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JOHN HAWKINS Chair, NKY Chamber President & CEO, MPI Consulting
ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL businesses play a crucial role in driving the economy of Northern Kentucky. With over 5,000 businesses in the region, including more than 1,700 members of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and related business councils, these entrepreneurs are the backbone of our community. They represent a diverse ecosystem, ranging from franchises to independent businesses, and contribute to the growth and prosperity of our region. As an entrepreneur myself, I can attest to the fantastic highs and even the lows that come with the territory of being an entrepreneur.
In this edition of the NKY Business Journal, we explore the significance of entrepreneurship and how it is being promoted, supported and yielding positive outcomes in Northern Kentucky. Over the past 10 years our GDP in NKY has grown by a plus of 42%. This would certainly not have been achieved had it not been for the contributions of our small businesses.
The stories featured in this journal not only highlight the possibilities available for individuals to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams but also shed light on the resources in place to help them succeed.
One notable story is that of Schneller Knochelmann Plumbing, Heating, and Air, which exemplifies the essence of entrepreneurship. Through hard work, hiring talented individuals, and delivering quality service, small business owners like Schneller Knochelmann are thriving in our community. Additionally, the Small Business Spotlight feature on Morgan and Bill Whitlow showcases how
INVESTOR'S CIRCLE
their partnership in life and business has brought new flavors to Covington's culinary scene.
Beyond celebrating the success stories, this edition also focuses on the dedicated individuals working tirelessly to create an environment where everyone can succeed. We highlight Aviatra Accelerators, a premier accelerator program for women in the Midwest, and Square1, an organization that molds the next generation of entrepreneurs through innovative programs. These features complement our coverage of SparkHaus, the future home for Northern Kentucky's entrepreneurial community, which promises to enrich our business ecosystem in numerous beneficial ways.
Lastly, we present stories of local entrepreneurs who have found their niche through franchising. CleanEatz, Amazing Lash Studio and Ellie Mental Health are just a few examples of the great franchises that have found a home in our region. Their success, along with the Entrepreneur Resource Guide included in this issue, serves as a valuable resource for startups at any stage of their business journey.
Entrepreneurship can be a wild and challenging journey, but it is also incredibly rewarding. We hope that this edition of the NKY Business Journal ignites or reignites the passion within you to pursue your entrepreneurial endeavors. By doing so, you contribute to the betterment of our entire region. Together, we can continue to drive the economy and create a thriving entrepreneurial community in Northern Kentucky.
Investing in You
Your NKY Chamber membership can help you achieve your entrepreneurial goals through programs, benefits
AS A NKY CHAMBER MEMBER, YOU ARE automatically connected to a network of resources, all of which are intent on providing the tools to enjoy success. The NKY Chamber offers a wide variety of resources to help you achieve your entrepreneurial goals.
SAVINGS, SUPPLIES AND MORE
HEALTH INSURANCE – The NKY Chamber has teamed up with Anthem to offer ChamberAdvantage, a health coverage solution that gives small businesses an easy, affordable way to offer health benefits to employees. This is in addition to the NKY Chamber’s partnership with Humana for its Humana Group Benefit Solutions which include dental, vision, life, and disability offerings.
OFFICE SUPPLIES – The NKY Chamber offers several perks in the form of discounted office supplies. ODP Business Solutions offers members up to 55% off their most purchased office supplies both in-store and online with no contract. VIE Ability, which was launched by the Cincinnati Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired, has 60,000+ office products and supports people who are blind or have severe vision loss.
BANKING – The NKY Chamber’s partnership with PNC Merchant Services provides several benefits to members including referral bonuses, no early termination fees, nextday funding of card payment processing transactions and more.
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS – NKY Chamber members can receive discounts on advertising courtesy of Adsposure, Everything Cincy, and RevLocal all of whom can help you save on social media, ad packages and more.
IT SOLUTIONS – The Circuit’s CIO Circle is a problem solving, information sharing, technology-based peer group allowing IT leaders to collaborate. NKY Chamber members enjoy a $200 discount for the program.
HR SERVICES – In need of human resource help? NKY Chamber members can save on a variety of HR services through partnerships with ClearPath Specialty, and MPI Management Consulting.
By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE
BUSINESS REFERRAL NETWORKS – The NKY Chamber’s Business Referral Networks (BRN) can connect you to teams of 15 to 30 people to help you learn how other members can help you grow your business.
ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE – Rali Solutions helps companies foster successful outcomes by uniting technology, behavioral science and change management best practices via its Change Experience Platform to help drive behavior change.
WOMEN’S INITIATIVE MENTOR/MENTEE PROGRAMDesigned to help female leaders in your organization, this program pairs like-minded individuals for a one-on-one growth period over one years’ time.
THE VOICE OF BUSINESS IN NKY – The NKY Chamber advocates on members’ behalf on key legislative and regulatory issues in Northern Kentucky, Frankfort and Washington D.C.
HR 100 – HR professionals and small business owners can utilize timely programs centered on talent recruitment and retention issues while also often earning SHRM-credits in the process.
HR TRIFECTA: STRATEGIC LEADERS CONFERENCE –Hosted in partnership with NKY SHRM, this conference features timely, strategic business presentations that have been approved by HRCI for continuing education credit.
TALENT STRATEGIES SYMPOSIUM – This event brings regional experts together for discussions and breakout sessions highlighting strategies employers can use to attract/retain talent and promote workforce development.
INVESTING IN EQUITY SUMMIT – Powered by Fifth Third Bank, this half-day event features discussions around diversity, equity, inclusion and advancement.
TALENT STRATEGIES SPOTLIGHT – This regular feature of the NKY Chamber Spotlight podcast features employers and workforce practitioners discussing tactics, resources and more centered on talent attraction, retention and DEI.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
WOMEN’S INITIATIVE REGIONAL SUMMIT
– Presented by PNC, this daylong learning event for women of all career stages features speakers that present inspirational content for professional women.
LEADERSHIP NORTHERN KENTUCKY –
Powered by Citi, this popular NKY Chamber program uses the community as a classroom to develop leaders that will serve the region.
ENCOUNTER NKY – Powered by Citi, Encounter NKY is a talent retention program designed to help young professionals (YPs) and those newer to the region with career advancement while also developing a deeper connection to Northern Kentucky.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY YOUNG PROFESSIONALS (NKYP) – NKYP connects YPs with peers by expanding their networks, programming and engagement while impacting their community through diversity and inclusion.
NKYP EVENT PASS – The NKYP Event Pass provides your employees admission to nearly every event hosted by the NKY Chamber and helps them engage with the community, network with others, and take advantage of professional development opportunities.
INVESTING IN EQUITY SERIES – Part of the NKY Chamber’s ongoing DEI efforts, the quarterly Investing in Equity Series, powered by Fifth Third Bank, examines employment barriers that may hinder talent attraction/retention and the benefits of an inclusive workplace.
WORKFORCE SAFETY TOURS & DISCUSSIONS
– Designed for safety and HR professionals, these programs bring industry experts together to discuss employer best practices for a wide variety of safety topics.
These are just some of the resources and benefits that come with being an NKY Chamber member. To learn more, contact Lynn Abeln, Vice President of Membership at labeln@nkychamber.com or call (859) 578-6390. You can also find information on all the programs and benefits included in this article at www.nkychamber.com. NKY
Starting at Square1
Square1 helps discover region’s future entrepreneurs through classes, competitions
Keith Schneider is well-versed in the subject of entrepreneurship. From having taught the subject at both Northern Kentucky University and Xavier University to helping early stage biohealth companies commercialize innovation, there have been two constants throughout his professional career: (1) Working with young people and (2) helping people achieve their entrepreneurial dreams.
Now, he’s helping the next generation of the workforce see their entrepreneurial potential and discover what’s NEXT by taking them back to Square1.
SCHOOL’S IN SESSION
Schneider is the president of Square1, the startup assistant organization that through engaging community leaders, public schools and community-based organizations, works to help people kickstart innovative business ideas. Centered around entrepreneurship education, the organization seeks to help make it easier to launch a startup business through work in three areas: Idea stage engagement, education and connection and growth.
Square1 is perhaps best known, however, for its work with high school students, its NEXT program in particular. Billed as a “one-of-a-kind” program in the region, NEXT is a year-long high school entrepreneurship education program that provides participants with ongoing coaching support and resources. This helps students build personal and professional networks and networking skills, explore their next steps post-high school and more.
Additionally, the NEXT program partners Square1 with Thomas More University to provide three levels of scholarships, including a full tuition, four-year award. Some 40 schools are currently part of the program, with students on both sides of the Ohio River participating in pitch competitions at St. Xavier High School and Thomas More.
By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media
Schneider says the goal is to “level the playing field with what we teach.”
“If you compare (suburban) schools to other urban (ones) around the region, the students are night and day. We feel like entrepreneurship can be the great equalizer of that and what we can come in and do,” he says. “It's amazing to see students grow from the beginning to the end of the semester and how much more willing they are to talk in front of the group expressing their ideas and sharing their opinions. That's one of the more thrilling parts of our work … We're a big part of their exposure and education to what really happens out in the business world.”
Seeing students discover the path that is right for them is what Schneider says makes the work so valuable.
“Entrepreneurship, the ability to come up with an idea and start your own business, is the great equalizer,” he says. “That’s what makes me passionate about it – being able to open their eyes to opportunities: They can control their own destiny.”
GRADUATE STUDIES
Anna Reising credits Square1 for first exposing her to the idea and importance of entrepreneurship. Introduced to the organization during her senior year at Notre Dame Academy in Park Hills in 2019, she says the program helped give her a focus for her college studies.
“I realized I wanted to one day own a business and wanted to start something but didn't have the idea yet. I ended up taking a position with Cintrifuse, which is a member of the innovation ecosystem here in Cincinnati, as an event coordinator for startups,” she says. “It ended up being the most incredible experience I've had as I got to work with entrepreneurs and other key stakeholders in the innovation community.”
Her passion for entrepreneurship eventually caught the attention of the University of Cincinnati’s 1819 Innovation
Hub, which she joined last November as its new Project Coordinator. “I'm very, very lucky to be working in the innovation community because it's where I want to be for the rest of my career,” says Reising.
Hailing Square1 as a “great organization,” Reising says she wouldn’t be where she is today had they not come to her classroom to talk entrepreneurship years ago.
“Square1 does a phenomenal job of tapping into those young minds in Northern Kentucky and it's only going to grow in the coming years. They really, truly made me aware of entrepreneurship not just being what you saw on ‘Shark Tank,’” Reising says. “It's something that you can live out and build a career around. I'm forever thankful to Keith and to Square1 for bringing that to light and giving that to the future entrepreneurs and innovation community members.”
Schneider hopes that inspiration will produce results working towards the improvement of the entire Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region.
“I think of the saying, ‘If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach them how to fish, they eat for a lifetime.’ That’s what we feel we're doing … We hope to teach these students how they can not only impact their own lives and change their own outcomes, but (positively) impact the community,” he says. “We hope our students are the ones that are creating solutions to homelessness, drug abuse and those types of problems. We're bringing problem solvers to the table for all the communities around us.” NKY
SQUARE1 AT A GLANCE
Square1
112 Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 (859) 750-2013 https://ideastartgrow.com
DID YOU KNOW?
Square1 was founded in 2012 by Keith Schneider while working at bioLOGIC, a community-supported foundation dedicated to advancing human health through innovation, education and entrepreneurship. Square1 is supported by several organizations and nonprofits, including: The Northern Kentucky Collaborative for Economic Engagement, private sector leaders, governmental and economic development organizations among others.
Square1 partners with Thomas More University to award three levels of scholarships to its NEXT program participants. Through this partnership, Square1 has awarded $600,000+ in scholarships through the end of its 2022 Final Pitch event. In addition to full, four-year scholarships for the first-place finishers, the partnership awards $25K for second-place finishers and $22,500 to third-place winners annually per team member.
Square1 also annually awards a $1,500 scholarship that students winning its annual competition at St. Xavier High School can use towards enrollment at any of the region's universities. This includes Northern Kentucky University, Miami-Oxford Ohio, the University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, the University of Dayton, Mount Saint Joseph University and Thomas More University.
Entrepreneurial Expertise
Northern Kentucky entrepreneurs share their insight into the world of starting your own business.
“How do I get started?”
“Where can I find this thing that I need?”
“I wish I had known this sooner …”
For those just beginning their entrepreneurial journey, questions and statements like these are common. But while they may be all too familiar, the answers can sometimes feel rare and hard to acquire –but they don’t have to be.
Northern Kentucky is rich with business and community leaders of varying ages, backgrounds and industries who all share one thing in common: They are all entrepreneurs with sage advice that can help others. If you’re thinking about starting your own business, having the knowledge of others handy can be invaluable.
See what advice our expert entrepreneurs had to offer …
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER TO THOSE CONSIDERING STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS?
“Starting a business is a challenging journey that requires perseverance, self-awareness, and a genuine passion for your product or service. As an entrepreneur who started with humble beginnings, I understand the struggles and rewards of building a successful business. It's important to start small and test your ideas before committing full-time. Remember, entrepreneurship is not for everyone, so be honest with yourself about your motivations and willingness to take on the 24/7 commitment." – ADDO
“Talk to an accountant before diving in to understand costs and monthly expectations. You should also talk to similar minded people in your sector and pick their brain on tips and advice - take the best and leave the rest.” – ASEERE
“Some people work better in and thrive in teams. Some people don't like sitting behind a desk all day. Others need someone to be accountable to. If your business requires a majority of your time doing things that don't motivate you, be honest about whether being a business owner is the right thing for you.” – PANEPINTO
“Dream big. No idea is off the table. As you work through your offering some ideas will drop off, some will be added. You do not have to have it all figured out from the beginning. Be agile.” – HENNIGAN
WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR ENTREPRENEURS THAT ARE JUST STARTING OUT?
“Be adaptable: Be willing to adapt and evolve your business model based on feedback and market conditions. Flexibility is essential in the ever-changing business landscape.” – ADDO
“Understand the importance of cash flow in your business, especially as your business grows. Focusing on the service you are providing is great but realizing how the cash flow works behind the scenes really is the lifeline of your business.” – ASEERE
“Find the right marketing team to help you grow your business. You need a good marketing plan to get your business off the ground. Make sure your marketing plan contract has an exit clause if the marketing team is not performing.” –STALLSWORTH
“Research the market; do you offer a unique idea, service or product? Understand what makes your business special. Have a two-or-three sentence description of your business. Know your competition inside and out.” – HENNIGAN
“Find your small business network that meets regularly to share successes, provide resources and helps you work through challenges. Being at the top can be lonely and this group of close confidants will become your biggest advocates (and sometimes cheap therapists during times of struggle).”
– BERRENS
“Seek out the resources that are available for ‘free’ within our local, city and state business councils/departments. Take the time to research grants and scholarships available for startup companies. The best and most resourceful assistance is located most likely miles away from your home or office at your local library, such as updated listings of business and residential prospects, stats on whatever particulars you may be seeking that apply to your business.“ – KRUSE
WHAT RESOURCES HAVE MADE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS?
“Using Slack has really improved our team communication and transparency. It also helps to keep topics of conversation organized. Another great resource is using a calendar app like Calendly for scheduling meetings. It automates the process and reduces email exchanges and double bookings.” – BERRENS
“There are SO many resources in Northern Kentucky for new and small businesses! Find them and use them. Many of them are free and can help with decision-making. The NKY Chamber, Blue North, BE NKY Growth Partnership, the Covington Business Council, NKU BizAccess Hub and accelerator programs like Aviatra are my go-tos when I need advice or coaching.” – PANEPINTO
“Community involvement and giving back really do matter. Networking and participating on committees, local chambers, organized groups both fun and work related and charity organizations. Attend training events both in person and online. Use the social networking opportunities available to you and listen, watch and repeat.” – KRUSE
“I am a member of the Boutique Hub which is made up of thousands of members of boutique owners all around the country. I am part of mentoring groups that share tips, tricks, ideas and more. This has been a great resource for me. Joining training courses that are specific to owning and operating a boutique have been beneficial.” – STALLSWORTH
Franchise Players
WE MEAN BUSINESS
Franchising – the act of opening an existing business in a new locale – is a staple of the American economy, Northern Kentucky included. But for those who are new to the process or are unsure which franchise might be right for them, Pfister says that’s why FranNet exists.
He should know, considering that his father Todd is a FranNet franchise owner himself for the Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Indiana region.
“We are franchisees who help people find a franchise to own, so when we're talking to people about franchise ownership, it's not just some hypothetical,” Pfister explains. “That's what we live every single day.”
Using an assessment developed by a behavioral psychologist, FranNet discovers a potential franchise owner’s core competencies as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Pfister says this allows the company to then identify the businesses people with similar profiles have found success owning/managing.
Entrepreneurship through franchising offers locals opportunities to be their own boss, pursue career independence
By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media
BRADY PFISTER KNOWS WHAT PEOPLE ARE likely thinking when the topic of franchising arises.
“When people think franchising, they think haircuts and French fries. Over 14 years of our practice here locally, we can count on one hand the amount of food deals that we have done,” says Pfister, a consultant for FranNet, the international company that works to find the right franchise match for to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. “In reality, ‘franchising’ means anything from in home health care for senior citizens to fitness, to health and wellness, physical therapy, window cleaning, gutter, clean out lawn care – all across the board. Of course, there’s Chick-fil-A, Subway, Great Clips and those are staples of the franchise industry, but there's a whole lot more out there – that's why we exist because it's pretty easy to get lost in all the data that's out there.”
Instead of getting lost, scores of business owners throughout Northern Kentucky are finding franchising to be the perfect way to pursue entrepreneurship.
There are four things Pfister says must be considered when it comes to deciding if a franchise is right for a prospective owner by examining the four Cs: Character, culture, competency and chemistry.
“When you are investing in a franchise, you want their system from a moral perspective to really mesh well. Second, ask yourself, ‘Is there a culture within the company that is a fit for you professionally and personally?’" he says. “Third, does this franchise system know what they’re doing and are they going to equip you to successfully drive business locally in your market? Fourth, do you enjoy working with these folks? The day you sign on the dotted line to work with a franchise system, you’re going to be working within a family of other business owners who are running the exact same model in different markets around your region.”
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
If those four things are agreeable, Pfister says, that’s when people can focus on a fifth C of cash or compensation. “If the other four are in place, the odds are pretty good that you’re going to end up in a place you want,” he says.
If being your own boss is a place you want to be, Pfister says franchising, while admittedly “scary” at times, is something you may want to consider.
“It's been a game changer for our family so being able to help people in our community achieve that American dream of entrepreneurship, that's a big deal for us,” Pfister says. “Franchising provides really good framework, support and data to enter into the world of entrepreneurship … Especially for people who are who are wanting to hop in entrepreneurship for the first time –that was the arc of my dad.”
But what do local business owners think about going the franchising route to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams? Here’s what they had to say …
AMAZING LASH STUDIOS
2862 Town Center Blvd.
Crestview Hills, KY 41017
(859) 376-5395
www.amazinglashstudio.com/studios/ky/crestview-hills/crestview-hills
What they do: The eyes have it … Or at least, they will at Amazing Lash Studios’ Crestview Hills location, owned by Boston native turned Northern Kentucky resident Anu Patel. Amazing Lash is a one-stop shop for all things eyelashes, offering services such as eyelash extensions in several styles, lash lifts – “a perm for your eyelashes” – tinting, brow and facial waxing and more. The facility also offers membership plans for those looking for bundled savings with follow-up maintenance appointments.
The backstory: Growing up in Boston, Patel got tired of snow, so she found a job in San Francisco. Then she grew weary of corporate America, decided to go back to school and landed a full ride at the University of Buffalo. With her partner originally hailing from Northern Kentucky, Patel’s arrival in the region was bound to happen. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs but wanting to find her niche, the same could be said for her journey into entrepreneurship with Amazing Lash Studios.
“My family is involved in the food business, so I was trying to do something different because I've done that for a long time now. The beauty industry is always something that I've been passionate about; I think helping women feel beautiful is a beautiful thing,” she says. “When I found Amazing Lash a lot of that fell into what I was looking for in a business.”
Wise Investment? Since her business is “crushing our goals based on what we had benchmarked,” entrepreneurship through franchising has proved to be an amazing investment thus far.
“With the community of women that come and support us, we're growing our memberships like crazy, which is awesome. Northern Kentucky was a perfect area where women want this service and they want to be treated really well,” Patel says. “They're in their own comfortable zone versus every other studio in an open bed situation where you're laying right next to other people, which just isn't that pleasant; (instead), they like coming to a beautiful salon and treating themselves every two weeks so that's definitely helped.”
Words of wisdom: “For people new to franchising, focus on the brand and the level of support that is available. You don't want to fall into investing in a franchise where they're so small that they're just figuring things out alongside you or to be the initial location they’re testing out,” she says. “You want that level of support and them to know what they're doing so that they can help you be successful.”
CLEAN EATZ
1759 Monmouth St. | Newport, KY 41071 (859) 291-3289 | www.cleaneatz.com
What they do: A fast casual, dine-in restaurant specializing in healthy meals, Clean Eatz also offers a variety of macro-balanced take-home meals for as low as $6.52 per entrée. As its name implies, Clean Eatz promotes “clean eating,” with whole, natural ingredients like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, along with healthy proteins and fats. It also means cutting back on refined grains, added sugars, salt and unhealthy fats.
The backstory: Chase Whitehead and Brandon Cress are bonded by brotherhood as proud alumni of the Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity’s University of Cincinnati chapter.
Now, the two are bonded by their partnership as the co-owners of Clean Eatz franchise locations in Newport and Dent, Ohio. Their goal is to continue and grow the franchise locally while changing the lives of Greater Cincinnatians and Northern Kentuckians for the better.
Whitehead, a co-owner of five Orangetheory fitness facilities throughout the region, reconnected with Cress when he too was looking to leave corporate America and explore franchise opportunities. A rather short meeting between the two where they reviewed a handful of franchise opportunities Cress had been presented led to a common interest and potential partnership in Clean Eatz. Fast forward following a few months of due diligence and continued conversations between the two and the duo found themselves driving to Clean Eatz headquarters in Wilmington, NC, to meet with the corporate team and become franchisees.
Both credit the company’s mission and dedication for solidifying their interest in the franchise.
“We would hop on owners' calls where existing franchisees would openly share their own experiences and franchise experience with Clean Eatz … All the owners had lots of consistent experiences and stories of success and I loved that,” Whitehead says. “You could tell they were genuine from the stories about the decisions they made to the benefit of the franchises.”
Wise investment? Whitehead says the community response to Clean Eatz has been great, noting that both he and Cress are hoping their business will not just help provide for their family, but their employees and the community.
Cress agrees.
“The community response has been resoundingly supportive. People that come to work here know this is a different atmosphere than the other food places that they've worked before,” Cress says. “We believe in what we’re doing, and we think that we can continue to expand within the area. We hope that helps get us to where we want to be from a total financial standpoint and make the impact that made us invest in this in the first place.”
Words of wisdom: Now starting to enjoy the success they’ve long sought; Cress and Whitehead say anyone looking to invest in a franchise will be wise to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of doing so first.
“The advantage is franchises have a proven model – but you have to run the playbook, not rewrite it, there's a reason stores are thriving prior to you buying in. A big thing for us was we wanted to get into a young franchise that wasn't so rigid that we could still help make an imprint on it,” Cress says. “Royalties take part of your bottom line and sometimes that's hard. They can increase that and add other fees. You’ve just got to believe that as long as you're bought into it they have your best interest at heart while controlling whatever you can control to grow.”
ELLIE MENTAL HEALTH
350 Thomas More Pkwy, Suite 160 Crestview Hills, KY 41017 (859) 600-6990 www.elliementalhealth.com/locations/crestview-hills-ky
What they do: Founded in 2015 by Erin Pash and Kyle Keller, Ellie Mental Health seeks to “compassionately transform the culture of mental health care by providing creative solutions that make wellness accessible in every community.” That is done by using its six core values of acceptance, authenticity, creativity, compassion, determination and humor to remove stigmas associated with mental health and make access to therapy easier.
The backstory: A homemaker by trade, Wendi Harris says she and her brother, Mark Shreve, were looking for something to invest in that “was meaningful and beneficial to our community and the people around us.” That made having a business like Ellie Mental Health that is all about helping people, right up my lane.”
“Growing up people came to me all the time with problems and things that they were going through just naturally,” Harris says. “It was always in my nature to help people and although I don't have the education to be a therapist, I did have the ability to become an owner of a franchise of Ellie Mental Health.”
Wise investment? Harris says Ellie has been a very good investment for her and Shreve, both of whom are first-time entrepreneurs. Harris says her franchise is growing, a fact evident in plans to eventually open three more locations in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region.
She says Ellie has provided her and her family with the tools needed for them to succeed and help so many others.
“A franchise like Ellie Mental Health allows a lot of support guidance as you build your business … They have the Ellie Academy for training, which is where we go to learn the systems and processes,” she says. “There are also other franchisees to consult with, along with marketing, advertising, brand awareness, outreach teams, contracting, credentialing, billing and client access teams for us as our mental health providers. That gave me confidence in this starting stage of my career to know that investing in a franchise was something that could be successful because I had that support.”
Words of wisdom: Ask questions and do your research.
“It's super important to be passionate because there are ups and downs and a lot of work involved. Are you ready to invest the time and the financial resources that it takes to really grow that business in that community?” she says. “If you're not, that's going to take away from you being successful, so be sure that you love the business and what you want to bring to the community. Also, review costs and plan ahead as there may be unforeseen financial demands. For me, it was about, ‘Am I going to create a positive impact in the community? Am I going to make a difference?’” NKY
Programmed for Success
Aviatra Accelerators looks to bolster female entrepreneurs for success with new programming, counseling and networking opportunities
By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media
THE RAPID-FIRE THOUGHTS, CONSTANT QUESTIONING and self-doubt that come with being an entrepreneur were far too common, Jill Morenz recalls, when she launched her businesses.
“Myself personally, I can be scattered sometimes; I need to rein myself in to focus,” says Morenz in self-reflection. “If you have an entrepreneurial mindset, you see a problem and say, ‘I could solve that and then I could turn that into a business …“
Aviatra Accelerators – the organization of which Morenz serves as president and CEO – is hopeful its revised and expanded program offerings will help female entrepreneurs focus their entrepreneurial dreams into successful realities.
THE FUTURE PRESENT IS FEMALE
“We were doing well, but we could be doing better.” That’s how Morenz, who took over as Aviatra’s president and CEO just over a year ago, explains what led the longstanding entrepreneurship support group for women to examine and expand its programming. Seeking to “empower women entrepreneurs through classes, coaching and community” via connections to experts, funding sources and each other, Aviatra’s expanded focus is intended to help the organization address the needs of entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey.
“There's a tendency to think people can learn something in advance of when they’re ready for it and access it later. It’s more helpful to provide them the information they need when it’s needed,” Morenz says. “Entrepreneurship can be overwhelming just by its nature … We want to reduce that overwhelming feeling by providing more targeted programming, which has been successful.”
The expanded programming at Aviatra includes four options, beginning with “From Daydream to Launch.” A six-week online program available on demand, “Daydream” is designed for women wishing to launch a business but just aren’t quite sure where to get started.
“Fuel Your Startup” is intended for women with businesses in the infancy stage (six months to two years old) seeking to grow and/or expand. Featuring weekly webinars over a six-week period, the hybrid program culminates with an in-person meetup. “Fuel” is a step before the organization’s flagship program, the Momentum Accelerator.
Those graduating from that program will then be ready for “Capital-Ready Women,” which intends to do as its name indicates by helping female entrepreneurs learn how to make themselves viable to financial institutions and investors.
Beginning with a fundability assessment to ensure they are ready for the program, “Capital-Ready Women” will be customizable to help founders improve their business plans, stories, pitches and more. The higher-level version of the program, called “Lift Off,” will also introduce founders to investors and lenders, all while “trying to remove some of the scariness of money conversations.”
Morenz explains that many entrepreneurs give up on finding funding too soon. “Those stressful money conversations can lead to a ‘no’ from a funder, but that might not be their final answer. A lot of times, lenders will have portfolios of projects they have funded and say things like, ‘The percentage of restaurants that we have is maxed out. I think you’re a good loan, but we can’t help you, however, these people might,’’ she says. “Inside CapitalReady Women, we facilitate much more conversational, helpful and problem-and-solution focused funder conversations instead of a stressful ‘yes’ or ‘no’ rubber stamp approach.”
“
The benefit of going through the Aviatra program was working with women and being able to talk to each other about struggles and things like that. It helps you realize, 'Oh you're not by yourself - I go through that, too.
Shaucuana Knight, Owner of Cora's Cakery
Also new at Aviatra is the organization’s own take on the online “MasterClass” subscription education platform. Conducted in-person in a one-day session quarterly, Aviatra’s Master Class events are deep dives into specific topics. Additionally, Aviatra now hosts monthly meetups in Covington and the Cincinnati suburb of Montgomery – “Real Talk for Women-Owned Businesses (WOBs)” – featuring guided discussions.
“It’s a place for honest conversation in person in a safe space,” Morenz says. “So many organizations do networking events really well – the NKY Chamber is so great with their networking events – but we felt like our Real Talk events were a good opportunity for women business owners to come and talk about what's actually going on in a safe space.”
Aviatra also now offers a membership program that provides both accountability and support, along with discounts to its Master Class events and other benefits. Morenz is hopeful all the enhancements will help the organization increase the nearly 900 women it served through classes, workshops and one-on-one coaching in 2023.
SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS
Shaucuana Knight, the owner/operator of Cora’s Cakery of Over-the-Rhine, knows the value of Aviatra’s new programming firsthand. Previously operating out of Newport as part of the Incubator Kitchen Collective, Knight opened her storefront last year, which is where Knight specializes in what she hails as “elegantly delicious desserts for you.”
Knight credits Incubator Kitchen director Rachel DesRochers for introducing her to Aviatra in spring 2023. In doing so, she learned how to determine her ideal customer, which she says is helping her achieve her goals for the newly opened storefront.
“One of the big things that Cora’s Cakery is working towards is to accept EBT benefits here at the bakery which would allow customers to use their benefits to purchase our cakes,” she says. “As someone that previously worked the family services in the SNAP, cash assistance and Medicaid department, I just see the need and that's what Cora’s Cakery is here for.”
The insight she gained coupled with the camaraderie of being around other female entrepreneurs is something Knight says has proven invaluable to both her and her business.
“The benefit of going through the Aviatra program was working with women and being able to talk to each other about struggles and things like that. It helps you realize, ‘Oh you’re not by yourself – I go through that, too,’” Knight says. “If you're not participating in an accelerator and looking to do so, Aviatra would definitely be one that I recommend, especially if you're still trying to figure out how to navigate this business world. I love that they offer classes and get out there to support the businesses that have gone through their program.”
A WINNING INVESTMENT
If Aviatra can inspire the next Cora’s Cakery and others, Morenz will know the organization's investment in its new programming has paid off.
“It's very empowering to have ownership in your own business, especially something that you're really passionate about, interested in or good at. It gives you so much confidence in your own abilities to have some control over your financial future so you're not entirely dependent on an employer,” Morenz says. “We want to communicate the benefits of entrepreneurship … It sounds grandiose to say you're taking control of your destiny, but you really are. You really are.” NKY
HAUS PARTY
SparkHaus seeks to be hub for entrepreneurs, innovation
By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media
Can a vacant furniture store really be the key to making Northern Kentucky a viable – and vital – landing spot for entrepreneurs? Several entities, including Blue North and the Kenton County Fiscal Court, say “yes.”
In doing so, they hope to provide the region with the entrepreneurial spark – or, to be specific, SparkHaus – it needs.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
SparkHaus is the name of the space located on the corner of Madison Avenue and Eighth Street in Covington’s Central Business District which most recently served as the home to Sims Furniture. Officially announced in January, SparkHaus will bring Kenton County – alongside partner organizations Blue North and the Northern Kentucky Port Authority (NKPA) – together to create an entrepreneurial hub. The project seeks to bring together founders, investors and support organizations under one roof.
The NKPA deployed $3 million from the Kenton County site development fund on behalf of the county’s Fiscal Court to purchase the property in May 2023. Urban Sites of Over-the-Rhine has been selected as the developer for the project.
The vision for SparkHaus is three-fold, focusing on (1) Capital, or establishing a space where “funders, from seed-stage venture capitalists to Northern Kentucky’s largest private equity groups,” can interact with each other and growing companies; (2) Growth, to be “a go-to destination for companies growing and scaling” until they require a long-term space and (3) Collisions, or fostering a collaborative environment where ideas “can collide to fuel the region’s next success story.”
The team behind the name, Covington Creates, says “SparkHaus” is a combination of the definition of “spark” as a vital or animating principle and the German word “haus,” (or “rathaus) meaning “council house” or “town hall.” Covington Creates co-founder Jackie Roberto says the name encapsulates the vision for the space as an “entrepreneurial hub for connection, collaboration and inspiration.”
Calling entrepreneurship “one of the most foundational aspects of an economy,” Kenton County Fiscal Court Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann says SparkHaus is an idea born of necessity, both presently and for the future.
“First and foremost, traditional economic development in the region over the last 30 years has been primarily one that focuses on development sites like office buildings and residential development … Now, traditional economic development is evolving, especially with using a lot of the green space that we have. With the reality of entrepreneurship being so critical, we knew that in the next five to 15 years, these developable sites in the region will eventually go away,” Judge/
Photo by Kenton Hornbeck, LINK nky
Executive Knochelmann says. “When you look at the metropolitan Cincinnati area and where we fall in the country in terms of ranking of entrepreneurship support, we're well below our ranking by population; the urgency is that if we're not more focused on successes in this area and support, we're going to fall further behind.”
MEETING MODERN MODALITY
Blue North Executive Director Dave Knox understands the sense of urgency to which Judge/Executive Knochelmann speaks. Blue North is set to move into and manage SparkHaus upon completion of renovations, the target date of which is currently slated as summer 2025.
Businesses are already set to move into SparkHaus including Narratize, the Crescent Springs-based company that uses generative AI technology for “optimizing research and development processes to scaling product launch.”
“SparkHaus will be the catalyst for innovation in Northern Kentucky,” says Narratize CEO/Co-Founder, KatieTrauth Taylor. “Our founder experiences were propelled by the regional startup ecosystem over the last decade and we're thrilled to see so much momentum moving that forward.”
Knox says the project is fitting given that Northern Kentucky – and the world – is “in a really interesting moment of time” in a post-Covid work world.
“These hybrid environments created an even bigger need for people to be able to come together and that means two different things,” Knox says. “One is a place a company can bring their people together … The second follows one of the biggest trends in what I call ‘distributed work,’ (which is) the emergence of companies building pockets around expertise and excellence around the country. That creates a tremendous opportunity for Covington and for Northern Kentucky to bring those companies together and give them an easy way to grow as well.”
Knox explains, “We're really on an amazing upswing in the startup communities in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, in particular in the growth of venture-backed, high-growth companies. Giving them a place to call home where they can grow their companies in Northern Kentucky is really important and something we think we're going to see a lot more in the years to come – SparkHaus gives them a home for that growth.”
Judge/Executive Knochelmann says entrepreneurial success is critical to the region for several reasons.
“The whole region is working together to make sure Northern Kentucky is the place to start, grow and excel in their business – that’s the story,” he says. “Some of the greatest things that have happened in our region are because businesses and individuals were successful and then they decided to be generous. If you look at everything from school support, church support, community parks support, yes, there’s a lot of government help, but the benevolence of individuals only happens if people build wealth that they can then invest in and give away.
REPEATING HISTORY
A look at the history of SparkHaus may provide the biggest inspiration for the project’s success. The land on which the physical building was once home to the Covington Industrial Club, predecessor to the Covington Chamber of Commerce. That office would eventually join with other chambers to form the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. The site would later house the Montgomery Ward department store – which is when the “Spirit of Progress” phrase SparkHaus hopes to honor was inscribed on the building – before Sims took over.
With SparkHaus, Knox sees the opportunity for history to repeat itself for the betterment of the entirety of the Northern Kentucky entrepreneurial community.
“Having a building like SparkHaus creates a beacon right in the heart of the busiest street in Northern Kentucky showcasing what entrepreneurship is,” he says. “Now, 110 years later, we're going to have the business leaders and entrepreneurs of Covington and Northern Kentucky come together to build the future again.” NKY
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Morgan & Bill Whitlow
By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media
Hearing the story, you might be tempted to call it destiny. For Morgan and Bill Whitlow, it was simply the start of a great partnership in life – and in business.
“Our first date, we sat at a restaurant at the end of the bar, and we literally evaluated how the bar was set up,” recalls Morgan of her first date with her now husband and business partner. “That was our first date! Opening our own restaurant was kind of the next step; it’s just what we know.”
“What they know” has turned into a thriving business decision for the couple – and they have no plans of slowing down any time soon.
KINDRED SPIRITS
The Whitlows are the entrepreneurial duo behind Rich’s Proper Food & Drink, Hangry Omar’s Slider Shack and Opal Rooftop Restaurant & Bar, three restaurants each with their own unique flavor and style that call Covington home.
Now known for being a part of Northern Kentucky’s official
bourbon experience (“The B-Line”) and for its oysters, Rich’s is located inside the home of the former Rich’s Gruen Watches at 701 Madison in Covington. Part of Covington Yard, Hangry Omar’s serves a collection of sliders that are slightly bigger than bitesize. Joining the lineup in September 2023, Opal is “forged in the fires” of Covington and defined by its kitchen’s 88-inch, woodfired Grillworks Grill and 360-degree rooftop views of downtown Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
Splitting responsibilities in alignment with their backgrounds, Morgan serves as the primary owner of each of the three establishments with Bill’s consulting firm, Cocktail Creative, managing each. Additionally, Bill is also a brand ambassador for Wenzel’s Whiskey, a “blending experience and event space in the heart of Covington” that opened in September 2022. The former pickle factory is already making an impression, too, as one of Wenzel’s gift shop bottles took home title of “Best American Blended Limited Release” in blended whiskies aged 12 years or less category at Whiskey Magazine’s World Whiskies Awards this February.
Photos provided by The Whitlows
A native of Lexington who began working in the hospitality industry at age 16, Bill moved to Northern Kentucky to help open Goodfellas Pizzeria in Covington.
An emergency room social worker who still splits time between the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Morgan grew up in restaurants and her mother worked as a bartender. “I was nine years old and they wouldn't let me work because I was underage,” she recalls. “I cried so long that the woman came back and let me put whipped cream on the cheesecake.”
Fast forward to 2017 and that’s when Morgan found herself frequenting a bar where Bill was bartending. With her mother not wanting her to become a bartender when she was young, Morgan never thought she would end up dating one, the reverse being true for Bill. “I had been bartending for so long I kind of knew better,” he quips.
But begin dating they did. That eventually led to their engagement, a wedding shortly thereafter at Goodfellas’ Overthe-Rhine location and readying Rich’s for its grand opening.
The key to being successful as a couple and as entrepreneurs according to the Whitlows? Knowing each other’s strengths, plenty of communication and being willing to do the work.
“We started our marriage around the same time we started our business. That's really scary to do, but just having that open communication and recognizing times that we have to do things for work and sometimes have to focus on family is key,” Morgan says. “The businesses figure themselves out as long as we're putting our priorities first and taking care of our people and family … Just like any partnership, sometimes we have disagreements on how we do things. But again, if we maintain the same mentality that we take care of our people and our family, then it all tends to figure itself out.”
Not sure where to get started? Bill suggests looking to – and learning from – someone else.
“One of the things I always tell people is if you want to be an entrepreneur, go work for somebody else. It’s basically a very well-paid internship … There's invaluable experience in working for somebody else.”
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Despite their extremely busy schedules, the couple isn’t slowing down by any means. The couple is already at work on its next project: An expanded version of Hangry Omar’s at Oakley Greens. Billed as a “golf and gather” space with two 18-hole mini golf courses, play areas, cabanas and more, Morgan says the Oakley Greens space will feature a pizza kitchen and taco hall in addition to Hangry Omar’s trademark sliders.
Despite constant on-the-go schedules, the couple can occasionally sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Led by Executive Chef Eric Polhamus, the couple now has approximately 40 employees who are helping them lead their businesses.
Such was the case this past New Year’s Eve at Opal, their first at the restaurant. Knowing the restaurant was “fully booked,” Morgan says she and Bill came in dressed up and ready to help their team however they might be needed.
But much to their happy surprise, they weren’t.
“The whole night was so smooth – they didn’t need us,” she says. “We're just standing there trying to figure out ‘How can we be the most helpful to our team right now? Well, I think it's going to be us sitting down and having a glass of wine and getting out of their way.’”
That feeling is one the couple hopes to be able to enjoy for a long time to come.
“To me, that felt pretty good. It was like, ‘We're going to make it. This is going to be all right,’ Morgan says. “Our team is doing phenomenal; the food is doing great. We're looking at this view, the city and our guests and to me that felt like ‘Okay, we’re going to make it.’”
POWER COUPLE
Madison Ave. Covington, KY 41011 (859) 415-0069
www.richsproper.com
www.hangryomars.com
535 Madison Ave. Floor 7 Covington, KY 41011 (859) 261-0629 www.opalrooftop.com
Photo by Ben Gastright
Thursday, July 11 | 5:30 - 7:30 PM
Center, Covington NKYChamber.com/Events
Scooter
All in the Family
Schneller Knochelmann looks to continue entrepreneurial tradition of good service with good people
By Tabari McCoy , Scooter Media
SOME PEOPLE JUDGE THEIR SUCCESS BY THE things it brings them. Kris Knochelmann, however, looks towards the people responsible for it.
“The number one thing that I've learned is it's all about the people. Ultimately, you can have capital, an understanding of finances and the product or service you're selling, but if you don't have good people to implement those three things, you’re doomed,” Kris says, who in addition to being a Kenton County Judge/ Executive is the co-owner of Schneller Knochelmann Plumbing, Heating and Air alongside his wife, Lisa. “A lot of things can be overcome with good people. I feel very, very strongly about that.”
“The
number one thing that I've learned is it's all about the people. Ultimately, you can have capital, an understanding of finances and the product or service you're selling, but if you don't have good people to implement those three things, you’re doomed.
Kris Knochelmann
Photos by Ben Gastright
LABOR OF LOVE
Founded in 1929 by original owners Rudy and Jean Schneller, Schneller Knochelmann is the business Kris and his wife purchased in 2011 and later added their surname in 2016. A full-service company with locations in Covington and the Cincinnati suburbs, Schneller Knochelmann handles everything from unclogging drains to ensuring airflow is working properly and safely.
Plumbing, heating and air has long been a familiar field for Kris, who’s worked in the HVAC industry ever since his teens, the same industry he says his father and uncle worked in during the 1950s. That’s why Kris says he jumped at the chance to go into business alongside his wife once he found out the business was for sale, which came about in an unexpected place: A church retreat in September 2010.
Kris and his wife moved quickly on the property, coming to an agreement and eventually closing on the business in April 2011.
Fast-forward 13 years and he says the motivation that led him and his wife to pursue the business are the same reasons they continue to enjoy being entrepreneurs today.
“Number one, you must have a fire; it's kind of like politics. You must have a fire in your belly to want to go out and get it done … If you're a person who is riskavoidant and all you do is think, ‘I just want to own a business,’ that doesn't necessarily cut it,” Kris says.
“Building a team, supporting and seeing if you can help people be successful as well as creating something customers know and like – I like to think about that stuff, which is what makes it fun and what I love about it. We're not in a very tech-heavy business, but heating and plumbing is absolutely needed by people every day. By building a team, providing service for a customer and figuring out how to do this in a way that gets people willing to invest in and buy these things from you, it's fun.”
PICTURED: (Left to Right, Back to Front) Kris Knochelmann, Jeremy Lee, Cory Beach, Clay Hager, Bobby Hubbard, Ben Knochelmann, Lisa Knochelmann, Liz Ostrowski, Pete Knochelmann, John Knochelmann Jr., Kevin Bowen, David Connor, John Snowden, Joe McCleese, Corbin Knochelmann
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Up next for the company? Continuing to expand and grow their services. While “young at 52” with no plans to retire anytime soon, Kris notes several family members have joined the company’s ranks, 30 of its 100+ employees being related to either himself or someone else working for the company.
As opposed to worrying about succession, he and his family are much more focused on success, for the company, its employees and their customers.
“We don’t want customers to be stressed with home concerns,” says Liz Knochelmann, one of the couple’s three children who also works as the company’s Marketing Director. “We want to be the solution and provide a service so it’s taken off their plate completely.”
If that happens, her father says the legacy of the company bearing his family’s name will be secure and take care of itself.
“Number one, I want to be respectful of my wife and her patience to invest in these crazy things in the plumbing and heating business. I also want to respect the memory of my dad who taught me so much and got me into this business and Rudy Schneller, whose name is on the company,” Kris says. “I want to honor them and what they taught me because they both were class act guys and wanted to grow their businesses and do right by their families and the community.”
Continuing, he says, “Legacy-wise, while people may not remember me, they hopefully remember the experience of a great company that took care of them when they needed a solution and Schneller Knochelmann gave them that best solution. We have a great team of employees who have found success in their careers with us. They achieve professional and personal success each day. Some at very young ages. That success translates to positive impact on our customers and it’s something I’m very proud to witness.”
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Schneller Knochelmann Plumbing, Heating & Air 615 W. 9th St. | Covington, KY 41011 859-341-1200 | www.skpha.com
Founded in 1929, previous owners Rudy and Jean Schneller wanted to make sure the business held onto its roots as a familyowned business. Kris Knochlemann and his wife, Lisa, purchased the company in 2011 before later adding the Knochelmann name in 2016. The company has approximately 100+ employees between its Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati locations, 13 of whom are Knochelmann family members, an additional 30 of whom work with one or more of their own family members.
Schneller Knochelmann has received several accolades in its tenure, including Super Service Awards from Angie’s List every year since 2018 and the Better Business Bureau’s Award for Business Ethics in 2016.
SCHNELLER KNOCHELMANN AT A GLANCE
PICTURED: Heather Meyer, Customer Service Representative; Tisha Williams, Office Administrator; Jamie Biddle, Customer Service Representative; Corbin Knochelmann, Customer Relations Manager; Mike Klein, Production Manager
PICTURED: (Top) Many members of the Knochelmann Family, making up more than 10% of the total SKPHA team. (Bottom) Kyle Harris, Inventory & Warehouse Manager; Logan Feltner, Plumber; Cory Beach, Operations Manager
TALENT STRATEGIES SYMPOSIUM
AROUND THE CHAMBER
EGGS 'N ISSUES - STATE OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY | RECEPTIONS, ERLANGER
EGGS 'N ISSUES - DEVELOPING A WORKPLACE CULTURE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION | RECEPTIONS, ERLANGER
EGGS 'N ISSUES - DIVING INTO THE WINS OF SPORTS BETTING | RECEPTIONS, ERLANGER
At Central Bank, we live, work and play in the same communities you do. You’re our neighbor, friend, business partner down the street. We know and understand you because we build relationships with you – every day. That helps us serve you better, and that’s what makes “highly personal banking” more effective banking. We start with you.
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We want to help you promote and celebrate your ribbon cutting ceremony for your new facility, expansion, anniversary celebration or open house! We’ll bring our trademark giant blue scissors, a group of Chamber ambassadors, and a camera to capture the excitement of your special day.
Call Lynn Abeln at (859) 578-6390 to schedule your FREE ribbon cutting today!
Dave Schroeder, executive director of the Kenton County Public Library, has been recently elected as the president of the Southwest Ohio Network (SWON) Library Consortium. SWON is a regional collaborative that brings together libraries from across the region to create a platform for resource pooling, knowledge sharing, and collaborative efforts aimed at enhancing patron services. Dave has been with the Kenton County Public Library for over 30 years and has served as the executive director since 2007.
BF Realty is excited to unveil its plans for expansion with the opening of a second location in the Midway District of Ft. Thomas this spring. Situated at 1107 S Ft. Thomas Ave, Fort Thomas, KY 41075, the new location marks a significant milestone for the brokerage. The site, formerly occupied by Kaleidoscope Dance C, will now serve as the home base for BF Realty's operations in the Northern Kentucky area. This expansion represents a strategic move to better serve clients in Ft. Thomas and surrounding areas.
Owner and Broker Brittney Frietch, a proud Northern Kentucky native, expressed her excitement about returning to her roots with this new venture. "Our business is a vessel for Christ’s work. Our family business isn’t just a Boutique Brokerage; we don’t just help people buy and sell real estate, what we are doing is bigger than us. And we are so excited to bring that to Ft. Thomas.” says Frietch.
BF Realty is a boutique style brokerage located in the heart of Downtown Loveland, with another location opening in Ft. Thomas, KY. BF prides itself on being the top #2 Team in all of Greater Cincinnati. Committed to serving the community, BF Realty strives to create a hyper-local brokerage that offers customized experiences for both agents and clients. Through partnerships with community leaders, BF Realty aims to make a positive impact and contribute to a better world.
www.brittneyfrietch.com
NKYP EVENT PASS
I’ve learned when you surround yourself with other young professionals who are dedicated to furthering the Northern Kentucky region, you are able to move mountains. I’m also a huge fan of the NKYP Event Pass which has allowed me to make one annual investment to expand my network and take full advantage of everything the NKY Chamber offers.
HANK HEIDRICH Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
EVENT CALENDAR
JUNE
6/5 Getting the Most of Your Chamber Membership | NKY Chamber, Ft. Mitchell | 9:00 – 10:00 AM
6/5 Florence Business Social | World of Golf, Florence | 4:30 – 6:30 PM
6/6 Investing In Equity: DEI Summit | St. Elizabeth Training and Education Center | 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM
6/18 Eggs ‘N Issues: Beyond the Pitch – A Conversation with Jeff Berding, Co-CEO of FC Cincinnati | Receptions, Erlanger | 7:30 – 9:00 AM
6/20 Florence Business Council: Legislative Update | Turfway Park Racing & Gaming | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
6/20 NKYP Joint Happy Hour with Emerging Leaders | DBL Law, Covington | 5:00 – 7:00 PM
6/24 Women’s Initiative Connect Hour | Longnecks Sports Grill, Wilder | 4:30 – 6:30 PM
6/25 Government Forum with Sen. Rand Paul | TBD | 7:30 – 9:00 AM
6/27 Fort Thomas Business Council: Networking Event | Fort Thomas Coffee | 5:00 – 6:00 PM
JULY
7/10 HR 100: Happy Hour | Wings & Rings, Crestview Hills | 4:00 – 6:00 PM
7/11 NKYP 2024 Next Generation Leadership Awards | The Madison Events Center, Covington | 5:00 – 7:00 PM
7/16 Eggs ‘N Issues: What’s Next for CVG – Insights from Retiring CEO, Candace McGraw | Receptions, Erlanger | 7:30 – 9:00 AM
7/18 Business After Hours | Longnecks Bar & Grill, Richwood | 4:30 – 6:30 PM
7/25 Fort Thomas Business Council: TBD | Mess Hall, Fort Thomas | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
7/25 NKY Manufacturing Night at Florence Y’alls co-hosted by the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers & the NKY Chamber of Commerce | Florence Y’alls Thomas More Stadium | 5:30 – 9:30 PM
7/29 Women’s Initiative Connect Hour | World of Golf, Florence | 4:30 – 6:30 PM
AUGUST
8/1 Florence Business Social | Florence Y’alls Thomas More Stadium | 4:30-6:30 PM
8/7 Getting the Most of Your Chamber Membership | NKY Chamber, Ft. Mitchell | 9:00 – 10:00 AM
8/8 Annual Chamber Golf Outing | Kenton County Golf Course, Independence | 7:30 AM – 7:00 PM
8/15 Florence Business Council: Boone County Transportation Plan | Turfway Park Racing and Gaming | 11:30 AM –1:00 PM
8/16 Investing in Equity Series | TBD
8/20 Eggs ‘N Issues: TBD | Receptions, Erlanger | 7:30 – 9:00 AM
8/22 Fort Thomas Business Council: District Roundtables | City Building, Fort Thomas | 8:30 – 9:30 AM
8/26 Women’s Initiative Connect Hour | Devou Event Center, Covington | 4:30 – 6:30 PM
8/27 Women’s Initiative Professional Series | Kenton County Public Library, Erlanger | 8:30 – 10:00 AM
Northern Kentucky Business Journal is published bi-monthly by:
Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
300 Buttermilk Pike
Suite 330 P.O. Box 17416
Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017
859-578-8800 NKYChamber.com
The Business Journal is a benefit of membership and included in membership fees. Annual subscription rate for nonmembers is $30.
Periodicals Postage Paid USPS-548630 at Covington, KY.
Postmaster: Please send address changes to the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, 300 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 330, P.O. Box 17416 , Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017-0416.
Subscribers: Please send address changes by e-mail to info@nkychamber.com.
© 2024, The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and by the individual authors.
All rights reserved.
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Brent Cooper | bcooper@nkychamber.com
Marketing & Communications
Shannan Boyer | shannan@scootermediaco.com
Design & Photography
Ben Gastright | bgastright@nkychamber.com
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Lynn Abeln | labeln@nkychamber.com
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Staff Writer
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