Vol 28 | Issue 4 | April 2019
Accelerating Growth Pharos Partners aims to double its revenue this year.
Easy Being Green These businesses help others to be more eco-friendly.
Online Outlaws Local firms play sheriff to protect businesses from internet bad guys.
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contents April 2019
on the cover 28 Doubling Down Joelsette Hernandez-Jones aims to increase revenue at her current firm while starting a new venture.
feature 32 Earth Day Every Day Area companies make it easier for others to go green.
in focus 40 Wild West Web Local companies aim to keep businesses, consumers safe from online outlaws.
news 07 the bigger picture 08 big news 09 biz bits 11 big deals 15 25 under 25 updates 16 events calendar 50 big shots
kc entrepreneurs 22 trending 24 kc made it
smart strategies 44 smart finance Managing Payables Pays Off
46 smart marketing Generate Leads from B2C Digital Marketing
48 smart management How to Absorb a Business Blow 4
thinking bigger business | april 2019
18 Company to Watch
20 Entrepreneurial Journey
SaRA Health
Shelly DeMotte Kramer
The company aims
The entrepreneur has grown
to improve physical
through many phases of life.
therapy outcomes through its platform.
produced by
Thinking Bigger Business Media Inc. editorial
Katie Bean Editor and Managing Director Claire Martin Reporter sales
Tracy Holmes Sales Manager design & production
Rivet | WeAreRivet.com Design Consultants & Print Production photography
Dan Videtich | DanVidetich.com
28 | Cover Story Joelsette Hernandez-Jones, founder and CEO of Pharos Partners, runs her office out of a homey space in Merriam. She and her two other staff members work to connect IT and engineering talent with employers in and outside Kansas City.
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26 Q&A
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contents April 2019
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thinking bigger business | april 2019
the bigger picture
E
arth Day was started in 1970 to encourage eco-awareness. Students worldwide
kicked it up a notch last month with school strikes to protest what they saw as inaction on climate change. The protesters made a big splash with their calls for taking better care of the planet. But businesses can lead the charge on making significant changes — and many in Kansas City are doing just that. This month’s feature highlights local businesses that help others go green. Their work year-round helps to Ka t i e B ea n Edito r kbean@iThinkBigger.com
It’s easy being green, with the right help
make a difference in the amount of waste created or energy used. Companies including Built and Exceptional Waste Solutions have found ways to help clean up the construction industry. Traditional construction practices create significant waste, but these companies focus on reducing that. Access Records Management saw a need in the market to collect office recyclables from clients and created Business Recycling Solutions. It not only recycles paper, cardboard, plastic and more — the company also tracks each client’s recyclables and determines the impact the business has made through recycling. Good Energy Solutions works with business and residential clients to harness solar power, take advantage of green energy credits and ultimately save money. Each of these companies — and many others — are working to make every day Earth Day. Read more about them on page 32.
big ideas for small business
7
news
Bridging the Gap Full Scale pledges $1M in technical services to local startups.
D
evelopment help often can be more valuable to an early-stage
startup than simply opening a checkbook, said Matt DeCoursey.
A recent “State of the Silicon Prairie” report ranked Kansas City’s business scene last among its Tier 1 peers in the Midwest and
DeCoursey is co-founder of Full Scale,
indicated the City of Fountains only
a rapidly growing Leawood-based
reached half of the venture deals
startup that offers website and software
anticipated by analysts in 2018.
development services. He recently announced Full Scale’s commitment to investing $1 million of its technical services into Kansas City-region companies over the next two years. “There are a lot of hard-working, innovative, smart and deserving people here in this town,” he said. “When we see reports
8
we can at least start to change that.”
“I don’t have $100 million to seal up that gap, but who knows what investing resources in startups leads to for these businesses?” DeCoursey said. His goal is to leverage not only excess capacity at Full Scale, but also his and co-founder Matt Watson’s extensive startup experience.
come out talking about how things are
Every deal — just like the needs for each
underfunded in Kansas City and we don’t
startup — will look different, he said, noting
have the needed community spirit, we think
equity is taken in exchange for services.
thinking bigger business | april 2019
“The resource investment is defined as us giving you a credit for developers and any of the other services we offer: graphic design, project management, SEO, content writing, the whole gamut,” DeCoursey said. Traction and previous success with funding will be substantial contributors in Full Scale’s selections, he said. “When companies already have some investors — or maybe even a little money and skin of their own in the game — that really piques our interest,” DeCoursey said. Startup leaders curious about a partnership with Full Scale can reach out and submit investment materials at FullScale.io/contact. Tommy Felts is editor of news partner Startland News. // StartlandNews.com
news biz bits
State of Entrepreneurship
leave the ECJC executive team to take
address spotlights
a position with the Ewing Marion
entrepreneurial communities
Kauffman Foundation.
On Feb. 27, the Ewing Marion Kauffman
The ECJC is a nonprofit organization
Foundation‘s CEO Wendy Guillies and
helps connect entrepreneurs to the
vice president of entrepreneurship Victor
resources they need to grow and scale
Hwang delivered the annual State of
early-stage businesses.
Entrepreneurship address at Plexpod
“We are disappointed to see Melissa
the 10th anniversary of the address, but
Kauffman Foundation taps ECJC vice president
its first year delivered from Kansas City
OneKC for Women and the Enterprise Center
founder of OneKC for Women. “But we
rather than Washington, D.C.
in Johnson County announced this month
are excited that she now has the oppor-
that Melissa Roberts, vice president of
tunity to make a broader impact on the
strategy and economic development, will
entrepreneurial ecosystem at Kauffman.”
Westport Commons. The event marked
Guillies and Hwang stressed the importance of local support and the potential of
leave our team,” said Sherry Turner,
Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community. “It‘s local and hyperlocal activity that influences our economy,” Guillies said. “As a society, we need to champion the makers, doers and dreamers in our community.” Mayor Sly James also spoke on a panel highlighting leaders in entrepreneurial communities across the nation.
KC Tech Council celebrates
as a keynote speaker. The awards show also
No Coast award winners
unveiled its four award winners: Brian Baker,
On March 8, KC Tech Council hosted its first
Cerner’s lead government strategist, as Tech
No Coast event, a celebration of local busi-
Champion of the Year; Blue Valley CAPS’ Jill
KC Streetcar to add two new cars by end of year
nesses’ innovative contributions to the tech
Riffer as Tech Educator of the Year; Davyeon
industry. The event, hosted at The Abbott
Ross, CEO of tech startup ShotTracker, as
Two new street cars are headed for the
event space, featured Pixar’s director of
Tech Connector of the Year; and Fishtech
roads toward the end of 2019.
photography for lighting, Danielle Feinberg,
Group as Outstanding Contribution to Tech.
Authority Inc. hopes to reduce wait times
SBA and resource partners to host
The two events will take place in April
during peak periods.
events for small businesses
and May. The first, the International Trade
“The vehicles will help address the
The Small Business Administration recently
With the average ridership of 5,700 people a day, the Kansas City Streetcar
transit’s growing popularity and use, and they will help minimize wait times,” Donna Mandelbaum, marketing and communi-
announced that its Kansas City District Office, as well as its resource partners,
Informational Session, will take place April 5 from 8-10 a.m. at the Mazuma Credit Union; the second, the Small Business Resource Fair & Credit Workshop,
cations coordinator at Streetcar Authority,
will jointly host events to promote small
will take place May 6 from 8:30-11 a.m. at
told Fox4.
businesses in Kansas City.
the Kauffman Foundation. big ideas for small business
9
news biz bits
Lee’s Summit EDC promotes new business development director
2015 and has been promoted twice already.
The Lee’s Summit Economic
ment efforts, as well as oversee investor
Development Council (LSEDC) recently
relations for the organization.
announced its newly-created position, the Director of Business Development, will be filled by Tina Chace. Chace has worked with the LSEDC since
In her new role, Chace will lead LSEDC’s business retention and workforce develop-
“It’s an exciting time of growth for Lee’s Summit, and I am honored to be able to help promote economic development in this community,” Chace said.
Documentary features CAPS A documentary focused on the Center for Advanced Professional Studies, which
ScaleUP! announces ninth cohort
started in the Blue Valley school district in Overland Park, is showing at theatres across the country. Overflow, a Lenexa company, worked with CAPS students to produce the documentary, “Where Students Lead.“ A showing at AMC Town Center in Leawood will take place April 17. Tickets are available at bit.ly/2FqtJg7.
Downtown Overland Park Partnership announces new executive director Mary Cyr, formerly director of the Northeast Alliance Together at the Mattie Rhodes Center, was recently promoted as the executive director of the Downtown Overland Park Partnership. Cyr started her position on Mar. 26.
Fifteen local business owners were
Natasha Griswold-Friends (Elder Hair
selected as ScaleUP! Kansas City’s ninth
Care), Carrie Kiefer (Ampersand Design
cohort.
Studio), Rena Krouse (Green Bee KC Tea
ScaleUP! KC, a program that offers
Towels), Mike Linn (Linn Construction),
support for growth-oriented businesses,
Chris Matsch (Messenger Coffee), Jy
provides qualified companies with
Maze (Maze Freight Solutions), Ann
Cyr previously led projects that focused
revenue of more than $150,000 to reach
Packingham (InnovaPrep), Heath Porter
on improving the lives of residents in
their expansion goals.
(The Chop Shop), Amber Reed (Resolve),
Cohort 9 includes Amie Bristol (HMC
Joe Speicher (Easton Roofing), Andrew
Performance Coatings), Cate DePrisco
Syrios (Stewardship Investments) and
(The Photo Bus), Ellie Forouzesh (Artin),
Chris Vanderloo (Lucky Day).
Kansas City’s urban Historic Northeast neighborhoods. Prior to her leadership role at the Mattie Rhodes Center, Cyr was the founder and president of Cyr Architecture and Construction. 10
thinking bigger business | april 2019
news big deals
awards & recognition Two SKS Studio projects earn
network of editors, writers, photographers
spots on 2019 travel ‘It List’
and hospitality professionals.
Kansas City-based firm SKS Studio
SKS Studio is a boutique master planning
recently announced that two of its resort
and landscape architecture firm that
landscape architecture projects, Belmond
specializes in large-scale, mixed-use and
Cap Juluca and the Rosewood Baha Mar,
hospitality-related projects. Its winning
have been selected for Travel+Leisure’s (T+L) It List for 2019. T+L annually selects its list from the finest
location Cap Juluca is located in the Maundays Bay in Anguilla, while its other award-winner, Rosewood Baha Mar, can be found on Nassau’s northern shore in
properties in the world as selected by a
The Bahamas.
OPEDC awards fast-growing Overland Park businesses
Solutions, and Zoom Video Communications
The Overland Park Chamber Economic Development Council (OPEDC) recently recognized three fast-growing companies and six commercial development and redevelopment projects at its 12th annual Honors Lunch. The three Overland Park businesses – Bardavon Health Innovations, Fire Door
– received NOVA awards, which honor fast-growing companies. The Commercial Development Award recognizes significant investment and reinvestment in the Overland Park economy. This year, the OPEDC honored Avenue 80,
Monarch Cocktail Bar wins two prestigious national awards Monarch Cocktail Bar & Lounge
InterUrban Lofts, Mercer-Zimmerman, Nall
recently scored two awards of national
Corporate Centre II, Overland One and the
recognition: the Cocktail Bar of the Year
Promontory as award winners.
by Nightclub & Bar Magazine and the prestigious BevX (Beverage Excellence) for Best Innovative Beverage Program
Four KC entrepreneurs
and demolitions provider; Janelle Burlin,
receive leadership awards
co-founder and principal of KJB Packaging
Four Kansas City-area women entrepreneurs have been recognized as national 2019 Enterprising Women of the Year Award honorees by Enterprising Women Magazine. The winners include Stephanie Isaacson,
Solutions, a provider of custom, contract and general packaging; Sheryl Vickers, owner of Select Sites, a WBE-certified commercial real estate firm; and Jeri Kling, founder and
from Cheers Magazine. Independently judged by bar, hospitality and media experts, the awards recognize national leadership in the hospitality and beverage category. The Monarch, located in the Plaza area, was also recently nominated as a
the owner of New Horizons, a WBE-certified
CEO of Bartunek Group, a WBE-certified
2019 James Beard Award semifinalist for
environmental management, contracting
staffing, recruiting and consulting agency.
“Outstanding Bar Program.” big ideas for small business
11
news big deals
expansion Local owner stretches into
Social,” Stretch claims, and it will offer light
former Thou Mayest space
bites, a full bar and lots of coffee.
Business owner and entrepreneur
Stretch’s previous establishments include
Stretch has plans to take over the space at
Grinders, located next door to
419 E. 18th St. in the Crossroads Arts District.
the newly acquired space, and other
The building was previously occupied by
revitalization projects in the East Crossroads.
Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters. The new venture will be called “Chances
Meanwhile, Thou Mayest has a new location in Overland Park.
closings Pirate’s Bone waves goodbye (for now) Latin-vegan-coffee shop Pirate’s Bone recently announced on Facebook that it will close its Brookside location. The vegan-friendly shop, which offered nitro cold brew and activated charcoal waffles, struggled to maintain business during the harsh winter months. Owner Zaid Consuegra told KCUR in February that sales were down 70 percent more than an average winter. Pirate Bone’s goodbye post suggested
expansion to 20 additional bars and restau-
that this may not be the end for the shop,
rants in Kansas.
and that it may set sail on a new venture.
Originally based in the Crossroads Arts District, the agreement enables Double Shift to brew outside Missouri taprooms for the
financing
first time. “We are thankful to have found a great partner to help us expand our reach and
Double Shift expands distribution to Kansas
to introduce new consumers to our beer,” Double Shift managing partner Aaron Ogilvie said in a release. “We look forward to forging
Kansas City-based Double Shift Brewing
new relationships in Kansas and to serving
Co. recently signed a distribution agreement
beer in an important part of the Kansas City
with Standard Beverage Corp. that allows for
metropolitan area.”
Mobility Designed kicks off $3M funding round Kansas City-based mobility device startup Mobility Designed Inc. recently launched a $3 million Series A round, which will remain open until June.
Westport Café owners launch
training, service protocol development, sales
consulting firm for restauranteurs
strategies and more.
Westport Café and Bar has announced a fresh new undertaking: the launch of La Belle Epoque, a consulting firm geared toward other restaurant and bar owners in the Kansas City area.
“We implement hard work, intuition, education and a desire to connect people,”
Already, the company has received a $1.6 million backing from Gaston Capital Partners, a private investment firm based in North Carolina. Mobility Designed has already rolled
said Westport Café’s co-owner and general
out one product this year, a forearms
manager Kevin Mouhot in a release. “We
crutch device, and plans to introduce
build our relationships upon trust, and as
more into the market over the next two
The new business offers customized
partners, we are committed to making
years. The gains from the funding round
consulting and advisory options including
other restaurant businesses better and
will go toward sales and marketing efforts
menu and recipe design and creation, staff
more efficient.”
as well as new products.
12
thinking bigger business | april 2019
news big deals
on the move Crown Consulting welcomes two CFOs to staff CFO and controller firm Crown
Spencer Fane recruits two new partners from competitors Business law firm Spencer Fane LLP
Consulting have newly recruited
recently added two new partners to its
two CFOs for its staff.
Kansas City office.
Angela Eberhart previously worked as CFO and COO for Meridian Business Services, a professional services company and a 2018 alumnus of Thinking Bigger’s 25 Under 25 awards. Pat Doolan, who worked for Dean Realty prior to Crown, has a 35-year
The two new additions were recruited from Spencer Fane’s rival firms in Kansas City: Brent Erwood, previously of Stinson Leonard Street, and Jessie Merrigan, previously of Lathrop Gage. The new additions follow the election
background in commercial real
of 13 new partners in January, bringing the
estate and wholesale distribution.
firm’s total number of firmwide attorneys
Crown Consulting works with owners
to 248. The expansion has also bumped
of small- to mid-sized businesses to help
Spencer Fane’s number of national locations
them manage and grow their companies.
to 17 cities across nine states.
AlphaGraphics Downtown KC
MARKETING
DESIGN
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Visit us in person or online! 1717 Oak St | Kansas City, MO 64108 | 816.842.4200 alphagraphicskc.com | us190@alphagraphics.com | /alphagraphicskc
big ideas for small business
13
news big deals
openings Estelle’s Diner takes over
KC Daiquiri Shop brings taste of New Orleans to downtown
Cascone’s Grill in River Market The space in River Market that was
KC Daiquiri Shop, a New Orleans-style
formerly known as Cascone’s Grill has a
addition to downtown Kansas City, opened
new name and face: Estelle’s Diner, a
in mid-March at its new location, 1116 Grand Blvd.
healthy eatery headed by Anton Kotar.
While the shop will initially offer only
Kotar, who named the upcoming restaurant after his six-year-old daughter, plans to serve up plenty of “grass-fed” beef and comfort food. Kotar is also known for his restaurant Anton’s Taproom, located in the Crossroads Arts District.
daiquiris, it plans to roll out food items in late spring, including a variety of traditional Creole and Cajun-style dishes. The space will also offer cigar lounges. The new venture is a sister restaurant to The Daiquiri Shoppe, which has two
Kotar has worked closely with George
locations in Dallas and nine patents on its
and Frank Cascone over the months to
daiquiri mixes. The shops are operated by
naturally phase the restaurant into its
Kansas City-based business partners Calvin
newest culinary stage.
Vick, Kinley Strickland and Maurice Guess.
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Green Clinic rolls medical marijuana into River Market Medical marijuana supplier Green Clinic just opened its doors, bringing a new high to the River Market. While medical marijuana is not yet
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14
thinking bigger business | april 2019
news 25 under 25 updates
25 Under 25 Updates Porter Teleo relocates to the Crossroads Porter Teleo, class of 2019,
Jowler Creek reaps international accolades for sustainability
recently completed its move
Jowler Creek Vineyard and
from Merriam to a new studio
Winery, class of 2016 and
space in the Crossroads
Missouri’s first Green Winery,
Arts District.
was recently awarded a gold
The wallpaper and textile
medal in Botanical Research
Shatto Milk scores big at international competition
Institute of Texas‘ (BRIT)
Shatto Milk Company, class of 2006, recently brought home
International Award of
five awards from the 2019 Los Angeles International Dairy
Excellence in Sustainable
Competition, hosted at the Fairplex Fairgrounds.
Winegrowing competition.
world, including major cities like
Shatto was awarded three Gold Medals, defined as an outstan-
The award seeks to distinguish
New York, LA, Chicago, Toronto
ding product of superior character, for Garlic Butter in the
wineries that embrace a
and Paris.
Flavored Butter Category; Lily Cheddar Cheese in the Open
“ground to glass” attitude
Class Hard Cheese Category; and for Shatto Cheese Spreads in
towards sustainability.
the Spreadable Cheese Category.
“For us, being green means
a building for the first time. The
The company additionally received a Silver Medal for its
making choices throughout the
6,000-square-foot space is
Plattsburg Gouda Cheese in the Gouda Cheese Category and a
year to positively impact our
located at 1706 Holmes.
Bronze Medal for its Salted Butter in the Salted Butter Category.
environment, being efficient with
design firm, founded by abstract artist Kelly Porter and Bridgett Cochran in 2005, displays products in showrooms across the
After leasing space for years, the duo took the leap and purchased
the resources we have available
Thirsty Coconut closes $2M round
J. Rieger & Co. launches massive expansion
to sustain our business,” Colleen
Thirsty Coconut, class of
J. Rieger & Co., class of 2017, is preparing for exponential
Gerke, co-owner and CEO
2018, just announced that it
growth, which includes a new hospitality team and an upcoming
of Jowler Creek, said in a
recently closed a $2 million
innovative guest experience.
news release.
funding round.
The new brand experience space, 60,000 square feet in
The beverage company has
total, is scheduled to open in mid-June near the Electric
quickly scaled up in just the past
Park neighborhood.
six months, according to CEO
The guest experience features a 40-foot slide between floors, a
and founder Luke Einsel.
custom whiskey bottling station, a 3,000-square-foot Kansas City
The quick growth spurt follows
history exhibit and two full-service cocktail bars.
a 2018 deal with 7-Eleven that
“We are extraordinarily proud of the national growth and
allowed for Thirsty Coconut
recognition that we have accomplished and will apply that same
to acquire $7 million worth of
high standard to shaping the future of our new home here in
beverage products.
Electric Park,” co-founder Ryan Maybee said in a release.
and improving our wine quality
big ideas for small business
15
events calendar
APR Kansas City, Mo., primary elections April 2
Kansas City, Kan., Chamber annual meeting April 4 Reardon Convention Center
SBA international trade informational session
April 5 Mazuma Credit Union, Overland Park
Multicultural Business Week April 8-13
NAWBO KC meeting
April 9 Women’s Business Center, Fairway
Cheers to Business
April 18 Bridge Space, Lee’s Summit
KCDMA Ambit Awards April 4
Women’s Employment Network Annual Luncheon April 18 Sheraton Crown Center
Leadership Lyceum
April 23 Overland Park Convention Center
MAY National Small Business Week May 5-11
SBA Small Business Resource Fair & Credit Workshop May 6 Kauffman Foundation 16
thinking bigger business | april 2019
Greater Kansas City Chamber Small Business Celebration May 2 Think Tank Breakfast May 23 Awards luncheon
JUN Kansas Business Appreciation Month
Kansas Governor’s Exporter of the Year Award Go Global KC luncheon June 6
Big Breakfast
June 13 Chamber Board Room, Union Station
Kansas City, Mo., general elections June 18
JUL
Cheers to Business July 18, KC Wineworks
AUG KC Animal Health Investment Forum August 27
SEP Big Breakfast
September 12 Chamber Board Room, Union Station
OCT
National Women’s Small Business Month National Minority Enterprise Development Week Cheers to Business NAWBO KC Women in Business Summit
NOV
Global Entrepreneurship Week AltCap Your Biz Pitch Competition UMKC Henry W. Bloch School of Management Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Small Business Saturday
DEC
National Write a Business Plan Month Big Breakfast
December 12, Chamber Board Room, Union Station
WEEKLY
1 Million Cups KC
9 a.m., Wednesdays Plexpod Westport Commons
big ideas for small business
17
company to watch SaRA Health
Simplified Recovery Software solution keeps patients, PTs and employers in the loop.
T
he founders of a new health tech
The founders’ areas of expertise are
platform believe in the power of
a bit scattered: Coen’s background with
physical therapy — but they realize that
the manual labor industry includes work
sometimes patients need a push.
on oil fields in southeast Kansas, while
“We believe in providing value-based
Malik got his degree in computer science
care by helping out patients, providers
and Ferguson received his for physical
and payers,” co-founder and CEO Steven
therapy research.
Coen said. “We help injured patients and employees recover potentially quicker and more fully by keeping them adherent to a
However, the trio had one experience in common: months of physical therapy after athletic injuries.
home program.” SaRA Health has been in development since 2017, but the platform officially
Personalized care SaRA Health primarily targets at-home
launched on Jan. 1 of this year. Since then,
patient recovery from injury. SaRA’s software
SaRA (Simplifying Recovering Assistant) has
simplifies the processes of physical therapy,
been accepted into the California-based
which have been traditionally paper-based,
digital health accelerator NexCubed as well
by connecting providers, patients and
as two pilot programs.
employers through its digital interface.
SaRA’s origin Coen, a Kansas City native, met his co-founders, CTO Valeed Malik and COO
Through SaRA’s mobile app, physical therapists can assign exercises by videoing their patients in the clinic, verbally transcribe
Ryan Ferguson, through UCLA’s graduate
instructions and then track patients’ progress
program in engineering.
remotely. In turn, patients can upload videos
The trio moved SaRA Health to Kansas City after their April 2018 acceptance to the Kansas City Techstars program, as well
The mutual check-ins and uploads also keep patients accountable for their home exercises and put them on a faster track to recovery. Coen said 70 percent of physical therapy patients have reported skipping assigned home exercises, but those who adhere to them recover 20 to 25 percent more quickly. “The problem is nonadherence, and that
of their exercises and record their pain scale
causes longer recovery times, less than
and ease of mobility.
optimal recovery, chances of reinjury and a
“Generally what we’ve found is that PTs
lower quality of life for the patient following treatment,” Coen explained.
as their partnership with Bardavon Health
are very happy to use SaRA,” Coen said.
Innovations, a health tech firm based
“We help providers give personalized care
in Overland Park that helps companies
quicker than what they have today. We save
check in with injured employees on
manage workers’ compensation.
them a lot of time.”
workers’ compensation.
18
thinking bigger business | april 2019
The platform also allows employers to
Expect Accept the Unexpected.
“Studies show that if an employer contacts an injured employee even once during
chiropractors and autistic kids. This expansion outside a physical therapy
their entire recovery period, that employee
clientele is part of “a longer-term play,”
is three times more likely to stay at the
Coen said.
company afterward,” Coen said. “These are really small things employers can do, and we make it easy through a single solution.”
‘A defining year’ Coen says 2019 will be “a defining year” for SaRA. The company hopes to sign its first set
“What we would like to see is helping the PT community prove the impact it has, and to actually see a higher utilization of physical therapy. I really believe what they do works miracles,” Coen said.
surgery can get better and avoid surgery
helped test the product.
entirely just by keeping up with simple exer-
therapy patients: The software “helps any injury that needs work at home,” so its users have so far included occupational therapists,
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“Many who are supposed to undergo
of clients, and so far dozens of users have
SaRA’s clients aren’t limited to physical
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cises. It’s fantastic what PT does for people, and anything we can do to help push that forward, we get really excited about.” Claire Martin is a reporter for Thinking BIgger.
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big ideas for small business
19
entrepreneurial journey Shelley DeMotte Kramer
The Many Lives of Shelly DeMotte Kramer Over the years, the entrepreneur has learned how to bring everything into balance.
S
uffice it to say that Shelly DeMotte
with and for them,” she said. “Twenty-some
Kramer has had more than a few
years later, here I am, owning a marketing
professional lives. She’s lived the corporate
consulting agency, a media company, and a
life, the direct-marketing life, the
research and analysis firm.”
jewelry-designer life, the single-mom life, the mom-with-adult-children-and-babies-
The 20 years have given her insight and wisdom she is eager and willing to share.
simultaneously life, and the serial-
TB: How did you transform yourself into an expert in a still new/always changing industry? SDK: I realized early on the power the internet had and how it was going to change business, and the way people and businesses communicate with (and buy from) one another in big ways. I set out early to plant a flag in the digital space, to learn everything I could, to experiment,
entrepreneur life. Most people will tell you that she’s forgotten more about the
TB: Tell me about some early
build strong networks and not be afraid to
Internet and how to use it for good than
successes? Early struggles?
share my thinking or ideas.
many of us have ever known. Today’s life? Kramer is running her
SDK: I tend to be a bit of an optimist, so if I had early struggles, I’ve forgotten most
TB: What are the challenges of managing a team in the
companies, V3 Broadsuite, which
of them. I was a single mom for 16 years,
focuses on marketing consultancy,
so there’s the challenge of building a
world today?
and Broadsuite Media Group, aka BMG, a
business and also making sure you’re there
SDK: I have been very fortunate over the
media company; 2016 saw the launching of
for your kids.
years and have built an amazing team.
Futurum Research, a research and analyst firm. Kramer is charged with running the marketing consulting agency and the media company, and her partner runs the research and analyst firm.
There was a time when I took on clients
When you have the skill set that our team
that I didn’t particularly care for because I
possesses, another job is literally available
had kids to feed and bills to pay.
right around the corner. So making sure the
I remember one client who was incredibly
employee experience you create within your
misogynistic, and he was a peach. I would
company is a compelling one, and figuring
Her entrepreneurship began by accident,
lay out a plan and a strategy and he would
out how to give people work that they enjoy,
she said. Bored in a job, and wondering what
question it. Then I learned to bring one of
with clients or projects they enjoy working
else life had to offer, she decided to strate-
my male colleagues along with me, let him
with or on, and making sure they know they
gically plot her next move when she was 34
lay out the same plan and strategy, and he
are valued and appreciated is more impor-
years old.
would think it was the greatest, smartest
tant now than ever before.
“I turned down a ton of job offers that
thing ever.
I’m very proud to have created a culture
came my way as a result, and then those
I couldn’t wait to fire him, and as soon
and an environment that supports working
same people who offered me jobs came
as I had a client or two to replace him, he
women, most of whom are moms. My older
back and asked me to do consulting work
was gone.
kids sacrificed a lot in the early days, when
20
thinking bigger business | april 2019
“ I set out early to plant a flag in the digital space, to learn everything I could, to experiment, build strong networks and not be afraid to share my thinking or ideas.” - Shelly DeMotte Kramer
TB: What advice would you give a new entrepreneur? SDK: Try and be true to yourself. Find something that you love to do and apply yourself to that with all you’ve got. You’ll find that doing that will be less of a job and more of a passion project or a personal mission. That said, you’ve got to make sure that whatever it is you’re building, developing, growing, etc., is something that solves a problem and for which there is market demand. Develop a trusted network – not comprised of friends. Present your ideas or concepts, ask for your network to poke holes in your hypotheses and/or assumptions about your idea and your audience. Listen to that feedback; it might well be the difference between success and failure. Shelly DeMotte Kramer
The companies who understand marketing, and who understand their target
I was making my way in the business world.
that I’ve been blessed to have, I’ve been
audiences in a very personal way, and who
They made do without me infinitely more
able to craft a work experience that allows
allocate a budget to marketing that will
than I would have preferred. But that was the
me to be both a business owner and a mom,
way of the world back in those days.
without totally sacrificing my kids’ childhood
Thankfully, with the “second crop” of kids
as a part of the bargain.
allow them to be successful—those are the companies and the brands who win. Kate Leibsle is a freelance writer in Kansas City. big ideas for small business
21
trending Salinity Salt & Flotation Spa
Salt
of the
Earth
W
hen most people picture a relaxing getaway, floating in a
Salt and flotation spas have recently gained traction across the U.S. following
dark room of saltwater probably isn’t the first
their popularity in Europe. Amerine
thing that comes to mind.
says Salinity is unique in its audio and
But according to Salinity Salt & Flotation Spa’s founder and owner, Terry Amerine,
visual provisions. “We can virtually transport our customers
salt therapy can be key for overall wellness,
anywhere on earth or even the universe,” he
whether it be for immunity, mental health or
said. “The Salinity concept of combining the
pain relief purposes.
salt, float and audio/visual experience is, as
“Salinity’s goal is to use natural therapies
far as our research shows, unique to our spa.”
to empower the bodily and mental functions
Two rooms (one for adults, one for kids)
of each guest, thereby significantly improving their physical and mental health and
feature dry salt halo therapy, which condenses 99 percent pharmaceutical salt into the
Flotation spa uses salt
wellness,” Amerine said.
airflow. The technique can clear up a head
therapy, magnetic
More than a grain of salt
cold or a sinus infection in under an hour,
energy to cure ailments. by Claire Martin
22
thinking bigger business | april 2019
Located at 135th and Metcalf in Leawood, Salinity features a variety of services to
Amerine said. Salinity also offers salt flotation therapy,
improve immune function and overall health.
which allows users to float in a sensory
The half-spa, half-wellness space opened in
deprivation tank. The tank contains 2,000
February 2018.
pounds of salt, making it saltier than the
“The average person breathes 3,200 gallons of air a day,” Amerine explained.
Worth its salt Amerine’s primary goals are to improve
“Salinity puts us in a better position to
local awareness of air quality and salt
educate people on how indoor air quality is
therapy, and to partner with local businesses
affecting their health.”
to create wellness spaces across
After he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2014, Amerine left the
Kansas City. By providing Salinity services to local
commercial printing industry to run his
businesses, Amerine wants to offer healthier
own air testing and remediation company,
alternatives to coffee and energy drinks for
now called Genesis Home Restorations.
boosting mental acuity. Ideally, he’d like to
Following the same mission, Salinity sells an
expand Salinity’s brand nationally.
airborne probiotic system that dramatically reduces allergens, pathogens and transmission of illnesses.
“By partnering with office spaces, allergists and health care organizations, Salinity can provide foundational, daily benefits,”
“We want to show customers how to
Amerine said. “We have a mission to educate
take a proactive and preventative, rather
so we can reduce employee absenteeism,
than reactive, approach to their health,”
change the environment and help
Amerine said.
overall health.”
Dead Sea. The practice has clinically proven benefits for mental health issues—such as depression, anxiety and PTSD—as well as physical ones, like chronic pain and illness. Lastly, Salinity provides Pulsation Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) treatment, which microscopically expands a person’s capillaries to improve blood flow and circulation.
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“Everything we do at Salinity was specifically designed and clinically proven to help address (circulation and immunity) issues,” Amerine said. “We know that if our customers utilize our spa on a consistent
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fundamental to the therapies it provides. big ideas for small business
23
kc made it Engenious Design
Focus on Experience
Engineering design firm puts creative spin on medical devices. by Claire Martin
W
hen it comes to designing
prototyping and testing products for a
basement in 2013. Soon after, Engenious
high-tech medical devices,
gamut of electronic medical devices.
began working through the University
Engenious Design in
Overland Park is thinking outside the box. An engineering design firm located
Co-founders Chris and Holly Justice never intended to start a company, but due to high demand in Kansas City’s limited medical
in the A.L. Huber space off of Interstate
device sector, the husband-wife duo
435, Engenious specializes in designing,
started operating their business out of their
24
thinking bigger business | april 2019
of Kansas incubator, the Bioscience Technology Business Center at the KU Medical Center. “We never tried to start an engineering firm,” Chris said. “We wanted to create a
value do they have on the creative process?
sent home with them from the hospital, and
Are they really thinking about the consumer
people become attached to them.
experience? How are consumers going to perceive these products? That’s led us to have different disciplines other design shops may not have.”
‘Becoming instant experts’ Engenious currently staffs 19 employees, complete with its own model shop and
“These products, sure, they’re functional, but they’re going to be part of someone’s life, so how do we make those interfaces as easy as the other devices they use in their life? We’re not the only ones thinking this way, but it’s fun to see the industry care more about this experience.”
electronics prototype lab. The engineers and designers draw up blueprints for an endless pool of projects, including mechanical ven-
Continued growth The Justices hope to expand their staff
tilators, surgical tools, heart pumps, urology
and client base in 2019. While based
devices, patient monitors, cancer treatment
primarily in Kansas City, Engenious’ designs
products and solar home lighting systems.
have been produced by manufacturers
“It’s a good attractor of talent. People who love to learn lots of things tend to thrive here,” Chris said. “We’ve become good at becoming instant experts.” Due to the company’s creative dimension, Engenious puts a unique focus on consumer experience, which includes testing the look
worldwide, including China and India. They also get calls from the West Coast, thanks to Kansas City’s low regulatory overhead. By partnering with Midwestern companies, Chris explained, medical device companies out west can move to clinical trials more quickly and with lower costs.
and feel of certain products as well as their functionality. Engenious also conducts focus
design firm, which means we have creative people and technical people work on the same product.”
“We’re continuing to diversify our clients
groups with medical professionals to ensure
and at the same time have designers here
their products are as user-friendly
to do the work,” Chris said. “We’re trying to
as possible.
grow in lockstep with each other.
“A lot of our products are with patients for a long period of time,” Holly said. “They’re
“It’s an inexact science, but that’s what keeps it interesting.”
Designing Engenious Chris’ background in electrical engineering and Holly’s background in graphic design and art direction made for an unlikely but innovative symbiosis. While the overlap of their skill sets wasn’t immediately obvious, the two combined expertise to found Engenious: a creative engineering firm. “Figuring out where our two roles collided, we were unsure,” Holly said. “But soon we realized that while yes, other people develop products, how much of a focus or
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big ideas for small business
25
Q&A Global Prairie
Wide Open
Spaces Global marketing firm expands the frontier of social change. by Claire Martin
W
hen it comes to fostering social change, the ambition of marketing
firm Global Prairie is borderless. The KC-based company refers to itself as one-third creative agency, one-third data analytics firm and one-third consulting company. Global Prairie provides consulting services to companies working in quality-of-life sectors including health, agriculture, food, sports, the environment, energy and higher education. Through its purpose-oriented business model, Global Prairie has donated $11 million in pro bono time, volunteer services and cash donations to civic and charitable organizations since it launched in March 2008. Global Prairie embodies its name through its nine locations across the world, including Brussels and Berlin. Thinking Bigger sat down with Global Prairie founder, Anne St. Peter, to discuss the company’s international vision, its commitment to social purpose and the rise of the Benefit Corporation (B-Corp) movement. 26
thinking bigger business | april 2019
Anne St. Peter
TB: Tell me how Global Prairie’s story started. ASP: Eleven years ago, my co-founder Doug Bell and I saw white space in the professional services sector given the movement toward conscious capitalism we saw unfolding in the world of business. Global Prairie is the first global marketing firm that is employee-owned, a legally registered public benefit corporation, and a certified B-Corp, which underscores that our company puts purpose on a level playing field with profit. Global Prairie has a greater social mission than just making a profit—our intention is to cultivate a healthier world. When we started researching whether or not there were global marketing consulting firms oriented around employee ownership, public benefit and B-Corp models, we realized there weren’t. And we wanted to be the first. Since our launch in 2008, we’ve seen double-digit growth every year.
TB: Can you expand on what a B-Corp does? ASP: Certified B-Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. As a legally certified B-Corp, we have to subscribe to certain tenets that are considered atypical in the business world. We pay for best-inclass health care benefits and top-of-the-range salaries; we have fully paid parental leave plans and we have nurseries in all our offices and infant-at-work programs that allow our new moms and dads to bring infants into our workplace until the babies are six months of age. As a company that consults with our clients on aspects related to environmental sustainability, it is important to us that we live up to these standards as well. We prioritize LEED-certified spaces for our offices and we actively work with our property managers to monitor and manage our energy, water and waste levels in each of our nine offices around the globe. We also give our employees a portion of their time at work to invest in community causes and nonprofits. Every year, each of our team members gets almost three full weeks of time (117 hours total) during the workday to invest in causes that they’re passionate about.
TB: How does the B-Corp model pair with the growing conscious capitalism movement? ASP: B-Corps fundamentally believe that business should be a force for good in the world. Global Prairie uses our profits as a means to a greater end — to create positive impact for our employees, for our Kansas City community (and the eight other regions worldwide where we have offices) and for the environment. We’re proud to be among the top 10 percent of B-Corps globally, and for that ranking we recently won the B the Change Best for the World Award, which honors the leading Benefit Corporations around the world. The award signifies that we are among the top businesses in the world for how we treat our employees.
TB: Lastly, what do you foresee for the future of B-Corps, either in Kansas City or worldwide? ASP: Whether you look west to California or east to New York, there are a ton of B-Corps. What’s interesting is that the B-Corp movement has gotten very little traction and attention in the Midwest. While we are enormously proud that we were a decade ahead of the trend here in the Midwest, we believe it’s going to explode quickly in the coming decade. big ideas for small business
27
kc entrepreneurs cover story
Doubling Down Joelsette Hernandez-Jones aims to increase revenue at her current firm while starting a new venture. entrepreneurs
year founded
Joelsette Hernandez-Jones
2014
company Information
employees
Pharos Partners 8115 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Suite 100 Merriam, KS 66202 (913) 283-8806 pharoskc.com
3 keys to success
“It’s not just about making the client happy, but also the candidate — it has to be right for both sides.”
type of business
IT & engineering staffing firm
by Claire Martin | photography by Dan Videtich
W
hen Joelsette Hernandez-
women-owned businesses in STEM
American Century Investments. In 2013, she
Jones started her IT and
fields — science, technology, engineering
was managing 10 engineering teams across
and mathematics.
the U.S. and Canada with Cerner — but
engineering staffing firm Pharos Partners in 2014, it was following a decade in IT consultation across several large corporations in Kansas City.
She also earned a spot as an honoree in Kansas City Business Journal’s 2018
something still wasn’t clicking. “I decided after a few months that the
“Women Who Mean Business,” and she won
position was a collection of all of the jobs I’d
the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 2018
done in the past,” Hernandez-Jones said. “I
my career, and to do that I needed to
“Nuestra Latina” Entrepreneur of the Year.
wasn’t challenged enough.”
start my own company,” she said.
To top it off, she’s a mentee in the Helzberg
“Given my experiences as a consultant,
Entrepreneurship Mentorship Program.
“I wanted to have more control over
I decided to go out and start my own staffing firm.” Hernandez-Jones has been on a roll lately: For starters, she was recently
“I’ve been very blessed that Pharos’ growth has been consistent, and that growth includes being able to staff nationally now,”
development program through Wells
when Cerner offered her another position: If she took it, her dreams of starting her own business would move to the back burner. So she declined the offer and got to work
Hernandez-Jones said.
in launching her own staffing firm.
How Pharos Partners began
and staff IT and engineering talent thro-
accepted into 2019’s Million Women Mentors Entrepreneurship Initiative
Hernandez-Jones faced a difficult decision
Pharos Partners primarily works to recruit Before she caught the entrepreneurial
ugh one-on-one consultation “not just
Fargo, which accepted only 12
bug, Hernandez-Jones held IT consulting
behind desks, but also out in the field.” The
women across the country. The program
positions with several prominent busi-
three-person team places high priority on
focuses on capital access, strategic
nesses in the Kansas City area, including
making sure hires are a right fit for both sides
planning and growing networks for
IBM, Cerner, Waddell & Reed, Sprint and
of the position.
28
thinking bigger business | april 2019
Joelsette Hernandez-Jones works alongside two other staff members in their Merriam space, including recruiter Jamie O’Roark (pictured above). “She just has that remarkable spark and character about her that makes her extremely valuable to Pharos,” Hernandez-Jones said of her coworker. big ideas for small business
29
kc entrepreneurs cover story
“It’s not just about making the client happy, but also the candidate — it has to be
Giving back When she’s not raising her four kids and
impact in,” Hernandez-Jones said. Kathy Cook, the director of
right for both sides,” Hernandez-Jones said.
running her company, Hernandez-Jones
development at Heartland Chamber
“I think it’s the personal touch on both sides
devotes the rest of her free time to chairing
that sets us apart.
Music, said Hernandez-Jones’ enthusiasm
boards for causes that are important to her.
is “contagious.”
“We’re not just trying to fill numbers; we
Those most recently include the Hispanic
“Joelsette is a dynamic leader of the
really work hard to get the right candidates
Chamber of Commerce; MainStream
into the right companies, because that in
board,” Cook said. “She brings a strong
Coalition, the largest bipartisan politi-
turn creates longevity and trust. What’s most
passion for our mission and continuously
cal advocacy group in the U.S.; Central
important to us is being that trusted source
acts as an ambassador to raise awareness
Exchange, an organization that empowers
for our clients.”
about our programs and their impact on
and connects women; the Westside Housing
children in our community.”
Hernandez-Jones’ work with minority-
Organization, which provides housing for
owned businesses means that helping
low-income families; the Kansas City E-Ship
diverse small businesses get certified is a
Coalition through the Kauffman Foundation,
central priority for her. Pharos Partners
which targets cities throughout Kansas
itself has certifications as a woman-owned,
City at risk for gentrification; and Heartland
minority-owned and disadvantaged
Chamber Music, a musical education
business enterprise, which Hernandez-Jones
program for low-income youth founded in
says “opens doors” to working with other
Omaha. Heartland Chamber Music’s initiative
diversity initiatives in Kansas City’s
String Sprouts offers a free program that
business community. “What’s important to me is being able to help other people in the community get
As part of her position with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Hernandez-Jones travels to Washington, D.C. once a year to lobby for Hispanic small businesses. When conversation turned to representing her community on Capitol Hill, Hernandez-Jones started beaming. “I think it’s the greatest privilege to have
teaches children from low-income families
a platform to use my voice where so many
how to play violin.
others don’t have that opportunity,” she
“All of these boards are very diversified,
their certifications and help build up their
and they’re all very specific to areas I’m
companies for long-term success,” she said.
passionate about and wanted to make an
said. “It’s been very empowering for me, speaking up and establishing relationships with different politicians on all sides.”
A year of growth With a year of impressive accomplishments under her belt, Hernandez-Jones has even more in store for the upcoming months. Starting this month, she’s launching a second company. “I have a hard time turning off my switch,” Hernandez-Jones laughed. “I go pretty much seven days a week.” Her newest business venture, Pharos Solutions Inc., is a waste management brokerage firm. After interacting with the construction management world in Kansas City, Hernandez-Jones noticed a considerable gap in skilled trades as well as a need for more minority- and women-owned 30
thinking bigger business | april 2019
businesses in construction management. Pharos Solutions’ mission is to connect construction firms with waste management resources for their projects. “While waste management may seem very different from staffing, there’s actually a lot of synergy with consulting,” she said. In the process of scaling Pharos Solutions, Hernandez-Jones plans to devote her next six months to understanding the construction and waste management industries inside and out. From this, she hopes to establish strong partnerships with local construction firms. “I would have someone, boots on the ground, making sure that what we’ve committed to is done, and done well,” she said. “We’ll be able to broker for these firms, communicate with clients and provide direct reporting and analytics.” But by no means does her new business take away from her goals with the current one. This year, she aims to double the revenue of Pharos Partners, to get her 8(a) certification and to ultimately become an approved supplier for even more companies throughout Kansas City. Receiving her 8(a) certification through the U.S. Small Business Administration for Pharos Partners would enable HernandezJones to bid on government contracts. In addition, her upcoming participation in the Wells Fargo accelerator will allow her Recruiter Jamie O’Roark primarily works through LinkedIn when it comes to fielding IT and engineering talent. “Jamie handles all the recruiting,” Hernandez-Jones said. “We’re not necessarily looking for people in the job market; we’re searching for people with skills that companies look for.”
to provide staffing for and develop strategic partnerships with national corporations. “My biggest focus right now is strategic, national growth — to establish more clients and to become an approved supplier for them. “It’s so exciting,” she said. “I’m ready to go.” big ideas for small business
31
feature Green Businesses
Built’s office space was constructed entirely through recycled materials and DIRTT’s prefabricated, modular tile system. “When you’re creating a company that has this construction solution, you have to think about how you use your own space and your own facilities,” said André Davis, director of corporate engagement and business development. 32
march 2019 thinking bigger business | april 2019
Earth Day Every Day
Local services make it easier for businesses to go green. by Claire Martin
S
“What’s unique about Built is that we saw that a construction solution could be much more than just an afterthought,” he continued. “Simply creating a space that is flexible gives companies a choice in future-proofing their space without disrupting employees if a space ever
ome of Kansas City’s small businesses have, quite literally,
stepped up to save the world. In the face of rapid environmental change across the globe, sustainable practices and environmental responsibility are increasingly salient topics of conversation in business communities. In various ways, little or large, small businesses from industries across KC have approached the green wave from their own angles. These companies have taken a proactive stance in providing solutions for other businesses, all while protecting the environment.
has to change.” This reconfiguration process includes reusing 70 to 80 percent of a building’s original materials when Built is on the project. The firm repurposes other materials by recycling denim to use as insulation within the walls, melting down aluminum pieces to make new extrusions and reusing glass to make street signs. Built also uses virtual reality to digitally design its projects, drastically reducing its paper usage. Built’s premanufactured approach allows for a rapid construction process, more durability, higher-end finishes and easy access
Buil t Built is changing the way the construction industry looks at sustainability from the ground up.
into the cavity of the walls when needed. The firm is one of the only companies in the country to become a partner with nati-
Headquartered in the Crossroads Arts District, Built was
onal interior construction company DIRTT
founded in August 2015 by David Anderson, Russ Branden,
Environmental Solutions—an acronym for
Mark Brandmeyer and Kerri Brocker. Built has completed projects within the health care, corporate, government, industrial and educational sectors. Through various practices—such as its automated construction building process, minimizing waste on construction projects and use of recycled materials—Built stays “far ahead of the curve” on offering sustainable solutions, according to André Davis, corporate engagement/business development executive. “Built leverages its technology platform to build more efficiently because the construction industry hasn’t adapted so easily to current times,” Davis said.
Doing It Right This Time—which specializes in prefabricated automated construction. Built co-founder and DIRTT representative Kerri Brocker started working with DIRTT 10 years ago. Now, she helps Built’s team to implement DIRTT’s construction technology where it makes sense. “We’re at this pivotal point where the construction industry is booming in Kansas City, but the question is, how will they keep up? That’s when Built should be seen as a big ideas for small business
33
feature Green Businesses
resource to other general contractors. We actually help them build better and faster while assisting them in working more efficiently and minimize waste,” Brocker said. Currently, Built has expanded its Kansas City location to include St. Louis, and one of its upcoming projects is the brand new Johnson County Courthouse. Going forward, Davis and Brocker want to continue expanding awareness on green practices within interior construction and waste management.
Alexis Albright, founder and CEO of Exceptional Waste Solutions, works on-site to handle waste management for construction projects.
“(Building interiors) isn’t just a one-time transaction,” Brocker said. “We’re helping companies change their technology, the function of their rooms—chances are, they’re going to grow or move within the next 10 years, and we want them to be able to reuse what they have when appropriate.”
used green-building rating system in the
her company’s move into national markets
world. Its point system, based on various
and to help clients across the country, as
categories of sustainability, ranks buildings
well as to keep promoting LEED adherence.
on different rating levels ranging from “Certified” to “Platinum.” “Waste management seems simple, but it
E x c e p t i o n a l Wa s t e S o l u t i o n s Like Built, Exceptional Waste Solutions
can be intricate and complicated, especially
“I love giving clients greener options to recycle materials,” Albright said. “Not only is it good for the environment, but it’s cost-effective and it helps their business.”
when LEED reporting is involved,” Albright
also aims to provide green solutions to the
said. “My mission is not only to be a con-
Access Records Management
construction industry.
sultant to these firms and organize soluti-
Access Records Management is adding
ons that fit their budgets and construction
a green streak to a traditional records stora-
gement consulting firm that manages waste
schedules, but also to partner them with
ge company.
removal for construction projects.
vendors who will meet recycling standards
Launched in 2016, EWS is a waste mana-
EWS is a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
and recycle to the correct facilities.” Albright and the two others on her team
Within its 8,000-square-foot warehouse in Belton, Access Records has provided off-site records storage, shredding and scanning
(DBE) and a Small Local Business Enterprise
work with clients on their projects from
services for companies’ paper documents
(SLBE) headquartered in Kansas City, Mo.
beginning to end, starting in the conceptual
for 11 years.
CEO Alexis Albright was inspired to start EWS after working in construction sales for a Fortune 200 waste company, where she “saw a niche” need for a strong waste management consulting business. In addition to providing waste removal services, such
phase and closing with the waste management services required after a project is finished. EWS also provides direct reporting so companies can analyze how they stack up against their goals. “There’s no one really like us,” Albright
as portable toilets and dumpsters, EWS
said. “You don’t often have someone who’s
focuses on making sure companies meet
walking hands-on through the project,
recycling certification requirements for their
making suggestions and giving reports
projects such as LEED and Green Globe.
while also providing services such as
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely 34
thinking bigger business | april 2019
hauling and recycling.” Going forward, Albright wants to continue
After noticing the amount of paper that was being put in the shred bins that wasn’t confidential, such as newspapers and magazines, CEO and co-founder Stacie Smith wanted to take a more environmentally friendly approach and created Business Recycling Solutions. “Many commercial businesses don’t have recycling options for their trash,” Smith said. “There are a lot of places, especially downtown, where there’s no space for dumpsters, and many companies—especially marketing
Access Record Management’s Stacie Smith and her husband, Brian, receive an award from the Kansas City Royals.
companies—generate a lot of paper.” For this reason, Smith and her husband Brian provide a recycling service for their
Good Energy Solutions helps local businesses convert to solar power.
person when you call us, not an automation.
reliable energy grid that’s less impacted
I would never want to be impersonal.”
by natural disasters and less vulnerable to
In celebration of Earth Day this year,
clients, which involves driving throughout
Smith’s companies are recycling broken or
the Kansas City area every day to collect
unwanted office chairs April 22-26. The servi-
companies’ recyclable products, such as
ce is open to any business.
nonconfidential paper, cardboard, aluminum and hard plastics. Business Recycling Solutions also provi-
Good Energy Solutions For 12 years, Good Energy Solutions has
des annual certificates of sustainability to let
been a bright spot in Kansas City’s solar
clients know how much electricity, oil and
power industry.
trees they’ve saved throughout the year. Its
Started in 2007 by Kevin and Shana Good,
green incentive, the “80/20 Challenge,” en-
Good Energy Solutions is a full-service
courages businesses to recycle 80 percent
energy partner that provides consulting
of their trash.
and services within electrical, solar energy,
“One of the reasons we were excited
energy efficiencies and energy manage-
cyber-insecurity. “Clean energy leads to a healthier planet and a healthier environment for all.” Good Energy Solutions’ services aren’t only helping keep Kansas City green—they make good business sense, too. “We combine technologies like energy monitoring and energy storage with solar to help businesses use their energy more efficiently and reduce their demand charges and energy costs,” Kevin said. Good Energy currently staffs 21 employees and is looking to add to that number in 2019. Some of the company’s upcoming
about recycling was because there are a lot
ment. Its solutions reduce energy use, lower
of offices going paperless,” Smith said. “But
demand charges and create clean energy
power to 10 Commerce Bank locations
many people, when they say they’re paper-
from the sun.
across Missouri and participating in the
less, mean ‘less paper,’ not ‘no paper.’ There
In starting their company, the Goods
commercial projects include bringing solar
construction of a solar farm in Baldwin
are a lot of businesses that still generate
wanted to educate clients on the benefits of
paper and still need a recycling service.”
solar power and energy conservation and to
“The solar industry is rapidly growing,
provide green solutions that help customers
and we continue to see the scale of our
save money.
commercial projects increase,” Kevin said.
Access Records is a woman-owned business that focuses specifically on local customers—and right now, Smith isn’t interested in national expansion. “I want to stay small because I don’t want
“By helping others go solar, we can help
City, Kan.
“We see increased interest especially in
customers reduce their energy costs and
areas that offer rebates and incentives for
become less reliant on fossil fuels used by
solar like KCMO.
our customer service to be impacted,” Smith
centralized utility power plants,” Shana said.
said. “Our service is on par so that you get a
“Distributed generation can lead to a more
“The opportunity for the growth of our business and a clean energy future is bright.” big ideas for small business
35
25 Under 25 Gala Recap
small business awards
K
ansas City’s small business community gathered Feb. 23 at
the Downtown Marriott Muehlebach Tower to celebrate the 2019 honorees of the 25 Under 25 Small Business Awards. Hosted by Thinking Bigger Business Media and presented by Star Sponsor Affinity Worldwide, the event showcases 25 outstanding companies with 25 or fewer employees. In addition to the 25 small businesses, the event also honored Burns & McDonnell for its business diversity program, which has helped propel many small businesses, including many 25 Under 25 alumni. The 25 Under 25 Awards were founded 18 years ago to honor Kansas City’s small businesses for the con-
The 25 Under 25 Class of 2019
tributions they make to the economy and the community. This year’s award winners were selected out of nearly 1,500 nominated businesses. The awards wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our sponsors.
36
thinking bigger business | april 2019
Advantage Pressure Pro
Love Letters
Bulldog Professional Inspection Services
Mi Rancho Tequila
Chief of Staff
Midwest Comfort Homes
Digital Maelstrom
Moxi Events
e2E
MSP Consulting
Fresh Approach Cleaning Professionals
My Child Advocate
HMC Performance Coatings
OneHQ
IntegriShield
Otto Service Kansas City
KC Wine Co
Porter Teleo
2019 Sponsors Star Sponsor
Nomination Sponsor
Affinity Worldwide
EAG Advertising & Marketing
C h a m p a g n e To a s t S p o n s o r s
Entrepreneurial Patron Sponsors
Burns & McDonnell
Bank of Blue Valley
Sprint
Basys Processing
Video Production Sponsor The Heisenbergs
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City CBIZ MHM
Band Sponsor
Kansas City Startup Foundation
Arvest Bank
VIP Reception Sponsors The Kansas City Club
Landmark National Bank Principal Financial Group UMB
Above & Beyond Catering
Alumni Reunion Sponsor Country Club Bank
Block Real Estate Services
Alumni Congrats AnswerPro Nationwide Transportation
Photo Booth Sponsor
& Logistics Services
Elite Events
Alumni After Party Hosts Print Sponsors
Good Energy Solutions
ProPrint Digital
Towner Communications
AlphaGraphics Kansas City
The Roasterie
RedesignKC Shamerrific Shine Smith Mohlman TaxesPlus Tea-Biotics The Running Well Store
Innovators Entrepreneurs Creatives Risk Takers Builders Makers
Umzuzu Subscribe to the free email newsletter www.startlandnews.com/subscribe/
big ideas for small business
37
25 Under 25 Gala Recap
2019 Panel of Judges Katheigh Degen, Twin Financial Alan Farris, Landmark National Bank Daniel Kjergaard, CBIZ MHM Jeff Shackelford, Digital Sandbox KC Christal Watson, Unified Government of Wyandotte County/KCK Michelle Word, Burns & McDonnell
2019 Advisory Board Jeanie Brewster, CertifyNow.Biz Erica Brune, Lever1 Joyce Christanio, Sprint Kathy Peterson, Heartland Seating Kelly Scanlon, Interrobang Services Joe Valenciano, CoreFirst Bank & Trust Michelle Word, Burns & McDonnell Mike Wrenn, Affinity Worldwide
38
thinking bigger business | april 2019
big ideas for small business
39
focus cybersecurity
cyberattacks, hacking and brand fraud. Pair
takes on cybersecurity threats from an IT
that with undefined federal and state
consulting perspective.
policies surrounding internet regulations, and you have an open range for unmonitored criminal activity. Gayla Huber, founder and CEO of
consumers safe from online outlaws.
IntegriShield, conducted a recent study
14 states and eight countries.
I
magine, for a moment, a wild West where lawlessness rules the terrain and criminals and chaos run amok.
If you can picture it, then you have a close
sense of today’s dark web — with bad actors on the Internet as robbers, and regulatory and tech companies as cops. “It’s become very affordable to be a bad guy,” Purple Guys founder and CEO Jon Schram said. “There’s no barrier to entry
“We’re the voice at the end of the line
Hill. The study, which tracked 18 lenders
when something doesn’t work,” Schram
over the course of a year, reports that follo-
quipped, referring to The Purple Guys’
wing a 2017 Google policy that limits adverti-
outsourced IT consulting services.
online violations found from 2017 to 2018. “My biggest concern is that we don’t
Schram explained that in the past two years, online criminal activity has exponentially accelerated. Four to five years ago, a
want clients getting dinged or sued because
bad actor had to be technologically savvy
of unauthorized third-party activity,” Huber
and equipped with money and resources to
said. “Many small business owners are
get away with online crime. Not so anymore,
completely unaware of what they can do about this.”
by Claire Martin
The company currently helps 6,000 users across 170 small- to mid-sized businesses in
sing, fraud accounted for 70 percent of the
to keep businesses,
Purple Guys is his third startup from scratch.
brand protection and regulation company often consulted by researchers on Capitol
Local companies aim
Co-founder and CEO Jon Schram describes himself as a serial entrepreneur, as The
Schram says. “What’s happened in the last
Fortunately for small
few years is that the tools to
businesses, companies in
commit crimes on the ’net
the realms of IT, regulation
are now readily available
and compliance have taken
for $100 to $200, and they
up the mantle for protecting businesses’ brand integrity and private information. For founder and CEO Scott Ford,
require almost no technical knowledge,” he said. “So someone with a bad attitude and a couple hundred bucks can buy a giant
cybersecurity has been a crucial priority
database where everyone’s credentials from
for his consumer-facing software platform,
the last few years are compromised.”
Pepper IoT. “We’ve seen some movement away from
While Schram said that “there is no perfect security,” there are measures that small
the wild, wild West, where distributors of
business owners can easily take to protect
anymore. The number and volume of attacks
devices are realizing that they need to pro-
themselves. Those include setting up a good
have gone through the roof, which is why
tect consumers,” Ford said. “We’re helping to
firewall, establishing a centralized password
you see more small- to mid-sized busines-
change that.”
policy and providing training for end users,
ses being targeted.”
Schram, Huber and Ford and their com-
Dangers of the
panies have each taken their own stances in
W i l d We s t We b
tackling outlaws in the online landscape.
With the rapid shift from on-site storage to cloud-based platforms, small businesses have become more vulnerable than ever to 40
thinking bigger business | april 2019
to name a few. Two-factor authentication is a good example of a cheap and easy practice that can boost a business’ security twofold. As for The Purple Guys, there’s no shor-
The Purple Guys The Purple Guys, established in 2001,
tage on the business end, thanks to the cybersecurity crisis; plus, the rapid evolution
of cloud-based services is keeping them on
“I think a lot of times, that’s why people
their toes. The company recently expanded
will come to us. We picked up expertise that
protect their customers before things
to the St. Louis market and is looking to grow
just doesn’t exist out there. It’s a combinati-
get bad.”
even further in 2019.
on of technology plus people.”
“We are growing significantly with security
Currently, Huber works with industry
they don’t technically have to in order to
P e p p e r I oT Internet of Things software platform
awareness practice,” Schram said. “We’re
leaders and politicians on all sides of the
offering that to new and existing customers
aisle to educate them on what’s happening
Pepper, founded in 2014 by CEO Scott Ford,
because it’s such a hot topic. That’s a growth
to customers and consumers — and to es-
manages communications between connec-
area for us.”
tablish Internet regulations and policies that
ted devices and people, particularly in the
can be consistently applied nationwide.
household space. Ford started the business
IntegriShield Huber founded IntegriShield in 2012.
Huber explained that in current legislation, following California’s introduction of
when he foresaw the rise of the “connected home,” or a household in which services can be accessed via Bluetooth or WiFi.
Through the company’s proprietary software
the Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in 2018,
Integris, Huber and her team monitor the
states are in danger of creating a “patchwork
Internet internationally to protect businesses
system” of regulation policy. This lack
connected home services, and we knew
from brand fraud and marketing violations.
of cohesion will ultimately hurt small
that world was going to explode,”
To date, Integris has been implemented in
business owners, she said.
over 150 countries and in 30 languages. Huber started her career in marketing data but transitioned to the regulatory technology
“These different regulations from state to state will make it really hard for small businesses to comply,” Huber explained.
“We delivered very high-quality
Ford said. “So we wanted to have an investment in the space.” Pepper’s home-based services transfer the communication from devices into a
(regtech) and compliance
“We need a federal
cloud infrastructure, which
monitoring field when she
solution — a privacy
features user interfaces and
realized how many busines-
protection rule that
mobile apps. From there,
ses were vulnerable to fraud
everyone can follow.”
Pepper contains and
and unauthorized violations. Where does one even begin
As for how small businesses can protect themselves
controls the data inside that environment.
when monitoring the entire World Wide
from online threats, Huber advised that
Web? The key, Huber says, is smart queries
owners “be smart” about data collec-
the IoT market
and focused expertise.
tion (“only take what you absolutely
falls into three
need”) and be proactive about taking
sectors: indus-
protective measures.
trial, enterprise
“When we started out, we manually had people looking at this because something had to change,” Huber said. “You can’t just
Many companies, Huber said,
Ford explained that
and consumer.
throw bodies at this. We thought, there’s got
are already taking steps in the
Of the three,
to be another way.”
right direction.
the U.S. consu-
IntegriShield’s services are invaluable for one simple reason: they’re very, very rare. “There’s no training for what we do. There isn’t one place to go, or one thing you can do to go and learn regulations, across all these industries, across all these countries,” Huber said.
“In Kansas City, everyone is very pro-consumer protection and very pro-business. A lot of what we’re doing with compliance monitoring, it’s a very
mer market is currently most at risk for security threats due to
proactive approach,” Huber said. “We’ve seen these great companies that are investing in technology where big ideas for small business
41
focus cybersecurity
the importation and sale of cheap,
IoT. It’s the first partnership of its kind to
unregulated devices.
bring this to everyday devices in the marketplace.”
“These really insecure, low-cost devices are coming into the U.S. market and being
Pepper was named one of Startland News’
embraced by retailers, who are selling them
Startups to Watch of 2019, and it currently
at huge volumes,” Ford said. “It’s completely
sells products in 10,000 retail locations
inappropriate for a U.S. consumer to have
across the globe. The software has engi-
personal data sent to other countries throu-
neered nine camera devices into its cloud
gh their devices. Pepper is a solution to that.” Pepper’s architecture allows
platform, more than any platform of its kind worldwide.
for the protection of users’
Even with these strides, Ford says
personal data — offering
Pepper’s takeoff is just beginning.
much-needed security for
“Our growth is really right now,” he said.
the consumer-facing sector
“There’s no end in sight in terms of crazy
of the IoT industry.
growth because this market is one of the
“We’ve partnered with a very large global cybersecurity firm called
biggest we’ll see in our generations. “So we’re now set up for a great 2019 and
Kudelski that helps us protect the devices that we integrate into our platform,” Ford said. “That doesn’t exist in consumer
beyond, and we’re setting up partnerships that will leverage our opportunities.”
Content Calendar Here’s what topics are coming up in future editions of Thinking Bigger. Want to be a part of it? Contact editor@ithinkbigger.com or sales@ithinkbigger.com to learn how to get involved.
42
Month
Focus
Content Deadline
Ad RSVP
Ad Deadline
JUNE
Legal
April 1st
April 26th
May 9th
JULY
Certifications
May 1st
May 29th
June 4th
AUGUST
Eastern Jackson County
June 1st
June 28th
July 2nd
SEPTEMBER
Health Care
July 1st
July 26th
August 1st
OCTOBER
Food Services
August 1st
August 26th
September 3rd
NOVEMBER
South Kansas City
September 1st
October 1st
October 7th
DECEMBER
Manufacturing
October 1st
November 1st
November 4th
thinking bigger business | april 2019
big ideas for small business
43
smart finance
Managing Payables Pays Off Save money and reduce risk with automated systems.
44
thinking bigger business | april 2019
is more efficient for companies. Instead of
on a regular basis, in turn saving the compa-
profitable is no easy task. Business owners
Keeping a business successful and
waiting for vendors to receive payments on
ny time and resources.
need to constantly explore opportunities
a check schedule and fund availability of a
to save money and reduce risk, which is
financial institution, the process is in-house
Is it benef icial to pay by card?
why evaluating payables and commercial
and therefore streamlined.
card options is a good place to start optimizing operations.ns. A streamlined payables system could be very advantageous for a business, particularly one that’s just starting out. However, payables systems are complex, and there are a lot of components involved with getting a program to work for your business.
In addition, the automation saves on check stock cost, reduces the risk of fraud attempts and cuts down on other fraud prevention service fees.
What are ghost cards and how can my business b e n e f i t f r o m t h e i r u s e? A ghost card is essentially a virtual credit
There are several upsides to a business paying a vendor by card. One of the most significant benefits is that a business owner can take advantage of the up to 55-day cash float that they won’t get when they pay by check or ACH. When a card is used, the vendor still receives their funds immediately, but the money doesn’t come out of the business’
Below are three questions to ask before
card. Users have a card number, expiration
account until payment is due. This allows the
determining which payables solution is best
date and CVV code they can use to make
business to keep more funds in the bank,
for your growing business.
purchases online, but a physical plastic card
where the money can earn interest or help
is never issued.
the business pay off a loan.
What is payable automation, and why should my businesses implement it? Payable automation is another way for a company to pay a vendor’s invoice. A payables strategy can flag vendors in the company’s accounting software that are set up to receive card payment and will generate a payment file when invoices are sent to be paid. There are a tremendous amount of soft costs that go into running vendor payments each week, but a payment file can help reduce these costs. First, the file can offer streamlined information including vendor name, total dollar amount to be paid and invoice reference numbers. Next, the file goes to a processor such as Visa to have emails sent automatically to vendors with instructions for them about how to receive their payments. Every day, the company will receive an email to inform them which vendors have accepted payment. Payable automation saves money and
Ghost cards are managed just like traditional cards but with some extra benefits. Typically, they have a larger credit limit as fraud risk is drastically decreased because there’s no plastic card being used in public. Ghost cards usually are not titled in a
Eff icient systems go a long way Companies should always be looking for ways to make processes less costly and more efficient. By leveraging payment automation, companies are often able to reduce fraud and overhead. In addition, companies can take advantage of incentives such as
specific person’s name, but rather a de-
rebate programs and discounted vendor pri-
partment’s name or generic name to easily
cing and can also receive detailed reporting
distinguish how the card is being used. For
on payment and remittance.
example, a company could have a human resources card, an accounts payable card or a utilities card. Ghost cards are a convenient way to
Business owners should consider talking with an expert about how best to manage their payables. Setting up an efficient payable system can go a long way in helping
have recurring payments like phone,
make the company profitable
internet or janitorial services charged
and sustainable.
monthly to decrease check run time and accounts payable processing. Another way to use a ghost card effectively is for one-time payments to vendors. Instead of entering bills into the accounts payable system for check processing, ghost card users can place the payment on the card. This will eliminate data entry time for the vendors that are not used
Eric Craine is the sales director for commercial card and treasury management at UMB Bank. // eric.craine@umb.com
big ideas for small business
45
smart marketing
How to Generate Leads from B2C Digital Marketing Follow these tactics as part of a measurable campaign to boost business. Before you begin your digital marketing strategy, there are a few key steps to get you started on the right foot.
• First of all, you need to know exactly who you’re marketing to. Identify the personas for your campaigns — your core consumer base or “character” of your consumers (general characteris-
Email is obviously a central element in the modern world, which makes it a prime medium for marketers.
tics, demographics, interests, habits,
To take it a step further, personalization
etc.) so you have an idea of who your
has a huge impact on marketing effective-
campaign is targeting.
ness, offering a key to improve relevance,
• Next, a competitor audit is a crucial step to gain insight into what others in your industry are doing and to gain ideas about your own strategy. • Then set goals for your campaign, establish your creative direction and review benchmark data for successful ad campaigns and leads to gather data
build loyalty and drive conversions. In fact, personalized emails deliver six times higher transaction rates. And in an effort to avoid
based on their history or behavior. There are tools for making email personalization easy, like Auto Pilot, a handy tool that allows you to engage at just the right time with personalized email, in-app messages, SMS and postcards.
Paid Search Everyone uses search engines, right? Paid search (PPC or SEM) allows you to use that to your advantage by paying for ads for your
being flagged as spam by new, more strin-
brand show up among results of relevant
gent consumer protection laws, personali-
searches.
zing email content is becoming even more popular among marketers. Facilitated by new data collection and
The main platform for this is Google AdWords, though Bing Ads and Yahoo! Ads also offer paid search. You can find detailed
analytics technology, marketers have more
guides for each option on the platforms
tools than ever to gain insight into customer
themselves, but there are also a few general
• Finally, make sure every part of your
identities, attitudes, behaviors and intent. In
tips to keep in mind when launching a paid
campaign is trackable — code, links,
short, this gives marketers a valuable toolkit
search campaign:
tags, analytics — so you can measure
to optimize customer experience — to appe-
your efforts. With this, you’ll have the
al to specific needs and preferences, build
and gather a thorough understanding
framework for an organized, targeted
strong relationships and make customers
of the tool before you launch your ads.
and measurable campaign primed to
feel as if an experience or product is made
There will be some trial and error, but
boost your business.
just for them.
since you’re paying for each ad, you
points to test ads.
Read on for more valuable tactics to drive leads for your brand. 46
Personalized Email Marketin g
thinking bigger business | april 2019
Personalized emails should include the user’s first name and feature unique content
• First of all, read all the documentation
want to make sure your ads are as deliberate and researched as
possible to avoid throwing money out the window. • Then set a detailed strategy for your ads campaign, including specific goals and budget. • When you’re designing your ads, pay close attention to keywords (a little research goes a long way here) to make your ads as targeted and effective as possible. • Finally, test different strategies to see which approaches and keywords are
SEO Search engine optimization (SEO) is an
identifying keywords that not only relate to your business but also are ones people are
incredibly powerful tool for lead generation.
actively searching for on a regular basis.
Major search engines such as Google, Bing
Keywords are the lifeblood of any SEO stra-
and Yahoo! rank web pages and other con-
tegy — the keywords you choose to target
tent such as videos and local listings based
will determine the type of traffic you get.
on what the search engine considers most relevant to a search query. If you’re not using SEO as part of your
Once you’ve conducted the research and have identified the keywords that best fit your website’s goals, incorporate them into
marketing strategy, you’re missing an oppor-
your page titles, meta descriptions, URLs,
tunity to obtain more quality organic leads
image alt text, and page copy and headings.
by attracting more traffic to your website.
These keywords should complement the
There are several techniques to achieve
online sales system. Valerie Jennings is an early adopter of social media
most effective and above all, track
improved search engine optimization. SEO
since 2005, Valerie Jennings founded Jennings Social
everything. Knowledge is power (and
tools like Moz or Google Keyword Planner
Media Marketing (JSMM) in 2003 at the age of 24 and in
leads), after all.
are game-changers when it comes to
(VBM). // jsmm-vbm.com // valeriejennings.com
2012 founded a second creative agency, Viral Bolt Media
Commercial . Industrial Data/Comm Design Build Utility . Prime MO: 909 Troost, KCMO 64106 KS: 3236 N. 7th St, KCKS 66115
816-842-7023 www.markone.com
big ideas for small business
47
smart management
Taking the Punch How to absorb a business blow. Kung fu, a martial art form, was developed by the Shaolin monks who reside in the forests of China’s Shaoshi Mountain. Kung fu is both powerful and poetic, borrowing many of its moving poses from insects and animals like the praying mantis and tiger. Shaolin warriors dance with graceful energy and their fighting can yield deadly consequences. Effective leaders observe the many meaningful parallels between kung fu and business. Take these two main tenets, for instance: • Never Fight: Perhaps counterintuitive, martial artists avoid fighting at all costs. They use their tested skills and mental discipline to disarm and conquer combatants without fighting, saving valuable energy to use in the next battle. • Redirect Energy: When encountering force of any kind, martial artists don’t attempt to stop an attack. Rather, they redirect it and use their opponent’s energy against itself. The energy they encounter is then turned in their favor. Here’s an example: An opponent throws a punch at the warrior’s face. Most people would naturally block the blow with their arm, absorbing the energy into their body. Kung fu masters, on the other hand, know this would result in absorbing the energy, causing pain to their arm or, worse yet, a broken bone. Instead, martial artists skillfully pivot their body to avoid the blow and gently guide the opponent’s punching arm to pass by and fall to the ground. Consequently, Shaolin warriors use minimal energy to step aside and bypass their opponent. The opponent’s energy is not absorbed; it burns out. And, in some cases, the opponent returns with respect and awe, becoming an evangelical supporter. For sure, master martial artists can easily win against an aggressor. But the best martial artists avoid all fights and turn their “enemies” into their friends.
48
thinking bigger business | april 2019
A B l o w t o Yo u r B u s i n e s s Effective leaders apply this technique
business. Those that did survived; those
blows always surprise you?
that didn’t went down with the punch.
• Are you forecasting market transitions?
whenever they encounter obstacles, using the least amount of energy possible. Learning how to deal with difficult market
• Have you tested new marketing
Anticipating the Punch
campaigns?
Technology and market revolutions are
• Are you continuously improving
conditions or a negative client’s energy,
happening constantly all around us. We can’t
for example, can yield your business
see all of them, and it takes real effort and
your organizational skill-sets such as
tremendous results.
sometimes brilliance to anticipate.
strategic planning?
Inevitably, business blows can’t be eliminated. Challenging forces of all shapes
business blows and pivoting when
and sizes are thrust upon us day in and
necessary. They continuously seek counsel
day out. Your ability to predict, manage and
to improve their self-awareness and
respond to them, however, often defines
challenge themselves with confronting
your success. Whenever possible, you can
If you’re constantly shocked and
Effective leaders are always bypassing
unprepared for negative forces, perhaps it’s time to take a serious look at how you forecast and prepare for business challenges. Successful leaders know not just how to
questions, such as:
turn these forces to your benefit. Here’s one example of a dramatic business blow—the transformation of an entire industry: Circa 1995, cellular phone technology
defend against business blows, they are also
• Where are your most difficult business
able to predict, plan and redirect them for
challenges coming from?
their own benefit.
• Can you predict your obstacles with
Joe Lieberman is a professional speaker, author and
enough time to respond, or do business
coach with years of successful entrepreneurial experience. // joe@DragonsAndEnemies.com.
emerged and changed the way we all communicate. It’s hard now to imagine a world without cellphones.
New Entrepreneurs Need Your Help!
Savvy payphone industry businesses knew that cellular technology would be devastating to their survival. (Within a few short years, cellphones quickly decimated the entire industry.) Skilled business leaders – like the highly trained Shaolin warriors - could see the force coming and knew they could not withstand the blow. They knew they would need to radically shift their business model to survive. In so doing, they identified their internal transferrable skill sets (skills that could be transferred to new profit centers like field sales, customer service and equipment repair) and redirected their energies into new business channels. Many saw the “business blow” was coming. Rather than ignore it and take
www.kansascity.score.org
Volunteer and join our professional team offering free mentoring/workshops. SCORE is a non-profit partner of the Small Business Administration
the punch head-on, they “danced” with these new forces to transform their big ideas for small business
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big shots
brew off In February, two architecture and design firms competed in the inaugural Brew Off hosted by Freedom Interiors. DRAW Architecture + Urban Design faced Clockwork Architecture + Design. The two firms made beer at Brew Lab in Overland Park — DRAW Scribble Stout and Clockwork Orange Saison. Clockwork’s brew edged out a win with 51 percent of votes.
coworking
grand opening City Barrel Brewing Co. opened in February at 1740 Holmes in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District and celebrated with a ribbon cutting. The brewery was founded by James Stutsman, Grant Waner and Joe Giammanco.
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thinking bigger business | april 2019
LOOKING FOR A UNIQUE OFFICE EXPERIENCE THAT WILL IMPRESS YOUR CLIENTS? THE BOX WILL PROVIDE BUSINESSES, CONTRACTORS, FREE-LANCERS, ENTREPRENEURS WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL LOCATION WITH AN AFFORDABLE CO-WORKING SPACE TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS.
Wake Up to New Opportunities Learn From KC’s Movers, Shakers & Deal Makers. Join us for Thinking Bigger’s quarterly Big Breakfast. We host some of Kansas City’s brightest small business leaders who share their knowledge and insight on their area of expertise.
Thursday, June 13
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Board Room Union Station // First Floor 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
$25 RSVP at 913-432-6690 or ithinkbigger.com. This is an inspiring and thought-provoking breakfast you don’t want to miss!
A BIG Thanks to our Sponsors: Presenting Sponsor:
Sponsors:
big ideas for small business
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