Grace Bruins sits down with hiring expert Talmar Anderson to unpack the unique challenges faced by small business owners in building effective and loyal teams. Tamara brings her seasoned insights on hiring and managing staff, drawn from her experience at Boss HQ.

Together, they discuss practical strategies for overcoming the common pitfalls in recruitment and leadership, emphasizing the importance of defining success in roles and understanding the true cost of hiring for potential rather than capability.

Talmar shares her patented "bossification" process, designed to streamline hiring and foster a stronger leadership culture within small businesses.

Episode Highlights

01:26 - We are serving clients with our first in-person event in Savannah, Georgia in January. We're teaching business owners how to really step into that CEO and how to hire a trusted second-in-command, how to really build that leadership team that they can count on so they can step out.

02:51 - The key is we have to take the time to sit down and decide and define what success is in this role before we start to write employment ads and job descriptions and interview people because we can't build positions around personalities.

06:43 - We're spending too much time fixing people's mistakes. We're spending too much time trying to get them to truly understand what they need to do or worse, trying to get them to care about moving up when they're like, "I kind of like just being this person."

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Grace Bruins sits down with Pat Miller, founder of the Small Business Owners Community, to discuss the exciting and ever-evolving role of AI in today’s business world.

Pat shares his journey from a two-decade career in broadcasting to becoming a leading advocate for AI integration in small businesses. Pat unveils practical strategies for leveraging AI to boost productivity, create stellar content, and maintain a competitive edge.

Listeners can expect a relaxed, yet insightful discussion as Grace and Pat unpack the practical side of AI, with plenty of actionable takeaways. Tune in to hear Grace and Pat talk through real-world strategies and how AI is shaping the future of small business growth. This is one conversation you won't want to miss!

Episode Highlights

13:20 - You can hold a meeting with someone and then run that transcript through ChatGPT or whatever your AI tool might be and ask it to interpret what it heard or what it read in the transcript from the person you were working with.

15:30 - The thing that you should be scared about is if you're trying to ignore it or wish that it's not part of your reality. If that's you, you should be scared.

23:54 - When you start with a pen and a paper and you start writing down repetitive tasks, tasks that take way too long, and tasks that you hate, because we all have tasks that we don't like to do. You'll end up with a list of stuff that's repetitive, time-consuming, not fun, not fulfilling.

39:09 - That's why you need others around you that will challenge you, will support you, and will honor you and most of all, will understand.

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Grace unveils the secrets of brand storytelling magic with co-founders Dave & Michael Neelsen of StoryFirst Media. Learn how storytelling goes beyond marketing to become the core of a successful business strategy.

Dave and Michael share insights from their unique father-son collaboration and reveal how they transitioned from production to powerful storytelling consultation. Grace dissects the art of turning animal facts into inspirational advice, proving that even armadillos have their wisdom!

Episode Highlights:

07:25 - The biggest power is when you can show it through your actions. So that's what we do every day in a business. But when you're talking about a marketing perspective, bringing it to life. One of the greatest things about video is because it can tell a story in a way that other mediums can't because you have the power of the visual to actually be able to bring it to life.

25:27 - We are trying to deliver that storytelling clarity, that action-based story guide that comes in a similar kind of packet, but it's not about graphics. It's not about brand colors. It's not about all that stuff. It is about how does this brand behave in the pursuit of success for the customer.

32:28 - Understand that the story you're telling is not yours. It's your customer story. And that what that really means is everything that you're doing is in some way playing a scene or a role in the customer's narrative.

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Join host Grace Bruins as she chats with Dr. Stacia Thompson, President and CEO of Sherman Phoenix, about the power of community and collaboration in supporting Milwaukee's entrepreneurs.

Dr. Stacia Thompson, a recognized figure for her leadership and innovation, shares about the transformative role of Sherman Phoenix as a non-traditional incubator and entrepreneurial hub. Discover compelling stories of success, resilience, and the importance of community support in fostering business growth.

Episode Highlights

05:18 - We're a marketplace, but we really are an entrepreneurial hub. So we are a non-traditional incubator. In addition to that, we also have event space that we use for ourselves. Some of our business owners in-house use it, but then others come and rent it out.

08:41 - The beauty of us being the foundation is everything doesn't have to happen in the building. We've got some amazing partnerships around the city and around the state in which we can go there, they can come here to do this programming, and to work together and to partner and collaborate.

34:08 - Don't be afraid to ask or seek out resources because there are so many resources or spaces that can help when you feel like you're struggling. No matter if it's financial, physical, mental. If you're entrepreneur starting your business, there are so many resources out there right now if you just look for them or go talk to the right people to tell you who has them.

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Join us for an enlightening episode as we explore the intricacies of communication with Brian Hendricks, CEO of Dynamic Developments Training and Leadership. Brian shares his wealth of knowledge on fostering effective communication in both personal and professional settings, highlighting methods to tailor your message and enhance understanding across various communication styles.

Brian's journey from a college basketball coach to a leader in training and development offers inspiring insights into resilience, adaptability, and the importance of continuous improvement. With practical advice and engaging anecdotes, this episode is a treasure trove for anyone looking to refine their communication skills.

Episode highlights

02:22 - My belief is that the number one conflict in any situation, whether it's personal or professional, is either a miscommunication or a misperception of communication.

14:02 - We're not just here to give you theory. We're here to give you actual things that you can do to make you a better communicator, to make you a better leader, to help you be a better presenter.

36:16 - When it comes to communication, you have to be able to read that person in front of you and tap into what they need and what part of communication that they're going to get from me.

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The Communicator's Playbook

Grace chats with local community catalyst Robert Kos about the integral role of music and events in revitalizing downtown areas. They explore how strategic partnerships and unique community initiatives can transform small towns into vibrant hubs of activity. Robert shares his journey from musician to downtown director, offering keen insights into the importance of collaboration and community engagement.

Robert brings his deep experience in event planning and his passion for community building, weaving in stories from his time in the music industry and local Wisconsin towns to highlight the impact of effective community-driven projects.

Episode Highlights:

07:48 - In my role, what I've really enjoyed is working with local businesses and getting to know them, because many of them totally get it. They understand that, and I love working with with them, and they have a clear vision of what it is that they're trying to accomplish, who they're trying to get in front of, and how can they help. Then there's other business owners who aren't as clear on that, and I love sort of introducing them to this concept of community and giving back, and how can we as Menomonee Falls Downtown or Village of Wauwatosa BID, how can we help you and your business achieve your goals, in addition to you helping us in the community.

10:21 - Don't forget what we're doing is trying to drive traffic to the downtown areas to help our businesses, but also create things that will help enhance the quality of life for residents, to make it more attractive for people to to live there, and then more attractive for businesses to move there. And at the same time if those events generate revenue, then we then can put that revenue back into the community.

21:34 - I think the importance of realizing that you're part of a community and seeing how can I work together with my neighbors, residents and businesses to really benefit all of us, and give back to the community which will benefit all of us together.

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Welcome to Banking On Business Podcast where we provide practical strategies to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. In today’s episode, we are diving deep into the world of employee training and onboarding with our special guests, Kerry Murphy and Kailey Bauer from Horicon Bank.

Kerry and Kailey bring a wealth of experience, having transitioned from informal training roles to formal ones, driven by their passion for teaching and commitment to helping others succeed. We'll explore the evolution of training programs and how adapting methods to individual needs, soliciting feedback, and maintaining flexibility are vital for employee retention and satisfaction.

Join us as we discuss the innovative "Take Flight Day" and "Greater Heights Day" programs, which offer comprehensive onboarding experiences for new employees, and hear insightful stories about staying calm in challenging situations, the unexpected success of referral programs, and even some light-hearted moments about manatees and first CDs.

Whether you’re a small business owner looking to improve your training processes or just interested in employee development, this episode has something for everyone. Let’s get started!

Episode Highlights

09:23 - I can step in and be this person for you, because it also creates consistency. So, if you can come to me for that kind of a question, I know that if I say it to you and have you go out and do it that way, perhaps somebody else will catch on who might not quite be doing it that way, and it can kinda create that trickle effect of consistency, which is so important not only as an organization, but certainly for our customers, too.

17:47 - Every person has a unique reason why they're coming into the bank. So, you can open a perfect checking account for a joint couple or whatever it is, and then they come in and they just have this one off situation because they've got something unique and special going on in their life.

23:18 - One of the biggest takeaways that we brought back from this conference was that people were taking a day, sometimes more than a day, during somebody's initial onboarding experience, and they were teaching them about culture. They were completely submersing them into this is the company that you're coming to work for. Let us tell you about it.

32:26 - I'm not going to sugarcoat that, but it's what we did. But especially with so many people who have never been in banking are coming in now. It became very apparent. It was too much at once. So, we had to adjust, pivot, and start to change our our training programs to reflect the skills level that is coming in.

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Elzie shares his personal story of inadvertently stepping into the world of podcasting—transitioning from seeking knowledge to facilitating a platform for entrepreneurs to voice their stories. What begins as a tale of accidental discovery, unfolds into a masterclass on using podcasting as a lever for business growth and relationship-building.

Episode Highlights:

11:45 - Realizing the untapped potential of podcasting, I didn't set out to be a podcaster—it was a happy accident that turned into a path for empowering entrepreneurs.

17:30 - Entrepreneurs often overlook the importance of self-mastery. Know who you are to master your business. As I always say, self-awareness is your silent partner in success.

29:50 - Having a banker is like having a co-pilot in your business journey. They're not just number crunchers; they're dream enablers, providing the financial insights to fuel your business engine.

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