Mitten Money

Have you ever heard of conscious capitalism? It's perhaps one of the most significant movements presently in the business landscape. Large and small companies alike are all embracing being more conscious. So what is this exactly?

According to Conscious Capitalism, Inc. It's driven by the philosophy that business should exist for reasons beyond profit and should work to elevate humanity as a movement has been growing, so too has the interest in joining. Today we have two guests to chat about this. Joining us is Alexander McCobin, CEO of Conscious Capitalism Inc. As you'll see, during the interview, Alex has a big passion for the movement, which has taken him across the globe and spoken to many Fortune 500 business leaders.

Also joining us in this discussion is a model company that has elevated humanity through its business, Roy Spencer, President of Perma-Seal Basement Systems. Roy co-founded Perma-Seal 43 years ago, and it has grown into one of the most successful basement waterproofing and foundation repair companies in Chicago. They've worked on nearly half a million homes and received over 6,000 5-star Google Reviews. And they've also been named one of the workplaces in 2021 in the United States. Happy customers and happy employees make for a win-win scenario!

In today's episode, listeners will dive headfirst into:

• Why should companies consider becoming more conscious?
• What that change to be more conscious means for business.
• How do people get started with creating a conscious company?

For many people, when they start their entrepreneurial endeavors, they are often very talented at the field they go into. Sometimes though, these skills that help drive the core business don’t necessarily support the business's ongoing operations. One of the most common areas where this happens is on the financial side of the company.

What are your options for getting financial support? You could hire someone to run the books, but should that person be full-time or part-time? How should you go about vetting their experience?

To help answer these questions, we have on Tom Conzelmann. Tom had a background in working as a CFO for a medical system, and he has provided accounting knowledge to startups. If you’re at all interested in knowing more about financial reporting, accounting, and seeing when you should potentially hire an outside financial consultant, this episode is for you.

Connect with Tom https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomconzelmann

Today's special guest is Kevin Kendrick, former VP of Security for Dow and veteran FBI agent. During his career, he spent many years building and developing security processes, and safeguarding physical and cybersecurity threats. In addition to his career, Kevin made time for family and giving back to his community. He severed on several different boards, acted in the community theatre.

In America, it’s estimated that 90% of American businesses are family-owned and controlled. That means that two out of three employees either own or are working for a family-owned business. What if a family member wants to pass that business onto the next generation? There are sure to be several complex questions that arise when considering a transfer of ownership: a healthy, transparent, and trusted relationship with attorney matters.

On today’s episode, Chris Savage of Lowe Law answers common legal questions. Tune in to learn more about:

• When is a good time to seek out the services of an attorney?
• Unique business challenges affecting Michigan-based businesses.
• Most beneficial ways to find the right attorney fit for your business.

Chris Savage has 20+ years of experience in various aspects of estate planning, probate and trust administration, income, estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxation, and corporate business matters. Chris regularly advises clients on both simple and complex estate and business planning matters. She’s listed in the Best Lawyers in America in the trusts and estates area and is an author of several small business-related articles.

https://lowelaw.net/christine-savage

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-savage-22082916/

$550 Billion dollars. Would you believe that demotivated employees cost U.S. businesses that much in lost productivity? While it’s a big number to grasp, it’s certainly believable. According to Gallup research, over 70% of employees in America are affected by demotivation. The scary thing is – this number has been on the rise. 

So, how exactly do you battle this crisis? Luckily – this week’s guests, Dr. Tara Peters and Dr. Cathy Bush, both business consultants and co-authors of "The Demotivated Employee." Cathy and Tara discuss the motivation crisis, and ideas of when to introduce a business consultant into a business.

During this interview, listeners will learn about:

• The motivation crisis happening in the workplace.
• When to reach out to a business consultant.
• How to gauge if employees are engaged.

Resources:

www.theleadershipdoctors.com

Dr. Tara Peters TEDx Talk

https://www.ted.com/talks/tara_peters_demotivation_the_billion_crisis_that_s_plaguing_business

Today, we'll dive headfirst into everything pay and benefits with Chuck Stadler, President of CORE Staffing. Chuck is a nurse, business owner, people-person, and leader. Chuck runs two businesses; CORE Staffing is a healthcare staffing company providing services across America, and he and his wife own Lazy Dog, a pizzeria in Frankenmuth, MI. Chuck has been involved with the health care industry for 15+ years, starting as an RN. Chuck and host, William Zank, have a lively discussion on:

- How employers can stand out amongst their competitors in their job descriptions.

- Structuring an overall employee’s benefits package.

- How often employers should revisit employees’ salaries.

“Explore all the options you have to take care of your employees. Pay for community college if someone is without an associate's degree, or offer COVID pay for those exposed or having COVID. Explain all the options that you have for your employee. Take care of them. It doesn't affect the overall bottom line.” Chuck truly cares about the people entrusted to him and shares, “it's not just about the pay and benefits. It's all about how you treat employees. In the end, that’s what matters.”

An out-of-the-box benefit Chuck is considering offering his team working from home is a once-a-week visit from a housekeeper- clever!

What’s your strategy for finding the right candidate? Do you post and pray, or actively recruit?

In the next two episodes, will dive headfirst into talking about some of the best practices around hiring, pay, benefits, and talent retention in this two-part HR miniseries. Our first guest is Dan, Porta. Dan is a Senior Corporate Recruiter with Tech Smith. Dan brings a wealth of experience to this episode as he’s worked as a recruiter across the tech industry, healthcare, and manufacturing industries. In this episode, broaden your understanding of best practices when it comes to:

• Remote working.
• Building Relationships with Talent Centers.
• What benefits are trending in 2021.

Fall is upon us. Bring on the cozy blankets, apple ciders, and college football! We are pleased to present a special episode of Mitten Money. This bonus episode coincides with Michigan State University's season opener vs. Northwestern game. William Zank talks with Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for Michigan State University, Bill Beekman. Bill is a lifelong Spartan who has worn many hats at the University, most recently as the Athletic Director.

Listeners will learn about:

• The athletic department by the numbers.
• The newer name, image, and likeness rule.
• How MSU athletics survived the challenges of COVID.
• Bill’s standout moment in his more 25-year tenure at MSU.

On this episode of Mitten Money, learn from yet another entrepreneur that saw an opportunity and ceased it. Meet Mike Schuette, co-founder, and CEO of GCI Water Solutions, a company born out of the need to solve complex wastewater issues. Entrepreneurism runs in the family as Schuette’s family owns Merchandise Outlet, 11 stores filled with unique, well-priced everyday finds, and recently named one of Michigan’s Top 50 Companies to watch.

GCI literally takes one man’s trash and turns it into treasure. Barrels of wastewater created from the oil refinery process are turned into two byproducts; water and salt. The salt created through this desalination process becomes a useable product for concrete usage and more.

If you’re looking to learn how one person could pivot their career, create a sustainable business model, learn from 100+ investor pitches, and employ a growth mindset, look no further. Mike Schuette brings his a-game while discussing GCI Water Solutions economically and consciously treats oil and gas production wastewater. Mike is originally from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, and adjacent professor at Central Michigan University.

It’s been over 63 years since the last time something of this magnitude has happened. We’re not talking about the Detroit Lions Championship drought (that’s 62 years). Instead, we’re talking INFRASTRUCTURE. According to today’s guest, Wayne Hofmann of Wade Trim, the last time the United States had this kind of infrastructure bill in place was the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956.

On August 10, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed an Infrastructure Bill (House Resolution 3684) by a margin of 69 to 30. This $1T infrastructure bill will create jobs and fix crumbling infrastructure. Why should this matter to you? The last major infrastructure bill of this size ultimately authorized over 41,000 miles of interstate highway system back in 1956. That’s the kind of opportunity that we chat about with today’s guest, Wayne Hofmann.

Wayne is an expert go-to on construction and project finance. We chat about the opportunities that the infrastructure bill offers us, some unique things coming from the bill, and how philanthropic organizations are starting to play a major role in this process.