Business Edge

In this episode of the Business Edge podcast, special guest Jennifer Kuhn speaks about her experience taking over her family's business with her brother during the COVID-19 pandemic. She discusses topics such as her values (both as an individual and as a business owner), how her relationship with her brother has changed throughout their time running a business together, and being a woman in a male-dominated field.

In this episode of the Business Edge podcast, we're touching back in with a guest from a former season of the podcast! Special guest Jennifer Raiford, featured in season 4 episode 4 titled “Cyber Security in a Digital World,” is back to discuss how her philosophy has changed in the past few years since her initial podcast appearance. She speaks about how bringing your authentic self to your job can help you find a family at work.

In this episode of the Business Edge podcast, special guest Richard McVay discusses his career path and how he started Dart'em Up, his small family business. He discusses his values of giving back to the community and explains exactly how he does this as a business owner. He also explains how helping others can come back around to help you in your own times of need!

In this episode of the Business Edge podcast, special guest Tyler Werland discusses his career path and how he ended up at Southwest Airlines. He also speaks to how COVID impacted the travel industry, and he gives his best advice for your future travels. Plus, he explains exactly what steps he took to get noticed by the companies he's wanted to work for!

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. Mike is the CEO of Forbes Media, where he oversees every aspect of the company. Prior to joining Forbes in 2011, he was a cofounder, president and COO of Techonomy Media, a multimedia company based in New York, in which Forbes acquired an equity interest in July 2011. A 25-year veteran of the media industry, he has held top positions as Publisher of Fortune magazine, Group Publisher of the Time Inc. Business & Finance Network, and Group Publisher of the Bonnier Mountain Group in Boulder, Colorado. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. Victor is a Corporate Trainer from Maryland. He derives a great deal of excitement and satisfaction in helping others achieve their goals. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. Patrick is an Advisor at Harvard Business Review, as well as an analyst, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. Ondrej has been building apps and platforms his whole life. He was born as a digital native and thanks to that he had the possibility to learn a lot about how to build a successful digital product. Currently leading the product at VOS.health, they have reached a 1M users milestone in just several months and are now scaling the growth. He was always curious to work on different products because that way he can apply his knowledge across all of them. Working on hundreds of products and companies gave him tons of experience with developing and scaling both online and offline, hardware and software products. His interests are mainly connected with sports, but he's also into the blockchain, yachting, and design. Playing football from his childhood, he sees the team spirit as the key to successful projects! This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. Nikita Gossain is an entrepreneur, investor, and non-executive director who is interested in the intersection of business, nature, and social equity. She founded PPR Capital to purchase small businesses and leverage their infrastructure as a platform for innovation in order to prevent retiring owners from having to close their businesses due to a lack of buyers. She has been recognised as one of Cornell University's notable alumni within the past 10 years with the Johnson 10 Under 10 award, and has extensive experience in a variety of industries, both in Australia and abroad. In addition to her professional pursuits, Nikita is devoted to using her skills and resources to make a positive impact through global health and development initiatives, after personally witnessing suffering in over 40 countries. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. Marc Miller is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Menace Media. Menace Media is a Digital Marketing Agency built on transparency that focuses on creative, yet sustainable growth for the businesses and musical artists they partner with. Their team is comprised of Detroit natives who embody the hustle of the city and know how much value it holds that has yet to be seen. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. Lauren is a passionate and motivated person, and she seeks out joy in all that she does. She has had a unique career path starting off in Retail Management and now Quality Assurance. At her core she is a people person and wants to make sure her co-workers feel valued and appreciated. She loves challenges and figuring out solutions. She graduated from eastern Michigan University with a degree in Sociology. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. Johanan Dujon founded the Caribbean's first indigenous agriculture biotech firm to fight invasive seaweed threatening the tourism-dependent economy. He's an EndeavorLab Miami and Forbes 30 Under 30 Entrepreneur, and he sees himself as a practical problem solver and change-maker. He believes in a world where scale and sustainability go hand in hand. Algas Organics converts invasive plant species into organic fungicides, pesticides, and crop fertilizers. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. Jewel Mensah is an award-winning artist and author, strategist, and change agent. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. Huy Pham believes that students across the world deserve better, and fixing education has to mean more than just platitudes. What 'fixing' means to Huy is:

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. From designing Olympic stadiums, metro transit systems to entire city masterplans, HY William Chan is an urbanist and futurist innovating for social inclusion and climate resilience in our urban communities. A dual Convocation and University Medallist, William is a headline TEDx speaker and recent UN Fellow. William led the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers community in Sydney. His team drives next-gen solution building, policymaking and systems change as part of the Davos Lab. William's innovative practice showcases the future of cities: co-living affordable housing to solve homelessness in Sydney, smart infrastructure to address food security in Milan, and the circular economy in refugee camps to upcycle plastic waste into 3D-printed construction elements in Athens. In 2019, he was the only architect recognised by Forbes magazine on their '30 Under 30' list globally. His executive leadership includes serving on Cox Architecture's Board of Management Design Committee, University of Sydney Academic Board and School of Architecture, Design and Planning Board, Executive of Climate Emergency Australia, National Council of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC), and City of Sydney's Expert to the Sydney 2050 Citizens Jury. William has shared his expertise on the global stage from the Venice Architecture Biennale to the UN General Assembly, addressing world leaders on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Honoured by TED as among "the world's greatest TEDx speakers", he features with Greta Thunberg on the new TED podcast series. William is named in the top 20 on the Qantas Centenary '100 Inspiring Australians' list, top 25 most influential people in the social sector by Pro Bono Australia, and GreenBiz top 30 young global sustainability leaders by the World Business Council for Sustainable Business. An avid surf lifesaver and past UNICEF Ambassador, William was inducted into the Australian of the Year Awards Honour Roll in 2020. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. B Free is a rising superstar and hip hop artist based in Detroit. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. This past October, the 2022 Forbes Under 30 Summit was held in Detroit, MI. Three AKPsi members attended on behalf of the fraternity to learn from the event and share that information with all of you. Those brothers are Siddarth Nagisetty and Bobby Housel from the University of Michigan, and yours truly, Finn Lambouris from Michigan State University. We interviewed a number of attendees, including several Under 30 listers! Here's what they had to say. Games industry veteran, former Technical Art Director for Sony Interactive, Andrew pushed cutting edge art technology that powered the biggest entertainment franchises in the world. Develop and Forbes magazine's 30 under 30, artist, programmer, consultant and entrepreneur. Andrew taught art, technology and production at Universities, Schools and Computer Graphics events in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Montreal, Tokyo, Seoul, Malta, Bulgaria, Poland and Uganda to name a few. Distinguished in both art and technology he has been co-running the Art Direction Summit at Game Developers Conference for 9 years, while also sitting on the jury of SIGGRAPH Realtime Live. Democratizing the creative process, supporting artists and empowering creativity within every single person has been his unrelenting focus and singular goal throughout his entire career. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. This past October, the 2022 Forbes Under 30 Summit was held in Detroit, MI. Three AKPsi members attended on behalf of the fraternity to learn from the event and share that information with all of you. Those brothers are Siddarth Nagisetty and Bobby Housel from the University of Michigan, and yours truly, Finn Lambouris from Michigan State University. We interviewed a number of attendees, including several Under 30 listers! Here's what they had to say. Alexander Silkin is a co-founder & CTO at Survios. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. This past October, the 2022 Forbes Under 30 Summit was held in Detroit, MI. Three AKPsi members attended on behalf of the fraternity to learn from the event and share that information with all of you. Those brothers are Siddarth Nagisetty and Bobby Housel from the University of Michigan, and yours truly, Finn Lambouris from Michigan State University. We interviewed a number of attendees, including several Under 30 listers! Here's what they had to say. Alejandro Fuentes-Noguezis an IOS Developer Student, Server at Central Kitchen & Bar. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

***There is an explicit language warning for this mini-season of Business Edge. The thoughts and opinions of our interviewees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. This past October, the 2022 Forbes Under 30 Summit was held in Detroit, MI. Three AKPsi members attended on behalf of the fraternity to learn from the event and share that information with all of you. Those brothers are Siddarth Nagisetty and Bobby Housel from the University of Michigan, and yours truly, Finn Lambouris from Michigan State University. We interviewed a number of attendees, including several Under 30 listers! Here's what they had to say. Aasim Sani is a co-founder and COO of CopyCat. He is also a previous co-founder of Orai. Gamer, a musician in passing, and a cyclist on sunny days. This season of Business Edge is sponsored by Montclair Flowers and Gifts. They have been hand-delivering premium floral arrangements and gift baskets to celebrate life's special moments since 1972. Visit their website at montclairflorist.net.

In this extra special episode of Business Edge, listen to Dayna Thomas' keynote speech at Alpha Kappa Psi's Elevate!

In this episode of Business Edge, special guest Natazia Quiñones speaks about staying involved with Alpha Kappa Psi after graduation. She speaks to her experience of seeking internships while she was still a student, and how she ended up landing an excellent opportunity with Amazon! She also shares tips for students who are currently looking for internship opportunities.

In this extra special episode of Business Edge, guests M.C. Moore and Dr. William Callarman speak about their time volunteering for Alpha Kappa Psi. Both guests were recipients of Gold DSAs (Distinguished Service Awards) at the 61st Convention in Miami, which is the highest and most prestigious award that brothers may receive.

In this episode of Business Edge, special guest Kerri Dickson discusses her journey of starting a travel advising business right around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. She speaks to the issues she has observed in the travel industry in the time since, and predicts how it will change in the near future. Not only this, but she gives insights into the travel agency industry and outlines several reasons why one may benefit from seeking an advisor!

In this episode of Business Edge, special guest John LeVering discusses his time in the Navy and how the lessons he learned as a student leader translated to his career. He also speaks to how he decided to join the Navy after graduating college, and gives advice to current students seeking a similar career path. Furthermore, he urges current students and emerging professionals to continue to learn and grow throughout their careers to become the best leaders they can be.

In this episode of Business Edge, special guest Hernan Mayol discusses his career path in banking and his transition to the US Small Business Administration. He discusses why networking is so important, and how it has helped him throughout his career. He also speaks to the challenges he faced in the banking world and how he overcame them.

In this episode of Business Edge, special guests Eileen Howell and Mike Dickson, the immediate past chair and present chair of the Board of Directors of Alpha Kappa Psi respectively, discuss the history of the fraternity and where it's headed in the next 50 years.

How does company culture impact business performance? In this episode of Business Edge, special guest Debbie Barrett suggests that a lot of it boils down to managers and the support and training that they're given. She also speaks to the different career paths existing within the expansive HR field, the concept of “coaching out” (and why it may not really be a bad thing!), and her most rewarding experiences within HR.

As technology continues to evolve and become so engrained with society and our day-to-day lives, IT and Cybersecurity have emerged as prominent fields that cannot be overlooked. In this episode of Business Edge, special guest Besong Tambeagbor discusses the overlaps between business and tech, and explains what exactly can go wrong when people and organizations don't follow the best practices online. If you're someone who uses the same 2-3 passwords for all of your online accounts, then this is the episode for you!

Managing up is defined by the Harvard Business Review as, “Being the most effective employee you can be, creating value for your boss and your company.” While it is a good skill to have, in this episode of Business Edge, special guest Alison Jennings argues that there needs to be a balance. She proposes that this balance can be achieved by finding a boss who is a good fit for you and is knowledgable about your role. She also speaks to how exactly to do this during the interview process so that interviewees can spot potential red flags before they commit to a role.

Clarity Coaching, which differs from life coaching, is a term coined by Precious Azurée to explain the work she does with individuals seeking clarity and confidence in tackling their goals. In this episode of Business Edge, listen to Precious discuss the biggest issues she sees that hold her clients back from fulfillment and success. She discusses how people can overcome hurdles such as time management and a lack of prioritization, and how she has developed her craft through reading and learning. Plus, listen to her explain how data can help elevate the lived experiences of people of color!

Janine Branch loves to give back to those around her, and she strives to be a good example because in her words, “you never know who's looking up at you or looking down at you.” In this episode of Business Edge, listen to her speak to the challenges and misconceptions that come along with mentorship, the importance of cross-cultural engagement, and how she has been able to help steer the organizations she has been a part of to success. Plus, listen to her discuss the journey of her and her husband's pin business!

In a time of rising interest rates and anxiety, how can young people today sort through all the noise to find their first home? In this episode of Business Edge, co-hosts Chrissy and Nicole ask featured guest Cheryl Dunson about what young professionals need to know about the process of home ownership. Listen to her speak about how you can know when you're financially ready to buy a home, how to find a realtor who's a good fit for you, and how you can go about finding your true priorities when it comes to a home.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are hot button topics that we often expect immediate responses to and successes in, but in this episode of Business Edge, special guest Raquel Tamez urges that time is the biggest factor in overcoming many roadblocks associated with these aspirations. Listen to her speak to how organizations and individuals can evolve to foster positive change. She also explores how we can all be our best selves by educating ourselves by consistently reading, prioritizing our most important values, and always striving for excellence.

In an age of unlimited online connectivity, how can we sort through the noise to create meaningful connections? In this episode of Business Edge, Dan Harbeke explains that showing up and going the extra mile is something that can make you stand apart from the crowd. Listen to him speak to his current role with Google, and all of his experiences that led him to where he is now.

How can you show up for others? According to Derrick Fleming, Jr., you have to start by showing up for yourself. In this episode of Business Edge, Derrick explains how being your authentic self and learning how to navigate the spaces that you're in is the first step in learning to cooperate with and liberate those around you. He also speaks to his current work with helping black and brown youth in Chicago get into college, through college, and into the workforce through the Chicago Scholars program. Plus, hear him talk about his time working under the Obama Administration, and the important lessons he learned along the way.

What exactly is the future of work, and how can people and organizations adapt to changes in work culture exacerbated by the Pandemic? In this episode, Ashley Artrip, Co-Founder and President of Mission Collaborative, explores these answers. Listen to her dive into the concept of “career portfolios,” and how they differ from the traditional “career paths” that we have been socialized to accept. Furthermore, she shares insights on how young professionals can discover their values and path by understanding their own definition of success.

Is the customer always right? Take a deep dive into the world of hospitality and customer service with co-founder of the Hospitality Leadership Academy, Alec Dalton. Listen to him speak to how COVID affected the hotel business, his time working with the Disney organization, and his tips on how to create great customer experiences by building relationships between the customer and the brand.

Explore the world of startups with this week's Business Edge guest: Michael Otis! Co-hosts Chrissy and Nicole talk with Michael about startup accelerators such as Y Combinator, identifying how to make startups more successful, and the differences between working at startups vs. established companies.

This special edition episode of Business Edge contains some of the highlights from Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity's Presidents Academy and Fraternity Advisors Conference. Some of these topics the speakers covered were self awareness, foresight and persuasion, alignment and execution, and managing conflict.

You've probably heard of the Great resignation, but what does it mean? Co-hosts Chrissy and Nicole talk with Alpha Kappa Psi CEO Steve Hartman about its impact on industries and consulting work, as well as questions surrounding changing career paths.  

Special Edition: To celebrate 45 years of women in Alpha Kappa Psi, join several trailblazers as they talk about their experiences and share advice. 

Exploring the option of a side hustle? We're learning all about it this week with Nick Loper, the creator of sidehustlenation.com. Nick left behind a corporate job to explore a few side hustle ideas, and now Side Hustle Nation is enough to cover his living expenses and more. Tune in today to hear how he did it, and how you can, too!Connect with NickSide Hustle Nation website

Frontline workers experienced COVID-19 differently than most, but we rarely hear their stories. Caitey Sosnowski, a floor nurse at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, joins the show today to walk us through her harrowing experience with the pandemic, from patient care to PPE to end of life decisions to personal mental health. She hopes this will encourage other nurses to use their voice and share their stories, too.

Check out today's episode to learn more about blogging with Neltonia and Jordan Prince from @foodfitfortheprinces. They share homecooked recipes, restaurant hot spots, and product reviews through their Instagram blog. Learn how they grew a hobby into a brand with more than 10,000 followers. You'll need a snack after this one!Follow on InstagramLike on Facebook

Joining the podcast today are Chronograph Records co-founders Kodi and Stephanie Hutchinson. Chronograph is a boutique record label taking great pride in representing jazz, urban acoustic, and blues artists in Western Canada. Outside of running the label, Stephanie also works at Arts Commons, Canada's third largest arts center, and Kodi spends times as a band leader and radio show host. Check out this episode to hear how their incredible story unfolds. Learn more at chronographrecords.com. Chronograph Records websiteConnect with StephanieConnect with Kodi 

Join Desiree and Chrissy today to hear from Tracy York, co-founder and vice president of customer success for HG Insights, a company providing data-driven sales and marketing strategies. And this isn't Tracy's first jump into the startup world - his previous venture, NOZA, was acquired by Blackbaud in 2010. If you're interested in following these footsteps, listen in for the best tips and tricks to get your idea off the ground.Connect with Tracy YorkHG Insights website