Joining host Kelly Scanlon on Smart Companies Radio is Dawn Fotopulos, founder of BestSmallBizHelp.com, an award-winning blog dedicated to helping struggling solopreneurs. She is also the associate professor of business at The King’s College and an experienced entrepreneur and small-business turnaround expert. She has rescued more than 300,000 small businesses from financial disaster. She'll share advice from her new book, "Accounting for the Numberphobic: A Survival Guide for Small Business Own...
Mar 27, 2015•28 min
Joining host Kelly Scanlon this week on Smart Companies Radio is Bruce L Tulgan. Tulgan is an American writer specializing in business topics. His books include It's Okay to Manage Your Boss, Not Everyone Gets a Trophy, It's Okay to be the Boss, and Managing Generation X. On this episode Kelly and Bruce will discuss his most recent book, “The 27 Challenges Managers Face: Step-by-Step Solutions to (Nearly) All of Your Management Problems”. Discover how the most effective managers use the fundamen...
Mar 25, 2015•27 min
Our guest today, Chuck Blakeman, has built several businesses, and he now uses his experience to help other business owners and leaders build Participation Age companies. Join us to find out why you should strive to build a Participation Age company, and why employees are ALWAYS a bad idea. Chuck’s first book, Making Money Is Killing Your Business, was rated the #1 business book of 2010 by the National Federation of Independent Businesses. He also appears frequently in print and online, includin...
Mar 25, 2015•26 min
Joining Host Kelly Scanlon on this episode of Smart Companies Radio is Mike Hurd, Director of Marketing with Downtown KC and Drew Solomon with the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City. Drew and Mike will share news about LaunchKC a program designed to attract tech entrepreneurs locally, regionally and nationally to apply and compete for up to 10 $50,000 grants, mentorship, transitional work space and other incentives. LaunchKC will select the top-scoring entrepreneurs to develop high ...
Mar 23, 2015•22 min
Joining host Kelly Scanlon on this episode of Smart Companies KC is Kirk Miles, President of Affinity Charitable Resources, former CEO of Kansas Special Olympics, and the co-founder of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Affinity Charitable Resources is currently working with River of Refuge, a non-profit, Kansas City based organization committed to help transition homeless families who have jobs from high-rent motels and shelters into permanent housing. River of Refuge provides ...
Mar 20, 2015•30 min
Those beautiful flowers you see at a wedding or fancy event cost tons of money. At the end of the night those elaborate displays usually go straight in the trash, unless some enterprising partygoer takes them home. That's where ReBloom steps in. Rebloom recycles the floral arrangements after big events, so they end up at your wedding the next day for cheap, or on your dining room table or on your desk at the office.instead of disappearing after a single night. On this episode of Smart Companies ...
Mar 20, 2015•23 min
Social Engineering…What is it?.... Are you Vulnerable and how or IS it preventable. This week on Smart Companies KC, host Kelly Scanlon speaks with Kyle Konopasek, a Manager in the Business and Technology Risk Services group at CBIZ MHM, LLC in Kansas City, Missouri. On this episode you’ll learn what the existing security threats are and how experts such as CBIZ have created approaches to mitigate the risks involving: • Email phishing • Dumpster diving • Pretexting (an invented scenario used to ...
Mar 13, 2015•28 min
Host Kelly Scanlon visits with Dr. Tom Anastasi. The author of, The Successful Entrepreneur.(Glenbridge Publishing) this book is considered by many to be a must for entrepreneurs who have an ongoing venture or are thinking of starting one. It covers planning for five years, getting start-up and growth capital, making realistic predictions, selling and sales management, pricing your products or services, promotions on a shoe string, and why entrepreneurship is still the American Dream! Anastasi i...
Mar 13, 2015•27 min
Q: How many blonds does it take to screw in a light bulb? A: It doesn't matter if you're using the wrong light bulb. On this episode of Smart Companies KC, Executive Producer Mary McKenna sits in as host and speaks with one half of the Optimum Energy Solutions team, Jerry Bean, to discuss energy savings for your business and to discuss Energy Optimum's recent 25 Under 25® honor as a member of the class of 2015's top 25 companies in Kansas City with fewer than 25 employees. In 2014 the company sa...
Mar 06, 2015•20 min
Joining Host Kelly Scanlon on this episode of Smart Companies Radio is Mike Hurd, Director of Marketing with Downtown KC and Drew Solomon with the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City. Drew and Mike will share news about LaunchKC a program designed to attract tech entrepreneurs locally, regionally and nationally to apply and compete for up to 10 $50,000 grants, mentorship, transitional work space and other incentives. LaunchKC will select the top-scoring entrepreneurs to develop high ...
Mar 06, 2015•22 min
Two hosts, two guests this week on Smart Companies KC with a spin on how to buy organically in Kansas City. Smart Companies Executive Producer Mary Mckenna visits with Craig Howard, Owner of Howards Organic Fare and Vegetable Patch Food and Grocery and the soon to open Howard’s Café and Roof Top Garden in Kansas City. Smart Companies KC host Kelly Scanlon then sits down with Jaime Burks, Marketing Specialist with Door to Door Organics Kansas City, delivering fresh organic produce and natural gro...
Feb 27, 2015•29 min
Joining Host Kelly Scanlon on this episode of Smart Companies Radio is Kristin Naragon, Director of Email Solutions at Adobe, A proven force recognized as a leader in cross-channel management, Adobe has a long heritage and experience in email; Kelly and Kristin will discuss key findings from a new study on why email marketers are not satisfied with the current tools available, and why they feel on a large scale ESP’s (email solution providers) aren’t cutting it. To listen to additional shows wit...
Feb 27, 2015•23 min
Joining Kelly is Sheila Shockey, owner of Shockey Consulting Services of Lenexa, Kansas. Sheila will explain her company’s role with communities helping them to make informed decisions regarding infrastructure, public services, development and establishing priorities. The firm’s work is garnering praise on both a local and national level. Last year Shockey Consulting was awarded a National Environmental Achievement Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. To hear more shows w...
Feb 20, 2015•25 min
Joining Host Kelly Scanlon on this episode of Smart Companies Radio is Darren Dupriest, President and CEO of Validity Screening Solutions. Dupriest is a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners and is an industry expert of background checks. The National Employment Law Project (NELP) just published a report in which they make a case for Executive Action by the President to mandate “Fair Chance” and “Ban the Box” hiring practices. This episode will discuss ...
Feb 20, 2015•26 min
Joining Host Kelly Scanlon on Smart Companies KC this week, the President and founder, Lisa A. Stehno-Bittel and Vice President and founder Karthik Ramachandran, Ph.D of Likarda, LLC, Eentrepreneurs disguised as scientists at the University of Kansas, launched Likarda as an exciting biotech company bringing to market disruptive technologies that improve healthcare outcomes and lower costs for pets and people alike. As the leading regenerative medicine company for companion animals, Likarda has d...
Feb 13, 2015•29 min
Joining Host Kelly Scanlon on this episode of Smart Companies KC is Katie Snapp the author of “Skirt Strategies” and her latest book “Brave Transitions; A Woman’s Guide For Maintaining Composure Through Changes In Work And Life”. Snapp, a former electrical engineer launched online leadership training for women after her realization that women often bury their greatest assets and forego personal power by giving into their self-doubt or the pressures of a male-based environment. Katie speaks natio...
Feb 13, 2015•23 min
Joining Host Kelly Scanlon on this episode of Smart Companies KC is Sherry Turner, The 25 Under 25® Legacy Award Winner for 2015. Turner is being recognized for her tireless efforts in assisting Kansas City businesswomen get their start, find employment, find investors and even become investors themselves for other entrepreneurs. She is executive director of the Women’s Business Center, founder of OneKC For Women, president of the Women’s Employment Network and founder of the Women’s Capital Con...
Feb 06, 2015•26 min
Host Kelly Scanlon welcomes best-selling business author Jones Loflin, who discusses his latest book, Getting to It, a field guide to one of the greatest challenges facing business professionals today: completing the activities most important to their professional success; in other words, getting to IT (Important Thing). Loflin discusses the 8-step process that guides readers from "Identifying It" to "Communicating It" to "Doing It Again." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...
Feb 06, 2015•28 min
Joining Smart Companies KC Host Kelly Scanlon is Adam Fichman, Owner of Lifted Logic, an independent creative agency devoted to design and branding as well as website development and SEO optimization among other things. Kelly and Adam will talk about how Lifted Logic got its start, its tremendous growth as well as the honor of being selected as one of this year's class of 25 Under 25 winners. To hear more shows hosted by Kelly Scanlon visit our Smart Companies KC archives. Learn more about your ...
Jan 30, 2015•29 min
Joining Host Kelly Scanlon on Smart Companies Radio is Jocelyn Glei,Director & Editor-in-Chief, 99U. They’ll discuss her latest book. “Make Your Mark; A Creative’s Guide to Building a Business With Impact”, called a 2015 MUST READ by Fast Company Magazine. Glei is also the executive producer of the 99U conference, April 30th through May 1st 2015. The conference as well as the popular website focuses on creatives and the people who want to get creative with thier businesses. Learn more about ...
Jan 30, 2015•29 min
Joining host Kelly Scanlon is Anne Cull, founder of ThinkViral, a social media sales training company. Tune in to discover ways businesses can use social media to cultivate sales leads without spamming. Anne is a Los Angeles transplant with more than 15 years of sales experience, both on and off line. Four and a half years ago, the economy tanked, and Anne saw traditional sales methods going out the window and people depending more on relationships and referrals to stay in business. With more bu...
Jan 23, 2015•28 min
Joining host Kelly Scanlon this week on Smart Companies Radio is Bruce L Tulgan. Tulgan is an American writer specializing in business topics. His books include It's Okay to Manage Your Boss, Not Everyone Gets a Trophy, It's Okay to be the Boss, and Managing Generation X. On this episode Kelly and Bruce will discuss his most recent book, “The 27 Challenges Managers Face: Step-by-Step Solutions to (Nearly) All of Your Management Problems”. Discover how the most effective managers use the fundamen...
Jan 23, 2015•27 min
Anton’s Taproom, which opened this past October in Kansas City’s Crossroads District, is not your typical KC restaurant. How many restaurants do you know that have a butcher's shop (complete with homemade sausages and lard), a tilapia farm, an aquaponic herb garden and an art gallery on the premises? Host Kelly Scanlon sits down with owner and restaurateur Anton Kotar and talks about the eatery’s distinctive approach. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 16, 2015•26 min
Joining Kelly this week on Smart Companies Radio is Paul Mandell. Mandell is a founder and the CEO of Consero Group, an international leader in the development of invitation-only events for senior executives. A graduate of the Yale Law School, Paul previously founded a national legal support company that was acquired in 2007. Mandell has been featured in articles in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Business Week, The Washington Post, among others, and he is a frequent contributor to various pu...
Jan 16, 2015•26 min
A mountain boy originally from southern California, Clifton Alexander came to the Midwest to attend the esteemed Kansas City Art Institute. After working for several local agencies in creative roles, he founded REACTOR Design Studio. Clifton joins us to talk about Kansas City's first-rate diverse creative community and why it is gaining national prominence. Clifton has appeared on national television, been featured in countless publications and guided REACTOR Design Studio to more than 100 desig...
Jan 09, 2015•26 min
On this episode of Smart Companies Radio, Discover how to be a Power Connector. Host Kelly Scanlon talks Judy Robinett, Power Connector, Start up Expert and author. They'll discuss her latest book, “Power Connector: The 5 + 50 + 100 Rule for Turning your Business Network into Profits. You can find more shows in archives hosted by Kelly Scanlon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 09, 2015•30 min
Kansas City writer, artist, business strategist and philosopher of creative, adventurous living, Becky Blades Phillips, joins Kelly to talk about her new book: Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone: Advice Your Mom Would Give if She Thought You Were Listening. Since selling her award-winning public relations firm, Becky has served on corporate boards, as a civic advocate for the arts and entrepreneurship, and as a consultant and mentor to businesses. To hear more shows hosted by Kelly Scanlon list...
Jan 02, 2015•27 min
Our guest is Martin Zwilling, an American business executive, entrepreneur, and author, who provides pragmatic advice and services to entrepreneurs and startups. Tune in to find out why having a great idea is just the tip of the iceberg for startups. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, Zwilling says in addition to the "great idea," the entrepreneur needs to have the right experience, attitude and plan or viable business model. Zwilling is Executive in Residence at the Thunderbird School...
Jan 02, 2015•24 min
This week's guest is Susan Spaulding, the founder and leader of Recalibrate Strategies. The consultancy leverages her vast experience as a business owner and strategist, as well as her expertise in marketing, communications and insights to help organizations recalibrate their business and brands. In this episode, Susan will be sharing the highlights of her recently released book, Recalibrate: A Strategic Guide for Accelerated Growth. To hear more shows hosted by Kelly Scanlon visit archives Lear...
Dec 26, 2014•28 min
Kick off the Christmas season as guest Chanda Bell, co-founder and co-author of the holiday phenomenon “The Elf on the Shelf,” gives us the inside story on how she, her mother and her twin sister turned a cherished family tradition into a best-selling brand, delivering holiday magic to parents and children across the country. Bell and her mother and sister were named the Georgia Small Business Person of the Year by the Small Business Administration. She and her sister were also named as finalist...
Dec 26, 2014•18 min
