Michigan Business Network

During any economic crisis, there are two camps of people: those who make it and those who don’t.

In this episode of Bottom Line IT, host Mike Maddox of ASK sits down with three different guests to discuss a topic for every business should be paying attention to right now: how to sharpen your fundamentals so you cannot just weather the pandemic, but come out on the other side better than you were before.

COVID-19 swooped in and turned the business community on its head in the matter of weeks. Suddenly, organizations that operated traditionally had to find new solutions to pivot their operations to be entirely remote. That meant they needed to focus their attention back on the fundamentals that would help their organization survive:

1. Protecting Cashflow

2. Maintaining Productivity

3. Generating Leads and Growing Their Business in a Virtual World As technology experts, ASK launched its Business Fundamentals program to match companies with technology solutions that could help them solve key issues in any one of those areas.

During any economic crisis, there are two camps of people: those who make it and those who don’t.

In this episode of Bottom Line IT, host Mike Maddox of ASK sits down with three different guests to discuss a topic for every business should be paying attention to right now: how to sharpen your fundamentals so you cannot just weather the pandemic, but come out on the other side better than you were before.

COVID-19 swooped in and turned the business community on its head in the matter of weeks. Suddenly, organizations that operated traditionally had to find new solutions to pivot their operations to be entirely remote. That meant they needed to focus their attention back on the fundamentals that would help their organization survive:

1. Protecting Cashflow

2. Maintaining Productivity

3. Generating Leads and Growing Their Business in a Virtual World As technology experts, ASK launched its Business Fundamentals program to match companies with technology solutions that could help them solve key issues in any one of those areas.

During any economic crisis, there are two camps of people: those who make it and those who don’t.

In this episode of Bottom Line IT, host Mike Maddox of ASK sits down with three different guests to discuss a topic for every business should be paying attention to right now: how to sharpen your fundamentals so you cannot just weather the pandemic, but come out on the other side better than you were before.

COVID-19 swooped in and turned the business community on its head in the matter of weeks. Suddenly, organizations that operated traditionally had to find new solutions to pivot their operations to be entirely remote. That meant they needed to focus their attention back on the fundamentals that would help their organization survive:

1. Protecting Cashflow

2. Maintaining Productivity

3. Generating Leads and Growing Their Business in a Virtual World As technology experts, ASK launched its Business Fundamentals program to match companies with technology solutions that could help them solve key issues in any one of those areas.

During any economic crisis, there are two camps of people: those who make it and those who don’t.

In this episode of Bottom Line IT, host Mike Maddox of ASK sits down with three different guests to discuss a topic for every business should be paying attention to right now: how to sharpen your fundamentals so you cannot just weather the pandemic, but come out on the other side better than you were before.

COVID-19 swooped in and turned the business community on its head in the matter of weeks. Suddenly, organizations that operated traditionally had to find new solutions to pivot their operations to be entirely remote. That meant they needed to focus their attention back on the fundamentals that would help their organization survive:

1. Protecting Cashflow

2. Maintaining Productivity

3. Generating Leads and Growing Their Business in a Virtual World As technology experts, ASK launched its Business Fundamentals program to match companies with technology solutions that could help them solve key issues in any one of those areas.

During any economic crisis, there are two camps of people: those who make it and those who don’t.

In this episode of Bottom Line IT, host Mike Maddox of ASK sits down with three different guests to discuss a topic for every business should be paying attention to right now: how to sharpen your fundamentals so you cannot just weather the pandemic, but come out on the other side better than you were before.

COVID-19 swooped in and turned the business community on its head in the matter of weeks. Suddenly, organizations that operated traditionally had to find new solutions to pivot their operations to be entirely remote. That meant they needed to focus their attention back on the fundamentals that would help their organization survive:

1. Protecting Cashflow

2. Maintaining Productivity

3. Generating Leads and Growing Their Business in a Virtual World As technology experts, ASK launched its Business Fundamentals program to match companies with technology solutions that could help them solve key issues in any one of those areas.

During any economic crisis, there are two camps of people: those who make it and those who don’t.

In this episode of Bottom Line IT, host Mike Maddox of ASK sits down with three different guests to discuss a topic for every business should be paying attention to right now: how to sharpen your fundamentals so you cannot just weather the pandemic, but come out on the other side better than you were before.

COVID-19 swooped in and turned the business community on its head in the matter of weeks. Suddenly, organizations that operated traditionally had to find new solutions to pivot their operations to be entirely remote. That meant they needed to focus their attention back on the fundamentals that would help their organization survive:

1. Protecting Cashflow

2. Maintaining Productivity

3. Generating Leads and Growing Their Business in a Virtual World As technology experts, ASK launched its Business Fundamentals program to match companies with technology solutions that could help them solve key issues in any one of those areas.

Jeffrey catches up with Rick Welsh, MSc DABT, Director, ASTi Environmental, Brighton, MI. They discuss how the Michigan PFAS Standards ended up so low, the impact that is having on businesses, municipalities, and others, and Rick covers the findings of a study ASTi Environmental did in coordination with MMA, Michigan Manufacturers Association.

Can you, in everyday people language, tell me how the Michigan Standards ended up so low?

What are the other options right now for Michigan?

What will be the future cost implications for Michigan Municipalities and Business for compliance?

USEPA standards exist - Michigan is promulgating their own lower standards. However, the USEPA has produced a health-protective Drinking Water Health Advisory. They will next produce their Drinking Water Standard (called Maximum Contaminant Levels or MCLs). Why not just use the USEPA values; almost all of the other states are using them?

The Michigan standards are too low – MMA sponsored ASTi to prepare a PFAS Review Report. The report showed the proposed Michigan MCLs should be at least a couple of orders of magnitude higher, more like a part-per-billion instead of a part-per-trillion.

The cost of compliance for Michigan business is going to be staggering – One minor example is the “Michigan PFAS Action Response Team awards $2.5 million in grants for municipal airport PFAS testing”. Would this be money better spent on other more pressing issues?

That said, the cost of compliance for Michigan Municipalities is projected to be in the billions. Money they simply do not have.

The Michigan standards are too low – MMA sponsored ASTi to prepare a PFAS Review Report. The report showed the proposed Michigan MCLs should be at least a couple of orders of magnitude higher, more like a part-per-billion instead of a part-per-trillion.

Dr. Michael Dourson and Dr. Ed Calabrese were the two other authors/toxicologists for this report. Dr. Dourson received paper of the year award from the Society of Toxicology for his analysis of the PFAS human cancer dosing study in people.

And, wastewater treatment plant “sludges” is what I was trying to think of. Cost for disposal of the sludge as a hazardous waste is certainly in the 100’s of millions, if not more. Money municipalities certainly do not have.

Jeffrey Mosher has a conversation with Chris Knapp, Accessiversity CEO & Managing Member, Knapp Strategic Projects & Consulting LLC, Lansing Area.

Their discussion centers around “What is Accessiversity?”

This is followed by why this is an important issue that businesses should be paying attention to.

As a business, the minimum threshold should be to make sure your web site and systems are accessible, but really, what businesses should be striving for is to make their web sites and systems more usable for everyone. Accessiversity can help them do that through a holistic assessment that combines accessibility and usability testing and focuses on the “accessibility experience” of individuals with disabilities who might be using assistive technology to interact with their web site or system.

Jeffrey also finds out how Chris got into this line of work.

Chris shares a little background about his disability, never planning to become disabled, let alone becoming an advocate for the disability community, but somehow life chose me, and now that I have a platform for helping advance the important conversation about different accessibility and disability-related topics through my work with Accessiversity and my “Tales of the Reluctant Blind” blog, that is exactly what he is going to do.

Then Chris sums it up, “This is all about leveling the playing field for people with disabilities. Whether it is working with a business to conduct an accessibility/usability assessment of their web site, or blogging about some aspect of disability employment, or just working to build awareness of different disability topics, we’re focused on improving lives by making the world a more accessible and inclusive place for all of us.

For the wrap-up, Chris directs businesses to his Accessiversity page for more information. Below we share links to “Tales of the Reluctant Blind” blog and more.

“Tales of the Reluctant Blind” Blog: (this is a link to our introductory blog post) https://www.knappstrategic.com/accessiversity-blog/tales-of-the-reluctant-blind-introducing-the-accessiversity-blog

Accessiversity Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/accessiversitylabs/

LinkedIn Profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-knapp-/

Accessiversity Page:

https://www.knappstrategic.com/accessiversity

Knapp Strategic Home Page:

https://www.knappstrategic.com/

The arts, music and gardens of flowers are Beverly McQuistion's true passions and she has found a way to engage with them through her Mackinac Island business. Island Breeze Fine Arts and Gifts first opened its doors in the late 1990's. Beverly has worked side by side with artists and customers to bring you the beauties of Mackinac Island. Beverly commits herself to the store and it's customers, you may come in as a customer but you leave as a friend. Enjoy this journey to one of Michigan's greatest tourist gems and discover what happens when hard work combines with the pursuit of passions. You can't help it....when you listen to this edition of the Leadership Lowdown you'll leave with a new friend up on the island!

Jeffrey Mosher catches up again with Luann Dunsford, Chief Executive Officer, Michigan Works! Association, Lansing, MI, to discuss several points including some upcoming National Webinars.

How will the workforce look different in a post-COVID economy?

How is the Michigan Works! system uniquely qualified to assist job seekers and employers post-COVID?

What do you think will be the most important thing to focus on with regard to job seekers and employers post-COVID?

What is the Michigan Works! Association doing to prepare for a post-COVID economy?