Club E Podcast

Club E is joined by Pete Steege once again to discuss marketing for a small business. 

In this episode, Pete shows the listeners what marketing is on a small scale. What is your company's story? How do you convince investors and customers to choose your company? How do you put your personal touch on your business? Pete Steege and Rick Brimacomb have the answer to these questions.

 Timestamps:

 0:00 Intro

2:16 Pete's Experience 

4:55 What is a True Story? 

7:17 Why is a True Story important? 

9:29 How does a Company Develop its True Story? 

12:07 Building a Story Brand - https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/0718033329 

13:30 How to take a True Story into Marketing? 

15:43 What are the Implications of a True Story beyond Marketing? 

18:03 Examples of using a True Stories. 

24:11 A Lesson Pete has Learned through doing Business. 

26:37 Key Takeaway 

Pete Steege (“Steggy”) 

B2B Clarity 

[email protected] 

B2bclaritymarketing.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petesteege/ 

Pete Steege is the Founder and President of B2B Clarity, helping B2B businesses without a marketing leader succeed. Pete has over 30 years of marketing experience with a wide range of B2B technology and manufacturing businesses. Pete is a proven B2B marketing strategist and industry-recognized content leader that can help you untangle your marketing effort and get it working to grow revenue. 

Rick Brimacomb 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbrimacomb/ 

clube.com 

For Business Consulting: https://brimacomb.com/ 

Mr. Brimacomb began advising and investing in early-stage and emerging companies as a venture capitalist in 1991. Prior to that time, he covered and worked with early-stage companies as a research analyst and investment banker. For over two decades, Mr. Brimacomb has helped numerous companies develop into “investment grade” opportunities, attract funding and create shareholder value.

This event will provide you with practical knowledge of how to become a partner for companies looking to finance an ESOP transaction.

Learn how financing an initial ESOP can benefit the lenders by being in a good position to maintain an annuity of lending opportunities in the future. This will include a walk-through of governance (valuation, legal, trustees, etc.)

About Sue: 
As the founding executive director of the Minnesota Center for Employee Ownership, a nonprofit 501c3 organization created in 2020 to serve as a free and unbiased hub for education and resources on all forms of employee ownership, Sue has successfully introduced the growing nonprofit organization to more than 500 business owners and their advisors throughout Minnesota.
Prior to joining MNCEO, Sue served as the executive director of the Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter of The ESOP Association for 30 years.  

About Hillary: 
Hillary Hughes joined Prairie Capital Advisors in 2011 and is a shareholder in the firm. She provides strategic insights to assist business owners and boards of directors to address long-term ownership transaction goals. Hillary has been highly involved in the structuring and valuation related to employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) on behalf of ESOP Trustees as well as business owners. Hillary provides financial advisory services to clients ranging from small family-owned businesses to large multi-national conglomerates. She specializes in the valuation of businesses and business interests for purposes of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), ESOPs, gift and estate planning and strategic planning. Hillary is also instrumental in developing Prairie’s trust-side ESOP practice.

About Jeff: 
Jeff Cairns, a partner at Stinson LLP,  advises employers and administrators on ERISA and employee benefit matters, including qualified and nonqualified pension and profit sharing plans, ESOPs, welfare and fringe benefit plans. Jeff, who is a certified public accountant, also provides tax and compensation planning advice for owners of closely held businesses and for executives of public and private companies. Jeff is a frequent lecturer for Minnesota Continuing Legal Education and other legal education programs and a regular contributor to the firm's Benefits Notes blog.

About Brock: 
Brock is Managing Director and part of the National Commercial Banking team, and has been with CIBC for roughly 5 years.  Brock has a portfolio of existing clients and is responsible for the day-to-day portfolio and relationship management of those clients, in addition to business development responsibilities for the MN, ND and SD markets including heading up the ESOP banking efforts for CIBC in those markets.  Previously Brock was with US Bank for 13 years, and also was the VP of a 100% employee-owned regional industrial supply distribution company directly prior to his time at CIBC.


Contact Information: 
[email protected] - Sue Crockett
[email protected] - Hillary Hughes
[email protected] - Jeff Cairns
[email protected] - Brock Peterson

Club E was joined by Patrick Klinger, Founder & CEO of Agile Marketing Partners to discuss The Business of Sports. 

Spectator sports must adapt to stay relevant and engaging to individuals and businesses who have more entertainment options than ever before.  We’ll discuss lack of interest in traditional sports by Generation Z, cord-cutting and sports betting among other topics.

Learning Objectives: 
How the business of sports is adapting
How companies can effectively use sports marketing

About Patrick: 

Patrick Klinger is an award-winning, nationally respected and accomplished marketing expert acclaimed for delivering ingenuity and results. His creative approach and relationship-building skills have garnered him a reputation as an innovator with integrity.  Prior to establishing Agile Marketing Partners, Patrick spent 14 seasons as vice-president of marketing for the Minnesota Twins where he helped lead the ballclub to all-time attendance records and earned a reputation for developing trend-setting programs. 

Patrick's Contact Information: 
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-klinger/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSrxHIK_3JIwxZ1KjP2Zw5w
Website: www.agilemarketingco.com

Club E was joined by Jeff Redmon, Founder and CEO of Breakthrough Impact Group.

We all have brutal truths in our business that we cannot control.  Does Covid come to mind?  Learn how Adm. James Stockdale dealt with adversity he could not control.

“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.” Adm. James Stockdale

Jeff Redmon contributes to his clients living lives they love. He helps his clients safely achieve their business goals by leveraging his knowledge, experience, and networks to each client’s advantage. Jeff is a trusted advisor to business owners and he challenges them to bring clarity to their vision, strategies, and execution. Jeff is a senior certified Gravitas Impact Premium Coach. Jeff serves as one of their core advisors mentoring coaches worldwide; a valued contributor to their programs and content for the Gravitas global ecosystem.

• Jeff Redmon
• Breakthrough Impact Group 
• [email protected]
• https://minnbig.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/MinnBiG
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/minnbig
• https://www.instagram.com/minnbig/
• https://twitter.com/MinnBig

The disruption of the 1920s transformed every aspect of American life – transportation, finance, communities, social structures, expectation of government, science, medicine, religion, and consumer culture. Today, 100 years later, we see the same forces at play. What can we learn from the 1920s that will help us succeed in the 2020s?

Learning Objectives: 
1. Understand the similarities (and differences) between the disruption of the 1920s and what we’re facing today as we begin the 2020s.
2. Spot opportunities in today’s era of disruption based on the successes and failures of 1920s innovators and startups.
3. Hone your leadership skills by learning from the most successful examples of that era.

About Jason: 

In a career that spans more than 25 years, Jason Voiovich has launched hundreds of new products – everything from medical devices, to virtual healthcare systems, to non-dairy consumer cheese, to next-generation alternatives to the dreaded “cone of shame” for pets, to sex aides for cows (really!). He’s a graduate of both the University of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota, and he has completed post-graduate studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His formal training has been invaluable, but he credits his true success to growing up in a family of artists, immigrants, and entrepreneurs. They taught him how to carefully observe the world, see patterns before others notice them, and use those insights to create new innovations. History is Jason’s favorite way to observe the world. He believes the people from the past have plenty to teach us about the challenges and opportunities we face today.

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]
Website: https://marketerinchief.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvoiovich/
Twitter (Jason): https://twitter.com/jasontvoiovich
Twitter (Book): https://twitter.com/MarketerInChief
YouTube (Book): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcYrBt2dEAxGVFAjZHhBIww
Innovation Blog: https://jasontvoiovich.com/

Club E was joined by Heather Polivka, Founder of Heather P. Solutions, to discuss attracting and retaining great people in today's environment. 

As The Great Reshuffle continues, companies ask themselves how to attract the people they need and keep the great people they already have.  The rules have changed, so let’s spend some time understanding the new rules to succeed in today’s talent and business landscape.  

Learning Objectives: 
• Understand the critical role that people leadership plays in business outcomes.
• Learn how people leadership needs to evolve in today's work environment   
• Discover the critical importance of Walking the Talk in  
• Understand how to design an employee experience that resonates with your talent… no pinball machines required.  

About Heather: 
Heather Polivka is a trusted business advisor accelerating the growth and success of progressive SMBs and their leaders through practical leadership, employee performance, and thriving workplace cultures. 

Heather’s methodology has been masterfully crafted with over a decade’s worth of experience transforming the people, processes, and profits of Fortune 10 organizations and businesses. She unites marketing and HR expertise to craft authentic employer brands, cultivating healthy workplace cultures, improve employee engagement, and develop strong people leadership.

Heather's contact information and links: 

Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.heatherpsolutions.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherpolivka/
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/heatherpsolutions
Heather's Program: https://www.awesomepeopleleaders.com/

Leaders find themselves in a unique moment of overwhelming work loads and fatigued work partners.  This session will unpack the underlying why of this moment and provide a framework for moving through it.

Learning Objectives: 
1) Researched framework for how teams are dealing with workloads
2) Insight into effectively moving beyond them

About Scott Propp: 

"I help executives and teams bridge the gap between ideation and execution to create measurable results. I’ve been doing that inside boardrooms and across continents for more than 30 years.

Breadth: I have conducted business in more than 20 countries with over twelve different business models. I have leadership experience in functions ranging from R&D, Development Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Production Operations, Corporate Technology and Strategic Marketing.

Depth: In my role as a Fortune 100 executive, I have held full P&L and budget responsibility to the $100m + level in multi $B firms, directed operational turnarounds, built factories internationally, hired hundreds of people, led international cross-functional programs and delivered results that led to product and market breakouts. I have negotiated complex supply chain relationships, helped small firms “tuck into” large firms and spun pieces of large firms into small businesses.

Unique Expertise: Even the best ideas and well-crafted strategies get stalled in “the murky middle” between ideas and implementation. Without a plan to bridge that gap, it’s not a question of if, but how many resources – including time, energy and money – will be wasted. With my unique combination of technological expertise, leadership experience and operational acumen to navigate turbulent conditions, I’m known for my ability to help select the project, recruit the team, and lay out a strategic layered plan for execution.

The bottom line: I’m able to help you successfully put together the right project for the right time and get it on the right path.

I have hard-won skills and an uncanny sixth sense to help you build teams that collaborate and work together to produce remarkable results – both internal and external, from all disciplines and departments, with different backgrounds, vocabularies and temperaments."


Rick Brimacomb began advising and investing in early-stage and emerging companies as a venture capitalist in 1991. Before that time, he covered and worked with early-stage companies as a research analyst and investment banker. For over two decades, Rick Brimacomb has helped numerous companies develop into “investment grade” opportunities, attract funding and create shareholder value.

Contact Rick Brimacomb for a consultation here: https://www.clube.com/contact/

Scott's Contact Information:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.scottpropp.com
Twitter: @scottpropp
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottpropp/

Club E was joined by Tara Jebens-Singh & Steven Lutes of Northeast Youth & Family Services fir a discussion of how supporting mental health at all levels of business supporters employees, managers, owners, businesses and the greater community.

Learning Objectives:

Learn to identify common mental health issues including depression and anxiety.

Learn ways to treat these issues.

Discover local mental health resources that can assist businesses and employees.

About Tara Jebens-Singh: 

Tara became President & CEO of NYFS in April 2020 and has been steering the nonprofit mental health and community services agency through the Covid-19 pandemic while ensuring high-quality support to clients and maintaining relationships with the agency’s 15 partner municipalities and three school districts. Jebens-Singh previously worked at the White Bear Lake Area School District  where she oversaw Adult Enrichment, Adults with Disabilities and the Senior Program. She is a founding member of the Many Faces of the White Bear Lake Area coalition and has served as the president of the Consortium of Lake Area Senior Services (CLASS),  Metro Meals on Wheels Board of Directors, 2nd Half at Lyngblomsten Local Advisory Committee, Newtrax Transportation Advisory Committee, NAMI Ramsey County Board of Directors, St. Paul/Ramsey County Complete Count Committee and master facilitator for the Vital Aging Network’s Aging With Gusto program.  

Tara has worked in public policy, education, equity, senior services and wellness programs for over 25 years and holds a Masters in Planning from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. 

About Steven Lutes, MSW, LICSW, MPP: 

Steven is a clinical social worker with over five years of experience serving children, adolescents and adults. He has worked in day treatment, outpatient, school and in-home settings to provide therapy to both children and their parents and caregivers. Steven’s practice has focused on children experiencing trauma, anxiety, ADHD and mood disorders. His work with children and families from diverse cultural, socio-economic and linguistic backgrounds has taught him to create a welcoming environment for all those he works with.

Club E was joined by Christina Brandt, Founder of ReImagine Possibilities to discuss her career and how having a great support network helps businesses thrive!

What perspectives do you have about “support”? The last 5 years have been an interesting chapter of defining it, understanding who may need it, when it is relevant, how my experiences may provide it and accepting it.

Learning Objectives:
*Support as it shows up in your life, work
*A supportive partnership outcomes
*Balance of giving/receiving support

About Christina:
An awarded, proven, and respected executive and leader, driven by integrity, a passion for stories and culture, positioning for success, fulfilling potentials and courage through change. Continuing a lifetime of entrepreneurship and seeking to make a difference through non-traditional advising that honors the principles of narrative/life coaching.                                   

*President of start-up ReImagine Possibilities, Inc. – Creating, Coaching, Connecting to Inspire A Better Life, A Better Way. Contracted Advisor to the Small Business Development Center  - supportive to 100’s of clients.                   

*Managing Member of DBRANDT Enterprises, LLC-Simple Solutions for Better Living, inaugural product launch=dbCHOPPER, kitchen gadget for grounding meat.  Selling E-Commerce and Resellers.                                                           

*Author of The Cloud Book of Wonder – “What do you see when you gaze at a cloud? My granddaughters and I would like to know.”       
   
*Was 3rd Generation of Family Businesses, serving the Hospitality Industry. Experienced in product concept to guest experience. Rose through ranks to succeed as 1st Female President, by working hands-on in all roles and/or departments.

Christina's contact information:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.reimaginepossibilities.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/18772226/admin/

As Ransomware attacks surge in frequency, they are capturing headlines such as the Colonial pipeline incident and more recently the Kaseya attack. In this session, we will review the trends and impacts of these attacks, the mechanics of how they work, and what organizations can do to prevent or recover from a ransomware attack.

Learning Objectives: 
• Learn about the surging trend of ransomware attacks.
• Become knowledgeable about how ransomware works.
• Come away with a list of safeguards to help you avoid falling victim.

About Paul: 

As a partner in Wipfli LLP’s risk advisory services practice, Paul Johnson works with clients to assess, improve, and test their information security and risk management programs. With over 25 years in the information technology and information security fields, Paul combines his various experiences with Wipfli’s methodologies and processes to provide clients with sound advice and services to improve their security program.