PDX Small Business Network

We’ve all had those times in our lives where we’ve had to orchestrate some kind of big event, whether it’s a wedding or a family reunion or some other kind of party. You want to make sure you have the right kind of caterer for your event—so why not someone who prides themselves on sustainability, customer service, and flexibility?

Portland Catering Company:

Artemis Foods prides themselves on these three very things! Heidi Ingelfinger, an event planner for the company, joins me to talk all about the business and what sets Artemis Foods apart from other catering companies here in the Portland Area.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

How the owner of Artemis Foods got the inspiration for the company. She was seeing a lot of things happening to food in grocery stories—lots of processed foods and people suffering from things like gluten or dairy issues. This is how clean eating and sustainability became one of the biggest beliefs for Artemis Foods.

What makes Artemis Foods unique. Sure, they aren’t the only caterer that believes in sustainability, but Artemis Foods has INCREDIBLE customer service; Heidi talks about, as an event planner, she can stick with the client from beginning to end because Artemis Foods is still boutique enough to facilitate that. Not only that, but they’re INCREDIBLY flexible so that the client can get exactly what they want, no matter their situation.

What the process of picking the menu is like. They have some set menus that are used as a jumping off point for clients to decide their own menus, but something Heidi likes to ask is, “What’s your favorite restaurant, and what about it makes it your favorite?” It then becomes a process of taking pieces from a variety of different things to make a menu completely unique to the client.

The two main types of catering they offer: drop off catering and full-service catering. Heidi lays both out for us and also describes why some folks would prefer to drop off catering to full service for their events.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Artemis Foods

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Pinterest

Artemis Foods is an awesome organization who puts the client first. Even though they tend to be booked out far in advance, if your plans finalize late and you need catering, they will still try their hardest to work with you—they don’t want to turn away anyone who wants to work with them. Where else can you get that kind of commitment? Be sure to check out their website and listen to the episode to find out more about them!

Related Post: Fan Fare Theme Catering: Themed Catering Events in Portland

Have you ever had an intense craving for waffles? I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get hit with one, and it’s all I can think about for days. Thankfully for those of us here in Portland, we have the best possible place in the world to sate your craving: Off the Waffle!

Off the Waffle Portland Oregon

Off the Waffle is an awesome waffle shop with locations in both Eugene and Portland that specializes in making liege waffles. Omer Orian, one of the co-founders, has loved waffles all his life and knew he always wanted to be a waffle guy—which means he is living his dream with Off the Waffle.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

What a liege waffle is. Omer tells the story of their origin and explains what they are; they’re like a sweet pastry, made from mixing the dough with chunks of sugar that then melt as the waffle bakes.

Some of their dishes. Omer tells me that their most popular is a dish called Goat in Headlights, which is a liege waffle topped with chevre, sliced avocado, and much more. Oh, and best of all? All their delicious ingredients are organic!

The origin of the company. It was founded by Omer, his brother Dave, and their father, though Omer runs it pretty much on his own right now. His dad still does the books and payroll from Israel, while Dave is pursuing other goals in Tel Aviv. However, Omer has loved waffles all his life and he loves Portland, loves waffles, and is happy to be a Waffle Guy.

Their logo. Omer tells the story of their logo, where it came from, and how even though it’s well-loved by the people of Portland, a minor redesign may be in order to give the logo more depth and dimension.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Off the Waffle

My New Enterprise

Eugene Daily News

Quora

Oregon Jewish Life

Facebook

Instagram

Youtube

Twitter

Off the Waffle is an awesome shop, and Omer Orian is truly passionate about what he does, so you’re going to want to listen to this episode and what he has to say. He also talked a little bit about the culture of his company, and how meaningfulness is intrinsic to everything they do—so you know that Off the Waffle is the real deal!

It’s that time of year—no doubt you’ll see friends and loved ones announcing their engagements any day on Facebook, or perhaps you know you want to get a beautiful piece of jewelry for your own loved one to show just how much they mean to you.

Okay… it’s a bit too late to make that happen for this year’s holidays, but you could want or need to get a custom piece of beautiful jewelry for any reason. In that case, Abbot & Rinehart Jewelers should be your go-to!

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

The history of Abbot & Rinehart Jewelers. They’ve been in business since 1979, originally owned by Norm Rinehart, it was purchased by the current owners twenty years ago, and it’s been with them ever since. They kept the name because it’s so well known around the area; people still come into the store asking to see Mr. Rinehart!

What the store is like. They’re not a big box retail store, so they don’t keep a large inventory of pre made items. They specialize in loose stones, engagement rings, Rolex, and custom jewelry, especially men’s custom jewelry, but they do women’s as well.

The biggest misconceptions around diamond buying. Cody says the two biggest misconceptions he sees a lot are 1) the mounting needs to be really expensive, and 2) you have to have the best of the best. Generally, a mounting shouldn’t be more than $2,500. He also talks about the various scales diamonds are ranked on, and some people want to go the highest on the scale so that they are definitely getting the best. However, you can go lower on these scales, get a really pretty diamond, and save some money doing it.

Where they source their diamonds, and the possibility of colored stones. They get their diamonds both from the public (buying diamonds from those looking to sell old jewelry) as well as wholesalers from all over. They also have a large selection of emeralds and rubies, but colored stones don’t tend to be as popular in Portland.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Abbot and Rinehart Jewelers

Cody Patey Facebook

Facebook

This is a great, informative interview, and Cody shares a lot of information on the inner workings of Abbot & Rinehart Jewelers and all the things that they can do for you. Give it a listen, check out their website, and then take a visit to their store to get your custom piece made today!

Being creative is good for us, but most people aren’t trained artists. It can be hard to be creative when you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing. What if I said that there was someone who wants you to experience the joy of painting even if you have no experience?

Angie Gordon is that someone! She is the founder of Pop and Paint, a pop-up shop that specializes in painting classes. You do not have to have any kind of experience to enjoy what Pop and Paint can offer, since they have instructors there to help you!

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

How Pop and Paint works. Pop and Paint will come to you with all of the supplies you need to create your masterpiece! Then, you and your group sit around with your canvases and follow along with your instructor—a local Portland artist—as they show you how to paint your picture step-by-step.

Why there’s no brick and mortar business. Angie knew people would want to eat and drink while they paint, but she wasn’t prepared to foot the cost of that food and drink. By partnering with all sorts of venues across PDX, aspiring painters get the best of both worlds!

The two types of events they offer: private and public events. For a private event, you select everything: the location, the image, everything. For public events, these are already scheduled, and you simply pay to attend. A recent public event was $37 per person and you are given all the supplies, food, and drinks you could want.

How the idea for Pop and Paint came to be. Angie has always been creative, always drew and sketched, but she never painted until a painting class six years ago. She fell in love with it instantly and wanted to share this with everyone, so after she and her family moved for her husband’s job, she decided Pop and Paint would be her creative endeavor in her new home.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Pop and Paint

LinkedIn

Facebook

Google Plus

Instagram

Pinterest

Twitter

Pop and Paint is such a fun and awesome concept, so you’re going to want to listen to the full episode to find out more! Angie and her company are willing to work with you to make your event an awesome time, no matter what it is.

Pop and Paint in Pictures:

This week, it’s a podcast party! I’m joined by Jesse Layton of the PDX Money Podcast to talk all about his show, what he does, the financial situation of Portland, and much more!

Portland Finance, Business, and Economics:

Have you ever wondered about the economic situation of a particular city? I know that phrase “economic situation” gets thrown around a lot in regards to the country overall, but do you ever think about it in regards to Portland? Maybe you should start! Jesse gets asked questions about Portland’s economic issues often, which is why he’s positioned himself as Portland’s Money Guy!

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

Jesse’s goals for the podcast and what weekly segments you can expect. On Mondays, he posts his weekly headline segments, where he brings you up to speed with the latest need-to-know news, and on Thursdays, he showcases interviews, similar to what I do here!

How the PDX money podcast got started. Jesse thought that Portland lacked a good financial resource for news and what’s going on, specifically targeted toward the business and economic news of Portland.

Jesse’s experience. He’s a financial advisor by day who got his start as a stockbroker eleven years ago. He needs to stay up-to-date on all of this news and these changes to do the best job for his clients, but instead of keeping it all in his head, he’s decided to share it with all of you through the podcast!

A brief snapshot of Portland’s unique financial situation. Basically, there’s been massive growth and the city has been slow to meet this growth in a lot of ways, but there’s still good news: we’ve got a burgeoning tech scene and a lot of incredible creatives still calling the area home.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

PDX Money

PDX Money Podcast

Facebook

LinkedIn

Twitter

If you live in Portland and, more importantly, own a business in Portland, you’re going to want to listen to this episode to find out why you need to be tuning into the PDX money podcast! Jesse is truly an expert in this field, and you’re going to want to make him your go-to money guy!

“Change is hard—let’s make it easy”. That’s the tagline for Judith Auslander, a life coach, and hypnotherapy expert. This week, Judith and I talk about the various ways that she helps people with the issues that plague their mind, and the baggage that they carry around that stops them from pursuing their life the way they want to.

Wise Heart Coaching and Hypnotherapy in Portland:

Judith is a passionate, smart, and inspiring woman, and together, she and I talk about her business, the way she runs it, and what people can expect in a typical session when they go to see her. We also dispel some rumors about hypnotherapy, and Judith tells us the details about it, and how effective it can be in aiding people’s journey towards Success. Let’s get started!

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

How Judith got started in the life coach industry, and what makes her include hypnotherapy into her skillset. She talks to us about how important it is to get certified for what you want to be doing, and how bad experiences in the past made her want to change the stigma for the better while helping people in the process.

Judith explains to us how hypnotherapy works, introducing us to the “5 path hypnosis” technique that covers every aspect of healing incorporated into one process. She also reaffirms that hypnosis isn’t simply a magician’s trick—it cannot make you do anything that’s against your value system, and cannot make you confess to anything that is not true about your person. You do your own work by releasing thoughts that’ve plagued you through your subconscious.

Together, Judith and I run through what a typical session is like. They tend to last for two hours, and the session will begin with the client sitting down and talking to Judith about reoccurring themes (asking questions that pertain to the client’s emotional state, discussing differences or tough spots that might’ve come up, discussing concerns together). This helps Judith know what may be stopping them from moving forward.

From there, Judith then discusses the hypnotherapy part of the session and affirms that it is never forced on a client. Judith always asks if people would like to try it or not, and from there, the session continues. If they do say yes, however, Judith discusses what a hypnosis session is like, and describes the atmosphere she intends for her clients for optimal relaxation.

Judith states very plainly that she is not a “fixer”, nor is she a counselor. Hypnosis doesn’t “cure” depression, or anxiety, or stress, but it does help relieve it, and it does help clients start a natural healing process. And, overall, Judith shares her positive review rate.

Judith tells us how long it takes to see results from her sessions, and she surprises me with her answer—just one! She says that results happen after the first session, however, it does take the average person about 5 sessions to see full-fledged results. She then backs up her claim with a story about a client of hers, who she helped and saw progress within just 5 sessions.

Lastly, Judith ends with explaining to use that while shaking off the negative stigma of hypnosis can be hard, it’s worth it for the results that she sees, and the results she’s gotten in her own life. It helps people take control of their life instead of removing their self will—like most people think—and Judith is incredibly proud and passionate about her work.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Wise Heart Coaching

Wise Heart Coaching Blog

Books by Judith Auslander

Google Plus

Facebook

LinkedIn

Twitter

Judith is a smart, passionate woman who has dedicated her work towards helping others, and I don’t need to tell you how awesome and inspiring that is. She’s very in tune with the work she does, and the way she talks about how easy and relaxing her sessio...

Who doesn’t want to see all the best places in Portland in style? And when you go in style, don’t you want to know that you’re guaranteed a good time? You’re in luck! There’s not one, but TWO businesses here in the city that can do exactly this for you. This week on the PDX Small Business Network Podcast, I sat down with Minda and Kevin Coombs to talk about their two business, VIP PDX, and Double Decker PDX.

VIP PDX and Double Decker PDX:

VIP PDX and Double Decker PDX offer similar things but in different ways. I sat down with the co-owners this week to talk about exactly that, but know this to start off: their vehicles are absolutely GORGEOUS, and above all, Kevin and Minda are fully committed to making sure you and your crew have a spectacular time.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

We talk about Double Decker PDX, which is the only limousine style double decker bus available for charter transportation events in the Portland metro area. She’s a 1959 Bristol Lodekka named Candy originally from the UK who found her way to Portland from Chicago and Missouri and refurbished into an incredible luxury vehicle.

We also talk about their other business, VIP PDX. VIP PDX is executive style transportation. It’s got the feel of an executive lounge, and they offer two buses: one is a big, thirty-passenger travel bus, and the other is a smaller, fourteen-passenger bus they call the Mini-V. The only difference apart from size is the fact the Mini-V doesn’t have a restroom.

Minda and Kevin also dish about everything you could possibly want to know about these two businesses: what you can book them for, prices, where they can take you, and so on. For example, the VIP bus will take you to Cannon Beach or Timberline, but the Double Decker will not.

They also talk a little bit about how they got into the business. After Kevin got out of the golf business after thirty years, he was searching for a way to utilize his skills in golf services, event marketing, and customer service. This sort of fell into his lap and ended up being a great fit.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

VIP PDX

Double Decker PDX

Minda Coombs LinkedIn

Kevin Coombs LinkedIn

VIP PDX Facebook

Double Decker PDX Facebook

VIP PDX Google Plus

Double Decker PDX Google Plus

VIP PDX LinkedIn

Double Decker PDX LinkedIn

VIP PDX Instagram

Double Decker PDX Instagram

VIP PDX Twitter

Double Decker PDX Twitter

Camas Post Record

Minda and Kevin have a really amazing, unique thing going on here, and they talked about so many things regarding both—much more than I could cover in the show notes! So be sure to listen to the full episode to find out even more great information about Double Decker PDX and VIP PDX—and then book your tour!

I think pretty much everyone living in the Portland area knows or at least has heard about, ADX. But if you haven’t, now is the perfect chance for you to learn about it!

What is ADX Portland?

ADX loosely stands for “Art Design Portland” and was founded by Kelley Roy in 2011. It’s a maker space where people can go to create anything their heart desires, and if they don’t have something you’re looking for, chances are they can find it in one of their partners here in the city. They truly live up to their motto: Make it yourself, learn how to make it, or we’ll make it for you.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

How ADX came to be. Kelley read a New York Times article about a maker space in Brooklyn, but the classes and membership only business model meant the space couldn’t sustain. It took her and her team a long while to find a model that worked for them, but they did and they’ve been in business ever since.

All the things that you can create in their maker space. ADX offers a wood shop, metal shop, jewelry making, screen printing, laser engraver, 3D printers, digital design software, and more. They also partner with various places within the city so if you can’t find it under their roof, chances are, they know somewhere else that you can go.

All the pieces that make ADX work. It’s not just classes and membership, after all, though they do offer both of these things. What makes ADX really stand out is their in-house design and fabrication shop, where they create a variety of things for their clients.

How they get clients for the fabrication shop. The truth is, they don’t do a lot of advertising; it’s mostly word of mouth, client referrals, social media, repeat customers, and so on.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

ADX Portland

Facebook

YouTube

Instagram

LinkedIn

Twitter

ADX is a really cool space, and so you’re going to want to listen to the full interview with Kelley to get the full scope of what ADX can do. And her favorite place in Portland? Noraneko, a Japanese fusion cuisine place on Water Ave.

Mention a fitness club or a gym, and most people might balk at the idea. Exercising can be intimidating to us, especially if we’re trying to get into it for the first time or back into it after we’ve fallen off the wagon. What if I told you there’s an awesome fitness center where you can go, get personal attention, build a community, and have the workouts adjusted to your specific skill level without being left behind? Sounds kind of mystical, right?

Portland Fitness Club

Well, I’m here to tell you that such a place DOES exist, and it’s right here in our wonderful city of Portland: Bridgetown Fitness, located in the northeast part of the city not far from the Moda Center. It’s run by Joe Morris, an incredible professional runner, and was born from his desire to train and give back to the community.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

Joe’s history as a professional runner. Bridgetown Fitness was born through his journey as a professional runner. He ran all through college and into the professional circuit; he’s even run against Usain Bolt! People started asking, “Will you train my son?” and it’s hard to say yes when you’re training professionally, but within the last year, Joe started saying yes because he enjoys training and helping with health, wellness, and strength.

All about Bridgetown Fitness: the set-up, the schedule, the pricing, everything you could possibly want to know if you’re in the market to find a new place to work out. But know this: Bridgetown Fitness is MORE than just a place to work out! Joe prides himself on fostering a sense of community at his gym, so you should come into Bridgetown with that in mind.

What sets Bridgetown Fitness apart. Some might say what Joe offers is similar to CrossFit, so why not just do CrossFit? The difference is, Bridgetown Fitness is more personal. Most people pay $90 a session for a personal trainer, but during group classes, Joe does his best to give a little time to everyone so that everyone feels valued and included.

Joe’s perfect client—which is anyone looking to develop themselves in an environment that’s not so hyped up on pressure and competition. Bridgetown Fitness is definitely more easygoing than a place like CrossFit. He wants people who challenge him and who are willing to meet the challenge he puts before them.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Bridgetown Fitness

Youtube

Facebook

LinkedIn

Joe is an incredible guy, and Bridgetown Fitness is an awesome business geared toward helping people better themselves. If it sounds like the place for you, then you’re definitely going to want to listen to this episode and then head right over to Bridgetown Fitness to take a class.

Oh, and his favorite Portland sport? Of course, he’s gotta give it to something fitness-related: Firebrand Sports, the best place you can go for lagree fitness and the new fitness craze: the megaformer.

Bridgetown Fitness in Pictures:

Lean. It’s thrown around often, especially for those who are in the business of manufacturing. You want your production to be as efficient as possible, but what’s the best way to go about that? How do you know if you’re doing lean the right way?

BIM Management and Consulting

This week, I’m talking with Fanny Angeles, one of the co-owners of a business called SXD. SXD provides detailed engineering services, as well as technical and architectural coordination services, to help those in the building industry optimize production and get on board with something called building information modeling, or BIM.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

What SXD does, and what BIM is all about. Fanny talks about how folks in the building industry use too much email and don’t communicate very well; the goal of SXD is to help make things clearer and more efficient for all parties involved in the building process.

How 3D modeling comes into play. Using special programs to create a 3D model of a building or project makes this much more efficient. For example, with a 3D model, you also get data attached to it, so when you click on a particular area or object, you know who is going to make it and what is needed to get that part of the project done.

Her perfect customer? Small firms of any building industry (i.e. architecture, engineering, etc). Big firms have access to this technology and BIM already, but smaller firms have a harder time because it’s more expensive for them. That’s where SXD comes in.

How SXD made it to Portland. The company actually originated in France, which means, yes—Fanny is French herself! She came to Portland for a project, fell in love, and decided to start a branch here in our favorite city.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SXD Group

Portland BIM User Group

Member of AIA

Youtube

Facebook

LinkedIn

SXD is an awesome company looking out for the little guys in the building industry and helping Portland establish BIM as the norm. And if your company isn’t sure about what BIM is all about, Fanny is happy to do a presentation to your employees. You’re gonna want to listen to the full episode to find out more about BIM and everything SXD can do.

Oh, and her Portland spot? She’s new to the area, but she’s eager to check out Le Pigeon, a must-see French restaurant, to see how good it is!