Arizona Good Business

Commitment to Community E43 In this episode of Arizona Good Business, host, Thomas Barr discusses with Andy Shirk, CEO of Educational Services, Inc., their mission to address staffing challenges in schools amidst teacher pay issues and shifts in teaching perception. They emphasize the need for more educators and ESI’s role in supporting HR managers. Shirk […]

Growing Botanical Wellness with the Community E42 In this episode of Arizona Good Business, Thomas Barr engages in a comprehensive discussion with Cathleen Mitchell, the founder of Kaya Holistic. Explored are the store’s evolution from a focus on CBD products to a holistic botanical wellness approach, emphasizing education, sustainability, and advocacy for the entire hemp […]

Small Businesses and the Arizona Childcare Crisis: What’s at Stake E41 In this episode, host Thomas Barr discusses Arizona’s childcare crisis, exploring its impact on small businesses and the local economy through an interview with Patrick Contrades and Ofelia Gonzalez from First Things First. Established in 2006 through a tobacco tax initiative, First Things First […]

Community Focused Cuisine, Conceptually Social E40 In this episode, Thomas Barr interviews Kyu and Brianna, founder and CEO of Conceptually Social, delving into their journey, philosophy, and community involvement in the Phoenix-based restaurant and catering company. The conversation highlights the company’s roots in downtown Phoenix, Brianna’s transition from corporate America, and the challenges of operating […]

Growing a Green Business in Arizona E39 In this episode of the Arizona Good Business Podcast, host Thomas Barr, Vice President of Business Development at Local First Arizona, welcomes two distinguished guests, John Mittman, CEO of Obodo Energy Partners, and Kyler Colin, Operations Director at Phoenix Water Solutions. John Mittman, with a background in mechanical […]

Steven Harris with Journey Payroll, PHX and Erik Verryden with NexGen Partner Strategies E38 Local First Arizona returns for the Arizona Good Business Podcast! Our VP of Business Development, Thomas Barr, joins Erik Verryden of NexGen Partner Strategies and Stephen Harris of Journey Payroll to talk business, community and building relationships. As two long time […]

Lloyd Hopkins with Million Dollar Teacher Project E37 Local First AZ is back with another epsiode of Arizona Good Business with nonprofit leader and Executive Director of Million Dollar Teacher Project, Lloyd Hopkins. Thomas and Lloyd discuss their passion and care for teachers, why businesses who care about the well-being of our teachers, and how […]

Kendall Taylor with Valley Schools Management Group E36 VSMG is a leading employee benefits consultant dedicated exclusively to serving the needs of Arizona’s school districts, municipalities, and other public entities for over 17 years. With offices in Phoenix and Tucson, we are committed to delivering expert advice, forward-thinking strategies, and cost-effective solutions to help clients […]

Gregg Edgar with Arizona Lottery E35 Since 1981, the Arizona Lottery and its retail partners have generated nearly $5 billion in support of programs that help to improve the quality of life for the people of Arizona. Proceeds from Lottery ticket sales fund programs in higher education, economic development, environmental conservation and health and human […]

Stephanie Morales with Persevere E34 Persevere is a national 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to end mass incarceration, reduce recidivism, and empower incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and other justice-involved men and women to succeed. We influence this by providing full stack coding education inside of state prisons, career readiness classes, job placement and a full year of […]