Elevating Enterprise: Inside the I-Corridor

Ep. 13 If you’ve ever hit a wall trying to access capital, this episode of Elevating Enterprise breaks down how SBA loans can help you start, stabilize, or scale your business.

Mary Stone, Senior Vice President and SBA Manager at M&T Bank is here to break down what SBA loans really are, why they exist, and how programs like the SBA 7(a) loan help entrepreneurs secure funding when traditional lending may feel out of reach.

This conversation gives you the inside track on how to approach lenders, prepare your application, and leverage the resources available to small business owners.

Because sometimes the difference between stuck and scaling is simply knowing which financial doors to knock on.

• What the SBA 7(a) loan program is and who it’s designed for

• SBA Loan Programs: https://www.sba.gov

🎧 Listen now and learn how to turn access to capital into a tool for real business growth.

Mary Stone is the Senior Vice President and SBA Manager at M&T Bank. Responsible for more than $700 million in SBA lending, she leads a team dedicated to providing small businesses with access to necessary capital. Her career is marked by deep-rooted passion for empowering "Main Street America," particularly in her hometown of Rochester, New York. Under her leadership, M&T Bank remains a top ten SBA lender nationwide.

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Ep. 12 In government contracting, the biggest deals aren’t won by who submits the longest proposal—they’re won by who built the right relationships long before the RFP ever dropped.

In this episode of Elevating Enterprise, Jazzy T and RJ Williams sit down with Nick Lopez, CEO of Prosal, to unpack how AI is changing the game for small and mid-sized enterprises, not by replacing human connection, but by strengthening it.

This conversation explores how intelligent research, market mapping, and relationship-driven strategy help SMEs stop chasing opportunities they were never positioned to win, and start showing up early, informed, and credible with the people who matter.

Why relationships win contracts—not last-minute proposals

How AI helps SMEs identify who to talk to and when

How most RFPs are written for someone long before they’re released

TTC (Time Talking to Customer) as a business development metric

How to shift from vendor to trusted partner before competition even begins

Because success isn’t overnight. It’s strategic.

About the Guest: 

Nick Lopez is the Co-Founder & CEO of Prosal, an AI-powered capture intelligence platform helping government contractors identify, shape, and win opportunities earlier in the procurement process. A former Lockheed Martin engineer, Nick brings firsthand experience in defense contracting and is focused on modernizing business development by prioritizing relationships, strategy, and actionable intelligence over reactive RFP chasing.

Website: https://prosal.com

LinkedIn: Nicholas Lopez

Email: [email protected]

Chapters:

00:00 – The Old Way Is Broken

01:22 – Meet Prosal: “ChatGPT, but Trained for Government Contracting” 03:27 – The Truth About RFPs Written for Someone Else

05:08 – RFIs, Market Research & How Relationships Shape Outcomes 06:23 – Why Relationships Win Contracts

09:03 – People Buy From People: Mapping the Human Side of Procurement

11:17 – How Prosal Guides You Instead of Making You Guess

13:13 – FAR Changes, Faster Timelines & New Federal Opportunities

15:07 – CSOs, BAAs & Breaking Into Federal Work

21:01 – Teaming Partners, Implied Incumbents & Competitive Intelligence 25:29 – From Weeks to Hours: Compressing Decision-Making Timelines 26:02 – TTC Explained: The Only Metric That Actually Matters

30:31 – What a 33% Win Rate Really Means

37:26 – Final Word: Stop Selling. Be Curious. Be Genuine.

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Ep. 11 Your small business can’t grow into an enterprise if you're personally involved in every decision, every sale, and every delivery. Our expert guest Ryan Wimpey demonstrates why documented SOPs and training systems for people — not just services — are the foundation of sustainable growth. Real scale requires teaching others to deliver value consistently.

Ryan is the founder of Tip Top K-9, built a national franchise by obsessing over systems, documentation, and training.

Despite running a national franchise with 25 locations and proven revenue, Ryan lost a prospective franchisee to a competitor with fewer systems and a popular YouTube channel.

Ryan breaks down how that realization pushed him to invest heavily in YouTube — growing from 5,000 to over 600,000 subscribers in under a year — while continuing to strengthen the backend systems that allow his business to expand from Omaha to Michigan.

This episode is a powerful reminder that real growth in 2026 requires both visibility and infrastructure. You need SOPs that train people and a content strategy that builds trust with potential clients.

Connect with Ryan:

@tiptopk9 • Instagram

Tip Top K9 | Facebook

Tip Top K9 on TikTok

Tip Top K9 on YouTube

Ryan Wimpey | LinkedIn

Chapters:

00:00 – Topic Teaser

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Ep. 10 Learn how to do business with Monroe County as a M/WBE or Veteran-owned business from Supplier Diversity Manager Matthew Burrell, Supplier Diversity Manager.

Under his leadership, the county has certified 855 MWBE firms and set a concrete goal to award 21% of contract dollars to minority, women, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why relationship-building matters just as much as paperwork

✅ Why you should focus on what you do best

✅ How Apex Accelerator helps match your business with RFP's

✅ Government contracts are more than just construction.

Mental health providers, cleaning companies, consultants, tech, logistics, event services — the county needs you too.

If you’re an MWBE ready to go from “certified” to “contracted,” this episode gives you the blueprint.

📌 Resources mentioned:

Search “Monroe County MWBE” to apply or check status

Apex Accelerator for bid match + proposal support

Small Business Development Centers for startup help

Ep. 9 Bank on It: How M&T Bank Fuels Business Growth

Ep. 8 Business Operations with Albert Rivera, Paychex

Chapters:

0:00 What are Supplier Diversity Programs

6:15 Effective Strategies for Winning Government Contracts

8:14 Streamlining MWBE Certification and Ensuring Diversity goals

13:13 Building Government Contracting Relationships

21:19 Crafting Winning Proposals and Avoiding Common Mistakes

26:06 Strategic Insights for Business Growth

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Ep. 9 If your bank only knows you as an account number, you’re running your business with one hand tied behind your back. Your banker should be doing more than holding your money — they should be helping you lower fees, protect your cash flow, and connect you to resources that move your business forward.

In this episode of Elevating Enterprise, Jazzy T + RJ sit down with Melissa Jordan, Senior Business Banking Relationship Manager at M&T Bank, to reveal why small business owners need more than just a place to deposit checks.

From building your “B.A.I.L.” team to automating payments and planning for growth, Melissa shares insider strategies to help you stop leaving money on the table and start scaling smarter.

Key Takeaways for Small Business Owners

1️⃣ Your banker should be a partner — a single point of contact who understands your business, connects you to specialists, and streamlines your financial systems.
2️⃣ Ditch unnecessary fees — banks can offer merchant services that rival or replace QuickBooks, saving you money and time.
3️⃣ Automate your cash flow — use banking tools for payments, receivables, and vendor management to create efficiency and improve client experience.
4️⃣ Build your B.A.I.L. team — banker, accountant, insurance rep, and lawyer working together to guide your growth.
5️⃣ Stay fraud-ready — with the right relationship, your banker will proactively educate and protect you against evolving threats.

Resources:

Melissa Jordan Vice President | M&T Bank Rochester, NY

Business Banking | Senior Relationship Manager

(Cell) 585-734-7026

Schedule an appointment

[email protected] | www.mtb.com

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Ep. 8 You’ve got the MWBE or DBE. Now what? This week on Elevating Enterprise, we’re cutting through the confusion.

Join me, Jazzy T, as I sit down with someone I trust both in business and in life — my husband and co-host, RJ Williams, a seasoned expert in government contracting and procurement. While I bring the solopreneur POV, RJ breaks down what it really takes to scale into enterprise-level opportunities.

💡 Whether you're trying to land your first government contract or tired of bidding and losing, this episode is your playbook. We cover:

🎯 From Rochester Housing Authority to federal projects in California, RJ’s experience can help you navigate procurement and position your business to win.

This is the why behind Elevating Enterprise — real conversations, real strategy, and a roadmap from solopreneur to CEO.

⏱️ Chapter Markers

00:00 – Why We Started: Helping Small Businesses Think Bigger
05:11 – RJ’s Origin Story: From Telecom to Enterprise-Level Strategy
08:42 – Game-Changing Business Lessons from the Inside
10:58 – Government Contracting 101: What No One Tells You
19:43 – Reverse Engineer Your Way to Better Project Management
21:09 – Show Up Like a CEO: First Impressions & Leadership
27:42 – Mentors Matter: How Leadership is Passed Down
30:34 – Why We Give You a 100,000-Foot View — Not Just 30,000

#GovernmentContracts #SmallBusinessGrowth #MWBE #ElevatingEnterprise #RJWilliams #JazzyT #ProcurementStrategy #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast

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Ep. 7 🎬 Hollywood’s calling — will your business pick up? Filmmaker Kendrick Foxx moved to Rochester, NY, to build more than movies — he’s building momentum for local businesses.

In this episode of Elevating Enterprise, Kendrick shares how small businesses — from caterers and cleaners to stylists and shuttle drivers — can plug directly into the multi-billion dollar film industry. With New York’s new tax incentives and the launch of FLX Studios across from RIT, Rochester is poised to become the East Coast’s next production hotspot.

📌 What’s in it for your business?

🎯 3 Key Takeaways:

Film crews hire local — if you're set-ready, you're on the list.

Pre-production is where the battle is won. Planning saves money and earns trust.

Rochester has the talent, the terrain, and the tax breaks to attract big-budget films.

💬 Notable Quotes:

“If you’ve got a service — food, wardrobe, security, cleaning, whatever — there’s a film set somewhere that needs it. You just have to be ready.”

🎬 Watch RIFT now streaming on Tubi, Apple TV, and Paramount+

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @KendrickFoxx_1

Website FLX Studios |

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Ep. 6 In a time when diversity programs are under fire and economic equity feels out of reach, Maurice Barrett is doing the work where it matters most — in housing policy and human resources.

Named the Top Diversity Officer in America (2025), Maurice is the Chief Diversity Officer at New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR).

In this episode, he shares how inclusive hiring practices, strategic HR systems, and equitable housing developments are powerful drivers of business growth across New York.

Whether you're a small business owner, MWBE, or veteran entrepreneur trying to get certified, win contracts, or build a team — this conversation offers real-world insight on how to move forward, even when the system feels stacked against you.

🎯 In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why DEI isn’t dead — it’s just evolving

How affordable housing is a foundation for entrepreneurship

What career mapping and the employee lifetime value scale can do for your retention strategy

How NYS HCR’s DECO division is helping MWBEs and SDVOBs get certified and secure contracts

🔔 Follow Elevating Enterprise podcast so you never miss an episode.

New episodes every other Thursday.

🏛️ Explore HCR Contracting & DECO Division
https://hcr.ny.gov/opportunity-deco

📑 Get Certified as a NYS MWBE (Empire State Development)
https://esd.ny.gov/

🎖️ Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) Program
https://ogs.ny.gov/veterans

💼 Connect with Maurice on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricekbarrett

00:00 – Topic Teaser

01:30 – Meet Maurice Barrett: Housing Leader, HR Veteran, Inclusion Expert

05:15 – What “Top Diversity Officer in America” Really Means in 2025

09:00 – Why DEI Work Was Diluted

13:10 – Affordable Housing as Economic Strategy for Entrepreneurs

16:00 – Programs & Pathways: MWBE & SDVOB Certification at HCR

20:00 – Maurice’s Journey: From Intern to Chief HR Officer Before Age 26

23:45 – Why Payroll and HR Are Not DIY Jobs for Small Business Owners

25:30 – Employee Lifetime Value Scale: Grow Your People, Grow Your Business

27:30 – No Ceilings Leadership: Managing With Equity and Intention

30:00 – The Coach’s Perspective: Building Grit, Agility, and Communication

33:30 – Final Advice for Entrepreneurs and Emerging Leaders

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Ep. 5 Fresh off the IBM Think 2025 Global Conference, RJ Williams sits down with Cody Henehan, CEO of ROC AI and Silveray.AI for a rapid-fire recap of the future of artificial intelligence.

🚀 Cody shares what it was like networking with the best minds in tech, learning about the next wave of AI innovation—from agentic AI and small language models to quantum computing and photonics. Discover how IBM and its global partners are prioritizing collaboration, not competition, to close the technology gap for small businesses.

💡 Learn how AI is already transforming industries like construction, healthcare, and manufacturing—and what your business can do today to stay ahead. Whether you’re ready to integrate AI or still figuring it out, this episode breaks down complex topics into real-world impact.

🔗 Plus, Cody reveals how ROC AI is leveling the playing field with free tools, enterprise discounts, and the world’s first AI-powered GPO.

👉 Tap in to hear:

The shift from generative to predictive and agentic AI

What “hybrid cloud” means for your data and budget

Why small language models are a game-changer for SMEs

How ROC AI is helping companies access affordable AI solutions

📲 Follow ROC AI on LinkedIn or explore AIGPO.com for free resources and savings.

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro: Cody Henehan returns from IBM Think 2025

01:07 - Highlights from IBM Think Conference

02:12 - New AI tools: Salesforce agents & efficiency savings

03:02 - Quantum computing and the future of AI

03:54 - AI in construction and procurement

04:19 - Untapped enterprise data and AI potential

05:45 - Predictive and agentic AI

06:15 - 3 major AI shifts: Productivity, Hybrid Cloud, Quantum

07:48 - Hybrid models and cost efficiency

09:03 - Small language models & edge computing

10:12 - Projected 1 billion AI apps by 2028

10:53 - Use case: AI automating Toyota’s assembly line

11:40 - AI partnerships: IBM, Meta, Salesforce, more

12:28 - The need for inclusive AI adoption

13:08 - Educating the public about AI developments

14:08 - ROC AI and Silver Ray AI platforms

14:44 - Introducing the world’s first AI GPO

15:19 - GPO offerings across industries

16:00 - Closing thoughts and what’s next

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Ep. 4 Are you unknowingly setting your business up for costly mistakes?
From missing tax deadlines to compliance failures, many small business owners don’t realize what they don’t know until it’s too late.

In this episode of Elevating Enterprise, Jazzy T + RJ WIlliams sit down with Albert Rivera, a seasoned Business Consultant at Paychex, to uncover how entrepreneurs can build a strong, compliant, and scalable foundation from day one. With over 15 years of experience in business consulting and small business lending, Albert shares actionable strategies to help you:

✅ Set up payroll and HR systems that grow with your business

🧾 Avoid penalties with proper quarterly tax filings

🤖 Use AI-powered tools to recruit smarter and onboard faster

📚 Tap into free resources like updated employee handbooks, training modules, and live webinars.

Resources:

Paychex: Paychex Business Soultions WebsitePaychex Recruiting Co-Pilot

Paychex Flex Overview English

Paychex Flex Overview Spanish

Albert Rivera Email: [email protected]

Small Business Development Center: SBDC Website

SCORE Greater Rochester: Score Website

Enterprise Center at Pathstone: Pathstone Website

Access $300k in Small Business Funding

Whether you're a solopreneur or scaling to a small team, this episode will help you protect your business and focus on what you do best — not paperwork.

📍 About the Guest:

Originally from New York City, and with professional experience driven by diverse cultural insights from having lived in Puerto Rico, Albert offers a formidable blend of professional acumen and personal commitment to aiding enterprises in their growth trajectories.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro + The Hidden Cost of DIY HR

01:38 – Albert Rivera: Business Startup Expert at Paychex.

03:15 – From New York to Puerto Rico: A Personal Business Journey

06:45 – Coming to Rochester & Making the Leap to Paychex

10:30 – The First Step for Every Startup: market research, business plan.

14:55 – Free Business Planning Resources in Rochester

16:40 – Paychex: More Than Just Payroll

19:22 – What Happens in a Business Consultation?

21:25 – Serving Spanish-Speaking Entrepreneurs

22:40 – Why businesses get fined — and how Paychex prevents it

26:15 – I-9 audits, employee handbooks, and OSHA safety manuals —

29:00 – Why outsourcing HR is a growth strategy, not an expense.

30:45 – Officer-Only Payroll for LLCs Filing as S-Corps

33:10 – HR Pro & Real-Time Handbook Updates

35:05 – AI Recruiting with Paychex Co-Pilot

36:37 – Key Takeaways with Jazzy T

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