Saunders & Cash

Mallory Marney started Premier MedExperts to provide a network of expert witness to facilitate expert testimony for all sorts of civil, medical and legal cases in the United States with a primary focus on the Midwest. You can learn all about how she got started in the interview on this podcast.

She has seen dramatic growth in her first year of business. Mallory discusses how she has grown the business in respond to significant demand that includes both medical and non-medical expert witnesses.

Law firms are now able to find expert witnesses in a wide range of medical specialty areas. Premier MedExperts does all of the research to validate qualifications and accreditations of the witness.

Mallory discussed her passion for the business by explaining how she did some soul searching after working in sales and making others successful.

The larger law firms are focused on the east and west coasts, so Mallory discovered the mid-west was not really covered. She went from concept to reality in less than a year.

Learn more in the podcast.

Be sure and check out our sponsors for Saunders and Cash and let then know you found them right here: Foreman Law, Retreat To Joy,  FlagshipKansas.tech, SCKEDD, Lee Gray Action Coach, Friends University, Shaken not Stirred Bartending, and 2UAuto. 

You can listen to the Saunders and Cash podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and most other popular podcast directories.

For this podcast we invited Wayne Bell, the local director of the Small Business Administration to the show to learn more about the programs available at the SBA. Wayne Bell has been the local director at the SBA for 12 years. The SBA is a part of robust ecosystem for entrepreneurs in Kansas and across the nation. With the SBA entrepreneurs has an opportunity to use a number of programs that help to strengthen the local and national economy.

Small businesses contribute over half of all jobs in the economy.

Listen in and find out all of the programs, workshops, loan programs, referrals to approved banks and a number of services that help support the growth and development of local businesses. For example, right now you might want to know more about disaster assistance. 

SBA works with a wide range of partners including the Small Business Development Centers, typically at local universities, SCORE and groups like NetWork Kansas.

Anyone who wants to get started in business can go to SBA.Gov for help with creating a business plan or learn more about being a government contractor.  

When you need loans the SBA uses it LenderMatch program to get you connected with approved banks for SBA approved lenders. You can learn a bunch more about the SBA by listening to the podcast and checking out the resources available with the SBA.

Be sure and check out our sponsors for Saunders and Cash and let then know you found them right here: Foreman Law, Retreat To Joy,  FlagshipKansas.tech, SCKEDD, Lee Gray Action Coach, Friends University, Shaken not Stirred Bartending, and 2UAuto. 

You can listen to the Saunders and Cash podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and most other popular podcast directories.

Learn how a real estate investor sees growth by bringing back a formerly popular espresso coffee cafe to be a neighborhood destination for fresh coffee and freshly prepared food, combined with great customer service.

Daniel Mariotti started in real estate but saw an opportunity to expand his business opportunities by taking over a well-established coffee café that had been in decline due to the owner having moved out of the area and not able to manage the café. With the improvements, he has seen tremulous growth by improving customer service, the product and the décor while rebuilding a loyal customer base.

Joins us and listen to his story of entrepreneurship. He moved to Wichita from Southern California and his family started out on seven acres of land, raising animals and a garden much like the TV show Green Acres. He attended college and took a corporate job on the east coast before realizing he wanted an different opportunity for his family and returned to Wichita to work with in real estate, partnering with his father.

He attended college at College of the Ozarks, as known as Hard Work U. The entire campus is run by the students, all working about 15 hours a week and resulted in no student debt but also a work ethic. As Daniel said “It instills the responsible of having to balancing life, work and school”.

He grew up with a family of entrepreneurs, so this is something he has always wanted to do and it comes from hard work, honesty and integrity. He got established in the real estate business partnering with his father, buying distressed properties and estate properties, fixing them up and retaining about one in ten as rentals, reselling the rest.

What has changed in Wichita is a more positive business environment than a few years ago. But with the availability of cheap money and investor interest the real estate market may have peaked. With the Wichita real estate market, price swings does not occur as much compared to other markets.

As a regular customer, Daniel saw that the II Primo Expresso Café had been in decline and saw an opportunity to take over and refresh the product line, the café and improve customer service. What he did was bring the business back with better customer service, improved décor and better food options.

He also recently opened a coffee and café in a downtown office building. And the customers at the office building have really responded. That response have been built around preparing everything fresh every time, something the people in the building has really appreciated.

II Primo is just one part of a growing coffee scene in the Wichita area all built around what each neighborhood seems to want.

This is just one of the many success stories about entrepreneurship we have been able to share with our audience.

Be sure and check out our sponsors for Saunders and Cash and let then know you found them right here: Foreman Law, Retreat To Joy,  FlagshipKansas.tech, SCKEDD, Lee Gray Action Coach, Friends University, Shaken not Stirred Bartending, and 2UAuto. 

You can listen to the Saunders and Cash podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and most other popular podcast directories.

For this podcast we caught up with Henna Hundal, a recent graduate of Harvard University who is the host of a syndicated radio program that has featured the likes of Bill Gates, Nobel laureates, Fortune 500 CEOs, and most recently, several of the 2020 U.S. presidential candidates.

When Henna started podcasting, she didn’t realize it would grow into a project she was passionate about, but the Henna Hundal Show is a now nationally syndicated news program in addition to being a podcast. Henna has been fortunate be able to launch her show from the studios of Harvard Radio Broadcasting.

The story starts from her dorm room, where she started turning discussions with fellow students about the most important issues of the day into podcasts. She then expanded this to recording her professors and leveraging that connection to interview some of the more significant leaders not just in Boston but across the nation and around the world.

The show features the world’s foremost experts for groundbreaking discussion within their respective fields, spanning medicine, science, technology, business, politics, policy, law, and more. Now Henna Hundal is on a mission to understand how contemporary high-impact issues are being tackled by the world’s most influential leaders and has so far interviewed nine of the candidates for president running in the early primaries.

Henna Hundal holds a bachelors degree in stem cell biology from Harvard University. She has been working in radio for six years, including having served as the Chief Operator of Harvard Radio Broadcasting (WHRB Cambridge, 95.3 FM).

Taking into account all of her high school accomplishments, it comes as no surprise that Harvard University accepted Hundal as a student from a small farming community in Northern California. Hundal was originally inspired to apply to the prestigious university for its phenomenal programs, as well as the “movers and shakers” who engage in pioneering research daily.  

Imagine, if you will, that you could interview anyone alive today from among world leaders, who would you choose? For Henna Hundal, this is not a question but a reality. Henna leveraged seized the resources at Harvard to interview a wide diversity of distinguished guests on her eponymous radio show.

Hundal, who grew up in an immigrant family of almond farmers, was first introduced to radio in high school, so it was a natural fit to join the student-run Harvard Radio Broadcasting (WHRB 95.3 FM) program. Inspired by the stimulating environment at the radio station, Hundal created a broadcast of her own, the “Henna Hundal Show,” a forum committed to breaking down contemporary issues exploring how the world’s movers and shakers approach them.

Since its creation, the show has hosted guests such as Bill Gates, and former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, among others. “As you can imagine, it was an unbelievable experience to sit down with Bill Gates and gather his perspectives on HIV/AIDS, as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has dedicated an enormous sum of money towards HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives.”

She is also a contributing author to a book that provides tools and tips for young people to harness their full potential and make a difference in the world (Millennials to Boomers: Celebrating Gifts of Positive Voices in a Changing Digital World).

You can learn more by listening to the entire podcast. Be sure and check out our sponsors for Saunders and Cash and let then know you found them right here: Foreman Law, Retreat To Joy,  FlagshipKansas.tech, SCKEDD, Lee Gray Action Coach, Friends University, Shaken not Stirred Bartending, and 2UAuto. 

You can listen to the Saunders and Cash podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and most other popular podcast directories.

Pat Pelkowski as a veteran of the U. S. Air and a retired Air Traffic Controller who knew he loved the idea of owning his own business. He retired at 50 years of age and as he started thinking about what would come next he turned to entertaining others with a mobile bartending service.

With a degree in entrepreneurship from Wichita State University he also gives back by ensuring 20 to 25 percent of his business is provided to non-profits with his mobile bartending business. Shaken or Stirred is a service he provides for weddings, corporate events and parties of all types.

It’s interesting he didn’t create his business plan on the back of a napkin. He actually grew his business mostly from word-of-mouth referrals. He found that only 10 percent of his business came from bridal fairs, and 90 percent came from referrals.

The business has grown for just his wife and himself to several employees and several events each week that includes corporate events, private parties, anniversaries, birthdays and weddings.

One key advantage of using a professional mobile bartending service is Pat and his team have figured out how to best plan and put on a successful event, from planning the beverages to serves customers it all takes some experience.  

He also offers the Art of Mixology classes so you can learn just what it takes to mix a great cocktail. Much like a cooking school except for drinks. 

Over the four years he has been in business his business has grown each year growing from just one event a month to several events each week with teams of employees handling the set-up and serves requirements. Pat actually started his business before he actually retired so that by the time he was ready to leave air traffic control work, he was ready to go full-time.

He actively works to nurture his network for repeat business by reaching out to corporate events that frequently happens every year and makes sure that he gives back to the community by providing his services to local non-profits.

He also actively works the local business networking events to make sure people are always aware of his services by attending several different chamber of commerce organizations and the local vistor's agency.

Be sure and check out our sponsors for Saunders and Cash and let then know you found them right here: Foreman Law, Retreat To Joy,  FlagshipKansas.tech, SCKEDD, Lee Gray Action Coach, Friends University, Shaken not Stirred Bartending, and 2UAuto. 

You can listen to the Saunders and Cash podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and most other popular podcast directories.

The Women Empowered Market started just a year ago to have a global impact for women.  A diverse group of women entrepreneurs and leaders of nonprofits, designed to help women around the world, got together to plan and bring to the community a market of products produced or sold by women.

Each of members of the organizing group are either entrepreneurs themselves or have programs to help enable women to become more self sufficient by helping them start a business.

The group organized the first Women Empowered Market with over 40 vendors offering fair-trade, fairly traded and direct trade goods created by local and global small businesses run by women. 

Since then the Women Empowered Market has hosted three markets and are about to host the four market during International Women's Month. 

Two of the primary organizers, Katy Penner of Alegria Fair Trade and Ginger Lobdell of SheHopes.org joined in the interview to discuss how the market was formed and the success it is having in its second year. 

The next market is March 21st at First Presbyterian Church in Wichita. 

The market features both local women entrepreneurs and products from women owned businesses from diverse areas like India, Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda as well as Southeast Asia and Central America. 

Some of the nonprofit program, like SheHopes works directly with women in villages to teach them selfdefense skills and sewing skills so they can make products that are then sold locally as well as brought to the United States for events like the Women Empowered Market. 

Women are now over half of the world's population and studies have shown that when women become entrepreneurs, the entire community improves, kids do better in school and men benefit as well. 

Listen to podcast, come to market and support women entrepreneurs.

Local Entrepreneur Opens Fireworx CoWorking in Historic Fire House

Image the excitement you might feel when you have a strong attachment to historic building and you want to encourage entrepreneurship in your hometown and you discover an opportunity.

 

For Bruce Rowley, an entrepreneur, marketer, creative thinker, commercial real estate developer and managing partner at RSM Marketing, that's what happened one day as he drove by an historic firehouse near his office in downtown Wichita, Kansas.

 

He had driven by this building many times. The city was using as staging area for public works projects, with trucks and gear parked here and there around the site.

 

He stopped one day for look at the building, just a bit curious about what the inside looked like. As he was looking around, he stepped into the historic fire station, and was greeted by one of the workers. He got a tour of the building from one of the city employee who mentioned that the city was planning to move their functions out and sell the space. Once Bruce saw the space, that got Bruce's creative juices flowing and he went home that evening, wrote up a plan and sent it off to his parters by 10 PM that night.

 

In his research he discovered that co-working has gone into old banks and old schools. He realized that his rather difficult spaces can be repurposed in some space ways. It took some time to get a contract with the city in place to acquire the building with an agreement to turn the firehouse into a co-working space.

One of the creative things they did was to take the huge doors of the fire station and used them for interior walls for conference space.

 

The grand opening included many of the retired fire workers who actually served at the station. Find out more information FireWorxWichita.com.

 

Bruce, grew up in Wichita when the aviation industry was growing rapidly as a community of entrepreneurs that included Pizza Hut and the Rent-A-Center corporations grew to national chains. That changed later in the 1990s and the early part of this decade. But over the last few years things have really taken off for entrepreneurs in Wichita with the whole ecosystem for entrepreneurs rapidly expanding.

 

As Bruce said, “We got the beginning of our MoJo back and we are not taking no for answer anymore.” and “We are not playing by the rules set by who knows who anymore.”

 

The entrepreneurship is the reason Bruce and his business partner Mike Snyder choose to locate their business here as it as grown to a national firm.

One of the things they have done is look around in the downtown area with other investors to build up the area south of the sports arena.

 

The entire top floor of the building has been leased out, but there is space on the ground floor and the loft area. The plan is to bring even more economic diversity to the area with the addition of the co-working space and is within walking distance to the sports arena, the new baseball stadium and many eating spots.

 

Be sure and tune in to find out what Bruce feels is the three elements needed to make entrepreneurship grow in any community.

 

Be sure and check out our sponsors for Saunders and Cash and let then know you found them right here: Foreman Law, Retreat To Joy, FlagshipKansas.tech, SCKEDD, Lee Gray Action Coach, Friends University, Shaken not Stirred Bartending, and 2UAuto.

 

You can listen to the Saunders and Cash podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and most other popular podcast directories.

There have been a lot of wins for EmpowerHer Conference sponsored by the Women Entrepreneurs of Kansas (WEKAN). March 13th at WSU Tech on Webb Road. The Theme is “Her Vision For the Future.” We were joined by Marquetta Atkins and Brandy Willett. Two of the board members for both Women Entrepreneurs of Kansas and Camp Destination Innovation.

One of those wins is Jennifer McDonald of Jenny Dawn Cellars who started with an idea three years ago at the conference. She was able to put together her business plan, find investors, go learn the wine business at UC Davis in California and bring all of that back to Wichita where she now has her own business with the first urban wine cellar in Kansas.

Another win is of course, Christina Long, founder of the Create Campaign. The Create Campaign does so much to help launch businesses in Wichita with counseling, connections, workshop and serves as the hub of minority business development, growth and innovation in Kansas.

Another win for entrepreneurs in Wichita is Founders Grove includes, the Create Campaign, Camp Destination Innovation, Real Mean Real heroes and the Heartland Wichita Black Chamber of Commerce.

Another win features at this year’s conference is The Hive founded by Andrea Hattan, who recently bought the office space she uses to create her co-working business and building a community for women of entrepreneurs.

This conference is about following your dreams and passions and about investing in yourself to make a future for yourself and your family. According to Brandy, a problem for women is they sometimes hesitate to invest in themselves. With just a few dollars, (admission has been cut in half this year) you can start getting connected to some of the best resources for women entrepreneurs in Kansas.

For the economy to grow in Kansas and across the United States we need more women entrepreneurs. It currently the fastest growing segment of entrepreneurs in the United States and has been a big part of the growth in business formation for Wichita over the past three years.

As Marguetta said: “We are in our season, 2020 is the year of the women.” and she when on to say: “What not? We don’t lie and say it’s not hard. It’s a grind. But I would rather live in I did and say I tried.” We need all types of businesses for the economy to thrive.

Another theme is talking about moving up from failure. A lot of women need to talk about their failures, rather than hide from it. At this year’s conference, Renee Duxler will talk about the failure of her business and how she rebounded to be the executive director of the Douglas Design District.

Again according to Marquetta: “There is no absolute failure in failure, it’s just a lesson.”

The theme of the EmpowerHer conference is Her Vision 2020. It’s important to come out and meet people and develop networks with other entrepreneurs and tap into the Wichita ecosystem of entrepreneurship. Wichita has great resources to help any entrepreneur launch a business. This is one of many conferences, workshops, networking groups and business support groups that support business formation, technology startups and growing businesses all across the region.

You are not alone in the effort to be entrepreneur in Wichita. Marquetta: “There is no being alone. Someone is speaking life to your name, someone is giving you a reference, somebody is opening a door for you, someone is helping you take it to the next level.”

You will be meeting the top entrepreneurs in Wichita and the event is open to women, youth and men too.

We also highlighted the Camp Destitution Innovation program that features a three-week summer camp and this year it will feature applying technology. There is an amazing and talented group of people who are not mudded by the world and are coming up with some amazing solutions to the problems facing the world. The camp really nurtures the creativity of youth.

We also discovered that one of the attendees at last year’s camp is now meeting with investors to launch his business in a serious way.

The sun in a box idea was another element the campers discovered with their visit to Koch Industries.   The camp really opens up creative thinking with a number of exercises and activities.

Another example is a young lady from Texas who is legally bind, and featured in the news for running track but also create a tee shirt to feature her business idea of See Braille.

The idea of this camp program for this year and in the future is to develop holistic entrepreneurs and leaders by teaching coping skills, conflict resolution, and mindfulness skills.

Be sure and check out our sponsors for Saunders and Cash and let then know you found them right here: Foreman Law, Retreat To Joy,  FlagshipKansas.tech, SCKEDD, Lee Gray Action Coach, Friends University, Shaken not Stirred Bartending, and 2UAuto. 

You can listen to the Saunders and Cash podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and most other popular podcast directories.

Professional organizer Rachel Murphy joins us in the interview on Saunders and Cash to talk about her experiences starting a business to help people de-clutter their homes, offices and work spaces.

In just a few short years Rachel helped over 150 people and has worked with clients who want a simple redo of their closet all the way to a complete redesign of their home or garage. She hasalso help hoarders overcome the challenges they face by dealing with the psychology of hoarders which often includes holding on to a deep seated underlying trauma. Rachel helps clients find what really serves them well and makes it much easier to maintain an organized life.

Her solutions are custom, as there is no one size fits all solution to having an organized life. Her clients often feel overwhelmed by the clutter in their life or even their workspaces.

Rachel is about to launch her own podcast on the topic of simplifying your life, which is also the business also her business. In the second half of the interview, we talk about the common junk drawer and the fact that everyone has one, but it seems useful to keep even the junk drawer organized.

Rachel decided to start a business to help support her family members after working in real estate as an assistant who helped stage and de-clutter homes for sale. By taking care of the clutter in a home, many of her customers are able to complete a sale much faster, One reason Rachel decided to be self-employed is so she has more control over her time and income.

One thing that she has learned from being an entrepreneur is learning to overcome fears of things like public speaking and is now also has a successful speaking career and is about to launch both her own radio show and podcast.

One thing that she has learned along the way was not to just trust everyone, good to do your research on the people you might want to enter into business arrangements with and along way has meet some amazing entrepreneurs.  We love capturing quotes from our guests and here is Rachel's:  “Entrepreneurs go where other people don't and we do what other people don’t.”

She has learned to barter for services and skills that she does not do well, exchanging organizing talents for things like building a website. She participates in One Million Cups but finds most of her clients by word of month.  

The Magic of Thinking Big by David J Schwartz is one of favor books. Rachel offers a special printable handout from her website that is a 15 minute day exercise to help you de-clutter your home. SimplifyMyLifeICT.com or on Facebook at SimplyMyLifeICT.

All of her speaking engagements have also been on a referral basis as well

Her podcast will be Jump, Pivot and Roll. Look for it soon. This will be co-hosted by Shannon Stiles who is also the host of Successful Living, locally on KQAM 1480 AM and 102.5 FM.

Be sure and check out our sponsors for Saunders and Cash and let then know you found them right here: Foreman Law, Retreat To Joy,  FlagshipKansas.tech, SCKEDD, Lee Gray Action Coach, Friends University, Shaken not Stirred Bartending, and 2UAuto. 

You can listen to the Saunders and Cash podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and most other popular podcast directories.

As a part of National FFA Week across the United States we interviewed FFA members and leaders in the state’s agriculture education programs. Kansas is an agriculture state with more than 30% of the economy based on farming and agriculture business. National FAA is a national youth program and in Kansas it includes 110 programs across the state and 10,000 young people

We started the interviews with Kurt Dillon, from the Kansas State Department of Education. Kurt is focused on agriculture education and is also the state advisor for the 110 FFA programs across the state. Joining Kurt, we also talked with Mary Kane, the Kansas FFA Association Executive Secretary and JoAnn Farmer, a teacher at Southwest High School and local advisor for the FFA program. JoAnn teaches agriculture and agribusiness courses. She teaches over 200 students and 145 members in the FFA program.

The Mission of Agricultural Education is to prepare students for successful careers and a lifetime of informed choices in the global agriculture, food, fiber, and natural resources systems.

When asked about what agriculture is, Kurt defined is as “Agriculture is if you wear it, eat it, live in it or grow it is agriculture”.

In this interview we highlighted the use of agriculture technology today in the production of agricultural products. Technology allows producers to grow more products with fewer labor inputs. We also discovered that there is a huge need for people to enter the agriculture fields with many robust opportunities. We also highlighted the future of the industry with the need to make sure young people are prepared to enter the field with the proper work skills with critical and creative thinking skills.

Workforce skills training at the high school level includes classroom education and work-based learning along with the FAA part that includes leadership and entrepreneur skills. One of the challenges in the need for more teachers to teach agriculture and agribusiness training that is needed.

JoAnn Farmer, a teacher at Southwest High school talks about the joy of working with students via the FFA program. At Wichita Southeast High School most of the students are urban based, so the training is more focused on agriculture business. All of her students are encouraged to have an SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) in which many students choose to focus on entrepreneurship.

Each student in the agribusiness course spends the first semester developing detailed business plans for their own agriculture-based business and the second semester is used to launch their new ventures.

In the second segment, we talked with Austin Nordyke and Tate Ahlvers, two of the leaders in the student FFA program. Tate for example, learned his passion was really farming by being in agriculture courses in high school. Tate also talked about what precision farming is including mapping of fields with drones, and GPS tracking for maintaining fields to increase yield.

Austin started a lawn mowing business as part of his agribusiness courses and completed in both local and national programs for proficiency awards in agribusiness and was the 2017 National FFA Star in Agribusiness award winner. Austin is in his final year of undergrad studying Engineering Technology Management and started an accelerated Master's Degree in Innovation Design, a new program focused on design thinking and human-centered design.

Tate Ahlvers is the 2019 National FFA Proficiency Award Winner in Forage Production and a member of Beloit FFA Chapter in Kansas. He also continues to work on his family farm, working 9,000 acres across four counties. Twelve hundred of those acres are for forage production. On average, the operation produces around 2,000 alfalfa bales and 3,000 straw bales each year. Ahlvers uses a number of management techniques to increase production, including fertilizing all of the ground in the winter off- season, thus maintaining the organic matter in the soil. Ahlvers is current a student at Cloud County Community College studying Precision Agriculture.

Advise from these student leaders include just following your passion and take the risk.

Be sure and check out our sponsors for Saunders and Cash and let then know you found them right here: Foreman Law, Retreat To Joy,  FlagshipKansas.tech, SCKEDD, Lee Gray Action Coach, Friends University, Shaken not Stirred Bartending, and 2UAuto. 

You can listen to the Saunders and Cash podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and most other popular podcast directories.