TK...Topeka's Business Magazine Summer Issue

TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

Summer 2011

1

Celebrating Excellence in Patient Care

Jami Potter

Dianna Sloan

Dana Jones

Marda Drobek

Mary Lawhon

Mary Robertson

Della Anderson

Connie Wood

Holly Bartlett

Sarah Dittman

Connie Pritchard

David Dean

Denise King

Erica Combs

Sally Gonzalez

Brandy Meyer

Amy Pannone

Excellence In Nursing Practice

Excellence in Nursing Research

Rising Star

Jami Potter, RN - Emergency Department Dianna Sloan, RN - Case Management

Della Anderson, RN - EP Lab

David Dean, RN - 3/4 Pavilion Denise King, LPN - Cotton-O’Neil Allergy Clinic

Excellence In Nursing Leadership

Connie Wood, RN - HealthWise 55

Dana Jones, RN - 7 North

Excellence In Nursing Mentorship Marda Drobek, RN - Stormont-Vail West Mary Lawhon, RN - 3/4 Pavilion

Distinguished Community Service Excellence in Licensed Practical Nursing Holly Bartlett, LPN - Cotton-O’Neil Nephrology Clinic Sarah Dittman, LPN - 3/4 Pavilion Connie Pritchard, LPN - Cotton-O’Neil Research Clinic

Excellence in Patient Care Erica Combs, PCT - Critical Care Sally Gonzalez, PCT - 7 North Brandy Meyer, PCT - Emergency Department Amy Pannone, Surgical Tech - Surgery

Excellence in Nursing Preceptorship Mary Robertson, RN - Post Surgical

Stormont-Vail HealthCare honors our nursing staff for leadership, compassion and skill.

The Excellence in Nursing Awards celebrate Stormont-Vail HealthCare employees for outstanding work in patient care and the community. Physicians, nurses, mentors and friends nominated many highly qualified candidates. A multidisciplinary committee, including several staff nurses, had the difficult task of selecting the awardees.

The 17 patient care staff members who received awards, which are sponsored by the StormontVail Foundation, were honored at the Excellence in Nursing Awards ceremony on April 27 at Stormont-Vail’s Pozez Education Center.

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Summer 2011

TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

1500 S.W. 10th Ave. • Topeka (785) 354-6000 • stormontvail.org

[contents] FEATURES

18

28

What’s on your Bucket List?

TK takes a look at businesses that can help you cross items off of your bucket list.

Bucket List Reflections

Two Topekans look back on their own bucket lists.

32 40 54 TK Watch List

TK spotlights six businesses that bear watching for their innovation.

Can Your Business Survive a Disaster?

Complete the checklist to see if you are prepared for a disaster.

Life of a Building

Deb Goodrich-Bisel follows the life of the Crawford Building at 501 Jackson.

76

The Power of the Tweet

The two-way conversation of social media is a powerful thing.

In Every Issue

Columns

4 6 8 14 48 66

10 12

From the Publisher Remember the small things.

Editor's Note/Letters to the Editor

By the Numbers Local and regional news and statistics.

Help Desk You have questions, Topeka experts have the answers.

Extra, Extra!

News and updates about Topeka businesses.

Scene About Town Career Chapter of the American Business Women's Association

2011 Leadership Topeka Graduation

Association for Women in Communications

American Business Women's Association

Business Toolbox: Who are You Really?

Tim Kolling talks about the importance of advertising.

Tough Love with Raubin & Megan Raubin Pierce and Megan Mosack offer their suggestions for Topeka’s priority list.

30 60

Heart of the Entrepreneur Rick LeJuerrne shares the story of entrepreneur Steve Ditch.

Winning Rules: Making the Most of Media Relationships Kevin Doel offers advice on how to work with people in the media.

63

From the Professor's Desk Susie Pryor, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing and entrepreneurship, talks about using social media effectively.

78

Last Word: Chuck Lower TK highlights Chuck Lower, Lower Heating & Air Conditioning.

TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

Summer 2011

3

photo by Lock Photography

[from the publisher]

Remember the small things...

A few weeks ago, in my dealings with a flat tire, I was reminded of the value of good customer service and how the smallest of things can impact your business.

So here’s what happened…

By the time I realized I had a low tire, it was pretty much flat. I drove specifically to a large convenience store so I could put enough air into the tire to make it to my next destination.

When I got to the convenience store I realized I had a $5 bill and two quarters – air cost 75 cents – YES!! I was lucky. I never carry cash. I went into the convenience store and the following conversation took place: Me: I have a flat tire. I need to purchase air from your machine. Can I get change for this $5 bill?

Cashier: I’m sorry; we only have six quarters in our register so we can’t make change.

Me: That’s ok, I don’t need all six.

I just need ONE quarter.

Cashier: Sorry.

Me: REALLY? REALLY! How about I give you the $5 bill, and you give me just one of those six quarters?

Cashier: No! Okay, so maybe I just hate to be told no, but from the perspective

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Summer 2011

of a person with flat tire in need of help, I was baffled and a little angry.

I probably could have purchased something for 50 cents and received at least one quarter in change, but in my frustration, I left. Across the street was a locally owned convenience store. I asked the same question – can I get change? And the answer… YES. And he had air – and he has a new customer.

But the story doesn’t end there. My tire still needed to be fixed. After the big box store fiasco I was only willing to use a local business owner who would take care of me. So I headed to Performance Tire & Wheel. Now this isn’t a plug, this is just the truth. They not only took care of my tire quickly, but they also greeted me and everyone else in the building like a friend. They smiled at my vehicle ignorance, but didn’t make fun of it or take advantage of it. They explained what was wrong with my tire and what was needed to correct the problem, and they didn’t make me wait long – matching the ETA to the actual time. That’s it and I’m sold.

The point of this whole story is how critical those front people are to your business. That convenience

TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

store has had my business since I can remember in every location I have been in. That relationship ended over the simple fact that at the one moment when I had a sick kid in the backseat of my car, another at a class that I had to get back to in 10 minutes, and a flat tire that I was terrified was going to cause damage to my wheels… they could have cared less because a store policy stopped them from being human.

My plea to Topekans… get to know the wonderful people behind these small business in Topeka. These individuals put their hearts and souls into the work they do and the products or services they provide. They won’t be perfect, but they will be human.

My plea to business owners… take a moment and remember the small things that truly separate us from the big boxes, and let it empower your business to be the best.

We specialize in treating the territory just north of your shoulders.

We are the physicians of Topeka Ear, Nose & Throat It’s a complex land up there. Four of your five senses call it home. It’s full of nooks and crannies. So when any part of it hurts or seems a little off balance, you definitely want a specialist leading the exploration.

Topeka Ear, Nose & Throat has seven ENT specialists, each one a top-notch physician trained to address the very specific conditions and diseases that can affect the precious ears, noses and throats of both adults and children.

We can treat your condition medically with drugs or surgical procedures—or work with our audiology department to coordinate non-medical solutions such as hearing aids and audio therapy.

When it comes to treating your ears, nose or throat, turn to the experts at Topeka ENT.

Michael Franklin, MD, FACS

Douglas Barnes, MD, FACS

Matthew Glynn, MD

Scot Hirschi, MD

Robert Lane, MD

Tyler Grindal, MD

Bart Patenaude, MD

TOPEKA

EMPORIA

920 SW Lane St., Ste. 200 Topeka, KS 66606 PH: 785-233-0500

2625 W. 15th Avenue Emporia, Kansas 66801 PH: 620-343-7234

Please visit our website to download new patient forms and learn more about our practice:

www. TopekaENT.com TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

Summer 2011

5

TK

[editor's note]

Topeka’s Business Magazine

photo by Lock Photography

letters to the editorSummer 2011

Publisher

TARA DIMICK

Editor-in-Chief LISA LOEWEN

Creative Director

Moving Forward

JENNI MONHOLLON

Account Executives

Planning this issue of TK got me thinking about my own bucket list.

Yes, I have one. I started it many years ago, and it has evolved as I have aged. I thought I would run a marathon by the time I was 30. With little kids at home, and no time to train, that didn’t happen. I did finally run one—almost 10 years later. I haven’t written my book yet, but having the privilege of editing this magazine is pretty darn rewarding. I want to travel to exotic places, but I have found that seeing my own wonderful country through the eyes of my children is pretty exotic. So, what is on your bucket list? On pg. 19 you can find out what Topekans have at the top of their bucket lists and how Topeka businesses can help you with yours. Starting a business is a bucket list item for many entrepreneurs and Rick LeJuerrne gives us a glimpse into the life of Steve Ditch on pg. 30.

Maybe one thing that should be on all of our bucket lists is to become more innovative. We should all be looking for ways to improve how we do things; invent new products, develop creative approaches to managing problems or simply be willing to say “we need to change.” This issue highlights six Topeka businesses on pg. 32 that are doing something innovative. This is a new section entitled TK WatchList. We are finding businesses in Topeka that you need to keep your eye on.

Lastly, with the earthquake in Japan and the tornados in the south, we know all too well that disasters can happen at any time. Could your business survive a disaster? TK’s checklist on pg. 74 could help you be better prepared.

BRADEN DIMICK Tara Dimick

Contributing Writers & Columnists

LISA LOEWEN, KAREN RIDDER, TIM KOLLING, DEB GOODRICH-BISEL, KEVIN DOEL, MEGAN Mosack, RAUBIN PIERCE, rick LeJuerrne, SUSAN PRYOR, ph.d.

Cover Photographer NATHAN HAM, NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

Photographers NATHAN HAM, NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY, ryan cavanaugh

Founder KEVIN DOEL PO Box 67272 | Topeka, Kansas 66667 785-217-4836 | tara@tkmagazine.com www.tkmagazine.com

Comments & Suggestions tara@tkmagazine.com

Publishing Company E2 Communications, Inc. 2011© TK is published and copyrighted by E2 Communications, Inc. Reproduction or use of this publication in any manner without written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Letter to the Editor "I just opened the new copy of TK Magazine online…another great issue!! You are doing such creative things with the magazine."

Anita Wolgast

{

6

Have something to say? Send your "Letter to the Editor" to editor@tkmagazine.com

Summer 2011

TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

}

Every effort was made to ensure accuracy of the information in this publication as of press time. The publisher assumes no responsibility of any part for the content of any advertisement in this publication, including any errors and omissions there in. E2 Communications, Inc. makes no endorsement, representation or warranty regarding any goods or services advertised or listed in this publication. Listings and advertisements are provided by the subject companies, E2 Communications, Inc. shall not be responsible or liable for any inaccuracy, omission or infringement of any third party’s right therein, or for personal injury or any other damage or injury whatsoever. By placing an order for an advertisement, the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher against any claims relating to the advertisement.

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upgrade your home?

Whether it’s time to upgrade your current home or upgrade to a new home, we have a loan to fit your needs.

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TRUST AND ASSET MANAGEMENT

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TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

Member

FDIC

Summer 2011

7

[by the numbers]

71%

by the numbers

of USD 501 students are on the Free and Reduced Lunch program.*

50,000

TIDBITS Breakdown of Topeka's

8.95% sales tax rate 6.30%

Stormont-Vail West has cared for more than 50,000 outpatients and 29,608 inpatients since 2001.

$61,500

1,304,450 *Source-- the 2011 Shawnee County Progress Report provided by the Community Resources Council www.crcnet.org/reportcard.

Summer 2011

TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

0.50%

Shawnee County**

is the median income in Shawnee County.*

the number of hours people volunteered in 2009 for the Topeka Rescue Mission and United Way.*

8

State of Kansas

0.65%

Washburn University

1.00%

City of Topeka

0.50%

City Street Repair*** **

1/2 cent sales tax voted for in 2004

*** 1/2 cent sales tax voted for in 2009 to repair Topeka streets, gutters, curbs, sidewalks, alleys and street lighting.

“I’m Dr. Mike Atwood, chief medical officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, encouraging you to

.”

A Kansas vacation does your heart good.

Medical experts say you can cut your risk of heart attack significantly just by taking a vacation each year. And with so many beautiful lakes, rivers and trails to enjoy, Kansas is an ideal place to relax and refresh your health.

Visit TravelKS.com to request your free Kansas Visitors Guide for information on lodging, restaurants, attractions and more.

M.1104

An Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association ® Registered mark of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

Filename: 111BCBS014 - AtwoodHealthyVacations_TK_M1104 Client: Blue Cross Blue Shield Paper: TK magazine

More work than people?

Dimensions: 7.875” x 4.875” (1/2 pg. horz.)

Output Time: 05/12/11 11:02 AM

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Morale and Employee Engagement June 9, 2011 10:30 - Noon (CST)

(785) 267-2773 www.topekaks.expresspros.com

TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

Summer 2011

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[business toolbox]

WHO ARE YOU D

REALLY?

o you think everyone knows who you are? I’m speaking to the businesses out there! For this edition of the Business Toolbox, I’m putting on my traditional “Marketing Hat.”

How are you letting people know who you are?

How are you letting them know what you have to offer?

After all, that’s what they want to know. Why would they do business with you if they don’t know what you can do for them?

If you are one of the many businesses in this region that have been around for years, do you think everyone automatically knows about you? Do you still need to advertise? Let me give you an example. There’s a little burger place that opened in 1955. To this day it does a wonderful job of staying at the top of everyone’s mind.

You can’t go a day without hearing about its breakfast sandwich, its famous hamburgers, or another new product it is introducing. This humble hamburger establishment stuck with a consistent plan of telling customers about its products, and what it could do for the consumer. This little burger place now has more than 32,000 restaurants across 117 countries, and millions of its products are served every day all over the world.

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TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

by TIM KOLLING

So, shouldn’t everyone know who this company is?

If so, it wouldn’t need to advertise anymore, right?

Wrong. It’s estimated that last year this company spent more than $2 billion on advertising, just to remind people why they should come through the drive thru! By the way, you may have heard of this little burger joint—McDonald’s.

People new to the area don’t know who you are, and people who may have been here all of their lives may have forgotten about you, if you aren’t reminding them. Both groups really don’t care how long you’ve been in business.

They want to know what you can do for them and how you can make their lives easier or better. They won’t do business with you unless you are familiar to them. With familiarity comes trust. When people feel they know you and trust you, they do business with you, and that creates loyalty.

Never stop telling consumers who you are. But make sure you tell them in a way that matters to them.

Tim Kolling is a Marketing Consultant for WIBW 94.5 FM and 580 AM. He has worked in the advertising industry for 17 years.

It takes more than solid financial planning to protect your money. It takes aggressive, methodical, transparent accountants to equip your business with the armor to defend itself and the clarity to prosper. At Kennedy and Coe, our accomplished accounting and consulting arsenal will turn your business’ dollar from hard-earned to hard-kept.

For genuine fiscal success, go to www.kcoe.com or call 800.303.3241.

TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

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H G TOU Love Love them or hate them, they get Topeka talking.

Raubin and Megan offer their suggestions as to what city leaders should have at the top of Topeka’s priority list.

Priority #1: Increase Transparency The city of Topeka recently won an award for the transparency of its website. However, the transparency of Topeka’s government has repeatedly come into question.

From the refusal to release documents pertaining to the theft of scrap metal by city employees, to the rejection of media inquiries into the investigation of local police officers involved in shootings, the city of Topeka has historically been less than transparent with the public. In an open, transparent society, these individuals shouldn’t be afraid to make all of the facts available to the people. We should be able to look at that information and make a determination on our own about the appropriateness of both the behavior and the consequences. When we have to legally force our government to turn over documents, it fosters a climate of distrust. A relatively easy way to improve transparency immediately would be for City Council meetings to be available through podcasts. The county has already been doing this for seven years.

Priority #2: Move Forward with Ideas for Mergers It is refreshing to see a renewed interest in city and county departments merging to be more efficient. You have City Councilman Bob Archer and County Commissioner Shelly Buhler, who are working together on a plan to merge parks and recreation. This is an absolute no-brainer for Topeka. Take Lake Shawnee and Gage Park for example. They are both beautiful properties, and are treasures in our community. But do we have duplication of services? Can we be more efficient if the departments were combined? The answer is yes. We have missed some opportunities to strategically merge with Shawnee County, either because we simply

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haven’t given it enough thought, or we let egos get in the way. As a result, we lost the opportunity to save the tax payers millions of dollars. That is a shame.

Priority #3: Develop a Plan for Infrastructure When we talk about long-term planning, we need to actually talk about long term planning for the entire city. This doesn’t mean talking about whether or not downtown has big-screen TVs in it. It’s talking about the number of water mains that blow up every year—as if it’s acceptable that 500 water mains blow up each year in Topeka. Where’s our long-term plan on replacement? What are our priorities for maintaining our streets? We get so excited about shiny new things that we forget to focus on the little things like patching potholes correctly.

Priority #4: Use Technology to Make Our Government Better SeeClickFix is an organized way that we can submit issues to the city that automatically routes them to the appropriate department. We have encouraged people to use SeeClickFix to report streets that need to be repaired, but other communities are using it for a whole host of things.

One community in another state used it to attract a grocery store to a part of town that they called the grocery store desert. Other communities are using SeeClickFix to drum up support for projects and address specific issues. It is a great way for elected officials to keep tabs on what people in the community are really interested in.

Priority #5: Make Appropriate Hires In our search for a new city manager, we have to find someone who fulfills what the people of Topeka thought they were voting for when they voted to change the form of government. The people didn’t simply want a professional city manager, they wanted an effective government. We need to hire someone who has more than just municipal experience. We need someone who knows how to run a business; someone who is willing to come in and shake things up if need be, to say, “You know, what we’ve been doing isn’t working—this community needs an enema.”

TK

TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

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[help desk]

Q:

I’ve twice instructed an employee to do something, but the individual fails to follow through.

What should I do?

A:

The fact we have to tell an adult in the workplace to do something, more than once, is a sign our message is not getting through. There may be a variety of reasons for this, including: 1. Your request was not worded clearly.

2. You did not state or enforce consequences for failure to comply with the instructions.

3. Your non-verbal communication undermined your message.

4. You don’t have enough leverage with this employee to enforce consequences.

Here is what I recommend. First, make sure you are directly and clearly stating what you want done. Eliminate hinting, beating around the bush or being vague.

Secondly, when asking an employee to do something new, or to change a behavior, it’s best to explain “why” the instruction or change is important and the consequences of failure for both them and the organization. You must follow through with consequences once they’ve been stated.

Thirdly, you must send a matched rather than mixedmessage, with your body language, voice and words.

Sometimes a lack of authority or conviction in our voice undermines our words.

Finally, if this is the second or third time you’ve told an employee to do something, and they have not followed through, you must enforce a consequence for non-compliance. Without consequences you have no leverage. If you have a hard time being the “bad guy” with your employees, keeping the focus on correct policies and procedures can help the employee see you as simply doing your job.

Rich Drinon

Drinon & Associates, Inc. Executive communication trainer, advisor and facilitator.

25 years experience

Q:

How does the repeal of the new 1099 rules affect small businesses?

A:

On April 14, President Obama signed the repeal of a provision that was widely vilified by small businesses and owners of rental property. In addition to issuing a 1099 for contract labor, as the current rules provide, businesses would be required to report a wider range of transactions. If the business purchased equipment from an electronics store that totaled more than $600 for the year, it would have to issue that store a 1099-Miscellaneous form and also report it to the IRS. The same would apply for purchases of office supplies, buying insurance, and just about any other business expense.

Unless you used a credit card. Then the credit card company would report those transactions. So it would be up to the business to track the method of payment in addition to the transactions themselves. The National Small Business Association predicted that the average forms required to be filed by an average business would jump from about 20 to 95, or 375 percent!

The repeal allows small businesses to re-focus on conducting business and getting the economy back on track.

Just remember that the repeal does not eliminate the need for all 1099 Forms, only keeps the status quo.

Kurt Guth, EA

Vice President American Tax Service, Inc. 7 Years Tax Experience 13 Years Accounting Experience

continued on pg. 16 14

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TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

ouldn’t be.

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TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

5/9/11 Summer 2011

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5:33 PM

[help desk]

Q:

I want to start a business. What is the best type of business entity for me?

A:

As with most legal questions, the short answer is, ‘it depends.’ There are a number of forms of entity to choose from, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Following is brief summary of the primary business types you may want to consider.

Sole Proprietorship

A sole proprietorship is the most basic of business structures. In a sole proprietorship, a single owner has complete control over, and liability for, the business. Profits are taxed as personal income to the owner, and the owner is personally liable for the obligations of the business. It is not necessary for a sole proprietorship to file any kind of formation documents with the State—once an owner hangs his or her shingle, a sole proprietorship has been formed.

Partnership

A partnership is, in many ways, similar to a sole proprietorship.

As the name implies, however, a partnership consists of two or more owners. Like a sole proprietorship, the profits of a partnership “flow through” the business to the partners in the form of personal income.

Partners are also personally liable for the obligations of a partnership. While it is not necessary to file anything with the State in order to form a partnership, it is highly advisable that partners prepare a partnership agreement to address issues such as the division of profits and losses, voting among partners, and the like.

Limited Liability Company

A Limited Liability Company (LLC) combines features of a partnership and a corporation. Like a partnership, the profits of a LLC are taxed as personal income to the owners, or members. Because a LLC is a

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separate entity, its members enjoy personal protection from the obligations of the business. While LLCs do not require the level of formality of a corporation, they are nonetheless creatures of statute, and thus it is necessary to file articles of organization with the Secretary of State in order to form a LLC. The operation of a LLC is governed by an operating agreement between the members.

Corporation

Of all the business structures, corporations require the most formality in their operation. Like LLCs, corporations are entities entirely independent from their owners, or shareholders, who have no personal liability for the obligations of the corporation. Unlike LLCs, however, the profits of corporations are taxed as income to the business.

When those profits are paid out in the form of dividends, they are again taxed as capital gains to the shareholders.

For most small businesses, double taxation is the primary drawback of the corporate form. In certain circumstances, a corporation may be able to avoid double taxation by electing to be an “S corporation”; however, S corporations are subject to fairly rigid limitations regarding ownership and ability to raise outside capital.

As this brief summary demonstrates, there are a number of factors to consider when choosing the appropriate form for your business. A good business attorney can help you make an informed decision, taking into consideration your own particular circumstances and objectives.

Cody Robertson

Associate Attorney Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds & Palmer 5 years experience

BEST FRIEND

IN BUSINESS.

TOPEKA AND SHAWNEE COUNTY ARE THRIVING thanks to our strong and established business community. And as part of this community, we invite you to take part in GO Topeka’s Existing Business Program to help ignite, enhance and grow your business and the local economy even more.

Through our program, you’ll get:

Strong educational partnerships to support workforce needs now and in the future Information on available local and state incentives Help navigating the rules, regulations and red tape so you can focus on what you do best Industry-specific connections for advice and opportunities A wealth of relevant information including a snapshot of the business climate culled from data analysis Security and confidentially among all involved With all of these elements in place this certainly is the start of a beautiful friendship.

If you’re thinking of starting or expanding a business in Topeka/Shawnee County, call GO Topeka to find out how we can help at 785.234.2644.

GoTopeka.com

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what's on your

BUCKET LIST?

by KAREN RIDDER The term “Bucket List” was popularized by the 2007 movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. In the movie, they played the parts of two men with cancer who escape the hospital to travel around the world and live out their dreams – things they want to do before they kick the bucket. A bucket list is about dreaming and setting goals to make those dreams a reality. TK set out to find out what Topekans are dreaming about and how local businesses can help make those dreams happen.

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When we asked Topekans what was on their bucket list, we got everything...

THE OUTRAGEOUS "Space travel."

THE HOPEFUL "Meet my great grandchildren."

THE GENEROUS "Give $1 million to charity."

THE SPECIFIC "Drive a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport at 256 mph on Germany's Ehra-Lessen proving grounds."

But most people have dreams that fall into one of three categories: Travel, Money and Body. We want to go places, have money to give or spend and have a body that can take us there. Topeka businesses give some tips on how to get started on your bucket list at any age.

TRAVEL

By and far, travel was at the top of most Topekans’ bucket lists. By car, plane, train or boat, you dream of traveling to places like Australia, Antarctica, Machu Pichu, Europe, Africa, the National Parks, US Historic Sites, New York, Florida and Route 66. It seems most of us have places we

have longed to see or experience.

Enrich Your Life At AAA Kansas in Topeka, club spokesperson Betty Oliva says travel feeds our emotional and intellectual needs

“Travel is a diversion from everyday life and a chance to get away and spend time with the family,” she says.

and enriches our lives.

According to AAA numbers, Kansans are most often heading off to places like Alaska, Disney World and California. But our TK poll found that the number one dream place to visit was Australia. However, the land down under remains just a dream for many people because of the cost and time commitment to go there –you need a minimum of two weeks.

Do Your Homework The folks at Cruise Holidays of Topeka help people check travel off their bucket list all of the time. They specialize in cruises, group packages and all-inclusive resorts around the world. President and owner Dick Knoll says travel is very personal and for people wanting to take a trip of a lifetime, he The Loewen family in Xcar et Eco Theme park , Playa del Ca believes it is important to rmen, Mexico really think about what kind of experience they are really looking for. He recommends talking to a travel agent to make sure your bucket list trip becomes the dream trip you want, instead of a nightmare.

Go Big Consider if you are more interested in history and tours, a leisure vacation or an adventure. Do you want everything provided, or would you like to

David Cavanaugh and Washburn fore ign exchange student Tua Narongsak in Thailand

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explore and learn about a place on your own? The answers to these questions will make a difference in the type of travel you should choose.

If Africa is your destination of choice, one business in Topeka specializes exclusively in safaris. Gary Clarke of Cowabunga Safaris in Fairlawn Plaza has been on 140 safaris himself and has spent more than two decades arranging specially tailored trips for travelers to experience Africa’s animal life and culture. He started with what he called his own trip of a lifetime 37 years ago and says Africa always “called him back.”

Money

Bucket list items surrounding money include: giving it away, making enough to buy a second home, getting out of debt, being able to retire and winning the lottery. Getting those money goals accomplished seems unruly for many people. While, Jim Lord with Lord’s Financial Planning probably can’t help you win the lottery, he does have some suggestions on how to knock those financial bucket list items off your list.

Include Your Dreams The most important thing he advises is to have a written plan. That financial plan, Lord says, should include a bucket list dream. In fact, those goals are often more important

“What we want you to do is dream,” Lord says. “Most people lose the ability to dream after a while.” than the dollars.

They lose the ability to believe those bucket list items can become reality because they can’t see how the basics will be provided.

Lord says you need to consider what’s important to you about money. Assuming you have enough to cover your basic needs, what comes next? The answer to that question will help you find out where those bucket list items fit into the big picture.

Be Informed Another step Lord recommends is to educate yourself about money. If you’re just getting started, are facing a lot of debt, or have never even learned how to live on a budget, he recommends finding a class like Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. While there are other programs

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and books available, this one has a good combination of information and support that has helped many people change their attitude and success with money.

Get Help For those nearing retirement or who have a little money, but haven’t figured out quite what to do with it, Lord recommends getting a good financial planner as your teacher. A financial planner will help you know how to appropriately manage the assets you have to reach your long-term goals. Lord says you will have to trust a financial planner to make good recommendations about how to handle your assets the same way you trust your doctor to write appropriate prescriptions to keep you in good health.

So, it is important to find someone you trust.

Body

Want to run a marathon? Complete a triathlon? Go scuba diving with sharks? Bike across Kansas? Or just get to a healthy BMI? A lot of us have bucket list dreams that require getting physically fit and healthy. Mike Flynn at Rebound Physical Therapy says he sees people set and achieve these kinds of goals all the time. He has helped people who wanted to climb mountains or take a dream trip to go hiking in a foreign country. Just recently, he helped a client lose more than 100 pounds and get to the point she could go off medication for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Believe You Can Flynn says for people wanting to tackle a bucket list body goal, the first step is to believe you CAN do it. Don’t put it off any longer. “Don’t wait. Don’t wait.

We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” Flynn says.

The best approach is to start with a consultation to develop a plan. That means finding Melissa Brunner an d Amanda a person educated in physical Lanu m with WIBW TV fitness in the specific area you are trying to improve or achieve. For instance, the bulky weight lifter at the gym might help you get great biceps, but might not be the best person to help you train for that marathon.

Age Doesn't Matter Flynn dismisses the idea that aging means you are destined to see body deterioration. He says it’s important not to mistake the effects of aging for the effects of inactivity.

“Our bodies are amazing organisms, and when we ask them to do more, regardless of how old we are, they react.” He also reminds people that the things that will lead you to live a longer life are the same things that will help you enjoy your life more today.

Achieve Your Goals To achieve those running goals, a couple of local businesses can help. Gary Gribble’s Running Sports has a wall of information dedicated to local races, and, of course, the equipment to get you started. Manager Mallory Senne says many people who come into the store are training for their first 5K, but often have some kind of bigger goal in the back of their minds.

“It’s a lot easier to get yourself out the door and do what you say you’re going to do when you have to go meet a group to run.”

Think Outside the Box For a personalized approach with running and walking programs try Fitness In Training in Topeka. Founder Tony Estes provides plans for individuals, and also coordinates running groups to help people complete running goals.

If your body goal is to shape up those areas that can’t be helped by a workout, then you might consider Changes of Topeka downtown. This is the only place in Kansas that offers a special automated exercise system for the body and face that uses light and muscle stimulation to help build facial muscles and reduce wrinkles—without surgery. “You can go to the gym and work out, but there’s not exercise you can do on your face,” owner Irene Redman says. The system can also reduce varicose veins and stretch marks as well as firming up certain body areas that are hard to exercise into shape.

muscle dman administers Re e en Ir r ne ow ka Changes of Tope stimulation

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Complete Your Bucket List {Right Here in Topeka} Skydive Kansas can help make that dream a reality. You can schedule your own jump on their website at www.skydivekansas.com or get more information by calling 785-840-JUMP. Some things to know include: You have to be over 18 and less than 220 pounds. You have to be physically able to hold your body in an arch and hold your feet up for 30 seconds. They will practice with you and make sure you are able to pass those physical requirements BEFORE you jump.

The Lake Edun Foundation is dedicated to helping other people appreciate the benefits of a clothing-free experience. The facility has trails, camping spots and a lake with a swimming area for members. If seeing nudity and being nude is not a concern for you, visits can be arranged at any time. However, Lake Edun also hosts open house events where everyone remains clothed so those interested can explore the facility without having to see any nudity. To learn more visit www. lakeedun.com

Tom Averill, a professor of English who teaches creative writing at Washburn University, says the first step to actually writing a book is to articulate what you want to write about. Many people have a story in their family or in the life of someone they know that they really want to tell. Then read, read and read some more, anything you can find that is similar to the topic you have selected.

Next, get some good instruction on how to put a story together, and get a community of people who are interested in your work and want to help you get your goal accomplished. There are a lot of writing groups in Topeka. Averill

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suggests the best way to find one is to contact the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library.

Kansas Air Center operates out of Billard Airport. Call 785-234-2602 to set up an appointment to start planning for a license. They offer a one-time Discovery flight for only $75 for people who just want to knock this item off their bucket list.

You will be able to fly the training airplane, but there are two sets of controls so the instructor is never far from the brake.

Try the Live Music Institute for instruction on a wide variety of instruments. They offer private and group lessons and encourage student jam sessions on their main stage. To find out more check out www.lmitopeka.com or call 785408-5111.

Heartland Park Topeka has several opportunities for you to drive fast. They sponsor Thursday night legal drags a couple of times a month. For $25, you can race your car as many times as you want down the drag strip. They also sponsor touring club events that allow you to take your car as fast as you want to go on their road course. If you don’t have your own fast car, HPT has company cars and will set up special amateur experiences. Call 785-862-4781 or visit www.hpt.com for more information.

Washburn

University’s

Department

of

Modern

Languages offers evening introductory classes for French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese. The classes are four hours a week for a semester and will cost about $800.

However, a program through the state allows people 65 and older to audit certain classes without a fee. For more information contact Washburn Admissions at 785- 670-1030.

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“I want to learn to dance.”

In Step Dance Studio offers group and private lessons for people who want to learn to dance. Lessons are grouped in 10-week sessions. Cost is $125 per couple for 10 one hour lessons. They also offer what they call “survival dance lessons” for people just wanting enough instruction to survive a special event. More information is available at www.instepdancetopeka.com or by calling 785-233-7084.

“I want to create art.”

There are several different options for taking up art skills depending on your medium. The Mulvane Art Museum on the campus of Washburn University offers a wide variety of short classes for children and adults. Creations Unique Studio will help you create stained glass, mosaics or fused glass. More information is available at www.topekaglass.com or by calling 785-271-8288. The Legacy Arts Center offers classes for children and adults. They also offer the option for studio time for independent work. For more information, visit www.legacycommunityartscenter.com. And the new North Topeka Arts District recently opened their NOTO Arts Center where classes are also planned.

“Go on a hot air balloon ride.”

Sail Away Adventures of Topeka is familiar with helping people work on their bucket lists. Most clients are first-time riders. Owner Chris Tantillo describes it as a magical experience. He says people are often surprised at how gentle and “not scary” the experience can be. A ride, which usually lasts about 45 minutes, costs $225 for an adult. Children are half price. A ceremony with a prayer and champagne toast celebrating the return to earth is the traditional end to a ride. For more information, visit www. sailawayballoons.com or call 272-3625.

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bucket list

Reflections

by Karen Ridder photos by Ryan Cavanaugh

You’ve made your Bucket List. You’ve found the Topeka business that can help you start making it a reality. But what things will you look back at as things that were worth putting on your list?

[

At 102, Bill Calwell is glad for risk taking and reflection Bill Calwell says it’s impossible to list all of the things in his life he’s glad he took the time to do. He had a long career with the Railroad Retirement Board, and spent many of his retirement years travelling with his wife, who passed away four years ago at the age of 100. Together, they visited all 50 state capitals, 10 European

"We don't appreciate the length of life... the times I've lived seem just a twinkling."

Bill Calwell, 102, shows a picture of himself as a young man

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countries and took two separate month-long vacations to their favorite spot – Ireland.

While his life has been quite active, it’s the time he now has for writing and reflection that Calwell values most. “I believe my chief goal, especially after retirement, was to find the leisure time that was sufficient to gather my thoughts of the past present and future and to write articles concerning those experiences,” he says.

He has written three books comprised of about 80 articles apiece. “I draw from my imagination, but mostly my experience, which has been pretty extensive, you know,” he says with a laugh.

Every morning he gets up at 4:30 and spends time in solitude and reflection and writes his thoughts.

That time and writing has enabled him to meditate on the good things of life.

“We don’t appreciate the length of life.

Right now, at my age, the time I’ve still got to live, which is a very short time, seems a great deal more than all of the years I’ve lived before. The times I’ve lived seem just a twinkling.”

]

Peggy Hubbell recalls 94 years of listening

[

Peggy Hubbell recalls 94 years of listening

]

Peggy Hubbell has had a life of learning, but the 94-yearold says the skill she is most glad she took the time to acquire is – listening to others. “I’ve learned so much since I learned to listen,” Hubbell says. It’s a skill that comes in handy with her fellow residents at Aldersgate Village. She says everyone she meets there has such interesting stories, but you have to pay attention or you may miss them.

Hubbell was lucky to live a life many might put on their bucket list. Her father managed cattle ranches, which took the family to Colorado where she grew up on a 3600 acre spread. Just getting to school in those days was an adventure – 12 miles on back-country roads. After college she taught at a rural two-room school. Her husband’s work took them

"I've learned so much since since I learned to listen." to Oregon, California and Texas, before Peggy decided it was time to move home to Topeka. Hubbell worked for 20 years as a teacher and school librarian in the Seaman and Topeka districts before retiring in 1979.

Hubbell says retirement gave her time to work on her skills and thrills. Travelling was something she always loved and was glad she took the time to re-do as a retiree. She also spent thousands of hours in volunteer service and rekindled her love of the arts by taking drawing classes. True to her love of learning new things, she has recently expanded her usual pencil sketches to include work with pastels. “I’m not an artist, but I just love the art,” Hubbell says. She also likes to play her own Hammond organ, “when I can find the time.

I’m just so busy.”

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e h ft

o t ear

h

reneur p

Entre

by RICK LEJuerrne photos by Ryan Cavanaugh

Every entrepreneur has a story.

Sometimes that story is about success, and sometimes it's about failure, but mainly, it's about never giving up.

It's 2:00 a.m.

The hardest part is getting out of bed, but this is what you do. More than 400 stops to go, another 12-hour shift.

Steve Ditch has done this same routine thousands of times before. Will he do this a thousand times more? Not sure, not now. Completely alone, time to think.

Just like his dad, Steve first learned to drive the trash truck when he was 12.

He was running the Saturday morning route at 14. In high school, every chance he had he worked in the family business. You did what you could to help out, not because you had to, but because you wanted to. It has always been about family.

You get the most done in the middle of the night when Topeka is quiet, pitch black. Shifting the gears, snaking through the city, braking every 75 feet, jumping out, lifting the trash bin to dump its contents, jumping back in, easing the truck forward to do it again. A lifetime and it is only 3:00 a.m.

The trash business is tough. It is nasty and inconvenient. The work is part logistics, part iron-man, physical and relentless. The day-to-day never goes according to plan. Parts break, maintenance needs to be done. You don’t get a day off. It was that way in 1955 when Warren Ditch first started. It was that way in 1981 when Steve Sr. took over. It was that way in 1990 when Steve joined the family business full time.

From the beginning, it was never about the money. It was about serving people and focusing on a few simple truths. The trucks run

every day. Blinding snowstorm, county shut down, you still run. Something breaks on the truck; you stay up all night fixing it. When you promise your customer you are going to pick up, you make it happen every time, no exceptions.

The hard work paid off. In 1996 Waste Management bought out Ditch & Sons, taking with it Steve Sr. as a manager and Steve as a driver. Going to work for the big company had its advantages: more resources, more trucks, more employees.

The job had regular hours with double the pay, a 401K and healthcare. Steve married and started a family.

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The tradeoff – the steady pay, the benefits, and the weekends - is that you never really know how it will end.

It can end suddenly. For eight years, you are a valued employee. Then, at 4 p.m. on a Friday, you are no longer a part of the future. As part of a company-wide downsizing, Steve Sr. was let go. Steve was asked to take a pay-cut.

A staggering thought, if your employer can let your dad go, someone with 40 years of experience, someone who knows every single address, every nook and cranny of Topeka, someone who is always five steps ahead keeping the trucks running in the right direction, where does that leave anyone else?

Steve Sr. didn’t flinch. He had built a company before.

He would do it again. Steve thought about it, talked it over.

Starting over would cut his pay in half. It would be tough.

But when everything you have ever done has been for family, this is what you do. By Monday the decision was made.

Starting over in 2004 was not like it had been in 1955 or 1981. Five banks said no before Denison State Bank approved a loan to buy their first truck. An initial postcard flyer mailed to 10,000 households resulted in only 150 customers, all fellow North Topekans who remembered the Ditch name. There were no employees, just Steve, his dad, and his mom Juanita.

In the beginning, cash flow was tight. Everyone worked, sometimes without pay. Juanita would come home after working her 40-hour job and do the paperwork, often late into the night. There was no shop. Repairs such as replacing 75 lb. hydraulic pumps were done while lying in the snow, the temperature a bone-chilling 10 degrees.

easy, but steadily the business grew.

Nothing was

When you start a small business, you sacrifice. You don’t make more money. You make less. You forget about going out and doing things, you stay home instead. There is no 401k, no health care plan. There is no paid vacation or sick days. People think owning a business is easy. What no one sees or knows is the toll it takes to make it happen, the hours of hard work, the time away from family. It costs you.

Sometimes that cost is losing the most important thing in the world to you. Because no matter how hard you try, you can’t be in two places at once. The business is open 24/7, whether you

want it to or not. You are always thinking about the next step, what you need to do. You try to make the marriage work. Sometimes your best is not good enough.

After 400 stops and 12 hours in and out of the truck, Steve is tired. The day is not done, there are customers to see, quotes to write. For the small business owner, there is no time to stop, no going back. You keep moving forward.

You do this to make a better life for your kids. You do this to help your family. This is what you do - it is who you are.

The hard work does pay off. Ditch & Associates today runs three trucks serving over 4,000 customers and is growing every day. Next year the business will pay off its last bank loan. The company recently hired additional drivers.

Both Steve Sr. and Steve plan to still drive the trucks, but not as much. Vacations are in the future, trips to see baseball

It will look easy; no one will know what it really took to make it happen. games, more time off. Financial security.

TK

Rick LeJuerrne is the Director for the Washburn University Kansas Small Business Development Center

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[tk watch list]

[

Fall 2011 Watch List: Best Companies in Topeka to Work For and Best Bosses in Topeka Nominate at www.tkmagazine.com

]

in•no•va•tion (inevāSHen) e e

n. 1. The action or process of innovating.

2. Something newly introduced; new method, custom, device, product, etc.

by LISA LOEWEN photos by Ryan Cavanaugh

Innovation is not simply having a creative idea.

While all innovation starts with a great idea, true innovation is the ability to transform that idea into a viable venture that generates a profit. It is the difference between a great idea that never comes to fruition and the same idea that changes entire industries. Innovation isn’t only about new products and new technology. It also includes new processes, new business systems and new management methods.

Innovation can take the form of improvements in quality, efficiency, productivity and competitive positioning.

TK set out to find Topeka’s most innovative companies. We asked local businesses to let us know what companies they thought were innovative, and here is what we found:

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Innovative Product: Creative Signs & Designs

This company’s motto “constant creativity, change and motion” reflects its commitment to ongoing innovation.

Embracing new technologies and continually searching for ways to meet customers’ needs has taken Creative Signs from hand-painted signs to next generation LCD interactive touch screens. These touch screens allow people to see, hear and touch information. Truly interactive, these displays combine a durable glass optic touch screen with a CPU and HD LCD monitor. Storage capacity allows for virtually unlimited application possibilities. Imagine being able to search directories and map out floor plans of large buildings. Or, watch informational videos and access interactive learning tools at the zoo or library. Wouldn’t it be great to look up stores at the mall and print off coupons you could use right then?

[

“It’s the way I am,” he said. “It’s what I’ve always done."

]

Owner Mike Weinbrecht says his idea for the touch screen was born more than a year ago. But, before he could bring that idea to life, he had to find the technology that would be durable enough for high-traffic areas and still offer visual quality. Once he found the right LCD screen, he designed a custom cabinet to hold it. The prototype is finished and Weinbrecht says he has begun demonstrating it to potential clients. He knows that whenever you introduce a new product, you take a risk, but he jumped in anyway.

"It's the way I am," he said. "It's what I've always done."

Mike and Derrick Weinbrecht talk about innovation

Innovative Management Style: Suntell

Instead of going rogue, this company decided to follow the example of corporate giants Best Buy and GAP and go R.O.W.E. with an innovative office culture that completely shifts the paradigm from what the traditional workplace looks like. The traditional model of “working” is sitting at a desk for a designated period of time and completing tasks.

With a Results Only Work Environment, the focus is on results, not whether the employee is sitting in a cubicle for eight hours a day, five days a week. Time becomes irrelevant.

So does location. Employees manage their own time and

[

“I no longer babysit employees. I am now more of a coach and a mentor.”

schedules and Suntell is seeing results.

Ronnie Wooten, executive vice president and chief operating officer, says changing the office culture was hard, but once the employees understood the expectations, they embraced the idea. Because Suntell provides extensive customer service, employees have to be available throughout the day. But, members within each team decide who is available and when, not management. Wooten says this has made her job different. “I no longer babysit employees. I am now more of a coach and a mentor.”

So how does she know if someone is abusing the system? “How did I know before?” Wooten said. “Instead of mastering the art of looking busy, employees can actually work on their schedules, when they are most productive.”

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Innovative Partnership: Mize Houser & Co.

[

When Cobler Consulting needed to find a way to provide web-based accounting systems for its McDonald’s franchise clients, it turned to Mize Houser & Company. Mize Houser had always been on the forefront of innovative technology with a team of IT specialists whose sole focus was to provide better ways of meeting client needs. Cobler brought its own cutting edge approach to franchise accounting, serving more than 600 McDonald’s franchises across the country to Mize Houser, and an innovative merger was born. This new Mize Houser designed a custom web-based accounting system to

“You can’t be successful or innovative if you aren’t out there with the client, seeing what they need and want.”

]

serve the McDonald’s franchisees and the number of clients grew to more than 1,000.

Marsha Oliver, vice president of marketing, says Mize Houser has always been recognized for its emphasis on technology and system design. “We were doing cloud computing when cloud computing wasn’t cool,” she said.

McDonald’s clients can scan invoices and route them directly to Mize Houser. They are then posted to the system and checks are cut automatically to pay the invoices. All transactions are immediately available for reporting and reconciliation. Documents are already imaged, so document storage is taken care of.

Up next? Video conferencing, system alerts and iPad applications. Linda Hauschild, certified financial planner and shareholder, says no matter how innovative you are, you still have to understand your client. “You can’t be successful or innovative if you aren’t out there with the client, seeing what they need and want.”

Innovative Equipment: Extreme Recycling

This local company is turning electronic trash into cash by providing electronic waste disposal services. Extreme Recycling helps businesses stay compliant with regulations for the handling and disposal of electronic wastes, while protecting the security of the information contained on those devices. What began as a non-profit venture in 1993 to keep the planet green and to fund programs to keep kids out of gangs, turned into a thriving for-profit business that embodies responsible recycling. With education as its main

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focus, Extreme Recycling hopes to make Kansas a greener place to work.

If that isn’t innovative enough, Extreme Recycling added a PRI-MAX PR770 primary reducer to make its disassembly process faster and more efficient. Instead of taking half a day to manually take apart a 2,000-pound copier, this machine can shred it within minutes. Once disassembled, the various components: plastic, metals, circuit boards, etc. are sorted to sell to refineries.

What is next for Extreme Recycling? Owner Dino De Marco says he plans to keep investing in the industry. One of those investments is the addition of an optical sorter.

Another is to become BAN certified, the highest type of certification for electronics recycling. De Marco says these investments will help him reach a bigger goal. “I want to employ more people in the state of Kansas. We don’t need to send things overseas—we can do everything right here.”

Extreme Recycling PRI-MAX 770 primary reducer

a high style home furnishings store with an eclectic mix of new designs, antiques and vintage pieces...

with a new online storefront

www.warehouse414.com 414 south east second street | 785.232.8008 Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday: 11a - 5:30 p By chance or appointment

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Innovative Revenue Stream: HME

[

HME, a company that provides custom metal fabrication and structural steel to the construction industry, saw its revenue decrease as a result of the sluggish economy and slowing construction demand. The company knew it needed to find an innovative way to increase revenue, so it turned to the Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center for help. With the assistance of a federal grant, HME was able to attend a MAMTC workshop for a fraction of the standard cost. The MAMTC Jumpstart workshop helped HME brainstorm ideas for new revenue streams, evaluate the feasibility of each idea and develop a strategy for implementation.

"We already had all the saws and drills to custom cut metal for retail customers,” he said, “so it just made sense to boost our profit margins through retail sales.”

]

Having always limited its sales to the commercial construction business, HME took an innovative leap into the retail market. With a new website design and some alterations to the accounting system to handle retail sales, HME began selling its metal products both online and at its manufacturing location. Kevin Rake, controller, says it was a logical progression for the company. “We already had all the saws and drills to custom cut metal for retail customers,” he said, “so it just made sense to boost our profit margins through retail sales.” For HME, innovation came in the form of being willing to embrace a customer base it had never considered before. Now, Rake says, the retail side is bringing in more than $40,000 per month all by itself.

[

“I don’t have to drive the ideas because the employees do it all. I just have to keep us out of the ditches on either side.”

waiting for it to be hand delivered, they can pick it up online.

CEO Cheryl Creviston says the innovation is not only in the technology, but in the fact that clients can access information from anywhere at any time. “People spend 40 percent of their time looking for things,” she said. “We can cut that dramatically by making records easy to find.”

The Search for Innovation: Hall Commercial Printing

Innovation doesn’t just happen overnight. It is a process that takes time, resources, desire and a willingness to change.

It is uncomfortable, even painful. But the alternative can be watching your business fade away and die. Hall Commercial Printing, a 50-year-old Topeka company, recognized it needed some new ideas, beyond improving technology, to keep it a viable and healthy company going into the future. So company president Dave Brubaker also took advantage of a discounted MAMTC seminar to learn more about innovation. After the workshop, Brubaker brought MAMTC in to help engage the entire workforce in being more innovative. Last month, Hall Commercial Printing put its innovation plan into action. The company is beta testing some internal processes that it hopes will save time, resources and ultimately money. The Revenue Team has generated 42 new product/service ideas and is in the process of evaluating their feasibility. Brubaker says he doesn’t know where this push for innovation will go, but he is happy to see the company moving forward. “The exciting thing is the buy-in the employees have, Brubaker said. “I don’t have to drive the ideas because the employees do it all. I just have to keep us out of the ditches on either side.”

to Innovate Innovative Technology: Jayhawk File Express YourHaveTurn troubles moving from working in your business Records management needs change as new technology becomes available. Jayhawk File Express has been storing, organizing and managing paper records for businesses for many years. When companies began to convert from paper records to digital ones, Jayhawk File Express saw an opportunity to innovate and meet those new storage needs.

With its new service Webfile Express, documents are stored using a web-based management system that categorizes them for easy access. Clients define security limits for individual records and can search for documents by category or type.

Now if clients need a document right away, rather than

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to on your business? The MAMTC workshop, Kansas Innovation Engineering Leadership Institute, is coming back to Topeka on June 27-29. MAMTC received a $1.1 million grant, thanks to $250,000 in matching funds from GO Topeka, to promote innovation and competitiveness in Kansas. The grant allows Topeka companies to attend the workshop for only $500 instead of paying the full price of $2,000. For more information, contact MAMTC at www. mamtc.com.

TK

]

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can your business survive a

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DISASTER?

by LISA LOEWEN

Disasters can happen anywhere, anytime. In business, "disaster" can refer not only to a natural disaster, but also to any event that stops the immediate operation of the business. They can occur as natural disasters such as floods and tornadoes, or they can come in the form of fire, theft, power/equipment failure and even financial loss. When disasters happen, they can destroy buildings, equipment, hard-to-replace data and revenue streams.

According to the American Red Cross, more than 40 percent of small businesses never reopen after they’ve closed their doors as a result of a disaster.

No matter what kind of disaster your business may face, the best survival strategy is to be prepared before calamity hits you. Every business should have a plan in place that addresses specific steps and strategies to cope with any type of disaster.

Photograph of damage caused by the June 8, 1966 tornado along 1025 & 1027 Kansas Avenue in Topeka.

Photo courtesy of Kansasmemory.org

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Develop a Disaster Recovery Plan

Having a disaster recovery plan in place can reduce your company’s overall risk. Dynamic Computer Solutions of Topeka, Inc. helps local businesses develop disaster recovery plans customized for their individual needs. Mitch Miller, president of Dynamic Computer Solutions, says that while many larger companies already have comprehensive disaster plans in place, most small businesses aren’t prepared for a disaster. “You can’t really plan for a disaster,” Miller said. “Instead, you have to be prepared to manage one.”

Part of being prepared means having a roadmap in place that you can follow if a disaster hits your business.

klist} {DisasteremeRergencocyverespryonseChplanecand train your Create an employees how to carry it out.

loyees in Assign specific responsibilities to emp language that they can understand. key List phone numbers and addresses of could them employees and determine which of telecommute if necessary. rgency Compile contact information for eme institutions, agencies, insurance agents, financial r resources key suppliers, major clients and othe that are critical to your business.

{Insurance Checklist}

Take pictures of yo ur building and as sets and keep an update d inventory that in cludes serial numbers and purchase price rece ipts in a secure site away from your primary business location.

Prepare a disaster plan on how you wo uld operate your busin ess and continue to serve your customers if your business loca tio n received significan t damage and you had to move to a tempora ry location.

Meet with your ag ent at least annuall y to review your insurance cove rage limits and ensu re that your insuranc e policy meets your business needs.

Business Income an d Extra Expense ca n be easily quoted by yo ur agent and then all ow you to make a busin ess decision on wh at levels of coverage yo u’re comfortable wi th.

ications

mun Develop an internal and external com plan. s.

Document critical business function

and note Identify important business equipment al numbers, important details such as vendors, seri etc. .

Protect your computer systems and data copies Identify critical documents and store offsite. where you Decide upon an alternative location site is can resume business if your primary destroyed. store offsite, Assemble a Disaster Recovery Kit and vital with manuals, contact information and records.

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TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

Review your Insurance Plan

As a business owner, you are familiar with the importance of protecting your building and your internal business assets, but an important aspect that doesn’t receive enough attention is the importance of having adequate Business Income and Extra Expense Coverage to protect your revenue stream in the event of a disaster.

Bob Gunther, a McCune-Robinson Insurance agent, says that in the case of a major loss, it could take one to two years to rebuild and replace equipment. He recommends that you review your previous 12 to 24 months of income and expenses to see how much Business Income and Extra Expense Coverage you need to adequately protect your income stream.

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Have Your Legal Bases Covered

Cody Robertson, an attorney with Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds & Palmer says most of the legal “disasters” a business is likely to face are avoidable. He notes three common legal troubles a business may face, along with steps you can take to avoid the mayhem.

A Lawsuit

Being served with a lawsuit isn’t necessarily a disaster.

In some industries, lawsuits have become so common that they’re simply considered a cost of doing business. While such a cavalier attitude may not be advisable, it is true that being served with a lawsuit will rarely be a death knell for your business.

{Precautions to Minimize Lawsuit} Damage Fromess isaadequ ately insured.

Be sure your busin

ss Adopt written policies and procedures that addre the risks specific to your business and ensure those policies are thoroughly explained to your employees and rigorously enforced.

Limit your personal liability by forming a corporation or other limited liability entity.

Notify your insurer as soon as you receive notice of a lawsuit and cooperate with your insurer’s investigation and defense of the matter.

Loss/Defection of a Key Employee

Businesses are built primarily on two commodities— ideas and people. The loss of key personnel can be a major setback in itself. When an employee walks off the job with a briefcase full of the company’s confidential information, the fallout can be disastrous.

{Minimize Damage From an Audit/ Investigation} Adopt a written complian ce program and ensure you r employees, agents and ven dors are familiar with it, understand it and follow it.

Adopt a disciplinary polic y that punishes noncompli ance— and enforce it.

Ensure your business rec ords remain organized an d manageable.

Call your attorney as soo n as you are notified of an investigation.

Cooperate with the invest igator(s). The more convin cingly you are able to play the rol e of the gracious host, the smoother the investigatio n will generally go.

Audit/Investigation

No matter your industry, it is almost certain that your business is regulated by one or more local, state or federal agencies. Even if your business operates in an unregulated industry, you are still required to file returns with various taxing authorities. Since most all governmental agencies are vested with at least some degree of investigative authority, your business could one day find itself the subject of an investigation or audit.

{Minimize Damage From fection} key employees.

Employee De n plan in place for Have a successio

erty through Protect your business’s intellectual prop patents, trademarks, copyrights, etc. to misuse or Require that employees agree not rmation as a disclose the business’s confidential info condition of employment. employees sign When necessary, require that key noncompete agreements.

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TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

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Summer 2011

45

r System} business. Don’t buy a $45 one from a big box store. Go big or go home. {Secure Youthat is designed for your Install a firewall

Keep the yearly maintenance contract up-to-date

with the provider.

{Security Checklist}

Add Gateway Antivirus protection.

Install

Consult with a secur ity system specialist to determine your specific security need s.

to devices. web filtering, content blocking and spam filtering

Data} {Backup Yourregul arly (at a bare minimum, nightly).

Install an alarm syste m.

Back up your data

Put video cameras in strategic locations.

Store your backup data onsite.

Take a weekly backup to a secure location offsite

(bank deposit box, Jayhawk File Express, etc.).

Add an online backup feature as well.

At least once per month, randomly pull a file and

physically restore that file to PROVE it works.

Protect Your Data

Today's technology-dependent businesses face risks from numerous sources: viruses, theft, natural disasters and even malicious employees. Amber Gentry, vice president of sales and marketing at Networks Plus, tells customers that while they can replace desktops, servers, firewalls, switches, monitors, etc., the one thing they can’t overnight from a manufacturer is days, weeks, months and sometimes years of data.

Gentry says that wherever customers have their data stored – whether it be on their servers, storage area networks, external hard drives, tapes, the cloud – they should think of that space as their bank safe. And, just as they would expect a bank vault to be secure, they need to safeguard their computer system, because data is, by all definition, irreplaceable

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Have your system mo nitored by out-of-the-office or online remote equipment.

Keep a safe on location for money or valuables.

Secure Your Assets

Disasters such as theft of property, data, money and even ideas can be prevented by increasing the level of security at your business. Pat Park, owner of iView Security, says that theft is one of the most common disasters that a business will face. Park says the biggest mistake businesses make is to assume nothing bad will happen to them. “Employees steal inventory,” Park said. “Employees and customers stage fake slip and fall injuries. Thieves steal computers and other records to commit identity theft.”

{

View a complete Disaster Prevention checklist on page 74

}

TK

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Summer 2011

47

[extra, extra!]

NOTO Celebrates Grand Opening The new NOTO Community Arts Center at 922 North Kansas Avenue had its grand opening May 6. Mayor Bill Bunten, Topeka Public School Superintendent Kevin Singer, Washburn University President Jerry Farley, and US Bank Topeka President Wendy Wells spoke at the ribbon cutting. This is the fourth grand opening ceremony for the arts district since April of 2010.

Ravenwood Shoots for Charity Ravenwood Lodge will host the 19th Annual Kansas Women's Charity Shoot and Couple's Fun Shoot to benefit the Shriners Hospitals for Children on July 16 and 17. For more information, visit ravenwoodoutdoors.com

Topeka Plumber Receives Angie’s List Award Pat the Plumber has been awarded the 2010 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed on approximately five percent of all the companies rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews. This is the only Topeka company to win this award.

NOTO Arts District Welcomes Two New Businesses On April 1 the NOTO community celebrated the grand opening of The Elective at 900 N. Kansas Avenue and The Two Day Monthly Market at 824 N. Kansas Avenue in the NOTO Arts District.

Happy Anniversary Valeo Behavioral Health Care announces TPAC New Location for Crisis Afterhours Valeo Behavioral Health Care will now provide after hours mental health crisis assessments at its 330 SW Oakley location. Crisis Afterhours at Valeo is open 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday through

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Friday, weekends and holidays. This service provides on-site crisis counseling and assessment for hospitalization for those experiencing a mental health crisis.

TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

The Topeka Performing Arts Center celebrated its 20th anniversary on March 23.

TPAC opened its doors in the spring of 1991, with a performance of “On Broadway” featuring Ben Vereen and Judy Kaye.

TPAC continues to offer a full calendar of professional and community performing arts for all audiences, including touring concerts and Broadway shows, youth arts education programming, and support of community arts organizations.

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[extra, extra!]

TARC Selects New Executive Director

Ethics Not a Problem for Waste Management Waste Management has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the 2011 World’s Most Ethical Companies for the fourth year in a row. Out of a record number of nominations for the award, WM secured a hard-earned spot on the list as the only environmental services

company recognized for going the extra mile and upholding upright business practices and initiatives that are instrumental to the company’s success, benefit the community, and raise the bar for ethical standards within the industry.

Topeka Community Recognizes Joan Wagnon Eileen Doran, advocate in the field of developmental disabilities, is the new Executive Director of TARC. Doran received her degree in Special Education at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa. where she received the Faculty Award for Excellence in Special Education. She earned a law degree from Notre Dame, where she also co-directed the Law School’s clinic, working with clientele with developmental disabilities on a diverse spectrum. Doran also served as a board member at Logan Center, a program serving the needs of children and adults with disabilities.

Doran has served as a Prosecuting Attorney in areas of Adult Protective Services, and sexual and domestic violence. Since moving to Topeka in 2004, Doran has been an adjunct professor at Washburn Law School and has served as Program Director for the YWCA’s Center for Safety and Empowerment since 2006.

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Members of the Topeka community thanked Joan Wagnon for her leadership and community service at a reception on March 25. Dr. JD Lekhani and Dr. Shekhar Challa presented Wagnon with the Excellence in Community Service & Leadership Award at the event.

Washburn Kansas Small Business Development Center Recognizes Two Local Businesses SayCheez PhotoBooth is the recipient of the 2010 KSBDC Emerging Businesses of the Year Award. Owners Scott and Nikki Lewein started SayCheez PhotoBooth in 2008. SayCheez now offers photo booth services in 25 markets across the country, including Kansas, Nebraska, Tennessee, Missouri and Washington.

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Washburn University KSBDC nominated Lifetime Eyecare to receive the 2010 KSBDC Existing Businesses of the Year Award. Owners Leslie Fallagher and Nicole Meerpohl merged their two offices into one practice in 2009.

Contact: Will Nicklin will@riversidekansas.net 785.272.9495 www.riversidekansas.net Main Office: Toll-free: 888.364.4611 Facebook.com/Marketing Concepts Direct Mailing Printing and Signage Promotional Products Screen Printing and Embroidery Laser Engraving

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[extra, extra!]

Appelhanz Roofing Hires Estimator Appelhanz Roofing announced that Bryan Canon has joined their team as an Estimator. Canon has 15 years of experience in the residential and commercial remodeling business. Having grown up in Topeka, Canon understands the value of integrity and reliability that Topekans expect.

Kansas Hall of Fame Finds Home at the Great Overland Station The Great Overland Station Museum will house the Kansas Hall of Fame, which will recognize Kansans who have made significant contributions to Kansas, the nation or the world. The Inaugural Gala Ceremony to induct the first class of honorees will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, June 17 at the Great Overland Station Museum, 701 North Kansas Ave. The establishment of the Kansas Hall of Fame comes in conjunction with the state’s Sesquicentennial Celebration being held throughout 2011.

Aldersgate Hires Financial Planning Officer John Hartmann has joined Aldersgate as an in-house Financial Planning Officer. John will provide consulting services to staff and residents at no charge. John spent 14 years with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. In 1980 he began working in the trust department of the First National Bank of Topeka, which is now Bank America. John joined Central National Bank in 2000, from which he retired last year.

Habitat for Humanity Opens ReStore

Topeka Habitat for Humanity will accept donations of new and used building materials from individuals, contractors and retailers at its newly opened ReStore, 2907 SW Topeka Boulevard. These materials are made available to the public at deeply discounted prices, with all profits used to support the construction of Habitat homes. All donations are tax deductible and items must be in good, usable condition.

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Topeka Collegiate Names New Head of School

On July 1, 2011, Mary Beth Marchiony will become the first woman to serve as Head of School at Topeka Collegiate School during its nearly three-decade-long history.

Marchiony is Senior Associate Director for Academic and Career Counseling at Kansas University’s Athletics Department. She brings 17 years of independent school experience to Topeka Collegiate, having served in leadership positions at two highly regarded independent schools, Park Tudor School in Indianapolis and Pembroke Hill School in Kansas City. Marchiony replaces Dick Patterson, who has served as Topeka Collegiate Head of School since January 2009.

Doug Stremel, Creative Director, Gizmo Pictures' Doug Stremel, formerly owner of BLAM in Lawrence, will contribute his 20 years of producing and design experience as Gizmo Pictures new Creative Director. Doug works as a creative director and writer in most areas of advertising and marketing including print, broadcast, outdoor, promotion, public relations, direct marketing and interactive media. He writes, produces and directs everything

TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

from radio and TV spots to documentaries and infomercials.

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Life of a

building 501 Jackson

by Deb Goodrich-bisel photos by Ryan Cavanaugh

Kansas Governor Samuel Crawford was a man of action.

While serving his country during the American Civil War, he was on the battlefield when news arrived that he was the Republican nominee for the governorship of Kansas. Crawford hastily traveled to Topeka, made a quick acceptance speech, and returned to a victorious fight. Then a war hero, he was elected as the third governor in 1864 -- the youngest in our history at 29. The bachelor governor set yet another record by taking as his bride the youngest first lady in Kansas history. Isabel Chase was only 18 when she and Crawford were wed.

It would seem that he had captured enough headlines by this time, but he was far from finished. The Plains Indian Wars exploded in violence after the close of the Civil War. Upon visiting western Kansas, where some of the greatest atrocities were committed, Crawford told President

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Andrew Johnson, “If the Government cannot protect its own citizens let the fact be made known, that the people may endeavor to protect themselves.”

The outraged governor then authorized creation of the 19th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. As soon as he signed them into existence, he resigned as governor so that he could lead them.

“My people’s blood is crying to me from the ground,” he declared, “I must go.”

After his military service, Crawford returned to his law practice where he devoted much of his time to defending Indian land claims. In all endeavors, he communicated plainly and directly, and followed up with results.

Building 501 Jackson It was pretty big news in the 1880s when Crawford announced his plans for the 500 Block of Jackson Street.

The building permit described a new, four-story “business house.” The proposed 50 x100 structure would feature a brick front, stone rear walls, and was estimated to cost $30,000.

Some accounts say the final bill was closer to $75,000.

According to the Topeka Daily Capital, it was “probably the most substantial (private building) ever built in Topeka.”

The building itself was also described in glowing terms by the reporter: It is well supplied with great broad windows, but the columns you have taken for chimneys are exterior pilasters. . . . . The fire escapes are very ornamental and add greatly to the safety of those who may occupy. Fire Marshall Wilmarth says it is the safest building in the city in case of fire. The inside finishings will be of hard woods with tiled halls. It has several fire and burglar proof vaults and will be used as an office building.

A Substantial Building One of Crawford’s first clients was himself.

“Crawford, who had become moderately wealthy, controlled nearly half of the stock in a weekly agricultural publication, the Kansas Farmer,” historian Doug Wallace said.

“The office and printing plant were located in his new business block.”

Publishing, in some form or other, continued in the building for nearly 80

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Overshadowed The charismatic Crawford died in 1913. His building was purchased by the Farm Mortgage Company which continued to lease space. Topeka businessman T. B. Sweet owned the property for a time and it passed through his family for several years.

However, other fine buildings went up in Topeka, including the National Bank of Topeka “skyscraper” at 6th and Kansas.

Each new and trendy location lured business away from the grand, but dated, Crawford Building.

The array of tenants from the 1930s and 40s included lobbyists and businessmen such as: an osteopath, a United States Bankruptcy referee, a lumber company, the Kansas State Tuberculosis Association, a life insurance company, the Board of Cosmetology, Blue Cross, the Kansas Telephone Company, the Kansas Baptist Association; U. S. O. headquarters, Friden Calculators, and Electrolux.

Deserted

years. Crawford’s son-in-law, Arthur Capper, headquartered his various publications here in 1894.

Since it was the most “substantial building” in town, professionals filled up the offices quickly. Wallace called the tenants a virtual “who’s who of Topeka’s legal fraternity.” The location, just across the street from the police station (where the parking garage is now) and a block east of the courthouse, was a comfortable and convenient one for attorneys,

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including the future vice president, Charles Curtis.

One of the less ordinary renters was the Reid-Stone School of Art. Albert T. Reid was a well-known cartoonist and illustrator; George M. Stone was a successful portrait and landscape artist. They teamed up to establish an art school in 1902. A year later, they merged their institution into Washburn College and, quite literally, became the art department.

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Restaurateur Robert Maynard purchased the property in 1951 and in little more than a decade, only a handful of tenants remained. On Sept. 1, 1964, he announced that the historic building would close.

“It was too old-fashioned in an ever-changing world of modern office parks and dreams of splashy glitz,” said Wallace. “The wrecker‘s ball had already struck -- or soon would -- the Governor‘s mansion, the public library on capitol square, the former State Journal Building at 8th and Kansas, and the Capitol Federal Building.”

501 Jackson sat empty for nearly 10 years.

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Rediscovered Not everyone saw it as an eyesore. Don Kern and Jim Woodward formed the Crawford Landmark Plaza Corp. in 1974. They envisioned transforming the abandoned landmark into a “vertical shopping center” featuring restaurants and specialty shops. They received some grant money and forged ahead. Many locals recall a silversmith, antique store, Zoie’s (a lady’s boutique), as well as Sun-Chi (a health food store that served meals). For Gary Bisel, a former contractor, the fondest memory is that of Humble Pie, the pizza place in the basement with an outside entrance from 5th Street.

“They did a great job of restoration,” Bisel recalled. “They sealed the stone walls -- they just did a great job of working with what they had. There were historic photographs of Topeka on the wall. It was nostalgic. And the aroma!”

A Historic Building Stores came and mostly went. In 1985 a heavy rain caused part of the south wall to collapse. Again, it seemed the Crawford Building would meet the wrecking ball.

Fortunately, the address had been added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. This kept the building on life support until it was purchased by Paul Bramlage. He envisioned professional offices, shops, and restaurants and dubbed his vision “Governor’s Place.”

Work began, including a new stair tower and elevator.

Things were looking up. Then, the murder of Bramlage halted the work and the legal haggling over ownership of the property ensued.

The social service agency assists disabled Kansans and

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Finally, in 1993, after two more sales, the Topeka Independent Living Resource Center bought the Crawford Building for half a million dollars. has given a stable life to the building.

Watched Over Susie Marchant remembers having pizza in the Humble Pie decades ago when she engaged in a conversation with some construction workers who had been renovating the Crawford Building. They shared their experiences of having someone tapping them on the shoulder in the midst of their hammering and sawing. When they turned, the ghost of Governor Crawford was standing behind them, overseeing the work.

If anyone would return from the beyond to make sure things were getting done here, it would be Crawford.

He was, after all, a man of action.

TK

Deb Goodrich-Bisel

Author and historian, masondixonwildwest.blogspot.com

Photos by Ryan Cavanaugh Deb’s photo by Rachel Lock Photography

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Summer 2011

59

[winning rules] making the most of

media relationships I

began my career in public relations back in 1998 at a small Dallas PR agency. My job was to work with upward of 10 emerging tech companies at any given time and manage their media relationships – ultimately resulting (hopefully) in positive press coverage.

Why should yours or any other company cultivate positive media relations? Having credible third parties, such as journalists and notable bloggers, feature your company or product in a positive manner lends your company the credibility of their endorsement. Even in a straight news piece without a positive or negative direction in the coverage, including you as a source or the subject provides at least the perception that you are legit.

Way back when I was learning the ropes of public relations, my boss said we shouldn't care about what reporters think in response to our incessant "nagging" – because, after all, “they don't pay our bills.”

In her view, our role as “media relations specialists” was no more than telemarketers who would call reporter after reporter and pitch the same tired story. Fortunately, I ignored her guidance and treated the journalists who I dealt with as if they were, in fact, my paying clients. I sought to give them the information they wanted—when and how they wanted it. And before long, I was getting calls from other PR agencies trying to recruit me because local journalists told them I was among the best at media relations.

So here are some tips to dealing with the media: Respect their beat.

Research what kind of stories the reporter typically covers and either tailor your "pitch" appropriately to their beat or don't bother them at all. Why would you send a news release about your upcoming fundraiser to the guy who covers the courthouse?

Help build the story with compelling media.

In a 24/7 news cycle, and with hundreds if not thousands of companies vying for the attention of journalists and bloggers, you’ll find greater success if you provide compelling images and videos that can be linked to from online articles (NOTE: It’s better to include links to media rather than send them as attachments).

Adhere to and be conscientious of deadlines.

Nothing can be more annoying to a writer than to receive pitches while under the pressure of a tight deadline.

Be personal.

Sending bulk messages with every journalist’s email in the CC line is a quick way to get relegated to spam folders or clicked away into the trash folder. Each email address has a real person associated with it – address them by name, and it’s often an extra appreciated step if you refer to something they’ve published so they know you’ve read their work.

Over time, you may even know them well enough to ask about the wife and kids!

Play nice.

Friendliness goes a long way. The key word in “media relations” is the second one – and if you’re nice, respectful, personal, conscientious and relevant, your efforts at getting positive press coverage for your company or organization will be greatly enhanced.

TK

Kevin Doel is president of Talon Communications Group, a Topekabased company specializing in public relations, social media and marketing communications.

Kevin’s photo by Rachel Lock Photography

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Take a Closer Look... ...at your employee healthcare and other benefit plans.

Call Century today for a review and to see how we can improve the employee benefits for your business.

785.233.1816 Topeka 800.227.0089 toll free www.century-health.com

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[from the professor]

using

SOCIAL MEDIA

effectively

CLASS IS NOW IN SESSION TK Visiting Professor:

L

ast year, marketers were abuzz when a series of ‘Old Spice man’ videos went viral on YouTube, garnering more than 31 million views and resulting in a 107 percent increase in sales of the mature brand. This year, Ford’s launch of the 2011 Explorer on Facebook has already generated more than double the return of Super Bowl advertising. These results suggest the potential power of social media.

Facebook claims: • More than 500 million active users.

• 50 percent of active users log in on any given day.

• Individual users average 130 friends and are connected to 80 community pages, groups and events.

Twitter reports: • More than one billion Tweets per week.

• 140 million individual Tweets are sent each day, up from 50 million last year.

• Twitter’s mobile users have grown by nearly 200 percent over the past year.

YouTube’s stats: Susie Pryor, Ph.D

Assistant Professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship Washburn University School of Business

• Two billion videos downloaded daily.

• 100 million of these on YouTube mobile.

With stories and statistics like these, is no wonder that social media has increasingly captured the attention and imagination of businesses large and small. What is more, in contrast with traditional forms of marketing, social media is enticingly cheap, gives the appearance of easy execution, and potentially offers both interaction with customers and a high level of control over that interaction.

Unfortunately, the frenzy surrounding social media may be causing otherwise prudent business folks to rush madly in without the same level of forethought that one engages in when committing to more expensive forms of marketing.

I am not an advocate of willy nilly marketing practices and this concerns me. I like thoughtfulness, planning, objective setting, measurement and control – those things which are the features of, in my opinion, most good marketing.

In talking with small businesses, I commonly hear stories of companies abdicating control of their social media activities to individual employees as well as stories of companies who find social media so cost effective that they are utilizing it to the exclusion of other forms of marketing. From my perspective, these practices are both red flags. The first ignores the

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{ } In early May, as U.S. Special Forces were executing their mission to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, Sohaib Athar, an independent software consultant in Pakistan, was utilizing the social media platform, Twitter, to (unknowingly) report on the event in real time. He ‘tweets’ from Pakistan: “Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event).”

This historic tweet illustrates the speed with which information may be disseminated.

Create a Social Media Plan

Development and Maintenance of Brand Identity

Businesses need a relatively welldeveloped social media plan before entering the fray. Just as traditional marketing plans stem from measurable objectives, so should social media plans.

Connect Social Media and Traditional Advertising Avenues The social media plan should support overarching marketing goals, not compete with these. For example, if your company seeks to generate awareness in a market, you may choose to couple mass media advertising in local outlets with targeted Facebook ads. If your company seeks to generate excitement and more immediate sales, you may couple a radio advertising campaign with an on-line promotional

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Speed of Social Media

importance of the content of social media and its fit with other marketing initiatives; in fact, it fails to take seriously the potential implications of marketing messages which have the potential to spread very widely and very rapidly.

The second approach adopts price as almost the sole basis for marketing decisionmaking. Neither views social media appropriately.

The vast array of social media tools should suggest that effective utilization of these can be complex. The sheer number of communications which are occurring on a minute-by-minute basis also hints at the extent to which it may be difficult to break through the marketing communication clutter that is growing in cyberspace. But there are some imperative steps that a business should follow when entering the social media arena:

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campaign. Over time, the fluidity with which you create compelling, integrated marketing communication strategies will grow. Ideally, you will develop the ability to move consumers from one form of media to another.

Billboards may direct consumers to your website which may, in turn, encourage participation in forums or development of on-line relationships via Facebook.

Social media, social commerce, and other social “tools” are merely the newest vehicles for brand messages.

The importance of branding as a source of sustainable competitive advantage is to my mind substantial.

However, just as social media tools vary widely, so do brand strategies.

Successful execution of social media tactics requires: 1. Determining one’s brand identity and approach to branding.

2. Implementing specific marketing objectives.

3. Understanding the varied forms of social media tools available.

4. Integrating social media into an overall marketing plan.

TK

ExecutiveÊCommunicationÊSkills Washburn University • July 13 & 14 TM

Enhance your executive-level professional communication skills through a collegial partnership of dialog, coaching, and application. Class size is limited.

For more information and to register, visit: Academic Outreach www.washburn.edu/ao (785) 670-1399

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[scene about town] Career Chapter of the American Business Women's Association 29th Annual Scholarship Luncheon honoring Beth Fager Tuesday, March 15, 2011 | Maner Conference Center [Cynthia Stotlar: Creative Business Solutions and Michael Bradley: The Villages Inc.]

[Erin Mohwinkle: Heartland Visioning, Chris & John Grandmontagne: Warehouse 414]

[William Beteta: Heartland Visioning, Gary Blitsch & Sharon Hotchkiss: Southwind Gallery]

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[Joanne Morrell: Kansas Children's Discovery Center, Deb Bisel: Writer, Joanne Harrison: Kansas Children's Center] Business Magazine Summer 2011Discovery TK...Topeka's

[Leslie Palace: Jones Huyett Partners, Yvonne Etzel: Stormont-Vail HealthCare, Tara Dimick: e2 Communications, Melissa Brunner: WIBW TV]

[Jean May, Kristel Gayle and Pat Haynes: OFG Finacial]

[Betty Lou Pardue: KTWU, Tina Davies: OFG Financial and Jennie Bowen: WIBW Radio]

Did you know...

...you can count volunteer mileage on your tax return? ...you can get a refund even if you’re not required to file? ...childcare includes summer camps?

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[scene about town] Get active. Get moving. Win big.

2011 Leadership Topeka Graduation Ramada Convention Center May 11, 2011

[Tim Kolling: WIBW Radio, Lisa Young: Security Benefit and Chelle Decker: Jones Huyett Partners]

[Melissa Brunner: WIBW TV and Miriam Krehbiel: United Way]

[Bob Swafford: Colorworks Paint & Supply and Bill Naeger: Bartlett & West]

Sponsored by:

[Ken Scott and Lloyd Rainge II: Capitol Federal]

Kids ages 8 to 15 are encouraged to participate

Get started at www.shawneesummerscorecard.com

[Amber Gentry: Networks Plus and Jill Garrard: Jayhawk Area Council Boy Scouts]

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[scene about town] Association for Women in Communications 2011 Headliner Awards Kansas Historical Society March 1, 2011

TK...Topeka's TK...Topeka'sBusiness BusinessMagazine Magazine Summer Summer2011 2011

A person who influences a group of people toward the achievement of a common goal

[Gina Millsap, Diana Friend, Lisa Coble-Krings and Nancy Overmeyer: Topeka and Shawnee County Library]

Nominate them at: http://tinyurl.com/20under40-2011

[Lesley Harrison and Suzann Biggs: Cox Communications]

lead·er noun \ ‘lē-dər \

[Sarah Carkhuff-Fizell: Strategic Communications of KS, Sarah Strydom: Midwest Single Source, Kathy Smith: ArtsConnect, Kathleen Williams: Oppenheimer & Co]

[Lynda Pollman, Jennifer Muse, Tamra Scheid, Shalyn Marsh, Linda Briden and Olivia Simmons: Visit Topeka]

Know a successful, young professional under 40?

[Amanda Schuster: League of KS Municipalities, Jamie Hornbaker: United Way, and Kat Keyes: Gizmo Pictures]

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incentive solution:

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[scene about town] United Way of Greater Topeka Annual Meeting March 30, 2011 Ramada Convention Center [Glenda DuBoise: Community Volunteer & Nancy Johnson: Community Resources Council]

[Nancy Burkhart, Cherie McGinnis, Janet Stanek and Tom Luellen: Stormont Vail]

[Rick Jackson, Jacque Taylor, Debbie Wempe, and Carl Ricketts: Capitol Federal]

[Susan Brinkler, Tam Bahner, Gina Robertson and Mitchell Root: Florence Financial]

[Terry Ukena, Cathy Lyon, and Delores Olivia: Catholic Charities]

[Mary Holman: St. Francis and Tammy Adams: ValueOptions] [Elizabeth Young, Barbara Heller, and Chris Noe: Clayton Financial]

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Disaster Plan Checklist Use the checklist below to see if your business is prepared to survive a disaster.

Create an emergency response plan and train your employees.

Keep the yearly maintenance contract up-todate with the provider.

Assign specific responsibilities to employees.

Install web filtering, content blocking and spam filtering to devices.

List phone numbers and addresses of key employees and determine which will telecommute if necessary.

Compile contact information for emergency agencies, insurance agents, financial institutions, key suppliers, major clients and other resources that are critical to your business.

Develop an internal communications plan.

and

external

Identify important business equipment and note important details such as vendors, serial numbers, etc.

Store copies of critical information offsite.

Decide upon an alternative location if your primary site is destroyed.

Take pictures of your building and assets and keep an updated inventory that includes serial numbers and purchase price receipts and store offsite.

Take a weekly backup to a secure location offsite.

At least once per month, randomly pull a file and physically restore that file to PROVE it works.

Limit your personal liability by forming a corporation or other LLC. Have a succession plan in place for key employees.

Protect your business’s intellectual property through patents, trademarks, copyrights, etc.

Require that employees agree not to misuse or disclose the business’s confidential information as a condition of employment.

When necessary, require that key employees sign noncompete agreements.

Review your insurance coverage limits annually and ensure that your insurance policy meets your business needs.

Adopt a written compliance program and ensure your employees, agents and vendors are familiar with it, understand it and follow it.

Install a firewall that is designed for your business.

Adopt a disciplinary policy that punishes noncompliance—and enforce it.

Add antivirus protection.

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Back up your data regularly and store onsite.

Summer 2011

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Adrianne Meyer

Adrianne@thenetworktoday.com 785-554-9882

Training Assessments Professional Development Speaking Engagements Take a FREE assessment today! www.thenetworktoday.com

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THE POWER OF THE TWEET Information provided by Mark Brown, owner of Brainzooming, www.brainzooming.com

Mike Brown, owner of Brainzooming Consulting, was sitting at a night class one evening, bored. He started working on some things that weren’t related to the class, and found that he was actually more productive as a result. This got him thinking about how parents give kids something to do when they are in public to keep them from getting bored and cranky. He began to think that maybe if we acted more like kids, we might become more creative. So, he went home and tweeted about always taking something with you to meetings so you don’t get bored and cranky. That tweet sparked a twitter storm of ideas from people offering their own suggestions for ways to take a more creative approach to our serious work lives:

Mike Brown

@Brainzooming Kansas City Brainzooming - Catalyzing innovative success. More strategy, innovation & creativity ideas at http://www.Brainzooming.com

golferguy

Do something every day that will make you giggle. Better yet, do it multiple times daily.

15 minutes ago

marketwhiz

If something isn’t making sense, be sure to scrunch your face so it’s apparent to everybody!

32 minutes ago

cowboy

If you don’t know the answer to a problem, take a guess. Or copy off the person sitting next to you.

1 hour ago

janedoe

Get everybody together for a meeting in the cafeteria and serve ice cream cones.

4 hours ago

howiejones

Don’t wait to raise your hand; just start talking when an idea occurs to you.

7 hours ago Social media gives us the power of two-way conversation. Listening to what others have to say about your business or ideas needs to be part of your business strategy.

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[the last word]

Who are your heroes, and why?

CHUCK LOWER

Lower Heating & Air Conditioning A native Topekan, Chuck Lower graduated from Highland Park High School, where he lettered in football, basketball and track and field. Chuck opened Lower Heating and Air Conditioning July 1, 1971, with a pick-up truck and $50. The company brought in $50,000 in sales that first year. Last year, the company recorded sales topping $9 million and employed 48 people.

My first hero was the pharmacist at Highland Park Drugstore, who I worked for from age 8 to 18. He took me under his wing and was like a father to me. My next heroes were two coaches at Highland Park High School, Bob Jennings, the football coach, and Claude Reynolds, the track coach. As time has gone on, my next hero would have been Wayne Hill with Hill & Company here in town.

I admired him as a person and a businessman. And the other real hero in my life is Homer McElroy. He was my mentor and someone from whom I really learned at lot about how to run a business. He set a good example of how to treat your employees, realizing that they are the backbone of your business.

What is special about Topeka?

I have lived here all of my life. I went to Topeka schools. I graduated from Highland Park high school. This place has a lot of special memories for me and the best people I know live here. I have a very special place in my heart for Washburn University. It is a real love to me today. I have met so many quality people through my connection with Washburn. It is a real diamond for Topeka.

What is the best lesson you learned in life?

The biggest thing that I learned from the heroes in my life is that you

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have to be dedicated, dependable and willing to work hard in life. I think anybody can have a reward in life if you work hard enough for it. When I see businesses fail, it is usually because someone wasn’t willing to work hard enough to make it a success.

What would you like to see happen in Topeka?

I want to watch Topeka grow. I think in the last two or three years there have been some good signs of more involvement with local people.

I think the Chamber and GO Topeka have been a good asset. I like the downtown revitalization thoughts because we’re the capital. There’s no reason in the world not to make downtown more business and people friendly. I’d still like to see a minor league ball team in the old Water Tower district. We also need to repair our streets and be responsible for all of Topeka, not just pockets here and there. We are moving in the right direction, but we are still way short of where we need to be.

What is something that few people know about you?

That I am an emotional person.

The average person might be surprised to know that listening to children sing can bring me to tears.

TK

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On top of your health care needs.

Topeka’s Highest Rated Hospital for Three Consecutive Years.

St. Francis Services Breast Center Comprehensive Cancer Center Cardiac Services Diabetes Center Diagnostic Services Emergency Services Gastrointestinal Services Home Care Joint Replacement Center

Lactation Services Low Vision Clinic NewLife Center (labor and delivery) Occupational Health Pain Management Center Pediatrics Pulmonology Rehabilitation Services

Spine Center Sports Medicine Sports Rehabilitation Surgical Services Turning Point Surgical Weight Loss Solutions Vein Clinic

St. Francis Ranks Among the Top 5 Percent of Hospitals Nationally for Clinical Excellence for Three Consecutive Years (2009-2011).

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St. Francis Physician Clinics St. Francis Health Center 1700 S.W. 7th St. Topeka, KS 66606 785-295-8000

St. Francis Family Medicine 4646 N.W. Fielding Road Topeka, KS 66618 785-286-4475

St. Francis Podiatry 634 S.W. Mulvane St., Suite 402 Topeka, KS 66606 785-357-0352

St. Francis Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery 600 S.W. College Ave., Suite 202 Topeka, KS 66606 785-270-5115

St. Francis Gynecology Clinic 6730 S.W. Mission View Drive Topeka, KS 66614 785-228-2218

Topeka Neurology at St. Francis 631 S.W. Horne St., Suite 200 Topeka, KS 66606 785-234-6300

St. Francis Heart and Vascular Center 600 S.W. College Ave. Topeka, KS 66606 785-270-5170

Topeka Neurosurgery at St. Francis 634 S.W. Mulvance St., Suite 202 Topeka, KS 66606 785-295-3555

St. Francis Diabetes Center 6730 S.W. 29th St., Suite B Topeka, KS 66614 785-272-2240

St. Francis Imaging Center and Medical Clinic 601 Corporate View Road Topeka, KS 66615 785-270-7MRI

Topeka OB/GYN Associates at St. Francis 634 S.W. Mulvane St., Suite 209 Topeka, KS 66606 785-295-5330

St. Francis Family Medicine 600 S.W. Jewell Ave. Topeka, KS 66606 785-295-5310

St. Francis Internal Medicine 631 S.W. Horne St., Suite 420 Topeka, KS 66606 785-270-5110

St. Francis Family Medicine 2835 S.W. Mission Woods Drive Topeka, KS 66614 785-271-1818

St. Francis Medical Clinic at River Hill 6001 S.W. 6th Ave., Suite 320 Topeka, KS 66615 785-232-4248

Topeka OB/GYN Associates at St. Francis 6730 S.W. Mission View Drive Topeka, KS 66614 785-228-9808

St. Francis Center for Infant and Child Health 634 S.W. Mulvane St., Suite 106 Topeka, KS 66606 785-295-5310

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HealthGrades Recognized St. Francis Health Center for Top 5 Treatment in Kansas in 2011 for Cardiac Services, Orthopedic Services, Stroke Care, Spine Surgery and Critical Care.

St. Francis Also Received the HealthGrades Women’s Health Excellence Award™ for 2010/2011 and the HealthGrades Emergency Medicine Excellence Award™ for 2010 and 2011.

Topeka Urology at St. Francis 1516 S.W. 6th Ave. Topeka, KS 66606 785-232-1005

Clinics Outside Topeka Nortonville Medical Clinic 306 Lafayette Nortonville, KS 66060 913-886-2110

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Oskaloosa Medical Clinic 100 E. Washington, Suite B Oskaloosa, KS 66066 785-863-4125

Valley Falls Medical Clinic 403 Sycamore Valley Falls, KS 66088 785-945-3263

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Winchester Medical Clinic 306 Winchester Winchester, KS 66097 913-774-2150

1700 S.W. 7th Street | Topeka, KS 785-295-8000 | www.stfrancistopeka.org