March/April/May 2015 B2B Omaha

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contributing writers

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ANTHONY FLOTT JASON FOX JUDY HORAN BEVERLY KRACHER, PH.D JASON KUIPER ELIZABETH MACK DANA MARKEL CAROL CRISSEY NIGRELLI DOUG SCHURING WENDY WISEMAN

managing editor

ROBERT NELSON creative director

JOHN GAWLEY director of photography & interactive media

BILL SITZMANN account executives

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GREG BRUNS GIL COHEN GEORGE IDELMAN GWEN LEMKE VICKI VOET

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KEITH BINDER SCOTT DRICKEY

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B2B Magazine is published four times annually by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha NE 68046-1208. Telephone: (402) 884-2000; fax (402) 8842001. Subscription rates: $12.95 for 4 issues (one year),

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER FE ATURE

28 OLDER EDUCATED, AND STILL LOOKING BABY BOOMERS ARE THE NEW FACE OF OMAHA UNEMPLOYMENT. FEATURES

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WALK LIKE A BUDDHA

The ancient practice of Mindfulness moves into the office.

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SAYING YES TO OMAHA

How Fox’s Liz Claman Got Warren Buffett to say, “Yes.”

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DEPARTMENTS

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ON THE RISE Bill Hipsher and the Amazing Ascent of B2 Interactive

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BRAND REBRAND The 24-Hour Rebrand

ON THE MOVE

The Bookworm Thrives As Many Bookstores Fail.

SPECIAL SECTIONS

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BIZ+CHARITY History in the Digital Age

20 HOW I ROLL

From Russia With Tough Love

OMAHA! Primus Sterilizer is on the front line in the Ebola battle.

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BUY OMAHA PROFILES Best Buy Signs THE FIRM DEAL REVIEW Middle Market Edition BEST OF B2B WINNERS The best businesses in Omaha.

COLUMNS

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FROM THE EDITOR The Baby Busters OMAHA CVB Prepare to Meet Our Makers

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THE BRAND BRIEF Many Happy Returns ETHICS How Caffeine Makes You Ethical

80 OFFICE FURNITURE 81 B4B Workplace Mobility Filling the Ranks

82 THE KNOW-IT-ALL Oil Play

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FROM THE EDITOR

BABY BUSTERS THE BEST OF THE BOOMERS ARE OFTEN GETTING THE WORST TREATMENT FROM EMPLOYERS.

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BY ROBERT NELSON

My brother-in-law is a top-shelf hydrologic engineer with more than 30 years of management experience with a major engineering firm. Two years ago, on the back end of the recession, he was laid off.

Now, after two years of rejection in his job search, he has decided he just as well retire early. Nobody, it seems, wants him.

Astonishing to those of us who know him and his career: Demeaning and depressing to him.

But, typical, apparently, in the post-recession marketplace. Exceptional men and women (mostly Baby Boomers) who were forced from the job market have had the hardest time of any demographic in getting accepted back into the workforce in jobs comparable to those they left.

As you’ll discover in our cover story, Nebraska has not been immune to this phenomenon,

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one that is not only financially devastating, but emotionally as well. As you’ll learn, too, even the highest echelon of Omaha’s business community has not been immune.

As this magazine continues to grow, we believe it’s important to not only showcase a broad palette of successful and innovative Omaha companies and people, but also to explore issues impacting businesses and their employees.

Omaha is an increasingly sophisticated city. We hope you agree that this magazine continues to grow into a worthy reflection of our community.

B2B Robert Nelson is managing editor of B2B, a publication of Omaha Magazine, LTD. Nelson can reached at robert@omahamagazine.com.

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ON THE RISE | BY JUDY HORAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

BILL HIPSHER FROM TWO DREAMERS TO 80 EMPLOYEES IN TWO YEARS.

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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has 317,000-plus likes on his Facebook page compared to the 500 likes on the “I hate Joe Flacco” page. Perhaps Flacco lovers really do outnumber the haters 634 to one in a town known for its passion for (and sometimes virulent opinions on) football. Or maybe, Flacco has a really savvy company managing his social media.

Amazingly, Flacco’s social media, along with that of numerous other companies and individuals, is run by a company that only two years ago consisted of two guys. Now that company, B2 Interactive, already has 80 employees in Omaha and Lincoln, making it one of the state’s fastest-growing companies.

Those two dreamers at the heart of B2 Interactive are Bill Hipsher and Brandon Taylor. In 2012, they saw a major dearth in the number of companies providing top-shelf website design, development, and marketing.

And to them, that meant a major opportunity.

“I’m not saying that print, radio, and TV aren’t important, but companies know they need to be digital as well,” he says.

U.S. spending on digital advertising is projected to almost double by 2018 ($82.96 billion) over 2013 ($43.11 billion), according to eMarketer. com. Demand is there because technology is changing, Hipsher says. “Every day, something is coming out, whether a device or website or people shifting how they watch TV.” Hipsher and Taylor have expanded twice since launching B2 Interactive. The company now occupies 10,000 square feet at their Millard location. In July of 2014, they acquired Hurrdat Social Media, a digital marketing agency in Lincoln. The co-founders ended 2014 with 60 employees in Omaha and 20 in Lincoln.

“They (Hurrdat) have a strong team and a great group of clients—a natural fit for us. It was an opportunity to expand our footprint into Lincoln where we already had some clients,” Hipsher says.

B2 Interactive combines web development, content marketing, social media marketing, search engine optimization,

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local listing management, and more to offer a robust web presence for businesses.

B2 now works with a diverse group of local, regional, and national clients.

Marketing is a big piece of what the company offers, helping clients get the message across on their blog and websites to communicate with potential customers, Hipsher says.

Social Media marketing (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google Plus, and LinkedIn) is used to promote sales and build a strong brand. Using Search Engine Optimization (SEO), B2 Interactive also helps websites get more easily found in search engines.

Besides managing Flacco’s social media, which reaches six times more people than it did a year ago, the company has recently invigorated the social media presence of numerous other companies and individuals.

A few examples of recent successes: Online sales for a national holiday retailer have doubled in nine months with SEO and content marketing services from B2.

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Husker magazine HailVarsity.com saw traffic to its new website increase six times in a year while also seeing a significant growth in sales.

A small local lawn care and snow removal company asked for a new website, SEO, and local listing optimization. The company now occupies an average of 2.6 organic listings on the first page of Google.

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The company success, Hipsher says, largely comes from the persistence and focus of the B2 Interactive crew. “This [growth] has happened largely because we’ve been steadfast in what we do, what we say we do, and why we exist.”

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And along the way, with a growing number of professional athletes as clients, his crew is picking up an evergrowing list of sports allegiances.

“We are now all Ravens fans,” Hipsher says.

“He’s not the only NFL player we work with, though, so we have to spread the love.”

B2B

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BRAND REBRAND | BY ELIZABETH MACK | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

PASSION PROJECT THE 24-HOUR REBRAND

When Greg Daake returned from a conference in Minneapolis where he heard a panel present their experience with a 24-hour total rebrand, he knew he wanted to try it. Daake, founder and creative director of the Omaha rebranding company of the same name, wondered how would his 10-person team respond? A complete rebrand usually takes anywhere from three to eight months. Was it even possible? Would anyone else want to attempt it? Was he crazy?

“Everyone was all in,” Daake says, grinning.

Once the seed was planted, things started falling into place. This was going to be a total volunteer effort, so Daake wanted to choose a nonprofit that was in need of a rebrand, but maybe couldn’t afford the price tag. Through a series of fortuitous circumstances, Omaha’s Montessori Co-op School fell in their lap.

Once the school was on board, they had to do a little homework of their own ahead of time so the creative team could hone in on Montessori’s vision and understand their mission. “We had submitted some questions to orient us to who they are and what they were,” Daake explains. “We also had them fill out a 2-3 hour questionnaire that kicks out a profile. So when we began the real work, we knew who they were and the lens they see the world through,” Daake says.

After that initial fact-finding, they were on the clock. On rebrand day, representatives from the school were brought in at 8 a.m. and Daake’s team presented their findings. After

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that first face-to-face, the team worked all morning on creating a tagline and identity.

After another short meeting at noon, Daake’s team brainstormed all afternoon and brought the school’s representatives back at 5 p.m.

“At our 5 o’clock presentation, we said, ‘Here’s what we’re thinking for a tagline, and identity, the brochure and the webpage.’ So at 6 p.m. that night, we were off and running.” They closed their doors. They locked themselves in. They worked all night long and didn’t sleep. “It was intense,” Daake says.

“To see everyone pitching in, everyone sacrificing. There is something about 4 a.m. when you’re riding the caffeine wave, when inhibitions are gone and you really get to know someone. It really grew the team.”

When asked if he would do it again, he answers with an emphatic, “Yes! It was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life.”

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Daake says that beyond what they did for their clients, it was great for his team.

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At 8 a.m. the next morning, representatives from Montessori Co-op returned for the unveiling. “They were crying. We were crying.

It was so fulfilling and amazing,” Daake says, emotion welling in his voice. “We were fueled by the clock, but also by their appreciation.

They were so moved by it. I get misty thinking about how fun and cool it was just to see their reaction. Wow,” Daake says, shaking his head.

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After a full day of conceptualizing, the night was spent on the execution. Another piece of homework that sped the process along was shooting photography and film at the school for a video. Daake’s team built the entire website overnight. “Our web designer was buried in empty Red Bull cans,” Daake laughs. “We were all exhausted.”

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BIZ+CHARITY | BY JUDY HORAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT DRICKEY Universal’s Vice President Todd Murphy and Kara Neuverth, Boys Town’s Director of Media Relations

HISTORY IN THE DIGITAL AGE CENTURY-OLD UNIVERSAL EXPANDS TO PRESERVE THE VALUABLE PAST.

Lee Simmons has a goal to see all of the film in the archives of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium digitized and preserved.

“We’ve got about 100,000 feet of 16mm film of virtually every animal that came into the zoo and virtually every procedure we did in the zoo’s first seven years,” he says. “We can never duplicate these.”

His first digitizing effort last year started with film from 1971 when Simmons, then director of the world-renowned zoo, helped examine and treat 384 animals at a zoo in New Orleans. He filmed the procedures on 16mm film. Fortyfour years later, he has no way to view his work.

“16 mm film projectors have become antiques.

Everyone is going digital,” says Simmons, now chairman of the Omaha Zoo Foundation.

He asked Universal Digital Preservation to digitize the video. He then shared thumb drives of the converted film with several veterinary schools.

“We were using fairly unique immobilizing drugs back then that are no longer available,” Simmons says. “I’ve shown it in the past to veterinary interns and staff here at the zoo.”

Being able to convert assets into a usable format can represent a great source of value to institutions, says Todd Murphy, Universal’s vice president. “However, each day that passes places these documents at risk of being lost forever. Digital preservation is a process that ensures this history can remain relevant well into the future.”

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A rising need for digitization persuaded Murphy last year to expand into a highsecurity, climate-controlled space in the historic Universal Information Services building downtown. Customers are mostly corporations, organizations, libraries, and museums.

At Omaha Central High School, alumni were concerned about the loss and deterioration of items in their archives. After more than 150 years, the school has considerable history stored away. They also wanted to share historical images on the school’s website.

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Alumni Jim Wigton, 1966, and Barry Combs, 1950, volunteered to see that the priceless items were digitized. The Register student newspaper is now online starting in 1886. So are yearbooks from 1904 and on. Basketball game films from the 1950s and 1960s are now digitized.

“As time and funds permit, we hope to scan much of the Alumni Association’s archive collection,” says Wigton.

Restoration Exchange Omaha also wants to make its sizable archives available to the public. The nonprofit is the result of the merging in 2013 of Landmarks Inc., Restore Omaha, and Omaha Urban Neighborhoods.

“When we merged, we inherited from Landmarks Inc. these amazing archives accumulated over 50 years,” says Restoration Exchange Omaha executive director Kristine Gerber.

“We eventually will put all these archives on our website. It will be a great resource for the community. There now isn’t one place to go if researching the architectural history of Omaha.”

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Fading photos, 16 mm films, VHS tapes and audiocassettes languishing in basements can be archived, used for presentations, and shared online when digitized.

Mitch Treu oversees the expanded service for Universal. “Documentation from the past has an invaluable place in the future and making that history relevant again is possible.”

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omAHA! | BY ANTHONY FLOTT | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

FIGHTING EBOLA PRIMUS STERILIZER IS ON THE FRONT LINES IN THE BATTLE AGAINST KILLER DISEASES.

Ten years ago, Ebola was known, but not feared.

Just 17 people were infected with the virus in 2004, all in the Sudan. Seven of them died.

That same year, PRIMUS Sterilizer Company in Omaha completed a project that, in 2014, helped the University of Nebraska Medical Center (now called Nebraska Medicine) successfully treat two patients with the virus, putting the center at the forefront of the Ebola battle in the United States.

The fight took place in Nebraska Medicine’s Nebraska Biocontainment Patient Care Unit, designed to provide the first line of treatment for people affected by bio-terrorism or extremely infectious, naturally occurring diseases. It’s the largest facility of its kind in the U.S. PRIMUS, founded in Omaha in 1990, provided the facility with its sterilization

unit. President Michael Douglas is proud of the role his company played in the fight against Ebola here, though he’s cautious about overstating the effort.

“We did help, but we don’t want to overplay our help in the grand scheme,” Douglas says. “We were fortunate enough to have our sterilizer there. We are proud of being in Omaha and proud of the success they had at the hospital. They’re just outstanding people and considered the best in the world right now.”

Still, Douglas concedes, the PRIMUS equipment used was “a piece of the puzzle” in the secure, air-locked facility.

For the facility, PRIMUS built a doubledoor sterilizer that is 20 inches wide, 20 inches high, and 38 inches long. Material used during the treatment of Ebola-infected

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patients was put into one end of the chamber, sterilized by a process involving heat, pressure, and steam, then pulled out the other door completely sterile. Those materials— protective clothing, instruments, tools, food trays, etc.—then were incinerated.

If anything could have been improved, it might be that the sterilization chamber was bigger.

“They didn’t anticipate the amount of materials that had to be sterilized,” Douglas says. “It was a surprise even to them. There were 30 to 40 people being used in the treatment of one Ebola patient. That can generate a lot of protective clothing waste and other general hospital waste.

“I think it’s an evolutionary thing. Everybody is learning about it—how to treat it, what generates survival rates. There’s all sorts of learning, including disposal of all these

materials and how to generate less waste.”

That PRIMUS was up to the task at providing cutting-edge equipment for such a dangerous health risk is no surprise. Since being formed 25 years ago, originally as Phoenix Medical Services, it has grown to become the industry’s leading U.S. manufacturer with more than 1,000 clients in 48 states and 23 foreign countries. That includes Stanford University, Seoul National University in Korea, Schering-Plough and, most recently, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

PRIMUS has 54 employees, one third in Omaha and the rest in Great Bend, Kansas, where its equipment is custom-manufactured in a certified pressure-vessel factory. PRIMUS serves four vertical markets: healthcare (hospitals, dental offices, surgery centers, etc.); laboratory research (food companies

such as Cargill and Tyson Foods); biopharmaceuticals (Novartis, Merck); and vivaria (animal research facilities).

Douglas takes pride in the many ways PRIMUS equipment is being used. That includes for humanitarian efforts around the world in places such as Kenya, New Guinea, and elsewhere. A foundation started

by Billy Graham is among the clients.

“It’s quite interesting to sell into these countries and see what these sterilizers are used for,” Douglas says. “We like to think they’re saving lives throughout the world.”

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HOW I ROLL | BY ROBERT NELSON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN George Perlebach

FROM RUSSIA WITH TOUGH LOVE THE URAL SIDECAR MOTORCYCLE IS A ROUGH, BUT THRILLING RIDE.

There are three million of these things puttering around China right now, but here racing around a cornfield outside Gretna, this Ural sidecar motorcycle looks pretty unique.

Actually, it looks like something out of a PBS documentary on the German invasion of Poland. (In fact, the Ural is a not-terriblymodernized version of the World War II BMW motorcycles used in support of blitzing Nazis).

The ride in the sidecar, especially bouncing through corn stubble, is profoundly unrefined.

The lumbar begins to numb. You feel helpless and vulnerable. It is by no means the most comfortable form of exhilaration in this world, but it is exhilaration nonetheless.

Here you are at the mercy of the driving skills of George Perlebach, the owner of this strange (at least to North Americans) contraption.

Perlebach bought this limited edition 2012 Ural because that’s kinda what Perlebach does. In one of the outbuildings of his farm sits, among other things, several motorcycles (he’s been riding since he was 15), a powered parachute, a vintage Porsche 914, and, oddest of all, a massive U.S. Army transport truck that he bought because he, like too many men, should not being shopping online after midnight.

Perlebach, a family-practice doctor and business owner, is not naïve regarding the Ural drawbacks. Although the company has been adding some more modern

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technologies in recent years (for one, they now have a fuel-injection engine), the engineering and build quality is still, well, “vintage,” he admits. It is loud. The engine is underpowered by modern standards.

With the sidecar, the motorcycle veers when breaking and accelerating. Turning corners is a challenge. “It’s not about performance or great build quality or anything refined,” he says. “It’s an experience unto its own.”

to be scariest to people who ride motorcycles” (perhaps, he says, because those who ride are used to being in control of the vehicle).

back is bad. Perlebach spent much of January recuperating from back surgery. Having three wheels means the bike won’t fall over on you.

When he’s out riding—which sometimes includes trips to his business in Lincoln—he always is striking up conversations with people along the way. “It’s a novelty for everyone.

I like talking to people. And on this thing, you’re going to be getting into conversations.”

You’ve probably noticed the rise of the threewheeled touring motorcycles. Sure, they’re starting to become a little cooler, but, as Perlebach points out, “a lot of folks probably still wouldn’t want to take it to Sturgis.”

Now to the upsides: Perlebach can fit up to four people on the Ural if he can find three others who would dare. He gets to give someone the once-in-a-lifetime sidecar ride experience, which, he says, “ironically seems

If you’re a motorcycle rider reaching a certain age, you might appreciate one of Perlebach’s other reason for liking the Ural: Those larger motorcycles that were so cool in youth can be unwieldy in later years, especially if your

“The Ural still has a bit of an edge to it—it’s unusual, it’s a bit funky,” he says. “For people who want three wheels, it gives them an option.”

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FEATURE | BY ELIZABETH MACK | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

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WALK LIKE A BUDDHA THE ANCIENT PRACTICE OF MINDFULNESS MOVES INTO THE OFFICE. On any given Monday evening or Saturday morning in the heart of Dundee, you might find a small group of people, hands folded, heads slightly downward, walking barefoot in slow and deliberate circles on a small patch of grass, seemingly undisturbed by the city noise surrounding them. Leading these

barefoot walkers is silver-haired Dan Weidner, mental health practitioner, professional counselor, and mindfulness meditation guru.

The barefoot walkers are learning the walking meditation in Weidner’s Basic Mindfulness workshop.

Weidner, who has studied and practiced mindfulness for over 30 years, has been leading basic mindfulness meditation classes at The Center, formerly The Center for Mindful Living, for five years. Weidner believes that people are tired of feeling stressed out and anxious. “We’re on this roller coaster, rushing to get things done, and it wears people down,” Weidner explains. “I think people are seeking meaning to their lives, and that’s what mindfulness is all about.”

Mindfulness, the ancient Buddhist practice referring to a state of active attention on the present, dates back over 2,500 years. Now, the practice has been rapidly gaining mainstream

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Dan Weidner

attention. Mindfulness programs have been incorporated into schools, the military, and professional sports teams, such as Super Bowl champs Seattle Seahawks. Major corporations like General Mills, Intel, and Target now have mindfulness programs for their employees.

“Most people that come to the workshops are looking for a way to manage and deal with emotions, to change their relationship to suffering, both physical and mental. Meditation and a practice of mindfulness can do that,” Weidner says.

Research seems to back this up. Study after study has shown that mindfulness meditation is

more effective for anxiety and depression than drugs. Recent research has shown it can even change the chemistry of the brain. “We’ve had anecdotal evidence for over 2,500 years; now we have empirical evidence that it works,” Weidner says. Even Time magazine devoted a recent cover story to “The Mindfulness Revolution.”

It seems to be a revolution that’s here to stay.

the opinion of others, is a huge benefit.”

Though mindfulness meditation sounds simple, it’s not always easy, and it’s not a quick fix.

“Changes are subtle and gradual,” Weidner explains. “Hopefully, even just creating an awareness and learning how to observe your own life, learning the value of respecting your own opinion as opposed to always seeking

“There is what happens to you, and there is what you do with what happens to you,” Weidner says.

“What your mind does with what happens to you is often actually worse than what happens.

Mindfulness can teach us to let be and let go.”

The one thing Weidner says most people take away from the class is what he refers to as equanimity—a balance of emotions. “It’s not that you don’t have good days and bad days, but the bad days don’t seem so bad; there is more of a balance and a calmer approach to life.”

B2B

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B2B OMAHA MAGAZINE

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FEATURE | BY ANTHONY FLOTT | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY FOX BUSINESS NETWORK

SAYING YES TO OMAHA USUALLY, WARREN BUFFETT’S “NO” IS A DEAL-BREAKER.

The Omaha billionaire gave Fox Business Network Anchor Liz Claman two of them.

But the market maven still got the deal she was after—what eventually became the hour-long 2006 CNBC report, “Warren Buffett: The Billionaire Next Door.”

“He rejected the first couple of pitches,” Claman says.

Initially, Claman proposed talking about upcoming mid-term elections. “He summarily said, ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen in politics.’” Claman countered, suggesting they talk about what might happen a bit closer to Buffett’s wheelhouse—the markets. Again, Claman got a “no.”

“He said, ‘I don’t know where the market’s going.’ Now I’ve struck out twice.”

She got a hit on her third swing, suggesting she come to Omaha and ask Buffett how he values a business. “That’s all he cares about— finding great, appropriately valued businesses.

“I finally got it right. I remember it so crystal clearly. It really was a pivotal moment in my career. Journalists get a lot of ‘nos.’ The really good ones don’t take no for an answer.”

Make no mistake, Claman’s one of the good ones. She made a national name for herself with CNBC then, in October 2007, jumped to Fox Business Network where today she anchors “Countdown to the Closing Bell.” Her debut with Fox? An exclusive with Buffett, of course.

Claman has made it to Omaha more than a dozen times, mostly to report on the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder

omahamagazine.com SPRING 2015 |

Meeting. And she’s still getting her one-onone with Buffett, as well as time with his sidekicks, Berkshire VP Charlie Munger and fellow billionaire buddy Bill Gates.

Claman knew precious little about Buffett’s hometown before her first visit. “My mother was a huge fan of Willa Cather and had us read all her books,” she says. “That’s what I knew.”

But it’s become a welcome spring break.

“I never, never roll my eyes thinking I ‘have’ to go to Omaha,” she says. “I love the restaurants. I have my favorite people, favorite places. Omaha has a vibe to it.”

Especially the food. She mentions Twisted Fork, M.’s Pub, Mahogany Prime Steakhouse, and V. Mertz (“As good as any high-end New York restaurant,” she says). Last year, she held a meetand-greet at 801 Chophouse. And at Buffett’s request she ran a 5k charity run sponsored by a Berkshire holding company. Then again.

And again. The Fox Business crew joins her.

She’ll cover her ninth Berkshire annual meeting when it convenes May 2. It never gets old.

“There’s nothing like it in corporate America or the business world,” says Claman, who’s covered the meeting from recession to recovery. “I think Warren and Charlie work very hard to keep it fresh every single time, and every year they really stay on the news of what’s happening and also pointing forward to where they think it’s going.”

Claman has to continually reinvent her reporting of Buffett, too. She’s interviewed him 31 times, but often with a different twist.

It’s a must given the copycat nature of news reporting. One year there was an hour-long sit-down with Buffett, Munger and Gates as the markets opened. Then came the Monday sit-downs. Then questions with Buffett on the Thursday preceding the meeting—right before a bridge game. Then an interview at the Hilton—“Berkshire Central,” Claman calls it—as shareholders were checking in.

CNBC and Bloomberg News have followed suit. But Claman, like Buffett, seems to always stay one step ahead of the competition.

“Each time we do something different,” she says. “I always have something up my sleeve.

It’s really on us to keep it fresh and different.”

B2B

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B2B OMAHA MAGAZINE

volume 15 | issue 1

26

FEATURE | BY JASON KUIPER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

Beth and Phil Black

ON THE MOVE THE BOOKWORM THRIVES AS MANY BOOKSTORES FAIL.

This isn’t the first time the owners of The Bookworm have done this whole move thing. Beth and Phil Black have owned the independent bookstore for nearly 30 years and last fall they moved into their third location, anchoring the new Loveland Centre at 90th Street and West Center Road.

It’s a move the couple felt necessary for the future of the store.

omahamagazine.com SPRING 2015 |

Since the recession, the climate for brick and mortar booksellers, like many other industries, has been less than kind. Yet The Bookworm, which opened at Regency Court in 1986 and then moved to Countryside Village in 1999, continues to serve a faithful reading public.

“We’ve got loyal customers,” says Beth Black. “Omaha supports local. Omaha is incredible in how it gets behind local businesses. And we’ve got wonderful workers here who really love books. Who want to put the right book into people’s hands.”

“We are noticing more young families coming in and it’s a better layout—everything on one level,” Black says. “The expansion is good. There are a lot more people saying it’s easier to get here and we are seeing more people from Council Bluffs, Papillion, and Ralston. It’s been a good move.”

The layout is different, and the wide-open look has led some people to think the store

is a new business. A lot of the “coziness” of the old Countryside Village location was out of necessity due to cramped spaces.

For some customers, the change has taken some getting used to, Black says.

“We went through the same things when we moved from Regency,” she says. “It’s just different—it’s a change. Our customers take ownership in the store. It’s their store. The physical store has changed, but nothing else. We’ll hear moms come in and say, ‘See they still have cookies’ and, ‘Look. Carl the dog is still here.’”

Several recent trips to The Bookworm, both during the week and on weekend days, saw a good number of browsers, very similar to typical traffic at the old Countryside Village location. Black says another thing the store has going in its favor is the support of the city. Omaha, she says, doesn’t just shop local; it’s also a very intelligent city.

27

“People read here,” she says. “Even people with all their electronic devices they still like a book. And whenever there is an event in Omaha people call us to sell books.”

Black says The Bookworm will be selling books at the Holland Lecture Series for the upcoming appearance of activist and author Angela Davis on March 4. The Bookworm is involved every year in the Berkshire Hathaway weekend.

“Everyone wants to know what Warren and Charlie are reading,” she says. “They both are big readers and promote reading.”

Black says she’s sure this is the final move for The Bookworm. She says that the staff looks forward to being a part of Omaha for a long time to come.

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B2B OMAHA MAGAZINE

Mike Gawley

volume 15 | issue 1

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COVER FEATURE | BY CAROL CRISSEY NIGRELLI | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

29

OLDER, EDUCATED, AND STILL LOOKING BABY BOOMERS ARE THE NEW FACE OF OMAHA UNEMPLOYMENT.

Mike Gawley punctuated the day he was let go from his job with a thud.

As he was cleaning out his desk after 30-plus years at a company he had grown and nurtured, Gawley could feel the tension tightening around him. He hadn’t eaten very much that day nor did he drink enough water.

“And I passed out,” he says matter-offactly, with no dramatic gestures. “I passed out that evening during a prayer service. I knew then my health was going to be the most important thing.”

CONTINUED ON 30

volume 15 | issue 1

B2B OMAHA MAGAZINE

0 CONTINUED FROM 29 Keeping his mind and body as free from stress as possible is perhaps the reason Gawley, 58, gathers his thoughts and measures his words carefully about the difficulties in finding a job—as if he’s still trying to grasp what happened to him upon hearing the words, “Your services are no longer needed.” On a June day in 2013 Gawley went from president and CEO of Oakview Construction, a developer of commercial properties, to just another name on the Great Recession’s roster of its hardesthit demographic: skilled workers ages 55-64.

unemployment rate of 55- to 64-year-olds

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8 7 6

national

5 4 3

nebraska

2 1 0

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

“There was a growth in discouraged workers here, greater than the national average, among those 55 and over,” says Dr. Thompson, referring to those who stopped looking for jobs.

Mike Gawley had never looked for a job before. He didn’t have to. As a construction engineering major at Iowa State, the tall, lean farm kid from rural western Iowa hooked up with Oakview Construction in Red Oak during the summers and had a job waiting for him upon graduation in 1978. He oversaw a variety of building projects before opening a branch office across the river in Omaha in 1987. Within

WHY GET DRESSED UP? “To give me the right mindset of, ‘I’ve got to work now, I can’t get distracted.’”

-MIKE GAWLEY “We try hard to avoid recessions because they’re not a shared burden; their cost (in joblessness) tends to fall disproportionately on certain people in an unpredictable way,” says Dr. Eric Thompson, an economics professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As director of the Bureau of Business Research, Dr. Thompson crunches a lot of data, but he’s sensitive to the human toll the numbers represent. “People hear, ‘Oh, the economy has recovered,’ but it hasn’t recovered for them because their skills haven’t transferred to a position comparable to the one they lost.”

Even by Nebraska standards, the last downturn—technically pegged from December 2007 to June 2009—was pretty tough overall. The unemployment rate of 55- to 64-year-olds stood at 2.2 percent statewide in 2006 (pre-recession) but rose to 2.8 percent in 2013. Nationally, the jump was much greater—3.1 percent in 2006 to 5.8 percent in 2013. Nebraska did outpace the nation in one area, however.

five years the new Omaha site bettered its Iowa counterpart in projects and revenue. Gawley became President of Oakview Construction in 1997. They were licensed in 48 states, including Nevada. That ignited the company’s downfall.

“At the beginning of the recession, about 15 percent of our work was in Las Vegas and the projects, mostly warehouses and offices, were financed by banks, including Lehman Brothers,” says Gawley, citing one of the biggest investment bank failures on record.

“As the banks went under, we couldn’t collect the money. So we had to be sold.” When Gawley’s three-year agreement with the new owners of Oakview was up in 2013, he found himself on the outside looking in.

“The construction industry doesn’t have much interest in me,” says Gawley with resignation. “They say I’m too old and too senior (in position). I was a CEO and that’s where people think I fit. But how many companies are looking for CEOs?”

2011

2012

2013

Not too many, and the prospects for a supervisory position aren’t much better since companies have learned to do more with less. “The middle layer of supervisors was eliminated during the recession, so now it’s just the workers, mostly young, and the top people,” according to Debbie Christensen of the Nebraska Department of Labor. “That’s a big issue. There’s not that stepping stone [to the top] as much as there used to be.”

Christensen, who works at the Omaha Career Center, encourages older workers to “say in their cover letter, ‘I understand I’m starting over and my pay will be different, but I’m willing to do that.’”

Gawley has worked with a job coach and has posted his new resume online. Every day for a year and a half he has followed pretty much the same routine: wake up early and get to Lakeside Wellness Center by 5:30, exercise, shower, put on dress pants, a starched white shirt and a sports jacket, drive home to Elkhorn, go downstairs to the computer, check the want ads, trade magazines and his job networking schedule, and make phone calls that all too often aren’t returned.

Why get dressed up? “To give me the right mindset of, ‘I’ve got to work now, I can’t get distracted’” he says.

A quiet, gentle man by nature who displays an almost pastoral approach to people, Gawley finds solace in his church, St. Patrick’s, his wife, Colleen, their three married children and five grandchildren. He admits he hasn’t found his job niche yet, but he’s grateful for his friends in Omaha’s business community who have proven the most valuable in helping him with leads. Gawley has also accepted a credo straight from a job coach’s handbook.

“My expectations now are much lower than a year ago,” he says, but he remains optimistic his niche is just over the horizon.

B2B

omahamagazine.com SPRING 2015 |

OMAHA CVB

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1

BY DANA MARKEL

PREPARE TO MEET OUR MAKERS EXPLORE LOCAL BREWS WITH THE OMAHA CRAFT BREW EXPLORER’S JOURNAL Remember these lyrics from the popular television show Cheers: “Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got, taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot. Wouldn’t you like to get away….”

The Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau took a page out of the old Cheers songbook and created a marketing campaign based on the premise that everyone does like to get away and that a beer just might be an interesting incentive to convince some folks to get away to Omaha.

What helps is that over the last couple of years Omaha’s craft beer scene has really come of age, offering brews that are distinctly Omaha and worth the trip. Visitors can sample some of the best beers they’ll ever taste created by craftsman who have made beer their life and Omaha their home.

The Omaha CVB partnered with eight area craft breweries to offer the Omaha Craft Brew Explorer’s Journal. Since the goal is to attract out-of-town visitors to Omaha,

anyone living outside the metro area can request the Journal, which includes coupons for a free beer at each of the participating breweries.

The brewery will stamp the Journal and after visiting all locations visitors can stop by the Omaha Visitors Center and pick up a souvenir pint glass to commemorate their beer journey.

To promote the campaign, the Omaha CVB purchased regional advertising—it was a short but sweet 12-week campaign that ended in October of 2014. However the requests keep coming and so do the visitors. As of the end of December, close to 4,000 people had requested the Journals, and many have emailed, tweeted, and Facebook’d to tell us how much they enjoyed their experience.

So just a quick thank you to Sam, Woody, Coach, Cliff ,and (everybody say it with me) Norm! You were right. Cheers!

B2B

Dana Markel is Executive Director of the Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau. Questions or comments? Email the Omaha CVB at info@visitomaha.com.

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B2B OMAHA MAGAZINE

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THE BRAND BRIEF

MANY HAPPY RETURNS MARKETING RESULTS NEED NOT BE A MYSTERY. What is the point of marketing in general and advertising in particular? This is not a rhetorical question. While the jaded among you might say it’s to employ the lower third of graduating MBA classes, the answer is neither so cynical nor complex. The point of all the PowerPoint decks, research, ill-advised focus groups, handwringing about engagement, and knee-jerk directives to make the logo bigger is to sell stuff. Usually a physical thing or service, and at other times a cause or idea.

But we don’t spend all this energy and money to just give folks a warm fuzzy during Judge Joe Brown. We do it to get them to act.

Which leads to the second-most often asked question between client and agency: How’s this (the work) going to help my bottom line?

Or, if you were in the upper third of your MBA class, what’s the ROI? (And in case you haven’t guessed, the most-asked question is “how much is this going to cost me?”)

Attaching a return on investment number to advertising does several things, some good and some less so. It sets a measurable goal against which to judge success. It helps the non-marketing types in the C-suite understand why marketing should be done at all. It calms nerves by assigning a tangible data point to what is commonly seen as a black art and budgetary black hole.

But it also assigns a data point to something that may

BY JASON FOX

not be geared to achieving that outcome (Do you want sales or awareness? Activation of affinity? All of the above? With that budget?

Seriously?). It places easily understood short-term goals above amorphous long-term brand building. It assumes each project is a separate entity unto itself that is neither influenced by, nor an influencer of, other efforts. And, more than likely, the number was a guesstimate based upon a previous, similar project created when market conditions were probably more favorable. No big whoop.

This is not meant to give ROI the stink-eye.

It is meant to give simplistic demands for on-the-nose ROI the stink-eye with a noogie on the side. Possibly a swirly. The day is young.

Certain advertising vehicles are fairly easy to measure. Coupons. Direct-response television.

Email blasts. Online display ads. The more redemptions, calls, site visits, or clicks you get, the better you’ve done. (To be clear, I’m not judging the worthiness of these mediums for any particular purpose beyond easy measurement.) Because of their near-instant measurability, a lot of businesses— and not just local mom-and-pops, either—gravitate toward them, attempting to drive sales overnight while sacrificing building their brands over time.

(Granted, they’ll still build a brand over time. Only it will be a brand known for

constant discounting, spam, and appeals to “act now because supplies are limited” even though everyone knows they aren’t.)

When it comes to what most people consider brand advertising—the type that builds awareness, attempts to put a brand into consumers’ evoked sets of options, builds a personality, establishes the brand promise, etc.—measurement is still possible. It just often takes more time and money than most marketers want to spend. The most common example is a pre/post analysis. What did consumers think before a campaign ran and what did they think after? Did site and/or store visits go up? And, yes, you can even use sales as a measure in many instances; e.g., restaurants often see an uptick when they’re advertising even if they aren’t pushing a limited-time offer.

Of course, all this ROI measurement assumes two things: that you’re willing to invest in both the marketing itself and the measurement of its effectiveness. And while only you can decide how much to spend on your marketing, you can’t complain about your lack of ROI if you’re unwilling to actually “I.” So save up your ducats, find an agency partner who has a clue, strategize, then act. Done well (which is different than perfectly), you’ll eventually have people in other departments laying claim to the returns you and yours enabled.

B2B

Jason Fox is the Executive Creative Director at Webster, and the chin behind @leeclowsbeard.

omahamagazine.com SPRING 2015 |

ETHICS

DEPRIVATION BLINDSPOT HUMANS NEED SLEEP—AND MAYBE A LITTLE JAVA—TO BE GOOD. Which of the following is significantly correlated with ethics?

A. Chocolate B. Vegetables C. Caffeine D. All of the Above

In a recent survey, most people responded “all of the above.” I picked “chocolate” because I think chocolate is associated with everything that is worthwhile in life.

But, bizarre as it may sound, the answer is..... caffeine.

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BY BEVERLY KRACHER, PH.D.

The Huffington Post reports that professors at the University of Washington, the University of Arizona, and the University of North Carolina have identified what we can call the Deprivation BlindSpot. The more sleep deprived, the more likely we are to be blinded by the desire for quick solutions, the need to fit in, and other psychological tendencies that lead to unethical decisions.

“When you’re sleep-deprived at work, it’s much easier to simply go along with unethical suggestions from your boss because resistance takes effort and you’re already worn down,” says David Welsh, an organizational behavior professor at the University of Washington. “However, we found that caffeine can give sleep-deprived individuals the extra energy needed to resist unethical behavior.”

(Note: You might think so, but Welsh’s study was not funded by Starbucks.)

If there is any truth to the claim that caffeine can help us resist unethical behavior, it’s worth implementing a workplace policy that provides free coffee and other caffeinated beverages to all employees.

And it’s reasonable that other practices can also protect us from the Deprivation BlindSpot.

First, let’s make sure we take breaks. No more working straight through the day, getting up only once or twice, and eating lunch at the desk.

Second, managers and supervisors can walk around, talk to employees, watch their body language, and ask questions. This practice can help us identify each other’s deprivations. It also helps create a culture of care and respect.

Third, schedule decision-making meetings and high-pressure tasks at the beginning of the day, when even the most exhausted employees have their best burst of energy.

Finally, napping is not just for kindergarten.

Employers can promote napping. Google and other tech companies are known for it. Progressive companies are building nap pods and separate rooms to invite employees to nap. As long as employees perform, they can take as many naps as they want.

In what ways do you see yourself or your employees being tired at work? Have you witnessed workers making not-sogreat-choices because they’re tired? What do you do to help yourself and them overcome the Deprivation BlindSpot?

Why? B2B Beverly Kracher, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Business Ethics Alliance, and the Daugherty Chair in Business Ethics & Society at Creighton University.

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B2B OMAHA MAGAZINE | SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

volume 15 | issue 1

BEST BUY SIGNS JIM PAULISON

Best Buy Signs, which specializes in advertising, signs, and displays, started 25 years ago and is still growing strong. In our advertising category, Best Buy Signs now has two advertising programs for the City of Omaha.

First, the Omaha Bus Bench Program, which consists of 500 bus benches located throughout Omaha. Our second program, which is just getting started, is a campaign with the City of Omaha Parks and Recreation Department that offers advertising at Omaha’s premier sport complexes and arenas. You can learn more about both programs at omahabusbench.net and omahaparksprogram.com.

Besides our work with the city, Best Buy Signs has helped a multitude of startups and small businesses along with most of the major well-known companies here in the metro.

We try to give our clients the very best products without over-selling, knowing that good business relationships are long-lasting, and if you take care of someone now there will be a potential for projects in the future. Customers keep coming back because we treat them fairly and honestly.

I’m most proud of what we have done to improve and build our City of Omaha’s Bus Bench Advertising Program. We have great clients that use the advertising medium to promote their business or to get the word out about a specific program or event.

On the community side, we always make a point to partner with nonprofits and the city to promote important projects.

We work with Donate Life, Breast Cancer Awareness, and the Mayor’s Hotline—just to name a few. When we took over, we restructured the entire program. Best Buy Signs purchased and placed 500 benches that complement the metro bus system and creates revenue for the City of Omaha. This year will be one of our proudest of all as we get the new Omaha Parks Program off the ground.

B2B

Best Buy Signs 17410 Storage Rd. Omaha, NE 68136 402.861.0384 bestbuysigns.net

Basement to Big Time 29-YEAR-OLD BELLEVUE NATIVE SELLS FOR $7,827,000 PG. 8

Cyber Insurance ARE YOUR CLIENTS PROTECTED? PG. 12

Foodies New Owner 30 YEARS OF KITCHEN PREP PG. 6

A Publication of The Firm Business Brokerage

Spring 2015

MIDDLE MARKET EDITION

Volume 1 Issue 3 Published by The Firm Business Brokerage, LLC President/Editor • Cortney Sells Director/Assistant Director • Cassandra Powers In-House Legal Counsel • Susanne Miller Executive Broker • Lindsay Novak Referring Broker • Rachael Rand Referring Broker • Elizabeth Jones Business Broker • Breann Becerra Associate Broker • Lori Stangl Development Manager • Holley Garcia Broker Liaison • Rene Rademacher Marketing Division • Adam Jaime Client Services • Nycole Wandvik-Tolle Client Services • Julie O’Brien IT Department • Adam Trubnikov

Contributing Writers • Elizabeth Jones Lindsay Novak • Susanne Miller Rene Rademacher • Alex Shteriev • Jason Quinn Frank Younes Photography • Bill Sitzmann Design • OBI Creative

To Subscribe: The Firm Business Brokerage, LLC 210 N. 78 St., 2nd floor Omaha, NE 68114 402.998.5288 info@thefirmb2b.com Advertising Inquiries: 402.884.2000 todd@omahapublications.com

2

The Firm Deal Review

Spring 2015

A Publication of The Firm Business Brokerage

The Bottom Line

Version 2.0 29-Year-Old Tech Guru Hits Reboot

pg.8

Special Section

7 Fresh Off The Firm

There are more than 115 opportunities in the listing portfolio—from medical practices to commercial services companies.

Departments

5 More is Not Always Better

Not enough hours in the day for this Clocktower Chiropractor

6 Culinary Class

to His Own Kitchen

Chef Hilger spends 30 years prepping for a kitchen of his own.

Columns

4 Negotiated:

High & Younes Law Firm

Business Planning – Know Your Exit

New Technology – New Threat

Bringing the Buyer and Seller Together is

12 Net Worth : Quinn Insurance 14 Executive Impact Only the Beginning

15 Cash Flow : Beacon M&A

What Businesses Sold for in 2014

Sells Insights

Reset

A

n estimated 9 million of America’s 15 million business owners were born in or before 1964. Basic economics would hypothesize that, as a result, an estimated 11 million businesses will be transferred from one generation to the next. Uprooting and a redistribution of this wealth will provide

the upcoming generation the ability to grow through acquisition. In this issue, our hope is that you enjoy learning about regional entrepreneurs that hit ‘reset’ on their careers. Selling your business is not the end of your legacy. It is the breathtaking beginning of your next chapter. The FIRM

by Cortney Sells president/editor

Spring 2015

The Firm Deal Review

3

A Publication of The Firm Business Brokerage

Negotiated:

Business Planning—Know Your Exit written by Frank E. Younes, Partner at the firm of High & Younes, LLC.

Many unexpected events may cause need for exit, which if not properly planned could result in disagreements among partners, conflict, litigation, confusion for family, dissolution of the business, forced sale at a lower than desired price, and decreased profitability. Such events include: • Unexpected offers to one or more members • Health or family crisis • Age or retirement • Market changes • Death of the sole member or one of multiple members • Partnership disagreements and falling outs

Frank E. Younes J.D.

A

n exit strategy may be the last item you consider when operating your current business or buying a new one. However, there is no question that, at some point, it will be a crucial piece of your return on investment.

Many exit plans exist, but only one is the best for you and your family. It is a necessity to determine which exit plan is best from the beginning, especially when involved in a multi-member organization. The different types of exit plans include: • A succession plan • Transfer of ownership interest to an heir during the owners life, or upon death

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The Firm Deal Review

Spring 2015

• Transfer of ownership interest to another member • Sale of ownership interest to a third party • Liquidation and dissolution of the business A properly developed exit plan will provide benefits to any business, including: • Improve the probabilities of success • Increase the valuation of the sale price • Prevent complacency • Provide a timetable for growth • Providing realistic goals for growth • Prevent litigation

An exit plan is extremely important for all businesses. In multi-member organizations customized planning in partnership documents can prevent conflict surrounding the buy-out price, or sale by one partner to a third party. In the event of one partner buying out another partner, voluntarily or involuntarily, conflicts can be avoided by including either a pre-determined purchase price or calculation of a purchase price within the organization’s documents.

Further, decisions regarding right of first refusal, tag-along and take-along should be made in the organization documents to guard against conflict when a partner receives an offer for purchase of his/her ownership interest. Such determinations provide all members the option of exit or purchase when changes occur in the ownership structure.

I urge any business owner(s), whether sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation, to protect themselves and their business by investing in an appropriate exit strategy.

You may contact the law offices of High & Younes, LLC., at 402-933-3345 for a free consultation. The FIRM

A Publication of The Firm Business Brokerage

More is Not Always Better

Not enough hours in the day for this Clocktower Chiropractor written by Elizabeth Jones

The Deal Review Multiplier: 2.44 Bank: United Republic, Erol Kinkaid Reason for Sale: Retirement Loan Type: SBA Express

Dr. Ryan Goss, current owner of Clocktower Chiropractic and former owner of Wellness Pointe Chiropractic, is a local chiropractor.

He purchased Clocktower just out of college; then when his CPA brought another to his attention, he decided to purchase a second practice. While they were both successful, there just wasn’t enough of Dr. Goss to give

both practices his full attention. After much deliberation, he decided to sell one of the practices to a budding chiropractor associate, Dr. Ben Tapper, in order to be sure that all of his patients would maintain the highest level of care.

Dr. Goss came to The Firm Business Brokerage with a unique circumstance.

He had chosen to sell Wellness Pointe Chiropractic to the deserving chiropractor on staff. Even though he had a buyer in place, there was much to do in order to get to the closing table. The time, energy, and stress of selling his practice to Dr. Tapper would detract from his patients’ care. This led to his obtaining outside assistance through a business brokerage.

From the day he received his valuation to the day he closed on the sale of his business, it was just over one month. During that time, The Firm assisted in the entire transaction, including helping the buyer obtain acceptable financing. The goal in hiring The Firm was ultimately met with the realization of the stresses of selling a business being alleviated. The goal was to alleviate the process of selling a business in order to remain focused on his practice.

This goal was ultimately achieved. The FIRM

Spring 2015

The Firm Deal Review

5

A Publication of The Firm Business Brokerage

From Culinary Class to His Own Kitchen!

Chef Hilger spent 30 years prepping for a kitchen of his own.

written by Lindsay Novak

After meeting with a broker, Hilger had a list of four restaurants specific to his interests. He spent time secret-shopping and reviewing financial information, eventually picking a business and making an offer. After waiting patiently, the seller chose another buyer’s offer, leaving Hilger discouraged about fulfilling his dream.

He admits to talking himself out of the possibility of becoming an owner.

With encouragement from his broker, he returned to his restaurant prospect list and performed additional due diligence on the opportunities. He made an offer on another business, and anxiously waited for the response. This time he received the call that said “Foodies accepted your offer!”

With financial support from his family, closing day was within sight. A month into the 90-day transition period, he was ready to take over the reins without continued help from the previous owner.

Chef Brian Hilger

The Deal Review Reason for Purchase: Always wanted to own a restaurant Financing: Family-supported investment Days on the market: 111 Brokers: Rachel Rand, Listing Broker, Lindsay Novak, Buyer Broker

I

t was July 1984 and 16-year-old Brian Hilger was sprinting to his first job interview. He was running five minutes late, terrified that he had already ruined his opportunity. To his surprise, he was hired on the spot and became a busboy for the Venice Inn. Within days, his love for the restaurant industry had begun, and he told everyone he met, “I love this! I am going to own a restaurant some day!”

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The Firm Deal Review

Spring 2015

Hilger grew up at the Venice Inn, climbing the ladder from busboy to salad boy, pizza cook, bartender, waiter and, eventually, manager. His admiration for cooking grew so much that he applied for and was accepted into Metro’s Culinary School, graduating in May 2013. “Culinary school was instrumental,” Brian says. “I learned about food costs, bookkeeping, and safety issues in the kitchen.”

Thirty wonderful years after the start of his busboy days, the Venice Inn decided to close its doors. Hilger worked up until the last shift.

After the Venice Inn closed, Hilger spent time traveling, only to return home out of a job and missing the restaurant. Looking for a solution, he picked himself up and returned to his idea of owning a restaurant.

A Google search led him to The Firm Business Brokerage, and he eagerly began reading the many restaurant listings.

Foodies is a family affair. Hilger works every day at his restaurant. His sister assists with Foodies’ popular catering and delivery service. There are occasional appearances of his mom, who helps behind the register and his dad, who greets customers. The original Foodies employees have remained, and he values each one of them.

Hilger says, “The Caniglia family and Venice Inn taught me everything about the restaurant business and how to run things the old school way.” A picture of the Caniglia family proudly hangs on the wall of Foodies while former Venice Inn regulars frequently stop by for lunch and dinner.

“Business is good. Food costs used to be over 49% and now they are averaging 30%.

Overall, gross sales are up and we’re making 25% more compared to the previous owner’s numbers!” Hilger hopes to keep increasing sales, maintain great quality food, plus add new specials and maybe open a second location in town. The FIRM

A Publication of The Firm Business Brokerage

Fresh Off The Firm Well Known Wine Bar

Industrial Warehouse & Conveyor Installation

OWNER’S PROFIT $108,840 PRICE $325,000

OWNER’S PROFIT $304,562 PRICE $1,085,000

If you have a passion for wine, you will have fun owning this successful wine bar.

This popular wine and food location has been consistently trending upwards since it opened.

In operation since 1987, this Midwestbased company installs industrial rack, workspace, and conveyor systems into existing warehouse space. Serving clients locally and throughout the U.S., strong cash flow and profit margins make this business a great choice. Seller will provide transition assistance.

Retiring Dentist in Prime Location

Franchised Restoration with Carpet Cleaning

OWNER’S PROFIT $234,625 PRICE $928,000

OWNER’S PROFIT $100,889 PRICE $445,000

This well-established dental practice has a 94% collection rate and boasts a 37% profit margin. With 2,200 active patients, it would be a great investment for any savvy buyer. It is located in a high traffic area in West Omaha where they bring in 30 new patients a month.

This successful franchise has been around for over 60 years offering a variety of cleaning services and top-notch maintenance for fixtures and furnishings.

This business comes with all the necessary staff and equipment to ensure these lucrative services can still be offered by a new owner.

Specialty Medical Practice

Curves

OWNER’S PROFIT $905,060 PRICE $1,540,000

OWNER’S PROFIT $27,012 PRICE $40,500

Specializing in the treatment of acute and chronic pain syndromes, this Omaha clinic takes an interdisciplinary approach to pain treatment. Even with a solid base of 1,800 active clients, this business still has room to grow.

This centrally located women’s gym has doubled membership and profits in less than two years; with a nationally recognized spokesperson it will have continuous steady growth for a new Owner!

Simple Ad Sales Business

Temporary Staffing Agency

OWNER’S PROFIT $22,000 PRICE $45,000

OWNER’S PROFIT $328,412 PRICE $808,000

This indoor billboard company has been around since 1999 and can be yours for a very low price. You can make a nice salary only working 20 hours bi-weekly visiting or calling your clients.

Established in 1999, this business is a large provider of both general business and industry-specific personnel services.

The business serves clients locally and nationally, spanning several industries.

Repeat clients help the consistent profit margins, but there is still room for growth!

With the exception of Curves, no actual businesses names are used on this page.

Spring 2015

The Firm Deal Review

7

Ellie Diehm and Tony Valenti

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The Firm Deal Review

Spring 2015

A Publication of The Firm Business Brokerage

Self-Made Tech Guru

Omaha’s Very Own Zuckerberg

written by Susanne Miller • photography by Bill Sitzmann

“YOU NEED TO START THE SELLING PROCESS KNOWING NOT ONLY WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR BUT ALSO WHAT YOU WANT. KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON THE GOAL THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS.”

-Ellie Diehm, CFO at Managed.Com.

The Deal Review Sale Price: $7,827,000 From List to Close: Less than 4 months Days on the Market: 20 days from listing to close.

2013 Gross Sales: $4,788,020.

Profit Margin: 58% Reason for Sale: Divorce Broker: Cortney Sells

T

ony Valenti remembers his father saying “If you think you can do better, then you should quit and do better.” Valenti was in high school, working at a small software business that built websites. He took the advice to heart, put in his notice and started working as a programmer for hire. While working on one of his coding projects, he met someone who was in the niche that he eventually moved into: putting websites onto the internet. Their conversations made him think about the direction he would take.

When he started the business in 2004, he started small: just Valenti, his telephone, a computer, all in his basement. Did he think that he would be running a successful business specializing in DNN platforms 10 years later? “Not at all” Valenti stated with

a serious look on his face. When it started it was something that interested him; he was a student and didn’t need huge profits every year. It was almost a surprise that it did so well. He thought it would be fun running his own business, but over time it just got bigger and bigger.

With growth came the need to bring on employees. In 2007 Valenti hired a receptionist to field the calls that came in.

He hired more people to help out with the workload. It was a casual work environment, with all the employees actually working out of his home! In 2008, it was time to move to an office space. “All the stereotypes that you would imagine of a tech start-up from out of a movie—that really happened.”

It was a good place to be.

One of the lessons that he learned as he grew: it is important to have good people.

The bottom line is important, but it is easy to place too much focus on how much is being spent. Doing that, you may wind up with a lot of turnover and employees that have to be continuously monitored so the work gets done. Valenti soon realized that he needed quality employees he could trust to do their jobs autonomously so that he didn’t have to wear so many hats; and that cost more. “You can pay as little as possible and have more work or pay a little bit more so you don’t have to watch the employees constantly. It is so worth it.”

Spring 2015

The Firm Deal Review

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A Publication of The Firm Business Brokerage

About a year ago Valenti’s priorities started to change. His personal life was in transition and it drew more of his focus. Being CEO was no longer the most important part of his life. The business was in a good place with solid customers and employees, almost to the place where could start to think about “handing the baton off to someone else.”

Valenti and his CFO, Ellie Diehm, reflected on the path that Valenti took to get to the sale. In June 2014 Valenti wasn’t looking to sell, but was interested in exploring the idea of buying a new business at The Firm Business Brokerage.

After looking at what was available he didn’t find a business that was the right fit for him at that time. He did, however, learn about the business sale process and considered the possibility of selling his business. Valenti came back to The Firm for his complimentary business valuation and signed his Listing Agreement on September 15, 2014.

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The Firm Deal Review

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“I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A RESET! AFTER THE SALE IT WAS LIKE A HUGE WEIGHT HAD BEEN LIFTED OFF MY SHOULDERS.”

-Tony Valenti

Interested parties came forward immediately. The Firm brought 22 qualified buyers within only 45 days. Out of the 22, 19 of them were out-of-state buyers. With four nearly full price offers on the table, Valenti had some thinking to do, and a big decision to make. This was his business, and he had to feel confident that the next person could run it as well or better than he could.

The buyer that was ultimately chosen was very upfront about the way he did business and the way he planned to run the business, even going so far as to privately fly Valenti

and Diehm to his offices so they could spend the day with him, look into his corporation and talk to his business partners and employees. This really resonated with Valenti, “In the end, I didn’t choose the buyer with the most money on the table; I chose the one I had the most confidence in and I felt the most comfortable with.”

Aggressive timelines were important to Valenti. Diehm was very succinct with the reason, pointing to the old adage, “Time kills all deals.” In fact, a cover story was created to allow for due diligence in efforts to keep the sale confidential during the process. The buyer’s representative posed as a budget consultant so that he could move freely through the office, review documentation and speak to employees.

The plan worked and the process moved forward.

With an aggressive timeline of accepting an offer on December 5th to a January 9th closing, there were multiple hurdles to overcome, and there was a lot of work from all parties to get to the finish line.

“There is so much involved that it is easy to become overwhelmed. If you want to get it done, both buyer and seller need someone on the inside, like Cortney Sells, quarterbacking all the work to push it forward,” explains Valenti.

The closing occurred Jan. 9, 2015, less than four months from when the Listing Agreement was signed. Diehm will stay on with the new owners, working with the existing management team as different structures, policies and procedures are put in place. She was involved for seven years as the business grew to where it is today, and now she has the opportunity to see where it goes in the future. The plan of the new owners is to double sales in year one.

Valenti is looking forward to what comes next. “I feel like this is a reset! After the sale it was like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders—then every day of transition another layer of weight peels back.” Valenti also notes, “I am carrying back a percentage of the sale price, so I have a vested interest in the business’s continued success. The promissory note was a great option for me because I receive a nice interest rate on a monthly payment over the next several years; and it helps defer my taxes.”

Diehm and Valenti are interested to see what the new owners will do to grow and change the business. Thinking back on the sale experience, Valenti can sum it up for others in two sentences: “Make the new owner’s life easy, they are writing you a big check so respect their risk. And use a business brokerage like The Firm, there is no way this would have been completed without their team.” The FIRM Spring 2015

The Firm Deal Review

11

A Publication of The Firm Business Brokerage

Net Worth:

Cyber Insurance in 2015 written by Jason Quinn, Quinn Insurance

C

yber insurance is quickly becoming a must-have policy for many corporations, large and small. High-profile security breaches, combined with falling premiums and recent exclusions to the commercial general liability policy, are causing this emerging coverage line to gradually become a staple in any solid business risk management and insurance program.

At least 35 carriers are writing stand-alone cyber policies, with many more providing it by endorsement. Coverages vary greatly, and there is no standard cyber form at this time. With many coverage exclusions to consider, having a trusted commercial insurance agent to guide business owners through the terms and conditions of any cyber policy is key.

Jason Quinn

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The Firm Deal Review

Spring 2015

While financial transactions may be a coveted avenue of attack, what hackers really want is personal confidential information (PCI). This consists of personally identifiable information such as names, addresses, birth dates, and credit card numbers, as well as personal health information like medical records.

A 2014 study by the Ponemon institute focused on 61 U.S. companies over 16 business sectors in the U.S. Of these companies suffering a data breach, the cost per record is just over $200, with the average cost to that organization at $5.9 million.

Most small businesses can’t afford a loss of this size. A broad cyber insurance policy, coupled with a solid cyber security plan, can significantly reduce the potential for this type of financial meltdown.

“HAVING A TRUSTED AGENT TO GUIDE BUSINESS OWNERS THROUGH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF ANY CYBER POLICY IS KEY.”

Embroidery

No business—not matter its size—is immune to the threat of a cyber incident.

Procuring the right cyber insurance policy for your company and solidifying your cyber security plan will prove to be a worthwhile investment. The FIRM

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The following are several coverages you should expect from your cyber policy:

A few years ago, small business owners faced minimum premiums of several thousand dollars. Today, cyber policies start at a minimum premium of $1,250 plus taxes and fees.

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Polos, Jackets, T-Shirts, Hats, & More

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• Privacy and security liability for settling with clients for their incurred losses, as well as the costs of notifying those clients of the breach • Regulatory fines and penalties coverage • Public relations and crisis management coverage, to mitigate the damages • Loss of data, intellectual property, and direct damage to network coverage, as replacing hardware and recovering files and other data can be costly • Cyber extortion coverage for threats to a site or system • Business interruption coverage, if there is a potential for loss of income

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Spring 2015

The Firm Deal Review

13

A Publication of The Firm Business Brokerage

Executive Impact:

Bringing a Buyer and Seller Together is Only the Beginning written by Rene Rademacher, Broker Liaison

80%

Signed to offer the closing table

10%

Buyer Placement

10%

Seller Packaging

Rene Rademacher

W

hen thinking about selling a business, many sellers don’t know where to begin. There are many pieces to the puzzle, including knowing what your business is worth, finding a buyer, and understanding the lending and legal aspects of the transaction. Continuing to run a business dayto-day while putting the puzzle together can be both daunting and overwhelming.

Engaging a business broker to facilitate the sale process alleviates much of the stress and allows a seller to continue to focus on their business.

The professionals of The Firm Business Brokerage understand that there are three parts to the sale process, referred to as the 80-10-10 split, and ensures that all three of its divisions are working for you and the business you are selling. The first step, creating a Business Valuation, involves individuals from both the Operations and the Brokerage Divisions. This Business Valuation is both complimentary and completely confidential, and will be prepared within three to five business days.

A review of the Business Valuation with the seller provides insight into the fair market value of the individual business and the

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The Firm Deal Review

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sale process as a whole. Creation of this Business Valuation, although quite detailed, represents about ten percent of the work performed for the seller.

“CONTINUING TO RUN A BUSINESS DAY-TO-DAY WHILE PUTTING THE PUZZLE TOGETHER CAN BE BOTH DAUNTING AND OVERWHELMING.�

-Rene Rademacher

When a Listing Agreement is signed between the seller and The Firm Business Brokerage, all three divisions, Operations, Brokerage, and Client Development, will develop and implement a strategy for the private placement of the business with qualified buyers. Once a buyer is identified, the preparation, negotiation and acceptance of a Contingent Offer to Purchase is facilitated. Once again, the process is very systematic and detailed, and

represents another 10 percent of the work performed for the seller.

Once a Contingent Offer to Purchase is made, the largest portion of our job, the remaining 80 percent, really begins. There are many tasks to complete, more than most business owners have the time or the expertise to complete on their own. The Operations Division assists with all aspects of the closing process, including referrals and introductions to legal, accounting, and bank professionals. Both the buyer and the seller are supported throughout the time it takes to reach closing, with each step, and the reason for it, fully explained.

The largest, and most involved part of the job of a business broker really begins after a buyer has been found. If a business owner is considering the current or future sale of a business, consulting a business broker is an important step. The process can seem overwhelming at times, but the professionals of The Firm Business Brokerage will assist throughout the process. The FIRM

A Publication of The Firm Business Brokerage

Cash Flow:

What Businesses Sold for in 2014 written by Alex Shteriev, M.B.A CBI, Managing Director, Partner of Beacon Brokerage located in the Toronto Area.

due to the financial institutions backing the deal requiring more time, and on a few occasions more thorough information.

However, not only were the banks more c au tio us, buyers did not seem to be in a hurry either, it seemed like everybody preferred t his prolonge d period of “dating” the seller. Whether that would make for better “marriages,” only time will tell.

PRICED TO SELL Ever since the beginning of the financial crisis in 2009, the issue preventing higher Alex Shteriev, M.B.A CBI, Managing Director, Partner of Beacon Brokerage transaction volume located in the Toronto Area. among small to medium size businesses, s an eventful 2014 was closed last has been the unreasonable valuation and quarter, I wanted to take the time to price expectations of business owners. It reflect and make sense of what happened appears that in 2014 we have started seeing in the busiest year for me to date, both more reasonable business valuations, as in terms of the numbers as well as total well as business owners willing to listen value of transactions. While this sounds to their broker, but more importantly to like a fairytale ending to a great year, the voice of the market. This has been 2014 was anything but. reflected in transactions in 2014 selling for an average of 92% of their asking price, compared to businesses selling for 84% TIMING IS (NOT) OF THE ESSENCE Looking at transactions in 2014, compared of asking during the previous five years. to previous years, a couple of facts stand What is more, a number of full asking price LOI’s (Letters of Intent) were signed, only out. The average Due Diligence period almost doubled, standing at an astounding to get lowered post-Due Diligence due 150 days (just shy of five months), compared to materially significant causes. All in all, to an average of just over 90 days for it appears like 2014 was the year when transactions I have completed in the we finally had a predominant price-to-sell previous five years. In 2014 for a number attitude versus sell-at-certain-price thinking of transactions this period was extended by business owners.

A

OH THOSE MULTIPLES As every conversation about buying or selling a business inevitably begins, it focuses and ultimately ends with discussion on multiples. Here is what businesses I represented sold for in 2014. Weighted average EBITDA multiple was 3.13 (with a high of 3.9 and low of 2.9), compared to weighted average of 3.43 for the previous five years. Weighted average SDE multiple (Seller Discretionary Earnings) was 2.29 (with a high of 3.0 and low of 1.6). No surprise there as this modest decline in multiples, compared to previous years, is in line with the aforementioned more reasonable valuations and the dominant price-to-sell sentiment in the market. Share deals versus asset deals were split exactly as previous years, with 75% of deals being asset transactions, and 25% share purchases.

THE 2015 (CRYSTAL) BALL GAME Any predictions for the future can only be reasoned as long as they are based on and try to reasonably extrapolate the past. Based on how 2014 transpired and what is the current sentiment in the investment community, financial institutions, and among business owners, I expect a balanced buyer-seller market with deals in the small to mid-size business segment executed at about 3.25-3.5 x EBITDA range, with better businesses selling at close to 4 x EBITDA. Also, it will be reasonable to expect due diligence periods to drop down closer to their norm of approximately three-month degustation periods, as well as asking to selling price ratios to remain in the 90th percentile. The FIRM

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BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

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omahamagazine.com

2015 Winner THE RESULTS ARE IN! It’s time to reveal B2B magazine’s highly anticipated Best of B2B ™ Winners List for 2015! The Omaha-area businesses listed in the following pages have received the coveted vote of confidence from our readers as a result of their superior business skills, services, and products.

Best of B2B ™ results were tabulated from ballots sent in from the Winter 2014 issue of B2B magazine. Ballots had to be original, not photocopies, and more than half of the ballot had to be filled out to be acceptable.

The Best of B2B ™ list, now in its eighth year, is organized into categories. If you’re looking for a specific product or service, you can easily find the best. If you see a business you patronize in this year’s list, be sure to congratulate them. They’ll appreciate it!

“Best of B2B ™ has really developed into what it was meant to be,” says Todd Lemke, publisher of B2B magazine. “Business owners get it—it’s a contest where businesses recognize businesses. It’s great that so many take the time to vote to give that recognition.”

B2B

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volume 15 | issue 1

BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

omahamagazine.com

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Accounting Office Frankel Zacharia fzacpa.com 402-496-9100

Bland & Associates

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Advertising Agency Sleight Advertising sleightadvertising.com 402-334-3530

Bozell

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Architectural Firm LEO A DALY Holland Basham Architects

Employee Benefit Company SilverStone Group

BlandCPA.com (402) 397.8822

Garvey & Associates

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Hemphill Search Group/ Hemphill Staffing Solutions hemphillsearch.com 402-334-4800

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Employment Agency C&A Industries

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Thank you for voting Hilton Omaha as your top hotel choice for the ninth year in a row!

BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

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Engineering Firm HDR, Inc.

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Lamp Rynearson & Associates 2014 Winner

Financial Planning Firm Feltz WealthPLAN Feltzwealthplan.com 402-691-0200

2015 Winner

Thank You Omaha!

For voting the Sprinter #1 in Best of B2B - Delivery Vehicle category.

Mundy & Associates

Insurance Agency The Harry A Koch Co. hakco.com 402-861-7000

Chastain Otis

Law Firm Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman akclaw.com 402-392-1250

Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP

Public Relations Firm Albers Communications Group alberscommunications.com 402-292-5553

Zaiss & Co.

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For more information, call 1-800-FOR-MERCEDES, or visit MBUSA.com

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Thank you, Omaha!

Voted best Public Relations Firm Public Relations: • Opinion research • PR planning • Media training • Media relations • Cause marketing • Event planning • Crisis management

Digital Marketing: • Planning • Digital strategy • Social platform management • Website development/SEO • Email marketing • Reputation management • Blogging

Video Production: • Pre-production planning • Scripting • Graphic creation • Filming • Editing

LET US TELL YOUR STORY. 402.292.5553 www.alberscommunications.com

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Social Media Consultant B2 Interactive Lukas Partners

BUILDING SERVICES Carpet & Rug Cleaning Legacy Carpet Cleaning Legacycarpetcleaning.com 402-680-6523

Westwood Services westwoodserv.com 402-690-8307

Door Company Norm’s Door Service

Hiller Electric Company

Fence Company S&W Fence sw-fence.com 402-333-5722

American Fence Company

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Electrical Service Miller Electric

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Quality Carpet Cleaning Since 2004

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Garbage Collection Abe’s Trash Service Abestrash.com 402-571-4926

Deffenbaugh Industries Deffenbaughinc.com 402-731-3333

General Contractor Lueder Construction lueder.com 402-339-1000

The Weitz Company Weitz.com 402-592-7000

Heating/AC Service A-1 United Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical a1united.net 402-593-7500

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Locksmith Carl Jarl Group CarlJarl.com 402-393-7800

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Moving Company I-Go Van & Storage

nSightful products powered by CAS, Inc. provide you with digital marketing solutions to help decrease your cost and time to acquire quality leads. We determine the best prospects to attract for your campaign from our robust database and targeting techniques. We engage the customer through tailored mailing and email lists. We work with you to convert engaged leads by providing cost-effective data processing and marketing solutions that work.

MAILING LISTS

DATA SERVICES

EMAIL

TARGETED ADS

Black Belt Movers

(formerly Flat Rate Movers)

Gerst Painting Inc.

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Painting Contractor CertaPro Painters

Since 1981, CAS, Inc. has established itself as one of Direct Marketing’s most reliable companies. CAS provides you nSightful solutions such as mailing and email lists, data append, privacy updates, and database hygiene services for all your data needs.

We help you prepare and enhance your customer data as well as understand what makes each customer unique.

BE S

ABOUT CAS

Thank You Omaha for Voting Us “Best Mailing List Company”!

Pest Control Company Lien Termite & Pest Control lienpestcontrol.com 402-397-8884

Quality Pest Control

10303 Crown Point Ave | Omaha, NE 68134 www.cas-online.com | nsightful@cas-online.com | 866-249-1977

Thank you Omaha!

Business & Commercial Law l Litigation Estate Planning & Probate l Employment Law Real Estate l Franchise Law l Mediation

www.akclaw.com

402.392.1250

Best of B2B Winner 5 years in a row!

volume 15 | issue 1

B2B OMAHA MAGAZINE

Thank You Omaha

for voting ACCESSbank BEST BUSINESS BANK for the 2nd year in a row!

RECYCLING FOR FREE!

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Customized Banking Solutions

tailored to your needs ®

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built on growth and trust ®

2015 Winner

Midtown 8712 W. Dodge Rd. Omaha, NE 68114 402.763.6000

Please call us today at 402-731-3333 to learn more about commercial recycling *Recycling costs are offset by a reduction in your trash bill. Ask your sales person for details.

Strong Partnerships

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THANK YOU OMAHA FOR VOTING US BEST OF B2B THE LAST FIVE YEARS!

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decisive, responsive

Oakview 2625 S. 140th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402.905.4100

Shadow Lake 774 Olson Dr. Papillion, NE 68046 402.281.4567

NMLS #456056

www.DeffenbaughInc.com 402-731-3333

ACCESSbank.com

We appreciate you voting us #1, Omaha.

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Thank You for Voting Us Best of B2B™ 4 Years in a Row! AUDIO VISUAL SERVICES OFFERED INCLUDE: • System design/engineering • Sales

• Installation • Maintenance and Service

• Equipment Rental and Operation

2700 sq. ft. of rental facility for conferencing, meetings, training sessions, receptions, gatherings, webinars

Contact our Highly Trained and Certified Staff at

402- 298-5011 | www.conceptsav.com 4610 S. 133rd Street, Suite 106 | Omaha, NE 68137

Serving business and personal clients since 1959!

Tax Planning & Consulting Financial Statement Assurance Business Valuation & Litigation Support Information Technology Services Payroll / Bookkeeping Forensic Accounting Employee Benefit Plan Audits Estate Tax Planning Wealth Advisory Services Cost Segregation Studies R & D Tax Credits

www.fzacpa.com 402.496.9100

BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

omahamagazine.com

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Picture Framing Lewis Art Gallery lewisartgallery.com 402-391-7733

Ginger’s Hang-up

Plumbing Company Eyman Plumbing, Heating & Air Backlund Plumbing

backlundplumbking.com 402-341-0450

Property Management Cushman & Wakefield | The Lund Company lundco.com 402-393-8811

PJ Morgan Real Estate

Real Estate – Commercial CBRE|MEGA

The Harry A. Koch Co.

NAI NP Dodge

Insurance & Financial Consultants

nainpdodge.com 402-255-6060

Roofing Company Ciaccio Roofing Ciaccioroofing.com 402-293-8707

Scott Enterprises, Inc. scottent.com 402-571-2364

Member of First Insurance Group, LLC

Thank you, Omaha – for again voting Chastain Otis

Best of Omaha!

Find an insurance plan built for YOU... not someone else.

CHASTAIN OTIS INSURANCE & FINANCIAL SERVICES

9394 West Dodge Rd. Suite 150 Omaha, NE 68114 402.397.2500 www.chastainotis.com

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TEN YEARS AT NUMBER ONE. At First National Bank, we understand business and have a long history of doing what’s right for our customers. Experienced, knowledgeable commercial bankers evaluate your needs and provide the fundamental tools you need to grow your company. Combine commercial banking expertise with financial strength and you’ll understand why we’ve been named the Best of B2B for the past ten years.

402.602.5100 | firstnational.com | Member FDIC

Trust your business to our experience. Contact a First National commercial banker today.

COMMERCIAL BANKING

First National Bank is a Preferred SBA Lender

BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

omahamagazine.com

Quality, Dependable Trash & Recycling Service

Security Equipment/Systems SEi, Security Equipment Inc. sei-security.com 402-333-3233

ADT

Sign Company Best Buy Signs bestbuysigns.net 402-861-0384

Renze Display renze.com 402-342-1111

Snow Removal Service Sun Valley Landscaping sunvalleyomaha.com 402-609-7913

A & P Construction

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• Waste Disposal • Rear Load Containers • Front Load Containers • Recycling

RESIDENTIAL

• Dependable Weekly Trash Service • Trash Carts & Recycling Bins • Weekly Recycling • Weekly Yard Waste

2015 Winner

COMPAC TORS

• Stationary Compactors • Self-Contained Compactors • Cardboard Compactors • Recycling • Compactor Maintenance Performed

CONSTRUC TION & CLEAN-UP

• Roll-Off Containers • C&D Landfill • C&D Recycling • Green Build Services

Locally Owned & Operated

abestrash.com | 8123 Christensen Lane

402-571-4926

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2015 Winner

(402) 905 9511 OmarEvents.com Facebook– Omar Arts & Events 4383 Nicholas, Omaha, NE 68131 Suite 230

Thanks For Voting Miller Electric

Best in Omaha

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402.593.1080 printcographics.com

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That’s why we always follow Mom’s advice and send thank you notes—of course at Printco we can design, print, finish and mail that card all in-house. Just make sure and tell her we said, “Thank you Omaha for voting Printco a Best of B2B 2015 winner”, okay?

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BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

omahamagazine.com

Credit Card Merchant Processing TSYS Merchant Solutions

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Thanks for Voting S&W Fence the Best Again in 2015!

tsysmerchantsolutions.com 1-800-354-3988

American Payment Systems

AmericanPaymentSystems.com 402.502.9985

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Payroll Service Payroll Maxx

2015 Winner

Paychex Inc.

paychex.com 402-331-6600

We’re Not Just About Fences.

FOOD SERVICES

www.sw-fence.com • 402-333-5722

In Commercial Roofing, The Thompson Center at UNO One Name’s On Top. In Commercial Roofing, One Name’s On Top. Banquet Facility The Bel Air Banquet Room

Nebraska’s largest roofing company is also Nebraska’s

Nebraska’s largest roofing company is alsoisNebraska’s best.project, Whenbe sure to best.

When quality critical to your Caterer specify Scott Enterprises. quality is critical to your project, be sure to specify Scott Enterprises.

Brandeis Catering

For more than 35 years, trusted Brandeiscatering.com 402-334-5446 on these and many other projects ...

• TD Ameritrade Park

Eddie’s Catering • First National Bank Tower

SCOTT ENTERPRISES

• Midtown Crossing • Village Pointe Shopping Center • UNO Weber Fine Arts Building 402-571-2364 | www.ScottEnt.com For more than 35 years, trusted on these and many other projects...

Restaurant •–Children’s Hospital 9684 N 109th Street, Omaha, NE 68142

TD Ameritrade Park | First National Bank Tower | Midtown Crossing Village Pointe Shopping Center | UNO Weber Fine Arts Building | Children’s Hospital Aksarben Village | Joslyn Art Museum | Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center University of Nebraska Omaha Community Arena

9684 N. 109th Ave. • Omaha, NE 68142 • 402-571-2364 • scottent.com

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Business Breakfast The Egg & I

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MEETINGS DONE RIGHT

Flexible Space for 10-700 • Exceptional Catering

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• Competitive Pricing • 1 Week Service on Custom Framing • Over 900 Mouldings in Stock to Choose From • 44 Years of Serving the Omaha Community • Over 97 Years Combined Picture Framing Experience

2015 Winner

8600 Cass Street 402.391.7733 www.LewisArtGallery.com

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2012

ActionCOACHOmaha.com

BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

omahamagazine.com

sullivanssteakhouse.com/omaha 402-342-0077

Stokes Grill & Bar

Equipment will be recycled in an environmentally-friendly fashion in accordance with EPA and Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality regulations. No electronics will be placed in a landfill.

All electronics will be processed at our facility before shipping to third party recyclers in the United States for final destruction.

All memory devices will be destroyed and a signed CERTIFICATE OF DESTRUCTION is provided with each order

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At PC Recycling, we use our years of experience in the E-Waste industry to develop environmentally responsible solutions for our customers.

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Restaurant – Business Dinner Mahogany Prime Steakhouse

· · ·

Call Us For Your Computer Recycling Needs

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Restaurant – Business Lunch Sullivan’s Steakhouse

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7754 I Plaza, Omaha · 402.763.8767 · pcrecyclingomaha.com

mahoganyprime.com 402-445-4380 801chophouse.com 402-341-1222

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Thank youThank Omaha you Omaha

Ideal Pure Water

Pest control needs.

THANK YOU OMAHA!

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2015 Winner

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TRAVEL & EVENT PLANNING

Proud to be Omaha’s Commercial Real Estate Experts since 1981!

Thanks Omaha for 30 Years! ess-to-Busines sin sM Bu OMA H a

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AVI Systems

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Audio-Visual Service CONCEPTS AV Integration

2015 Winner

for voting us ‘Best of Omaha™’ & ‘Best of B2B™” us best for voting for all your pest control needs. of Omaha for all you

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Coffee Provider LaRue Coffee

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A Family Business Since 1975 402-397-8884

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801 Chophouse

2015 Winner

8 Consecutive Years

402.399.9233 | www.sparklingklean.com

A+ Rating 20 Consecutive Years

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402.342.0077 | 222 S. 15th Street | Omaha, NE

BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

omahamagazine.com

Business Conference Venue Scott Conference Center scottcenter.com 402-778-6313

The Omar Baking Building omarevents.com 402-905-9511

S.E. corner of 72nd & Pacific

Florist Taylor’s Flower Shop & Greenhouse taylorsflowers24hours.com 402-733-2322

Janousek Florist & Greenhouse janousekflorist.com 402-556-5652

Public Golf Course Quarry Oaks Golf Club 11 Consecutive Years! ess-to-Busines sin sM Bu OMA H a

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omaha.hilton.com 402.998.3400

Embassy Suites Omaha-La Vista

Event Planning Service planitomaha inc. planitomaha.com 402-333-3062

Events Inc.

Delivering Comfort Everywhere Employee owned | 24 Hour Emergency Service

4972 F Street • 402-593-7500 • a1united.net

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Indian Creek Golf Course

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for 9 Consecutive Years of Trust!

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Thanks for Voting us Your #1 Locksmith!

2015 Winner

Flat Roof Specialists

Convenience + Peace of Mind + Protection

New • Repairs • Reroof • Skylights 28 Years of Quality, Integrity and Service

To see what else we are up to, check us out at:

4420 Izard St • Omaha, NE | 402.293.8707 • 888.738.0296

CarlJarl.com

Suffering from Flatlining Sales?

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3 Years in a Row!

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“The Sandler Selling System is so contrarian to traditional sales methods and yet it makes so much sense. We have found it to be highly effective. The system really works!”

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We Can Help

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Are you tired of wasting time...

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Join us for a FREE Executive Briefing to learn more about how Sandler Training can grow your business.

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• presenting to prospects that have no need?

• presenting to prospects that have no money?

• presenting to prospects that can’t make a decision?

2015 Winner

Register on our website at www.karlschaphorst.sandler.com Or call us at 402-403-4334.

T: 402-403-4334 3828 Dodge St • Omaha, NE 68131 kschaphorst@sandler.com

402-556-0595

www.forestgreenlawncare.com Karl Schaphorst Owner

US ON

omahamagazine.com

BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

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Rental Service Store AAARents United Rent-All

Travel Agency Travel & Transport travelandtransport.com 402-399-4500

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BUSINESS SERVICES

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Travel Leaders

2015 Winner

Advertising Specialties Bergman Incentives bergmanincentives.com 402-661-7900

Ideal Images

ideal-images.com 402-596-1002

Background & Drug Screening Service One Source onesourcebackground.com 402-933-9999

3rd Degree Screening

3rddegreescreening.com

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• • • • • •

Interior Painting Exterior Painting Drywall Repair Wall Covering Installation Wall Covering Removal Handyman & Carpentry Service

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10 years in a row 13665 California Street 402.445.4380 www.mahoganyprime.com

WHAT IF Employment Screening Was This Easy?

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402.733.5500 | 4315 South 50th Street

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• Customizable Background Checks • FCRA Compliance • EEOC Compliance Assessment Tool • Electronic Form I-9 & E-Verify • Drug Screening & Occupational Health Services • Applicant Tracking Tools & Integration

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70 Years of Business in Omaha! ’s

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gerstcontracting.com 402.289.1010

Private party rooms available for 6 to 40 people.

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37 YEARS OF BUSINESS IN OMAHA!

Prime Steak Fine Wine Premium Service

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Taking Pride in Our Professionalism & Craftsmanship

2015 Winner

3rdDegreeScreening.com · 712-256-1701 NAPBS Certified Staff, Federally Approved Investigative Service Provider, WOSB, SHRM and Chamber Member.

omahamagazine.com

BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

Business Broker The Firm Business Brokerage Sunbelt of Nebraska

Business Forms & Systems Performance Group Inc.

Business Phone Systems inTouch Communications T1 Technologies, Inc.

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Computer Service Affordable Computer Repair Omaha Computer Repair

Copier Service Better Business Equipment BBEomaha.com 402-393-6666

SolutionOne

402.391.2336 www.soshvac.com | 8314 Maple Street

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• 24 Hour Emergency Service • No Commisions Earned by Our Techs • Fair Treatment to Our Customers • 3rd Generation Family Owned Business • Residential and Commercial Contractor Om ah a

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Thank you Omaha Businesses

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for trusting TSYS Merchant Solutions with your payment processing.

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get to know us.

1601 Dodge Street Omaha, NE 68102 402.574.7224 www.tsysmerchantsolutions.com

© 2015 Total System Services, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide. TSYS® is a federally registered service mark of Total System Services, Inc. TSYS Merchant Solutions is a registered ISO/MSP of both First National Bank of Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, and Synovus Bank, Columbus, Georgia.

BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

omahamagazine.com

Corporate Jet Service Jet Linx

business. entertainment. family. food & drink. health. home. lifestyle. style.

JetLinxOmaha.com 402-422-0393

NetJets

Delivery Service Fast-Trac Freight Services

omahamercedes.com 402-384-9999

Nissan of Omaha

Electronics Recycling Midwest Electronic Recycling PC Recycling

Internet Provider Cox Communications coxbusiness.com 402-934-3223

CenturyLink

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Delivery Vehicle Dealer Mercedes-Benz of Omaha

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HotShot Deliveries, Inc.

the new

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THANKS

FOR VOTING US

YEARS

RUNNING

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BEST PRINTER

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From Idea to In-Home and Beyond

OmahaPrint.com

Thanks for honoring us for the 7th year in a row as Omaha’s “Best Financial Planning Firm”.* We’re proud to continue our service to Omaha’s great community.

101 South 108th Avenue, Second Floor • Omaha, NE 68154 www.FeltzWealthPLAN.com • 1.800.366.5448 • 402.691.0200 Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC. | All rights reserved. Copyright 2015 Feltz WealthPLAN *Polls conducted by Omaha Magazine. Results based on popular vote.

BEST OF B2B 2015 | SPRING 2015 |

omahamagazine.com

Mailing Lists CAS Inc cas-online.com 402-964-9998

Commercial Photographer David Radler Studio, Inc.

Water – Bottled Ideal Pure Water Deep Rock Water

davidradler.com

infoUSA

Robert Ervin Photography, Inc.

Mailing Service DBS Burke

Website Developer Web Solutions Omaha

Printer Omaha Print

Elevated SEO & Web Design elevatedseo.com 402-715-9193

omahaprint.com 402-734-4400

Omaha Mail, Inc.

Printco Graphics Office Supplies Pay-LESS Office Products OfficeMax

Sales Training Sandler Training sandler.com 402-403-4334

ActionCOACH

ActionCOACHomaha.com 402-676-8809

PROFESSIONAL IMPECCABLE MEMORABLE FOUR EXCLUSIVE VENUES: LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE BALLROOM TIPTOP DOWNTOWN BALLROOM THOMPSON CENTER AT UNO

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GEORGETOWNE CLUB

2440 SOUTH 141ST CIRCLE • (402) 334-5446 • www.brandeiscatering.com

"Thank you for selecting us the Best Caterer in Omaha for the past 9 years!"

- Joe Thallas Owner/General Manager

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OFFICE FURNITURE

BY DOUG SCHURING

WORKPLACE MOBILITY

HERE. THERE. ANYWHERE. EVERYWHERE. Mobility in the workplace today can mean many things…work from home, work from anywhere, or work anywhere within the office.

More likely than not, workers are going to become more mobile.

Mobile working is here to stay.

Some facts to recognize: • Mobility is already happening, whether the organization formally supports it or not. There are typically two forms: external (outside the office) and internal (within/around the office).

• Increasingly, workforces include remote workers—whether they work from home, or just somewhere other than the office.

• And many organizations are realizing that even those “in” the office are at their assigned seat less than 40% of the time, suggesting that many individuals are spending a large portion of their day someplace else within the building or somewhere outside the office entirely.

A secondary factor driving internal mobility is the increased speed, complexity, and collaborative nature of work. While individual, focused tasks continue to be how people work, many other work processes involve connecting with others. We need to talk, meet, brainstorm, solve problems, and develop responses, all of which typically means getting up and out of our chairs to do things with others – that person can be down the hall, down the road, or across the world. In the past we may have performed the vast majority of our work at our desk, but for many workers, this just isn’t true anymore.

home, a client site, a hotel, coffee shop, or an airport lounge. Mobile technologies support work processes, communication, and collaboration regardless of location.

Mobility can take different forms.

•

More often than not, mobility is a catch phrase for different workplace programs called by such terms as telework, telecommuting, hoteling, flexible seating, etc. Simply, mobility can be described as allowing individuals, when supported by healthy mobile technology and workplace policies, to work in any location where they believe they can do their best work.

A true mobility program is challenging.

It requires a long-term vision. In the end, the appropriate mobility plan that supports everyone’s expectations and needs will make the company more productive, competitive, and profitable.

Mobility has become an important component of the workplace today. At the core of an effective program are flexibility, choice, and trust. These provide workers the choice of a range of internal and external work settings: • •

Flexibility enabled by technology Work practices to seamlessly move between the different settings Trusting that employees will use the setting where they can do their best work.

B2B What’s changed that’s caused this to happen?

The primary driver for mobility is technology.

This enables us to work anytime, anywhere.

It’s all about the laptops, tablets, and smart phones and the software on them that facilitates communication, collaboration, and establishing “presence” independent of time and location; and access to wireless. Technology is enabling changes in other ways that foster mobility, including file sharing, team communications, and how work itself is completed.

So if they’re not at their desk, where is everyone working?

They can be internally mobile, where their workplace provides the choice and flexibility to seamlessly move between various work settings (their desk, conference rooms, the hallway, the break room, etc.) depending on the specific tasks they need to complete.

They may be externally mobile, which covers all the bases outside the office: working anywhere, anytime including

Doug Schuring is the Director of Sales Administration at All Makes Office Equipment.

omahamagazine.com SPRING 2015 |

B4B

BY WENDY WISEMAN

FILLING THE RANKS

81

PROGRAM HELPS BUSINESSES GROW TALENT IN A SHRINKING LABOR POOL. People in business today know that hiring and retaining good people can be a challenge.

Intending to be in business tomorrow, you surely know the facts: The U.S. Census Bureau reports that by the year 2016, the number of Baby Boomers ages 55+ projected to be at the end of their careers (leaving the available labor pool) is nearly 12 million, while the number of Millennials and GenYs (ages 16 to 44) entering and moving through the labor force is projected to be 917,000. Do the math. There simply won’t be enough people to fill the wide gap.

This is where Bellevue University’s Strategic Initiatives Division comes in for business.

This division of Bellevue University develops relationships with executives of Fortune 1,000 companies to provide knowledge and skills to employees in the ranks so that they contribute effectively to company goals, strategies, productivity, and profit. At work at America’s largest companies today are Bellevue University’s Future Leader Fundamentals learning programs. According to Jim Nekuda, Associate Vice President of the division, these programs are customized to the companies’ business models and cultures, and they are designed to deliver a strong understanding of profitable operations among other specifics.

“What we uniquely provide is relevant knowledge that works for long term survivability given the impending talent dearth and the challenges of the global economy,” Nekuda says. “Companies need talent with staying power. They need people who want

to stay because their knowledge makes them valuable. That motivates employees because they know they are making a difference while growing their careers. When we help develop learning programs that move the needle, it’s fulfilling for us at Bellevue University, too.”

And for good reason. Nekuda shared results from a study of one of their learning programs at a Fortune 500 company that showed an 11 percent increases in sales, 23 percent increase in store performance and a 50 percent increase in the likelihood of promotion among employees who took part in the program vs. those who did not.

Ken Carrig, corporate executive vice president and chief human resources officer for SunTrust Banks, said in an article in Bank News magazine that through their relationship with Bellevue University, “We developed courses tailored to SunTrust which uniquely prepared teammates to serve our clients better. When our teammates have a richer understanding of the full range of services we offer and how they can help people achieve financial well-being, we can better compete for the business of clients and prospects.”

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This is yet another example of one business being for another to overcome real challenges faced by us all today.

If you’re ready to tell your B4B story, contact B2B editor Robert Nelson at robert@omahamagazine.com and we’ll get you on the docket.

B2B Wendy Wiseman is creative director at Zaiss & Company, a customer-based planning and communications firm.

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volume 15 | issue 1

B2B OMAHA MAGAZINE

82

THE KNOW IT ALL

OIL PLAY

THE 800 POUND GORILLA HAS SPOKEN Saudi Arabia is changing the world economy with the continued pumping of oil as well as statements regarding reduced oil demand.

Consumption has been going down since 2006, so there are other forces at work here. This Saudi production has pulled the price of oil to their targeted goal of less than $60 per barrel, a program that will remain the same with the new King Salman. The reasons why they are doing this are much more than the simplistic surface statements offered by media pundits and talking heads. Let’s examine a few here:

ISIS - The advancement of the Islamic State in areas with prolific oil supplies, and resulting black market sales to fund their operations, has a lot to do with the $60 target price. ISIS has to sell at a discounted spot market price and the lower overall price cuts deeply into their revenues. This benefits Saudi Arabia because it weakens an obvious military threat without direct combat.

COMPENSATION - The lower energy price benefits the United States, which compensates for the renewed military presence in Iraq, a presence that will further degrade the ISIS threat.

SANCTIONS - Lowered oil prices offer another form of sanction against Russia, which depends on oil and natural gas sales for hard currency. This has been perceived as a threat by Russia, which may manifest some sort of retaliation.

FRACKING - The lowered oil price has had an immediate impact on oil production permits where expensive fracking is required. As I write this, there has been a 40 percent reduction in permits. This reduces the notion that North America will be selfsufficient with oil.

Though, I think this is temporary, as $60 is a price still profitable in

many locations with high fracking use.

Lower than $60 and we will see most domestic drilling stop until prices increase.

SPECULATOR DEVASTATION - Sadly, the trading in oil futures has been dominated by speculation with over 80 percent of the trades being by those who could never take delivery of the oil being traded. Historically, speculator involvement was no more than 30 percent. While this directly benefited oil-producing countries, the cost to energy consumers has resulted in a wealth transfer from the middle class and poor greater than most financial calamities.

DELEVERAGING - Some are indicating that the significant change in relative currency values is at the root of this commodity devaluation.

The 800 Pound Gorilla has a protector, and that is the United States. The price for U.S. taxpayers is much more than what we pay at the gas pump.

As with most everything in life, the sword cuts both ways. The horror that is ISIS and the threat they pose to the Middle East is resulting in lower energy costs for American consumers. We will see how this plays out over the next couple years, whether the alarm from the Middle East of another World War are a real concern, or not.

BOTTOM LINE: Small businesses will get a break in transportation cost for the next couple years. Make the best of it, but keep an eye on each vehicle replacement with the most energy efficient option possible. This is because these discounted fuel prices won’t last long (The Saudi’s indicate five years). Think of it as a big sale, and use this as an opportunity to save money. But just know it’s not permanent.

B2B

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