Employer Blueprint Podcast

You Are in the Leadership Business w. Jacob Engle

Have you ever thought that maybe the business you are in is actually the leadership business? Forget the industry, the product you have, or the widget you sell, maybe you are actually in the leadership business. 

Today’s guest on the Employer Blueprint Podcast is Jacob Engle and he made that comment early in the podcast. Jacob said that he realized he was not in the food business, and instead was in the leadership business. Truer words could not have been said about business owners and managers. When someone is responsible for people and the lively hood of those people, they are in the leadership business and leading people properly should be the most important part of that business.

The Employer Blueprint Podcast is excited to present the CEO of TPL Consulting, and the Author of The Prosperous Leader, Jacob Engle. According to Jacob, he was predestined to be apart of the world of business. After finishing school, Jacob joined the family business and worked hard until he was the COO of the company. After his father passed away, Jacob exited the family business and became involved in community initiatives to help people find jobs. This was in 2008 and the Financial Crisis, so there were an abundance of candidates and a lack of jobs. Through this experience and others like it over the years, Jacob began consulting and discovered his true passion for helping others. That passion has led to the start of multiple companies and training courses, as well as a book, all centered around helping others succeed. You can find out more about Jacob, his consulting firm, trainings and the book The Prosperous Leader at https://www.theprosperousleader.com. Thank you for tuning in to The Employer Blueprint Podcast and make sure you subscribe to continue getting access to great episodes like this one with Jacob Engle. 

Building Company culture with a Remote Workforce w. Josh Lance CPA

The Employer Blueprint podcast is excited to present the Managing Director of Lance CPA Group, Joshua Lance, CPA, CGMA. As you can tell by the initials after his name, Josh is a Certified Public Accountant, and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. After graduating from Miami University in 2005, Josh began his journey as an Audit Manager, a Controller, and an Entity Group Manager, before opening his own firm with a mission to help small businesses, Lance CPA Group. Josh and Lance CPA Group have won multiple awards including CPA Practice Advisor 40 under 40 in 2017 and 2018, as well as 2017 AICPA Leadership Academy, and Xero Partner Advisory Council. Josh was able to accomplish so much because of his passion to help small businesses succeed. In fact, it is the model that Lance CPA Group is built on. In this episode of the Employer Blueprint Podcast you will learn how Lance CPA Group is not like many other traditional CPA firms in many ways, from the work schedule expected by its employees to the way they interact with clients. 

Kyle and Josh have an excellent conversation about maintaining a company culture, and core values, while having a remote workforce. Even more challenging is also having a remote client base. Through many extra steps and the full utilization of technology, it can be possible to have remote employees who carry out a company’s core values while working with remote clients. This is an informative episode as Josh explains how he has been able to accomplish this through his firm in an industry that is known for being more traditional in the ways of interacting with employees and clients. You can find more information about Joshua Lance and Lance CPA Group by visiting https://lancecpa.com. Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode of the Employer Blueprint Podcast. 

Developing High Performing Teams with Karen Walker

One of the key indicators to successful organizations is having a great team within the organization. This is fairly universal, and almost as if the all great companies have great teams, like they automatically go together. In this episode of The Employer Blueprint Podcast, Karen Walker talks about the patterns and traits to look for in high performing teams, and how to move your good team to become a great team. One of the topics touched on is the specific need to help people exit an organization, because an organization is only as good as its weakest team member, as Karen explains. 

The Employer Blueprint Podcast is excited to present this week’s episode, Developing High Performing Teams with Karen Walker. Karen is a Strategic Advisor, Leadership Coach, Speaker, Consultant, and Author. After helping lead the growth of the fastest growing company in American History, Compaq Computers, Karen became a consultant to companies that have a need for internal strategies to match their external growth. Karen has a long list of experience that she uses to contribute to the success of her clients including IPO’s, Acquisitions, and Market Share Increases, according to her LinkedIn profile. Also an Author, Karen’s book is titled No Dumbing Down: A Guide for CEOs on Organizational Growth. In her book, Karen talks about the importance of aligning internal strategies with external strategies for profitable growth. Sales and Revenue are important to a company’s growth, and it is also important to have the right employees in place to support that growth. Enjoy the episode and please make sure you subscribe to the Employer Blueprint Podcast so you don’t miss an episode in the future. 

The Value of Core Values, and is Your Business Outgrowing You with Bill Balderaz

This week on the Employer Blueprint Podcast, we are excited to have the President and Founder of Futurety, Bill Balderaz. Bill graduated from college in 1997 with a journalism degree, and at the same time websites had become very popular. Instead of the traditional path of working for a magazine or newspaper, Bill chose to work for an internet company and create content for websites. This wasn’t without criticism from his professors and family who, like the rest of the world, thought the internet was a fad. Bill was working on things that were very cutting edge such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and building Geo Cities, and was able to get first hand experience and work with multiple startups that raised capital and sold. Bill decided he wanted to start his own company and he then went to his boss, where he had been working in digital marketing, and told her what he wanted to do and that he wanted her as a client. She agreed, as did a few of other past employers, and his entrepreneurial journey began. This was in 2006, and his company was called Webbed Marketing. At the time digital marketing wasn’t like it is today, and there were not many people in the industry. The 2008 economic crisis presented new opportunities for Webbed Marketing in that many companies were making cut backs on their different budgets. Even though marketing was one of these areas that were getting cut, digital marketing was not as expensive as the other traditional marketing avenues, and companies were looking for alternatives to television. In 2011, Webbed Marketing was sold to a company called Fathom, and Bill was able to start another company called Fathom Healthcare through that partnership. Healthcare was becoming a very regulated industry with a lot of issues, and marketers were avoiding the industry and the regulations. This was seen as an opportunity to Bill and his team at Fathom because they were able to take on the biggest hospitals and organizations when no other agencies wanted to. This same method of forward thinking is exactly what led Bill to start his company Futurety in 2015. Bill saw an opportunity to use machine learning and data to market companies more effectively and more efficient. You can find more information about Futurety, and Bill Balderaz at their website www.futurety.com. Thanks for listening and be sure to subscribe to the Employer Blueprint Podcast so you don’t miss any exciting future episodes. 

Open Communication and the Four Strategies of Organizational Development With Paul Comfort

At the Employer Blueprint Podcast we love talking about team building. In this episode we’re going to break down a lot of information as we talk about building a team and what you do once you have the team in place. Today’s guest has experience in both the private and public sector and there are so many things that are transferable when it comes to team building and getting the right people around you. One of the things that becomes a common thread during this episode is communication. This includes the need to communicate and the ability to communicate at all levels. One thing that tends to happen to those in leadership roles is that communication tends to work its way down but fails to work its way back up to the leaders of the organization. 

The Employer Blueprint Podcast is excited to present The VP of Business Development at Trapeze Group, Author of Full Throttle: Living Life to the Max with No Regrets, and Host of Transit Unplugged Podcast, Paul Comfort. For the last 30 years Paul has been serving by way of a career in Public Transit and government and most recently served as the CEO of the Maryland Transit Administration. Paul is also a keynote speaker with expertise in Leadership and Management, and Organizational Improvement. Through a career that started with running for public office and a chance meeting during his first step into politics, Paul was given the opportunity as a young man in his twenties to pursue public transportation. This was a very successful venture that lasted 30 years, and according to Paul, it was only possible through the people he had around him. This career in public transportation took Paul to many parts of the country, to achieving a Law Degree, and eventually back to public office. After running for State’s Attorney and losing, one more time Paul was presented with an opportunity. Paul was given the opportunity to become County Administrator, and he had the responsibility of overseeing the budget of the County Attorney’s office. Then in 2014 Paul ran for office again, when he ran for County Commissioner and won, before ending up where he is now, working for Trapeze as the the Vice President of Business Development. Through out his career, Paul has been very successful, and he attributes his success to the ability to build great teams, and in this episode of the Employer Blueprint Podcast, Kyle and Paul dive into the many areas of discussion regarding team building and development. Enjoy the episode and please subscribe so you don’t miss any future episodes. 

Identifying Your Needs Before You Hire with Sasha Laghonh

One of the many challenges a company faces when they begin the hiring and recruiting process, is understanding the true needs they have. We often times looked at things that we want and try to figure out what’s going to fit into those wants, but rarely do we take a step back and look at what we actually need in order to make a successful hire. Typically a company will bring in someone to fill the space that they want to fill. After three months, six months of being on the job, they discover it isn’t what they needed. We are going to unpack some of this on today’s episode of Employer Blueprint Podcast. As you listen to the episode there are three things that you should really be thinking about, and these will help you when trying to uncover the needs of your organization. These three tips will help you as you begin the hiring process and you look to fill a position in your organization. 

1. Find the gap’s. Where are the spaces in your organization that aren’t getting filled in? What are the tasks that you have on your plate that are not being taken care of but someone needs to be focused on?
2. If you are the hiring manager or owner, do not try to replicate yourself. Often times a business owner or leader will think that the best thing for their organization is a clone of themselves. Instead do an assessment of your strengths and weaknesses and hire someone who’s strengths fill in where you are weak. 
3. What is going to benefit your company most? What is going to benefit your company, and fill a long-term need?

The Employer Blueprint podcast is proud to present Sasha Laghonh. Sasha is a Business and Lifestyle Strategist, Founder, Speaker, Coach, Consultant, Entrepreneur, and Author. Sasha comes from a Management, and Administrative background that also focused on Marketing, however over time she found that Human Resources discovered her. Sasha is an MBA with an emphasis on Organizational and Human Behavior with more than 2 decades of experience in helping businesses with their people. Sasha has multiple shows that can be listened to such as “Sasha Talks” and “Moving Mountains With Sasha”. Sasha has also written multiple books including Kashing Karma, and Departures:  Smart Packing, of Life's Essentials, for On-Time Arrivals. To find out more about Sasha Laghonh, be sure to visit www.sashatalks.com. 

Thanks for tuning in to the Employer Blueprint podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any future episodes!

 

The Power of Networking with SJ Barakony

This week on the Employer Blueprint Podcast, we will be talking with SJ Barakony about the power of networking in our business. We have all been through it, there are 1 million different networking events available. Some are formal and others are informal. Often networking meetings are available to those that sign up as members for a fee, and others are community driven by way of a non profit or local chamber. For some people, the idea of attending an event where they are able to work a room and meet new people is a dream come true. This is the situation for an obvious extravert, however the opposite is true for someone who is an introvert. This can be a dreaded moment, when an introverted person has to go to a networking event, because they are forced to be removed from their comfort zone. Whatever your outlook, networking in any capacity is very valuable if you rely on relationships with others to do business. It is also important to add that networking properly is the key to developing solid relationships. 

Employer Blueprint Podcast is proud to present the Founder of Service Before Self Leadership, SJ Barakony. SJ is a Consultant, Mentor, and Advisor to those that have found themselves to be unsuccessful with traditional educations methods. SJ is an edu-prenuer with nearly 8 years experience and has been involved in groups such as the Young Entrepreneur’s Academy, and Teen Entrepreneurial Camp. SJ is also involved with H7 Network, a networking group that was started in Ohio, and in this episode he will talk about the importance of networking and how to be effective in your networking efforts. It is always important when networking to build depth of relationship. It is very easy to walk into a networking event, see everyone in the room, meet everyone in the room, but never build a relationship with anyone. When that happens it takes away the opportunity to really connect, which then hinders the ability to gain new clients or make any money. We hope you enjoy as topics like these and many more are covered in the podcast. Thanks, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. 

You can find out more information about H7 Network and SJ Barakony by visiting the websites below. 

 

Www.h7network.com

 

Www.Servicebeforeleadership.com

Invest In Your Leadership Skills with Charmaine Hammond

Thank you or joining us on the Employer Blueprint Podcast and this week we are proud to present Charmaine Hammond. Charmaine is an Expert in Workplace Communication, Collaboration and Conflict Resolution, a Keynote Speaker, and a Trainer. Her list of certifications are impressive, as Charmaine is a Certified Speaking Professional, a TEC Canada Approved Speaker, and she also has a Master’s of Conflict Analysis and Management from Royal Roads University. As an expert in conflict resolution, Charmaine has helped numerous businesses, business owners, and business leaders deal with “people” issues in the work place. No industry is excluded from the types of businesses, non-profits, and government organizations Charmaine has helped over the last two decades. Whether through public speaking, work shops, and webinars, or one on one mentoring with company leaders, and employees, Charmaine is very passionate with a “no fluff” approach to getting results. 

As she explains in the podcast episode, Charmaine’s first career was in jail as a correctional officer. Being 19 and this being her first career, Charmaine realized she had a passion for conflict resolution, however also recognized that she had a lot to learn. After leaving that position, Charmaine went on to complete her Master’s Degree and soon after started her own Mediation Practice where she has been helping multiple types of organizations in the area of conflict resolution and mediation for the last 20 plus years. One of the issues talked about in the Employer Blueprint Podcast episode is when an employee transitions from being on a team to leading that team. Charmaine talks about problems with trust, and friendships ending from a new manager trying to manage people who were once coworkers. Kyle and Charmaine have an awesome conversation about topics that they are both very passionate about, and both love talking and learning about. You don’t want to miss this episode as they dive into people issues, workplace conflicts, why they happen, and how to resolve them. Enjoy, and please make sure you subscribe to the Employer Blueprint Podcast so you don’t miss an episode. 

Delegating While Scaling Your Business with Robert Kandell

The Employer Blueprint Podcast is proud to present the Principal of Kandell Consulting, Speaker, and Author of unHIDDEN: A Book for Men & Those Confused by Them, Robert Kandell. Robert in an interpersonal communication expert who’s “mission has been to help people find themselves and use their internal power to live their best lives.” ~ quoted from Robert’s LinkedIN profile because it was well stated. As Robert explains in this episode of the Employer Blueprint Podcast, he was able to start a venture from an idea on a napkin and build it to an 8 figure business. Before that, Robert was a rising star in the corporate world as a 6 figure earner in his late twenties, and thought he had it all figured out, until things hit a wall. As Robert explains, he was overweight, unhappy, over stressed, and disconnected from his wife. This was when Robert decided to make a change and started focusing on personal development. Through this focus on personal development, Robert met a woman named Nicole and they became immediate friends. Together they started an organization for others to focus on their own personal development called One Taste. As Robert explains in the podcast, they were able to take the idea from a paper napkin sketch to a world wide 8 figure business. In this ten year adventure, Robert and Nicole were able to open up satellite offices in London, France, and all across the United States. In creating something so great, Robert found it to be impacting his health, so in 2014, Robert sold his shares and moved to Venice Beach California to start his own consulting firm. At Kandell Consulting, Robert is able to focus on what he loves the most, which is sharing his experience and knowledge with others to help them thrive in business. You can find out more about Robert, and his podcast, consulting firm, and best selling book at https://robertkandell.com. 

Thank for tuning in to this week’s episode of the Employer Blueprint Podcast, and we hope that you will subscribe to make sure you don’t miss any future episodes!

Keeping Your Personality In Your Business with Ken Greene

Today’s guest on the Employer Blueprint Podcast is the Founder of Greene Finance and Insurance, Ken Greene. Before starting Greene Finance and Insurance, Ken worked as an engineer and had a plan of retiring when he was thirty years old. At 33 years of age, Ken did just that, and had done really well for himself. Ken had a house with 40 acres he owned outright, as well as a portfolio of investments. Just like everyone else though, Ken experienced 2008 during the U.S. Great Recession. Ken had done well for himself by acquiring land and multiple investments, but had no money for liquidity, so when Wall Street took a beating, so did Ken. It was also found during this time that there were no Engineering jobs to be had, and Ken needed to make some money, so he decided to change careers and went into the insurance and finance industry. Ken found himself surrounded by brokers who only cared about closing the next deal, and very little about educating clients. Because of the experiences Ken had went through before joining the insurance and finance industries, he had a passion for wanting to help others to not share the same fate. This is what led Ken to “manically study” ways to help his clients better. 

According to Ken’s website, www.greenefi.com, Greene Finance and Insurance pride themselves on not doing the traditional methods of investing that have been done for years on Wall Street. Below you will find a notable section on the Greene Finance and Insurance website. 

“We provide our clients with “aha” moments when it comes to finance, investing, insurance, making money and living free. We believe in simplifying these things in ways you may have never experienced before—we’re breaking the norm that finance needs to be complicated to be effective.

So let’s pull back the curtain put up by the major banks and investment firms and look inside; we think you’ll feel elevated learning there’s a different way to play the financial game.

Greene Finance and Insurance … Only Different”

~above quoted section from www.greenefi.com in the About section. 

Enjoy today’s episode and please subscribe and leave a review!