BUnconventional's Podcast

Doreen Block, a startup strategy consulting, entrepreneur and author of The Coolest Startups in America joins co-hosts David Biondo and Dean Rotbart in a conversation about what it takes to be a successful, standout startup business. In her new book, Doreen identifies 72 of the best, most innovative companies in the United States.

This is part two of a two-part interview.

Also on this segment, B. Unconventional Certified Entrepreneur #1, Homer Hudson Hillis, Jr., pays tribute to his uncle, Martin Hillis, who passed away in February 2012 at age 90. "Uncle Martin" was a WWII air corps veteran who lived a content life and epitomized the verse, "Godliness with contentment is great gain."

B. Unconventional airs each Sunday morning at 8 a.m. (MST). The program is also streamed over the Internet at www.710KNUS.com.

Original air date: March 4, 2012

Doreen Block, a startup strategy consulting, entrepreneur and author of The Coolest Startups in America joins co-hosts David Biondo and Dean Rotbart in a conversation about what it takes to be a successful, standout startup business. In her new book, Doreen identifies 72 of the best, most innovative companies in the United States.

This is part one of a two-part interview.

B. Unconventional airs each Sunday morning at 8 a.m. (MST). The program is also streamed over the Internet at www.710KNUS.com.

Original air date: March 4, 2012 Photo: Doreen Bloch, Coolest Startups in America

Regular B. Unconventional contributor Ellen Rohr joins co-hosts David Biondo and Dean Rotbart to talk about tax-filing season and ways business owners and entrepreneurs can simplify the process. Ellen, our "B. Simple" contributor, offers five specific steps for business owners to take to make tax season less of a burden.

Ellen is the owner of Bare Bones Biz. She is a noted author, consultant and public speaker.

For a free tax preparation check list, visit: www.barebonesbiz.com/taxtips

This is part two of a two-part interview.

B. Unconventional airs each Sunday morning at 8 a.m. (MST). The program is also streamed over the Internet at www.710KNUS.com.

Original air date: March 4, 2012 Photo: Ellen Rohr, Bare Bones Biz

Regular B. Unconventional contributor Ellen Rohr joins co-hosts David Biondo and Dean Rotbart to talk about tax-filing season and ways business owners and entrepreneurs can simplify the process. Ellen, owner of Bare Bones Biz, is a noted author, consultant and public speaker.

This is part one of a two-part interview.

B. Unconventional airs each Sunday morning at 8 a.m. (MST). The program is also streamed over the Internet at www.710KNUS.com.

Original air date: March 4, 2012Photo: Ellen Rohr, Bare Bones Biz

Unlike so many other time management books that aim to help parents increase their daily efficiency, No Regrets Parenting by Dr. Harley A. Rotbart has struck a chord with readers nationwide because of its emphasis on intimacy. Rather than teaching parents to organize their child-rearing routines, Dr. Rotbart shows moms and dads creative, easy, even fun methods to optimize their time with their kids.

On this week's final segment, Dr. Rotbart joins co-hosts David Biondo and Dean Rotbart to explain that the most important measure for busy executives is not how much time they allow themselves each day to spend with their children, but rather how they make the time that they do spend special and memorable.

Dr. Rotbart, a professor and vice chairman of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital, has been observing successful parenting techniques – and some not so successful approaches – for three decades.

B. Unconventional airs each Sunday morning at 8 a.m. (MST). The program is also streamed over the Internet at www.710KNUS.com.

Original air date: February 26, 2012

Photo: Dr. Harley A. Rotbart, No Regrets Parenting – Turning Long Days and Short Years into Cherished Moments with Your Kids

The Business Unconventional "book club" continues its exploration of the business skills required by successful book authors.

On this segment, the final of three related segments, guest moderator Cathy Langer and three successful authors share insights that aspiring authors can use to help them along their journey, including the question of how to connect with a good book agent.

Cathy is the head book buyer at Colorado's famed Tattered Cover Bookstore. Joining her in this conversation are Nick Arvin, author of The Reconstructionist; Erin Blakemore, author of The Heroine's Bookshelf; and Eli Gottlieb, author of The Face Thief.

B. Unconventional airs each Sunday morning at 8 a.m. (MST) on 710 KNUS in Denver. The program, hosted by David Biondo and Dean Rotbart, is also streamed over the Internet at www.710KNUS.com.

Original air date: February 26, 2012Photo: Erin Blakemore, The Heroine's Bookshelf

Cathy Langer, head book buyer for the Tattered Cover Bookstore, moderates a panel featuring three success authors in a discussion of the business skills required to be a "Literary CEO."

Joining Cathy in the 710 KNUS AM studios are Nick Arvin, author of The Reconstructionist, and Erin Blakemore, author of The Heroine's Bookshelf. Also participating by phone from New York is Eli Gottlieb, author of The Face Thief.

As co-hosts David Biondo and Dean Rotbart point out, writing and successfully publishing a book is very much a business - requiring many of the same skills that any successful entrepreneur must master.

Do you have the right product line (subject matter)? How much will it cost to produce (time, lost opportunities, out-of-pocket expenses)? What's your marketing plan (if no one buys the book, then what)? Do you have the self-discipline and dedication to see the project through? What type of team do you need to assemble to get the job done (agent, publisher, PR, editor, etc.)?

This is the second of three related segments.

Original air date: February 26, 2012Photo: Nick Arvin, The Reconstructionist

Put on your reading glasses and turn up the volume. On this week's edition of Business Unconventional, we're talking to some "literary CEOs" - also known as authors.

Writing and successfully publishing a book is very much a business - requiring many of the same skills that any successful entrepreneur must master.

Joining co-hosts David Biondo and Dean Rotbart on this week's program as a guest moderator is Cathy Langer, head book buyer at Colorado's Tattered Cover Bookstore. Cathy is a regular contributor to B. Unconventional and one of the program's most popular guests.

In this, the first of three related segments, Cathy explains the business aspects of merchandising a bookstore and talks about why the Tattered Cover is such a unique and popular destination for book buyers.

B. Unconventional airs each Sunday morning at 8 a.m. (MST). The program is also streamed over the Internet at www.710KNUS.com.

Original air date: February 26, 2012

Photo: Cathy Langer, Tattered Cover

Money, work, and the economy are significant causes of stress for residents of the Denver metropolitan area, and stress in Denver is still higher than considered healthy, according to a recent survey released by the American Psychological Association.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Stephanie Smith joins Business Unconventional co-hosts David Biondo and Dean Rotbart to discuss the implications of the survey for business owners and employees. Dr. Smith is the co-owner of Front Range Psychological Associates in Erie, Colorado.

This is part two of a two-part interview.

Also during this segment, B. Unconventional Certified Entrepreneur #1, Homer Hudson Hillis, Jr., phones in from his headquarters in Abilene, Texas, to discuss entrepreneurial stress and how he manages it. On a scale of one-to-ten, how stressful do you find your job? Hillis tells us his answer.

Business Unconventional airs each Sunday morning at 8 a.m. (MST) on 710 KNUS in Denver. It is also streamed over the Internet at www.710KNUS.com.

Original air date: February 19, 2012

Photo: Dr. Stephanie Smith, Front Range Psychological Associates

Headquartered in Denver, DaVita Inc. is a Fortune 500 company that provides kidney care, but shows a big heart when it comes to its philanthropy.

The DaVita Way of Giving is a locally-focused charitable giving initative that has provided more than $1.1 million in donations to non-profit organizations across the country.

On this edition of B. Unconventional, DaVita executive Dave Maughan, a Group Vice President, explains how his company's culture and mission fit with its unique style of charible giving. He is joined by Mindy Davidson, Director of Development with Project Angel Heart, one of the organizations receiving funds as a result of the DaVita Way of Giving.

This is part two of a two-part interview.

Also during this segment:

Money, work, and the economy are significant causes of stress for residents of the Denver metropolitan area, and stress in Denver is still higher than considered healthy, according to a recent survey released by the American Psychological Association.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Stephanie Smith joins Business Unconventional co-hosts David Biondo and Dean Rotbart to discuss the implications of the survey for business owners and employees. Dr. Smith is the co-owner of Front Range Psychological Associates in Erie, Colorado.

This is part one of a two-part interview.

Business Unconventional airs each Sunday morning at 8 a.m. (MST) on 710 KNUS in Denver. It is also streamed over the Internet at www.710KNUS.com.

Original air date: February 19, 2012

Photo: Dean Rotbart, Co-Host