Business
Downtown Prescott’s New Restaurants
One’s back! And one’s coming! Call it a twofer at Firehouse Plaza in downtown Prescott.
Welcome back, Prescott Seafood & Lobster Company. Same name, same place, new owner. “I fell in love with it!” said Julie Rodriguez when she saw the vacant eatery. “It brought me back to Swampscott on the north shore of Massachusetts. I saw the coast. It reminded me of my childhood.”
Rodriquez exchanged a 20-year teaching career for crab cakes, chowder and creamy mac-n-cheese loaded with lobster.
In creating the menu, she took note of dishes particularly favored by patrons in online reviews of the eatery’s first incarnation, adopted some, made them her own and added personal touches like ceviche and peel-and-eat shrimp. Soups, including a featured daily soup, sides, sausages and other non-seafood options like gelato, beer, wine and sodas including “Moxie” from New England are among offerings.
She arrives at 8 a.m. to create fresh from family recipes, including mom’s clam chowder, which, she clarifies, is the New England version, not Manhattan. “Manhattan is tomato-based but it’s nothing compared to the white, creamy, buttery New England clam chowder.”
Her lobster mac-n-cheese is an “amazing” concoction of lobster bisque, chunks of Maine lobster topped with toasty panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Forget calories. “We do everything to perfection, there’s no holding back!”
Authenticity demanded traditional lobster rolls. She explained, “It’s a New England hot-dog bun that’s sliced, buttered and toasted. We put on about four ounces of knuckle and claw meat. We don’t use tails because sometimes they get a little bit too chewy.” Then it’s customer preference: Maine-style with a touch of mayo, Connecticut with warm butter and onions, or Nova Scotia, a mix of lemon juice, celery, onion and hot sauce.
Open since February, the past few months have been “a roller coaster.” Cooking, she’s got down pat, she says. Logistics like determining best business hours, ordering and inventory have been part of her learning process, especially since everything is sourced from the East Coast. Her initial attempts to source locally sunk. “When I tried to get oyster crackers, nobody knew what they are! So we had to get them from a town next to my town.”
Saltines would neither substitute nor please customers, a surprising number of whom hail from New England. “I think they’d be very upset with me and I’d be shunned from the community if I did anything but what needs to be done!” she laughed. She’s thrilled at patrons’ thumbs-up for capturing flavors of home and “having New England seafood in the middle of the desert!”
Just across the plaza, in the former Firehouse Kitchen, he’s on his way: The Hungry Monk.
“We’re building a restaurant of two different vibes. It can be classified as American/gastro pub,” said Jim Jolli, proprietor and head beer man at The Hungry Monk in Prescott. “Upstairs will be an eatery and taproom; downstairs, a coffee and wine bar.”
Like its successful big sister in Chandler, the Monk will feature an eclectic array of craft entrees, daily specials, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sweets. Not to mention small bites and shareables, including sampler meat, cheese, hummus and cracker boards, fried mushrooms, steak bites and buffaloed cauliflower.
Huh?
“We take fresh cauliflower, roll it in buttermilk and seasoned flour, flash-fry and toss in our wings sauce. We lay it on a bed of blue cheese dressing. I’ll put our blue cheese up against anybody’s in the country – literally. It’s a killer!”
The Monk’s claim to fame: wings and bacon. Among signature items are award-winning bacon tacos – corn tortillas filled with applewood smoked bacon, bacon beer aioli, housemade pico and bacon slaw – and Surf-n-Turf with large garlic shrimp and thick bacon slices … in a pint glass!
Which brings Tolli to brews. He’s passionate about craft beers. He anticipates 31 taps. One is for a craft root beer. The remaining 30 will pour a few domestics, about a dozen regulars and the rest rotating. Union Jack, Kermit the Hop, Red Reuben are but drops in the bucket of beers planned.
The cafe will be a laid-back vibe, with coffees, healthy breakfasts (“We do breakfast burritos insanely well”), wines; the upstairs eatery a lively, sports-themed scene with tabletops of redwood crafted by a local artisan.
Tolli happily left behind “too many” long years in Corporate America for the restaurant business. Then “my wife and I bought a house in Prescott. Absolutely fell head over heels in love with the city. Had no intention of opening up a restaurant here. None.”
Long story short, things fell into his lap. The Monk is a work in progress; they hope to open in June.
“We have five reasons for people to come in,” Tolli said proudly. “The food. Beer. Sports. The value and varied menu. Lastly, the staff. Warm and friendly. I don’t care how drop-dead gorgeous you are. Warm and friendly. If you’re not, you can’t work for me, period. That’s probably the biggest reason for our success in Chandler. Customers are absolutely going to love our staff.”
Just as Tolli loves it. “When I left my last gig, my wife asked what do I want to do. I told her I want to play with beer the rest of my life. She said, you need to figure that out then. So, here I am.”
So much for retirement plans in Prescott. QCBN
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Written by Gussie Green
Prescott Seafood and Lobster Co., 220 W. Goodwin St., Prescott; 11a.m. – 7p.m. daily; 928-445–0783; http://prescottlobster.com
The Hungry Monk, 218 W. Goodwin St., 928-237-4759.
CenturyLink Seminar Series
CenturyLink Seminar Series
CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) is launching a free educational seminar series in partnership with the Prescott Chamber of Commerce and Quad Cities Business News. The series will highlight the impact of technology on the Prescott business community and will discuss topics such as:
- 7/15 – Sales training, shorting the sales process, asking for and getting the referral, referral level service.
- 7/29 – Meet the technician to find out what is happening in the Prescott area for communications and technology.
- 8/12 – Hacked, what is your exposure if your business computers are hacked and your customers personal information is accessed.
The above also includes a 3D printer demonstration.
- 8/26 – Bloomtree, low speed to light speed. Their experience with Centurylink and becoming a fiber based company.
- 9/9 – The cloud, what lays behind the curtain.
- 9/23 Internet security and you. Protecting your computer systems.
Where: Prescott, AZ
Venue: SpringHill Suites Marriot | 200 E Sheldon St. | Conference Room
Time: 4:30-6PM
While these presentations are free we do ask that you RSVP as seating is limited. We look forward to seeing you there. Ask about door prizes and a big end of series prize as well.
Register Below
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Mobile Dental Repair Business Making Dentists Smile
The dental equipment repair industry may not be a top-of-mind concern for most people, but mending broken gadgets in dental offices across Central and Northern Arizona keeps one local business owner busy every day.
Clint Rucker, the local franchise owner of a Dental Fix RX van, finds himself in dental offices four to five times daily.
Dental Fix RX – based out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida – sells franchises of mobile service vans that specialize in repairing dental equipment. Since its inception in October 2009, Dental Fix RX has sold more than 195 franchises in the United States and Canada combined.
Rucker, one of their newest franchise owners, services an area of nearly 350 dental offices in Central and Northern Arizona. With his background in repair and maintenance, opening a Dental Fix RX franchise seemed like a perfect fit.
“I was looking for something different to do,” Rucker said. “I wanted to start my own business and I wanted to live in Northern Arizona for a long time, and I found Dental Fix and decided to go for it.”
After purchasing a franchise, all new owners are required to complete six weeks of training at the headquarters in Florida. Andy Cohen, director of sales and marketing at Dental Fix RX, believes the training thoroughly prepares franchise owners for anything they will come up against in the field.
“Once a franchise is sold, we bring the owner in to do technical training,” Cohen said. “The franchise owners are usually tinkerers and have a background in machinery, so they’re generally going to have a base knowledge of repairs. Once they come in, there are a couple weeks where they learn about all of the different equipment in a dental office. They have to pass the final exam to be qualified to open their franchise. After they pass the exam, they ride around with a successful franchisee and shadow them. Then, they launch their franchise and we ride with them for a week.”
The training also includes an in-depth sales and marketing seminar, where technicians learn how to grow their relationships with dental offices. However, Cohen explains that the value of their services makes Dental Fix RX an easy sell.
“The beauty of it is that you don’t really have to be a salesperson to be a successful franchisee,” Cohen said. “We have such unique advantages over our competitors, so therefore, the franchisees don’t necessarily have to be great salesmen.”
Some of their competitive advantages include complimentary travel time, estimates and loaner equipment.
“We’re going to reduce the downtime so doctors can keep their chairs running and make more money,” Cohen said.
Dental offices across Northern Arizona were instantly attracted to Rucker’s repair services.
In fact, Camp Verde dental office Verde Smiles had heard of Dental Fix RX before, and was thrilled to learn about Rucker’s new business.
“We had heard of Dental Fix before, but it wasn’t in our area,” Office Manager Brooke Harvey said. “Clint stopped by the office and gave us one of his cards. His services have been wonderful. Having someone actually come to the office to fix anything that needs to be fixed instead of sending it out and then waiting for it to get sent back saves us a lot of time and money.”
Our Family Dentistry in Dewey was looking for a reliable dental repair company for several months before Rucker walked into their office.
“We asked him if he could check out a few pieces of equipment for us on the spot and he said yes,” said Our Family Dentistry Office Manager Katie Hyde. “He got right in there and fixed our problems within about a half hour. He also gave us a list of all of the things we’ll need to have done in the future, and then he let us know about things we could fix on our own.”
Both dental offices usually have three or four repair needs each month, and are grateful for Rucker’s ability to fix equipment on the scene.
“He’s actually very personable,” Harvey said. “He has a great demeanor, he’s able to take on any task the doctors ask of him and get it fixed, a lot of times, that day. He checks in with us regularly to see if there is anything that needs to be done.”
As a new local business owner, Rucker is looking forward to becoming involved in the community.
“[Repairing dental equipment ] is how I can give back to the community,” Rucker said. “I love Prescott and I love Northern Arizona, and people need to get their teeth fixed and the dental offices need to be up and running. It’s a unique way to help people.” QCBN
Dental offices interested in learning more about Dental Fix RX and Rucker’s services can visit www.dentalfixrx.com.
Written by Maria DiCosola for Quad Cities Business News
Free Sleep Apnea Seminar this Month
If you have concerns about your sleep habits, including deep snoring and waking frequently at night, if you feel fatigued or experience energy loss during the day, you may have sleep apnea. Nearly 22 million Americans have sleep apnea, including one in three people over the age of 55. The sad truth is the great majority of people don’t know it.
Stephen Stuart, M.D., medical director of Arizona Cardiac Sleep Facility (ACSF) in Prescott, who is a board certified Sleep Medicine and Cardiovascular physician, warns that sleep apnea is a serious health condition that, left undiagnosed and untreated, can reduce life expectancy up to 15 year! Dr. Stuart went on to say that there is a direct connection between sleep apnea and heart disease. Untreated apnea increases the risk or heart attack and stroke by up to 300 percent.
That’s why Dr. Stuart and ACSF have decided to hold their first FREE seminar on sleep apnea. The seminar is open to the public and healthcare providers. Titled “Improving Sleep, Extending Life,” the seminar is schedule for Wednesday, June 24, starting at 6 p.m. It will be held at the Prescott Adult Center located at 1280 E. Rosser Street in Prescott. Refreshments will be served. To attend, please RSVP by calling 928-441-1117 no later than June 15.
Dr. Stuart and other guest speakers will explain what sleep apnea is, who qualifies as a candidate for sleep apnea, the connection to heart disease and symptoms. The seminar will also cover health issues that can result from untreated sleep apnea, specifics of sleep studies and treatment options.
Arizona Cardiac Sleep Facility is the first and only cardiac-based sleep study facility in Yavapai County. Sleep studies at ACSF include an EKG and heart health test related to diabetes and obesity using the latest technologies, including industry-approved cardiac markers. Only a cardiac-based facility can offer cardiac markers as part of a polysomnogram sleep study. A cardiac-based sleep study allows people to better understand their treatment options while achieving optimum wellness through aggressive preventive measures.
With sleep apnea, muscles that control the upper airway relax during sleep. When these muscles relax too much, the airway will narrow slightly and may become blocked, causing people with apnea to stop breathing for 10 seconds or more. Depending on the severity of sleep apnea, this pattern can be repeated over 100 times throughout the night, placing undue stress on your heart and brain. This condition is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
People with apnea forfeit a good night’s sleep, causing extreme fatigue during the day. Apnea can affect both work and personal relationships and is responsible for a number of work-related and auto accidents. Annually, there are approximately 40,000 premature deaths related to sleep apnea, including accidents resulting from apnea-related fatigue.
Because Dr. Stuart is a board-certified sleep medicine and cardiovascular physician, it allows him and ACSF to analyze test data in-house, which expedites the process and enables an apnea patient to begin therapy sooner. Also, Sleep Technologists at ACSF are certified and registered, bringing a higher level of care to our sleep study patients.
Arizona Cardiac Sleep Facility is located at 804 Ainsworth Drive, Suite 102, in Prescott. Most insurance plans and Medicare cover sleep apnea studies. QCBN
For more information, call ACSF at 928-441-1117.
A History of Trying Not to Be Bad
According to Socrates – ancient philosopher and recurring figure in Plato’s works – when someone does something wrong, the dispute is never really about whether or not it was wrong. What we quibble over is whether there are mitigating circumstances to justify it. Face it. For a wide range of actions, deciding right or wrong, good or bad, is an easy call. Shoot the person behind you in a movie theater for talking too loudly (a completely real incident)? Bad. Help a pregnant woman carry groceries? Good. Dump your unwanted, aging pet in the desert to fend for itself? Bad. Slaughter the groom and all his relatives at your daughter’s wedding party? Very, very bad. Read QCBN’s business book review every month? Very good.
Nevertheless, these days, bad behavior gives the impression of being much more normal than good behavior, particularly in the business world where bad behavior even appears to rule. No matter that the perception doesn’t really bear out (there are many, many good, ethical people in business, too). But, perception is its own kind of reality, according to Gabriel Abend, author of “The Moral Background: An Inquiry in the History of Business Ethics.” In his introductory chapter, he poses an important question regarding the many significant economic and business fiascos of past decades: is morality a causal factor?
To be a causal factor means that morality (or lack of it, in this case) would have to be the primary, or single, cause of such scandalous disasters as Enron, Tyco, WorldCom and others. Business school teaching practices are also implicated in laying blame at morality’s feet. When it comes to causality (and morality), however, the story is more complicated than that. The mere fact that business ethics is on many people’s minds these days signals how important we believe it to be. Quoting business guru Peter Drucker, Abend notes that “business ethics” is “rapidly becoming the ‘in’ subject” taking the place of yesterday’s “social responsibilities.”
Abend’s focus is the history of business ethics, and on business ethicists in particular. Business ethicist is a term that refers to a wide range of people who concern themselves with “improving the ethics of business” in various capacities. They include ministers, journalists, pundits, politicians, professors, public intellectuals and even business people who engage in questions of ethics (but not those who engage in questionable ethics). “Our historical knowledge about business ethics,” he writes, “has long been woefully inadequate.” In fact, “many of today’s business ethic debates and many of today’s solutions were already debated and already proposed one hundred years ago or so.” The book is intended as one remedy: The author offers a framework for the scientific study of morality.
Rather than an intimidating, unreadable work, what Abend provides is an interesting historical account. While he sprinkles in scientific and philosophical terms (some even in German – Denkkollectiven, for example), he also provides explanations and translations (“thought collectives” – in case you flunked the semester on philosophical German). Readers who prefer more digestible tidbits will enjoy the quotes heading each chapter that provide enough history and anecdotes to fuel both serious reflection and watercooler debates. A more thorough reading offers consideration of the structure of American society from roughly the 1850s to the 1930s through an understanding of how “business” developed as an “agent.” In other words, Abend looks at business as a force in society capable of choices and action, good and bad. He looks at how business ethics emerged within this period; for example, the emergence and prominence of codes of business ethics in the 1920s, including by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He traces the way in which such formal codes “make and express business ethics claims and demands,” and even how they present themselves – posted on a wall in an office, offered as a document an employee has to sign, and the like – and why it all matters.
In the case of bad behavior, in and out of business, it’s easy to cast blame, but harder to see whether it’s been cast in the right direction. Abend’s history and framework are a needed addition even if history, in the case of bad business behavior, tends to repeat itself. QCBN
By Constance DeVereaux
Quad Cities Business News
Olsen’s Grain Founded on Being Better than Good Enough
Anyone who has not heard where the phrase, “Good enough, just isn’t,” must not have listened to a radio commercial in Northern Arizona for a long, long time.
That tagline has been used since the turn of the century, when Steve Sischka, an owner and vice president of Olsen’s Grain, was driving on Goodwin Street in Prescott and saw a billboard about how good a football team Prescott had that year.
“I had an ‘ah-ha” moment, seeing that sign. Our slogan just came, popped into my head, and we’ve been using it ever since at all six of our stores,” Sischka said.
And Sischka is emphatic that the slogan is more than just a slogan.
“Our employees – all 85 of them throughout our chain – are advocates of that philosophy. We are genuinely serious in our belief that the most important product we can offer is satisfying our customers with quality service and quality merchandise.”
The chain has grown from a small store in Chino Valley that generated about $150,000 annually when it began. Now, six different stores produce millions of dollars collectively while increasingly providing job opportunities and contributing substantially to the economy of the communities where they are located.
In addition to the original store in Chino Valley, Olsen’s Grain is located in Prescott, Dewey/Humboldt, Clarkdale, and has two stores in the Flagstaff area.
Commitment to Customers and Communities
A recurring and consistent theme from store management seems to be that providing excellent customer service and giving back to the community are at the heart of the success of Olsen’s Grain.
For instance, Christi and Warren Hubbard are co-managers of two Flagstaff stores. One is located on Steves Blvd, the other on North Hwy 89.
“We’ve been with Olsen’s for 17 years, and we totally support the company mantra of ‘Good enough just isn’t.’ We’ve got a great employee team in Flagstaff. They are problem solvers when customers come in with questions, no matter whether the questions are about pets or livestock. And we’re all active in the community – The Chamber of Commerce, service groups, schools.”
That same attitude was expressed by Sischka when he spoke of the stores in Clarkdale and the Quad Cities area.
“We spend a lot of time training our employees. We really focus on their paying careful attention to the needs of our customers. We also want them to be aware of needs and concerns of the greater community so they can be a part of making our communities prosper,” he said.
Prescott resident Linda Carillo, who has worked for Olsen’s for several years, says she often observes her colleagues exhibiting a desire to serve customers.
“I can’t think of any of the employees I know who don’t like helping people who come in the store to fill their needs,” she said.
A customer at the Prescott Store, retired Prescott resident Steve Rampoldt, responded to a question from the QCBN – “Why do you come to Olsen’s?”
Rampoldt pondered, then grinned, “Because it’s my dog Moses’s favorite store.”
He explained that he named his pet “Moses” because he found the dog wandering in the outlying wilderness near Prescott. “I took him to Olsen’s to get some pet food, and Moses loved the place.”
It is not unusual to see dogs wandering the aisles at Olsen’s, their noses picking up on scents of grain, hay and various pet and livestock food.
Eleven-year-old Julianna Aranda and her family from Yarnell, some 33 miles south, had traveled up the winding road just to get some pet food.
“We like coming here. Everybody’s so friendly,” she said.
Company is a Family-Owned and Operated Business
Sischka has been with Olsen’s grain since 1980, when he and his wife, Kathy, weary of corporate life in California, returned to Kathy’s home community in Central Arizona. Kathy is the daughter of John and Ann Olsen, who founded the original Olsen’s Grain in Chino Valley in 1979.
Founder John Olsen, now retired but still active in the Quad Cities area, had grown up on a farm in Colorado. During World War II, Olsen was in the Navy, stationed in the South Pacific. After being honorably discharged, he returned to what is now Colorado State University, where he earned a degree in agronomy and certification to teach vocational agriculture.
In 1951, he and his wife moved to Chino Valley, where he and two partners started the 2,000-acre JCL Ranch and developed a farm and cattle feedlot.
True to his belief of being involved and giving back to the community, Olsen served on the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors, as chair of the business-growth advocate Northern Arizona of Governments, and now is on the Board of Visitors for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott.
Anticipating population growth, with its concomitant need for livestock and pet feed, Olsen and his family started their first store. They kept expanding as more and more people moved to Central and Northern Arizona.
Management of the stores has remained within the Olsen family. Olsen’s son, Mike, and his wife, Sherrill, managed the store in Chino Valley. Another son, Dan, and his wife, Barb, joined the business in 1982 and handled store operations in Dewey. They later supervised construction of stores in Clarkdale and Flagstaff.
Management now is vested in the Olsens and Sischka.
A few years ago, they hired Rick Thomas to serve as the district manager for all six stores.
Sischka, who had married an Olsen daughter, Kathy, brought his expertise gained as a sales and marketing executive with the Carnation Corporation while in Southern California. Sischka also earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Portland and a master’s of international management from Thunderbird School of Global Management. It was in Phoenix where he met Kathy, who then was studying at Phoenix College.
Sischka, like the rest of the Olsens, is actively involved in the community. A member of Rotary International, he serves of the Board of Trustees for Yavapai Regional Medical Center and is directly involved with Central Arizona Partnership.
“All of us affiliated with Olsen’s have a strong belief in and a commitment to the communities where we live, no matter if it’s Flagstaff or Clarkdale or here in the greater Prescott area,” Sischka says. “We honestly believe we can make the places where we live better than ‘just good enough.’” QCBN
By Ray Newton
Quad Cities Business News
AZSCU Welcomes Business Relationship Officer
Arizona State Credit Union is proud to welcome Pam Jamison as the new business relationship officer for the Quad-Cities area. Jamison brings more than 20 years of experience working in the Quad-Cities area, where she assists members by providing business solutions to meet their financial needs. Having previously served as a business relationship manager for a local financial institution, Jamison has a proven track record of providing personalized business products and services to members in Chino Valley, Cottonwood, Prescott and Prescott Valley.
“I came to Arizona State Credit Union because of the opportunity to develop long-term relationships with business owners in the community,” said Jamison. “I am committed to providing my clients with low-cost, effective options that will help their businesses thrive.”
Having recently joined Arizona State Credit Union, Jamison has helped many members finance their business needs. Her commitment to community and expert knowledge of business trends in the Northern Arizona market have allowed her to help business owners identify immediate and long-term business solutions.
“Pam has been instrumental to the growth of our business membership in the Northern market,” said David E. Doss, President/CEO of Arizona State Credit Union. “Her expertise and professionalism ensure that all of our members receive the best service and specialized solutions required to run their businesses successfully.”
“Pam is a true asset to the Credit Union,” said Randon Cupp, Regional President of Business Services at Arizona State Credit Union. “Her familiarity with the business community, combined with her expertise, makes this a great win for the Credit Union and the greater Prescott area.”
Jamison serves as a council member for the American Lutheran Church, supports Big Brothers/Big Sisters, is an active member of P.E.O., and recently started serving on the West Yavapai Guidance Clinic Foundation Board.
To contact Jamison, please call 928.777.6051, or email her directly at pamela.jamison@azstcu.org.
Understanding Millennials: Key to Future Business Success
The desire among people to enjoy what they do in their professional lives cuts across generations, but what distinguishes that satisfaction and how companies can best invigorate employees’ attitudes varies markedly from one cohort to the next.
That was the future-focused message for business leaders attending the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce monthly business luncheon April 8, when corporate trainer Karolyn Ericson posed and tackled the question: “Is Your Business Ready for 2020?”
With expertise gained from 26 years of corporate training with national companies and currently running her own consultancy, InHouse Trainer Services, Ericson is well versed on emerging trends and what is needed to master them.
“Have you hugged your Millennial today?” she asked, after describing 2020 in the context of its largest labor segment. Although many Baby Boomers anticipate working in one way or another into their later years, it is Millennials who will propel the employment market in 2020.
“Boomers will end their ruling reign of nearly 50 years in the majority of the workforce,” she explained. “They are a feel-younger and more active senior than before. For them, retirement is not a destination, but more of a process. A lot now are looking for ways to reinvent themselves to stay in the workforce.”
With an estimated 10,000 Boomers retiring each day through 2029, there should be plenty of opportunities ahead, as Millennials grow to 50 percent of the working population. She acknowledged that other generations “also are very important, but their demographics do not light up the sky like Boomers and Millennials.”
Data from a Pew Research study identifies what these two generations say makes them “unique/distinct.” The top five answers from Millennials (born 1984-1999) were technology, music/pop culture, liberal, smarter and clothes. In contrast, Boomers (born 1946-1964) named work ethic, respectful, values/morals, (just the fact that they are) Boomers and smarter.
Generation Next
Millennials are “the generation next,” Ericson described. “They are confident, connected and open to change. They are history’s first-ever connected generation. They are on their way to becoming the most educated generation, but they are also the least employed when compared to other generations at their age.”
Additionally, Millennials mainly reside in cities (only 14 percent rural), tend to be job hoppers, and represent the most liberal of all generations. From a connectivity standpoint, 90 percent of them are online, 75 percent connect via social media and 59 percent obtain their news online.
The rise in digital marketing, tied to Millennials’ technology bent – and that of Boomers – emphasizes the need for companies to help “the digital customer find them.” Prime tactics are email marketing, social media diversification, links and key words, blogs, pay per click ads, audience tracking and segmentation, mobile advertising, video marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), GPS and content discovery apps. Those avenues, along with “smarter, targeted, more simple messages,” are imperative for the 2020 business environment.
While historic data is important in predicting future performance, leading indicators and trends are key to “knowing what is coming and being able to make changes quickly… and being the expert in your industry or organization.”
With Millennials, there is a shift toward value driven structure and innovative culture, Ericson said, which means that organizations are moving away from functional problem solving and into examining the core values by which employees make business decisions and people are hired, fired and managed.
Customers First
“Customers always are No. 1,” Ericson stated, “but if we can help brace up or support our employees, they can better serve the customer. It’s about having employees who come to the business and enjoy what they do. They are motivated and committed to the success of your company or organization.”
Citing debt/financial and family issues as the top stressors for all employees, Ericson recommends improving life and employment skills with training in emotional intelligence, accountability, positive psychology, managing emotions, coping with stress and choosing appropriate responses when interacting with customers and family.
Forty-nine percent of Millennials say they would welcome financial training if their employer offered it, she noted, adding that marriage and parenting workshops also are perceived as valuable. These educational opportunities make sense for virtually any employee, but particularly the Millennials, since 75 percent currently live paycheck to paycheck, many reside at home with parents and 19 percent juggle marriage and families.
“Employees’ personal breakthroughs will drive organizational breakthroughs,” Ericson said. “They will cope better with stress. There’s an understanding that companies cannot improve beyond their employees’ abilities to emotionally handle stress and conflict.”
Competitive advantage will come from “out-behaving” competitors with the same products, services and similarly good employees, by delivering programs to improve workers’ life skills and on-the-job success. The game changer is “having employees who come to the business and enjoy what they do. They look forward to coming. They are motivated and committed to the success of your company or organization.”
Sadly, only 13 percent of today’s employees report that level of engagement with their employing companies, she noted. More than 70 percent of Millennials state that they do not like their jobs and more than 60 percent indicated they planned to leave within two years.
Instead of incurring the high cost of employee turnover, companies could be targeting the 27 percent higher profits earned by companies with above-average levels of employee engagement and satisfaction, a business engine that Ericson labels a “gold mine.”
Millennials particularly value the opinions of their peers, perhaps even more so than their bosses and other business leaders, she said. Millennials will get excited about rewards for innovation, especially if they are voted on by colleagues.
Employee recognition reigns as one of the top ways to enhance engagement among workers. Proven benefits include higher profits, lower turnover, more teamwork, a more collaborative workforce and “employees who tend not to leave unless they can move up in another company.”
The 2020 bottom line is that organizations must set expectations for results, Ericson advised, while remaining flexible on scheduling, fully embracing digital marketing and transforming employee appreciation programs through peer recognition. For those businesses starting now, healthier workplaces, a culture of innovation, improved relationships and a collaborative approach should help inject “a little fun at work” for everyone, while keeping owners smiling all the way to the bank. QCBN
By Sue Marceau
Higher Paid Workers with Those Fries?
Public pressure for an increased minimum wage advanced last month, with a lawsuit filed in Maricopa County April 14 on behalf of the Flagstaff Living Wage Coalition and a nationwide Fight for $15 rally held April 15 at McDonald’s and other businesses in 230 larger cities.
The lawsuit contests a 2013 law passed by the Arizona Legislature giving only the state the right to regulate employee compensation and benefits. That law contradicts Proposition 202, passed by Arizona voters in 2006 allowing cities to establish higher minimum wage floors than the state, the suit contends.
Attorneys Mik Jordahl of Flagstaff and Shawn Aiken of Phoenix have requested that the legislative override be declared unconstitutional. Their position is detailed in a coalition press release.
The coalition states that winning the lawsuit would mean “that Flagstaff and other cities in Arizona can establish a minimum wage commensurate with local conditions and cost of living.” The specific minimum desired by the group “will be determined after a thorough discussion with local residents, workers and businesses, and informed by reputable economic studies. At the end, a higher local minimum wage has to garner a broadly shared support.”
The Arizona minimum wage is $8.05 per hour as of Jan. 1, when a 1.9 percent increase above the previous $7.90 per hour took effect. The Federal Minimum Wage rate is $7.25, with Arizona among 29 states surpassing it. The Industrial Commission of Arizona counts more than 24,000 workers affected by the state’s minimum wage increase.
Nation-Wide Efforts
Bettering President Barack Obama’s push for a national floor of $10.10, several cities approved higher minimums. The National Employment Law Project records the largest gains as $13 in Chicago by 2019, $15 in San Francisco by 2018, and $15 in Seattle by 2018-2021. Retailers Walmart, Target, T.J. Maxx and Gap Inc. have announced competitively influenced increases to $9 an hour.
Citing research from governing.com, the coalition asserts that private sector workers in Flagstaff earn “the lowest estimated wages adjusted for cost of living in the entire nation. It is more expensive to live in Flagstaff than it is in New York City. We want to make a meaningful difference in the lives of a significant portion of the Flagstaff population who work in the low-wage sectors.”
However, one governing.com analysis establishes New York City (#1) as the lowest in a 308-city review of then-current wages adjusted for COLA in 2013, with (#308) Moses Lake, WA, the highest. New York City’s minimum wage workers reportedly earned $8 an hour, equal to $3.63 with COLA, and Moses Lake $9.32 an hour, making $10.23 with COLA. Flagstaff ranked #38 at $7.90 per hour, COLA-revised to $6.97.
The coalition references studies indicating “that higher wages mean more money spent on local businesses, a reduction in poverty and a healthier economy. It has little to no effect on employment.”
That perspective challenges Congressional Budget Office Publication No. 4856, which in 2014 estimated that raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour would eliminate about 500,000 jobs nationwide, while increasing income for 16.5 million workers in an average week.
The effect of a $10.10 minimum wage in the fast food industry could range from fewer employees to higher menu prices, explained Desirae Wright, general manager of a new McDonald’s franchise in Prescott. The affected employees, she says, would be entry level workers, as franchisees most likely would seek more experience for the higher pay. The biggest impact would be pricing, she added, describing a ripple effect across industries and a potential outcome that “people can’t afford to eat here.”
Wright works for McDonald’s of Northern Arizona, operator of 16 locations in Flagstaff, Camp Verde, Sedona, Williams and Prescott. That enterprise, with its main office in Flagstaff, is managed under Owner/Operator Greg Cook. Those 16 stores are among more than 14,350 franchises employing 700,000, or 90 percent, of the McDonald’s workforce.
All franchise workers were excluded from an April 1 announcement by McDonald’s headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois, that it will raise its minimum wage to $1 above the local rate at company-owned locations. Currently, 90,000 employees at McDonald’s 1,500 corporately-owned locations earn on average $9.01 an hour. By July 1, that average hourly rate will increase to $9.90 for employees at corporately-owned stores, the company reported, and further rise to $10+ an hour in 2016.
April 15 Rally
Exclusion from that pay rise angered some national franchise employees and motivated their participation in the April 15 rally. The rally was buoyed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), whose supporters report that its efforts have spurred 23 states, cities and counties to increase minimum wage rates since November 2012. The SEIU also advocates a “joint employer” designation for McDonald’s under the National Labor Relations Board, a status that would have liability implications not palatable to the company.
Employee-reported wages for McDonald’s nationwide at glassdoor.com range from $8.23 to $8.63 per hour for crew positions, and $10.11 to $10.28 per hour for managers. Those figures are consistent with wages at the newest Northern Arizona location, where entry-level workers are started at $8.25 to $8.50 an hour, Wright says.
Cook’s Flagstaff office issued a written statement about the minimum wage increase: “As an independent McDonald’s owner/operator, we offer the employees working in our restaurants a wage and benefit package that is competitive for our local marketplace. This package includes ample opportunities for advancement, free meals, bonus opportunities, tuition assistance and scholarship programs. In addition, McDonald’s USA recently announced expanded educational opportunities for eligible employees in all restaurants, which will also be available to our employees.”
Analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Pew Research Center declares that “people at or below the federal minimum (wage) are disproportionately young (50.4 percent ages 16 to 24 and 24 percent ages 16 to 19); 64 percent part-time workers; and mostly living in the South, where only Florida has a minimum wage topping the federal floor.
Making up 4.3 percent of the nation’s workers versus 13.4 percent in 1979, “today’s minimum wage buys more than it did recently,” the Pew analysis acknowledges, “but its real purchasing power is about where it was in the early 1980s – and below its late-1960s peak.” QCBN
By Sue Marceau
Quad Cities Business News