Athlete and celebrity brand expert Frances Reimers joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to talk about creating and protecting an often-overlooked professional asset: our personal brand. Reimers believes your personal brand matters—even if you're not a celebrity. Tune in to discover: ■ Why your personal brand matter if you're in business. ■ The elements of a personal brand. ■ How to develop your own personal brand—it's not a one-size-fits-all proposition. ■ How to "speak your mind" yet p...
Feb 22, 2019•20 min
Best-selling author Colleen Francis joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to discuss her most recent book, Nonstop Sales Boom, and offer a strategy for driving consistent sales growth in your company and putting an end to boom-and-bust sales cycles. You'll discover: ■ What causes boom-and-bust sales cycles—and why we tolerate them ■ How to attract the best leads for your sales pipeline ■ Why qualifying an opportunity is the responsibility of both the buyer and the seller ■ Why not all cl...
Feb 21, 2019•19 min
Mikki Williams, CSP, CPAE, joins Talking Business Nowhost Kelly Scanlon to discuss how your business can gain a competitive advantage through storytelling. Williams is the owner of Mikki Williams Unltd. She’s a Hall of Fame Professional speaker, a TEDx speaker, an executive speech coach and a Vistage resource speaker and Master Chair. In this episode of Talking Business Now, Mikki shares these insights with listeners: How to invest employees, customers and stakeholders through story so they care...
Jan 18, 2019•21 min
It’s an understatement to say that we live in a constantly changing world. And now, more than ever, customers expect companies to practice corporate responsibility. On this episode of Talking Business Now,Shannon Adkins joins host Kelly Scanlon to discuss what it takes to build a purpose-led culture in our companies and to build solutions for lasting change. Adkins is the CEO at Future State, an employee-owned strategic consulting firm focused on supporting change management and operational tran...
Jan 11, 2019•27 min
On this episode of Talking Business Now,Dr. Tom Hill joins host Kelly Scanlon to discuss the four mantras he’s embraced to achieve success in all areas of his life. Tune in to discover how Dr. Hill has put these principles to work—and how you can too! We have a moral obligation to become the very best person with our God-given talents.We have a moral obligation to become a positive difference with every person we come in contact with.One idea, well executed, can change your life forever.One pers...
Jan 08, 2019•22 min
Amanda Brinkman joins host Kelly Scanlon on this episode of Talking Business Now. You may know Brinkman as the co-host of The Small Business Revolution—Main Streetseries with Ty Pennington. What you may not know is that Brinkman herself brings an entrepreneurial attitude—and a belief that all brands can “Do Well By Doing Good”—to all her endeavors. Brinkman, who has had a long career in marketing and advertising, almost didn’t go into the field because she didn’t know how it would fulfill her de...
Jan 04, 2019•25 min
Sylvie Di Giusto [pronounced Dee-Juice-Toh] joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to talk about "packaging people." That's right, Di Giusto packages people. She's an image consultant, the author of "The Image of Leadership" and an online program called "How You Impress," and the founder of Executive Image Consulting in New York City. She and her firm help individuals and companies understand how people make up their minds very quickly about them—and either open the door for them or slam ...
Dec 31, 2018•21 min
During this holiday season, enjoy a replay of my popular Elf on the Shelf episode with co-founder Chanda Bell. She gives us the behind-the-scenes scoop on how she, her twin sister Christa Pitts, and her mother Carol Aebersold transformed a cherished family tradition into a best-selling and enduring holiday brand. The company, Creatively Classic Activities and Books, was founded in 2005. Thirteen years later, more than 13 million of the ever-popular elves can be found around the world. In additio...
Dec 19, 2018•17 min
On this episode of Talking Business Now, Rania Anderson joins host Kelly Scanlon to discuss how to build diverse, high-performing teams and equitable work environments. Anderson’s new book, WE: Men, Women and the Decisive Formula for Winning at Work, presents a process of driving gender parity, and provides tangible insights for transforming and strengthening the way men and women work, lead and succeed together. The good news? It’s not about what the organization should do. It addresses what in...
Nov 10, 2018•32 min
Certified speaking professional Diane DiResta shares insights for adding power, punch and pizzazz to your presentations—whether you're talking on stage in front of a large audience, making a sales presentation, speaking in the boardroom, or in any situation where your message matters. In this episode of Talking Business Now, DiResta, the author of Knockout Presentations, discusses: Why public speaking is the new competitive advantage—and adds to your ROIOvercoming public speaking fearIncreasing ...
Nov 02, 2018•23 min
October 25 marks the 30th anniversary of monumental legislation. President Reagan signed HR5050, also known as the Women Business Ownership Act of 1988, into law on Oct. 25, 1988. The legislation is still considered the "Big Bang" of women’s business ownership. It removed the mandatory requirement in many states for a male to sign a woman's business loan, established the Women’s Business Centers, required the Census to count women-owned C corporations, and created the National Women’s Business C...
Oct 26, 2018•32 min
Some people know from a young age that they’re destined for entrepreneurship. Others follow a career path that steadfastly leads them there. So it was with Jon and Teresa Andrade, the founders of Heartland Medical Solutions (HMS). The couple launched the Olathe, Kansas-based distributor of advanced imaging and surgical equipment in 2004, after Jon had worked in the industry for several years. The company now sells advanced imaging and surgical equipment to hospitals, surgery centers and doctors’...
Oct 26, 2018•13 min
Amanda Brinkman, who co-hosts The Small Business Revolution—Main Street with Ty Pennington, joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to give viewers a heads up on what to expect as Season 3 of the series debuts. Brinkman is the chief brand and communications officer of Deluxe Corp., and she has made it her mission to help small businesses succeed. She created, executive produces and stars in the series, which broadcasts on Hulu. In Season 3, the show chronicles a $500,000 makeover for Alton...
Oct 05, 2018•21 min
Bill George, CEO of Kansas City Transporation Group, joins host Kelly Scanlon to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and introducing innovation in a fast-changing industry. George has carved out a lane in the on-demand transportation industry—and ridden it to success. As the CEO of KCTG, George sets the strategic direction of the Midwest’s largest private passenger ground transportation company. KCTG has grown to include several well-known industry brands—SuperShuttle, Yellow Cab, 10-10 Taxi and...
Sep 28, 2018•18 min
Can your business operate without you? Would it survive if you weren't there every day, providing direction, answering questions and basically breathing life—your life—into it day in and day out? If you answered no, then your business is probably consuming you. You're probably sacrificing relationships with friends and family, your health, hobbies and other things that make life worth living—all so your business can live. In this episode of Talking Business Now, serial entrepreneur and best-sell...
Sep 21, 2018•28 min
Successful organizations and leaders learn how to resolve conflict before it starts—and create a company culture that fosters understanding and expression. In this episode of Talking Business Now, Lauren Scheiffer, also known as "The Colonel's Daughter," joins host Kelly Scanlon to discuss ways to prevent, manage and reduce conflict and drama in the workplace. Lauren has years of experience ranging from the trucking industry to global cosmetics to managing a non-profit foundation. She’s also a c...
Sep 14, 2018•26 min
Marketing pro Louis Gudema joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to share dozens of best practices and actionable tips from his new book Bullseye Marketing: How to Grow Your Business Faster. He provides insights into how small and mid-sized companies like yours can ramp up growth with more targeted, cost-effective marketing. Tune in to discover: Why small and mid-size companies should be doing even more marketing.The Bullseye Approach to marketing.How companies with little marketing expe...
Sep 07, 2018•27 min
How often do you wish you knew the secret to living a successful and happy life? Not just a life that brings periods of joy, but a life that is joy-filled through both the ups and the downs we all inevitably encounter? Well, wait no longer. In this episode of Talking Business Now, host Kelly Scanlon talks business—and self-discovery—with Joe Deitch, the author of Elevate: An Essential Guide to Life. It's a book that's meant to be lived, not just read. A financial industry pioneer who founded Com...
Aug 31, 2018•29 min
Sales and leadership expert Ron Karr is talking business now about how to use his proprietary Velocity Mindset process to increase your company's market share, sales and profits. He joins host Kelly Scanlon to share: What today's prospects expect from a salesperson.Simple questions for qualifying a prospect.How to shorten the sales cycle.How to grow sales revenues without discounting.The secret to reducing the number of proposals you send out.Time management tips for salespeople. Ron Karr has ma...
Aug 24, 2018•22 min
Dale Scott, the founder and president of Vintage Home KC, has earned a reputation refurbishing Kansas City homes that were originally built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They are mostly Craftsman-style homes that feature clean lines rather than ornate fl ourishes. Scott joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to discuss his leap from owning a chiropractic office into several real estate and general contracting opportunities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...
Jul 27, 2018•20 min
Ray Zinn was a Silicon Valley pioneer. He co-founded microchip company Micrel in 1978 and bootstrapped it to profitability. Best-known as the longest-serving CEO of a publicly traded Silicon Valley company, he delivered a total equity value of more than $800 million when Microchip acquired the company in 2015. During his 37 years with Micrel, he served as president, CEO and chairman of the board. Today, Ray is a speaker, author and leader of a Silicon Valley accelerator called ZinnStarter, dedic...
Jul 13, 2018•28 min
Cryptocurrency is a rapidly evolving industry. To most business people, cryptocurrency still seems like some mysterious system of money. Joshua Dewitt, the co-founder of CoinLion joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to explain what cryptocurrency is and what it can mean for business. CoinLion, a new cryptocurrency exchange and portfolio platform, aims to do change the emerging cryptocurrency market as E*Trade and others changed the day trading game. CoinLion users join a community of cr...
May 25, 2018•21 min
Alec Haight, of Pioneer Music Company, joins Smart Companies Thinking Bigger host Kelly Scanlon to discuss what it takes to navigate a company through six generations of leadership. As the company approaches its 150th anniversary, Haight discusses how the company has evolved to stay relevant and shares the importance of creating a strong company culture. Today Pioneer Music Company is a custom integration distributor that targets businesses that specialize in residential and commercial audio/vid...
Mar 23, 2018•26 min
Zach Batson’s fascination with real estate started when he was a kid. He cut his teeth in the industry when he was in high school, working at one of Kansas City’s oldest commercial real estate firms. That experience only deepened his interest in the profession. After earning degrees in economics and finance, he launched his professional real estate career, absorbing everything he could about the industry: accounting, property management, construction management, investment analysis and even deal...
Mar 23, 2018•13 min
Carol Espinosa founded Freedom Interiors in 2010. She joins Smart Companies host Kelly Scanlon to share her strategies for building the commercial interior design and furnishings company, which serves corporations, educational institutions and government facilities. The company has seen continual annual revenue growth and plans to add more employees this year. But Espinosa housed the company for several years at the Blue Hills Contractor Incubator to manage its startup and growth. She recently p...
Mar 16, 2018•22 min
Did you know that more than 50 percent of Google searches are from mobile devices? Or that your lack of a mobile-friendly website can impact your search rankings? Code Koalas founder Ryan Wyse joins Smart Companies host Kelly Scanlon to share tips on how business owners can avoid letting their technology become stagnant, use mobile applications to enhance their business and project a fresh web presence. The company develops websites, content management systems, apps and other custom integrations...
Mar 16, 2018•18 min
G Jason Schnellbacher, the managing partner at Prineta, joins Smart Companies Thinking Bigger host Kelly Scanlon to discuss how he and his partners have taken Prineta from the startup stage to the fastest growing independent ATM service provider in the United States. When Schnellbacher founded Prineta in 2009, it offered merchant service processing, Schnellbacher soon discovered that margins in the industry didn't allow the profitability he sought, so he started investigating ATM services. Today...
Mar 02, 2018•25 min
Brian Gregory, owner of Network Innovations, joins Smart Companies Thinking Bigger host Kelly Scanlon to discuss how businesses can leverage technology to improve their communication and productivity. In 1991, at the age of 19, Gregory took over the fledgling IT company while it was still just getting off the ground. His only business experience had been working at a grocery store when he was in high school. He says he learned how to run a business by allowing his clients to mentor him, soaking ...
Mar 02, 2018•18 min
Michael Hendricks, founder and CEO of SureHosting Internet Solutions, joins Smart Companies Thinking Bigger host Kelly Scanlon to discuss how he turned a childhood passion for computers into a thriving business. As Michael puts it, he was always “that kid” growing up. At the age of 7, he gained infamy when he tore the family computer apart and successfully put it back together. His parents gave him a PC, but with one caveat: He had to sign an agreement to never touch the family PC again. Little ...
Feb 23, 2018•31 min
Melissa DeLeon, president and owner of MTI Events, joins Smart Companies Radio host Kelly Scanlon to discuss her entrepreneurial journey through more than 30 years in the meetings and incentives industry. MTI Events is a family-held, full-service events company that Melissa's mother founded in 1986. Melissa started with the company from its beginning, working her way from the ground up with data entry for performance reports, mailing promotional marketing items and working on site as professiona...
Feb 23, 2018•23 min
