An Indianapolis Business Podcast: Off the Circle

On this episode, we interview Michael Reynolds of InnovateMap. His firm's expertise has been in assisting businesses to develop digital products and experiences. The pandemic has forced a transition of virtually every business to go digital with every aspect of their business. Whether it's their marketing efforts where in-person meetings and conferences have shut down, sales processes and meetings via online video conferencing, or even remote delivery of services... businesses have been forced to adapt and adopt new methods if they hope to survive. Michael's firm is proficient at researching behaviors and developing products and roadmaps that meet the markets' needs. Now, more than ever, traditional businesses need to be listening to their prospects and customers to better understand how they can respond with changes in their processes and products to not just survive these difficult times... but to transform their business for the future. Michael provides sage advice for business leaders to plan this digital transformation. Special Guest: Mike Reynolds.

On this episode, we interview Julie Kratz. Julie is the founder and CEO of Next Pivot Point, an accomplished author, and public speaker. Julie is passionate about assisting business leaders focused on diversity and inclusion in the workplace to improve business results and workplace culture. Julie is an amazing, positive force in the workplace for helping businesses understand how inclusive leadership transforms workplace culture and business results. Julie provides some incredible feedback for how we can listen, be curious, be willing to learn, and become allies in our industry and personal lives when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Julie also provides advice to candidates and employees on how to transfer and leverage their diverse talents to become more attractive to employers. Listening to this discussion with Julie is a great way to start your journey. The next steps are to get Julie's incredible books here in the show notes! Special Guest: Julie Kratz.

On this episode, we interview Randie Dial of CLA (https://www.claconnect.com/) (CliftonLarsonAllen) and Michael Kelly of FullStack PEO (https://www.fullstackpeo.com) about the importance of financial auditing, taxation, consulting, and wealth advisory services to privately held businesses. In May, CLA and FullStack PEO have teamed up to ensure that FullStack PEO customers had access to great financial advisors. We got to speak to Michael and Randie about company growth, tax issues, and when a company should engage with wealth advisory services. CLA is a "cradle to grave" businesses across any industry to provide everything from bookkeeping, to compliance, to financial audits. With the pandemic and associated stimulus programs, Randie also discusses PPP loans that the government has been providing businesses due to the pandemic. There's some great advice here for every business owner. Specific to FullStack PEO, the CLA team is focused on advising young technology startups, small investors, and non-profits with companies with less than 20 employees. Special Guests: Michael Kelly and Randie Dial.

On this episode, we interview Jack Klemeyer, a veteran business coach with 25 years of experience. Jack provides his insight into the current uncertain economic future of business and how leaders should respond, react, and succeed. On this episode, we discuss some key issues that are near and dear to leaders' hearts during these troubling times: How do leaders continue to motivate employees in a downturn? How can leaders continue to maintain optimism? How do leaders know when to pivot when their industry and cashflow are impacted so severely? How do leaders make tough decisions… without making them too late. Jack provides some fantastic advice on leading your organization through these uncertain times. Special Guest: Jack Klemeyer.

On this episode, we interview Susan Marshall, founder and CEO of Torchlite. Susan shares the organization's partnership and focus on supporting small businesses with their Salesforce Essentials implementations and support. Salesforce Essentials is a CRM that's specifically designed for small businesses from Salesforce. In true Salesforce fashion, the platform can be tailored to your business, is quite flexible, and has a ton of integration capabilities. Implementing, integrating, or customizing the platform is possible but some companies often don't have the resources or expertise to do it. Torchlite worked directly with Salesforce to develop a team of Flexperts that can be hired as needed to assist your small business. As well, Torchlite offers a number of affordable Playbooks - standard packages to get your business up and running. Special Guest: Susan Marshall.

On this episode, we interview Julie Kratz. Julie is a speaker, author, and leadership consultant who assists leaders with driving business results with proven strategies to pivot to the next level with diversity and inclusion. Despite the best of intentions, very few organizations are reaching their equality goals, even those deeply committed to diversity and inclusion. Our national protests and racial division, combined with the challenges with an economic crisis due to the pandemic, have added more challenges. Women and minorities are overwhelmingly impacted by our crisis. Leaders must work harder to be an ally and pivot their businesses to drive diversity and inclusion. This isn't just a political an economic issue, it's proven to be a great business decision. Many people are stating we need an honest conversation about diversity and inclusion... this conversation with Julie is just that. Special Guest: Julie Kratz.

In this episode Douglas interviews Indianapolis Entrepreneur, John Qualls. John has had an incredible career launching and leading several technology startups here in the city. His most recent company is Purposely (https://purpose.ly), a platform to empower employees or individuals to benchmark and optimize their culture to improve employee performance and satisfaction. Talent optimization is one of the most critical factors that will determine if your business is able to reach and exceed your desired business results. While most business strategies focus on technical and functional aspects talent optimization should be a central part of your business strategy. With talent optimization, use a human lens to convert your business strategy into a compelling story that will engage employees. Having found his strengths and blazed a path in the technology industry, John is now sharing his wisdom with other people and then putting the tools in place to help them. We discuss how critical this is to both individuals and to companies - especially in times of economic challenges. Special Guest: John Qualls.

The traditional law firm model is a dinosaur. Clients dread the billable hour and have come to think of lawyers as a necessary evil rather than a trusted adviser and business partner. Entrepreneurs, small business owners, and individuals need a new way to work with sophisticated legal professionals. There is a better way to provide cost-effective, responsive, and dynamic legal services to clients. On this episode, we interview Hannah Kaufman Joseph and Kimberly Jeselskis, two of the founding attorneys at JBJ Legal. The business of practicing law is changing rapidly with the advent of automation, self-service legal options, and increasing competition in the marketplace. JBJ Legal is small enough to maintain lower costs which benefits their clients yet sophisticated enough to provide exceptional service and representation. Special Guests: Hannah Kaufman Joseph and Kimberly Jeselskis.

On this episode, we interview Alison Barber Bell, Chancellor of WGU Indiana, and Jacob Brown, Graduate of WGU's Master's in Business Leadership and Vice President of Fifth Third Bank. We discuss WGU's unique non-profit, accredited online degree program... from WGU's new Indiana offices downtown. WGU Indiana is an online, competency-based university established to expand access to higher education for Indiana residents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. Degrees are granted under the accreditation of WGU, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), College of Business programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). WGU Indiana has helped 7,500 Hoosiers achieve their dream of completing a college degree. Another 5,900 students are currently enrolled. Facts about WGU Indiana: In 2010, Western Governors University was approached by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels about creating a state-based model for the university. Indiana became the very first state model and the first state-endorsed online university, creating positions for a local chancellor and local advisory board. WGU Indiana is a nonprofit, accredited, online university that serves students from all different backgrounds WGU Indiana is currently serving about 5,600 Hoosiers – a 166 percent increase in enrollment since 2011. WGU Indiana serves more than 520 active-duty military members, veterans or military family members. WGU Indiana has awarded degrees to more than 7,500 Indiana residents. WGU Indiana serves students who are not well-served by traditional colleges and universities; 72 percent are classified as underserved in one or more of four categories: ethnic minority, low income, rural residents, or first-generation college students. As of 2018, 86 percent of WGU Indiana’s students work full-time jobs while pursuing a degree. According to a recent Gallup-Purdue index, which provides insight into the relationship between the college experience and outcomes, WGU consistently scored higher than the national average when measuring school compatibility, mentorship, challenging curriculum, cost-worthiness and more. WGU Indiana’s tuition fees are nearly half the national average. Tuition is about $6,500 per 12-month year for most programs, and it is charged at a flat rate, which means students can complete as many courses as they are able in any term, at no additional cost. On average, WGU graduates increase their pre-enrollment income by $12,600 within two years of graduation and by $18,400 within four years. With an average cost of $16,500 for a bachelor's degree, most WGU graduates see a positive return on their investment within two to three years. Special Guests: Allison Barber Bell and Jacob Brown.

On this episode, we interview Keaton Hendricks, founder of Sky Outfitters. Sky Outfitters is an online e-commerce company headquartered in Indianapolis. Since inception in 2016, Sky Outfitters (formerly known as Sky Footwear) has partnered with over 30 different homeless shelters across the Midwest and donated over 30,000 socks as a component of its “buy-one-give-one” mission. With every piece of apparel sold, the company donates that item to its homeless shelter of the month – August’s shelter being Milwaukee Rescue Mission. Launched in 2016, Sky Outfitters tripled its revenue in its first year – and in 2018, the company saw $127K in gross revenue – a number that is expected to steadily increase throughout the rest of 2019. Expanding the company’s retail line, the company's rebranding coincides with the launch of two new apparel products found on homeless shelters’ most requested items list – premium beanies and scarves. Special Guests: Keaton Hendricks and Keeton Hendricks.

On this episode, we interview Chef Ben Hardy and Larry Dickerson on Indiana's Culinary Crossroads Initiative. Team Indiana is a talented and diverse group of Hoosier chefs and home cooks headed to Dallas, TX to compete in the World Food Championships (https://worldfoodchampionships.com) October 16-20. They are representing the State of Indiana as part of the Culinary Crossroads initiative, with backing from the Indiana Office of Tourism Development, Indiana Grown, and other underwriters. Team Indiana is comprised of nine chefs from around the state, competing in seven different events at the 2019 World Food Championships. Among the team are several from Indianapolis, including: Ben Hardy (Indianapolis), co-owner and pastry chef of Gallery Pastry Shop Erin Gillum (Indianapolis), executive chef of Spoke & Steele Justin Miller (Carmel), executive chef of Anthony’s Chophouse Craig Baker (Indianapolis), restaurant consultant Cindy Hawkins (Indianapolis), owner of Circle City Sweets Roger Hawkins (Indianapolis), owner of Circle City Soups We discuss the cultural impact of culinary talent on the state's economy, Ben's history and his Pastry shop, as well as the upcoming World Food Championships. Special Guests: Ben Hardy and Larry Dickerson.

On this episode, we On this episode, we interview Sean Hendrix, the Director of Emerging Technology Partnerships for the Purdue Research Foundation and the managing director of the Indiana 5G Zone. We're discussing the latest public private initiatives to drive 5G implementation and innovation here in Indiana, the Indiana 5G Zone. The Indiana 5G Zone will occupy 3,000 square feet within the 24,000-square-foot downtown Indianapolis headquarters of the Eleven Fifty Academy, a non-profit educational entity that helps professionals upskill and launch careers in technology. Co-locating the Indiana 5G Zone here will integrate the 5G infrastructure and testing facilities within the academy’s immersive coding and cybersecurity training programs. The facility is being established by the Indiana 5G Forum, which has developed to include several notable stakeholders, including AT&T, Verizon, Purdue University, Eleven Fifty Academy, Indiana IoT Lab - Fishers, Battery Innovation Center, Wabash Heartland Innovation Network (WHIN), Energy Systems Network, Indiana University, and the University of Notre Dame with the intent to add more partners from near and far. The Indiana 5G Zone is sponsored as part of a strategic initiative established in partnership with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to leverage Indiana’s developing digital infrastructure to catalyze innovation and support rapidly-developing companies. The Indiana 5G Zone will offer businesses, universities, government, and research institutions the ability to book fee-for-service lab space at the facility, leveraging its unique 5G network infrastructure to develop and test new technologies, products or service applications, while also having access to shared spaces for programming and events. It will be the first node of what will become a statewide 5G-related resource network. Special Guest: Sean Hendrix.

On this episode, we interview Jeffrey Smith. Jeffrey researched and identified a franchise opportunity and landed on janitorial services and commercial cleaning. City Wide Maintenance continues to grow and retain clients at phenomenal success and Jeffrey shares his experience here. City Wide is a management company in the building maintenance industry with more than 50 years’ experience offering janitorial and 20-plus other facility services. In 2005, Jeff Smith, an Indiana native, opened City Wide of Indianapolis and began offering the company’s unique experience to building maintenance and janitorial services to commercial facilities in the greater Indianapolis metro. Jeff knew from experience that truly amazing client support took an extra level of engagement but resulted in successful lifelong relationships. He was drawn to City Wide because he recognized that they had a unique business model that offered this excellent support better than any team he had ever seen. Today, Jeff is transforming an industry often plagued with mediocrity. * Offering a unique management approach * Providing more than 20 different services * Representing your needs * Focusing on vendor selection, compliance & overall client satisfaction Clients aren’t used to the attention to detail and level of communication City Wide Maintenance offers and once they hired them, they love it! Their goal is to become an extension of your management team and save you time, money and the stress associated with facility management. Special Guest: Jeffrey Smith.

On this episode, we interview Kevin MacCauley and Myles Grote, co-founders of Upper Hand. Upper Hand offers sports organizations a suite of online tools to effectively manage their businesses. By offering solutions to manage lessons, camps, clinics, teams and memberships, Upper Hand enables sports businesses to cut through the clutter of administration and enhance the clients’ experience with their organization. Upper Hand also allows sports organizations to intelligently manage their business by providing features including online registration, payments management (including cash), booking and scheduling, contact management, roster management, financial reporting, marketing and communication with their clients. Special Guests: Kevin MacCauley and Myles Grote.

On this episode, we interview Matt Hunckler of Powderkeg (https://powderkeg.com). There's no doubt of the massive impact Matt has had in Indianapolis on the technology community. From his origins as one of the first Orr Fellows (https://orrfellowship.org) to Powderkeg, he's skyrocketed and accomplished somethinging truly special. We discuss his journey and Powderkeg in this episode. Powderkeg is a network of more than 10,000 entrepreneurs, investors, developers, and supporters who are passionate about creating massive value through software, technology and their innovative businesses. They host regular tech conferences, pitch competitions, and industry events in host cities around the U.S. and publish the best strategies and methodologies for growing a technology business. Special Guest: Matt Hunckler.

On this episode, we interview Tim Houterloot, a ten year survivor of Hairy Cell Leukemia. Tim is a candidate for the Man & Woman of the Year (https://pages.mwoy.org/in/indy19/thouterloo) award. Also joining us is Katelyn Sussli, a campaign specialist for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as well as both this year's boy and girl of the year... Tyler and Piper! And of course their Moms are sharing the stories. We discuss Douglas' experience in a previous year's campaign, Tim's journey, as well as the journey's of Tyler and Piper. Please, please, please help support the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. From research, to treatment, to education, to supporting the families... they do amazing work and make every single dollar count! Special Guests: Katelyn Sussli and Tim Houterloot.

On this episode, we interview Indianapolis' former Mayor Greg Ballard. Mayor Ballard has written a new book, Less Oil or More Caskets: The National Security Argument for Moving Away From Oil (https://amzn.to/2I2puub). While that's a provocative title for a book, as a Marine who has served in Desert Storm, Mayor Ballard is passionate about our servicemen and also passionate about transportation technology. He discusses the intersection of the two in his newest book. While this may be viewed as a political view... it's actually not, Mayor Greg Ballard is a Republican. Mayor Ballard also discusses the work that Indiana is doing on workforce development, women in technology, the state's robotic championship, and other work that he's doing on behalf of Hoosiers. We also had Michael Denny sit in as a guest and he discussed the innovative work that Butler University is doing to transform higher education. Special Guests: Greg Ballard and Michael Denny.

On this episode, we interview ScoocH President and Co-founder Matt Foley on his journey to rival the PopSocket by creating the No. 1 phone case for video streaming. Four years ago, Matt, along with fellow co-founder John Stagge, saw a void in wireless phone case technology and had an idea – a phone case with versatile one-handed use. Think snap bracelets. The unique kickstand feature of the ScoocH Wingman allows you to use your device in landscape and portrait mode with ease. Not to mention that the case’s textured grip, 10-foot drop protection and car mount feature boast 4-in-1 capabilities while keeping functionality, style and durability at the forefront. In the competitive environment of consumer electronics, ScoocH (https://scoochcase.com/) has emerged as a leading competitor, expanding its presence across 6,000 retail environments across the United States and Canada. Since 2015, ScoocH’s revenue has grown from $250,000 to over $6M, doubling its revenue almost every year. In alignment with its commitment, ScoocH also provides empowerment, protection and autonomy to Hoosiers in need by donating 10% of profits to locally-based Prevail, a crisis center dedicated to empowering those affected by domestic violence. Special Guest: Matt Foley.

In this Martech Zone Interview, we speak to Mike Reynolds, founder of Innovatemap (http://innovatemap.com), a digital product agency. Mike has been ideating and delivering digital products to market for over 20 years. He is an expert in product management, user experience, and product marketing. Innovatemap helps companies of all sizes dream, design, and scale digital products and services. Innovatemap works with startups looking to build their product roadmap, scale-ups that are shifting or taking their company in another direction, and tech-enabled businesses that wish to leverage technology to enhance their non-technology company. We discuss a couple of shared clients and the impact that Innovatemap's work with them. Innovatemap has also launched A Better Product Podcast (http://innovatemap.com/podcast/) to share their knowledge with the industry. Special Guest: Mike Reynolds.

On this episode, we interview Brian Rowe of Perceivant. Brian has been a serial entrepreneur in Indianapolis since 2005, with his most notable success being the sale of iGoDigital to ExactTarget. Now, Brian is putting his knowledge of software to helping advance higher education. Perceivant (https://www.perceivant.com/) publishes and provides courseware that replace traditional textbooks with cost-effective and interactive learning experiences for both web and mobile applications. Each course is accompanied with powerful analytics and real-time data to boost student engagement and provide educators with an easier, more efficient solution to analyze course efficacy. Perceivant is also armed with editorial expertise and tools to enable educators to create custom solutions that exceed expectations and university standards. Special Guest: Brian Rowe.

Joined by Frank Leonard and Harry Howe, on this episode, we speak with attorney Wes Zirkle who was part of a sports talent representation firm that went international and Emily Schoenbaechler, who worked extensively in the State House and is passionate about female representation in our technology space. The conversation about our business climate was frank and honest. We're all proud Hoosiers who have invested heavily in our home state and want it to move forward. No doubt, we've had some setbacks, but that shouldn't stop every company that works here from helping one another drive their businesses forward! Special Guests: Emily Schoenbaechler and Wesley Zirkle.

On this episode, we interview Rich Banta, founder and Chief Compliance Officer of Lifeline Data Centers. Rich leads the country in compliance and certifications and has been instrumental at driving innovation in the Data Center industry. His certifications include: CISSP (ISC²) Certified Information Systems Security Professional - April 2017 - Present CCSP (ISC² & CSA) Certified Cloud Security Professional - May 2017 - Present CISA (ISACA) Certified Information Systems Auditor - September 2010 - Present CRISC (ISACA) Certified in Risk & Information Systems Control - December 2010 - Present CFCP (FISMA Center) Certified FISMA Compliance Practitioner - October 2014 - Present CDCDP (CNet/BTEC) Certified Data Center Design Professional - February 2014 - Present CDCAP (CNet/BTEC) Certified Data Center Audit Professional - February 2018 - Present DCIE (IDCA) Data Center Infrastructure Expert - February 2018 - Present The defense acquisition system exists to manage the investments of the United States in technologies, programs, and product support necessary to achieve the national security strategy and to support the United States Armed Forces. The primary objective of DoD acquisition is to acquire quality supplies and services that satisfy user needs with measurable improvements to mission capability and operational support at a fair and reasonable price. Rich is an expert in compliance and the regulations associated with them. Rich speaks regionally and nationally on all topics related and is a saught out speaker. Special Guest: Rich Banta.

On this episode, we interview Steve Sanner, President of Hoosier Automotive Services. In 1985, Steve Sanner and his partners started what is now known as Jiffy Lube of Indiana. Since that time, the Indianapolis-based business has expanded to 48 Jiffy Lube locations (46 in Indiana, two in Illinois) with more than 400 employees, creating one of the largest systems of franchised service centers in the industry. In 2017 alone, the company performed nearly half a million oil changes. While Jiffy Lube of Indiana is well-known for providing superior vehicle care, its commitment to employees is what Sanner says has led it to become one of the leading Jiffy Lube franchises in the U.S. Through the company’s “Growing People Through Work” program, lives of employees and their families have been transformed. Recognized for several years by Training Magazine as one of the best training programs in the country, highlights of Growing People Through Work include: $5,000 loans for managers who are first time home buyers to use as a down payment Tuition reimbursement and college scholarships for employees’ children Seminars with experts, designed to coach employees on financial literacy, health and wellness, and attitude/pride-in-work A Jiffy Lube Cares Fund that has provided more than $220,000 in no-interest loans to employees for emergency situations Lonnie Hinkle, COO of Jiffy Lube of Indiana, is a living example of how Growing People Through Work can change lives. He started at Jiffy Lube with a part-time job vacuuming cars, moving up through the ranks to become manager and eventually COO and company partner. He credits Jiffy Lube with paying off his student loans, helping him buy his first home – and even helping him lose 120 pounds! Special Guest: Steve Sanner.

On this episode, we interview Robert Bogue. Robert has a driving passion for delivering solutions through both teaching and learning. His drive for resolving problems is fueled by his creativity and innovation – by his ability to find solutions that others cannot find. His experience in the technical world has given him a unique opportunity to learn how to solve problems both in a technical sense and an organizational sense well before problems arise. Robert is an Indianapolis leader and has owned his business, Thor Projects (https://www.thorprojects.com/), for over 10 years. He has authored 26 books and has been an editor for over 100 additional books. Robert has received the prestigious Microsoft MVP designation fifteen times. He combines his love for emotional intelligence, communication skills gleaned from working in the IT world and having to talk to others, and his dynamic presentation skills to help change lives one at a time. Robert is an engaging presenter who speaks at local, regional, national, and international events. He has spoken to tens of thousands of professionals. Robert has fine-tuned his ability to focus others into effective communicating to create a wonderful experience for his audiences. He can bring together all departments of an organization to help build communication bridges to increase employee satisfaction and therefore increase efficiency within the organization. He is committed to making the complicated, simple. His approach to continual learning has led him to be an expert in instructional design and video production. Which led our host, Douglas, to travel to Robert's home studio where Thor Projects can sit down and record a podcast or video lesson at the click of a button. It's truly an exceptional resource for Robert and his wife who both provide content for learning management systems. On this episode, we speak to Robert about the studio, the equipment, and the lessons learned along the way. Special Guest: Robert Bogue.

On this episode, we interview Scott Rudd, who works for Indiana's Lieutenant Governor's office as the Director of Broadband Opportunities. We discuss how Indiana is leading the country in driving innovation with broadband access. As well, we interview Scott's work in Brown County got the attention of the state, where he's been hired to help transform the broadband accessibility in our state. Scott wworks closely with the Indiana State Department of Agriculture to work with farmers and farm businesses within the community on ways to make sure they are keeping up with the advancing technology that will keep the agriculture industry thriving. Scott also works closely with the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs to collaborate with communities and identify the best ways to attract reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet to rural Indiana. As a part of the task set forth for the director of broadband opportunities, Rudd is working with OCRA on their Broadband Readiness Plan in the Community Development Block Grant Planning Grants program. Special Guests: Nik Thomas and Scott Rudd.

On this episode, we interview Susan Marshall, a 20-plus year technology veteran who's been deeply involved in the rapid evolution of digital marketing, video, audio, mobile, social and data management technologies. Digital marketing is complex. Marketers today need guidance on how to identify what's truly a top priority and help to get it done. At Torchlite, they believe it's not enough to just create another software solution. It's about bringing people and technology together to create a fast, nimble, and tech-enabled approach to get marketing done. Susan's excitement is contagious and Indianapolis' Torchlite continues to evolve as a leader for companies to attract and assemble their outsourced digital marketing teams. Unlike most freelance directories, Torchliters are vetted and their performance monitored to ensure the highest quality resources are assembled. The Torchlite management platform provides a new way to get digital marketing done right by seamlessly combining people, technology, and campaigns into a single interface. And their marketplace of experts helps you make the most of your digital marketing - inspiring you to focus on the work you love most. Special Guest: Susan Marshall.

On this episode, we interview Evan Tester and Steven Meyer of King Park and discuss how Community Development Financial Institutions are helping to play a key role in developing underserved parts of our community. King Park Development Corporation is a non-profit community development corporation (CDC) committed to improving housing, economic development, and quality of life in the King Park area. Founded in 1987 by concerned residents and neighborhood groups, King Park has helped drive the revitalization of neighborhoods in the northern downtown area of Indianapolis through various public and private partnerships. King Park focuses on comprehensive community development by: * Revitalizing neighborhoods by renovating and building affordable housing. * Driving economic growth and sustainability with our business services. * Directly impacting and contributing to the quality of life through public programs. The King Park service area includes the following neighborhoods: Old North Side, Herron Morton Place, Kennedy King, Reagan Park, Fall Creek Place, Friends & Neighbors, and Crosstown. Each neighborhood offers a unique experience, and our efforts have helped create vibrant, growing communities in the heart of Marion County. Special Guests: Evan Tester, Jenn Golding, and Steven Meyer.

On this episode, we interview Jeffrey Ton, a Hoosier native who has worked in IT for over 35 years. Jeff has written hundreds of blog posts about technology and technology leadership and most recently published his first book, Amplify Your Value: Leading IT with Strategic Vision (https://amzn.to/2oY3u9c). His articles have appeared on Forbes, CSO Online, People Development Magazine, Intel’s IT Peer Network, and his own blog, Rivers of Thought (https://riversofthought.net/). Throughout his career in business, Jeff has developed and fine tuned his leadership skills to become a business focused leader who drives results. He brings a strategic view of business and identifies innovative approaches to achieve business objectives by leveraging technology where and when appropriate. Adept at building and leading teams, both in-line and cross-organizational, he has been a catalyst for change across the businesses he has served. In this discussion, we speak about the evolution of the IT industry, its products and services. Jeff's insight into the business is incredible. Regionally, he's also launched the Indy CIO Network that holds monthly lunch and dinners with over 250 CIOs in attendence. Special Guests: Frank Leonard and Jeffrey Ton.

On this episode, we interview Harry Howe. Harry has mentored hundreds of young people, entrepreneurs, and businesses in the community. As soon as you meet him, you'll understand why. We wanted to put the spotlight on Harry as a thank-you for all he's done for us and to find out more about his story. We discuss his military service, his education at Bucknell University, his corporate career at General Electric, and what brought he and his family to Indianapolis. Harry is now launching a community to spread his influence and wisdom, the Indy Grit Community (https://indygrit.community/). Indy Grit was created to embrace the messy reality of entrepreneurship and professional development. It's not a networking event, it's a community of peers that will share the truth of their failures and how they were overcome with grit, a character asset that every entrepreneur must muster. Special Guests: Chris Hoyt and Scott Taylor.

Indiana leads the way in life sciences and agri-business, areas critical to global interests. Information technology companies are exploding here, creating a wealth of technology, talent, and support for other companies. Advanced manufacturing thrives here. Leadership across all sectors—business, government, universities and health care—is strong and forward thinking in Indiana. On this episode, we interview Oscar Moralez, a Serial Entrepreneur from the Life Sciences industry and Founder of Indianapolis' Largest Angel Investment Firm, VisionTech Partners. The Angel investment group is composed of inventors, entrepreneurs, investors, universities, and strategic partners who converge to share, develop, fund, and launch innovative technologies. VisionTech Partners brings a thoughtful, systematic, and proven approach to deliver financial and strategic support to promising entrepreneurs and startup companies. They provide investors with meaningful opportunities to invest and build companies based on extensive due diligence. They engage a network of seasoned business, industry, and technology partners who are available to lend their expertise. And they also maintain a national network of angel and venture capital firms, leveraging their ability to find and procure capital and commercialization opportunities. Special Guest: Oscar Moralez.

Wilks & Wilsonʼs hand-crafted, organic infused and all natural elixirs, though also meant for use in non-alcoholic beverages, cooking and coffee, are intended for use in cocktails. Many of these cocktails were common to the late-1800s to the early 1900s– also known as the pre-Prohibition era. The exact origin of the term cocktail is disputed. However, what is known is that, since even before this time, people have been using various blends of spirits, sugar and other natural ingredients as a way to enjoy their favorite alcoholic beverages. Every spirit has its own nuance. Every cocktail has its own history and ingredients that have been carefully selected to bring out and enhance those nuances. Elixirs play a large role in that process. Zach and Greg wanted to brand themselves in that era, going for the term “patent medicine.” Patent medicine was the term for secret, original remedies common to this period, which often carried crazy names and wild claims. Today, we are witnessing a return to the appreciation of the finer, hand-crafted cocktails of yesteryear. Staying ahead of the trend, Wilks & Wilson has scoured the annals of bartending to find the recipes and stories behind the greatest cocktails in history. Zach said his style of bartending centers around the pre-Prohibition era, naming it as his sweet spot. Instead of focusing on more modern practices, he said he researches and mixes historical, cultured cocktails, then puts a modern twist on them to make them his. Wilks and Wilson make the finest cocktail elixirs available today. Every cocktail has a story and, with Wilks & Wilson, the story of the hand-crafted cocktail will continue to be written with taste and distinction. Special Guests: Greg Wilson and Weston Hegerfeld.

On this episode, we interview Mike Wilson, Chairman of Leaf Software Solutions. Leaf has been helping businesses reach their corporate goals since 1987. At its core, Leaf takes great satisfaction in being a principle-centered company. They believe in fairness, kindness, effectiveness, and significance. The four principles are deeply embedded in their corporate DNA. They expect that their customers, their employees, their vendors, and their community will benefit from the careful attention they give to living out their principles on a daily basis. And it's working. Leaf Software is continuously leading the pack of the Best Places to Work in Indiana. Mike is not your conventional Chairman and doesn't even come from a technology background. Listen to his amazing story here and you'll get a clear sense of why the culture they've established at Leaf is one for every business to model. Special Guest: Mike Wilson.

On this episode, we interview Zac and Robert of Charitable Allies, a charity that provides legal, educational, administrative support, training, and consulting services to nonprofits. Serving nonprofits may not be unique, but being a nonprofit itself surely is! Charitable Allies also provides its clients: Legal services - Most charities are unable to afford excellent, experienced nonprofit legal services. Charitable Allies provides these services at free and greatly reduced rates to charities and charitable programs. Governance, education and training - Charitable Allies provides educational training, in partnership with myriad other charities, for Boards of Directors, officers and staff, related to governance, leadership, and charitable and philanthropic programming best practices. Administrative support services - Many nonprofit leaders are great at charitable programming, working with their boards, and maybe even fundraising, but may lack essential administrative skills; this can mean that the nonprofit is not as successful as it could be if its leaders were free to play to their strengths. Other nonprofits are stuck in the starvation cycle and don’t spend enough on administrative and “back-office” support. Charitable Allies provides a back office extra set of hands so your nonprofit leaders can do what they do best. Special Guests: Robert Miller and Zac Kester.

On this episode, we interview the leadership of Terra Environmental Corporation, Project Manager Jeff Stone and Rusty Wheat, the founder and President. It's a fascinating conversation about the environmental industry with some information on when you'd need to hire an environmental consultant. We discuss issues regarding meth house cleanup through the complications with commercial real estate issues. Terra Environmental works with business to identify recognized environmental conditions (RECs) in order to quantify the risks associated with environmental issues and cleanup. Customers who have benefitted from their expertise include attorneys, banks, commercial real estate agents, insurance companies, petroleum dealers, and other businesses that may have a need for environmental services. Rusty and Jeff perform site assessments, investigations, and even the remediation of environmental issues. Special Guests: Jeff Stone and Rusty Wheat.

On this episode, we interview Darrin Gray, the President of The Center for Serving Leadership. Darrin is an incredible mentor in our community and has dedicated his life to help develop leaders throughout the region and the NFL. The Center for Serving Leadership cultivates the global community of Serving Leaders, strategically located at the Sagamore Institute, an Indianapolis-based action-oriented Think Tank. With more than 25 years of executive experience in leadership, media, branding, sports philanthropy and non-profit sectors, Darrin provides leadership advisory services which include The Lions Lead behavioral assessments, executive coaching and Serving Leadership trainings that lead to higher levels of organizational performance and improve corporate culture. Darrin has also served All Pro Dad for 11 NFL seasons to advance the impact of an amazing not-for-profit founded by best-selling author and NBC Sunday Night Football TV personality, Tony Dungy. Together, they reach fathers and kids across America with a unique brand of “strategic sports philanthropy”. They are blessed to have the involvement of NFL insiders including Steelers Coach Tomlin, Lions Coach Caldwell and many more. Special Guest: Darrin Gray.

On this episode, we interview one heck of a character, Patrick Doerflein. Patrick is a Veteran, worked a career as a Waste Water Treatment Manager, and is disabled. When his physical pain prevented Brad from working any longer, he took an entrepreneurial turn. Patrick attended Eleven Fifty Academy to learn how to program mobile applications and launched his own - Burn & Bet! Special Guest: Patrick Doerflein.

On this episode, we interview a sitting judge, a corporate attorney, and a small business attorney... all members of the Indianapolis Bar Association. It's a unique look inside the legal community, its adoption of technology, and the key issues facing Indianapolis businesses today. Since 1878, the Indianapolis Bar Association has played a significant role in providing for the needs of Indianapolis legal professionals. Founded by former U.S. President Benjamin Harrison and other prominent local lawyers for the education and support of one another, the IndyBar continues with that same core purpose. Located at the heart of it all, the IndyBar empowers its members to never stop learning, to make a difference in the community, to lead by example, to provide a voice for the profession and to build a network of professional and personal contacts. The Indianapolis Bar Association-the heart of legal excellence. Their message is to serve our members, promote justice and enhance the legal profession. Special Guests: Heather L Wilson, James Bell, and Timothy Oakes.

On this episode, we interview CEO Tammie Barney and Program Manager Thomas Christenson of TeenWorks. TeenWorks provides a year-round employment and college readiness program with supportive services for teens throughout the school year. While their paid employment program gives teens the chance to earn a paycheck, the TeenWorks experience is much more than a job. Participating teens build professional resumes, gain job skills for the future, participate in volunteer projects to give back to the community, and receive hands-on instruction to build key college and career readiness skills in one of our five career pathway areas: Health & Life Science, STEAM, Logistics Distribution & Transportation, Hospitality, and Entrepreneurship. During the summer training program, TeenWorks provides transportation, daily meals, and direct support to help teens discover passions and career aptitudes through exposure, experience, and assessments including MBTI & Strong. During the school year, TeenWorks continues to provide support to their students through employability skills training, mentoring, SAT and ACT prep, and community service outings. Upon successful completion of the program, all TeenWorks teens are also eligible for one of six annual college Scholarships provided by the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Family Foundation. As they begin their post-secondary plans, TeenWorks Pro students who have completed 2 or more years of the program are encouraged to apply for a TeenWorks Scholarship through CICF. Most importantly, the TeenWorks experience empowers teens to discover a new level of self-confidence and recognize that going to college and achieving professional success is within their reach. Special Guests: Tammie Barney and Thomas Christenson.

Indianapolis is home to some great industry leaders. Joe Mack started his career as an Army Officer who graduated from West Point Military Academy. He moved on to Perot Systems, mentored and guided by Ross Perot. Joe Mack has personally been in charge of over 50 teams, ranging in size from 3 to over 150, in military and civilian organizations, in both peacetime and forward-deployed situations... and he's consulted on enterprise-level technology transformations for companies ranging from "mom and pop" shops to household names. Joe has developed an innate ability to recognize both good and bad examples of management, leadership and corporate culture almost instantly. He's worked for managers of just about every kind. He fondly remembers those that he would have followed to the ends of the earth, and wince when "he remembers those that could not pour pee out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel". Join us for this entertaining conversation with Joe on his lessons of leadership. Special Guests: Benjamin McCann and Joe Mack.

Remember when you first started your business? You had a clear idea of exactly what kind of workplace you wanted to build, and were sure your employees would thrive in a fun, productive, and challenging environment. But somewhere along the way, something went wrong. Perhaps personality conflicts emerged. Maybe you grew faster than you could manage. Possibly, your organization lost sight of its original goals and ideals. Or it could be that you’re anxious to prevent any of these problems before they occur, enabling your company to grow to its highest potential. Diane and David, from Archos Advisors, assist companies develop internal cultures that spur innovation, employee loyalty, and - ultimately - bottom line results. In this interview, we discuss the often over-utilized term company culture and have a frank discussion of what it means, how businesses get there, and how they can improve their own. Special Guests: David Graham and Diane Brown.

If you're like most of the country, you're not feeling great about politics nowadays. After this interview with Executive Director Jamar Cobb-Dennard and Tri-Chair Adrianne Slash, I'm confident you'll not only feel better, you'll want to help this bi-partisan effort. The vision of the 10|100 committee is to raise monies that are invested in developing a pipeline of candidates-of-color that will populate campaigns, down-ballot through Congress, with qualified servants who represent values within communities-of-color. The 10|100 committee began its mission in Indiana to recruit board members, learn the landscape of PAC leadership, and support successful candidates. The model will then be replicated across the country, state-by-state, and then to federal races. Special Guests: Adrianne Slash and Jamar Cobb-Dennard.

A professional employer organization (PEO) is a firm that provides a service under which an employer can outsource employee management tasks, such as employee benefits, payroll and workers' compensation, recruiting, risk/safety management, and training and development. Fullstack PEO was born out of necessity with the technology startups launched with DeveloperTown and has now expanded to assist any technology startup in the state. (Fullstack PEO does cover 2 other states and many other industries). Services with Fullstack PEO may include payroll, administrative and operational HR support, strategic HR consulting, ancillary HR support, compliance, health, dental, vision, supplemental benefits, 401(k) management, and health and wellness programs. Special Guests: Dawn Lively and Michael Kelly.

Security in business is essential these days. With the recent outbreak of ransomware at various local medical facilities you should be downright terrified of the potential for a data breach. Indianapolis is the home of many technologists, and we bring two security experts to the table for a fascinating interview on corporate security. Mike has a background in assisting small to medium-size medical businesses get HIPAA compliant. Mark has an extensive background in large enterprises and has been the go-to for many companies that have been attacked. Listen to Mark and Mike talk about ways to protect your company's data and how you should approach your business' IT Security policy. Special Guests: Mark Clausman and Michael Boland.

The mission of The Indy Startup Challenge is to teach Indiana founders how to practice the best in class startup methodologies that are now commonplace in many startup hubs throughout the country in order to create a wave of lasting startups throughout Indiana. In this episode, we speak to Stephanie Corliss and Thor Wood, co-founders of Snapshyft and Diana Morris, founder of Ladybug Collaborative. These are both startup companies that are building platforms for their respective industries. Joe Albano joins us in discussing the challenges of startups, from development, to funding, to growth. Special Guests: Diana Morris, Joe Albano, PhD, Stephanie Corliss, and Thor Wood.

In preparation for an upcoming training class on Google Analytics, we speak with Indianapolis Analytics expert and "all things Google" Jennifer Denney. Jennifer's company, Elevated Marketing Solutions, has been booking sold-out Google Analytics training for DK New Media since last summer. Analytics - and Google Analytics - is often misunderstood and never fully implemented by companies. Just as important as getting your accounting in order, businesses today should have their analytics in order. Today we review the key takeaways as well as some tips in properly implementing Google Analytics and utilizing the data to make decisions about your business. Special Guest: Jennifer Denney.

We gathered some avid cyclists from in and around Indianapolis to speak to why this city is such an amazing place for bicycling. Tune in to hear from veterans, charities, mechanics, and even a cyclist with a national following! Special Guests: Alison Cole, Anthony Barr, Chris Wiggins, Derek Sitzman, and Jamey McPherson.

It all started when the nuns... introduced Jen to the world of podcasting. It’s true. Jen started out editing their podcast. It was a gateway. Jen fell in love with podcasting and launched The Brassy Broadcast, and set out on a journey to learn everything I could about the medium. Jen is still fascinated with podcasting and excited by the continuous growth she's seen year after year. Jen is a wonderful, positive treasure here in the local community. Her mission is to help the do-gooders of the world make a profound impact by putting them in the ears, heads, and hearts of new audiences with podcasts and other audio content. Special Guest: Jen Edds.

What are the benefits and challenges of being a solopreneur? We share the good, the bad, and the ugly with three new entrepreneurs and some experienced ones here in Indianapolis. Being a solopreneur is not for the faint of heart or soul. Solopreneurs are a different breed of worker, that have cast away the notion of simply "having a job". One day they decided to follow their dreams to create something different for themselves. Their stories are unique, challenging, scary, and exciting (sometimes simultaneously) and they wouldn't have it any other way. Come listen to their stories and see if being a Solopreneur is something you are interested in. Special Guests: Paige Murrell, Robin Lanning, and Weston Hegerfeld.

What began as a movement at TCC, with 3,000 employees and 800 wireless retail locations across the United States, to do good by including employees and customers has grown into its own company to teach others to build their own Culture of Good. Four years and millions of donated items, volunteer hours and dollars later, TCC employees are bringing their souls to work every single day. They make an impact beyond the four walls of their stores. They do more than serve their customers. They want to serve the communities in which TCC conducts business. Under Ryan’s guidance through TCC’s Culture of Good, which enables others to do good in their communities for the value of the investment rather than the return on investment, TCC donated $1 million to Riley Hospital for Children; provided 250,000 backpacks full of school supplies to children; gave away supply packs to 5,000 teachers; and contributed $100,000 in grants to organizations focused on improving the environment. Now Ryan wants to help other organizations engage the hearts of their employees and customers to be passionate about making the changes they wish to see in the world. Ryan created Culture of Good, Inc. to inspire other businesses to create truly altruistic programs that make the world a better place. Tune in to today's interview with Ryan and found out how your business can impact your employees and their communities in remarkable ways. Special Guest: Ryan McCarty.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity which enable these objects to connect and exchange data. As technology continues to advance, virtually any device that users interact with will have local computing capabilities that are connected via the cloud to other services. Indiana is a world leader in growing, making, and moving things. When our most important sectors are combined with the spirit of entrepreneurship and the power or technology, Indiana will have leadership in the Internet of Things. The Indiana IoT Lab facility is designed to bring the emerging IoT sector together as a lab for innovation and collaboration. Entrepreneurs and businesses will have the space they need to bring the four key components of IoT solutions together: ideation, cloud data, edge hardware, and development. Through the Lab, these entrepreneurs and businesses will launch the technology solutions needed to meet the world’s growing tech needs. We're ecstatic to have Cameron Weeks, John Wechsler, and Mayor Scott Fadness on the show to discuss how they're working to position central Indiana as a national leader in the Internet of Things. Special Guests: Cameron Weeks, John Wechsler, and Scott Fadness.

Not too many people realize that we have one of the nation's best fundraising companies here in Indianapolis, Art to Remember (https://arttoremember.com). Art classes are the first budget cut and teachers often are buying supplies out of their own pocket to keep supplies in the classroom. While schools have a ton of fundraisers, few are as successful, easy, and fun as Art to Remember. Art teachers receive the supplies to build a project in their classroom, then send the artwork to Art to Remember. Art to Remember scans and places the artwork on any number of over 40 items purchased by friends and families of the students. A portion of the sales is returned to the school! The result are happy parents, happy students, and a happy school! It's the perfect program for any school. Special Guests: Bill Boncosky and Kelly DeNeal.