Can Do: Lessons From Savvy Montana Entrepreneurs

Host Arnie Sherman recaps the last five years of hosting Can Do.

Hall and Hall director and real estate partner Bill McDavid shares insight into rural real estate in the western U.S.

Ilene Waterstone, former executive assistant for actor Steve Martin, talks about how her career took shape.

Heather Foster, CEO of the Missoula Family YMCA, talks about addressing childcare issues in the community.

Will Schmautz, co-founder and CEO of NOMAD Global Communication Solutions talks about the origins and growth of the company.

Richard Nicholson of Macquarie Asset Management talks about the global supply chain, and how it has been affected by Covid-19.

Megan Crawford, the driving force behind Montana Woman Magazine, talks about her experience building a publication from the ground up.

Owner/Founder of Bitterroot Cannabis Company talks about the regulations and science behind Montana's growing cannabis industry.

Commercial Real Estate Advisor Claire Matten explains the relationship between Montana business and real estate.

Attorney and accounting expert E. Martin Davidoff talks about tax season for individuals and businesses.

Documentary filmmakers Peter Tolton and Sam Steingraber talk about their recent project, "Edge of the Plains."

LMG Security founder and CEO Sherri Davidoff provides insight into the world of cybersecurity.

Chef Dr. Mike Fenster talks about culinary medicine through the lens of his multifaceted career as a cardiologist and professional chef.

Mallory Ottariano, founder of Montana-based activewear company Youer, talks about building a clothing brand from scratch.

Research economist Robert "Tino" Sonora and Montana restaurateur Jason McMackin reflect on 2021's economy, and discuss the uncertainty that comes with 2022.

Educator and visionary Joe McDonald talks about how he built Salish Kootenai College from the ground up.

Kendall Clifton-Short of the global firm Within People talks about shifting workplace culture.

This week on Can Do, we hear from John Roy Price, author and former senior domestic policy advisor to Nixon.

This week on Can Do, we go behind the scenes of rural health care in the West. 60 million Americans and approximately 44% of Montanans live in areas with less access to health care, resulting in a myriad of chronic health issues. The Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected rural areas, exacerbating problems that were already difficult to solve.To better understand these challenges, we speak with Angelina Salazar, CEO of the Western Healthcare Alliance and Chris Hopkins, CEO of Montana Health Network.

This week, we talk to Eric Stern about his experiences working in law, state government, and venture capital. Eric will offer his perspective on how Montana has changed in the last two decades, and share some insights into his father's NBA legacy. Learn more now.

This week on Can Do, we talk with global business woman and celebrity chef Maria Loi, who has a deep love for Mediterranean cooking and a desire to spread the healthy and hearty food that she grew up with.

The world of retail is constantly changing, and savvy business people learn to evolve with it. The pandemic introduced a whole new set of rules into an already dynamic landscape. When change and chaos are the new normal, how can retailers continue to anticipate the needs of the consumer?

Daily unpredictability confronts many of the 60 million Americans employed in the gig economy. When, where, and which job should they work on any given day of the week? How much money are they earning across multiple gigs? Information and data is sparse for workers — and not being able to count on a predictable pay rate makes it nearly impossible to plan out professional life. It turns out there's an app for that.

Can Do 's fourth season unfolded in real time as business owners grappled with the impacts of the pandemic on their personal and professional lives. Some looked to innovate while others doubled down on what had made them successful in the first place. Whichever strategy they used, the wild swings and challenges of the past year forced every entrepreneur to reevaluate how they do business.

Being your own boss can be rewarding, and it can be hard. Daily unpredictability confronts many of the 60 million Americans employed in the gig economy. When, where, and which job should they work on any given day of the week? How much money are they earning across multiple gigs? Information and data is sparse for workers — and not being about to count on a predictable pay rate makes it nearly impossible to plan out professional life.

The economic downturn from COVID-19 has pummeled main street businesses, but the Payroll Protection Program loans of the Cares Act have saved hundreds of thousands of them. On April 3, 2020, the first day of the first round of PPP loans, the number one lender in the country was, surprisingly, Montana’s Stockman Bank.

Over the past five years, Montana has seen exponential growth in venture capital investment. From 2015 to 2020, the state attracted over $500 million in early-stage funding. In the previous 20 years, that figure had been just $144 million. Next Frontier Capital has played a central role in this growth. Founded in 2015 in Bozeman, Montana and focusing on the tech sector in Colorado, Utah and Montana, the fund invests in scaling companies up from concept to exit. In Montana alone, an infusion of $28.4 million from NFC has attracted an additional $174 million in outside funding.

For more than a year, all types of territorial borders have been shut down due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. International trade and commerce have been throttled, and industry experts predict that business travel will never return to pre-pandemic levels. Global business has long been reliant on building personal relationships; relationships that now must be cultivated and maintained digitally.

Ben Morris discovered the utility of three-wheeled cargo trikes, or pedicabs, during a stint in San Diego. After finishing his business degree at Northeastern University in 2005, he secured a small loan, bought five pedicabs, and launched Coaster Cycles. Soon, Ben had expanded beyond Boston to other cities, and he'd begun to incorporate outdoor advertising into his bike fleet.

The ninth of 11 children, Megan Harrington grew up understanding the value of competition and how to tell a great story. In the third grade, Megan wrote a poem that included the prophetic line: “When I grow up, I want to be a Lady Griz basketball player at the University of Montana.” Megan did attend the University of Montana to attain a communications degree, an MBA, and play for the Lady Griz. As a Lady Griz, Megan played for legendary head coach, Robin Selvig.

Montana isn't all cattle herds and fields of waving grain. This sprawling state is also full of food deserts — places without many affordable, healthy food options. The lack of access to healthy food for residents of many of the state's Indian reservations contributes to some horrible demographic statistics. The life expectancy for Native American women is 62, a full 20 years less than for non-Native women. For Montana's Native American men, it's 56. One 27-year-old woman of Blackfeet and Cherokee heritage is on a mission to improve Native people's lives through healthy diet and a return of indigenous food systems.

The agriculture landscape has changed dramatically due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Concerns about food security, health and safety measures, and product availability have continued to evolve. A dramatic shift to online purchasing has challenged the traditional standard of consumers personally selecting products. Today on Can Do we will discuss these trends and their effects on two family-run Montana businesses.

While LifeScore COO Chris Walch is based in Bozeman, Montana, LifeScore is a fully remote company that produces its music at the iconic Abbey Roads Studio in London. LifeScore creates unique, real-time, and interactive music experiences with their adaptive AI music platforms. They start with world-class composers and musicians composing and performing sound that is organized as composable building blocks. Their proprietary technology then weaves these materials into music that suits a purpose, helping the listener have a completely unique experience.

The outdoor recreation economy is the second largest sector of Montana’s economy, generating $7.1B in annual consumer spending. 71,000 Montanans are employed in the sector, making its performance essential to the state’s full economic recovery. What has been the impact of COVID-19 on outdoor recreation and tourism? What response within the industry has been successful? What does 2021 look like for this essential part of the Montana economy? Learn more now on Can Do .

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage our country and vaccine relief is slow in coming, sound advice is as good as gold. Montana businesses experienced an exhausting 2020, and the new year promises to be just as unpredictable. Joining me today are two guests experiencing the economic impact from two very different perspectives.

The American restaurant industry is in freefall. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 110,000 restaurants have closed nationwide. That’s one out of every six, and there are likely more to come. Those restaurants that remain open are struggling with financial sustainability, as they face an industry-wide loss of $240 billion in sales for 2020. Listen now on Can Do as we will explore this subject with two industry pros in two very different positions.

According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, more than 100,000 American businesses that have closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic will never reopen. What about the millions of family-run companies? Is their plight as sobering? The situation is less clear for this sector, which accounts for more than 57 percent of the US GNP. What are the biggest challenges facing family business? What pitfalls and opportunities are unique to them? And how do family businesses weather the storm of the pandemic? Learn more now on Can Do.

Most of what we know about communicating is wrong, says Tim Pollard, author, speaker and Founder/CEO of Oratium . In his books, “The Compelling Communicator” and “Mastering the Moment,” He outlines how the brain communicates information. More importantly, he details how to successfully design and execute communication in ways that people will understand. Pollard talks about how business communication has changed in the virtual age. We’ll also explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on effective messaging architecture. Listen now on Can Do: Essential Business Lessons.

In November 2020, for most workers in the U.S., "business as usual" feels like a fairy tale. Working remotely, many parents are scrambling to handle their kids' education alongside their own jobs - or they've left the workplace altogether. Millions of others cope with unemployment, while "essential" on-site workers struggle to protect themselves and their families from workplace spread of COVID-19. When the wild ride of the pandemic coasts to a stop, what will "normal" look like? This time on Can Do , Arnie Sherman talks with Stacy Maloney and Beth Humberd about the future of work.

Even in the best of times figuring out the right formula for managing your personal or business finances is a challenge. Now with the dual whammy of COVID-19 and an associated economic recession, it is even more complicated. What mistakes are crucial to avoid? When is the right time to really hunker down? Where can you cut spending and where should you invest? Learn more now on this episode of Can Do .

What are the skills major tech companies are looking for in their workforce? What do businesses get for their investment in employee training? What type of workforce are we imagining for our economy a decade from now? Learn more now with Can Do .

The COVID-19 Pandemic and associated economic recession are casting different sized shadows across the United States. In Montana, unemployment has been high but never above the national average. And as of early October, 2020, the COVID infection rate has been increasing, but remains comparatively low. One surprising effect has been the growing domestic migration to the state, in particular to Missoula and Bozeman.

What has been the real impact of COVID-19 on higher education? How will education adapt to the pandemic and the related recession? And can U.S. colleges and universities produce the skilled workforce that industries require? Learn more now with Can Do .

We are now more than 7 months into the COVID-19 pandemic and perhaps no industry has been more disrupted than transportation. Global air travel is down 85% from this time last year. Air carriers are set to lose more than $84B this fiscal year. NYC subway traffic is down 75% and more than 4,000 transport workers have contracted COVID-19 with more than 130 deaths reported. The thoughts on everyone’s mind are, “when will it be safe to travel again?” and “will business travel ever be the same?”

How does a business adapt to stay afloat in these unpredictable times? What are the steps you should be taking right now? Where can you turn for help? On today’s episode of Can Do , we’re asking our guests these questions and more.

In July 1993, a gunman opened fire at the San Francisco law firm of Pettit & Martin, killing eight people and wounding six more. Several of the casualties were friends and former colleagues of Joe Anderson, who'd worked at the firm. Joe is an entertainment attorney, a fourth-generation Montanan from Shelby, and a serial entrepreneur. After the shooting, an enduring question haunted him: “Is there a reliable way to stop violence without being violent?”

Sportswriter Chad Dundas has covered wrestling and mixed martial arts for ESPN, NBC Sports, the Associated Press, Sporting News , and since 2019, full-time for The Athletic . But like many Montanans, he doesn’t hold down just one job: he’s also an acclaimed novelist and short-story writer, a podcaster, and a wrestling promoter. Today on Can Do , we're asking: how does a solo practitioner hop between multiple gigs while keeping track of businessy details like contracts and taxes?

What's Dave McEvoy's starting point for Aerie Backcountry Medicine's wilderness first responder training courses? The assumption that, in the backcountry, “no one is coming to help you.” What's the corollary? That an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. “First of all, what you mostly want is to not need help. So wilderness medicine classes are a lot about prevention.” Very basic prevention, it turns out, of blisters, hypothermia and twisted ankles - not to mention the potential hazards that accompany backcountry work and travel.

Between March 15 and April 10, 2020, more than 64,000 Montanans lost their jobs and filed for unemployment benefits. In mid-April, Can Do host Arnie Sherman caught up with previous guests to learn how government stimulus programs and breathtaking shifts in the business environment are driving their decisions as employers and entrepreneurs. In Part Two of this two-part episode, you'll get an update from three Montana business owners in the fields of trucking, travel and dining.

Like business owners everywhere, manufacturers in Montana are getting pitched around by COVID-19's macroeconomic shock waves. In mid-April 2020, Can Do host Arnie Sherman caught up with several previous guests to get updates on how they're coping. Part One of this two-part episode features Montana entrepreneurs who are pivoting to help their communities while keeping their companies afloat.

What do Bill Gates and a small county seat in central Montana share? Their respective kudos to the company, Eventgroove . Speaking at a Montana economic summit about technology's ability to connect buyers with sellers around the globe, Gates singled out Eventgroove, name-dropping one notable customer of this Harlowton event-tech firm: Microsoft.