Author and Speaker, and former senior sales executive at Cisco, Salesforce and Dell, Paul Yankey, MBA joins host Dirk Hobbs on this week's Business Digest Radio program. Paul outlines how a strong marketing foundations and expectations can drive an organization's top and bottom lines and set sales teams up for great success. 

His book Free - The Only Way to Sell, challenges business leaders to rethink what they expect from marketing, not as a cost center, but as a measurable growth engine. Yankey argues that too many companies tolerate vague promises, vanity metrics, and activity without accountability. Business owners and executives should expect marketing teams - whether in-house or outsourced - to clearly understand the company’s strategic goals, ideal customer, competitive landscape, and revenue objectives.

Effective marketing partners should deliver more than impressions, clicks, or social engagement; they should connect marketing efforts to tangible business outcomes such as qualified leads, customer acquisition, retention, and brand trust. Leaders should demand clear KPIs, transparent reporting, consistent communication, and proactive strategic recommendations.

Yankey emphasizes that strong marketers function as growth partners, not order takers. They should challenge assumptions, bring market intelligence, and help leadership make better decisions. Ultimately, marketing should create clarity, credibility, and sustainable business momentum - not confusion or dependency.

Learn more about Paul and how you can bring Paul's expertise to your conference or organization: https://paulyankey.com/

Don’t miss this week’s Business Digest Radio with Host Dirk Hobbs, featuring Melissa Eickhoff, CEO of the The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb by Gran Turismo.

Hear the story behind the legendary Race to the Clouds as Melissa shares the rich history of this iconic event, race week highlights including Fan Fest in downtown Colorado Springs, and how elite teams prepare for the 104th running. We also dive into the race’s global audience, marketing power, and major economic impact—showcasing why this world-class event is a powerful asset for Southern Colorado.

TICKETS: PPIHC.ORG

More Business Digest Radio Shows: 

#PikesPeakInternationalHillClimb #Motorsports #ColoradoSprings #PikesPeak #GranTurismo #MelissaEickhoff #DirkHobbs #BusinessDigestRadio #SpencerPenrose #TheBroadmoor

WEBSITE: FLYCOS.COM

During a recent conversation with Colorado Springs Airport Aviation Director Alex Kovacs, one message stood out clearly: the Colorado Springs Airport (COS) is far more than a transportation hub-it is a critical economic development asset for Southern Colorado.

Serving more than 2.4 million passengers annually, COS functions as a front door to our region for business leaders, investors, tourists, military personnel, and residents alike. The airport's connectivity supports business recruitment, workforce mobility, tourism, conventions, defense operations, and overall regional competitiveness.

What makes COS unique is convenience. Travelers benefit from easy access, affordable parking, short security lines, modern concourse improvements, new passenger amenities, and a growing lounge experience-all without the congestion associated with larger airports. The ongoing ElevateCOS modernization project continues to enhance the customer experience while positioning the airport for future growth.

Perhaps most importantly, the airport's success depends on us. Every time Southern Colorado travelers choose to fly from COS, they help strengthen passenger demand that supports existing routes and encourages airlines to add new destinations. Those choices directly influence the level of air service available to businesses and residents throughout the region.

For Southern Colorado's economy to remain competitive, we must continue viewing our airport as essential infrastructure. Whether traveling for business or leisure, using Colorado Springs Airport is an investment in the region's economic future, helping sustain the air service, connectivity, and opportunities that keep Southern Colorado growing.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Colorado Rural Development - State Director, Sallie Clark joins host Dirk Hobbs to reveal how Colorado's rural communities are partnering with the USDA for major projects. 

The former El Paso County Commissioner and Colorado Springs City Councilwoman explains how the USDA is uniquely positioned to serve rural communities (communities with 50K or fewer residents), play a critical role in strengthening rural communities through loans, grants, technical assistance and infrastructure investment. The agency supports affordable housing, business growth, broadband expansion, water systems, healthcare facilities and workforce development projects that help drive economic prosperity, improve quality of life and sustain long-term growth across rural Colorado.

Learn more about the USDA and how to collaborate with the office to apply for grants to strengthen and build key infrastructure, affordable housing solutions, healthcare and education facilities and programs, and more at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/co

Watch this an other podcasts on the So Colorado Business Forum & Digest main page: https://socodigest.com/#youtube 

Founder of Upward Treasury Partners, Becky Limoge, Certified Treasury Professional and her partner and fellow senior bank executive Jared Schmidt join Business Digest Radio host, Dirk R. Hobbs to discuss how the business banking experience should be viewed and used as a surgical instrument - an operational tool for the business.

And for the Bank Executive: How your institution can optimize business performance for your accounts and win customers for life. What you're leaving on the table...

Upward Treasury website: https://upwardtreasury.com

Subscribe to The Digest: https://socodigest.com/subscribe | To appear on Business Digest Radio: [email protected]

Mr. Jason Green, Co-founder and Chief Operations Officer at Raeden - a California-based technology infrastructure company, joins host, Dirk Hobbs to showcase their proposal which would become the largest data center development in Colorado Springs history: A 50+ megawatt artificial intelligence-focused facility planned for the former Intel semiconductor campus near Garden of the Gods Road.

The project, known as “Project Taurus,” would repurpose more than 450,000 square feet of existing industrial infrastructure into a next-generation AI and high-performance computing center designed to support growing commercial, aerospace, defense, and national security data demands.

Supporters say the project positions Colorado Springs for the future of artificial intelligence, military technology integration, and advanced digital infrastructure. Critics, however, continue raising concerns surrounding power consumption, noise, water usage, and long-term community impacts.

As Southern Colorado continues evolving into a major hub for aerospace, defense, cyber, and emerging technologies, the conversation around data centers, energy infrastructure, and AI readiness is becoming increasingly important to regional economic development strategy.

Business Digest Radio takes a deeper look at what Project Taurus could mean for Colorado Springs, regional employers, utilities, economic competitiveness, and the future of AI infrastructure in the American West. 

Learn more: Raeden.com

Subscribe to The Business Digest: https://socodigest.com/subscribe for these insightful conversations to help you be better informed for your business. 

Mitchell Roth is the current CEO at Roth Industries, soon to be rebranded as, "Culinova".

Roth joins Business Digest Radio to discuss this industry size and scope, the shifts in this market toward high quality ingredients, distribution, and how Culinova (currently Roth Industries) is currently meeting demand for this segment and its strategy to disrupt this sector like no other company playing in this space. 

Roth also discusses the company's preparations to file it's S-1 this fall, which would make it the second, active publicly traded company headquartered in Colorado Springs. 

Roth Premium Foods is one of the fastest growing refrigerated and frozen prepared food manufacturers in the U.S., producing fully-cooked proteins and meal solutions for the grocery, deli, club, convenience store and foodservice channels. Today Roth has branded and private label retail and foodservice products in over 8,000 stores including Walmart, Target, Kroger, Publix, and more, as well as restaurants across the country. Our skilled culinary team custom develops recipes that we cook and package in a USDA on-site inspected, SQF Level-2 Certified manufacturing facility in Colorado Springs, CO.

To learn more about the new brand, visit: https://www.culinova.com/about

CULINOVA: CULINARY EXCELLENCE AT SCALE

The Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center, Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, and the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado join sponsor US Bank for this year's Small Business Week. 

The weeks starts off with a celebration of finalists of six categories who will be recognized at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on Monday beginning at 4:30pm. 

There's still time to join the week long program at: https://www.pikespeaksbw.com/ 

Colorado Springs Utilities: State of the System | Q2 Executive Update

Colorado Springs Utilities powers more than 500,000 customers across the Pikes Peak region-delivering electricity, natural gas, water, and wastewater services as a community-owned enterprise.

With a $2.2 billion 2026 budget, CSU is prioritizing critical infrastructure, grid modernization, and regulatory alignment, guided by its core strategy: rates, reliability, and relationships.

On this episode of Business Digest Radio, CEO Travas Deal joins host Dirk Hobbs for a comprehensive quarterly briefing, covering:

For business leaders, policymakers, and residents alike, this conversation provides critical insight into the systems underpinning Southern Colorado’s growth and resilience.

CSU also invites the community to attend its upcoming State of the Utility (SOTU):

June 24, 2026 | 8:00 AM

#ColoradoSprings #Utilities #Infrastructure #Water #Energy #EconomicDevelopment #BusinessDigestRadio #SouthernColorado

Colorado’s physician community is navigating a consequential legislative cycle in 2026, with several Senate and House bills poised to shape care delivery, regulatory oversight, and the long-term sustainability of medical practice across the state.

On Business Digest Radio, industry leaders Chet Seward, Chief Strategy Officer of the Colorado Medical Society, Dr. Brian Kilmartin, cardiothoracic surgeon and legislative representative for the El Paso County Medical Society, and Natalie Myers, CEO of the El Paso County Medical Society, outlined the most pressing measures physicians should be tracking.

The discussion highlights growing complexity in compliance requirements, evolving reimbursement dynamics, and ongoing debates around access to care, workforce pressures, and scope of practice.

For Southern Colorado providers, the implications are immediate—impacting operational decision-making, patient access, and the broader healthcare ecosystem. Physicians and healthcare leaders are encouraged to stay informed and engaged as these proposals move through the legislative process.

The full conversation is available on Spotify, iHeart, and Apple Podcasts—search Business Digest Radio.