We welcome Jordan Helman as our guest on the podcast, to celebrate the official opening of High Bank Distillery Co.’s new Gahanna/New Albany (OH) location on 5/18/22!

Intentional is the word that comes to mind when referring to High Bank Distillery and its growth process in Columbus, and it also explains the core beliefs of two men whose friendship evolved and resulted in this successful distillery and restaurant. Jordan Helman and Adam Hines believe in purpose, and as the original founders of High Bank, they admit that every step of their journey has been well thought out and built on an uncompromised approach.

The High Bank story starts with Jordan and Adam’s friendship and joint business dealings between Adam’s business, States of Design, and Jordan’s business, Zest Juice Co. As they began talking about a combined, new business venture featuring whiskey, two new partners were added to the “founding fathers” – Calvin Jones and Jeff Ireland. The four founders were all Columbus residents and very familiar with the current offerings of the local beer and whiskey scene.

The founders were confident that there would be room for their new spirits in the market, so they dedicated their skills to designing a distillery and restaurant that would focus on each ingredient for each specialty that was served, whether alcohol or food. They believed this would set them apart and this intentional approach would end up leading to the inspiration for their name – High Bank!

According to their website, “When Ohio forged plans for the state capital, the area is known as Franklinton, was a primary consideration due to its close proximity to the water and pre-existing infrastructure. After much consideration, they concluded the risk of flooding was too great. On February 14th, 1812, the state legislature accepted plans to lay out the capital, now known as Columbus, on the High Bank, opposite Franklinton, at the fork of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers. We take the same uncompromised approach when selecting each ingredient to create every plate of food, crafted cocktail, and bottle of High Bank spirits.”

Much like the cautious planning of Columbus’ founding fathers, these gentlemen have been committed to slow, intentional and organic growth. Their ultimate goal is to do this while being devoted to community partnerships from purchasing local coffee to sourcing Amish produce. They are also proud to serve beer options from Columbus neighborhood breweries that additionally offer a circle of support that has continual returns – breweries are some of their best accounts to buy from and sell to.

With a business model that relies on the safety of the “High Bank” through thoughtful and purposeful actions, there is potential for growth and expansion, but again, with an intentional pace. The discovery process began in 2014, they opened the distillery/restaurant in 2018, and they are just this year expanding to a second location in Gahanna after a very successful original location in Grandview fulfilled their expectations. The Gahanna location is slated to open in May.

According to Jordan, “We have so much growth left in the state of Oho, and our goal is to become the most well-known distillery in the state and to put Ohio on the map from a distillery standpoint.” In 2021, they were voted home of the best-blended whiskey in America by the San Francisco World Spirits Corporation. The restaurant was also awarded the Best Creative Cocktails in Columbus by 614 Columbest for three years running. With product in 180 of Ohio’s 480 liquor stores, they feel that some of their recent awards will spur continued growth including brand recognition.

Heartland was proud to partner with High Bank recently to guide them through their expansion. “We wanted to get with a smaller bank that valued our business more and believed our story because we want to grow. We need a partner who believes in what we are doing as a business and can see not just the past two year’s results, but how we’re trending. We felt that fit,” said Adam. Heartland Bank was the recommendation of several business acquaintances when the guys were looking for a new financial relationship.

If you’re at our Gahanna location, be sure to continue to 1379 East Johnstown Road and visit High Bank’s new restaurant and distillery on or after May 18th. They have inspired menu options, the Whiskey War lineup, High Bank Vodka and High Bank Statehouse Gin.

The Driving the Cbus podcast co-hosts, Scott McComb, CEO of Heartland Bank, and Kailyn Bucklew (McComb), a third-generation community banker, offer two different perspectives as they sit down and get real with local business owners. From well-established companies to startups, small businesses are the heart and soul of Columbus. Tune in to find out how it all began, what keeps them up at night – the current struggles they face, and what successes they are most proud of with some entertaining stories along the way.

We welcome former Ohio State University Buckeye basketball great, radio sports broadcaster, and entrepreneur Ron Stokes.

Ron talks a bit about what it was like to be a part of OSU basketball during his time on the team.

So when you go there to play basketball, you’re definitely going to be looked at and watched. Every day you’re on TV, you’re on the radio. And so you have to make sure that you’re taking care of your business, right? Make sure that you’re doing what you need to do as a student-athlete. And you don’t want to do anything to embarrass mom and dad back home. So you had to really make sure that you’re doing the right thing.

Heartland Bank, with the help of Ron, jumped on the NCAA’s commitment to allow name, image, and likeness opportunities for student-athletes. As Ron states…

I’m excited that there’s a number of athletes who are taking advantage of that all over the country and specifically Ohio State (University). Everybody wins in that if it’s done the right way.

As a student-athlete, Ron was lucky to find a very effective mentor. He talks about how that helped him to become an entrepreneur and why he is doing the things he’s doing today.

Doug Simson, from First City Bank, gave me some guidance in terms of what I needed to do and my development not only as an athlete but as a person. This set the foundation for what I’m doing today. Because as a business owner, a great banking relationship is one of the most important things you need as you grow as a business.

2022 will be Ron’s 25th anniversary as an Ohio State University Basketball on-air radio analyst. He learned early on as a student-athlete that you’re going to have to talk to the media. So it comes naturally for him to “talk and articulate my thoughts.” After he graduated from Ohio State, the station (WBNS Radio) called him and asked him to do some interviews from time to time. That led to pre and post-game positions. And then ultimately they offer him the position to be the analyst. He took it and “I haven’t looked back.”

Ron is the President & CEO of Three Leafs Production, Inc., and Vice President of Operations at LARS, LLC. He’s proud to have his family intertwined in the business.

We had what we call family board meetings, where we would sit down at a table and have real discussions about life and supporting each other and whatever. And so once we were looking at creating LARS, we sat down with the kids and asked would you like to be a part of this? And they all said yes, and that’s how it all started. So we have regular board meetings with that company. And they are actively involved with the decision-making. And it’s really exciting.

What are some of the headwinds that you’re facing in your business within Three Leaf Productions and LARS?

You have to evolve your business to make sure that you’re still relative. And then you can bring value propositions to your client. So I think the biggest challenge in any business, and especially ours, is that we got to continue to evolve, continue to find ways to help our clients, understand our customers, and make sure that we’re bringing value to them.

What would you say to people out there who are early in their career that maybe don’t have a mentor?

Try to get around people that have the same goals in terms of wanting to be successful. Not that you’re judging anyone, right? But you want to get around people who want to be successful. And people who get excited when you’re winning.

Ron is now into his second year as a Heartland Bank board member in 2022. He and his businesses are Heartland Bank customers, and when he had the opportunity to be a part of it in a bigger way, “I was just so excited.” He speaks about his goals as being a bank board member, including…

I was very fortunate because my first mentor was a banker. Sure. So I already had a banking relationship, but there’s a lot of small businesses, especially diverse companies that don’t have those relationships. I talked with Scott about making sure that in my role that we have some type of vehicle or some type of strategy to help those small, diverse companies.

The Driving the Cbus podcast co-hosts, Scott McComb, CEO of Heartland Bank, and Kailyn Bucklew (McComb), a third-generation community banker, offer two different perspectives as they sit down and get real with local business owners. From well-established companies to startups, small businesses are the heart and soul of Columbus. Tune in to find out how it all began, what keeps them up at night – the current struggles they face, and what successes they are most proud of with some entertaining stories along the way.

We were fortunate to speak with LPL Financial’s Ryan Detrick just prior to his annual Economic Forecast & 2022 Outlook Luncheon, presented by Heartland Bank. This year he spoke at a luncheon in The Exchange in Bridge Park.

Ryan talks about his career journey, moving from accounting to finance, and from Western & Southern Financial Group right out of college, then to various companies to now LPL Financial.  What did he learn about himself?

Just have faith in yourself. You know, at the end of the day, who’s going to believe in you yourself, right? And I’ve always just kind of had this attitude that if I do what I should do, if I treat people the right way, if I, if I go through life and enjoy what I’m doing, it’s all going to work out.

As a whole, the United States’ net wealth is healthy…

The truth is net wealth in our country is at an all time high of nearly one hundred and fifty trillion dollars. A lot of that is because our houses are all worth twenty, twenty five percent more than they were just 18 months ago.

Even though we are seeing some great news in the financial world, keep doing the right things with your investment portfolio…

The time to prepare for the storm is not during the eye of the storm. It’s before the storm comes right and markets are volatile. Economy can be volatile, so get those plans in place because again, it’s the way we’re wired. We make bad decisions at the worst possible time. It’s just the way our brains are wired. So to have a plan in place.

If you watch financial channels like CNBC or Fox Business Network, you’ve probably seen Ryan on camera quite a bit. He talks about his experiences with prepping for interviews, and how professional the hosts are.

Ryan reflects on how technology, specifically Twitter, is a product of how he built his career.  And how it can be positive and negative at the same time.

Now you have to leverage technology and it’s a wonderful. I joke my last three jobs I got because of Twitter, and it’s kind of true. I mean, it’s all on there. I mean, there’s my resume, you know, LinkedIn and Twitter as my resume.

Thanks to Ryan we get a good picture of what to expect this year. He is always a good advocate for investors, Heartland Planning Associates, and Heartland Bank.

And check out LPL Financial’s Market Signals Podcast featuring Ryan –

The Driving the Cbus podcast co-hosts, Scott McComb, CEO of Heartland Bank, and Kailyn Bucklew (McComb), a third-generation community banker, offer two different perspectives as they sit down and get real with local business owners. From well-established companies to startups, small businesses are the heart and soul of Columbus. Tune in to find out how it all began, what keeps them up at night – the current struggles they face, and what successes they are most proud of with some entertaining stories along the way.

Disclaimer:

The opinions voiced in this show (program) are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult with your attorney, accountant, and financial advisor or tax advisor prior to investing.

Securities are offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Insurance products offered through LPL Financial or its licensed affiliates. The investment products sold through LPL Financial are not insured Heartland Bank deposits and are not FDIC insured. These products are not obligations of Heartland Bank and are not endorsed, recommended or guaranteed by Heartland Bank or any government agency. The value of the investment may fluctuate, the return on the investment is not guaranteed, and loss of principal is possible.

We welcome Kevin Crowley, the owner of The Lox Bagel Shop, as our guest.

Right now, they have one location in the Short North. He went to the Culinary Institute in New York City. From there he brought that skill back to Columbus, where he met his wife and they have two young children. As a restaurant entrepreneur, Kevin talks in-depth about how you have to have an irrational belief in your concepts and your people. You have to block everyone else out and just go.

How did Kevin get interested in cooking?

I grew up in the era of the transition of PBS television shows into the Food Network, where you saw Emeril and sort of the evolution of the celebrity chef. When I came up to Ohio State for undergrad, I started working in restaurants and immediately realized that I loved it and this was my calling and started not going to school and started going to work a lot more, eventually dropping out going to the Culinary Institute of America and New York. From there I traveled across the country working in different restaurant jobs.

So why bagels?

My wife went to Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio. Anybody that’s from there knows Bagel & Deli Shop. She offhandedly said, Why don’t we do a bagel shop one day? And I and my massive ego at the time was like scoffing at the idea, How dare I not use all the technique or skill that I learned to do something as low brow, at the time in my head, as bagels? But, seeing this sort of resurgence in Jewish deli food and artisan bread and the carb movement sort of going away a little bit, we ended a couple of wonderful restaurants. We could tie our skills and technique that we’ve learned into something that’s very approachable.

His thoughts on the team he has built.

The rest of the team came together pretty organically through connections. Probably 60 percent of them were still with us today, pushing three years later. I have crazy talented people that are ready for more and it’s my job to provide that for them.

I genuinely believe if you see a good person come through your doors, no matter where you are in your business, you need to bring them on board and get them into your circle. Because that’s only going to push everything forward for you in the long run.

And Kevin’s advice to young entrepreneurs.

Take the leap. I told friends and family that I was like the guy standing at the edge of the cliff, just waiting for somebody to push me over the edge to do my own thing. If I could give my younger version of myself advice it would be move faster, go quick, make the mistakes, learn from them, and pivot. And you know what? Fail fast. You know, just keep pushing.

The Driving the Cbus podcast co-hosts, Scott McComb, CEO of Heartland Bank, and Kailyn Bucklew (McComb), a third-generation community banker, offer two different perspectives as they sit down and get real with local business owners. From well-established companies to startups, small businesses are the heart and soul of Columbus. Tune in to find out how it all began, what keeps them up at night – the current struggles they face, and what successes they are most proud of with some entertaining stories along the way.

“Done is better than perfect.”

Randy Malloy has lived by that mantra unwittingly for most of his existence. Sometimes you just have to get it done.

WWCD Radio has gone through numerous changes over the past few decades. The format has remained the same, but most noticeably to the listener, frequency changes on the FM dial.  Randy talks about this, and more about being an entrepreneur, the importance of local business, and how important local radio is to the local business community.

On the spray paint branding video to announce the move from CD102.5 to CD92.9…

When we moved from 102.5 to 92.9, I literally had three weeks. And so I kind of reached back into the guerrilla marketing playbook that sits on my shelf. What are we going to do to differentiate ourselves from what it was? Let’s just brand it this way. And I literally thought of the idea, grabbed a can of red spray paint. I said grab the video cameras and videotape doing it.

Randy’s thoughts on being local and how Columbus supports local…

We’ve been lucky. We’ve been lucky for the fact that Columbus is very supportive of the local community. I think the idea of shop local, rock local, be local, think local, all those things work so well in Columbus because it still has that community feel to it. Even though it’s the 10th largest, 12th largest city in the country, it still has a good community feel to it.

Randy’s heart and soul are all about local radio…

Radio as a whole…people sort of underestimate the power of it. And when we said we’re going off the air, it really was interesting to see the outpouring of support from people that had been listeners, were listeners, wanted to be listeners. What’s happening? We had about a million interactions from social media, to handwritten letters, and phone calls and faxes. I still have lots of fight left in me, and this is something that matters. And then to see this outpouring of support, that really helped cement that.

The Driving the Cbus podcast co-hosts, Scott McComb, CEO of Heartland Bank, and Kailyn Bucklew (McComb), a third-generation community banker, offer two different perspectives as they sit down and get real with local business owners. From well-established companies to startups, small businesses are the heart and soul of Columbus. Tune in to find out how it all began, what keeps them up at night – the current struggles they face, and what successes they are most proud of with some entertaining stories along the way.

We’re really privileged to have Cameron Mitchell, Founder and CEO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, the CRM Group on this episode.

And he is no stranger to anyone in central Ohio. And now Cameron Mitchell Restaurants are breaking out on the national scene, with restaurants from coast to coast.

We’re going to hear more about his success, his origins, where it all came from, and some of the challenges that they have in the restaurant industry today. And we’ll get Cameron’s take on the 10 most controversial restaurant policies.

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants (CMR) will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2022, and Mitchell has enjoyed success as a lifelong entrepreneur, accomplished businessman, culinary expert and nationally recognized restaurateur.

Cameron has been a much-needed voice for the industry, pushing for PPP loan amendments for the hospitality sector, being appointed as one of 18 CEO’s on Ohio Governor DeWine’s Economic Recovery Task Force, collaborating with the Cleveland Clinic to create a company-wide safety protocol, writing op-eds for national hospitality trade publications, and appearing on national television representing not only CMR, but other independent restaurant companies.

With an entrepreneur’s energy, vision and passion, Mitchell’s sights are set on the development of new restaurant concepts, and the expansion of concepts currently in his company’s portfolio, particularly Ocean Prime (known in Columbus, OH, as Mitchell’s Ocean Club). Plans include the continued introduction of this concept in major metropolitan markets throughout the United States.

Among his service to numerous local charities and committees in Columbus, Ohio, where he lives with his family, is his dedication to The United Way, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation, and the Columbus State Community College Foundation. Cameron chaired the capital campaign, led by his $3.5 million donation, towards the newly opened Mitchell Hall, a $40 million, state-of-the-art Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts School at Columbus State. He is also an active member of the Young President’s Gold Organization, the Columbus Partnership, and he serves on the board of directors of the charter school, KIPP Columbus.

The Driving the Cbus podcast co-hosts, Scott McComb, CEO of Heartland Bank and Kailyn Bucklew (McComb), a third-generation community banker, offer two different perspectives as they sit down and get real with local business owners. From well-established companies to startups, small businesses are the heart and soul of Columbus. Tune in to find out how it all began, what keeps them up at night – the current struggles they face, and what successes they are most proud of with some entertaining stories along the way.

Greg Ubert is the Founder and President at Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea. After a short promising career in Chicago, he considered many opportunities. But, in the end, specialty coffee was his answer. He decided his mission would be to blend and roast a better cup of coffee.

He moved home to live with his parents in Columbus, Ohio while he got his fledgling business off the ground. Why Columbus? He saw some great opportunity to grow his coffee idea, plus Columbus was attractive as a city to raise a family.  And he has always done what most have considered a little crazy.

People do look at me strangely. And that’s kind of normal for people who are thinking outside the box. And it’s certainly something that I’ve learned that if I don’t get a strange look, I know I’m not pushing the envelope.

He named his new business “Crimson Cup,” both for the ripe red berry of the coffee tree and in honor of Harvard’s (his alma mater) official color, crimson. What ultimately has made his business different from others is his focus on the relationship chain.

So that’s why we got into teaching and training. That’s one of the things we do really, really well at Crimson Cup. We teach and train our customers how to be successful. It’s pretty simple. If they’re successful, we’re successful. And so that’s why we put so much into the training.

Greg took the next logical step and wrote a book, Seven Steps for Success: A Common-Sense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee. Reading it is still the first recommendation Crimson Cup gives to people who are thinking about starting a coffee house. It’s now in its third printing, and is used as a template for coffee house owners to maximize their coffee house businesses and avoid costly mistakes.

We could have signed up a whole bunch of independent coffee houses. We only work with about 5 percent. And the reason is because we want to make sure that they’re the right fit. Because one of our core values is having fun.

Additionally, his true passion is helping the coffee bean farmers. They work with farmers on three different levels.

So how did Greg come to start banking with Heartland Bank? His board advised him to “find a bank like you.”

A bank like me. I’ve never heard that before. But it’s interesting. And I did some interviews and certainly found Scott, and he was right on target.

Crimson Cup has offered great international opportunities for Greg and Crimson Cup.

Because establishing relationships around the world is awesome, because most people are truly wonderful.

The Driving the Cbus podcast co-hosts, Scott McComb, CEO of Heartland Bank and Kailyn Bucklew (McComb), a third-generation community banker, offer two different perspectives as they sit down and get real with local business owners. From well-established companies to startups, small businesses are the heart and soul of Columbus. Tune in to find out how it all began, what keeps them up at night – the current struggles they face, and what successes they are most proud of with some entertaining stories along the way.

Our new season brings changes!

As the initial creator of Heartland Bank’s Diving the Cbus, Kailyn Bucklew (McComb) remains actively involved in the development and continuation of the series. She is a co-host with her father, Scott, in addition to her duties in the Commercial Banking division. After graduating from The Ohio State University and beginning her career at Heartland, Kailyn started her “life” which includes her fiancé who also is a Heartland associate, a farm with many animals and a garden that she plants from her greenhouse seedlings. In her spare time, you just might catch her listening to legal commentary or offering eggs to friends at the bank.

But Scott’s still with us on each episode, as always.

Scott McComb is the Chairman, President and CEO of Heartland Bank. Scott commits a portion of his time to co-hosting Heartland Bank’s Driving the Cbus to maintain his commitment to spreading the “wealth” – and by wealth we wish he meant the actual green stuff – but he really just loves to share his financial knowledge and the business acumen of local professionals. During his out-of-office hours, he recently achieved his Bareboat Sailing Certification that allows him to skipper 60 ft. sailing catamarans. As a graduate of The Ohio State University, Scott is deeply entwined in the community, but realizes that as the bank grows, his influence and reach should grow too. What better way to do that than with a podcast!

Get ready for some great interviews coming your way over the coming months.

The Driving the Cbus podcast co-hosts, Scott McComb, CEO of Heartland Bank and Kailyn Bucklew (McComb), a third-generation community banker, offer two different perspectives as they sit down and get real with local business owners. From well-established companies to startups, small businesses are the heart and soul of Columbus. Tune in to find out how it all began, what keeps them up at night – the current struggles they face, and what successes they are most proud of with some entertaining stories along the way.

Laurie is our guest again, and we cover how Heartland Bank can help your business with the process of applying for the Paycheck Protection Program.

The CARES Act established a new $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program. The Program is providing much-needed relief to millions of small businesses so they can sustain their businesses and keep their workers employed.

The new loan program will be available retroactive from Feb. 15, 2020, so employers can rehire their recently laid-off employees through June 30, 2020.

Laurie covers some of the details, the loan terms and conditions, that include…

Currently, Heartland Bank is working with businesses and getting approvals in 48 hours.

Some tips before starting the process…

Featuring insights from individual contributors from all corners, nooks and crannies of the Columbus, Ohio region, Scott McComb, Chairman & CEO of Heartland Bank, has a goal to get to the why of our evolving and eclectic environment.  Check back often for updates to the list of the latest interviews with some of the area’s most interesting individuals who are ‘Driving the CBus’!

Email: [email protected] 

Twitter – @heartlandbank

Facebook – @heartlandbankcentralohio

Laurie is our guest again, and we cover how Heartland Bank can help you, as a sole-proprietor or self-employed, with the process of applying for the Paycheck Protection Program.

The CARES Act established a new $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program. The Program is providing much-needed relief to millions of small businesses so they can sustain their businesses and keep their workers employed.

Starting April 10, 2020, independent contractors and self-employed individuals can apply for and receive loans to cover their payroll and other certain expenses through existing SBA lenders.

What can you use these loans for? You should use the proceeds from these loans on your:

Laurie covers some of the details, the loan terms and conditions, that include…

Currently, Heartland Bank is working with businesses and getting approvals in 48 hours. We encourage any and all self-employed to take a look at this program and re-evaluate your situation if you thought this is not for you.

One of the most common questions we hear is “How much of my loan will be forgiven?”. You will owe money when your loan is due if you use the loan amount for anything other than payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent, and utilities payments over the 8 weeks after getting the loan. Due to likely high subscription, it is anticipated that not more than 25% of the forgiven amount may be for non-payroll costs.

Some tips before starting the process…

Featuring insights from individual contributors from all corners, nooks and crannies of the Columbus, Ohio region, Scott McComb, Chairman & CEO of Heartland Bank, has a goal to get to the why of our evolving and eclectic environment.  Check back often for updates to the list of the latest interviews with some of the area’s most interesting individuals who are ‘Driving the CBus’!

Email: [email protected] 

Twitter – @heartlandbank

Facebook – @heartlandbankcentralohio