo, and required a lot of brainstorming to figure out how create a multi-dimensional piece out of metal, (it was atom-like) but we were able to design and produce an amazing piece for this company to display in their lobby. Making a choice to help someone, and giving them a product that they could be proud of, that represented their company well, and would help them grow, even though it was not profitable for us, it made me proud.

Advice: Getting a job is often viewed as simply a way to make a living but it is so much more. Find something that will let you meet your financial goals, but it should be something that you can be passionate about, that also gives you an avenue to fulfill other needs such as spiritual growth, ongoing personal growth, and community service. When all those needs are met, only then will you truly feel fulfilled in your chosen profession.

President, Financial Advisor, Star Financial and Insurance Services, Inc.

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tar Financial is a full-service financial advisory firm. They provide consulting and planning services for individuals and small businesses, taking a team approach to providing financial, estate and legacy planning, business succession planning, and group benefits.

Your Role: My role encompasses that of a financial advisor, working with my own clients, an employer, employing four people to date. I make all major decisions at Star, including contracting and negotiation with financial institutions, technology, employees, marketing and budgeting.

Proud Moment: My proudest moment was my first business birthday last year. When I originally decided to start my own business, I imagined it would be myself and some office assistance. One year later, not only had we survived our first year, we were thriving and expanding. Star Financial now employees three advisors, a full-time office manager and a part-time assistant.

Advice: Do not sell yourself short. There are no industries that are better suited to men; some are just dominated by them. If you have an interest in a particular field that is male dominated, all the better. It only means that you will have even more demand for your services than you would expect.

Be patient with your career, and seek out mentors and role models who have similar lifestyle and careers. It is so helpful to be able to talk with other women that have navigated similar situations. It is not in our interest to compare ourselves with men, but to fulfill ourselves in whatever is best for us as individuals and our families. That is where true success lies.

emerging leaders

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CEO, Rogue Heart Media, Inc.

ogue Heart Media is a creative development and production company, serving clients through video production, commercial photography, Web and print design.

Your Role: I lead our creative development team for video and photo projects. Some days that means writing scripts for a national PSA campaign, some days editing a promotional video series for the Web, some days photographing staff head shots or directing a multimedia shoot for a commercial marketing campaign.

Proud Moment: When I look back on the growth of our business over the last two years, I am especially proud, because all the while I was going through my first pregnancy and newly navigating parenthood with my now nearly one-year-old son, Dane. Balancing entrepreneurial passions with public service and parenthood has been a very rewarding challenge, and I hope the joy I’ve found in the juggling can be a positive example for other women who may be questioning their ability to pursue their dreams.

Five Year Plan: I expect to continue to grow our team and our client base, and to personally continue to break down barriers for women in media production. I plan to keep challenging myself as a writer and director, take my commercial photography skills to the next level to continue to compete in the marketplace, and to lead my team to serve our clients in uniquely creative and authentically effective ways.

Advice: Believe in yourself and your internal compass. Make a plan and chase it, and be prepared to learn something from everyone you encounter.

Executive Director, Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery

Founder/ Owner, The Makeup Studio & Project Beauty Share

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he Make-up Studio offers women of all ages, makeup lessons, bridal and special occasion makeup applications. Project Beauty Share is a nonprofit organization that collects new and gently used beauty and hygiene products and distributes them to local agencies for women who do not have the financial ability to purchase these necessities.

Your Role: I teach the makeup lessons one on one with our customers and head up our team of makeup artists for our bridal parties and all other makeup applications and oversee the operations of Project Beauty Share.

Proud Moment: I am very proud that The Make-up Studio has been in business helping women feel good about themselves for almost 14 years, but my greatest success was starting Project Beauty Share. Making an impact in our local community for our women in need is so rewarding for myself, and all the women that volunteer and donate.

Five Year Plan: In five years I would like have more speaking engagements here in the Northwest on achieving simple, flawless beauty. I would also like to be able to spend more time on Project Beauty Share.

What do you feel Spokane’s business environment has to offer women? I think the beauty business in Spokane offers many opportunities for women in general and I encourage young women on a daily basis to follow their passion. “Life is not a dress rehearsal,” so you have to go for it!

Advice: If being a makeup artist is going to be your career choice, decide on what field in the industry that you want to go into. Whether it be fashion/editorial, television, film, beauty or special effects you should concentrate your efforts, finances and training on one of these.

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fter 2-year-old Vanessa Kay Behan died of child abuse related injuries, the Crisis Nursery was opened with the intent of keeping kids safe, strengthening families and creating a healthier community.

Your Role: It is my over-arching responsibility to create an environment that ensures exemplary care to children, nonjudgmental support to families and an assurance to our investors that we are having a significant impact on our children, their families and our community each and every day.

Proud Moment: Eighteen years ago I started as a graveyard House Parent working with our children. A mom called, and she was apprehensive about using the Nursery.

She was scared to need us, and fearful we couldn’t care for her special needs autistic son. When she arrived at the Nursery, my co-worker and I knew she needed extra attention and we invited her into the Nursery (very rare due to confidentiality). Two months later when she brought her child back to us, she shared that on that first night, her plan was to leave her son and commit suicide. From that moment on, I knew the Nursery was a special place.

Five-year Plan: While we are serving more children than ever before (nearly 5,000 annually), we are still saying “no” to thousands. It will take more financial support, streamlined processes and eventually a new or expanded facility to narrow the gap between the children we currently care for and the needs of those we hope to serve.

Advice: While your career is important, and you should be the best at it you can be, it is not the only thing that defines you.

nonprofit leaders

President, Spokane NAACP

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he National Association for the Advancement of Colored People seeks to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

Your Role: My role is to preside over meetings, to act as the spokesperson for the organization, to facilitate and organize the local branch according to national compliance standards, and to perform other executive duties of financial and program oversight. I serve to assist and encourage all committees in the development of programs and initiatives that accomplish the mission of the NAACP. Proud Moment: My biggest successes are my two sons; they give me many proud moments. My oldest son is a sophomore in college and is a double-major. He is planning to study abroad in Spain next year, then head to law school after his undergraduate degree. The birth of my youngest son is memorialized in 94 hours of labor, and I am proud of his creativity and imagination as well as his perseverance through some tough years of bullying at school.

Advice: Do what you love and what gives you a sense of purpose. Don’t aim just for the highest paid profession.

Wealth as a measure of success is a construct that needs to be questioned. When I contribute to my community and my children, I feel wealthy, and the stack of bills can’t deplete that feeling of fulfillment. Don’t allow gaps in your education. Head from Kindergarten to PhD, because the math and changes in curriculum will make it ten times harder to go back to school once you sit out for a few years. Take care of your body, mind and heart . . . because breakdown of any of these can derail everything else.

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910 N. Washington St, Suite #107 Spokane, WA 99201

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(509) 465-9052

Info@MadisonSpokane.com spring 2015

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what works for me

wwfm By

Kim T. Plese

Kim Plese is the owner of Plese Printing and Marketing, now in its 25th year. She is also Board President of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Spokane County.

DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE A few years ago I received a call at work from one of my brother’s friends. His daughter was killed while she was texting and driving. I don’t think she was even 20 years old. He needed a funeral program and the funeral was in a few days. The mom, brother, dad, and friends all came.

I asked them to tell me about her and asked for pictures for the program. The family was amazing.

She played ping pong so we put a picture of her ping pong ball in the program. I still remember the sound of her mom crying. I went home, screamed at my 16-year old son and cried and told him never to text and drive. I am honored every day by being part of people’s lives. Death, birth, weddings, new businesses in Spokane I help grow: They all leave an impact on my life in one way or another.

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE! I love Spokane plain and simple. That wasn’t always the case until I moved away and lost my soul. I moved back in 1987 and have no regrets. My parents and four siblings all live here. Spokane has everything we need and more. We have ski resorts, amazing golf courses, a great downtown and fabulous restaurants. In 1994, I enrolled in Leadership Spokane and it was the best money I ever spent on a class. I learned the history of Spokane and met city leaders at the time. I became committed to making it a better place. Some of my best friends today I met during my time in Leadership Spokane.

VOLUNTEER In 2005, I signed up to volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club in Spokane for a Reading Rally. Executive Women International was putting on an event and I had to be there for

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an hour working with club kids who were learning how to write a story. I walked in and sat with two girls no older than 12, who were sisters. They poured their lives out to me. I was blown away by their home life and how poor they were. They begged me to come back and play with them. They loved the Boys and Girls Club because it was the only safe place they knew and everyone was happy. I walked out of the room and found the executive director and made him give me a tour on the spot. Every year since, I’ve tried to donate as much to the club as possible in print work. It’s an amazing place, now with three clubs in Spokane serving thousands of kids each year.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING I do a lot of work for people running for public office. One year I managed the printing for a man who was running for prosecuting attorney. He was well spoken, respectful, knew what he wanted and liked, had a wonderful wife and great kids. He had great friends who wanted him to succeed.

I went to his kick-off party to listen to him speak, which I rarely do. He lost the election and I was shocked and actually upset. I asked questions, made a point to learn as much as I could about political campaigns to help my clients in the future. One political consultant told me the only reason he lost the race was because he decided to run for office too late in the campaign season and the public had already decided who they wanted.

PROOF IT BEFORE YOU PRINT IT! No one knows your phone number and the spelling of your name better than you. Take an extra five minutes to proof your order; it can save you time, money and business. Several years ago I bought a full-page ad in a magazine. I didn’t proof it and several weeks later I received an email from someone in Florida who told me my ad made its way into the last page of Consumer Reports magazine where they make fun of advertisements. The amazing thing is everyone outside of Spokane thought the typo was PLEASE, not the actual typo in the ad. They say any publicity is good publicity, but not to me. Blaming the publisher or my employee would have been wrong. It was my mistake and I keep that Consumer Reports in my office as a reminder.

I’M A HOPELESS ROMANTIC AND OPTIMIST I will find the true love of my life at the exact same time I get a hole-in-one on the golf course. It can happen. I just need to golf more. photo by Diane Maehl Photography

spring 2015

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Tapio Yellow Flag Bldg Ste #209 104 S. Freya, Spokane, Wa 99202-4866