BAMM-IT: All Things Business

Can you believe it? The end of another season of BAMM-IT podcast. This season we featured a lot more guests. We knew  you were tired of hearing from us!  Here's our recap of episodes, where we screwed up and what we learned from John Michael Kledis of Peridot Consulting and Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost.

With 17+ years experience working in the accounting industry, John Michael has a well of knowledge to share.  He has worked both for a company and started his own.  Listen to this episode as he shares what it is like, the challenges, the rewards and of course, why he chose the field.  He also shares about the differences in credentials and provides relevant advice to those considering entry into the industry. Lastly, John Michael shares insight into what the future of the accounting industry especially as an opportunity for younger generations.

Mari Peterson is the owner of Marketing Outpost, a marketing company based in Asheville, NC, working with limited clients with long term retainers providing strategic marketing services.  Over the last 15 years Mari has worked with both enterprise marketing agencies, advertising and media companies and marketing freelancers. In this podcast, Mari explains the ins and outs of hiring a marketing professional, what questions to ask, what kind of fees are charged and why.

Ryan Coffield is a business attorney with the Business Practice Group at Van Winkle Law firm based in Asheville, NC. He is originally from Matthews NC where it's very hot. He always enjoyed coming to Asheville and has been here for 7 years. 95% of his works involves helping people with the process of forming, acquiring, reorganizing a business, and day to day operational questions, business contracts and intellectual property.  His advice to anyone starting a business is to hire an attorney - why? Because the business owner is focused on getting it going and there's enough to worry about with just the startup process.  The attorney focuses on ensuring you are protected legally, considers tax implications and works to protect you in your business relationships. Learn more in this podcast including the challenges and opportunities and Ryan's advice to entrepreneurs.

Today, John Silver is the owner and brewer at Home Place Beer in Burnsville, NC.  He named it that because Burnsville is his 'home place" where he was born and raised.  Becoming a brewer has been 15 years in the making with John starting as a home brewery fresh out of college where he majored in journalism.  He took a brief break, did the AT (Appalachian Trail) and then got his first job in the brewery business at Pisgah, cleaning growlers.  Since that time he has worked at several breweries learning each stage of the process and operations.  Learn more about what it takes to become a brewer, the trends and opportunities John sees and what the future holds for Home Place Beer as they plan their expansion in 2020.  

Bonus Episode: Billism with Bill Kelley, Management Leader Guru and former Operations Director at Grove Park Inn:  If you're always do what you've always done and keep expecting the same results, that is insanity.  Listen in as Bill explains about the difference between systems problems and people problems.

Bonus episode, Billisms with Bill Kelley, Management professional with Peridot Business Group.  What does it mean to fact find vs. fault find when you have management or employee issues? Is it really about the people or the process? Keep the end in mind and focus on systems. According to Bill it's often a problem with systems and not people.

Express Employment Professionals Business Development Guru, Kristy Kay, meets about six new businesses a week. Surprised? So were we.  Listen to this week's podcast as Kristy shares her perspective about this family owned employment placement franchise that takes a different approach to hiring. "It's a lot like dating" and like dating, what are some of the common mistakes both employers and potential employees make on that first interview? Kristy shares her own experience of being on both sides of the fence and the best parts of her career.

The ins and outs, dos and don'ts of payroll taxes with John Michael Kledis, EA, CFE, CVA of Peridot Consulting Inc., Asheville, NC.

This podcast is a little different - it's what happens when you interview bar owners and a music producers and you do it over drinks in a bar.  In between the sounds of downtown traffic and sirens, you get the nitty gritty from Charlie Hodge, owner of Sovereign Remedies (craft cocktail bar and farm-to-table restaurant), Morgan Hickory (co-owner with Charlie of Ole Shakeys and co-owner of Charlie's latest creation, Asheville Beauty Academy) and Lenny Pettinelli, pianist, keyboardist and producer of Empire Strikes Brass. In a short 1 hr and 20 minutes, we cover, cuss and drink our way through these important questions: Why did they choose Asheville and how did they choose their business? What is it like to start a business in Asheville? What are the challenges and rewards (what do they hate vs. love about it)? How has technology helped or hurt? What do they see for the future of their businesses in Asheville and their industry? What advice would they give to others who want to do the same? And of course, there's a discussion on how to properly pronounce Pianist.

Employees leave leaders, not companies is all about positional power vs. personal power; attentive listening and how you pass on negatives. Another succinct leadership lesson from our friend, Bill Kelley, former Grove Park Inn operations manager and now management consultant with Peridot Business Group, LLC.  

What is it like to suddenly become a business owner? We asked that question of Johanna Lopez, DDS, who recently bought an existing dental practice in Hendersonville, NC.  Johanna has been a dentist for four years and as of September, is also now a new business owner.  As part of our continuing series, we learn about her background (from El Salvador), history, and why she chose dentistry.  Johanna tells us about the process of buying a business; the challenges, surprises and what advice she would give to others who are considering buying an existing business. 

Host John Michael Kledis, EA, CFE, CVA of Peridot Consulting Inc. provides this rundown of lesser known tax strategies that may help  you save on your taxes.  From 1202 stocks to 338 Transfers to 1031 Exchanges, these can save you in real estate transactions, buying stock in a brewery or if you're considering buying or selling your business.  In addition, there are medical tax saving strategies, retirement strategies, and things you can do when selling your home that can also save you on your taxes.

Bonus episode from Bill Kelley, long time Operations Director of four star resort, Grove Park Inn located in Asheville, NC: How do we tactfully respect other people's opinions who think differently than us? Bill is here to tell us in this pithy podcast.

This week's podcast features an interview with owner and founder, Travis LeJune of Dolo Digital based in Asheville, NC.  Travis founded Dolo in June 2018 and since then has been rapidly growing.  Travis is originally from Houston, Texas and reloacted to Asheville 4 years ago.  After working with a local firm, he and others started their own.  In this podcast we discuss the challenges and rewards, his advice to others entering this career field and what he feels the future holds.

In the world of marketing, everyone knows Branding but do they really? What is it? What is the difference between creating a logo from a template company vs. branding? We sat down with a true branding design professional, Alyssa Phillips, owner of Amp'd Designs to find out. She discusses the stereotypes and challenges of branding for small businesses.  Learn about Alyssa's design background, what got her started and about her process for working with companies.  You'll find that it's more involved than you think.  

Meet Dave Brauner, a retired FEMA professional, lawyer and material equipment handler who is now living and working in the gig economy putting together his experiences, skills and contacts to define work on this terms. Dave started his career many years ago in the traditional method.  He would have never dreamed of living and working the way he does today but he loves it. Listen to this episode as he discusses the challenge, rewards and the advice he offers to other non-retiring boomers.

What is the gig economy? Meet Bill. He works in the gig economy. Actually, he lives the gig economy.  Bill is from New York and was a property manager before deciding to chuck it all and move to Asheville.  Here, instead of going back into the traditional work life, he decided to do it his way and to get paid doing what he loves as well as using his prior experiences to supplement his income in other ways.  In this interview, Bill discusses his new work life, how he got started and advice to those of you considering a non-traditional approach to earning an income.  

In this season we decided to do interviews with professionals and owners in various types of businesses.  In each we ask similar questions -  How did they get into their business?  What is a day or week like in their business? What are the stereotypes or myths people have about their business? What are the challenges, rewards, pros and cons? What advice would they give to someone thinking about entering their business? How has technology impacted their business and more... In this episode we begin with real estate: New reality tv shows featuring the real estate business in major US cities have captured the attention of viewers.  The glam, the marketing, the prices... they will wow you. The realtors look like models who appear to be living the lux life.  Let's get real.  There are over 1 million realtors in the US and in Asheville, NC, you run into a realtor everywhere.  What is the business really like?  We talked to a Commercial Broker and a Residential Broker to get the facts.  Join us on this podcast with Emily Dresback of Dewey Properties (Commercial) and with Megan Shook of Mosaic Realty (Residential) who are full-time real estate professionals as they break down the stereotypes, challenges, rewards and reality of being a realtor. 

Do you want to sell your business? Sell your interest (your share) in a business? Thinking of seeking capital? Want to merge your business with another? Just plain curious? All of these questions are addressed in this week's podcast featuring John Michael Kledis, a certified valuation analyst with Peridot Consulting. He is here to explain what is involved, how long it takes and what you can do with a valuation once you have it.

John Michael and Mari discuss non-profits from the accounting and marketing perspective.  What is a 990 and how can you use it in marketing and fundraising? What are the biggest accounting mistakes nonprofits make? How do nonprofits misunderstand donors? What can you deduct? How do you setup a nonprofit?

What is Google My Business and why should you use it? In this episode Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost discusses the history of GMB and how businesses should it use it today.  It is one place for your online business profile but it's way more than that.  It's free and easy to use but many businesses are only using it as a digital phone book. How do you claim it, optimize it and how can it enhance your marketing and customer engagement?  

Most people get a tax notice from the IRS and they either stick their head in the sand and ignore it or they freak out and get all stressed.  Tax notices are actually very common and in most cases, they are not as bad as you think.  In this episode we talk about what they are, how they are generated, the most common types of tax notices, what you should and should not do and most of all, what kinds of options you have in the event you receive a tax notice. So, take a deep breath, count to 10 and listen to this very informative podcast by John Michael Kledis, EA, CVA, CFE of Peridot Consulting, Inc., your accounting guide.

Both of your co-hosts talk about a "new paradigm" in services when we describe our business structures.  John Michael provides professional accounting and Mari provides professional marketing services. However, the structure in how we do it is quite different. We do not have the traditional setup of a professional practice which is why we call it a new paradigm.  Technology and our desire for efficiency has led us here.  Desire to provide on-demand client services is our main goal. But this paradigm has its challenges and obstacles as well as benefits and rewards. Listen to this podcast as we dive into those details.

We're baaaack! New music, new voice and new topics! Here's a quick rundown of the goody bag of accounting and marketing topics we'll be covering in this Season 2 of Bamm-It: Live podcasts coming your way... Interviews with Asheville businesses in food, beer and tourism What is the gig economy, location cards, blue ocean and more? Who cares about obscure taxes and what are they? What does today's modern day professional practice look like? Off Topic surprises and More!  

Thank you to our listeners for supporting us as we launched Season 1 of BAMM-IT!  This is our wrap-up episode while we take a break. We'll be back in August.  In the meantime, listen as we share what we learned from this process, the mistakes we made, the bloopers and more. If you're interested in starting your own podcast you'll enjoy this one as we share what it takes to start one and where we might have done things differently.  All in all, it was a great learning experience. We'll be back in August! Your co-hosts, John Michael Kledis of Peridot Consulting Inc. and Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost.  

Another Billism: Are You Working IN your business or ON your business? What exactly do we mean by that? Aren’t they the same? Are you a self-employed individual and struggle with finding time to promote your business, plan for your business? Do you have a business plan? Do you have a marketing plan? Do you understand your finances and review your financial reports? DO you network or spend time promoting your business? If you say no to these or they are limited, that means you're in your business more than on your business. You’re probably working harder, not smarter. How do self-employed business owners take the time to be on their business when the’re the only ones? How does this apply in larger organizations? What are some real life examples?

Cord-cutters and cord-nevers are new terms in television reflecting a trend today of people who will either never have traditional cable or are cutting the cord to cable.  These are by-products of the demise of Primetime which is changing how advertisers deliver their ads.  TV advertising is not dead but it sure is changing and thus the new term, Over the Top of TV or OTT.  Listen to this episode as Mari Peterson discusses what OTT is and what you should know if you choose to stick with tv advertising.

In the last episode we discussed the particulars of fraud in business and well known cases.  In this episode we discuss what it means to be a Certified Fraud Examiner - what does it take and what do they do and how does it differ from being an auditor? We also discuss the various types of fraud from ransomware to falsifying financial statements. 

Another Billism by Bill Kelley - If People Count in your business, can you count on your people? Ultimately, this is a question of leadership. Have you considered or do you know the traits you need in order to be able to count on your people? What is the SMART method of developing yourself and others? How does this apply for self-employed people who are solo or in organizations?

In this two part series, John Michael Kledis of Peridot Consulting discusses what he does as a Certified Fraud Examiner. In this Part 1 we explore first the top 10 well known fraud cases in US history such as Madoff, FIFA, Enron and more. We also review the local Asheville cases of Fraud from small businesses to our local government.  We also explore the basics of fraud - the Fraud Triangle - what three elements usually exist that create an environment for fraud to happen? How can companies setup internal controls to prevent, discourage or detect fraud? What is a Fraud Risk Assessment and what are the three main types of fraud schemes?

What should businesses know about ratings and reviews? How important are reviews and are certain review platforms more important than others? What are common mistakes businesses make about reviews? What do customers expect when they write a review from the business? How quickly do people expect a business to respond? Why should businesses read their own reviews? How should businesses respond to negative or positive reviews? How can a business use reviews to gain competitive intelligence?

Does your life look great on paper but you're not happy? This is a common issue that drives many people to seek out a life coach.  What is a life coach and when was it founded and by whom? Is there certification required?  Amy Kosh, founder and owner of An Unstoppable Life, answers these questions and more.  She describes herself as a Visionary Coach, a person that helps people forward think about their life and identify what is creating doubt.  Ultimately, she describes the process of learning to manage self vs. management. She describes the process of coaching and provides some examples of action steps she may recommend.

Everyone is talking about AR, VR and emerging technologies but how do you apply them in real life and to business beyond the immersive experience? That's this week's topic as we explore the application of technology in the business world, beyond the entertainment focus. Listen to this discussion with Gabe Swinney, a photographer, professional drone operator, videographer and so much more!  Gabe loves technology. He sees it as an extension of who we are, a constant evolution.  Gabe is one of the most interesting and down to earth people I've ever met, says co-host Mari Peterson. He studied megatronics, has traveled extensively, learned survival skills and actually used them in Alaska. He is more than a photographer and videographer - he is an explorer of technology and loves to use it for businesses.  

This week's podcast: Billism: “Managers manage but leaders take you to a better place” Bill Kelley What do employers look for when they promote people?  They rely on two factors that are not guaranteed for future success. How do you train people to be leaders? How do you train yourself to be a leader? What is the difference between being a manager vs. being a leader? What are some examples? What can leaders do to ensure success when they do promote employees?

So you started your own business and went online to one of those do-it-yourself legal forms websites and got the LLC or your lawyer set one up for you.  You think your personal assets are protected from any corporate lawsuits, but are you really?  In this podcast we have Rob Mays of MayLawFirmNC.com as our guest to scare the bejesus out of us.  Rob is a special kind of a lawyer and you want him on your side.  If someone owes you money and they use their LLC as protection, he finds ways that the "corporate seal of protection" may have been broken or way too thin to begin with.  Listen and learn: What are corporate protections and what should small businesses know about them? What does not blowing it mean? How to properly setup your corporation Things you should not rely on Common mistakes in mixing and mingling personal and business. Who is Rob? Before founding The Mays Law Firm in 2018, Rob Mays was a shareholder at the largest law firm headquartered in Asheville. Prior to returning to North Carolina in 2010, he practiced for five years in the Washington, D.C. office of an international law firm. He started his career as a law clerk for the Honorable Gerald B. Tjoflat, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Mr. Mays has litigated a wide range of matters in federal and state courts. He has briefed cases for the U.S. Supreme Court and both state and federal appellate courts. Rob has served on the Bankruptcy Council of the North Carolina Bar Association. He was named to Business North Carolina’s “Legal Elite” for Bankruptcy in 2018, and named as a “Super Lawyer” for Creditor-Debtor Rights in 2019. Rob graduated with honors from Duke University School of Law, where he was Editor-In-Chief of Duke’s oldest law journal, and simultaneously earned a graduate degree in public policy.

What is Value Innovation in Business? John Michael discusses this and examples such as Uber, Apple, Netflix and more.  Value innovation is strategic logic vs. conventional logic.  This podcast discusses the 5 elements of strategic logic: Industry Assumptions Strategic Focus Customers Assets and Capabilities Product and Service Offerings Once you understand value innovation, cow can any business, big or small, implement value innovation?

This week we go Off Topic with co-host Mari Peterson as she discusses her love of surf fishing and surprisingly, how it relates to marketing.  Fishing for Mari is a lot like going after your target customer.   Mari Peterson is a marketing strategist. It requires a lot of mental energy, observation, understanding how and why people make decisions.  Mari's corporate background managing professional service firms provides additional insight to develop strategies and create plans that fit a budget and yet are practical, efficient and effective.  After all, we all just want to grow.

Curious how taxes work?  John Michael Kledis, EA, CFE, CVA explains just that - how state and local taxes work covering: the 7 types of taxes, types of Federal taxes, types of State taxes, and types of Local taxes.  This episode also covers: Which states do NOT have income tax? What is a flat tax vs. graduated tax? What are sales tax? How are Internet sales handled? How is earned income vs. passive income handled and what are they? What is nexus?

What is it like for women working in industries where men are the majority? Our guests are Melissa Kledis, financial advisor; Laurin Czyzyk, licensed general contractor and Emily Dresback, commercial broker.  Did you know: 17% of financial advisors are women; 9% of commercial brokers are women; Approximately 4.5% of general contractors are women How and why did they choose these careers? What are the pros and cons of working in male dominated businesses? What progress has been made? What improvements can still be made?  Outline of Interview: 3:08 Introductions of Guests 8:37 statistics 10:30 how they address safety issues 15:45 Question: your greatest challenge in getting through or being taken seriously 24:40 Some not so great stories and how they were addressed 26:30 Positive stories and the advantages gained from their experiences 31:15 Mentoring and encouraging other women to pursue careers in spite of the numbers 35:45 Do women support each other? 45:26 What advice would you give the generation of women following you?            

What does it mean to do a "Check up from the neck up"? How might this change or impact your management or leadership style? How might a more personal, real face-to-face meeting change your productivity and sales reports? How might this approach make you a better leader? Listen as Bill Kelley shares examples from his years as Executive Director of Operations at Grove Park Inn, a world class resort in Asheville, NC

In this first segment, Off Topic, we dive into topics not related to business - a way of taking a break from the usual and introducing our listeners to things that interest the hosts.  This first Off Topic episode is about coffee. Why? John Michael drinks a lot of coffee and over time, he's become quite knowledgeable about it.  What are the types of coffee?  What is the roasting process? Did you know there's a coffee bean that is ingested by a cat-like creature and then pooped out and roasted? They call it to the poop bean and it's quite expensive.   Hope you enjoy this episode as we discuss coffee in all it's caffeine glory!  

Budgeting is a misunderstood concept.  It is actually a powerful tool that can enhance your life and your relationships and help you achieve the true financial success you desire. For business owners, your Quickbooks reports is NOT a budget.   For individuals and families, a budget is not a checking account statement. A budget is a pre-planning tool that is successful when you employ the practice of Zero Based Budgeting.  If you budget properly as a business owner, it will enhance your personal life and will help you achieve long term goals. In this episode, Camille defines what a budget is, how to avoid common budgeting mistakes and how you can sustain a budget and achieve financial success. Who is Camille? Camille Stimach is a partner with Peridot Consulting Inc.  She is a financial leader and budget specialist who assists clients in obtaining financial stability by helping them organize their finances, advise on credit repair, assist with budgeting, future planning, daily money management, debt consolidation, and creating savings plan. Camille has 25 years experience in all areas of the financial world ranging from bookkeeping, mortgages, budget and finance, banking, investing to providing financial workshops for various non profit.

Named after an Italian economist (Pareto) demonstrates a repeating theme in life, that 80% of effects come from 20% of causes.  This principle, also called the 80/20 rule or law of the vital few has practical application in both our personal lives as well as business life.   In this episode we discuss the 80/20 Principle and give examples of it in business and in life and how understanding this can help you make better business decisions. ABOUT BAMM-IT: All Things Business BAMM-IT is produced and hosted by John Michael Kledis, EA, CFE, CVA of Peridot Consulting, Inc. and Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost.  We discuss all things Business, Accounting, Management, Marketing and IT from the perspective of business owners and consultants who work with other business owners.    

What are the elements of strategic planning especially in the middle of a business turnaround, buy/sell phase, or business reorganization?  Guest, Frank O'Donnell, Managing Partner of Biltmore Consultants has more than 30 years experience focusing on Corporate Transformations and Enterprise-wide strategic planning by providing expertise for boards and senior executives.  This podcast reviews the Elements of Strategic Planning. More about Frank: He develops and implements programs that preserve shareholder equity. He is uniquely skilled in financial products, financial restructuring and strategic, operational and organizational transformations. ABOUT BAMM-IT: All Things Business BAMM-IT is produced and hosted by John Michael Kledis, EA, CFE, CVA of Peridot Consulting, Inc. and Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost.  We discuss all things Business, Accounting, Management, Marketing and IT from the perspective of business owners and consultants who work with other business owners.

Over the years Bill developed a reputation... a reputation for being a thoughtful, genuine, and effective leader.  Who is Bill? Bill led performance, management, leadership and customer service as Executive Director of Operations for the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, a world class four-star hospitality organization for over 20 years. But Bill is so much more than that and you will learn about him in these Billisms. ABOUT BAMM-IT: All Things Business BAMM-IT is produced and hosted by John Michael Kledis, EA, CFE, CVA of Peridot Consulting, Inc. and Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost.  We discuss all things Business, Accounting, Management, Marketing and IT from the perspective of business owners and consultants who work with other business owners.

What is a SWOT Analysis? Why do a SWOT in your business or personal life? How often should you review your SWOT? When should you do a SWOT analysis?  Who should be involved? What can it do for your business? How long does it take to do a SWOT Analysis? All of this and more in this week's episode. ABOUT BAMM-IT: All Things Business BAMM-IT is produced and hosted by John Michael Kledis, EA, CFE, CVA of Peridot Consulting, Inc. and Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost.  We discuss all things Business, Accounting, Management, Marketing and IT from the perspective of business owners and consultants who work with other business owners.

Why do you need a business plan?  What purpose do they serve? What are the components of a business plan? ABOUT BAMM-IT: All Things Business BAMM-IT is produced and hosted by John Michael Kledis, EA, CFE, CVA of Peridot Consulting, Inc. and Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost.  We discuss all things Business, Accounting, Management, Marketing and IT from the perspective of business owners and consultants who work with other business owners.

An introduction to the hosts of Bamm-It, John Michael Kledis of Peridot Consulting and Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost. What we will be podcasting about - business, accounting, management, marketing and information technology. ABOUT BAMM-IT: All Things Business BAMM-IT is produced and hosted by John Michael Kledis, EA, CFE, CVA of Peridot Consulting, Inc. and Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost.  We discuss all things Business, Accounting, Management, Marketing and IT from the perspective of business owners and consultants who work with other business owners.

Formerly, the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA), the new tax law, was passed by congress in December of 2017 making sweeping changes to the tax paradigm with the intent of simplifying taxes. If this was accomplished, or not, is yet to be determined. However, let's discuss those changes in this episode: The New 1040 Postcard Individual Tax Changes Child Tax Credit Changes Corporate Tax Changes Estate (Death Tax) Changes ABOUT BAMM-IT: All Things Business BAMM-IT is produced and hosted by John Michael Kledis, EA, CFE, CVA of Peridot Consulting, Inc. and Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost.  We discuss all things Business, Accounting, Management, Marketing and IT from the perspective of business owners and consultants who work with other business owners.  

Are you considering outsourcing your social media management or are you doing it yourself and not sure about the value of outsourcing? Do you wonder why anyone would outsource their social media accounts? I mean, really, don't they just post nice photos and use hashtags? Wait a minute, what's a #hashtag? ABOUT BAMM-IT: All Things Business BAMM-IT is produced and hosted by John Michael Kledis, EA, CFE, CVA of Peridot Consulting, Inc. and Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost.  We discuss all things Business, Accounting, Management, Marketing and IT from the perspective of business owners and consultants who work with other business owners.