Thinking Bigger Business Magazine - November by Thinking Bigger Business Magazine

VOL. 27 // ISSUE 11 // NOVEMBER 2018

THE GOAL: ASSIST, CONNECT, SCORE Platform helps former athletes win in the job market.

‘DARE TO SEEK HELP’ Immigrant entrepreneurs find resources to grow businesses.

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CONTENTS

NOV E M B ER 2018 VOL. 27 // ISSUE 11

IN FOCUS

46 Wyandotte County/ Kansas City, Kan.

A new grocery store in downtown Kansas City, Kan., could help attract more small businesses and residents to the neighborhood. D E PA R T M E N T S

07 The Bigger Picture 08 Legislative Briefs 09 Biz Bits 12 BIG | deals 15 25 Under 25 Updates 50 BIG | shots F E AT U R E

29 ‘Dare to seek help’

Immigrant entrepreneurs, with help from local resources, earn billions in revenue

S M A R T S T R AT E G I E S

32 BIGGER | strategy Menees Family Dentistry’s third-generation leader must use new business tactics to keep the 72-year-old practice thriving.

34 BIGGER | management RSVP: Leadership that Inspires a Response

36 BIGGER | tech Searching for Answers on Google Rankings?

38 BIGGER | finance Keys to Small Business Financing

24 | KC ENTREPRENEURS HE ON T R E V CO

IN THE ZONE Athlete Network develops niche by helping former players score big in the job market.

40 BIGGER | sales 3 Ways to Improve Your Sales Conversations

42 BIGGER | self-care Sleep on It 4

THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

16 BIG INFLUENCE

19 BIG STARTS

19 MADE TO LAST

Athlete Network has 22 employees at its office in the Lenexa Plexpod coworking space. Each employee is an athlete, from former football players to marathoners to CrossFit enthusiasts.

C O M PA N Y T O WAT C H

KC M A D E I T

ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY

Nickel & Suede

Potion Yarns

Courtney and Lance Windholz

The Liberty jewelry maker is one of the country’s fastest-growing small businesses.

A hairstylist found she could dye yarn like she does hair.

The couple invests in and builds small businesses. SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

CONTENTS

N OVE M B ER 2018

ON THE WEB // iTHINKBIGGER.COM PRODUCED BY

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Thinking Bigger Business Media Inc.

Visit www.iThinkBigger.com for articles full of insights and strategies from our exclusive Web columnists.

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ADMINISTRATIVE

Katie Bean Editor and Managing Director

whitespace revenue zone

Shawn Kinkade

SALES + MARKETING

Kelly Scanlon Business Development

Elizabeth Usovicz

What Should You Stop Doing?

Out of the Blue: Leading People Through Unexpected Situations

Lisa Rockett Sales Manager PRODUCTION & GRAPHICS

Valerie Janes Designer Katie West Print Production

1 8 TH A N N U A L 2 5 U N D E R 2 5 AWA R D S

Dan Videtich Photographer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

25 Under 25 Awards

Learn more about the 25 Under 25 Awards Program for businesses with fewer than 25 employees. Contact sales manager Lisa Rockett, lrockett@ithinkbigger.com for sponsorship opportunities. www.25Under25.com Business Calendar

Find out about hundreds of business events, networking opportunities, classes and workshops. Article Archives

Did you miss an issue? Search our archives for thousands of articles. Smart Companies to Watch

Wednesday, Nov. 7 | The Guild KC | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | 1621 Locust St. KCMO Details and tickets at SmartCompaniesKC.Eventbrite.com

Elyssa Bezner, Ruth Baum Bigus, Amy Collett, Ryann Dowdy, Nathan Harrup, Julius A. Karash, Kate Leibsle, David Mitchell, Kari Simpson, Mark Williams

P.O. Box 754, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66201-0754 (913) 432-6690 (888) 432-6444 FAX (913) 432-6676 editor@ithinkbigger.com lrockett@ithinkbigger.com iThinkBigger.com See our SRDS listing at www.SRDS.com

Business Resource Fair

Tuesday, Nov. 13 | Plexpod Westport Commons | 4-7:30 p.m. | 300 E. 39th St. KCMO A free event for startups and growing businesses

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authors are intended to communicate information and are not necessarily the views of this publication. The intent of this publication is to provide business professionals with informative

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Come to the One-Stop Shop for Entrepreneurial Resources

hen you’re a small

There are resources to discover and

business owner, it can

knowledge to be shared — even better,

be hard to look up from your work and

they’re all in one place during one week. That

take stock of the options available to grow

greatly narrows the field of where to look.

your business, find financing or seek a partner that might just ease that persistent pain point. As much as you hear, “Work on the business, not in the business,” there’s still work to be done, and you probably won’t be able to rest (or deliver on a project, or make payroll) until you get that out of the way. Besides, if you

Better yet, Thinking Bigger has partnered with KCSourceLink to put on a Business Resource Fair, where organizations from all over the metro will be on hand to tell you exactly what they do and how they can help your business. We’ll also debut our new edition of the

don’t know where to look, finding help becomes a whole

Thinking Bigger Guide for Entrepreneurs & Growing

project in itself.

Businesses, which contains a listing of resource

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has answered

organizations and Smart Strategies for all stages

that question of where to seek help with its Global

of business.

Entrepreneurship Week, which takes place this year

If you can take just one day — or even one hour — to

Nov. 12-18.

get out of the daily grind, make it during Global

Kansas City will host more than 100 events, and they’ll

Entrepreneurship Week (KCSourceLink.com/GEW). If

be at Plexpod Westport Commons in midtown.

you can pick just one event, we hope to see you Nov. 13

What does that mean for you, the busy entrepreneur?

at the Business Resource Fair.

Katie Be an

// Edi tor and Managing D irec to r // kbean@iThinkBigger.com

SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

L E G I S L AT I V E B R I E F S

FEDERAL Renegotiated trade agreement affects spectrum of industries A new agreement will cover trade in North America. In October, the United States-MexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA) was signed, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Many provisions go into effect in 2020. The trade deal aims to increase the amount of auto parts made in North America and eases restrictions on import of U.S. dairy products to Canada. The deal also covers tech and bioscience with provisions that increase protections for intellectual property and allows U.S. drug companies more time to sell branded

pharmaceuticals in Canada before facing competition from generics.

B is on the Nov. 6 ballot. It would raise the

Amazon fuels minimum wage debate

rent $7.85 per hour to $12 per hour in 2023.

In October, retailer Amazon announced it would raise its starting wage from $11 per hour to $15 per hour. The wage increases apply to more than 250,000 employees, including seasonal workers and Whole Foods employees. At the same time, Amazon said it would lobby to raise the federal minimum wage, which is $7.25. The announcement received praise from workers’ advocacy groups but was met with concern from small business advocates, who said businesses should be able to set wages based on their financials. In Missouri, a measure called Proposition

minimum wage incrementally from the cur-

MISSOURI Governor’s board seat aims to increase graduation rates Gov. Mike Parson was elected to the board of Jobs for America’s Graduates, which aims to prevent students from dropping out of high school. He is one of 10 state governors on the board. In Missouri, 29 schools participate in the program, which will serve 2,000 students statewide this school year.

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THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

SIGNS

BIZ BITS

Eligible business are at least two years old, have two or more employees, generate annual sales of more than $200,000 and are in a market capable of supporting more than $1 million in annual revenue. They also must have a desire to grow the business. ScaleUP! KC is administered by the University of Missouri-Kansas City Innovation Center. More information on applications can be found at ScaleUpKC.com.

Applications open for ScaleUP! KC ScaleUP! Kansas City — a free, four-month program that teaches driven small-business owners how to propel their established business to the next level of success — seeks entrepreneurs who are ready to grow and scale their operations. The ninth cohort will begin in February 2019. Applications are due Dec. 31.

VC forum seeks companies to pitch The 2019 InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum is now accepting applications for presenting companies at its 20th annual conference. In celebration of its anniversary, the conference is dubbed “20 Years of Capital

Meeting BIG Ideas.” Highlighting an average of 45 highgrowth startup companies in the life sciences, technology and food/agricultural bioenergy industries, InvestMidwest brings more than 300 attendees and investors together to explore potential investment opportunities. The goal is to provide access to capital for emerging, privately held companies and to promote business growth, entrepreneurship and expansion across the Midwest. Applications to present an eight-minute case for funding are reviewed by a selection committee. InvestMidwest is scheduled for March 19-20, 2019, at the Westin Kansas City at Crown Center The application deadline is Jan 4.

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Healthy patients and a healthy business. At Commerce Bank, we have the experience to manage the unique financial challenges of the healthcare industry. From simple loan plans that help patients to optimizing your most complex payment processes, we have options that allow you to focus on providing a higher level of healthcare.

SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

BIZ BITS

Gigabit Lab opens in Lee’s Summit University of Central Missouri, along with the Greater Kansas City MetroLab Partnership, announced the creation of Gigabit Lab in September. A gigabit network allows for technology to operate at a greater speed of transmission; the lab serves as a hub to develop gigabit applications in education, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and health care. Located at the Missouri Innovation Campus in Lee’s Summit, Gigabit Lab welcomes researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs to research and create these advanced applications. Currently at Gigabit Lab, the focus is on applications and solutions within education and health care. Additionally, virtual reality and augmented reality applications are being developed for health care training in anatomy of the human body, and projects for disease monitoring and awareness (cloud-based).

New companies funded by Digital Sandbox KC

Four startups were tapped to receive project funding from the successful Digital Sandbox KC program, two in partnership with Innovation Stockyard in St. Joseph. Digital Sandbox KC is a proof-of-concept program that significantly and rapidly moves 10

THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

early-stage entrepreneurs from concept to commercialization. It is a unique collaboration among private, public, university/ research and philanthropic organizations. The companies selected for support include iSocial, TravelHive, Carroll’s Irish Bitters and Grant Co. The latter two companies received funding from the Sandbox partnership with the Innovation Stockyard in St. Joseph. In addition to up to $15,000 in project development funds, the Innovation Stockyard, located inside the Kit Bond Incubator in St. Joseph, will offer the two startups coworking space for three to six months.

Local firms earn funding at Pure Pitch competition During Techweek KC in October, eight Kansas City-area startups earned funding at a competition called Pure Pitch, styled after the TV show “Shark Tank.” The total awarded surpassed $1.1 million. One of the night’s big winners was TheraWe Connect, a HIPPA-compliant video platform created to bridge the gap between therapy center and home for parents of children with developmental disabilities. Many funders said they felt a personal connection with the startup’s mission. FastDemocracy was another popular pitch and won the People’s Choice award, voted on by the audience. It aims to make a platform that would enhance the transparency of bills and policies as they percolate through the legislative process. In addition to cash, pitchers received a desk at WeWork coworking space, credits for Amazon Web Services and credit for online training.

LaunchKC doles out $500K to startups

LaunchKC awarded nine startups a half-million dollars in nondilutive grants during Techweek KC in October. The 20 finalists, selected from 586 applicants, included 14 Kansas City-area companies. AgVoice, based in Atlanta, took home the $100,000 grand prize. AgVoice is a mobile voice-interaction service that allows food and agriculture professionals to capture insights and increase workflow productivity. It graduated from the Sprint Accelerator in 2017. Eight other companies, including six from the KC metro, earned $50,000 each: Boddle Learning, Bungii, Digs, Erkios Systems, Just Play Sports Solutions, PlaBook, Strayos and Venture360.

Entrepreneurship funding program earns international recognition LaunchKC, Kansas City’s innovative funding program for entrepreneurs, was awarded a Bronze Excellence in Economic Development Award in the entrepreneurship category by the International Economic Development Council. The award was given Oct. 2 during the IEDC’s annual conference in Atlanta. The award of excellence from the IEDC highlights the value LaunchKC provides the greater metro community. Created by the Economic Development Corp. of Kansas City, Mo., and managed in part by the Downtown Council of Kansas City, LaunchKC provided $1.5 million dollars in funding for 29 startups in its first two years. Since 2015, the program has awarded $500,000 in nondilutive grants to nine startups annually.

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BIG | deals

AWARDS & RECOGNITION A.B. May earns Global Healthy Workplace Award A.B. May, an HVAC plumbing and electric company based in Kansas City, Mo., has received a Global Healthy Workplace Award for its company-wide well-being program. Presented by Wolf Kirsten International Health Consulting and i-Genius, the Global Healthy Workplace Awards began in 2013 and are open to any organization from any nation in categories of small and medium-sized, large enterprise, and multinational. A.B. May won in the small and medium-sized category for companies with less than 500 employees. It was the only U.S. company to win. Since 2011, A.B. May has offered a program that focuses on holistic well-being including physical, financial, purpose, social and community. The company has an on-site gym and healthy food market, and offers personal finance coaching, weight loss support and more. CEO lands on Top 40 Under 40 list Valerie Jennings, CEO of two Overland Park digital marketing agencies, was named to the Top 40 Under 40 digital marketing leaders by Direct Marketing News. The award recognizes “the best, most accomplished, high-level superstars in the business of marketing — all under the age of 40,” according to Direct Marketing News editors. Jennings founded Jennings Social Media Marketing in 2003 at age 24. In 2012, she launched creative agency Viral Bolt Media. Her firms recently moved into a new office in Overland Park. 12

THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

New Excelsior Springs brewery honored Dubious Claims Brewing Co. earned two awards from the Downtown Excelsior Partnership at the Excelsior Springs annual benefit dinner. The brewery, which opened in spring 2018, was named as Newcomer of the Year and Best Downtown Beautification Project for its extensive building renovation. Broadway Bar & Grill earned Cornerstone Business of the Year. CEO earns banking award Josh Rowland, CEO of Lead Bank, was selected as the 2018 ICBA Community Banker of the Year for the Central region in September. This award is based on agility and bringing teams together to obtain better results; strength of dedication to the organization’s success; super speed in embracing change and innovation; and adaptability in being creative, resourceful and impactful. Rowland was chosen from among more than 250 nominations. Rowland and Lead Bank will be featured in the December 2018 issue of Independent Banker magazine and will be recognized in person at the 2019 ICBA Community Banking LIVE! National Convention in Nashville in March. EXPANSION Plexpod plans fourth metro location Plexpod LLC, a local coworking space provider, plans to open its fourth location in December at 512 Delaware St. in Kansas City’s River Market. The company, run by CEO Gerald Smith, also has locations in the Crossroads Arts

District, Lenexa and midtown, where it took over a former middle school and converted it into 116,000 square feet of event and workspace.

Bennett Packing expands digital printing options A packaging and display company based in Lee’s Summit has expanded its digital printing capabilities. Two years ago, Bennett Packaging of Kansas City Inc. invested in the first large-format, single-pass, direct-to-corrugate digital printer in North America. This year, it installed its second Barberan Jetmaster digital press. Over the past two and a half years, the company reported, Bennett clients have benefitted from efficiencies from the digital process, and Bennett has seen an increase in market share. The first 66-inch Jetmaster operates during three shifts each day. Bennett’s second Jetmaster is 48 inches wide and better aligns with projects that would normally be printed on a 40-inch offset press, the company said. Bennett is a WBE run by CEO Kathy Bennett. Mexican restaurant announces expansion Brookside Barrio is opening a second location in south Kansas City. The Mexican restaurant and bar, which opened in February in Kansas City’s Brookside neighborhood, announced plans in October

BIG | deals

to open its second eatery in Red Bridge Shopping Center at Holmes and Red Bridge roads just south of Interstate 435. The center is undergoing extensive renovations. The restaurant, which will be 5,000 square feet with a 2,000-square-foot patio, plans to open next spring. It is led by owners Chris Ridler and Luke Pickett.

Tom’s Town expands distribution Tom’s Town Distilling Co. spirits are available in 10 new states in addition to Missouri and Kansas beginning this October. The new states include California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Virginia. The distillery is bringing its award-winning spirits to stores, bars and restaurants including the Palm Restaurant Group in each of the ten new states.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS Law firms merge Two area law firms have announced that they will combine forces. Rouse Frets Gentile Rhodes LLC and White Goss PC merged effective Sept. 30. The new legal name of the firm is Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes PC. Chuck Rouse and Harold Goss will serve as managing officers of the combined firm, which will maintain the White Goss office near the Country Club Plaza and the Rouse Frets locations in downtown Kansas City and Leawood’s Park Place. The combined firm has 65 attorneys and many business-related practice areas.

NEW BUSINESS

NEW PRODUCTS

VC firm brings new investment approach to Midwest Seasoned Kansas City investors have started a new venture capital firm to meet an underserved need in the startup ecosystem. Target Hill Capital focuses on early-stage funding for entrepreneurial companies past the “friends and family” stage — typically $50,000 to $100,000—but not yet ready for seed funding ($1 million or more). The company provides funding in the range of $250,000 to $500,000. Target Hill takes a hands-on approach, working with business owners to implement best practices for operations, finance and customer acquisition to help ensure success. Target Hill works primarily with technology startups that have an existing product and that have identified a market with significant growth potential.

Fitness company releases Personal Gym Pro and coaching app OYO Fitness, the developer of personal fitness equipment intended for individuals to use at home, work or on the go, has released the OYO Personal Gym Pro and a coaching app. The OYO (On Your Own) Personal Gym Pro syncs with the OYO app via Bluetooth, providing real-time tracking; the app also includes various fitness programs and coaching. Workouts include Arm Blaster, Butt Blaster

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BIG | deals

and Can’t Feel My Legs, among others. Based in Kansas City, OYO worked with FS Studios out of San Francisco on the development of the iOS application.

2015 to 124 in 2018 and expects to have 140 when it moves. It will increase its footprint from 26,000 square feet to 42,000 square feet. A key factor in the move: parking. Its new space at the Manor Square building, 4050 Pennsylvania Ave., offers garage parking for all employees.

of our employee-owners that Craig and I may not be around in five to 10 years, and we have their full trust in thinking and acting like owners moving forward,” Gordon said. In June, Gordon and Bridgeman sold back their shares of the company. Today, all 60 employees are investing in the company through the acquisition of stock that will accrue into retirement assets. Executive AirShare announces rebranding

Life Equals expands superfood line Life Equals, a KC-area nutrition company, has launched its second “superfood shot.” The two-ounce beverage is a turmeric blend that has half a day’s serving of fruit and vegetables. It aims to reduce inflammation and increase immunity. ON THE MOVE Three Dog Bakery sniffs out new CEO There’s a new top dog at Three Dog Bakery. Erin Turley, a local business leader, was named as CEO. Three Dog Bakery, a privately held franchise company headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is known for its brick-andmortar bakeries serving freshly baked treats for dogs. With more than 45 franchise locations across the United States, Canada and Hong Kong, Turley will oversee operations and the development of a strategic plan. Locally, Three Dog Bakery owns and operates two bakeries, in Leawood and at Country Club Plaza. A third area bakery in Overland Park is owned and operated by a franchisee, and a fourth will open in Lee’s Summit in 2019. Marketing firm announces move to Westport Marketing agency Sullivan Higdon & Sink announced it will move from the Crossroads Arts District to Westport in November 2019. The firm has grown from 87 employees in 14

THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

Livers Bronze names new president There is a new president at Livers Bronze, but he’s no stranger to the company. Charlie Livers recently replaced his brother, Richard “Deuce” Livers, who had served as president since 1991. Both brothers have worked at the 72-year-old designer and manufacturer of ornamental hand railings for more than 40 years. Livers Bronze railings are found in museums, libraries, corporate offices, airports and other buildings nationwide. OTHER NEWS

Reflecting a change in target market, Executive AirShare has changed its name to Airshare. The Lenexa-based fractional aircraft management company said it plands to “aggressively” expand its client base to include more leisure customers in addition to its business clients. The company’s new website is FlyAirshare.com. “Airshare has made incredible strides in recent months,” CEO John Owen said. “We’ve answered the demand for greater travel options in the Rocky Mountain region by expanding service to Denver. We’ve taken delivery of a new, technologically advanced Embraer Phenom 300E, becoming the nation’s first fractional provider to add this next-generation light jet to its fleet. The new branding continues the momentum our company is currently experiencing and positions us very well for the future.” Garage door company announces new name

Construction firm becomes 100 percent employee-owned North Kansas City construction firm Mega Industries Corp. is now 100 percent employee-owned. Founded in 1992, the construction company became a 56 percent Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 2006, beginning its approach to total employee investment. Until June, CEO Brian Gordon and COO Craig Bridgeman were majority owners. “We wanted to send a clear signal to all

Renner Supply Co. announced its rebranding in October. The garage door sales, service and installation company is now known as Renner Garage Door. The company, based in Kansas City, offers residential and commercial garage door product lines.

2 5 U N D E R 2 5 ® U P DAT E S

25 Under 25 alumni among new HEMP class A new class of entrepreneurs is poised to grow with guidance from seasoned business leaders. The Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program announced 16 entrepreneurs entering its 2018 program, including the leaders of 25 Under 25 Award winners Freedom Interiors (Class of 2018) and Evolytics (Class of 2015). The program was founded in 1995 by Barnett Helzberg Jr., former owner and president of Helzberg Diamonds. HEMP matches seasoned, successful entrepreneur mentors with less experienced mentees. This year’s mentees: » Gene Abramov, Depth Security » Craig Armstrong, Loquient Inc. » Chase DeRousse, Major Painting » Carol Espinosa, Freedom Interiors » Julie Farrell, DB Flooring LLC dba

DuBois Consultants Two Kansas City firms, DuBois Consultants (Class of 2017) and Vazquez Commercial Contracting LLC, ranked among the nation’s fastest-growing inner city businesses on a list by Fortune. Vazquez, a general contractor, ranked No. 6 with a five-year growth rate of 1,481 percent and 2017 revenue of $30.4 million. DuBois, a civil engineering firm focused on water infrastructure, reported a five-year growth rate of 66.8 percent and 2017 revenue of $1.5 million.

EJ4 EJ4 (Class of 2015), a leading provider in online video training solutions, brought home 10 awards—six of them gold—from

Regents Flooring » Rusty Fulling, Fulling Management & Accounting, Inc. » Shelby Herrick, Shelby Herrick Salon » Dan Holmgren, Imagemakers Inc. » Richard Hu, HJM Architects » Michelle Macrorie, Autism From The Start » Nancy McCullough, e2E LLC » Rick O’Neill, RedesignKC » Kari Simpson, Digital Marketing Inc. » Babir Sultan, FavTrip » Justin Watkins, Native Digital » Tom Wilkins, Evolytics To be eligible for the program, entrepreneurs must have been in business three or more years and be the ultimate decision maker of the business, generate revenues between $1 million and $100 million, have at least five full-time employees and have a desire to significantly grow their business.

the third annual Stevie Awards for Great Employers banquet. EJ4 won the Grand Stevie Award for “Organization of the Year,” which goes to the company with the highest score in the judging process. The Stevie Awards for Great Employers recognize achievement in many facets of the workplace. EJ4 has offices in Kansas City‘s Crossroads Arts District and St. Louis.

Good Energy Solutions Lawrence solar company Good Energy Solutions (Class of 2018) earned a spot on the Solar Power World Top Solar Contractors list for the fourth year in a row. It ranked No. 248 out of 450 companies. The list recognizes the achievements of U.S. solar developers,

subcontractors and installers in the utility, commercial and residential markets. Contractors are ranked by kilowatts installed in the previous year. Good Energy Solutions installed 1,735.3 kilowatts in 2017. Since 2007, the company has installed 3,557 kilowatts of solar power.

HSMC Orizon HSMC Orizon CPAs, Business and Technology Consultants (Class of 2012), a professional services firm with offices in Lee’s Summit and Omaha, Neb., announced a merger. Closing Nov. 1, HSMC Orizon will combine with BerganKDV, headquartered in St. Cloud, Minn., and will operate under the BerganKDV brand. The acquisition expands Midwest reach for BerganKDV. Forty-five employees and six partners at HSMC Orizon will bring the employee total at BerganKDV to 400. “Our employees, clients and the community will enjoy more resources available to them as our organization continues to grow,” said HSMC Orizon Managing Partner Gene Garrelts.

Mersoft Overland Park firm Mersoft (Class of 2013) earned the 2018 Frost & Sullivan North American Safety Video Surveillance Solutions Technology Innovation Award. Mersoft serves clients across sectors including telecommunications, public safety and health care with livestreaming video and other software solutions.

Shatto Milk Co. Shatto Milk Co. (Class of 2006) has good news to spread — its garlic butter earned first place in the Butter-Open Class category of the World Dairy Exposition Product Judging. The garlic butter also melted judges’ palates at last year’s Missouri State Fair, where it was named best in show. Shatto also offers honey, salted and unsalted butters. SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

AT A G L A N C E K C

E N T R E P R E N E U R S

BIG INFLUENCE | SUMMIT HOMES

Homebuilder leverages talent, network to benefit Children’s Mercy ummit Homes, a Lee’s Summit-based new-home builder, recently took on a new project to benefit Children’s Mercy hospital.

In September, Summit Homes unveiled its first Children’s Mercy Home for Little Heroes at the Reserve at Ravenwood community in Olathe. The Home for Little Heroes is a 5,437-square-foot contemporary farmhouse with six bedrooms, five bathrooms, a library, chef’s kitchen, sun room, finished lower level and wrap-around porch. The homebuilder pledged 100 percent of proceeds from the sale to the local children’s hospital. The home was listed for sale at $899,950. It features popular finishes such as wood flooring and sliding barn doors, as well as whimsical undersea paintings in one bedroom. Summit Homes leveraged its network to get materials and labor donated for construction of the home. “We have an incredible group of trade partners who came together with our Summit team to build this home at zero cost,” said Summit Homes COO Zalman Kohen. “Without their support this project would not be possible. It’s truly a labor of love for all involved.” Summit Homes was founded in 2002 and in 2016 joined Clayton Properties Group, an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway holding company. In addition to Children’s Mercy, Summit Homes supports a variety of other charitable causes including Drumm Farm Center for Children, Boys and Girls Club of Kansas City, St. Jude Research Hospital, Hope Have of Cass County and Harvesters Community Food Network. This isn’t the first time Summit Homes has used its talent to benefit one of its charity partners. In 2014, architects donated time and expertise to create a design for the expansion of the Drumm Farm campus. The company’s philanthropic efforts are directed by the employee-led Charitable Contributions Committee. The Home for Little Heroes represents a unique project with a significant opportunity to give back. “Our team is thrilled to unveil the very first Home for Little Heroes,” Kohen said. “We’re proud to support Children’s Mercy and their commitment to families, especially the kids of Kansas City. We can’t wait to find the family that has been searching for this home.” 16

THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

Summit Homes worked with its trade partners to build the first Home for Little Heroes, which is in Olathe’s Reserve at Ravenwood community. The home was built at zero cost, allowing 100 percent of proceeds to be donated to Children’s Mercy hospital. (Photos courtesy of Summit Homes) above //

C O M PA N Y T O WAT C H K C

NICKEL & SUEDE

E N T R E P R E N E U R S

For the love of leather (Photo courtesy of Austin Walsh Studios)

PIVOT LEADS TO FAST GROWTH ilee Nickels was working at Gap Kids when she noticed that something was missing from the retailer‘s apparel line.

“They sell a lot of cute clothes with belt loops but no belts,” Nickels said. “I thought, This could be cute, and no one else is doing it’” ENTREPRENEURS

Owners Kilee and Soren Nickels C O M PA N Y I N F O R M AT I O N

Nickel & Suede 111 N. Water St., Liberty, Mo., 64068 816-467-4600 NickelAndSuede.com TYPE OF BUSINESS

Nickel & Suede offers handmade leather earrings, cuffs, chokers and other accessories. YEAR FOUNDED

2014

Nickels went to work for herself, making leather belts for children at home and selling them online. That business eventually folded, but not before Nickels became well-versed in e-commerce, blogging and photography — skills that helped her build her next venture into one of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Nickels was shopping for material for her belt business when she found gold leather. It wasn‘t ideal for a toddler belt, but she made herself a pair of earrings. She discovered that leather allowed her to make big earrings that were light and comfortable, and she loved them. It turned out that other people did, too — lots of people. Four years after it started as a home-based business, Nickel & Suede recently landed on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies at No. 127. Nickels said the local jewelry company made $4.1 million in sales last year and will top that with a projected $5.8 million in revenue this year. Nickels owns and manages the company with her husband, Soren Nickels, who quit his accounting job the day they launched the Nickel & Suede website in 2014. He handles issues like shipping, billing and facilities, while she is responsible for design, marketing and branding.

The company has 30 employees, and Kilee Nickels said she expects to hire 15 to 25 more workers within the next two years. The Nickelses moved the business out of their Liberty home in 2016 to another Liberty location that offered 800 square feet for retail and 4,000 square feet of offices and production. They plan to move again in January to yet another Liberty location that will offer 12,500 total square feet. Kilee Nickels said the new facility, which is being designed by Kansas City, Mo.-based Hufft Projects, will offer expanded production and retail space. She said the company currently generates about 15 percent of its revenue from its retail location with the balance coming from online sales. “Our current space is off the beaten path with not-so-great parking,” she said. “People still come find us. People road trip from out of town. It‘s amazing how much we do in that space.” Nickels said her products sell well online, but they “do even better when people can touch and feel them.“ That eventually will be easier for consumers because the couple plans to open “one or two“ additional Kansas City-area locations by the third quarter of 2019. Long-term plans call for Nickel & Suede to test additional markets as well, she said.

David Mitchell is a freelance writer in the Kansas City area. SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

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AT A G L A N C E K C

E N T R E P R E N E U R S

BIG STARTS | ZEGO

MADE TO LAST | ALASKAN FUR

Platform offers convenience, new revenue streams COMPANY // Zego Inc. ENTREPRENEUR // Adam Blake, CEO WHAT THEY DO // Zego is a “hub

for smarter apartment living,” Blake said. Built by real estate experts and backed by artificial intelligence, Zego integrates smart-home devices with an app that connects residents with management, maintenance and a marketplace for local services. “Zego improves operational efficiencies and generates additional revenue for owners and managers, while improving apartment living for residents,” he said. INSPIRATION // The company originally launched as CasaiQ,

a smart-home solution for apartments. Blake, formerly CEO of Kansas City-based Brightergy, said the company was founded because some of the largest private apartment owners in the country saw a need based on their experiences owning and managing apartments. The company, which was renamed late last year after a $1.5 million round, has expanded to provide a technology platform that allows property owners and managers to engage with residents and offer additional services. WHAT’S NEXT // Zego’s mobile app offers residents the ability to

purchase services from companies such as Rover (dog walking/ sitting), Wayfair (apartment furniture) and Bellhops (moving). Blake said each time a service is utilized, the resident receives a discount, and the apartment owner receives a share of the revenue. “As the scale of Zego’s customer base increases, Zego plans to really build out the quality of its marketplace so it can provide residents great discounts on relevant services, while also making the apartment owner more money,” Blake said. CONTACT // www.zego.io

Furrier’s services, selection help bridge generations Philip Wang left behind a New York-based wholesale fur company he co-founded when he set up his own shop in Kansas City in 1926. Three years into his new venture, the Great Depression hit. Despite selling luxury items in a weak economy, Alaskan Fur Co. grew, moving into an expanded facility during World War II. The new location offered controlled-environment storage, and the company developed a cleaning process that revitalizes a fur’s natural oils to preserve its appearance. In 1979, the company moved to its current Overland Park location at 9029 Metcalf Ave. The 17,000-square-foot facility includes a factory, equipment for restyling and alterations, a cleaning plant and a storage vault with capacity for 18,000 garments. “We’re a full-service fur salon,” said president Missy Love, the company’s third-generation leader. “We clean, fix and store. There aren’t a lot of those kinds of stores left. We have very loyal customers.” Love said the family business has evolved. In the 1990s, the company expanded its product line to include leather and cashmere products as well as fur-trimmed merchandise, such as capes and boots. “We sell a lot of different items,” Love said. “That has contributed to our longevity. We have adapted to styles and trends that have fur in them but aren’t all fur.” Expanding its offerings also broadened the company’s range of price points. The next challenge for the 93-year-old business is to appeal to millennials. “We’re very fortunate that we have great customers,” Love said. “Now we’re trying to get younger customers in our store.” SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

Hungry for Knowledge? Register for the next BIG Breakfast. Learn behind-the-scenes stories from business owners featured in Thinking Bigger Business magazine. Thursday, December 13 // 7:30 -9 a.m. Carriage Club 5301 State Line Rd., Kansas City, Mo. » Carol Espinosa // Freedom Interiors » Chris Smith // Athlete Network » Chuck Rouse // Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes PC » Kilee Nickels // Nickel & Suede RSVP TODAY AT ITHINKBIGGER.COM (913) 432-6690 FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

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KC MADE IT K C

P O T I O N YA R N S

E N T R E P R E N E U R S

A Colorful Yarn Business grows skein by skein ohanna Miller is a lifelong knitter. Starting at age 6, Miller took a break from the craft before returning to it at 19. “I like it because I get really fidgety when I don’t have something to do,” she said. These days, Miller has plenty to keep her busy—working as a full-time hairstylist and running Potion Yarns, her own hand-dyed yarn business. Miller started her company in 2016 with encouragement of her husband, Brek Miller, a graphic artist with a local law firm. “He wanted a specific project and he wanted it to match a painting I did, so I went online and couldn’t match the colors,” Miller said. “He asked, ‘Can’t you just paint yarn like you paint hair?’ And I was intrigued enough that I started Googling it to learn how to do it and decided to tried it.”

INTERWEAVING SKILLS WITH BUSINESS

Miller fell in love with the process. Two months later, she was using multiple colors to dye yarn in the kitchen of her 110-yearold home in the historic Northeast District of Kansas City. About a year later, Miller decided to make her passion into a legitimate business, offering her hand-dyed yarn skeins (loosely coiled lengths of yarn) online. Miller took several business courses offered through the Internet to help her with various aspects of operating a business. She also got help from KCSourceLink. Today, Potion Yarns offers 100 different colors of hand-dyed yarns. The yarns are animal fiber wool and wool blends. Skeins run from $28 to $34 each. Miller uses a variety of techniques to dye the yarn, but one thing is certain — there is a lot of color in her product. “The key is about using more than one

color and get dimension,” she said. “I dye yarns using layers of rich, saturated colors and put lots of layers into them. … I use professional high-quality acid dyes and nontoxic, GMO-free citric acid on my skeins.” Miller runs all aspects of Potion Yarns out of her home. “It is a little bit of an ordeal,” Miller said. “I pick dye days when I am there from morning to night.” The actual dyeing takes a couple of hours, but it is a full day to complete the entire process. Her dyeing technique includes setting the color so it will not bleed or fade over time. Miller offers ready-to-ship yarn, and she has a large inventory on hand at all time. INCREASING HER AUDIENCE

The customer base for Potion Yarns is diverse, Miller said. “I have teenagers to grandmothers,” she said. “It’s a great way to unite the generations.” Business is growing for Potion Yarns. “I have set myself a sales goals in number, volume or product launch. I set a sales goal for every quarter, and I have met or exceeded my sale goals every quarter,” Miller said. She gives credit to her Internet exposure and use of social media for increased business. “I build relationships there and take part as a seller and interact with the community. That is really key to getting customers in this situation,” she said. Miller also does a podcast to connect with the public, providing a personal touch. “My podcast has really helped. I have a weekly video and talk about everything from tricky knitting techniques to different type of wools. … I educate my customers, and it

also lets people see into my life a little bit.” She’s even shared her business experience as part of last year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week, talking about ecommerce. CASTING ON A NEW MARKET

Miller said there is increasing competition in the hand-dyed yarn arena; she said that’s a good thing. “It is a really hot commodity these days, which means more demand,” Miller said. “I think it can be easy to get lost in the crowd. That’s why it is really important to build a social media presence.” Miller said her point of differentiation in the hand-dyed yarn industry is the rich array of colors she uses. Recently, Miller took a big step by entering the wholesale arena. “There are minimums they have to meet, but they can sell them in their shop,” she said. “It’s a test for me and to see if it is right for my business. I prefer that direct customer contact, but when customers can see my yarn and hold it their hands they will purchase more of it, and I can sell more.” Potion Yarns has been scaling up its inventory as Miller is traveling more out of state to craft and trunk shows and festivals to sell yarn. She spends about 60 to 70 hours weekly — outside of her hairstylist job — on various aspects of Potion Yarns. “The future is to keep trying to make this my full-time gig, and I have high hopes to do this in the future, but I don’t want to leave the hair salon,” Miller said. “I think my background being a colorist honed my experience and eye and helped me understand and achieve really unique color blends.” Ruth Baum Bigus is a former managing editor of a weekly newspaper and a longtime freelance writer. SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY K C

( by Elyssa Bezner )

E N T R E P R E N E U R S

Courtney and Lance Windholz (Photo courtesy of Startland News)

Invested in Small Business Couple focuses on buying, building companies.

erial entrepreneurs Courtney and Lance Windholz have a goal to buy or invest in at least one business every year. Both are busy with their commitments to seven companies to date, the duo said. Courtney, former lead organizer for 1 Million Cups KC, also handled the organization’s move to Plexpod Westport Commons this summer. 22

THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

Along with her duties within the entrepreneur community, Courtney works as chief operating officer for Proof, a marketing firm focusing on emotional data. Lance serves as general manager for software development firm BlackOps Development and is founder of the Miles App and WYCO. Together, they own Hoodz, a kitchen hood cleaning service, and Lionsgate Wine & Spirits in Overland Park, Lance said. “I feel like we’re in a unique place where we’ve built businesses and we’ve bought,” Courtney said. “I think a lot of times, being

an entrepreneur, people don’t see that world of buying and selling businesses as an option. We’re in this culture right now where everybody thinks they should instead start something and go out on their own — both are hard.” Sustainable investments Building a company from scratch takes more risk, Lance said, noting that when buying an established business, entrepreneurs have the potential to make a profit from the start. With startups, however, entrepreneurs typically struggle just to pay themselves for six months to a year, he added. The couple has identified several companies for investment by searching through projects on BizBuySell, which is where Lance sold WYCO, a purveyor of customizable sunglasses.

They also have built equity through their software development services over the years, he said. “Instead of putting all our retirement in stocks, we’re putting it in small businesses that have long-term sustainability,” Lance said. “Those are worth something at some point in time. When we decide to retire, we can sell them or hand them down.” Growing and streamlining The Windholzes hold a piece of Snow Pops, a KC-based alcoholic popsicle company, which is currently overrun with more demand than can be supplied, they said. The popsicle company plans to continue selling its frozen cocktails across Kansas and Missouri and is preparing to launch in other states to spread as a massive regional brand, Lance said. Such success only leads to more projects, they said. The couple is currently learning the ins and outs of Hoodz, with Courtney working on the financials and Lance developing experience with the more manual aspects of the service. “We’ll get things put together and streamlined to where it won’t always be like this,” Lance said. “But, when you buy a new company, you’re going to put in 80-hour weeks for six months until you figure everything out, putting the right people in place, and you can start delegating responsibility.” The couple bought Hoodz in March because of an interest in the franchise model and the work that goes into fire prevention and safety, Lance said. With Lionsgate Wine & Spirits, the couple also spent months absorbing the minutiae of the company, putting in place personnel to run the day-to-day operations, he said. “We look at long-term strategic growth, focus on figuring out where we want to put our direction, our emphasis, our customer experience, and then we’ve got a really good staff to carry out that vision,” Lance said. He only has to be there when he’s thirsty, he joked. Built to build Prioritizing balance is the key to managing so many commitments, Lance said, noting the couple’s lifestyle is purely reactionary and rarely laid out in process.

“I think a lot of times, being an entrepreneur, people don’t see that world of buying and selling businesses as an option. ” While Lance works fluid hours, often staying up late into the night, Courtney is more structured around sleep, she said, drawing strength in the day hours from networking and diving into the community. The couple turns to hobbies like athletics and concerts to avoid burning out, they said, but the Windholzes admit they’re wired as builders. Every project is a learning experience, Courtney said, noting they’re even dabbling in real estate. “That’s a really easy way to start doing what we’re doing — buy a rental property,” Lance added. “Put all the money into a bank account

in case something breaks, but you’re building equity in an asset that’s worth something, and then you buy another, another, another. We’ve kind of taken that same model but across businesses.” It’s all about maintaining a growth mindset and an affinity for the busy life, they said. “There are days when I say, ‘Why do I do this? Why don’t I join a big insurance company, clock in and clock out?’ It would probably be really easy work,” Lance said. “But then Courtney says, ‘You’d be bored in like the first four hours.’” Elyssa Bezner is a reporter for news partner Startland News.

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Athlete Networkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal is to help 5 million people take the next step in their career.

24 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

KC ENTREPRENEURS

From the Playing Field to the Corner Suite Platform helps former athletes achieve big wins after their playing days are done. ENTREPRENEURS

Chris Smith C O M PA N Y I N F O R M AT I O N

Athlete Network 10000 Marshall Drive Lenexa, KS 66215 (913) 667-0975 AthleteNetwork.com TYPE OF BUSINESS

Engagement platform that helps athletes take the next step in their careers. YEAR FOUNDED

2015 E M P L OY E E S

22 KEYS TO SUCCESS

“We give you access to the resources you need, the people you need, the content you need.” — Chris Smith, founder and CEO

Athlete Network is scaling fast, thanks to CTO Brian Corn, CEO Chris Smith, Director of Email Marketing Stephanie Palo and the rest of the team. left //

ust think of everything that goes into the making of a successful athlete. Years or sometimes decades of hard, grinding work. A ferociously competitive spirit. The ability to gracefully accept coaching, even when it’s delivered bluntly, while working alongside teammates from completely different backgrounds. Sounds like somebody who would be a pretty good employee, right? Unfortunately, too many athletes struggle to transition into the working world after their playing days are over. Chris Smith founded Athlete Network to help former athletes take the next steps in their careers — and life. The Lenexa company builds online platforms where competitors from pretty much any sport can connect with job opportunities, mentoring and other resources. The U.S. Olympic Committee and Kansas State, Arkansas State and Lindenwood universities all use branded versions of Athlete Network’s platform to support their players and alumni once their sports careers are done. “If you reach the collegiate, Olympic, professional level, you’ve committed a good part of your life to athletics,” said Smith, who played football at the University of Hawaii. “And that’s really all you know about yourself.” That’s why so many former players wrestle with depression, joblessness, substance abuse and other problems. They don’t realize their old athletic program provides services that could help, even

though they’re not actively competing anymore. Athlete Network provides a single, easy-to-use interface for accessing those resources. ‘THIS IS A WORTHY CAUSE’

About 30 percent of Athlete Network’s users are in college. But most are former athletes who’ve moved on to new pursuits — including notable users such as Warren Moon and Shaquille O’Neal. Schools love the platform because it helps them stay connected to alumni who might become future donors or mentors. Corporations use Athlete Network, too. They pay to have branded pages on the platform and to share job openings across the nation with a targeted, highly desirable demographic. Take a school like K-State, for example, that draws players from Texas and California who might want to find jobs back home after they graduate. “It’s almost impossible for (athletic department) staff to build relationships with employers in California and Texas, right?” Smith said. “So what we do is build national relationships and plug it into all of our networks, and all their athletes get access to them.” And for the former competitors, Athlete Network shows them how much they still have to contribute beyond the court, field or track. “We change people’s lives,” Smith said. “I’ve had guys that were first-round draft picks, played 15 years in the NFL, when we meet with them, talk to them, break down crying. This is a worthy cause.”

by James Hart // photography by Dan Videtich SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

Athlete Network works with universities and sports governing bodies to help connect athletes with jobs and resources.

NOT JUST ANOTHER SOCIAL NETWORK

Smith has set an enormous goal for his company. He wants Athlete Network to help 5 million people take the next step in their career. It’s not unreasonable — about 300,000 people use the platform. Many of them are on the original version of Athlete Network, a “LinkedIn for athletes” that’s open to any former athlete. Over the last 12 to 18 months, though, Smith and his team have begun to get even more focused. They’ve been putting more energy into “branded networks.” These are smaller, self-contained platforms that clients like universities and the U.S. Olympic Committee own. These portals carry clients’ branding and feature their dedicated resources for athletes.

Those resources are more focused, more relevant and thus more valuable for users. LinkedIn is a great resource, Smith said, and he recommends all his users keep a profile on that platform, too. But the connections there aren’t as deep as what they’ll find on Athlete Network. “The world doesn’t need another social network,” Smith said. RECRUITING ADVANTAGE

While some former athletes struggle, others soar. According to a 2016 study from Gallup, former college athletes were more likely to thrive in four key areas — purpose, social, community and physical well-being — than nonathletes. (When it came to financial well-being, both groups had comparable levels of success.)

26 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

“What we do is build national relationships and plug it into all of our networks, and all their athletes get access Chris Smith // Founder and CEO to them.” Last year, Forbes noted that 65 percent of the honorees on its 2017 Most Powerful Women List were former athletes. Smith himself is a good example of someone who found a way to thrive after football. After college, he joined Eli Lilly & Co. as a sales associate, where his bosses quickly noticed the good work he was doing. “They just said, ‘Hey, what are you doing? Why are you successful?’” Smith recalled. “And they didn’t like my answer. I said, ‘I just work hard, I’m coachable, and I

want to win at what I do.’” He suggested they focus their hiring efforts on student athletes. Eventually, Smith took his own advice: He started a recruiting business that helped employers hire college athletes. “We were traveling all over the country, meeting with graduating seniors, team captains,” he said. “You find that volleyball player with a 3.5 GPA. She’s got unbelievable grades, unbelievable leadership skills. Corporate America is drooling to get to her. So we would connect them.”

His work as a recruiter gave Smith the vast professional network he needed to launch Athlete Network, as well as a deep understanding of the needs of athletic programs, especially when it came to alumni relations. “What happened over time is the universities started to say to us, ‘Do you know where she went to work?’” Smith said. “We were starting to get data on where their athletes were going that they didn’t have access to.” In addition to the data they offer to clients, Athlete Network’s branded portals can also be a powerful tool when coaches are recruiting players and selling their program to prospects’ parents. “They can show (parents), ‘Here are their mentors,’” Smith said. “‘Here are hundreds of employers

waiting to hire them the minute they graduate. When they graduate, here are all the continuing services we offer them.’ It’s a huge recruiting advantage.” In a lot of cases, athletic departments used to keep that information in an Excel spreadsheet that, more often than not, would get lost when the head coach changed jobs. With Athlete Network, schools can also see who’s using their services and can show users the resources and programs most relevant to them. “The technology knows I’m a football player, so I only see those services,” Smith said. “When the volleyball player logs in, they only see those services.” GOING GLOBAL

Athlete Network has been

dedicating more resources to making its platform as scalable as possible, a push led by the company’s CTO, Brian Corn. Corn, who was previously a vice president at Intouch Solutions, was a crucial hire. So was Brett Fuller, Athlete Network’s vice president of partnerships, who joined the team earlier this year. Fuller, who used to work on sports-related projects at Sprint, has a huge network of high-profile sports industry professionals. The team at Athlete Network truly understands the athlete’s mindset because each employee is an athlete, too. Some played college football, while others compete in CrossFit, marathons or other activities. All told, 22 people work for Athlete Network, which

is headquartered in Plexpod’s coworking space in Lenexa. The headcount hasn’t changed much in recent years even as the company’s workload has grown — credit big investments in technology resources and scalability, Smith said. Eventually, he wants to take Athlete Network global. His team has already talked to potential clients in other countries, and roughly 10 percent of his current user base is international. “The cricket clubs in India have the same problem,” he said. “The rugby clubs in Australia and New Zealand have the same problem. The International Olympic Committee, all their associations — it’s such a unique identity to be an athlete at that level, and you put so much into it, you don’t SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

The Athlete Network team is focusing on “branded networks,” which are portals with specific resources for a university’s or group’s athletes.

want to struggle when you stop playing.” Before Athlete Network expands beyond the United States, though, Smith wants to make sure his platform and its support services are ready. Canada, for example, looks like an easy market to enter, but the country has a significant French-speaking population. He doesn’t want there to be any language barriers. “If we can execute efficiently

and iterate the technology the right way,” Smith said, “we have a true chance to provide a global platform.” ‘THIS IS BIGGER THAN JUST US’

Ultimately, Athlete Network will be measured by the impact it has on its individual users. Smith remembers the story of the former college player who had been recruited to Michigan State. When he was being pursued by

28 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

coaches there, they drove him past a really nice neighborhood and told him that if worked hard, he could go pro and eventually buy a house there. But the young man — the first in his family to graduate college — never made it to the NFL. Fortunately, Athlete Network was able to help him through his transition and connected him with career resources. “He called me and let me know

he just put a down payment on a house in that neighborhood,” Smith said. It’s cases like that, Smith said, that inspire him and his team to keep working hard — because they know that Athlete Network is making a difference. “This is bigger than just us.”

James Hart is a freelance writer based in the Kansas City area.

BY DAVID MITCHELL

‘DARE TO SEEK HELP’ IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS, WITH SUPPORT FROM LOCAL RESOURCES, EARN BILLIONS IN REVENUE

fter operating a free clinic on the more challenges than the general populaweekend for years, chiropractor tion in launching a business. Organizations Dong Chang Lee was confident he throughout the metro offer a variety of could help even more people if he started resources to help immigrants to start and his own full-time business. grow their businesses. The question was, would CONNECTIONS anyone help the South Korean Lee said state and local offices immigrant? do a good job of publishing and Lee, the founder of Lohan explaining requirements related Chiropractic and Acupuncture to permits, but he had difficulty in Kansas City, Mo., is one of securing financing. more than 7,000 immigrant Do ee ng Chang L “The financial institutions I had entrepreneurs in the metro area. contacted were all hesitant to lend to According to data from the Greater a start up with no prior business history, Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, immilet alone consider me as an applicant due grants account for roughly 18 percent of the to my (lack of) citizen status,” he said. “It’s metro population, and foreign-born housevery draining to have to go through bank holds earned $3.7 billion in income in 2016. meetings and application processes, only to A year earlier, they paid $309.3 million in be rejected at the end.” state and local taxes and $629.3 million in Lee said the Asian Chamber of federal taxes. Commerce of Kansas City (ACCKC) conAlthough their financial impact on the area is substantial, immigrants face even nected him to lending institutions that were

willing to work with him, and the chamber also followed up to ensure he was successful in securing capital. Although the chamber’s resources aren’t specifically geared to immigrants, Lee said it became his go-to resource. He said he benefited from its seminars on topics like taxes for small business as well as networking opportunities. Erlinda Tjhai-Aydulun, president of Overland Park-based technology consultancy MindLift, said ACCKC helped her obtain a minority business enterprise certification. “It has proven to be a great networking source for MindLift,” said Tjhai-Aydulun, who came to the United States from Indonesia. “I was able to get introductions to a number of large corporations who are supportive of minority businesses through my membership.” Tjhai-Aydulun said that when she was first starting out she didn’t know how much assistance was available. “Dare to seek help,” she said. “I did not realize how many organizations are dedicated to help startups and small business owners. Do your research and knock on their doors. You never know what connections you can make, free resources to help educate you and advice that will help you take the next steps with more ease.” SERVICES

Martin Jimenez, CEO of at MJ Design & Parts LLC, started his own business in his home in 2014. The company manufactures custom machine parts. Jimenez, an immigrant from Mexico, said his biggest concern was registering his business because he was unfamiliar with the process. SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

“ I was able to get introductions to a number of large corporations who are supportive of minority businesses through my membership.”

—ERLINDA TJHAI-AYDULUN // PRESIDENT OF MINDLIFT

Michael Carmona, director of community and business development for the Hispanic Economic Development Corp., said Jimenez knew his own business, but the HEDC was able to help him with things like articles of incorporation, business licensure and tax requirements. Less than two years after Jimenez started his business, it moved to its own location. Today, Jimenez counts Hallmark Cards Inc., the Kansas City Star and W+D North America Inc. among his customers. “We machine for them spare parts for printing machines,” he said of W+D. “Pretty much everything that is related to paper.” Carmona said nearly 90 percent of the people who benefit from the HEDC’s assistance are immigrants, so the council offers English courses that are focused on improving business-related conversations. HEDC also offers a microlending program to help entrepreneurs who otherwise might struggle to establish and build credit. OFFICE SPACE

Some immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs aren’t initially ready to jump right into development courses, such as the FastTrac program offered by HEDC. That’s why last year the Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce launched its Economic Global Growth initiative, which allows entrepreneurs to take baby steps with less risk than a full-scale business launch. “We created a space where immigrants and refugees can come in and get the feel for a brick-and-mortar business,” said CEO and president Bobbi Baker. “We talk with them about things as elementary as sales ledgers.” 30 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

Baker said one woman she was assisting told her she had sold a dress for just $7 after purchasing it for $5. “I said, ‘That’s not going to work, honey,’” she said. “But it gave us an opportunity to talk about things like hard costs, return on investment, overhead and business plans.” The chamber’s Independence Avenue location offers four temporary spaces where entrepreneurs can start a business without the typical overhead costs. Baker said a new company can stay there for up to four months. “We don’t want them to move in and stay,” she said. “We want them to get the feel for it and eventually move forward. We start with a conversation, and that conversation can last for 90 to 120 days.” SKILLS

Not all the immigrants looking for assistance are operating in brick-and-mortar buildings. New Roots for Refugees has been helping train immigrant farmers for a decade, said Cultivate KC executive director and co-founder Katherine Kelly. This year, the program’s Juniper Gardens in Kansas City, Kan., is working with 15 families. The program offers education related to production planning, seed and supply ordering, record keeping, accounting, taxes, equipment and sales. The four-year program, which receives funding from Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, the United Way and others, has three to four slots available each year, and there is always more demand than space available. Applicants are required to have previous farming experience in their home countries, which have included

Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nepal and Somalia. Of the 28 families that have graduated from the program, 24 of them are still farming. Kelly said most graduates buy houses with enough acreage for a small farm, and a few have leased land. The program requires the farmers to save $3 for every $10 of gross sales in order to pay taxes and set aside money for the future. Cultivate KC offers mini grants of up to $3,000 to help farmers establish or expand farms, and Kelly said there are organizations on both sides of the state line that will help farmers with water connections. The organization also helps connect farmers to other lenders and help them pursue grants through agencies like USDA. “We try to pull all the resources available to other farmers and make them available to the refugees, too,” Kelly said. Kelly said the farmers produced about 67,500 pounds of food this year. All the farmers participate in at least one farmers market, and Cultivate KC staff helps with sales to local restaurants. Kelly said farming is supplemental income for the families, who typically start with household incomes around $25,000. She said in the first year, families typically make about $3,000 in sales. By the fourth year, families gross up to $15,000 and net as much as $12,000. “Farmers refer the program to their family and friends,” Kelly said. “This year, most of our applicants heard about us from participants.”

David Mitchell is a freelance writer in the Kansas City area.

1 // Erlinda Tjhai-Aydulun is president of MindLift, a technology consultancy. The Asian Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City helped her secure minority business enterprise certification. 2 // The Hispanic Economic Development Corp. (HEDC) celebrated its 24th anniversary in November 2017, where it honored Partner of the Year, El Centro Inc. 3 // Martin Jimenez is CEO of MJ Design & Parts. He sought help from the Hispanic Economic Development Corp. on some business 4 // HEDC offers education for small business owners including classes on QuickBooks.

3 SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGERÂŽ

BIGGER | strategy S M A R T

( by Kate Leibsle )

S T R AT E G I E S

New Approach to Longtime Business Third-generation owner brings fresh perspective to family-owned company.

STRATEGY

APPLYING NEW BUSINESS PRINCIPLES TO A 72-YEAR-OLD FAMILY PRACTICE. COMPANY

Menees Family Dentistry 8340 Mission Road, Suite 118, Prairie Village (913) 362-4488 DentistInOverlandParkKS.com TYPE OF BUSINESS

Comprehensive dental care for all ages. FOUNDED

1946

hen patients call Menees Family Dentistry, they must be specific about which Dr. Menees they want to see. That’s been the case since 1968 when Robert Menees Jr. joined his father, Robert Menees Sr. in the practice Menees Sr. had founded in 1946. Today, Menees Jr. practices with his daughter, Dr. Laura Menees Moore. For Moore, keeping the family business going into the third generation is a labor of love — love for her father, her patients and for dentistry. Although dentistry wasn’t her first love professionally. 32 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

Following family footsteps Moore majored in biochemistry and business in college and went on to work for several biotech companies, ending up with a position in clinical research. It was her brothers who had been encouraged to become dentists — but didn’t. “I realized I liked patient care, so at that point I decided to leap into dental school and follow my father’s footsteps at UMKC,” she said. “It seemed like it brought together so many of my interests and history, including

helping people, my science background, health care and disease prevention and business. It kind of wrapped it up in a bow.” Moore graduated from UMKC School of Dentistry in 2000. But she didn’t come to her father’s practice right away. Instead, she spent 10 years working with other dentists around the area. Her last stop was Haskell Health Center in Lawrence as a federal dentist with the Indian Health Service. Not immediately joining the family practice was a good thing, she said.

She’d had another career, in both large and small companies, and had lived in Ann Arbor, Mich., and San Diego for a time. “I had very different experiences,” she said. “I think it does help you. Even in the small decisions along the way. “What I brought to the practice was very different from my dad and my grandfather. I think the female perspective was also different.” Moore never had the chance to practice with her grandfather but still sees some of his patients, so she’s gotten to know him as a dentist through them. That’s something she values as the third-generation owner of a small business. “I get to hear stories about him all the time, which is really cool,” she said. “So I get glimpses of how that practice was from patients.” Third-generation evolution Taking over the practice was a measured affair. While she was at Haskell, Moore and her father started talking about her joining him. Finally, the time seemed right, and she signed on as an associate. Four years later, she bought the practice. One of the first decisions Moore made

as principal was to move the practice. Her grandfather had started it on the Country Club Plaza; her father moved it to Fairway, and she made the choice to relocate to 83rd Street and Mission Road in Prairie Village. Today, she spends her days seeing patients and working to grow the practice. Her clientele is older but refers their children and grandchildren. “This is a competitive town,” she said. “We have added a loyalty savings plan. We’ve tried to do things that will keep the word-of-mouth advertising going for us. We supplement that with some advertising, too.” Moore puts her business background to use

every day. She said it’s a tough call on which is more intense — dental school or running the business. She relies on her father, their longtime staff and a “study club” her grandfather founded as a network to bounce ideas off and talk through tough situations. Years ago, she said, it was easier to have a third generation continue a medical or dental practice. Today, competition makes it harder, so her business knowledge is key. “It’s a more typical business than it used to be,” she said. “It’s harder to keep it afloat easily. You have to work at it.” vv Kate Leibsle is a freelance writer in the Kansas City area.

SMART STRATEGIES Want to do more with your business? Get smart. Our Smart Strategies articles offer advice from experts and experiences from other companies about what works—and what doesn’t. Whether it’s a learning opportunity or just a refresher, these guides offer a resource for owners to think bigger and do business better. Want to share your expertise with our audience? Contact editor@ithinkbigger.com with a topic and description of a proposed article.

Read on for more Smart Strategies SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

BIGGER | management S M A R T

( by Nathan Harrup )

S T R AT E G I E S

RSVP: Leadership that Inspires a Response Tune into employee behavior for clues on how to best manage them.

s a nurse, Elaine was a patient’s dream: Compassionate, funny, resourceful and tough, she had no trouble forging emotional connections with those under her care. It wasn’t that she didn’t know her protocols; to the contrary, she could easily rattle off the names and recommended dosages of a wide range of medicines. It’s just that she had a heart that set her apart—for better and for worse. You see, Elaine was an “R.” Any framework for teaching individualized leadership was still under scaffolding in my mind during the years I worked with Elaine. But our hospice agency, a mid-sized operation situated in a rural outpost of Kansas City, was an ideal perch from which to observe professionals under stress. I knew a lot about Elaine’s behavior—that she tended to cry easily and vent often, that she complained of feeling misunderstood by her supervisors, that she seemed to hit a wall of fatigue in the afternoon each day. I knew that Elaine’s leaders judged her a “handful,” but that in fact, after receiving just a little validation and support in response to her venting, she appeared to function just fine. I suspected there could be a connecting strand between Elaine’s profound rapport with her patients and her displays of emotionality in the office. But I hadn’t quite connected those data points yet. Our administrator had hired me to be a chaplain but knew that I was eager to explore the psychological dimensions of burnout in our line of work. My proposition was that our company’s failure to recognize employees’ emotional needs might be one reason we struggled to keep employees despite the company’s good name. Over time, I concluded that Elaine wasn’t high-maintenance, emotionally unstable or weak. She was simply relationship-fueled. 34 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

Decoding RSVP Outside of salary and benefits, people come to work for one of four reasons: Relationship, Story, Value or Purpose. (RSVP, should you need the memory tool). If you, as a leader, are serious about retaining staff, increasing employee satisfaction and being perceived as “the boss who understands,” you’ll learn which of these drives every single one of your employees. But be prepared to put a little work in to get there. Relationship So what was the connection between Elaine’s empathic, genuine care for her patients and her emotional fragility at the office? It had to do with her emotional account. As an “R,” she was pouring her heart into her work — But that left her with an emotional deficit. She came to the office in tears, after caring for her patients, because spending her emotional capital had left her empty. Instinctively, she sought out coworkers who could bring her account out of the red and back into the black. Relationship-Fueled employees may feel like a handful for some leaders. But the strengths they bring—emotional accessibility, compassion, and empathy—are almost impossible to teach. Human connection is just the nature of an “R,” and that’s why the communities they serve tend to love them. Want to bring the best out in these kinds of employees? Don’t isolate them. Keep them engaged in team-oriented activities. Check in with them often, even if just for a two-minute chat. Perhaps as their leader, you don’t feel comfortable being completely vulnerable with them, but you can at least be personable and real. You might also sign them up for a local course in emotional self-care, as

relationship-motivated workers tend to rely a little too much on coworkers to balance their accounts. But don’t ignore them. Lead them the way they need to be led, not the way you would want to be led. You’ll see your “R” come to work a little happier each day … and you’ll begin to see those “problems” you had with him or her in a whole different light. Story Story-Fueled employees are more of a conundrum. The “S” doesn’t come to work out of a sense of calling or destiny, or obligation to coworkers, or even to please the boss. For the “S,” the job is simply the next story in life—the current chapter in a narrative that will, over time, probably include a lot of other employers after you. Now, that doesn’t mean the “S” isn’t a valuable contributor. Just the opposite: When what is needed is someone to take on a special task, to break from the routine and assume a new mission, to tackle a project outside the typical comfort zone, or to give you the energy and creativity needed to expand that satellite office that just opened, it’s the “S” you’ll want to keep on speed-dial. Imaginative, bold, restless, easily bored— call them whatever you like, but they fill a space no one else can. And if you aim to keep them satisfied, start by keeping things fresh for them. Shake up the work model from time to time. Encourage them to pursue new certifications, or to become the resident experts in a specific area—the “S” loves a challenge and will rise to it. Just don’t think you’ll keep this kind of employee forever. Instead, focus on extending his or her limited shelf life. You may not get six years, but if you can get even two, you might get two of the most dynamic years any employee can give. Value Ah, the Value-Fueled employee. Dr. Dan Diamond, a crisis management specialist who has attended to thousands of victims of natural disasters, has a favorite question: What is it that keeps you up at night? For the “V,” the answer is easy: it’s the fear of letting down everyone else. The “V” ruminates constantly on the idea of place—Where do I fit in here? What is it

leaders in the company are actually those who are toiling in quiet obscurity. But one way or the other, listen to the “P” on your team—and save your financial spreadsheets and your lectures about productivity for someone else. This employee will be productive enough without them, as long as you affirm and celebrate that unique perspective that sets him or her apart.

my team needs that only I can bring? What will please my boss the most? Long periods of silence from a supervisor are distressing, and ambivalence from teammates is depressing for this type. A crisis-oriented leader, who floats from problem to problem and tends to only show up when someone has screwed up, is an abysmal fit for the “V”—this employee wants to feel as if he or she is valued and appreciated, and will absolutely take notice when hard work is being consistently ignored. The good news? Such a need to be recognized can easily be leveraged. Take your “V” aside, at least once every couple of weeks, to affirm how much you’ve appreciated the hard work you’ve been seeing. When your employee does something truly noteworthy, acknowledge it publicly. Sure, everyone loves the attaboy, but the “V” needs it. Don’t be afraid to reward with special titles, even if they have no salary raises attached to them initially. A new title is a win-win when it comes to a “V,” affirming value while also motivating the employee to work up to this elevated standard. Give your value-fueled employee what he or she needs, and you’ll be rewarded with loyalty, with dedication to the brand, and with, potentially, the formation of someone who can help lead others to greatness. Purpose Individualizing leadership to fit a PurposeFueled employee is probably something you’ve never considered. Why? Because the “P,” in the workforce as in the alphabet, is often silent. Being motivated by a sense of purpose— higher calling, destiny, gifting-from-birth-forthis—makes the “P” unlikely to get caught

up in the hamster-wheel strivings of other employees. The “P” seldom gripes to others about salary disparities, or the injustice of assignments, or even the bad coffee at the office. This kind of employee didn’t get into the job for the money, or for fairness, or for perks, but rather to make a difference for others. (If you do hear a “P” complain, chances are, it’s been a long time coming). It sounds noble enough. But how does the “P” like to be led? For starters, purpose-fueled employees need to know their work matters in a global, missional sense—that the company exists for more than just profit. That lives are being affected in positive ways by the company’s existence. If you’ll let the “P” be your resident Yoda, sharing motivational, focusing words with the team at staff meetings, you’ll reveal a depth there that brings everyone’s focus up a notch. Talk with the “P” often about the company’s direction, no matter his or her rank—sometimes, the most intuitive and perceptive

Listen to lead well In the end, RSVP isn’t a complicated science. It is a way of crystallizing countless hours of behavioral observation so that anyone, including you, can translate that research into success as a leader. The question is, are you willing to put the time in to understand what makes your team members tick? Or are you content to keep replacing them? At the next job interview, listen well. And at some point, ask the prospective candidate the million-dollar question: “Other than salary or benefits, what about your last job did you look forward to most each day?” Then sit back, mentally categorize the answer using the RSVP model, and consider the individualized way you might lead this candidate as an employee of your company. Congratulations. It’s a small step—but you are well on your way to being the “boss who understands.” Nathan Harrup serves as regional director of clinical mission integration for Shawnee Mission Health. His role includes extending a holistic, missional caremodel throughout a network of over 150 health care providers, and addressing the problem of physician burnout through a matrix of relational and missional initiatives.

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BIGGER | tech S M A R T

( by Kari Simpson )

S T R AT E G I E S

Searching for Answers on Google Rankings? 3 quick tips to improve results.

any factors affect whether your website comes up in search results. Here are the top three Google changes in 2018 that could be adversely impacting your website’s rank. Is your website mobile-friendly? Google is now indexing mobile content first. 2018 has been a big year for Google algorithm updates. So far this year, Google has confirmed nine updates to its algorithm – as many as the last two years combined, and the year’s not over. Google typically doesn’t broadcast its algorithm updates or changes, but these were such important changes that Google started making announcements in 2017 of the impending updates so businesses could bring their sites up to speed. What does this mean to most businesses? If 36 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

your website is over a few years old, it probably does not meet Google’s guidelines today. The first major change announced was that Google was going to index the mobile version of a website’s content first, starting in March 2018. This means the mobile version of your website will be used by Google in its indexing rather than the desktop version. If your site doesn’t have a mobile version, the desktop version can still be included in the index, but it will most likely negatively impact your ranking. When is the last time you pulled up your website on your phone? I challenge you to do that now. Experience what your customers see when they go to your website. How does it look? Would you use it? Is it mobile-friendly? If your site doesn’t respond to the device the user is using, it will not only hurt you in search results, but with your users, too. When users go to a site that doesn’t respond to their mobile device, they quickly leave or “bounce,” which is negative in Google’s eyes.

Users don’t have patience for websites that provide a poor user experience. They hit the back button and find another website that is easier to use. Is your website fast? If your site takes more than 3 to 4 seconds to load, you are losing users and ranking. In July 2018, two additional major changes took effect starting with the Mobile Speed Update. Your site needs to load fast—very fast. Website users don’t have patience, especially when it comes to mobile load time. Ideally, your site should load within 3 to 4 seconds to reduce your bounce rate, which is an important ranking factor in Google’s algorithm. A bounce rate is the percentage of users that leave your site after viewing just one page. According to Google, as page load time goes from one second to five seconds, the probability of bounce increases by 90 percent. So how do you reduce your website’s load time? If the images on your website aren’t well optimized, they can really drag down the speed. That’s a good first step to see what is slowing down your site. Beyond that, there are many tasks that can be done by a developer on the backend of your site that can speed it up. It may be more economical to start with a new site depending on how old your site is and what platform it is built in.

Is Your Website Secure? Over 70 percent of Google’s first-page results now reflect secure websites, and we anticipate this percentage will continue to grow over the next year. To show how serious Google is about secure websites, Chrome’s July update now flags websites without an SSL certificate as “not secure” in the browser window when users arrive at a website. Google will flag two-thirds of the web as unsafe this year. You don’t want your site to be flagged, so get your site updated with an SSL certificate as soon as possible. Google wants to give users the best experience, so it continues to make changes to ensure it is serving up the best, most relevant, accurate information. If your website isn’t responsive, secure and fast, your ranking will be negatively impacted, resulting in a reduction in your site’s traffic. Google’s algorithm is designed to serve up the most relevant results leading to the fastest,

If your site doesn’t respond to the device the user is using, it will not only hurt you in search results, but with your users, too. safest websites it can find to provide the best user experience. Check Your Website’s Status If you don’t know whether your site is mobile friendly, Google offers a free test. Enter your URL in the Google Mobile Friendly Test at search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly to see if it’s mobile friendly, or run it through the Google Speed Test at testmysite.thinkwithgoogle.com if you want to see how quickly

your site loads in Google’s eyes. You may need to update your site or risk not showing up in SERP (search engine results page).

Kari Simpson founded DMI (Digital Marketing Inc.) in 1998 in the Kansas City area. Her team offers online marketing solutions to businesses and agencies of all sizes across the U.S. // (816) 537-7950 // kari@digitalmarketinginc.net // www. digitalmarketinginc.net

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SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

BIGGER | finance S M A R T

( by Mark Williams)

S T R AT E G I E S

Keys to Small Busi Preparation makes loan applications go more smoothly.

part whether you grow. To many business F owners, this can be very intimidating, as it is inancing your business can be an integral

usually not an area of expertise. In 20-plus years career of putting loans together, I’ve seen many times what a business owner needs to do in preparation for a loan and what kind of lending institutions are there to help. I have had a small business owner tell me financing his business was the most frustrating thing he has ever done. It is much more difficult than financing a house or car. You must be prepared. Keep your credit clean, your bank accounts clean and show that your business makes money. These simple procedures will help you go a long way in securing a good business loan. 38 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

Credit check Preparation is key to getting a loan, and sometimes proper preparation may take six to nine months — this may make the difference in a good loan, a bad loan or no loan at all. Loans are all based on what type of risk factor your business is. There are ways to mitigate the risk and show the lender you are a good risk. First and foremost, how is your credit? Do you know your score? What I have found is a 680 and above credit score is a threshold to getting a better loan. If you know you will want a loan in the next 12 months, pull your credit and see what your score is. CreditCheckTotal.com is a good way to do this. This will not put an inquiry on your credit file but will give you a good idea of your

credit score. If you have a low score, consider obtaining the service of a good credit repair company to see if they can help. There is a cost; however, the cost of getting your credit repaired and your score increased is small compared with the alternative of being unable to get a loan. In addition, the loan will not be as costly with a higher credit score. If you need credit repair, be prepared to go through a six- to nine-month process to properly increase your score. This is not a guarantee, but a good credit repair company will know whether they can help. Financial records It’s important to keep your company and personal bank accounts separate. Use your

ness Financing ready to go to a lender for a loan. Do you know concisely what you are going to use the money for? Do you have collateral to back the loan, or are you looking for an unsecured loan? Loans that are unsecured with no collateral are the riskiest. If approved for one of these, be prepared to pay a higher interest rate and upfront fees. Lenders want to know what you are going to use the loan for and how you are going to pay them back. When going for a loan, if a lender asks for more information, do not argue with them — just provide them with the information. It is the lender’s money they are loaning, and they want to have a comfort factor they will get repaid.

business accounts for business transactions only. Another very important factor is how much money does your company make? What is your net income + depreciation? Lenders want to see that your business makes money. An accountant’s job is for clients to have as little of a tax burden as possible, and many times the result is a tax return that will show no or little income. If you want to get loan, you have to show that the business makes money. Like I stated earlier, loans are based on risk and the ability to afford the loan. If a company shows zero taxable income, a lender may perceive they do not have sufficient cash flow to pay back a loan. Are there other factors lenders use in

determining cash flow? Yes, but showing sufficient income is a huge factor in the ability to get a loan. Too many times in my career I have had a small business tell me, “I’m a small business and don’t like to pay taxes, so I write off as much as possible.” My advice is to prepare your income statement and taxes accordingly to get a loan. Income statements and tax returns may not exactly look the same; the lender will be looking for an explanation of the difference and how the two add up. Sometimes, with nonbank lenders, loans can be obtained without showing financials or tax returns, but the best bet is to prepare one just in case. Have a plan You now have properly prepared and are

Where to go You have everything in line to properly present a loan package — now where do you go? Most companies will try their local bank, as this is the lending institution they most likely have a relationship with. Banks are just one of several types of lending institutions. Others include independent financial companies, private lenders and loans brokers. All lenders have certain types of loans they are looking make and should be able to tell you what they are. Just because you get turned down at your bank or somewhere else does not mean you are necessarily a bad risk; it may be as simple as that institution does not make types of loans you are requesting. Certain lenders like real estate only, some capital equipment only; some do unsecured loans. Knowing what types of loans a lender does can be valuable in going to the correct institution.

Mark Williams owns MW Financial Services and specializes in loans for the small business owner. His motto is: “It’s never wrong to do the right thing.” // mark@mwfiservices.com

SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

BIGGER | sales S M A R T

( by Ryann Dowdy )

S T R AT E G I E S

3 Ways to Improve Your Sales Conversations The bottom line: Listening creates relationships that build your business.

f you’ve been in business for any amount of time, regardless of your title, you’ve likely been in engaged in a sales conversation. Whether you were actually presenting a solution and asking for money, influencing your employees or negotiating with a vendor, these are all sales situations. There are three things that you can implement in your business immediately that will start to improve your sales conversations, your relationships and the trajectory of your business. 1. Listen There is a common misconception that selling is about talking, persuading and convincing. When done right, sales is really about listening. It’s about listening to and understanding the person that you are working with. The most important part is to make sure you’re not listening with the intent to respond. Rather, genuinely listen to hear and understand the other person’s point of view. Once you stop thinking about your 40 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

response, you will start to hear how the other person is feeling, where they’re coming from and how the situation is impacting them. Understanding these things are so important when entering into a working relationship with someone and being able to deliver upon your promises. 2. Empathy People don’t only want to feel heard; they also want to feel understood. Oftentimes, when interacting with others, we start to solve their problem right away. In a sales conversation, there is no better opportunity than one where the person you’re talking to has a problem that you can easily solve. Before you start figuring out to how to solve their problem, giving your advice or pitching your solution, you need to really understand where the person is at, what the challenge is and what it means to them to solve it. The most important thing here is that you can’t fake this. Your interest and concern has to be genuine for someone to connect with you. Once you understand these things, you’re well on your way to building trust and a relationship — which are key to entering into a business relationship.

3. Get buy-in Once you’ve listened to the person’s concerns and shown them that you understand their situation, you get the opportunity to show them how you can help them. Oftentimes, we get so excited that it’s our opportunity to talk, that we just talk and talk and talk — without gauging interest, checking in with our prospect and getting buy-in. When you’re sharing an idea with someone, you can say something like, “Does that make sense?” or “Are you with me on this?” You want to take the person’s “temperature” from time to time to make sure that they understand what you’re saying and that they’re listening closely. It’s important to make eye contact when you’re doing this to make sure the person isn’t just nodding to agree with you, but to be sure that they are truly engaged in the conversation and hearing you! Asking questions and getting buy-in while you talk allows you to easily transition to asking for the sale. It always allows you to get some objections out of the way early on. It’s always a good sign when someone is asking clarifying questions or wants you to further explain something—it means they’re interested and paying attention.

People don’t only want to feel heard; they also want to feel understood. Oftentimes, when interacting with others, we start to solve their problem right away.

New Entrepreneurs Need Your Help!

Put steps into action While these three tips seem simple, when you really start taking notice of how much more time you spend preparing what you’re trying to say than listening, you’ll see why your sales conversations aren’t converting at the rate you’d like them to be. By listening to your prospect, showing genuine empathy and getting buy-in along the way, starting a business relationship is a natural progression rather than an event. Ryann Dowdy is the founder of Uncensored Consulting and is experienced in training, building, and growing sales organizations.

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BIGGER | self-care S M A R T

( by Amy Collett )

S T R AT E G I E S

Sleep on It How to get better rest as a busy entrepreneur

or the millions of Americans who own and operate a businesses, getting enough rest is an essential part of staying successful, yet it can be difficult to do. Busy schedules mean you’re always on the run, while all the details of running a company can keep you up at night worrying and planning. Without good rest, however, you’ll suffer decreased performance and judgment, as well as a decline in your memory function. All of these things can affect your business, so it’s in your own best interest to make sure 42 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

you get good sleep. But where do you start? One of the best places to begin is with your bedding. Your mattress — as well as the sheets, pillows and comforter — play an essential role in how you sleep and, subsequently, how you feel when you wake up in the morning. Making sure you have the right kinds will help you feel refreshed, reduce body pain and boost your mental health at the same time. Keep reading for more tips on how to get better rest as a busy entrepreneur.

Create a Sleep Routine Creating a good sleep routine is highly personal, so it’s important to think about how you can wind down and prepare for good rest. This might mean getting ready for bed at the same time each night, taking a hot shower to relax or reading for a little while before lights out. Of course, this also means making sure your bedding is in good shape. If your mattress is more than 10 years old, it may be time for an upgrade. Think about the type that will work best for your needs; there are many options, including foam, latex, hybrid and inner-spring mattresses. Balance Your Two Lives The balance you keep between your work life and your personal life is extremely important when it comes to reducing stress and being

able to relax; this is especially true if you work from home, as it can be difficult for many people to draw a line when it comes to getting things done during a certain time frame. Set goals and rules for yourself — don’t answer work emails after a certain hour and keep your workspace separate from the rest of the house. This will not only help you balance your life, but it will also give you a distraction-free place to get things done in. Put Away Those Electronics Computers, televisions, smartphones and tablets can all emit blue light, which has been shown in studies to be detrimental to our sleep. That’s why many doctors recommend putting these devices away at least an hour before going to bed so your sleep patterns won’t be interrupted.

If you find that you’re more stressed after using a device, think about setting a time limit or map out certain times of the day when you’ll use them instead of having them available at all times. Don’t Leave Things Unfinished Many business owners are extremely goal-oriented, but even the most dedicated individual can get lost along the way sometimes. Staying organized — both at work and at home — will help you stay on top of everything you need to accomplish and will help prevent a list of unfinished tasks that could keep you up at night. Make lists so you can check off each task as you complete it; this will allow you to see a visual representation of your responsibilities. Getting better sleep when you have a busy

professional life is important, but it shouldn’t cause stress. Think of small changes you can make that will help you rest easier but that won’t lead to frustration, and talk to your doctor if you experience several nights of sleeplessness in a row.

Amy Collett is creator of Bizwell.org, a website that helps professionals and entrepreneurs build and strengthen their personal brand. When she isn’t helping clients boost their careers or businesses, she enjoys coaching her daughter’s soccer team and training to become a yoga instructor. SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

IN FOCUS

KCK & WYANDOTTE COUNTY ( by Julius A. Karash )

2018

FILLING NEEDS, PLANTING SEEDS 44 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

GROCERY EXPECTED TO SPUR DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN KCK n another sign of budding urban development, a grocery soon will sprout where a parking lot now sits in the historic Strawberry Hill neighborhood of downtown Kansas City, Kan.

The Merc Co+op plans to open a $6 million, 12,000- to 14,000-square-foot grocery at the southwest corner of Fifth Street and Minnesota Avenue by early 2020. Currently, there is no full-service grocery in the vicinity. In addition to providing a much-needed service to surrounding residents, area officials and advocates hope The Merc store will contribute to small business growth and overall development in downtown KCK, located on the east side of Wyandotte County. It is an area that has struggled against decline and disinvestment for many years, in stark contrast to the development boom that has rolled through suburban western Wyandotte County. “The grocery store is the first phase,” said Katherine Carttar, urban development manager for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kan. “We’re in talks with a number of other parties that are interested in putting additional retail and some multifamily housing on that block, which will make this an even better place for small businesses.” Rita York Hennecke, general manager of The Merc Co+op, said grocery stores “have been known to be anchors in terms of attracting other businesses. We look forward to expanding current partnerships and building new relationships with local farmers and producers.” Joe Krizman, whose Krizman’s Sausage business is a longtime Strawberry Hill stalwart, said The Merc could serve as a neighborhood magnet. “The more quality businesses we can have in this neighborhood that draw people, the more it benefits the neighborhood,” Krizman said. “They will draw people moving into the lofts in downtown Kansas City, Mo., which is only five minutes away. Strawberry Hill has caught on fire the last couple of years and is really growing. This could be a destination spot.” SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGER®

IN FOCUS

KCK & WYANDOTTE COUNTY ( by Julius A. Karash )

2018

Local leaders hope that bringing a grocery store to downtown Kansas City, Kan., will attract other small businesses.

“The more quality businesses we can have in this neighborhood that draw people, the more it benefits the neighborhood.” Joe Krizman // Krizman’s Sausage

‘CLAMORING’ FOR A GROCER

The Merc Co+op plans represent the latest chapter in efforts to revitalize downtown Kansas City, Kan. Former UG Mayor Mark Holland pushed for a “Healthy Campus,” which would have included a grocery and a YMCA-run community center, at 10th and Minnesota. But no ground had been broken for the Healthy Campus by the time Holland was defeated for re-election last year by current Mayor David Alvey. When the UG Commission took another look at the Healthy Campus in February, it decided to concentrate on landing a grocery for downtown KCK. “The grocery store was the primary amenity the public was clamoring for,” Carttar said. “We decided that first we would get the grocery store nailed down, and then we’ll work on other pieces to fill out the rest of the block, as well as the larger vision of the Healthy Campus. I think all the pieces will be there, it 46 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

just won’t be the original Healthy Campus.” UG officials also decided to move the development to Fifth and Minnesota. Many people live and work in the vicinity, and more are on the way. Across Fifth Street from the grocery store site, the University of Kansas Health System is renovating the former Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 7 headquarters into the health system’s new Strawberry Hill campus, which will house behavioral health services and administrative functions. Also bordering the intersection are the Hilton Garden Inn, the Jack Reardon Convention Center and the Children’s Campus of Kansas City. Nearby are residences and government and court buildings. Carttar said more than 5,000 people work within a couple of blocks from Fifth and Minnesota, and many people live within half a mile, which is considered within walking distance to a grocery store.

“Additionally, it is only a block and a half from our primary transit center, which is at Seventh and Minnesota,” she said. “The population that will find this an easily accessible grocery store should be quite a lot.” A PLACE TO ‘SHOP, GATHER, EAT AND LEARN’

The Merc Co+op started in 1974 as a buying club in the basement of a house. The co-op’s mission is to provide the community “a place to shop, gather, eat and learn by offering real food and sustainable products at reasonable prices through cooperative ownership and responsible commerce,” according to its website. Co-op groceries such as The Merc are run by a board of directors elected by members who buy ownership shares. The Kansas City, Kan., store will be The Merc’s second location. It currently operates a store in Lawrence. “The Unified Government approached us almost two years ago about opening a store to help provide access to groceries,” York Hennecke said. “Opening this store allows us to learn how to effectively run a multi-store co-op.” MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

Under a management agreement approved by the Unified Government Commission in late August, the UG will pay for construction of the store and will own the building. The commission agreed to spend $6 million

913-281-7200 47 www.dmi-kc.com

SMART COMPANIES THINKING BIGGERÂ®

IN FOCUS

KCK & WYANDOTTE COUNTY ( by Julius A. Karash )

2018

In addition to the planned grocery store, UG leaders hope that more restaurants will join Slaps BBQ in locating in eastern Wyandotte County.

on design, planning and construction. The financial package includes a $4.2 million cash contribution from the UG’s hotel revenue fund and tax increment financing worth $1.6 million. The hotel revenue fund was generated by the city’s 2016 sale of the Hilton Garden Inn. The Merc will operate the store. The agreement states that The Merc will “actively use its best efforts to recruit, hire and retain as employees the residents of Kansas City, Kan.,” and especially “those in close proximity and in adjacent neighborhoods.” York Hennecke said the exact number of employees to be employed at the KCK store has not yet been determined. The Merc currently employs 107 employees at its Lawrence store and at a kiosk/café it operates at the Lawrence Public Library, she said. In addition to a full line of groceries, the KCK store also will operate a small café and coffee shop and will offer community-based cooking classes. The Merc will be responsible for all operational and maintenance expenses. The agreement includes a $540,000 stabilization fund that The Merc can access during the first three years of operation if specified sales benchmarks are not achieved. “The co-op and the UG commissioned two 48 THINKING BIGGER BUSINESS // November 2018

market studies to determine the sales goals we feel will make this store successful,” York Hennecke said. “There is a cap for each quarter, so we don’t get the $540,000 all at once. If sales exceed our goals, then we will pay a management fee to the UG based on a small percentage of sales above the goals, in lieu of paying a fixed rent.” If the store attains success during the first three years, The Merc can enter into a longer lease before the three-year term is up, York Hennecke said. York Hennecke said The Merc is now working with the UG, architects and store planners to develop the store’s design and solidify the timeline. “Throughout this process, we are seeking community input so that we can gain an understanding of what the community wants from their neighborhood grocery store,” she said. IMPACTS NEAR AND FAR

The management agreement states that the UG will be permitted to license, lease or operate a farmer’s market on the development site. The market would be restricted to vendors selling their own produce.

Carttar said the site also could accommodate restaurants. Other possibilities include small retail spaces for home-based businesses that want to move to a commercial area. Krizman, whose family has been in the sausage-making business since 1939, said the new grocery store could dovetail with his plan to get his products into more retail grocery stores. “If they (The Merc) approach me and we can come up with a deal, I’d love to have my products in there,” he said. Besides the direct benefits to the neighborhood, Carttar said bringing a full-service grocery store to downtown KCK is the right thing to do for the entire city and county. “As the local government, our goal is to make everywhere in KCK and Wyandotte County a good place for people to live and work and invest,” she said. “You want to make sure you’re serving all your residents. There’s a general agreement that we should continue to invest in the west side but share that focus with downtown, so we can make sure we have a nice, stable city.” Julius A. Karash is a freelance writer in the Kansas City area.

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