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Be Irresistibly Newsworthy in Story, Soul, Style

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Telling that story and speaking with passion are skills that can be mastered. Sharing that message broadly can impact the world.

While attending a Phoenix-area Chamber of Commerce mixer, I couldn’t help but notice a woman who was speaking so passionately about her business that she had a crowd of about a dozen women completely entranced. In a tiny restaurant where people milled about smiling politely, pretending to be interested in the latest tax law and plumbing fixtures, she was holding court in a big way.

As a journalist and public relations consultant who is constantly on the lookout for people who have great stories to tell, I drew closer to find out what it was about this woman and her product or service that was so compelling. My curiosity level shot even higher when I felt a spark of familiarity.

And that’s when I saw them. On the counter next to her and in her hand were these beautifully polished metal objects. You could tell just by looking at them that they had heft. They were about an inch-and-a-half long and came to a point. “Jewelry!” I thought. “Beautiful, metallic jewelry. Earrings. Pendants. What a statement they made!”

I had no idea.

And this woman, she was a magnetic force in her own right. I was pulled in closer.

She was saying something like, “These don’t exit. They are designed to tumble and spin and continue to cause damage.”

“Wait. What does this jewelry do?” I was confused.

As I leaned in to hold one of these shiny, weighty things, something like the sound of a hammer on a gun being pulled back clicked for me. These were bullets. Bullets that made a statement. Then another click, as I studied her eyes, her jawline, her voice.

This was JoJo (not her real nickname), a shy girl I knew from grade school. Thrilled with the joy of seeing a childhood friend, I excitedly called out, “JoJo!” –  the only name I knew her by.

What followed pierced my heart. Her eyes darted my way in what looked like panic and sheer terror. She froze. My instinct to rush in for an embrace also froze. Her crowd dissipated. It felt like we had entered the vacuum of some weird time warp. I was a threat, someone from her sad past, dredging up memories and pain that she had carefully buried and locked away decades ago.

JoJo had been mercilessly bullied. She was a year or so younger than me. I wasn’t aware of the deep hurt she suffered every day at the bus stop, in the classroom, on the playground. Everywhere. I knew this because she told me. She explained she didn’t go by “JoJo” anymore. And she told me why. The stabbing pain in my heart dropped to my stomach when I realized what seeing me had done to her, all over again.

We finally embraced. I told her I was proud of her and stepped away so she could recover. And she did. Moments later, a new crowd of women was drawn in, captivated by her knowledge, her confidence, her passion. Before my eyes, JoJo had time-traveled and transformed from a frightened little girl to a powerful, strong woman driven to help other women feel safe. The sleek bullet she held in her exquisitely manicured hand would not just wound or anger a threat; it would eliminate it.

JoJo was passionately speaking to women who never wanted to feel frightened, weak, vulnerable and helpless. And they listened. The message landed and stuck.

When you speak with passion to your target audience, your message is received on a level that hits deep. Like JoJo’s products, it doesn’t exit. It stays with you.

That’s what passionately speaking does. In business, passionately speaking has the power to captivate an audience and to resonate with potential clients and customers. We all have a story to tell. There’s a reason we do what we do. Telling that story and speaking with passion are skills that can be mastered. Sharing that message broadly can impact the world.

In February, I am hosting a unique immersive media relations retreat in Sedona for women. Participants will have the rare opportunity to spend time with globally powerful, successful mentors such as the first newswoman inducted into the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame, anchorwoman Mary Jo West, FOX 10 Weekend News Co-Anchor Linda Williams, Expression Expert Bobbie Casalino Lewis, journalist, author and storyteller Lisa Schnebly-Heidinger, Peak Potential business coach Colleen Biggs and clinical hypnotherapist Rosemary Powell. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Find out more about how to receive “Your First-Class Ticket to the News Media World” at MediaRelationsWorkshop.com or contact Bonnie Stevens at bonnie.stevens@gmail. com.

Bonnie Stevens is a public relations consultant. She can be reached at bonnie.stevens@gmail.com.

Don’t Play Games You Can’t Win

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Now, more than 7,000 people have received this award in eight countries.

We like to tell ourselves we can do anything if we just put our mind to it, but I’d like to encourage all to acknowledge when we are in a game we can’t win, and for heaven’s sake, stop playing it!

Growing up in Phoenix, balmy summertime evenings were meant for Kick the Can, Tag, Red Rover and any number of unsupervised activities that included wildly racing around the neighborhood and usually some blood.

My neighborhood was all boys. So, you can imagine my surprise when I showed up at their Cub Scouts meeting in my brother’s old Cub Scouts uniform and got snubbed by my friends. I didn’t get the hint entirely when they said, “You can’t be here!” So, they decided to just ditch me.

They took off running. Unfortunately for them, I had a lot of training in running from nightly games of Tag, Hide and Seek, etc., and kept up with the fastest boys. While many of them were doubled over wheezing from the failed attempt, a grownup had to tell me that, even though I was good at that game, I couldn’t win the prize I really wanted, which was a seat in the Cub Den.

Grownup games are even more confusing. I’m inspired today by those who recognize when they are in a game they can’t win and instead of feeling sorry for themselves and pushing back, they create their own game.

Martha Mayhood Mertz is one such grownup. In Corporate America of the 1980s, she was in awe of the brilliance, creativity and competence of the professional women around her. But she was confused when they weren’t getting acknowledged and being promoted and honored in the workplace at the same rate as the men. The business culture she was experiencing had a way of overlooking women. Recognizing she and others were in a game they couldn’t win, she started her own game, the international ATHENA Awards program.

Mertz set out to have 10 custom-made ATHENA sculptures created to honor one woman of leadership excellence each year for the next decade. She figured by then, the culture would change. It didn’t. So, today, she continues to cultivate and recognize leaders and organizations that promote women. Now, more than 7,000 people have received this award in eight countries.

Quad Cities Business News is carrying that ATHENA torch in Prescott. On Sunday, Sept. 24, the Fourth Annual Prescott-Area ATHENA Awards High Tea will be honoring individuals and organizations in three categories: the ATHENA Leadership Award for an individual, the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award for a business or organization that develops and supports women leaders; and the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award. Nominations are being accepted now. For more information, go to https://prescottathena.com.

Mega-successful businessman Ed Hajim is another such grownup. When he was rejected for membership at a golf club on Nantucket Island, where he lived half the year, he didn’t fight the decision. He didn’t rally his friends to come to his aid. He didn’t get his feelings hurt. He simply built his own golf course. He says that decision turned out to be a wonderful experience.

“That’s why I say, ‘Never be a victim.’ I could have been a victim. I could have fought that. But starting my own golf club was a great experience,” he said. “Building a golf course is art with a bulldozer. It was absolutely spectacular! We’ve changed the lives of 500 families over 25 years and we’re now the largest charity on the island. We send two kids to college now every year and we just started a vocational program, which is one of my many crusades right now. Last year, we sent 10 kids to vocational colleges.” QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Read more about Ed Hajim’s extraordinary life and his new leadership storybook, “The Island of the Four Ps: A Modern Fable About Preparing for Your Future,” on page 6. Hear more hard-earned wisdom and leadership tips from him on Zonie Living: https://starworldwidenetworks.com/episodes/exploring-the-island-of-the-four-ps-to-plan-your-future-with-business-leader-extraordinaire-ed-hajim-video.

Bonnie Stevens is a public relations consultant. She can be reached at bonnie.stevens@gmail.com.

Ruby Road Vintage Mall Offers Upcycled Treasures

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Pamela Bridgnell creates space for micro businesses.

Mondays can be quiet in small towns, but for Ruby Road Vintage Mall in Camp Verde, the start of the work week is bustling with business.

Packed with 60 vendor spaces, the store sells a mix of estate treasures, trendy home goods, repurposed furniture, new items and more. The staff at Ruby Road Vintage Mall totals about a dozen people who work part-time.

“Most everyone that works here also sells here and it’s a great advantage for them,” said Ruby Road Vintage Mall Owner Pamela Bridgnell. “They’re running their own little store or micro business without having to deal with the complexities of owning a business. I love the way the products they are selling often reflect their personality.”

Holiday items, greeting cards, jewelry, herbal products and hand-crafted candles also adorn the shelves at Ruby Road Vintage Mall. “One of our newest vendors is selling a cute brand of baby and toddler clothes. I heard a customer squealing with joy because she was so happy to find such an adorable assortment of baby apparel,” she said.

The largest space in the store is the furniture room, with hundreds of used pieces to choose from. “I think it might be the largest collection of furniture in one place in the area,” said Bridgnell.

“Pamela is honestly the superstar of the resale business. She’s always up to something innovative, new and exciting.  I love being a vendor here,” said Sandee Hedgcock.

The 8,000-square-foot store echoes the country character of Camp Verde and lures shoppers from all over Northern Arizona. The front parking lot is also a display area for outdoor furniture and vintage artifacts, serving as a colorful exhibition for passersby.

Insisting that she’s a stickler about quality, all products sold must meet Bridgnell’s standards. “We have Ruby Road values that must be met for every piece. Items sold must operate, drawers work, no holes. I hold our dealers to this commitment and there are times we do reject some items. I’m a tyrant because I want the best to be sold here.”

Pamela and her husband, Paul, came to Camp Verde from Phoenix in 2005, when they purchased a vacation home. “Once we got here, I fell in love with the area. I also had a desire to open a little thrift shop,” she said.

At first, she worked just a few days a week, but then she opened a larger store around the corner, which is where Ruby Road Vintage Mall was born, named after her granddaughter.

Bridgnell says it feels like the store became successful overnight. “I didn’t advertise, I just told people about it, word got out and vendors started renting spaces. Customers liked the concept, and we always seem to have a steady flow of business.”

“It’s really fun to look around, plus it’s clean, and it doesn’t have that musky odor that some resale shops have,” said local artist Sheri Morris. “They also stock a wide variety of items like appliances, household goods and lots of new inventory. We always find pieces of furniture that fit a certain niche in our home. Recently, we purchased a huge chest for our patio for $100. It holds everything that we use outside.”

Bridgnell travels weekly from her home in Phoenix to transport used furniture. “I bring up a 20-foot cargo trailer full of used furniture almost every week. It’s crazy how it sells and how hard it is to keep up with the demand.”

“The way the store has continuously evolved over time is all due to Pamela’s dedication and success,” said Ruby Road Vintage Mall Store Manager Nicole Sornprasitti. “She’s created a great environment and she’s a wonderful boss and a caring mentor who is always open to new ideas and strategies.”

Married for 41 years, the Bridgnells have two married children and five grandchildren. “We have a jeep and love four-wheeling, rock crawling in Sedona, and we also like to hike and travel.” QCBN

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

Ruby Road Vintage Mall is located at 851 E. Howards Road in Camp Verde. For more information, call 928-567-5759 or visit www.rubyroadresale.com.

Thinking About Selling Your Business?

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There are many ways to sell your business and it is important to have a creative team to help you structure the transaction.

The time has finally come and you’re ready to sell your business. Planning for the sale of a small business may seem daunting. Perhaps you’re not sure where to begin or how to go about selling a business. To make the process as easy and profitable as possible, you’ll want to start planning early. Having time on your side can really pay off when selling a business. Whether you’re ready to retire or just move on to a new venture, here are a few important steps to keep in mind.

Key Steps Before the Sale

Selling a business requires a lot of planning. As you begin the process, it’s important to focus on the step you’re in and the long-term objective. Otherwise, you may end up making short-term decisions that go against your ultimate plan. Here’s an overview of the process and post-sale considerations.

Get Organized, Know Your Numbers

The first step is to get your business financials in order. Clean up your books, prepare financial statements and projections, and compile key metrics for your industry. Understand the numbers. What is the financial position of the business? Are there outstanding liabilities? What is the relative growth in gross sales and net income? What is the number of customers? What is the business’s relative size? How does it align with your forward projections? You must be able to answer and justify the question: Why would a buyer want to buy this business?

Again, this is why it’s best to start as early as possible, so you have time to make adjustments. Perhaps you use cash to refinance, pay down debt or cash out minority shareholders. Even if you don’t need to make any substantive changes, messy or incomplete books can kill the deal before it even gets started.

Gather Your Team of Advisors

When selling a business, having a team of trusted advisors around you is crucial. Here’s why: Chances are you haven’t sold a business before and likely won’t again. We don’t know what we don’t know and you only have one shot to get this right.

In planning for the sale, get your team of business and personal advisors in place ahead of time. Your business advisory team may consist of a business broker/investment banker, valuation expert, accountant, tax advisor and transaction/M&A attorney. On the personal side, your financial advisor, estate planning attorney and CPA/tax advisor should be involved throughout the process.

There’s a lot of complexity to consider: structure of the deal, ways to retain key employees, tax planning, cash flow planning post-close, etc., so it’s very important to work with a team of specialists that can help you navigate your options. Many sellers of a business will carry a portion of the sale via a promissory note to help the buyer finance the purchase. Are you willing and able to do so?

What is Your Business Worth?

Understand the real-world value of your business in the current market by working with a valuation expert, business broker or investment banker. When wondering how to sell your business, ask what buyers would be willing to pay today. There are general rules of thumb and industry standards that can give you a general idea of value, but every business is unique and there are many factors that must be considered when determining real value. A good advisor can help you strengthen the components of your business that will add to its ultimate sale value.

Define Your Goals, Financial Needs

Before going too far down the path of exploring all the ways to sell your business, first consider your goals for the transaction. Do you want to sell 100% of the company at closing and walk away with the cash? Do you want to pass the business to family members or employees? Are you willing to keep working for three to five years after selling all or a portion of the business? How important is it that the brand continue? What are your cash needs?

There are many ways to sell your business and it is important to have a creative team to help you structure the transaction. But there’s no sense in spending time on options that don’t align with your objectives or financial needs. So, before getting enmeshed in a complex deal structure and attempting tax-minimization strategies, take stock of your wants and needs.

As a business owner, your focus has been on running and growing the company. When selling your business, it’s imperative to take steps to plan for your personal financial future and to utilize the right expertise to help you ensure the highest value for your business. QCBN

By Nick Malouff

Nick Malouff, CEO and owner of BHGRE BloomTree Realty, specializes in commercial and business sales. To contact Nick, call 928-925-2023.

ERAU Planning Expansion to Keep Up with Growth

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“Our No. 1 priority is personal attention to student success,” said Butler.

With the announcement of record enrollment this semester, 3,166 students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Chancellor Anette Karlsson says a new five-year plan for growth and expansion is being introduced, including new facilities on the Prescott campus.

Major construction efforts will include a new wind tunnel to replace the current one. Also being planned are a new contemporary student union building, a new residence hall to accommodate the growing student population, and renovation and improvement of existing buildings.

Deans of the four colleges – Engineering, Aviation, Business, Security and Intelligence, and Arts and Sciences – report growth in their respective programs.  Engineering Dean Ron Madler says students and faculty continue to increase internships and partnerships with NASA and other top research and industry leaders worldwide. Aviation Dean Timothy Holt says the number of students in training to become pilots has grown significantly with 110 flights a day. He expects 1,100 or more pilot trainees next year. Business, Security and Intelligence Dean Tom Draper says the college is increasing the number of degree programs it offers. In the College of Arts & Sciences, Dean Zafer Hatahat says a new bachelor’s degree in simulation science, games and animation is being introduced.

Philanthropic Initiatives Rank High on Prescott Campus

Meanwhile, philanthropic efforts supporting ERAU continue to increase. “We awarded $2.3 million in scholarship support to students and we continue to increase the numbers and amounts of scholarships available,” said Office of Development Executive Director Steve Bobinsky. “Keep in mind that philanthropy is not just for scholarships only. Generous contributions help support undergraduate research, networking and internship opportunities, and STEM outreach efforts, especially in the surrounding communities, in Northern Arizona and the greater Phoenix Metro area.”

He noted that the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium and STEM Education Center particularly enhance outreach in local K-12 schools.

National Recognition

In its just-released latest ratings of universities across the nation, U.S. News & World Report ranked ERAU as the No. 1 Regional College in the West. And for the second year in a row, ERAU is ranked No. 1 Best for Veterans.

The Prescott campus also was ranked No. 1 in the list of “Most Innovative Schools in the Western Region.” It ranked No. 2 for “Best Undergraduate Aerospace Engineering Programs without the Ph.D. option.”

On Oct. 6, during his “State of the University” address, ERAU President P. Barry Butler and Chancellor Karlsson acknowledged the prestige of being known nationally as one of the best. “Our No. 1 priority is personal attention to student success,” said Butler. “This independent ranking underscores our unwavering commitment to prepare tomorrow’s leaders in aviation, aerospace, business, cybersecurity, engineering and STEM fields.”

Butler also announced the university has received full accreditation from the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges (SAC-SCOC).

Homecoming Activities Included Drone Show

Board members and guests, alumni, faculty, staff and students participated in several activities, including a drone show with 200 multi-colored drones, which replaced what had been the traditional homecoming fireworks.

Western Region Alumni Relations Director Michelle Day introduced the following award recipients:

  • Jody L. Davis, Distinguished Alumni Award
  • Damon D’Agostino, Distinguished Alumni Award
  • Dominic A. Narducci IV, Entrepreneur Award
  • Mineris Figueroa, Volunteer Award
  • Sam Morris, Young Award
  • Hannah Morris, Network Leader Award

The fall term will end with commencement at ERAU, 9 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 17, at Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Your Essential Cloud Migration Strategy Checklist

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Before you begin strategizing, you’ll need to decide if it’s the right time for your business to migrate to the cloud.

Everyone’s heard of the cloud. But, do you know what it is?

It’s likely you already use it in your personal life, perhaps to store digital photos and documents or even for backing up your phone.

But, moving to the cloud can be complex. The biggest issue is the process of migration – of physically moving all your data from your in-house servers to a remote storage facility without breaking something or losing data along the way.

With good planning and the right strategy in place, migrating to the cloud could be one of the best business decisions you can make.

The first and most important question to ask: Is this the right thing to do at the right time?

Before you begin strategizing, you’ll need to decide if it’s the right time for your business to migrate to the cloud.

A trusted IT support partner will be able to help you to make that decision based on several factors unique to your business. Here’s a quick look at some of the main benefits and challenges.

Decreased Hosting Costs

You’ll no longer need to keep your in-house servers running and maintained. And, there’s also no capital expenditure to consider, as cloud services are usually subscription-based – no hardware to buy.

Better Scalability

Cloud-based services allow you to scale your capacity as and when you need to, automatically. If your business proliferates, you won’t need to change your entire infrastructure to meet your new needs.

It also means that maintenance and updating can be carried out remotely, making it much faster to fix problems, which means less downtime.

Increased Security

This is a massive priority for cloud service providers. Keeping your data safe is as crucial to their reputation as yours. They offer greater security than you get from in-house servers, and they have additional measures to provide maximum protection.

Improved Disaster Recovery

This is vital for any business. While you should already have a solid disaster recovery plan when you move to the cloud, the backup and recovery solutions you will benefit from will be more cost-effective and less time-consuming.

These are the challenges.

Downtime

Migration may take your servers down for a time. As well as the obvious implications, this can affect your applications’ performance if they’re not correctly backed up.

Data Loss

Your data is most vulnerable during the migration process. Extreme care and adequate measures must avoid lost information or a breach.

Communication

Some of your older applications may struggle to communicate with newer cloud services. This means you may have to adapt some of your processes to fit your new cloud provider.

Initial Planning

You’ve decided that migrating to the cloud is the best option for your business; you’ll need to start some preliminary planning. Before you can do this, it’s essential that you understand your reasons for moving to the cloud and the benefits you’re expecting to get from it.

Making Big Decisions

Next, you’ll need to decide what level of cloud integration your business will need.

This might sound complicated, but remember, you’ll already understand your cloud server requirements if you’ve created a good plan. Now is the time to make the right choices to suit your business.

You will need to decide if a single or multi-cloud solution is best.

Choosing a single cloud provider makes for a more straightforward migration. However, the downside is that you’re locked in with just one provider. That means you’re essentially starting the entire process for any future migration. It could also make it harder for you to negotiate terms, like pricing or service level agreements (SLAs).

A multi-cloud solution means you use two or more cloud providers. This effectively means you can take advantage of several different benefits simultaneously.

Implementing the Migration

While you probably won’t be handling the physical migration yourself, you need to plan how it will happen. Will you switch your entire system to your new cloud version all at once, or will you do it a little at a time?

There are pros and cons to each method, but realistically, moving it piece by piece allows you the opportunity to test if those things are working as they should be without risking downtime in the process.

Final Review

Nothing can be declared a success without proof that it works as anticipated.

Create a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to help you see precisely how well your new cloud-based system performs. Your KPIs should measure success and be a good indicator or a pre-warning there’s a problem on the horizon. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business, call Theo Soumilas at 928-719-7724 or visit www.northernazit.com.

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT servicing Arizona.

Colleen Biggs Bets on Women to Lead

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Entrepreneurial business coach has helped launch hundreds of small businesses.

Colleen Biggs grew up like a lot of little girls, imagining the life she thought she was supposed to live, including a prince, a big Disney-esque wedding and a happily ever after. But with her parents’ divorce, she watched her mom’s world fall apart.

For 12-year-old Colleen and her mom, life was a struggle. They survived on food stamps in rural Chandler in the 1970s. “It was interesting because it was a horse town then. People would ride their horses to grocery stores. You would smell manure all day.”

She began to realize that her little-girl dream didn’t exist. Instead, life felt, looked and smelled bad to her. She decided this was not her destiny.

“The whole motivation behind being who we were born to be comes from really leaning into your voice, into who you are and what makes you stand out,” she said. “We know who we are in the first four years of our life. We spend the rest of our lives trying to dig ourselves out of what others have labeled us to be.”

At 35 years old, she had an epiphany. “I remember the day I made the decision that I was not going to be what everyone else labeled me to be. I was not going to be where others believed Colleen should fit.”

She was working her way up to an executive position in Corporate America. But inside, she was breaking down, unhappy with trying to fit others’ opinions about who she was at work, as a mother or even around town. “Labels were flying at me, but it only takes one kind or generous label to wash all the others away.”

The company where she worked was selling raffle tickets for prizes, with proceeds benefiting a charitable organization. Employees would drop a ticket in the basket of the prize they wanted to win. Biggs wanted only one prize – lunch once a month with the CEO for a year. She desperately wanted to be mentored by this person that she so admired. She bought 100 tickets and put them all in his basket.

“I didn’t win. I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “But, my CEO came over to me and said, ‘Listen, I watched you and I know how bad you wanted those lunches and I know you’re devastated. I’m so impressed that you put all your tickets in my basket. You bet on me. Now I’m going to bet on you.’”

As promised, the CEO met with her and coached her. “I learned how to be a very successful human. I learned how to believe in myself and found my uniqueness. It was the standing-out part that he was teaching me. He was preparing me for entrepreneurship. We spent a couple of years together. He still supports me as the person I am today.”

As a result, she broke up with her boyfriend, bought herself a house, met her husband and combined families. “It’s been 15 years, seven kids, 12 grandchildren and the most amazing life I could ever imagine, all because I decided just to free myself of the chains that everyone else put on me. Now, life isn’t happening to me, it’s happening for me.”

That “amazing” life is highly focused on improving other women’s lives as well. Biggs has been a business coach for 22 years, is the founder and CEO of The Leap Community, an organization that offers summits, workshops and retreats designed to empower women to lead, and has helped launch 340 businesses. She is an international speaker, has co-authored “The Anatomy of Accomplishment: Your Guide to Bigger, Better, Bolder Business Results,” was a contributing author to “Stop Waiting: Start Living,” and has published her own book, “Step Into the Spotlight to Expand Your Influence and Attract the Right Clients.” She also has written two journals and created a year-long mastermind program for high-achieving women to focus on their businesses and increase their visibility, capacity and wealth.

“Every single person I’ve coached is different. You need the ability to get into the map of their world to understand them first – who they are, what they need, what they are looking for – to assist and empower them for greatness.”

Biggs tells the story of “Jennifer” (not her real name): “She came to me after being an entrepreneur for 20 years. She was a confident, very intuitive person who works through spirit to speak with people. But the pandemic freaked her out and she developed a scarcity mindset. She lost all her confidence, all her clients and all her money. She felt like she didn’t have her legs underneath her. When I met her, she was making $1,500 a month. In the second month we worked together, she made $10,000. Around the fourth month, she made $30,000, her highest month ever. She started a school for women who have these psychic gifts and don’t know what to do with them. We helped her set up the school and found a way to scale the business.”

Biggs and Jennifer worked together for about six months. “It comes down to the belief we have in ourselves. When you have a thought and you believe it so much to be true, every single thing you see is telling you what you believe is true. We lose this as we get older. We almost become numb to what we are conditioned to be. It takes extraordinary effort for us to become extraordinary.”

Today, Biggs carries around casino chips, which she hands out to women. “You need to bet on you,” she tells them, with a nod to her former mentor. “Be around me. I will bet on you and I will be there to empower you to bet on you, too.” QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Find Biggs at https://colleenbiggs.net and meet her on Zonie Living: Business, Adventure and Leadership at Dave Pratt’s Star Worldwide Networks, https://starworldwidenetworks.com.

Understanding the Business of Orchestras Like Arizona Philharmonic

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“We aim to increase the vitality of the entire arts community, so when tourists come to Prescott one of the things on their itinerary is an AZ Phil performance,” Flurry said.

Imagine you owned a gourmet restaurant with a loyal following but the patrons only paid $15 for a meal that cost you $45 to produce. Hard to survive on that, right?

That is the case with orchestras. To survive with lower-than-average COVID ticket sales, and fixed costs like venues and musicians, orchestras around the world need the support of their communities more than ever. Cities such as Paris, London, New York, San Francisco may be large enough to weather the various storms, but what about Prescott? A 2017 report by ABC Radio National said, “Orchestras produce a unique product, but no symphony orchestra in the world would be financially viable on its own.”

“Orchestras, like all cultural institutions, do create economic value, but that’s not their primary reason for existence,” said Macquarie University’s Professor Throsby. “Their primary reason for existence, obviously, is to make music. That means it’s a different sort of value they’re creating, which we can call cultural value or artistic value.”

Arizona Philharmonic (AZ Phil) began bringing cultural value to Prescott in 2018. It was a toddler when the pandemic shut its doors, and though it is back in operation, producing diverse, stellar performances with growing audiences, it is still looking to expand its community support. That’s where the other $30 comes from for that gourmet meal – donations and sponsors.

 AZ Phil Brings Layers of Cultural Value

A self-proclaimed optimist, AZ Phil’s Executive Director Henry Flurry, a musician and composer, says “We bring a pattern of working with other organizations, such as with Dr. Joshua Harper’s Quartz Ensemble and the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet. That collaboration brings multiple layers of cultural value to Prescott, intriguing and inspiring audiences, and drawing people who haven’t previously experienced orchestras. Even though our audiences are not at pre-pandemic levels, at each concert this season, 30% of them are newcomers.”

Flurry says COVID has been an opportunity for AZ Phil. “The pandemic required us to reexamine our business plan and build in resilience. Because AZ Phil is relatively new, we can tinker with the traditional orchestra model and explore a variety of genre and ensemble combinations. The results are musically brilliant and economically viable.”

 Downtown Venues and Outreach Goals

In addition to diverse musical offerings, AZ Phil plans to increase its venues to include downtown sites. Making use of downtown places such as the Elks Theatre and the old Post Office would open opportunities. “I sense a growing appetite for quality classical music performances with an increased awareness of AZ Phil and our fresh approach to this venerable tradition,” added Flurry. AZ Phil is hopeful this increase in new audience members, diversity in programing and collaboration with multiple musical organizations will encourage those donor and sponsor dollars to fund the other 70% of that gourmet meal.

AZ Phil has far-reaching plans for its adulthood in Prescott and performances in Surprise. Look for year-round programming of incredibly compelling musical experiences that include outreach. “We want to see Prescott as a source of arts that does not rely on importing artists. We aim to increase the vitality of the entire arts community, so when tourists come to Prescott one of the things on their itinerary is an AZ Phil performance,” Flurry said. QCBN

 By Sandy Farrell

Sandra Farrell is a former broadcast and print journalist. More recently, she was press secretary for elected officials and she retired from the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank as media manager. She and her husband and two dogs moved to Prescott a year ago and love all things Prescott. She is a volunteer with Arizona Philharmonic, AZPhil.org.

Supporting Minority-Owned Businesses

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Currently in Arizona, 99.4% of all businesses are small businesses, and of those, about 21% are minority-owned businesses, she said.

Three experts from different backgrounds and organizations spoke on a panel called Supporting Minority-Owned Businesses in Your Community at the Arizona Association for Economic Development Fall Forum. Although panelists Alika Kumar, Carlos Velasco and Melody Lewis represented diverse communities, they shared a passion for empowering minority groups and minority-owned businesses. The panel discussion was part of the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED), a three-day conference at Little America Hotel in Flagstaff.

According to Alika Kumar of the Minority Business Development Agency, people of color, women and underserved communities have been hit disproportionately by the COVID-19 crisis and ensuing economic crisis. “Now it’s estimated that 41% of black-owned businesses, 32% of Latinos in businesses and 26% of Asian-owned businesses closed, while only 17% of white-owned businesses closed as a result of the impact of COVID,” stated Kumar, executive director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center in Phoenix. The MBDA is a branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce, which provides minority certification assistance, access to capital contracts, strategic business consulting and help with import/export.

The disproportionate impact on minority businesses is a reminder of the racial disparities, said Kumar, who focused on the benefits of robust minority-owned business sectors.

“Elimination of racial disparities with increased economic efficiency – especially as the minority populations are increasing in numbers in our population – and then removing the barriers to entry and expansion will help increase productivity rate,” she said. “More jobs to generate more revenue create economic and social stability … stimulating the economy and creating a more positive future for all Americans.”

Currently in Arizona, 99.4% of all businesses are small businesses, and of those, about 21% are minority-owned businesses, she said.

Carlos Velasco of Novle, a Valley-based agency that provides businesses with tools to develop relationships with the Latino community, said, “When it comes to economic development for us, transformative work has to start with community building and community organizing and movement building. I think once you accomplish that simple work, then you can begin the market transformative work of educating, of mobilizing and getting people to move into action to empower themselves.”

“I think the three biggest barriers that we have are: one, we need to have some form of legal reform for the documented folks – that’s something that still impacts every Latino in our community; investment in education; and then ultimately, access to capital for small businesses,” said the founder and CEO of Novle.

Melody Lewis of Cahokia is a social entrepreneur dedicated to serving indigenous communities and individuals using collaborative approaches. “Social entrepreneurship is – for those of you that don’t know – I call it ‘the non-profit heart with a for-profit model,’” she explained. Her newly launched project, Cahokia, is a SocialTech and creative empowerment Artspace in downtown Phoenix.

Lewis suggested supporting indigenous populations by investing in indigenous communities. “By not taking advantage… really hiring them, really investing in their programs and not just using,” she said. “Go to the communities and engage in the communities.”

She recommended that people go to indigenous markets or powwows. “Go to learn and immerse yourself in the culture. Learn about the community, then keep showing up and keep trying. It’s about consistency and being visible and creating programs with them, not for them,” the social entrepreneur advised.

Kumar added, “It’s not a handout. It’s not just ‘the right thing to do.’ It’s the economy – we need to drive America’s business growth, economic growth and job creation by helping these communities and businesses in these disadvantaged communities. We should reduce the barriers to access of contracting opportunities and capital.”

Finding Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE)

For a list of minority-, women- and disadvantaged-owned businesses in Arizona with Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) certifications, go to utracs.azdot.gov/Search

For information about minority-owned suppliers, go to Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council pswmsdc.org.

AAED presented 10 Golden Prospector Awards and five Awards of Merit to recognize excellence, innovation and creativity in economic development at the annual fall forum. In addition, the organization presented the small population Economic Development Deal of the Year awards to the Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) and the City of Flagstaff for recruiting Whitehall Industries, a vehicle manufacturer. It recognized the City of Prescott for recruiting headquarters and manufacturing operations for CP Technologies. QCBN

By Stacey Wittig, QCBN

Imagining a World Beyond the Pandemic

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To survive now and in the future, businesses must create an operational environment that can flex to future challenges.

Events like the COVID-19 pandemic can turn the world upside down. The immediate impact of this turmoil creates sometimes insurmountable challenges to small businesses. But it is nearly impossible to predict the long-term effects on those small businesses that have somehow managed to survive the initial blow.

Small businesses may have a narrower margin with which to withstand the upheaval of a global pandemic, or an economic downturn, but these businesses do possess one advantage over the large enterprise. If a “mom and pop” or small business recognizes the need to engender agility, there are fewer team members to convince and it is easier to turn the ship quickly. That does not mean that a business can avoid the commitment to continuous improvement. There is still a need to look at how things are done, and to comprehensively analyze what customers wanted last year, versus what they want this year.

Understanding trends, patterns and changes, and responding to those changes, is crucial to success. During the pandemic, local businesses struggled with issues involving in-person buyers vs. online presence. A tour company could no longer count on visitors to the area, and the very immediate issue was how to generate revenue. A retail store owner could not count on an influx of shoppers walking through the door.

During this time of change, the wise business owner tried to reimagine his products and services and find ways to connect with customers online and to create a flexible business environment that could carry him through the uncertain times and be agile enough to survive what might come next. To survive now and in the future, businesses must create an operational environment that can flex to future challenges. Managers must cut expenses and have a detailed understanding of what products and services to keep, what to change when business falls off, and how to prepare for continuous improvement and business reinvention.

Books and workshops can help, but the business owner must truly engage and change the management approach, the way team members are trained, how involved the team is in the day-to-day operation, and how team members can contribute to and adapt to change. Every aspect of the business – from location to hiring and training, to business investments, to product and service choices, to the competitive landscape, the efficiency of ordering, supply networks and day-to-day operations – must reflect a culture of team involvement, fact-based decisions and solid analysis of how to prepare for, and adapt to, change.

While small businesses may need support and advice to enable this kind of change and to create a foundation for agility, most cannot afford the expense of a business consultant. That’s where SCORE comes in. SCORE provides free counseling to small businesses. SCORE (the Service Corps of Retired Executives) was founded in 1964, and it is a non-profit arm of the Small Business Administration (SBA). Today, the SCORE team is comprised of active and retired business professionals who volunteer their time to provide free and confidential business advice to start-up businesses, businesses wishing to expand and small businesses facing the challenges of the COVID-19 economy and trying to prepare for the future.

These services are available to all small businesses, and SCORE provides subject matter experts and mentors who focus on all types of issues, challenges and business problems and opportunities. If you wish to explore these services, you can contact the team at 928-778-7438, via NorthernArizona.SCORE.org, or on social media at facebook.com/SCORENorthernArizona. QCBN

By Susan Obijiski

Susan Obijiski is a business consultant and Certified SCORE Mentor. Obijiski has more than 40 years of experience as a business executive and manager, and has worked in retail, in the arts, and for large and small corporations in software development, product development, quality management and other disciplines. She serves on the Sedona Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and has served as board chair for Simmons Graduate School of Management. She manages content for software companies creating articles, white papers, web content, blogs and technical content and has published four novels.