My ME Story: Recent Episodes
Denise Jerome
My ME Story is a response to Covid-19 and its effect on the event industry. It is meant to inspire business owners and their teams by sharing "real" stories, specific to both the successes and the struggles that come along with being an entrepreneur. This podcast will share stories of faith, family, and sheer grit that are necessary to succeed in life and grow your business!
Karl Schmitt, Jr. is all about teamwork-- both in the office and in the sports arena. As President & CEO of the Louisville Sports Commission, his goal is to increase teamwork so that their mission is accomplished-- a mission that ultimately "puts heads in beds"!
Growing up in Louisville's west end through tumultuous times developed strong character traits that Karl Schmitt, Jr. has used to build a thriving sports event city. In the last eight years alone, sporting events revenue has topped the charts!
The Louisville Sports Commission acts as the economic tool to attract hotel room night visits (hence "heads in beds"). However, they are also proactive in promoting active lifestyles, especially with the youth in disadvantaged neighborhoods, in an effort to attract and retain a strong workforce. In addition, they act as entrepreneurs by creating, owning, and operating their own events.
Hear how Karl's leadership at The Louisville Sports Commission has developed into a legacy, even after managing Covid and how lessons learned have played a role in developing better event experiences!
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston ChurchillEd Hart defines an entrepreneur as someone who can achieve success in different industries, as opposed to a successful business person who achieves success in a specific field. By that definition, Ed Hart is certainly an entrepreneur!
Curiosity stimulates learning opportunities and intrigues those that tend to gravitate towards the path of entrepreneurship. During his childhood, Mr. Hart was very curious by nature and this trait, coupled with his perseverance, allowed him to gain huge success with projects that the typical person would not think to undertake. As an admirer of Churchill Winston, Ed Hart followed his words of wisdom with a profound clarity.
Renovation of property that is foreclosed on, revitalizing distressed theme parks, venturing into the big screen-- all different paths, all diversified, all turn-around successes due to foresight, a clear vision, and perseverance.
Want to know how that person behind the success thinks? Listen to this podcast and gain rare insight into the person that is Ed Hart.
The Kentucky Center for the Arts is instrumental to our community. As stated on their website, "Through a coordinated effort and community support, the Fund for the Arts builds a stronger community by investing in world-class Arts organizations, driving collaborative initiatives, fueling innovative arts-in-education programs and engaging corporate partnerships throughout the region."The entertainment industry has struggled through COVID and touched a variety of platforms, from restaurants to caterers to venues to artists. Collaboration and coordination with peer industries is imperative during this timeframe.
As businesses come online and people begin to feel confident in re-engaging in community efforts, entertainment and the arts will be an influential leader to link our society and build strong fellowship bridges. The Arts encourage our differences. It sees the strengths formed from capitalizing on our diversity.
Join us as we discuss with Kim Baker, President/CEO of the Kentucky Center for the Arts, how to overcome COVID struggles and "Keep Moving Forward"!
"According to The Family Firm Institute, only about 30 percent of family businesses survive into the second generation, 12 percent are viable into the third generation, and only about 3 percent of all family businesses operate into the fourth generation or beyond." Evolution is critical to success, as well as strong processes and consistent vision.
Masterson's Food & Drink Group has successfully evolved into just that legacy. Initially established as a restaurant, they have expanded into the Number One catering seat in Louisville and now they are growing in the manufacturing world. In addition, they have diversified into an event facility (The Olmsted), a waterfront restaurant (Captain's Quarters), and a chartered yacht (CQ Princess).
While discussions to migrate more into the manufacturing arena were already underway, COVID definitely escalated that plan to a top priority. However, changing business lines is not an easy task. It takes a lot of collaboration, a common vision, and lots of effort!
Join us as we discuss the dynamics of family business with Sueanna and how success continues into a third generation family business!
Team staffing solutions are tough enough! Factor in a pandemic, a roller coaster economy, and a diverse workforce and the solution is often times buried in operational challenges.
Pre-Covid, Cara Silletto was already working with companies to blend their workforce diversities into a consistent message and training program. In her book, Staying Power: Why Your Employees Leave and How to Keep Them Longer, Cara suggests that "The only way for organizations to successfully and sustainably face the new realities of today's workforce and the evolution of employee expectations is through a deep understanding of how to effectively hire and manage shorter-term workers who have a different view of the workplace."The last year, and most likely the majority of 2021, will present challenges with workforce supply, demand, retention, and growth. Companies will be faced with new challenges to recruit and retain their team, while struggling to increase efficiency and profitability.
Join us as Cara suggests some workplace dilemmas and warning signs that can be used to grow your workforce into 2021 and beyond.
Kentucky Restaurant Association (KRA) has a tenacious leader who is determined to get her members to the other side of this pandemic! Stacy Roof, President and CEO, believes her job is to tell your story and continue fighting for Kentucky restaurants.
Restaurants are leading employers in the state and deserve to be recognized for all the positive progress made, especially with regard to the health and safety of their customers. While the pandemic has been tough on many businesses, the hospitality industry, inclusive of restaurants and caterers, have taken a huge hit. Significant shut-downs, job losses, and in many cases business closings, have escalated the need for help and the cry to regain normalcy as soon as possible.
Coming into 2020, Kentucky restaurants were hitting landmark revenues and gaining a reputation as the place to come and visit. However, the last year's challenges have forced members to re-evaluate how they do business, how they can change their business, and most importantly how they can stay in business!
Join Stacy as she discusses all the efforts that the KRA is designing and implementing to support, advocate, and protect your business each day.
The event industry has taken a beating in 2020 to be sure. Large convention centers, art centers, concert halls... no one is the exception to the rule. Covid has impacted all large events and even affected what would be considered a small family event.
Lauren Brown, President, and Kalye Beets, Visionary, of Michaelis Events are no strangers to adversity, challenges, or tough times. Living through a tough start-up when their parents opened a new business in 2000, taught them resilience and determination. They learned how to pivot.
Today they are using these skills to reformulate and forecast next steps in a changed event industry. They have analyzed the market and turned their energies to the future instead of lingering in the past and hoping all things come back to some form of "normalcy".
Join us as we discuss their upbringing, potential future event trends, and how they learned to use laughter to maximize tough times and increase their energy!
Acquiring a family-owned company that has gained a national presence over the course of nearly 50 years requires a leader that can interact with team members to continue growth and encourage a positive culture in the midst of adversity. All great leaders must learn to pivot amid today's challenges. Simon Richards has learned to do just that.
By continuing to delight their guests, Thornton's new leader has been able to take the strong culture and values that gained the company its success and "keep the magic going". Simon Richards, Thornton's new CEO, wants to evolve the culture in a positive direction as they continue to grow their business model.
As a leading member of "A new generation of convenience stores that are re-defining the gas station food experience", Thornton's is innovating its product line to cater to the person on the go. They have formulated some of their top sellers during COVID and their food team is evaluating new ways to expand their guest experience.
In this episode we explore how Simon blends innovation, team culture, and the total guest experience to be a leader in the convenience store industry. Learn how his connections with his new team has created an innovative atmosphere for an industry segment to cross barriers.
Demonstrating value and leadership for your members during a pandemic and civil unrest is a challenging task! Add the fact that you are only in your new role less than two months and most people would blame less than favorable results on the situation.
Not Sarah Davasher-Wisdom! As the new president of Greater Louisville, Inc. (GLI), she rose to the challenge and has demonstrated continuous value for her members, thus creating an environment of sustainability and growth, even during this crisis. She wakes up every morning knowing that she has the ability to influence change.
Under her leadership as the president of GLI, the business community has rallied together to send a message out to the nation that we refuse to be a victim of poor circumstances! Instead, we will rise and stand united to build a better and stronger community.
In this episode, we explore how Sarah creates value for her members and has stepped out to lead our community during this difficult time. Learn how her philosophy, joined with business progress has started a new era of success in our city!
Starting a non-profit is quite the undertaking... especially if you are starting it because you are looking for guidance! Imagine feeling lost and embarrassed because you feel as if you have failed as a parent. Where do you turn?
Jean Schumm, Founder/President of Operation Parent has taken the initiative to create a safe place for parents to learn the trials and difficulties their children may encounter, watch for the warning signs, and make adjustments to help both your children and yourself.
After 15 years of being a constant for parents and watching lots of non-profits fold due to COVID, Operation Parent is branching out to reach families nationally and going the next step locally to help not only in the prevention stage, but also the addiction stage.
Jean believes that we need to love on our parents more. They need to know it is ok to be a parent to your children and they need to be able to recognize the warning signs to steer their children away from.
Join us as Jean shares her passion about Operation Parent and how she has been blessed to grow it without losing site of her reason for starting in the first place.
Leading a company can be a daunting task for any professional. Imagine stepping out of college and launching your own company at the age of 21! David Adler, Chairman and Founder of Bizbash did just that. While Bizbash was not his first business endeavor, it created the building blocks to learn a valuable lesson-- leadership roles will build a business quicker than any sales strategy will do.
After selling his initial company and working for corporate America, David launched Bizbash as an experiment in a world where the internet was just a baby. He created a market to monitor the event industry and elevate it through technology and information sharing. Founded in 2000, BizBash (http://www.bizbash.com) is the leading resource for event organizers around the world. It allows meeting & event planners, as well as event marketers and fundraisers, the ability to peek over the fence to see what works, what is current and what is on the horizon.
In this episode we explore how David's greatest lesson learned, stepping up into leadership roles, has not only prepared him to lead better, but grown his business to an entirely different level.
It can be hard to find your "Center" at home, let alone on the job. How can you be effective and stay balanced? Is it possible?
Life has disrupted Robbie and Denise's plan on a daily basis. Starting a new business 20 years ago, giving up their house to maintain the dream, climbing to the top in their industry, and now handling disruption associated with COVID. Their struggles are unique to them, but struggles like anyone else just the same.
The concept to stay centered in easy. The execution is not always easy.
In this episode, listen to how Denise and Robbie share their life-lesson learned from their unique circumstances that enable their marriage, family, self, and faith to flourish.
Imagine leaving a secure and prestigious position in the corporate banking world to pursue your dream of a new business in journalism and realizing you may have to fold after only a few months.... How do you continue to do your best, when your best seems to be inadequate?
Cathy Zion faced just that when she purchased "Today's Woman". Nearly 25 years have passed since she laid her best plans in place for success, and then was faced with an unexpected dilemma when her primary vendor checked out with no notice. Fast forward to 2020 when Today's Woman is producing their biggest issue of the year for Derby, ready to go to print, and now a completely unexpected Derby cancellation forces a massive magazine re-do! Does it ever get easier?
Companies are continually faced with adversity, but Cathy's philosophy is that you must continue to do your best or don't do it all. As an entrepreneur, it is difficult to maintain 100% quality when you face mountains and valleys with a changing world.
Cathy talks about her challenges and how her parents instilled her drive and ambition to be the best you can be, even on your toughest day. While some are folding during this crisis, others are standing tall and refusing to be distracted from their goal! Cathy's message is simple, but necessary to hear in today's world!
How often do we speak of empowerment in today's world or in our businesses? Do we act on our words or have we become numb to their everyday use?
It has been said that "Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others." What if you could develop a business that is built on lifting and empowering others? What if your vision included sacrificing short term gain to invest in lifelong fulfillment?
Meet Paige Battcher, Owner and Creative Director of Kismet Ideas. Paige is so focused on empowering others that she has transformed her business into a user friendly platform that reaches beyond the website. Paige literally "designs with you in mind"!
Join us as we learn Paige's story and what events have brought her to this point where she is designing to impact and empower for social change!
Managing everyday change is hard enough in our businesses. However, can you imagine postponing an event that the world is watching and has watched for 145 years and on year 146, a crisis called COVID has disturbed the delicate balance? Now this year, instead of planning your normal routine of menu and food management, you have to plan how to manage people and a pandemic!
Chef David Danielson is in the middle of this ever-changing world. His philosophy of "Everyday- What Should We Start Doing, Stop Doing, and Keep Doing?" helps assist with the never-seen-before crisis and change that is necessary to succeed. The event industry is experiencing an unprecedented impact, unlike any other sector, and even the Kentucky Derby is no exception to the rule.
Join us as Chef Danielson shares his story and how his experiences are defining his philosophy this moment and the impact that it will have on America's greatest horse race!
Opportunities come our way each day... but do we welcome them into our lives and use them to our advantage? Especially if they push us outside of our comfort zone?
Meet Sarah Campbell and Jordan Marx! They recently were offered an opportunity to participate in a new Netflix series, The Big Flower Fight, where ten pairs of florists, sculptors and garden designers face off in a friendly floral fight to see who can build the biggest, boldest garden sculptures.
Coming from a world of fresh cut flowers and magnificent floral designs, Sarah, founder of Intrigue Teaches (a floral education company) and Intrigue Designs (a luxury floral design company), and her Communications Director, Jordan Marx were stretched outside their comfort zones! However, they welcomed the challenge and finished as semi-finalists on the new Netflix reality competition show! Now, they’re looking to share their journey and what they’ve learned with the world!
Join us as we get a rare glimpse into this dynamic duo and how they leveraged an unexpected opportunity to grow their success!
Companies must continually create an experience as part of their culture, both internally and externally. As an entrepreneur, maintaining that positive experience for your team and customers each day is perceived by many as an overwhelming initiative.... unless you are Linda Ruffenach. Owner and Founder of two businesses, Execuity and Whisky Chicks, Linda has discovered a unique approach to combining a fun experience with branding and fun!
In this episode we explore how Linda's basic business coaching strategy, incorporated with her philosophy of building "memorable experiences for all the right reasons," can increase your bottom line and stage your company for exponential growth in today's world.
In this segment, Denise and Robbie Jerome, multi-business entrepreneurs, share their views on how to successfully run a business with family working there instead of the traditional "Family Business" mentality. Owning a company where your children, spouse, or other family members work, can be both challenging and rewarding. Robbie and Denise talk about the common pitfalls that can jeopardize your family relationships and how to put mechanisms in place that can protect your family dynamics. They will share stories of being parents, communicating as a married couple, and growing the business with two of their daughters playing active and front runner roles in the company.
Life is more than just balance. It is a dance. Sometimes you waltz. Sometimes you tango. And sometimes you are just out of step. Growing a business into a brand over 30 years requires knowledge of a lot of dance moves. David Tutera, along with his husband Joey Toth, dance their way through life each day!
David's award winning, full-service, domestic and global brand is built from experience, dedication and his natural talent for transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. He still continues to create magic and make dreams come true. Tutera’s impressive client list includes Jennifer Lopez, Vanessa Williams, Matthew Mc Conaughey, Elton John, Zendaya, Barbara Walters, Shania Twain, The Rolling Stones, Vice President Gore at the White House, Kenneth Cole, Tommy Hilfiger, Susan Lucci, Star Jones, the John F. Kennedy Center, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, as well as countless film premieres and celebrity parties for royalty, politicians and socialites. Tutera has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, The View, The Talk, Oprah, Family and Home, CNN, E!, with work featured in The New York Times, People, USA Today, In Touch, Wall Street Journal, In Style, Bridal Guide Magazine, Brides Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Town & Country, Mandala Weddings, LA Style Magazine, and many more.
Join us as we get a rare glimpse into his personal dance and how he uses those steps to grow his success!
Creating value for your shareholders year after year can be a daunting task, but Dave Brewer specializes in just that. Under his leadership as the COO and corporate officer of Middleby Corporation, a premier global corporation overseeing 80 operating brands and 20 presidents /group presidents, Middleby is recognized for delivering unmatched shareholder value , back to back, year over year, for over 10 years.
In this episode we explore how Dave balances business, family, and faith to operate with a positive "What happened FOR me?" mentality instead of a "What happened TO me?" approach. Learn how his concern for his team and decentralized leadership approach has created an innovative atmosphere for both his team and company to flourish.
Starting a company as a woman in a third world country takes a lot of courage! Today, Denise and Robbie have a conversation with Liza Roeser, "author" of Fifty Flowers. Learn how she disrupted the flower industry after completing a Peace Corps assignment in Ecuador—one of the world’s largest exporters of cut flowers—in the 1990s. She saw and seized the opportunity to export directly from farm to consumer and founded Fifty Flowers, today a multi-national, multi-million-dollar company. Learn about her passion for entrepreneurship and how she is a leader for women in business.
This week we are kicking off our podcast series by introducing our hosts, Denise and Robbie Jerome, owners of Michaelis Events and four other businesses. They are sharing with us their triumphs and struggles, boiled down into their Top 5 Lessons Learned.
Denise and Robbie's 20 years of reinventing their business by learning things the hard way have given them the wisdom and courage to share their personal story with you.
This is the first podcast where stories will be shared to inspire entrepreneurs, especially those in the event industry, as we tread into a new era with Covid-19 and seek collaborative ways to share information and boost morale!
This week we are kicking off our podcast series and giving you a preview of our upcoming guest conversations! Denise and Robbie Jerome, owners of Michaelis Events, recognize COVID has been a tough struggle for the hospitality and events industry. We need some uplifting stories to encourage us and get us excited for the future.
Denise and Robbie's story, along with their upcoming guests, will give you the courage to grow and look at each day as a new challenge.
Join us! See what we are all about and check out our launch date on July 16!