But Who's Counting?: Recent Episodes
Anders CPAs + Advisors
You're focused on making important decisions to take your company to the next level, but who's counting? We are. Counting on trends and insight to move your business forward, operationally and strategically. Focused on helping executives achieve their highest potential, But Who's Counting is a podcast shedding light on and breaking down critical issues and opportunities for businesses in our rapidly changing economy. Brought to you by Anders CPAs + Advisors and hosted by Dave Hartley, Partner and Director of Advisory.
To find success in business, you have to first figure out what your target market wants and respond to it. As society and the technology we depend on changes at breakneck speed, it can be challenging for traditional businesses to keep pace. Breathing new life into a service as timeless and constant as the library takes innovation, grit and the support of the surrounding community to pull off.
Advancing technology had the potential to make libraries obsolete, but instead brilliant leadership took advantage of new tech to reinvigorate a beloved neighborhood staple. The St. Louis County Library (SLCL) began a revitalization project to strengthen its ties to the community and keep it relevant in their eyes.
Kristen Sorth, director and CEO of SLCL, joined But Who’s Counting? hosts Dave Hartley and Missy Kelley to discuss the innovative approaches SLCL took to keep libraries on the cutting edge rather than a relic from a different time. Kristen, the recipient of the Visionary Award by St. Louis Magazine, explained how the library earned a seat at the community’s table and why she adapted libraries to meet social needs. The discussion also touched on:
- The innovative programs and partnerships that are having an enormous impact on the community
- What role technology has played in revitalizing the library
- The library’s role in advancing digital equity initiatives
- How they “stood standing” during a crisis and what that meant for the public
- A unique role the library hired and the difference it’s made for staff
“Make sure that innovation means something to someone other than you. If you spend all your time innovating something that is going to have zero impact on people, then you have wasted a ton of time and money.” – Kristen Sorth
Resources to Count On
Want more insight into the conversation? Check out these resources:
- Visit the SLCL website
- Find out more about the Tap In Center
- Learn about the Small Business Center located in the Clark Family Branch
- Keep up with all the upcoming events hosted by the library
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To better understand why your business isn’t meeting its full growth potential, you sometimes have to look from the outside in. Getting an outside perspective into your business can give you helpful insights to make decisions that accelerate growth. Venture capital firms often perform deep dives into prospective businesses during due diligence, which helps uncover a company’s strengths and weaknesses. After examining so many businesses, investors understand what separates a successful business from its competitors.
Missy Kelley and Dave Hartley, co-hosts of But Who’s Counting? were joined by Tim Spihlman, Managing Director of Lewis & Clark Ventures and Lewis & Clark Capital to discuss how business leaders can fuel growth and company value and what steps they can take to build a business investors want to partner with. The free-flowing conversation also included actionable tips to improve accountability within your workforce, identifying your biggest barriers to growth and the following:
- Traits the best leaders have in common
- The key tenants of retaining the right employees
- Where Tim sees AI’s biggest impacts on businesses
- Why it’s important to adopt an “innovation mindset”
“You have to be equal parts empathetic, strong emotional IQ, with equal parts accountability. Your employees need to know that what they do matters. They need to know that you value them and you treasure them as humans, but that doesn't mean you get a pass when you don't perform.” - Tim Spihlman
Resources to Count On
Want more insight into the conversation? Check out these additional resources:
- Connect with Tim on LinkedIn
- Learn more about Lewis & Clark Ventures
- Get to know Lewis & Clark Capital
- Check out ChatLingual, the AI customer service translator
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media:
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How does a 70-year-old PBS station evolve new approaches to public media to remain relevant and impactful even as the media landscape around it changes? Through innovative new approaches and a commitment to its community! Nine PBS is a St. Louis cornerstone with a long history of adapting to fit the changing times, and that constant evolution helped it become the most watched PBS station in the country, as a percentage of households watching.
But Who's Counting? hosts Dave Hartley and Missy Kelley chatted with Amy Shaw, President and CEO of Nine PBS, about the remarkable journey of public media in St. Louis. Amy shared the origins of Nine PBS, highlighted the pioneering St. Louis Plan and discussed the significance of her journey to becoming the first female President and CEO of the station. The conversation also covered:
- How Nine PBS built a financially-healthy not-for-profit
- Human-centered leadership approaches all businesses can learn from
- Why the station refused to downsize staff during the pandemic
- The history behind how PBS became a powerhouse of community, content and connection
- How Nine PBS found success on social media and the gap they fill
“We are not just doing things that are human and interesting and community-based, we’re also finding ways to make it sustainable at the same time.” – Amy Shaw
Resources to Count on
Check out these additional resources for more insight into the conversation:
- Celebrate Nine PBS’ 70th anniversary
- Sign up for Nine PBS Passport
- Watch the Emmy Award-winning short, Drawn In: Brave Hero, Part 2
- Learn more about Carl the Collector, premiering November 14, 2024
- Discover all the ways to support Nine PBS
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Send us a Text Message.
Innovation in the workplace doesn’t happen spontaneously; it needs to be encouraged and cultivated for change to truly take place. Before your company can make transformative use of emerging technologies such as AI, you must carefully examine your organization’s culture and leadership’s reaction to failure to make the jump to the next level not just feasible but inevitable.
Missy Kelley and Dave Hartley, hosts of But Who’s Counting?, welcomed Stefanie Thelen, Chief Innovation Officer for Object Computing, Inc., to discuss ways businesses can empower inventive new approaches to resolve pain points with real-world use cases of AI and automation. Stefanie urges leadership to “mind the soil” to create a more fruitful environment for workers to take on new initiatives courageously and mindfully. She explains approaching AI by asking “where does it hurt” and thinking big to address it. The conversation also touched on:
- Where companies should start when implementing AI into business processes
- How an organization’s reaction to failure directly corresponds to its ability to innovate and how she recovered from a $2 million mistake
- Acknowledging biases and systems that need to change
- Putting AI in the hands of people before it’s needed and how to identify those individuals
- Tangible examples of AI and automation
- Stefanie’s work with Arch Grants to help build the future economy in St. Louis
- The impact Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has on innovation and what it means to “innovate from the edges”
“AI, in some ways, is unlike any other technology evolution or advancement. In a lot of ways, it’s exactly like every other technology evolution or advancement… Continue to ask why and continue to try to pull back and broaden your lens so that you understand that it’s a phenomenal tool, but it’s just another tool.” - Stefanie Thelen
Resources to Count On
Check out these additional resources for more insight into the conversation:
- Connect with Stefanie on LinkedIn
- Learn more about Object Computing, Inc.
- Check out Arch Grants
- Read the transcript of this episode
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The speed of innovation and technological advances over the past decade has been transformative for all businesses, 100-year-old companies and growing startups alike. Baseball’s storied history in America has played a huge role in its popularity, but like any other business, it’s had to evolve to keep up with technology and customer expectations.
St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III and the MLB understood that their audience and their expectations were changing, and competition for entertainment was mounting due to smartphones, among other catalysts. This presented a unique challenge and opportunity for the game of baseball to adapt while remaining true to its beloved traditions.
But Who’s Counting? hosts Dave Hartley and Missy Kelley sat down with Bill to discuss his tenure with the Cardinals and what prompted changes to the game in 2023. They dig into the impact of technology on the game for fans and players, as well as:
- The role of data analytics in driving a better fan experience and operational improvements
- Why it’s important to experiment with big changes before implementing
- Why diversifying, both to cater to different audiences and in revenue streams, ultimately creates more satisfying experiences
- How technology has affected the game and the business
- The link between creativity and innovation
“That’s what baseball’s insight was: how you frame the problem and how you communicate with fans who are so passionate about the game so that they understand that we’re trying to create a better version of the game. It was a goal, a North Star, to find the best version of the game itself, and that appeals pretty much to everybody.” – Bill DeWitt III
Resources to Count On
Check out these additional resources for more insight into the conversation:
- View the Cardinals’ 2024 schedule
- Connect with the Cardinals community online
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media:
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Fostering a healthy workplace creates an environment where the best, smartest ideas can flourish. What are the signs of a healthy workplace and how can leadership create an atmosphere where constructive debate leads to better results? A healthy organization minimizes the corporate politics that restrict innovation, promoting honest, yet difficult, conversations and debates centered on reaching the best ideas. Creating strategic alignment not only in your leadership teams but throughout your organization is an entry point, but it requires commitment at every level.
But Who’s Counting? hosts Dave Hartley and Missy Kelley welcomed Liz Hughes, Principal Consultant at The Table Group. Liz coaches executives to align their teams behaviorally and strategically, helping them achieve organizational clarity while building trust and understanding that improves team cohesion. The discussion also touched on strategies to improve meeting efficiency, recognizing obstacles to innovation and the following:
- How to establish vulnerability-based trust to cultivate an environment where your people are comfortable innovating and sharing ideas
- The difference and benefits of tactical vs. strategic meetings
- Key indicators of organizational health
- Why establishing trust is harder for remote teams
- The four disciplines of organizational health
“Something that really can foster innovation is when you have a healthy, ideological culture of debate [and] robust dialogue [where] all ideas can be heard.” – Liz Hughes
Resources to Count On
Check out these additional resources for more insight into the conversation:
- Connect with Liz on LinkedIn
- Purchase The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business
- Buy The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, sold here
- Order Patrick Lencioni’s latest book, The Six Types of Working Genius
- Read The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three Essential Virtues, sold here
- Check out The Motive: A Leadership Fable, sold here
- Read The Truth About Employee Engagement: A Fable About Addressing the Three Root Causes of Job Misery, sold here
- Buy Death By Meeting: A Leadership Fable
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Artificial intelligence is continuing to advance at an exponential pace, mirroring the advent of the internet in some ways. Like the early days of the internet, some businesses are assuming AI is just a fad that’ll fade with time while others are taking full advantage of this emerging technology to reduce costs while improving efficiency.
Ed Morrissey, Partner and Chief Creative Officer of Integrity Web Consulting, joined co-hosts Dave Hartley and Missy Kelly to talk about the latest advances in generative AI and explain why it’s so critical for businesses to take time to explore and embrace AI applications. The trio also took a detour from AI to discuss how a “holacracy” management framework empowers everyone at Ed’s company into a decision-maker, as well as the following topics:
- The common mistake business leaders make when trying to innovate their workplace
- The importance of being leading edge but not “bleeding-edge”
- Why caution and incremental changes are vital when introducing new technologies How to manage quality control under a holacracy model and why the best workers love the organizational structure
- Resources to use if you’re interested in exploring AI
“The most successful strategies to adopt new or innovative technologies, take AI for example, begin with incremental changes.” – Ed Morrissey
Resources to Count On
Check out these additional resources for more insight into the conversation:
- Connect with Ed on LinkedIn
- Follow Ed on Twitter/X
- Learn more about Integrity
- Keep up with Integrity on Facebook[AB1] [BM2]
- Check out Squad of Bulldogs for AI and Web3 application development
- Explore Scribble AI, the artificial intelligence blog writing assistant
- Discover XDHoldings, an investment and innovation partner for market leaders
- Take a peek inside the Tivoli Offices, home to Integrity
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When a company is thriving, no one wants to think about potential roadblocks or dangers ahead. But when disaster strikes, the right response can be the difference between a business closing its doors or fueling future growth. Whether it’s a new competitor in the market, shifting consumer patterns or even a global pandemic, how can you quickly adapt to the unexpected?
Kicking off the first episode of season three of But Who’s Counting?, longtime host Dave Hartley is joined by his new co-host, Missy Kelley, for a conversation about grit and perseverance with Michael Weiss, owner of Big Shark Bicycle Company in St. Louis, Missouri.
This episode digs into how Michael took his business from chasing demand to creating it. He explains how his company took proactive steps to embrace the sudden surge in demand during the pandemic while still looking ahead to solve issues before they created roadblocks. The wide-ranging conversation also included:
- Why businesses should examine their relationship with demand: are you driving it or is it driving you?
- Weaknesses of big box retailers and how small retailers can differentiate themselves
- How Big Shark Bicycle Co. was able to take advantage of timing and luck to get ahead of consumer trends
- The importance of understanding your business’s vertical while also being instinctual to recognize opportunities
- The key to connecting community efforts to business goals
- How a passion for expanding outdoor culture turned into working on a festival-length film that celebrates American Criterium Racing
“If you’re just doing things at a zero-revenue model, you’re not valuing yourself, you’re not investing in the future of growing a business or growing the market.” - Michael Weiss
Resources to Count On
Want more insight into the conversation? Check out these resources to learn more:
- Connect with Michael Weiss on LinkedIn
- Check out Big Shark Bicycle Company’s website
- Learn more about We Are Rock n Roll from the official trailer
- View the American Criterium Cup’s 2024 Series Calendar
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media:
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Hospitality is often one of the first industries to feel the sting of global events like the COVID-19 pandemic or, looking further back, the 2008 recession. For a business like a hotel to survive the highs and lows, it must rely on a combination of ingenuity, forward-thinking and just a touch of audacity.
For the final episode of season 2 of But Who’s Counting?, host Dave Hartley met with Dave Parmley, founder and owner of Chesterfield Hotels, Inc., to discuss the lessons the hotel mogul learned over his long career in hospitality. Parmley details how he deviated from convention to choose his locations, what he’s done to retain talent post-COVID and the guiding philosophy that enables him to remain proactive, even under unexpected and unforeseeable circumstances. The discussion also covered:
- The story behind Parmley’s purchase of the former Campus Inn in Columbia, Missouri
- Why he made the move from real estate to the hospitality industry
- How the impacts of the 2008 recession and the COVID-19 pandemic compare and their differing effects on the industry
- Why it’s so important for business owners to establish a solid banking relationship
“Try to find a location that has high barriers to entry. It’s probably going to cost you more, it’s going to take you longer, but at least at the end, you’ve got something that somebody else can’t duplicate easily.” – Dave Parmley
This episode marks the end of season 2 of But Who’s Counting? The podcast will return in 2024 for season 3 with more episodes, guests and valuable insights.
Resources to Count OnWant more insight into the conversation? Check out these resources to learn more:
· Check out The Broadway in downtown Columbia
· Learn more about Chesterfield Hotels, Inc. and its properties
· Connect with Chesterfield Hotels, Inc. on Facebook
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media:
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Reinvention. It’s what keeps businesses going and allows entrepreneurs to come up with creative solutions to increase profits and abandon strategies that don’t bring value. At the same time, business leaders must realize they can’t reinvent the wheel alone. It takes a team with a strong company culture to continuously find new ways to innovate.
Host Dave Hartley sits down with Eric Termansen, Founding Partner of Western Retail Advisors, on this episode of But Who’s Counting? to discuss his journey from the corporate world of PetSmart to running his own commercial real estate brokerage. Eric shares inventive ways to shape company culture and encourage employees to take ownership of it. The conversation ranged from Eric’s beginnings at PetSmart to the struggles he endured while starting his own business to his outlook on commercial real estate. Topics discussed also include:
- Building company culture and making it more than just one big event, but rather dozens of little things leaders can do every day
- Handling the stress of being an entrepreneur while facing complications in your personal life
- The impact team sports had on his life and how it prepared him for challenges on and off the field
- How his involvement in the Vistage executive coaching group helped him evolve as a leader
- Eric’s retail outlook and insights around grocery stores, quick-service restaurants and online retailers
“If you ever have an opportunity to own your location, that’s a fantastic way to deploy your capital…owning your own location or locations is always a good strategy for building long term wealth.” – Eric Termansen
Resources to Count On
Want more insight into Dave and Jimmy’s conversation? Check out these resources to learn more:
- Learn more about Western Retail Advisors via their website
- Read more about how Eric overcame adversity to be selected as one of Globest’s Best Bosses in commercial real estate for 2023
- Follow Western Retail Advisors on LinkedIn for more insights
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media:
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Creating a business from scrap requires you to accept the risks that come with entrepreneurship, overcome ever-changing challenges and above all else nurture the passion that drove you into the business in the first place.
In this episode of But Who’s Counting?, host Dave Hartley is joined by Jimmy Sansone, Brother and Co-Owner of The Normal Brand, a St. Louis-based clothing startup success story. Dave and Jimmy discuss how they grew The Normal Brand from their parents’ basement to eight stores across five states with ups and downs along the way. The conversation dives into:
· Overcoming sudden adversity and leading your team to the other side intact
· Putting family first in the family business and why Jimmy’s most important title is “Brother”
· Managing supply chain disruptions and keeping shipments on schedule
· How to build a business that scales even once it leaves your home state
“Action is the best response [to an unexpected disaster]. We couldn’t control everything, the one thing we could control was our reaction to it. Action is the best antidote to anything and so getting to action right away instead of sitting and stewing about it is something that my mom, my dad, my grandparents always encouraged.” -Jimmy Sansone
Resources to Count On
Want more insight into Dave and Jimmy’s conversation? Check out these resources to learn more:
· Check out The Normal Brand’s lineup of elevated clothing that fits your normal
· Connect with Jimmy on LinkedIn
· Follow The Normal Brand on Instagram
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media:
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Competition is nothing new for startups, but following the end of the pandemic, competition for funding has become even more intense. To stand out, particularly to venture capital firms looking to invest, early stage startups have to bring metrics that will entice VCs to fund them over the more mature companies they’re competing with.
Brad Luttrell, Co-Founder and CEO of both Holler Commerce and GoWild, a social media community for outdoor enthusiasts, sits down with But Who’s Counting? podcast host Dave E. Hartley to share his experience steering his companies through the COVID-19 pandemic and how they recovered after their business model crumbled in 2020. Their conversation touched on many of the struggles experienced by startups during the pandemic as well as how the startup market has changed in response. Also covered in this episode:
- How Brad built an e-commerce site in just 90 days after losing $750,000 in one week
- What entrepreneurs can do to power through the “trough of sorrow”
- Actionable advice for startups attempting to fundraise in the current competitive environment
- The three L’s of going live with a product: Launch early, Listen to what’s happening and Look into the data
- Ways to eliminate meeting fatigue and creative company-wide policies that can help
- Why getting fired turned out to be a blessing in disguise
“What has made this really competitive if you’re in a seed stage round, you’ve got companies who should be raising a Series A downshifting and raising in that same size. VCs are going to look at this from a metrics perspective of, ‘How much revenue are they doing, what’s the valuation?’ Their thesis is going to be built around that to some degree.” – Brad Luttrell
Resources to Count On
Check out these additional resources for more insight into Dave and Brad’s conversation:
- Keep up with Brad on LinkedIn
- Read Brad’s free newsletter here for more insights
- Check out Holler Commerce, a turnkey, AI-powered social commerce platform
- Make connections on GoWild, a free social community for outdoor enthusiasts
To help gauge how startups and investors have been impacted by external pressures and how they plan to move forward, the Anders Startup team is inviting startup founders, entrepreneurs, investors and funding sources to take our inaugural St. Louis Startup Funding and Outlook Survey. The survey will get a pulse on the region’s ever-growing startup ecosystem and see if visions align for entrepreneurs and funding sources.
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media:
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Moving from a role in a traditional business to a startup can take some adjustments, but learning how to automate, integrate and build a team from the ground up can empower those who make the switch.
On this episode of the But Who’s Counting? podcast, host Dave Hartley sits down with Jane-Ellis Griggs, the VP of Finance and Operations at St. Louis startup turned bestselling sustainable swimwear brand Summersalt. Jane-Ellis shares Summersalt’s origin story, including a life-changing meal at Chipotle and why she made the drastic career transition from a corporate workplace to a startup. She also divulges how her background in public accounting built a foundation for setting processes and becoming a subject matter expert. The two also discussed:
- How Summersalt is helping to redefine beauty
- What it takes to build a finance and accounting team from the ground up
- What startups and large companies alike should consider when selecting a new platform for their tech stacks
- Lessons on integration and automation for lean teams
“Rehearsing your successes and your wins and always taking a step back to really celebrate the whole trajectory of what you’re accomplishing is really important.”
-Jane-Ellis Griggs
Resources to Count On
Check out these additional resources for more insight into Dave and Jane-Ellis’ conversation:
- Check out Summersalt’s swimwear for everybody
- Follow Summersalt on Facebook
- Connect with Jane-Ellis on LinkedIn
To help gauge how startups and investors have been impacted by external pressures and how they plan to move forward, the Anders Startup team is inviting startup founders, entrepreneurs, investors and funding sources to take our inaugural St. Louis Startup Funding and Outlook Survey. The survey will get a pulse on the region’s ever-growing startup ecosystem and see if visions align for entrepreneurs and funding sources.
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media:
Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Flexibility has quickly become a buzzword in today’s post-pandemic society, and most companies can “talk the talk”, but do you “walk the walk”? Even before it was cool or mainstream, Ballyhoo Workshop empowered their small (but mighty) team with the flexibility needed to take care of business, both at home and at the office.
Katie Schenck, founder and “Chief of Everything” at Ballyhoo Workshop joined host Dave Hartley on this week’s episode of But Who’s Counting to discuss the reasons she purposefully keeps her team small and how she built a marketing agency from the ground up to empower working parents. Katie explains why she embraced workplace flexibility long before it was mainstream to do so. The conversation also touches on:
- The importance of being authentic and genuine in a polished world
- Leveraging video and marketing pieces to share your story with your customers AND your employees
- Advice for executives nervous about taking the leap and getting behind a camera to produce video messaging
- How to find your balance with flexibility
- Finding opportunities to leverage ChatGPT
“I wanted to create a space, largely for women and working moms…Ballyhoo was really created in order to give people an opportunity to do what they love but in a much more flexible timeframe and environment in order to be able to live life the way that they want to live life.” - Katie Schenck
Resources to Count On
Check out these additional resources for more insight into Dave and Katie’s conversation:
- Contact Ballyhoo Workshop
- Follow Ballyhoo Workshop on LinkedIn or Facebook
- Connect with Katie Schenck on LinkedIn
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media:
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Between a labor shortage and the Great Resignation, hiring and retaining experienced talent has been difficult – and employers are tired. But how can companies find the talent they need while staying true to their culture and values?
In this episode of But Who’s Counting?, host David E. Hartley met with female founder and HireLevel. CEO Teresa Katubig to discuss the ways that leadership can hire, train and take accountability for employees, whether they’re in temporary or permanent positions. The conversation also covered:
· Identifying good workers and the one thing you never want to hear from an applicant during the interview
· Where workforce demand is dropping
· The importance of defining your culture, setting boundaries and sharing expectations
· How to build a great employee experience where they understand that they are valued
· Attracting and, most importantly, retaining employees - what works and what doesn’t
In a previous episode of But Who’s Counting, David and Anders Director and Talent Practice Leader Jacques LeBeau discussed ways that employers could survive the Great Resignation by attracting and retaining top talent.
“What we’re seeing now is not the whole, ‘Just find me somebody.’ That has stopped. What we’re seeing now is, ‘I want three good applicants.’ Don’t go into any hiring in panic mode. It doesn’t bode well.” - Teresa Katubig
Resources to Count On
Check out these additional resources for more insight into Dave and Teresa’s conversation:
· Learn more about HireLevel. on their website
· Read The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual and Organizational Accountability, available on Amazon
· Read How Did That Happen?: Holding People Accountable for Results the Positive, Principled Way, available on Amazon
· Read Change the Culture, Change the Game: The Breakthrough Strategy for Energizing Your Organization and Creating Accountability for Results, available on Amazon
· Connect with Teresa on LinkedIn
Listen to But Who’s Counting? by subscribing on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing.
Understanding the connections between your overall wellbeing and your level of success as an entrepreneur can unleash better business decisions. It’s generally assumed that success in business drives happiness, but what if the formula works better the other way around?
But Who’s Counting? host David E. Hartley met with Erin Joy for a wide-ranging conversation about what it means to find success as an entrepreneur, and more importantly how it feels. The founder and executive consultant behind Erin Joy Executive Consulting & Coaching explained the importance of developing relationships within your business community in ways that build a network that lasts a lifetime. The conversation also covered:
- Unique strengths women business owners, and people of all genders and identities, can capitalize on as a tool to further your goals
- The three characteristics small business owners should embrace to create an entrepreneurial legacy
- How developing a deeper than surface level relationship with business advisors can unlock better insights
- As technology advances, pay attention to the changes happening right now, not the ones approaching on the horizon, and allow yourself to evolve to adapt
“My stance is that we want to have a satisfying, enjoyable and happy journey and actually use that to fuel the success in our lives and in our businesses, not the other way around.” – Erin Joy
About Erin Joy Executive Consulting & Coaching
A third-generation woman entrepreneur, Erin Joy provides women business owners and executives with reimagined coaching and consulting. With over 25 years of experience, she serves as a resource for clients facing challenges in their business, showing them how to turn those challenges into opportunities. Erin regularly hosts roundtables, group coaching calls as well as live and online events.
Resources to Count On
Check out these additional resources for more insight into Dave and Erin’s conversation:
- Connect with Erin Joy
- Hear more advice in the Erin Joy Talks Business podcast
- Read The Anatomy of Accomplishment: Your Guide to Bigger, Better Bolder Business Results, available on Amazon
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Leading an organization is filled with challenges, particularly over the course of a merger or acquisition. Business leaders must not only balance the creation of new processes and introduction of new policies with maintaining the same qualities that drew you to acquire that business in the first place.
But Who’s Counting? host David E. Hartley sat down with Jeffrey Promnitz of Zeffert & Associates to discuss practicing effective leadership, the “secret sauce” to constructive goal setting and how to develop a “pyramid of purpose” to help guide decision making so it aligns with your organization’s overall goals. This episode also includes the following insights:
- How recognizing your own weaknesses helps humanize yourself in your employees’ eyes, allowing you to forge and maintain meaningful relationships
- The importance of gaining the trust and loyalty of employees during an acquisition or merger before implementing process changes
- Taking the opportunity presented during acquisition to transform for the better
- Identifying the diverse group of skillsets of a group of employees and how to use that knowledge to determine who plays what role
- How to balance the patience necessary to complete a merger or acquisition with the sense of urgency needed to become the best and the fastest at what you do
“Storytelling is probably one of the most important skills that I would recommend to any leader in any business…Your employees are going to not only understand what you’re doing, but WHY they’re doing it.” – Jeffrey Promnitz
About Zeffert & Associates
Zeffert & Associates partners with property managers, owners, syndicators, housing authorities and state agencies to certify affordable housing compliance. Zeffert ensures properties are decent, safe and sanitary by providing inspection services and quickly reviews files to get families moved into homes.
Resources to Count On
- Learn more about Zeffert & Associates’ history and mission
- Check out Jeffrey Promnitz’s LinkedIn profile
- Follow Zeffert & Associates on Facebook
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Hackers and cybercriminals’ methods have become more sophisticated within the last 10 years, but not every business has the updated cybersecurity network necessary to reduce their vulnerability to attack. But Who’s Counting? host David E. Hartley discussed the need for businesses to overhaul outdated security systems to a strong cybersecurity policy with Anders Principal and Director + Technology Jason N. Gotway. Topics discussed include:
· How your 2010s cybersecurity strategy may be putting your company at risk in 2020s
· Cybersecurity AI and automation aren’t enough to stay secure – why companies need the human element
· Why ransomware attacks are still happening and what should a company do once ransomware is suspected or identified
· Modernizing your cybersecurity strategy through up-to-date patches, prioritizing cybersecurity upgrades, next-gen firewalls and multi-factor authentication software
· How to tap into features you may already have and may not be aware of
· Revisiting your cybersecurity insurance policy
· Vital questions to ask your technology and IT teams and how often business leaders should have these conversations
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Running a family business is difficult but ensuring that the business grows and thrives through generations can feel impossible. Developing a sense of balance, settling on a vision and making hiring decisions to work smarter, not harder helped turn Gioia’s Deli into a multi-generational St. Louis institution.
In this episode of But Who’s Counting?, host David E. Hartley talks with hot salami royalty, Gioia’s Deli owners Amanda and Alex Donley to discuss the challenges they’ve faced as fifth generation small business owners and what they’ve learned over the years, including:
- The importance of establishing a network of mentors and peers
- Social media is an important tool, but letting it become a distraction is bad business
- Empowering employees to take ownership in the business and creating opportunities to encourage employee buy-in
- Challenges and opportunities involved in scaling up the business
- How to bounce back from mistakes and truly learn from them, not run from them
“Social media brings people in the door, but it’s not going to keep them.” -Alex Donley
“One of the biggest things that we learned is that we have an aligned vision as a team … Our vision is to protect this brand and to ensure it’s around for another hundred and five years.” –Amanda Donley
About Gioia’s Deli
Established in 1918 and purchased by the Donley family in 1980, Gioia’s Deli is a favorite St. Louis eatery. Their hot salami sandwiches made them a famed landmark in The Hill, an Italian neighborhood in South St. Louis. In 2017, Gioia’s Deli was honored as a James Beard America’s Classic, the first restaurant in St. Louis to receive the award.
Resources to Count On
- Order Online from Gioia’s Deli
- Connect with Gioia’s Deli on Facebook
- Watch: Gioia’s Deli Wins James Beard Foundation Award
- Enjoy Gioia’s Deli Nationwide via Gold Belly
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To set your business apart from your competition, it will take ingenuity and innovative thinking. Customers expect a continuously improving experience and to provide it, businesses must invest in the teams and technology necessary to retool their company to thrive in change.
In the Season 2 premiere of But Who’s Counting?, host David E. Hartley sat down with changemaker and Integrity CEO John Simanowitz to seek his advice on ways businesses can innovate to improve their processes and come to better, smarter solutions faster than their competitors. Dave and John discussed strategies businesses can employ to optimize their operations to make a more significant impact on customers, as well as the following topics:
- How John built a company in the business of change
- Strategies to recruit the talent your business wants
- Structuring your organization to allow experts to lead while management provides support
- Implementing lessons learned from the military to empower change
“You have to adapt your company to be sort of a purpose-built, talent mouse-trap, right? What do they want, and you have to create that sort of Disneyland for them. But also make sure that [you say], ‘I’ll give you all the flexibility and all I ask in return is high performance.’ And A players, that’s what they live for. They love that.” -John Simanowitz
About Integrity
Integrity is a St. Louis-based agency that works in UX, digital marketing, design and technology and has served clients globally for over 20 years. By offering the technical scope and capabilities of a large corporation with the personalization, transparency and approachability of a small firm, Integrity optimizes and advances businesses. For nearly two decades, Integrity has leveraged a winning combination of business and web consulting and technology to solve its clients’ most complex challenges.
Resources to Count OnCheck out these additional resources for more insight into Dave and John's conversation:
- Read Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by U.S. Army, Retired General Stanly McChrystal for more insight on how the U.S. military changed tactics in the War on Terror
- Learn more about HolacracyOne Management Solutions, which introduces a new framework for the workplace to replace the traditional management hierarchy
- Careers at Integrity
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
It’s been almost three years since the COVID-19 pandemic first began and the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act programs are nearing the end of their lifecycles, so what’s next? But Who’s Counting? host David E. Hartley chatted with returning guest Anders Director + Strategic Growth Paul C. Rhea about which programs are still available to qualifying businesses along with the following points of interest:
- What’s next for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds, Employee Retention Tax Credits (ERTC) and Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF)
- Which CARES Act programs have ended and what is still available
- How long the SBA will be investigating suspicions of criminal or fraudulent activity for PPP loans
- IRS audits are coming for ERTC
- Only about 22% of ERTC-eligible businesses have actually applied for the tax credits
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Although some of the hype around cryptocurrencies has leveled over the last year, it’s clear that digital assets are here to stay, and the not-for-profit industry should understand how this impacts them. In this episode of But Who’s Counting?, David E. Hartley discusses the possible future of crypto in not-for-profit organizations with Jeanne M. Dee, audit partner and leader of the Anders Not-for-Profit team, including the following highlights:
· The current accounting rules regarding crypto and digital assets in the not-for-profit industry
· Possibility for fair value accounting going forward and how that might affect organizations
· What to consider before accepting digital asset or cryptocurrency donations
· Why a well-thought-out gift acceptance policy is more important than ever
· Multiple strategies organizations can consider when accepting crypto donations
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Considering applying for the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC)? Businesses looking to recoup tax savings thanks to extended ERTC rules should be cautious of gray areas in IRS guidance and offers too good to be true. Businesses who previously passed on the CARES Act program may be tempted to give ERTC a second glance, but there are important stipulations that must be met to avoid a costly investigation from the IRS later.
But Who’s Counting? host David E. Hartley discussed the ins and outs of the ERTC with Anders Principal + Tax Sean McKenzie in addition to the following:
· What qualifications a business must meet to apply for an ERTC
· How a business can use both PPP and ERTC, with some important exceptions
· How you can recoup tax savings from 2020 and 2021 by amending past tax filings.
· What businesses who only experienced a partial shutdown during the coronavirus pandemic should watch out for
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Some of the largest companies are now accepting bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as payment, but how and when will this impact small and mid-size businesses? In this segment of But Who's Counting?, David E. Hartley sits down with Anders tax partner and cryptocurrency guru Derek A. Barnard to dive into what investors and businesses need to know before they get involved with crypto, including:
- Clearly defining blockchain and cryptocurrency
- Tax implications of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies
- What businesses should know about investing and transacting in digital currencies
- How companies will need to evolve to accept cryptocurrency as payment
- Lessons learned coming out of the initial crypto "gold rush"
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From recovering from pandemic shutdowns and health requirements to dealing with a widespread labor shortage and rising food costs, it's been a rough couple of years for the restaurant industry. But expansion and relief are happening if restaurant owners understand their options.
In this special Restaurant Industry Edition of But Who's Counting? , host David E. Hartley sits down with Anders tax partner, foodie and co-leader of the firm's Lodging Food and Beverage group, Dan K. Schindler, to discuss critical issues facing restaurants today, including:
- How to maximize government funding including the Employee Retention Tax Credit and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans
- Actions you must take now if you received funds from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF)
- Growth limitations if you received an Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
- Hiring and retaining staff during a labor shortage
- Monitoring cash flow, pricing and margins
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
It's estimated that companies will lose about 5% of annual revenue to fraud or $4.7 trillion globally. While we dug into how the pandemic created opportunities for fraud in a previous episode, there is so much more business leaders and owners need to be aware of to prevent fraud before it's too late. In this episode of the But Who's Counting? podcast, host David E. Hartley sits down with Anders Partner and Director + Forensic, Valuation and Litigation, Kevin Summers, to dig into what you need to know, including:
- One of the best ways to prevent fraud in your organization
- How fraudsters alter documents for false expense reporting
- Real-life fraud examples, including the "praying AP clerk" and the "penny-pinching office manager"
- Why your company should have a process for setting up vendors
- Top 5 steps to take if you suspect fraud in your company
- Key takeaways from ACFE's report, Occupational Fraud 2022: A Report to the Nations
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
While traditional 401(k) retirement plans are commonplace at most companies, business owners can reap multiple benefits from a cash balance plan option. In this episode of But Who's Counting? , host David E. Hartley sits down with Claris Advisors Senior Vice President + Wealth Advisor, Scott H. Iverson, to discuss how cash balance plans differ from pensions of the past. We cover several topics, including:
- Tax benefits for business owners who add a cash balance plan to retirement offerings
- How cash balance plans can be used as a talent retention tool
- Levers to pull to create maximum benefits for the business and its employees
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
The startup ecosystem is booming with opportunities for businesses to invest in innovation. In this episode of But Who's Counting? , host David E. Hartley sits down with Anders Partner + Tax, Dave M. Finklang, to talk about why and how companies should bet on early-stage companies. We cover several topics, including:
- How partnering with startups can jump-start innovation for established businesses
- Common misconceptions about startups working with larger companies
- How to get involved in the startup ecosystem to identify opportunities to partner or acquire
- What companies should consider before trying to acquire a startup
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
In a special episode of the But Who's Counting? podcast, host David E. Hartley meets with Jody Grunden, CEO and co-founder of Summit CPA, a division of Anders, to discuss what the future looks like for Anders and Summit together. They dive into the story behind Summit's successful virtual CFO offering and how the recent Anders and Summit merger will open opportunities for innovation and bring more value to our clients.
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
In a special episode of the But Who's Counting? podcast, host David E. Hartley meets with Adam Hale, COO and co-founder of Summit CPA, a division of Anders, to take a deeper look into how two eager entrepreneurs built a remote, strategic advisory firm from the ground up. You'll hear insight that business leaders need to know, including how to be intentional in working on your business — not just in your business.
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Fraud may not be something your business worries about from day to day, but the pandemic has created unprecedented opportunities for fraud that business owners and executives need to be aware of and keep an eye out for. In the fifth episode of the But Who's Counting? podcast, host David E. Hartley sits down with Anders Senior Manager + Forensic and Litigation, Clay M. Kniepmann, to dig into what you need to know, including:
- Why there's a rise of PPP loan and unemployment fraud
- Identifying potential fraud and steps to take if you suspect fraud in your organization
- Tips to implement today to prevent opportunities for fraud
- Why a financial statement audit isn't enough to uncover and prevent fraud
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
Interest rates are on the rise for the first time in years, but how exactly does this rate hike impact your business and how do you prepare for what's next? In the fourth episode of the But Who's Counting? podcast, host David E. Hartley sits down with Anders Director + Strategic Growth, Paul C. Rhea, to dive into what you need to know, including:
- Interest rate history and how we got to where we are today
- The Fed's plan for interest rates today and into the next year
- Strategies that mid-to-large size businesses should be aware of in regards to the pending hike
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
To survive and thrive in the current business environment, CFOs need to adapt in their roles and go beyond just financial insight to foster growth in their companies. In the third episode of the But Who's Counting? podcast, host David E. Hartley sits down with Anders Principal and Director + Outsourced CFO, Beth Schulte, to discuss:
- How the role of CFO is changing
- Implications of the talent shortage on the accounting profession
- Importance of embracing automation and RPA tools to move people to more valuable work
- M&A trends and why businesses should always be prepared to sell
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
As businesses move through the pandemic stages of survival mode, to recovery to expansion we take a look at the next steps from a relief and banking perspective. In the second episode of the But Who's Counting?podcast, host David E. Hartley speaks with Anders Director + Strategic Growth, Paul Rhea, about key points to consider when it comes to banking, including:
- What programs are still left on the table and timing
- Tapping into the influx of cash in the current lending environment
- The importance of building your banking relationship
- How to make your business more “bankable”
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
With the "great resignation" impacting employers in every industry across the country, how can companies differentiate themselves to attract the top talent they need, and then retain them for the long term? In the first episode of the But Who's Counting?podcast, host David E. Hartley speaks with Anders Director + Talent, Jacques Lebeau, about details of the current talent shortage, including:
- Why employees are reevaluating priorities and seeking more value
- How companies can tell their story better and adapt to give candidates what they're looking for
- What to do when a job posting doesn't attract applicants
- How burnout and exhaustion are impacting employees
- Planning and timing around hiring for retirements and employee transitions
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You're focused on making important decisions to take your company to the next level, but who's counting? We are.A brand new podcast brought to you by Anders CPAs + Advisors, But Who's Counting? is designed to provide real-world takeaways and examples of how business owners and C-suite executives can improve areas of their business. Podcast host and Anders Partner and Director + Advisory, David E. Hartley, sits down with fellow advisors and subject matter experts to share what they're seeing in the marketplace and actionable advice business leaders can use to empower growth today and in the future.
The first introductory episode features Anders Managing Partner, Robert J. Minkler, Jr. He offers context around the value that Anders and this podcast provide, along with a preview of what listeners can expect by tuning in to upcoming episodes.
Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website following us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter