But Who's Counting?

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

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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.
 
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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. 

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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

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Leading an organization is filled with challenges, particularly over the course of a merger or acquisition. Business leaders must balance the creation of new processes and the introduction of new policies with maintaining the same qualities that drew them 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

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

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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

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

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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

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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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 On
Check 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

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