Karen, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

Cheers to Toastmasters and All They Do

March 30, 2022 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

Cheers to Toastmasters and All They Do

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Cheers to Toastmasters and All They Do

We mixed things up in the studio by having Kindra Maples, the host of the Culture Crush Business Podcast, step in to host the Phoenix Business RadioX house show. She was joined on the air with producer Darrol Robinson as the co-host.

Michael Holian, from Toastmasters International joined Kindra and Darrol in the studio to discuss the ins and outs of the Toastmasters organization. This conversation was an opportunity to truly learn and understand the organization, since there is way more involved than you might have known.

Did you know that there are various levels and opportunities with Toastmaster for youth, not just the main clubs that are for individuals over the age of 18?
Did you know that there is a Toastmasters club at the Florence Prison?
Did you know that there are almost 16,000 clubs in 149 countries that are involved as a mixture of in person, virtual, and hybrid?

This group does not only offer individuals the opportunity to become better public speakers, but also to become better communicators, provide opportunities to network with others, and teaches a variety of skills that are vital in thriving in the workplace.

It is never too late to get connected and work on these various skills with Toastmasters.
Head over to their website to find an “open” club near you.

Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization’s membership exceeds 300,000 in more than 15,800 clubs in 149 countries.

Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.

Michael J. Holian, DTM, of Chandler, Arizona, is an information technology specialist for CSAA Insurance Group, where he has worked for the past eight years. He is the product owner and administrator for a suite of software collaboration and developmental tools. Holian is the chair of the governance board, responsible for identifying best practices, reviewing proposed changes, and communicating the product roadmap.

Holian attended Chubb Institute of Computer Technology, where he earned a certification in computer programming. He is a community impact champion for his employer and coordinates volunteer activities for fellow employees. Additionally, Holian volunteers his time for the Special Olympics, a local foodbank, and other organizations through his employer.

A Toastmaster since 1992, Holian is a member of his home club, Leader’s Plus Toastmasters, in Mesa, Arizona. He has held a number of high-profile leadership positions within Toastmasters such as District Director and has attained the Distinguished Toastmaster designation—the highest level of educational achievement in the organization.

“Throughout this journey in Toastmasters, I have honed my emotional intelligence, listening, and leadership skills in such a way that I’m able to use these skills every day in my professional life to provide leadership, regardless of organizational standing,” Holian said. “My Toastmasters experience has also expanded my understanding of other people and cultures, providing opportunities for friendships and increasing my understanding of diverse experiences and perspectives.”

As a member of the Toastmasters International Board of Directors, Holian is a “working ambassador” for the organization. He works with the Board to develop, support, and modify the policies and procedures that guide Toastmasters International in fulfilling its mission.

Follow Toastmasters International on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Kindra Maples is spartan racer, past animal trainer, previous magician’s assistant, and has a weakness for Oreo cookie shakes. Her journey working with people actually started working with animals as a teenager (don’t worry we won’t go that far back for her bio).

She worked for over 15 years in the zoo industry working with animals and the public. Her passion of working with animals shifted into working with people in education, operations and leadership roles. From there her passion of leadership and helping people develop has continued to grow.

Then came the opportunity for leading the Culture Crush Business Podcast and she jumped on it. Leadership, growth, and strong company cultures are all areas that Kindra is interested in diving into further.

Building Company Culture Through Transparency, Committment and Goals E21

March 30, 2022 by Karen

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Phoenix Business Radio

Building Company Culture Through Transparency, Committment and Goals E21

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Building Company Culture Through Transparency, Committment and Goals E21

On this podcast, we do a deep dive into companies that are crushing it with a great company culture and this show was no different. We matched up two great companies that are doing amazing things in their companies to grow their company cultures. APS and Co: Collective were the star companies on the show.

Whether it’s a company that has been around for over 100 years like APS or over 11 years like Co: Collective, they understand that growing culture is vital and at the root of continuing to grow a successful company overall. We discuss the importance of growing this culture on the inside, with employees, and on the outside with customers and clients. The culture should be transparent and consistent from all angles. One of the ways Co: Collective does this is by bringing the clients “into the sandbox” to build with them and be part of the process.

The journey and the process is key in growing a good culture. The first step in the process is self transformation which can then drive into company growth and transformation. APS does this through growth mindset focus when growing and adapting in new areas.

This is a great episode to listen to if you are another “company culture” guru that is loving to learn new ways to grow company culture. You can hear the passion and experience in Kit and Leila’s voices, as well as the knowledge that Derek brings from his Cultural Anthropology background.

This show discusses the need for company’s to set bold goals that they will try and achieve. APS has set the goal to be 100% clean by 2050. This is a goal that they are in the process of aiming towards now. Similar to the goal that Black Rifle Coffee set to hire 10,000 veterans, these are large goals but important to help lead the companies in the direction that is supportive of their company culture.

It was great to hear the thoughts, suggestions, examples, and passion from Leila, Kit, and Derek, that it might just be easier to listen and hear for yourself. Enjoy!

co: is a creative and strategic transformation partner for purpose-led businesses. We blend strategic and creative thinking to solve problems, marrying robust, logical, fact-based insights with creative, disruptive, intuitive thinking.

We provide our clients with a set of insights, tools, and processes to spur action around their Quests. By defining and subsequently capitalizing on “right space” opportunities, we help expand footprints, open up new markets, and create businesses.

We believe building a successful brand doesn’t begin and end with the marketing department. It starts from the inside out with daily actions, small and large, across the entire business. That’s why we engage relevant stakeholders along the way and help mobilize and socialize teams around the Quest. We work with clients to develop milestone moments that not only inform but engage the entire business.

Derek Newberry is an organizational development consultant who specializes in helping leaders build great cultures and drive transformational change.

Prior to joining co:, Derek was an Expert Consultant at BCG, where he worked with Fortune 500 clients to design and implement culture and capability-building programs to support large scale operating model transformations. As a thought leader in BCG’s People Strategy team, he also drove the creation of new offerings and frameworks in the culture and change space, including supporting the development of BCG’s approach to defining the future of work.

Derek is also affiliated faculty in liberal and professional studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received his Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology. Derek delivers workshops on leadership influence, team-building and culture change at the Wharton School’s Aresty Institute for Executive Education. He was a faculty director for the organizational anthropology certificate in Penn’s online bachelor’s degree program, the first in the Ivy League. He also co-developed and launched a series of Coursera courses on team culture that have been taken by over 10,000 learners.

Derek is co-author of The Culture Puzzle: Harnessing the Forces that Drive Your Organization’s Success (Berrett-Koehler) and Committed Teams: Three Steps to Inspiring Passion and Performance (Wiley Press), a Soundview Best Business Book.

Derek hails from Oakland, CA and currently lives in Manhattan, NY with his wife and two daughters.

Connect with Derek on LinkedIn.

Kit Krugman is the Head of Organization & Culture Design at co:collective, a creative and strategic transformation consultancy.

Kit has 10 years of experience designing, managing, and growing teams at creative organizations. She has worked on Future of Talent/Future of Work projects for clients like IBM, LinkedIn, and Microsoft and designed organizational change initiatives for diverse communities including schools, design firms, and publishing companies.

In addition to her role at co:collective, Kit is the Global Executive Director of WIN: Women in Innovation – a global nonprofit dedicated to closing the gender gap in innovation by providing concrete learning & resources to women innovators.

Kit is deeply committed to building more inclusive communities and organizations. She has been published in INC, Fast Company, and the Huffington Post and spoken at DisruptHR, Talent2030, and Adobe’s 99U on numerous topics including women in leadership, new organizational models and building a culture of inclusion and innovation.

In addition to her subject matter expertise in organizational psychology and change leadership via a M.A. from Columbia University, Kit brings a deep understanding of narrative and design theory from her B.A. in Literature and Studio Art from Yale. Kit began her career as a K-12 art teacher and is a certified yoga teacher.

Connect with Kit on LinkedIn.

Arizona Public Service (APS) is working to meet business needs with practices that balance a healthy environment, a vibrant economy and strong communities for current and future generations. They provide our nearly 1.3 million customers with clean, reliable and affordable energy today and are committed to power Arizona’s future with electricity that is 100% clean and carbon-free by 2050.

APS also is the operator and co-owner of the Palo Verde Generating Station – the largest nuclear plant and the single-largest generator of carbon-free electricity in the U.S.

Beyond electricity, Arizona is our home and giving back is an important part of our culture. Their employees volunteer hundreds of thousands of hours to support causes and non-profits important to them. And, this company contributes to teachers and charitable organizations, assists our communities with economic development, and provides millions of dollars in direct financial assistance to customers struggling to pay their bills.

Leila Zaghloul-Daly grew up in Phoenix, Arizona.

She is a second generation APS employee and has held various positions in HR at many Fortune 500 companies.

She holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and her current role is as the manager of culture, learning, and inclusion at APS.

About Culture Crush

Culture is not just a tag word to be thrown around. It is not something you throw in job descriptions to draw people to applying for jobs within a company.

According to Marcus Buckingham and Ashely Goodall in their book Nine Lies About Work, “Culture is the tenants of how we behave. It’s like a family creed. This is how we operate and treat each other in the family.”

As a growing company- Culture Crush Business Podcast is THE culture improvement resource that supports companies and leaders. Our Mission is to improve company cultures so people WANT to go to work. Employees and leaders should like where they work and we think this is possible.

Within the company: Culture Crush has Vetted Resources and Partnerships with the right people and resources that can help improve your company culture.

On this podcast: We focus on everything surrounding businesses with good company culture. We will talk with company leaders to learn about real-life experiences, tips, and best practices for creating a healthy work environment where employees are finding joy and satisfaction in their work while also striving and growing within the company. We also find the companies that offer resources to help improve company culture and showcase them on the show to share their tips and tricks for growing culture.

About the Host

Shout Outs

We want to thank a few people for their behind the scenes effort in helping this relaunch to come to life. James Johnson with Tailored Penguin Media Company LLC.– It is a small, but powerful video production company with a goal to deliver the very best by articulating the vision of your brand in a visually creative way. Gordon Murray with Flash PhotoVideo, LLC. -Flash Gordon has been photographing since high school and evolving since then with new products that will equip, encourage, engage, and enable. Renee Blundon with Renee Blundon Design – She is not only one of the best free divers (that’s not how she helped with the podcast) but she is great with graphics design and taking the direction for the vision that you have while also adding creative ideas to bring to your vision to life.

These are just a few of the folks that supported the relaunch of the podcast. If you would like to be part of the Culture Crush team or would like to support underwriting the show- please reach out: info@culturecrushbusiness.com

Using E-Commerce to Expand Your Online Presence E24

March 29, 2022 by Karen

Using E-Commerce to Expand Your Online Presence Feature

AZ TechCast

Using E-Commerce to Expand Your Online Presence E24

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Using E-Commerce to Expand Your Online Presence E24

The global e-commerce market is expected to total $5.55 trillion in 2022. Between the pandemic, the transition to remote work and increased digitization, e-commerce is expected to continue growing, reaching approximately 24.5% of sales by 2025.

The March 2022 episode of the Arizona Technology Council’s TechCast podcast featured e-commerce experts including Amory Borromeo, director of Technology Operations & Talent at Carvana; John Lott, founder & CEO of e-Commerce Industry Council and chief financial officer of SpearmintLOVE; Honey Olesen, director of operations at atmosol; and Brad Wheeler, senior director of Customer Strategy at Emerge.

These leaders joined Karen Nowicki, president and owner of Phoenix Business RadioX, and Bianca Buliga, director of marketing + communications at the Council, in exploring technology’s role in discussing how small- to mid-sized companies can build e-commerce stores to gain a competitive edge and expand their businesses online.

Throughout this hour-long episode, this panel of e-commerce specialists defined e-commerce and detailed the various benefits of adopting e-commerce in today’s increasingly digitized world. For companies who have historically depended on a brick-and-mortar, in-person format of transacting with their customers, exploring the world of e-commerce provides an avenue to make their existing sales process more efficient, while simultaneously granting them access to new customers they wouldn’t have previously been able to reach.

SpearmintLOVE is a leading DTC brand in the infant clothing and apparel market. SpearmintLOVE.com curates nearly 300 of the most important brands in the market along with our proprietary label SpearmintLOVE.

John Lott is a 30 year veteran of the private equity and e-commerce industry.

Prior to SpearmintLOVE, he was a C-level executive for companies in a variety of industries including consumer products, financial services, manufacturing and distribution.

Follow SpearmintLOVE on Instagram.

Founded in 2012 and based in Phoenix, Carvana’s mission is to change the way people buy and sell cars. With a continued focus on its customers, technology and innovation, Carvana offers an intuitive and convenient online car buying, selling and financing experience.

Carvana.com enables customers to quickly and easily shop more than 55,000 vehicles, finance, trade in or sell their current vehicle to Carvana, sign contracts and schedule delivery or pickup at one of its patented, automated Car Vending Machines.

Carvana is a Fortune 500 company, providing as-soon-as-next-day delivery to customers in over 300 U.S. markets. For further information on Carvana, please visit www.carvana.com.

Amory Borromeo has worked at Carvana for the past four years. She started as a technical product manager who worked with various product and engineering teams to develop innovative, sustainable solutions for a variety of technical platforms, services and tools.

As the current Director of Technology Operations and Talent, she has the pleasure of building the system to enable and develop all of Carvana’s tech disciplines including design, analytics, data science, engineering, product management, tech services, and more.

Her role includes managing the teams responsible for developing people systems and tools, data governance and security, employee branding, learning & design, talent acquisition, talent development, technology operations, and more. She is proud to be leading the charge on how Carvana is changing and approaching the way they think about career development and community engagement.

Amory’s passion and focus are on enabling and unlocking high-growth opportunities across companies in a sustainable way. She believes that people come first; however, she also recognizes the power of creating technology levers balanced with just the right amount of rigor and process.

Organizations need to adapt to the evolving workforce today and can do that by finding a balance between scrappy start-up mentalities and enterprise-level structure. She loves bringing her unorthodox technology background to new business areas that aren’t accustomed to having that kind of voice at the solutioning table.

Follow Carvana on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Transforming the $800 billion freight industry, Emerge empowers meaningful logistics relationships through its award-winning Freight Procurement Platform. Built by freight professionals for freight professionals, Emerge offers solutions that enhance the procurement process, enabling shippers and carriers to make more empowered, strategic decisions.

Founded in 2017 and located in Scottsdale, Arizona, Emerge is one of the fastest-growing technology startups in the U.S. Visit www.emergemarket.com to learn more or view current open positions.

Brad Wheeler, one of the company’s “starting lineup,” has been with Emerge since its inception in 2017. Over the last five years, his role within the company evolved as the company continued to expand.

In Brad’s current role as the Senior Director of Customer Strategy, he leads a team of Solution Engineers whose mission is to work directly with shippers to bring efficiency to the capacity procurement process. The goal of the Customer Strategy team is to work hand in hand with shippers to tackle complex issues they are facing within the supply chain by leveraging technology to introduce simple solutions during the procurement process.

Additional experience as the Manager of Sales and later the Director of Business Operations, has been a key contributor to successfully scaling Emerge from a workforce of 30 to over 300 employees.

Brad brings it all to the table from characterizing Emerge’s brand and culture, presenting Emerge’s value proposition to the industry, and determining pivotal insights to enhancing customer experience.

Follow Emerge on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

As a full-service eCommerce & SaaS agency, atmosol takes a total-solutions approach to solving problems. They offer complete and integrated in-house services from start to finish. Keeping your best interests in mind, they leverage partnerships with Magento, BigCommerce, Klaviyo, shogun, Avalara, Nexcess, and many others to determine your unique business needs, challenges, and goals. That way, you benefit from an unbiased, holistic consultation.

In their more than 15 years of providing technology services and building products, they have worked on a myriad of technologies, languages, and packages. Their cloud expertise is one of the many aspects where they stand out.

Cloud infrastructure has made it easy for anyone and especially for SaaS software builders to have infrastructure on demand, whether it be as Platform as a Service (PaaS) or just Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). While many development companies would have come across the cloud in one form or another, deep expertise on the cloud deploying and maintaining high performant products used by hundreds of thousands or millions of users is still not commonplace.

Honey Olesen has over 11 years in the e-commerce, technical industry.

A strategic, detailed business professional with substantial experience in leadership & management, operational strategy and project management, e-commerce and digital marketing, forensic analysis, customer experience, and organizational development.

Follow atmosol on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About AZ TechCast

AZ TechCast is dedicated to covering innovation and technology in Arizona and beyond.

Through the art of connected conversation, AZ TechCast’s guests will share their expertise, success stories, news and analysis about the region’s leading startups, companies and emerging technologies, as well as the latest industry trends and critical issues propelling the state’s growing technology ecosystem.

About Your Hosts

Steve Zylstra serves as president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, a role he assumed in 2007. He is responsible for strategy, operations, finance and policy development. Zylstra is a vocal spokesman for the value technology can provide in raising social and economic standards in Arizona.

Zylstra serves on numerous councils, committees and boards, was named “Leader of the Year, Technology,” by the Arizona Capitol Times, and “Most Admired Leader” by the Phoenix Business Journal. In addition, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of science in technology from the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Ariz.

Zylstra earned a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering technology from Western Michigan University.

Karen Nowicki is a successful author, speaker and the creator of Deep Impact Leadership™ and SoulMarks Coaching™. She is a two-time recipient of the prestigious national Choice Award® for her book and personal development retreat. Karen was crowned the first-ever “Mompreneur of the Year” Award in 2010 for the southwestern states. She was recognized for her leadership, business acumen, and work-life balance.

Karen has been an expert guest on regional TV and radio shows, including Fox Phoenix Morning Show, Sonoran Living, Good Morning Arizona, The Chat Room, and Mid-Day Arizona. She has been a regular contributor to many print and online magazines – publishing articles and blogs for business and education.

In addition to working with private coaching clients, Karen is also the Owner & President of Phoenix Business RadioX. The Business RadioX Network amplifies the voice of business – serving the Fortune 500,000, not just the Fortune 500. Phoenix Business RadioX helps local businesses and professional associations get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, profession, and community.

Of all the experiences Karen has had the privilege of participating in over her vast career, she shares that Phoenix Business RadioX is a pinnacle adventure!

Connect with Karen on LinkedIn and follow Phoenix Business RadioX on Facebook and Instagram.

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bianca Buliga is a trilingual first-generation American of Romanian ethnicity. A marketing professional with experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, Bianca currently works as Director, Marketing & Communications for the Arizona Technology Council.

Previously, Bianca worked as Marketing Communications Lead at Proctorio, a learning integrity platform that offers remote proctoring software ensuring exam integrity for learners around the world.

Bianca also worked as Senior Marketing Manager at SEED SPOT, a social impact incubator that educates, accelerates, and invests in impact-driven entrepreneurs creating market-based solutions to social problems. In January of 2020, Bianca was selected as an awardee of the Mandela Washington Reciprocal Exchange Program and traveled to the African island of Mauritius to run entrepreneurship programming for 15 impact-driven ecopreneurs on behalf of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Bianca has also completed comprehensive consulting projects for IBM, ESAN Business School, and the Peruvian government, and interned at the Arizona House of Representatives and U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania.

Bianca earned her Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from Northern Arizona University in 2014 and her Master’s degree in Global Affairs and Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in 2017. She is an avid reader, yogi, and world traveler always planning her next trip.

Connect with Bianca on LinkedIn.

About Our Sponsor

The Arizona Technology Council, Arizona’s only statewide organization serving the technology sector, fosters a climate of innovation to enhance technology in Arizona.

A trusted resource in strengthening Arizona’s technology industry, the Council proactively eliminates impediments that companies face, accelerates the entrepreneurial mindset in the state’s expanding innovation ecosystem, and works to create a destination for companies to be, thrive and stay.

Follow Arizona Technology Council on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

The Eccentric Entrepreneur E97

March 24, 2022 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

The Eccentric Entrepreneur E97

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The Eccentric Entrepreneur E97

In this episode, Scott speaks his truth on lessons he’s through the school of hard knocks and how he was able to overcome those obstacles. He talks very openly about his past and how his experiences set him apart from others in the industry. Scott has a passion for the creative and unique aspects of the world, and he uses his podcast, Sons of CPAs, as a platform to discuss and approach problems with a different perspective.

In a world where we are becoming increasingly connected through the digital world, Scott talks about how there is still a need for personal connection. He wants to keep the discussion going on finding what works for you and your business. It will be different for everyone and might change along the way, but we are all on a constant journey to finding what’s right for us.

Padgett provides full-service accounting, tax, payroll, and profit coaching for individuals and small businesses.

Scott Scarano is an eccentric entrepreneur with the heart of a lion and the soul of a housecat. Scott loves approaching problems from a different perspective and analyzing solutions. Scott’s “Why” is empowering all growth-minded entrepreneurs, in his reach, to thrive and prosper.

Scott’s Padgett team is filled with passionate advisors with unique personalities who share the same virtues of empathy and integrity in everything they do. Scott did the school thing and has the credentials, but his real value comes from his questioning mind and grit to push through any adversity.

Scott lives in Raleigh, bleeds Carolina blue, and dedicates himself to his astonishing wife, Juana, and three surprisingly intelligent kids; Julia, Frankie, and Arya. (and Scott loves weed) – S²

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About the Show

Tycoons of Small Biz spotlights the true backbone of the American economy, the true tycoons of business in America… the owners, founders and CEO’s of small businesses. Join hosts, Austin L Peterson, Landon Mance and the featured tycoons LIVE every Tuesday at 1 pm, right here on Business RadioX and your favorite podcast platform.

About Your Hosts

Austin Peterson is a Comprehensive Financial Planner and co-founder of Backbone Planning Partners in Scottsdale, AZ. Austin is a registered rep and investment advisor representative with Lincoln Financial Advisors. Prior to joining Lincoln Financial Advisors, Austin worked in a variety of roles in the financial services industry.

He began his career in financial services in the year 2000 as a personal financial advisor with Independent Capital Management in Santa Ana, CA. Austin then joined Pacific Life Insurance Company as an internal wholesaler for their variable annuity and mutual fund products. After Pacific Life, Austin formed his own financial planning company in Southern California that he built and ran for 6 years and eventually sold when he moved his family to Salt Lake City to pursue his MBA.

After he completed his MBA, Austin joined Crump Life Insurance where he filled a couple of different sales roles and eventually a management role throughout the five years he was with Crump. Most recently before joining Lincoln Financial Advisors in February 2015, Austin spent 2 years as a life insurance field wholesaler with Symetra Life Insurance Company. Austin is a Certified Financial Planner Professional and Chartered Life Underwriter. In 2021, Austin became a Certified Business Exit Consultant® (CBEC®) to help entrepreneurs plan to exit their businesses.

Austin and his wife of 23 years, Robin, have two children, AJ (21) and Ella (18) and they reside in Gilbert, Arizona. He is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor of Arts in French and of Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management with a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in sales and entrepreneurship.

Connect with Austin on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Landon Mance is a Financial Planner and co-founder of Backbone Planning Partners out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He rebranded his practice in 2020 to focus on serving small business owners after operating as Mance Wealth Management since 2015 when Landon broke off from a major bank and started his own “shop.”

Landon comes from a family of successful entrepreneurs and has a passion and excitement for serving the business community. This passion is what brought about the growth of Backbone Planning Partners to help business owners and their families. At Backbone Planning, we believe small business owners’ personal and business goals are intertwined, so we work with our clients to design a financial plan to support all aspects of their lives.

In 2019, Landon obtained the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) designation through the Exit Planning Institute. With this certification, Backbone Planning Partners assists business owners through an ownership transition while focusing on a positive outcome for their employees and meeting the business owner’s goals. Landon is also a member of the Business Intelligence Institute (BII) which is a collaborative group that shares tools, resources and personnel, and offers advanced level training and technical support to specifically serve business owners. In 2021, Landon became a Certified Business Exit Consultant® (CBEC®) to help entrepreneurs plan to exit their businesses by counseling owners about exit options, estimating the value of the business, preparing the business for exit and tax considerations.

Landon enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife, stepson, and new baby twins. He grew up in sunny San Diego and loves visiting his family, playing a round of golf with friends, and many other outdoor activities. Landon tries to make a difference in the lives of children in Las Vegas as a part of the leadership team for a local non-profit. He regularly visits the children that we work with to remind himself of why it’s so important to, “be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

Landon received his B.S. from California State University Long Beach in business marketing and gets the rest of his education through the school of hard knocks via his business owner clients.

Connect with Landon on LinkedIn.

Austin Peterson and Landon Mance are registered representatives of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a broker/dealer (member SIPC) and registered investment advisor. Insurance offered through Lincoln affiliates and other fine companies. Backbone Planning Partners is a marketing name for registered representatives of Lincoln Financial Advisors. CRN-4532512-031422

Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. and its representatives do not provide legal or tax advice. You may want to consult a legal or tax advisor regarding any legal or tax information as it relates to your personal circumstances.

The content presented is for informational and educational purposes. The information covered and posted are views and opinions of the guests and not necessarily those of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp.

Business RadioX® is a separate entity not affiliated with Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp.

E99 Don’t be a Waiter with Ben Peters

March 24, 2022 by Karen

Dont-be-a-Waiter-with-Ben-Peters-feature

Phoenix Business Radio

E99 Don’t be a Waiter with Ben Peters

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E99 Don’t be a Waiter with Ben Peters

In this episode of Project Management Office Hours, Ben Peters and PMO Joe discussed Ben’s journey in the PMO space, Portfolio Management along with Engineering and Project Management in Cape Town!

Ben’s unique experience as professional spans over 18 years within the mining, oil and gas, telecoms, food, health care and the government sectors. With significant experience as a seasoned professional in all aspects of Project Management.

As we learn about his story and path into the PMO space he started not within the Project Management field rather an industrial engineering. “After industrial engineering studies, I found myself in the project management space applying those industrial engineering principles—Always be proactive. I am known within the city of Cape Town as an implementer, as a driver, as a continuous enforcer. I’m striving for change. I like change. I’m not waiting for anything because it’s just changing your mindset and maximizing those skills in the project management field.” Those early career experiences were setting the stage for a successful Project Management career as he learned the importance of mindset, organization, and management.

Ben shared that he enjoys solving problems and helping others. In Cape town he worked on a project to help citizens impacted with Covid-19. “You sometimes take it for granted, but it’s a great contribution that we do in the project management group that we’re touching lives. I think that’s the reason why I keep on working in this space.” As a government agency it is amazing to see the applications in project management take place and have such an impact on so many lives. We often tend to think of just business when it comes to PMO, however it applies to anything as Ben has experienced.

Connect with Ben:

Company Website – www.capetown.gov.za

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-peters-b-eng-hons-pr-eng-pmp-pr-cpm-mba-3a24bb7/

Or see the guest list for upcoming shows – https://www.thepmosquad.com/podcast

Thank you to THE PMO SQUAD and The PMO Leader for sponsoring this show.

The PMO Squad is a leading provider of PMO and Project Management services in the US. They assist clients building and improving PMOs, provide Project Management Consulting services, deliver custom Project Management Training and provide Project Management staffing services.
Learn more about The PMO Squad – www.thepmosquad.com

Where do PMO Leaders go for Information, Learning, Networking and Services? The PMO Leader community has “Everything You Need to Become a Great PMO Leader”. One PMO World, One Community!
Learn more about The PMO Leader – www.thepmoleader.com

Cape Town, colloquially named the Mother City, is home to just under 4.5 million and 1.5 million households. The City is an independent sphere of government, which has a broad range of powers and functions in its execution of its constitutional obligations.

It is a growing city, by 2030 we expect 5.12 million people to be residing in Cape Town, where growth is characterized as both formal and informal. Approximately 3.5 million people live in formal residential conditions, while approximately 500 000 people resides informal, vulnerable conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring socio-economic crisis has exacerbated conditions, especially for the most vulnerable.

Looking forward, it is projected that there will be a sharp increase in unemployment, increase in business closures, and increasing inequality and hunger.

Considering the contextual specificities of Cape Town, value creation in the public sector is not just about the rate of expenditure but the about benefits created and engendered in projects and programmes for all stakeholders AND residents.

Excellence in project, program and portfolio management it critical to ensure the City of Cape Town is able to continue to deliver on what is needed and what is promised with the intended outcomes, so as to ensure benefit to all residents.

The City of Cape Town’s Corporate Project, Programme Portfolio Management (C3PM) Department in its current form has been a decade in the making, having undergone multiple iterations of structure and ways of operating. It is now a global leader in pioneering benefits in the public sector.

Barend Daniel’s (Ben) Peters’ experience as professional spans over 18 years (15 years’ senior management) within the mining, oil and gas, telecoms, food, health care and the government sectors.

He has significant experience as a professional engineer, project manager, programme manager, portfolio manager and senior manager in construction, information technology and business improvement industries. He has advanced portfolio, programme and project management, general management and leadership capabilities.

Ben has been exposed to multiple project, programme and portfolio management frameworks and lifecycles. He is capable of sharing his knowledge in creative and innovative ways. He is well known for my strengths as an implementer and solution finder / solver to any given problem. I am a confident decision maker.

Ben has achieved the highest status of Gold Winner in the International Project Management Association (IPMA) Achievement Award as Young Project Manager of the Year in 2016. He was also recognised as Employee of the year within the Corporate Services Directorate, City of Cape Town in 2018. With these achievement, he has proved that with his unique approach, he is in the “Top League” and a master of his craft.

The Water Resilience Programme in Cape Town received bronze for Innovate Project of the year where he was the Programme Manager.

As Director of the Corporate Project Management Office, the PMO has received honours of Gold (winner) for the 2020 South African PMO of the year, African PMO of the year 2021 and Top 4 for the Global PMO awards under his leadership.

Ben is an active member at the South African Institute of Industrial Engineering and Project Management Institution, President for the Association for Project Management South Africa and Head of the International Project Management Smarter Cities Special Interest Group.

His senior management experience inspired him to obtain more knowledge within the business and management environment and therefore he completed his MBA (Master in Business Administration) in 2019 at the University of Edinburgh (Herriot Watt Business School).

Ben is a sports fanatic in his private life. He believes in a team culture and loves all sports. He is a keen tri-athlete, MTB rider.

Connect with Ben on LinkedIn.

ABOUT PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE HOURS SERIES

Project Management Office Hours is intended to provide Project Management professionals a place to drop in and discuss Success Stories, Best Practices, and Lessons Learned. Project Management Consultant Joy Gumz has shared with us, “Operations keep the lights on, strategy provides the light at the end of the tunnel, but project management is the train engine that moves the organization forward.”

Each of us has a unique story to tell, but collectively we share a message that organizations who embrace Project Management Best Practices perform better than those which don’t. Organizations which align Projects to Strategy perform better. Organizations with Engage Executive Sponsors deliver better results. Organizations which measure Project Management performance outperform those which don’t.

During our Project Management Office Hours, we hear directly from Industry leaders how to make an impact in our profession. How we, collectively, will Advance Project Management Best Practices, One Listener at a time!

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Joe Pusz started THE PMO SQUAD to bring real world PMO Leadership experience to the consulting space and to advocate for Project Management through his blog PMOJOE.com. The old saying is “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Following this mindset Joe left Corporate America in 2013 to start THE PMO SQUAD and work with fellow Natural Born Project Managers to advance Project Management Best Practices.

ABOUT OUR SPONSOR

THE PMO SQUAD focuses exclusively on PMO and Project Management consulting. Corporate America is full of Accidental Project Managers running projects who haven’t been trained to be PMs. To help solve this problem THE PMO SQUAD is on the Leading Edge with PMO As a Service. PMO As a Service allows our clients to focus on their respective core competencies while THE PMO SQUAD delivers Project Management expertise. Contact Joe at 678-591-7868. Follow The PMO Squad on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Where do PMO Leaders go for Information, Learning, Networking and Services? The PMO Leader community has “Everything You Need to Become a Great PMO Leader”. One PMO World, One Community! Learn more about The PMO Leader – www.thepmoleader.com

Transforming the Mobility Industry E3

March 23, 2022 by Karen

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Changing the Perception of Blindness

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Transforming the Mobility Industry E3

Host David Steinmetz and special guest Ron Brooks, founder and CEO of Accessible Avenue were in studio discussing the transformation of transportation and mobility for people with disabilities.

Ron stated that “transportation must be simple, stress-free and accessible for all.”

This show will help public and private sector transportation professionals gain a better understanding of the importance of providing safe, accessible, reliable and affordable transportation for people with disabilities.

Accessible Avenue exists to make transportation and mobility more accessible for people with disabilities. The approach for achieving this mission is two-fold. First, Accessible Avenue provides consulting and training services to transportation and mobility providers so they can deliver products and services that are accessible for everyone including people with disabilities.

Second, Accessible Avenue provides training and assistance to individuals and community-based organizations so they can take full advantage of currently available transportation-related products and services, resolve challenges when they arise, and advocate for more and better services in the future.

Current Accessible Avenue clients include transit agencies, mobility providers, technology providers and consulting companies who need help with ADA compliance, general accessibility, and disability community engagement.

The company has also partnered with the American Council of the Blind to launch a monthly Internet radio call-in show called “Untangling Transportation,” where blind/low vision callers can get help with individual transportation challenges associated with public transit, paratransit, taxicabs, rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft, and other transportation services.

Ron Brooks is a writer, speaker, entrepreneur and evangelist for the transformation of mobility for people with disabilities.

A graduate of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University in Indianapolis, Ron has 28 years of planning, management and executive-level experience for both public transit agencies and private providers within the areas of accessible transit and paratransit.

In 2020, Ron founded Accessible Avenue where he is able to draw upon his life and industry experience to provide accessibility-focused training and consulting services to agencies and organizations designing, developing and delivering products and services that support the movement of people within indoor and outdoor spaces and on all forms of public and retail ground transportation.

In addition, Ron is very involved in the disability community. He is a member of the American Council of the Blind, a current Board member of Penny Forward which provides financial coaching and training to individuals who are blind, and a past Board member of Ability360, one of the largest Independent Living Centers in the country, and the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired which provides an array of independent living and rehabilitation services to people who are blind or visually impaired.

Ron attributes his professional success in the transit and mobility industry to his lifelong involvement with the blind/visually impaired and larger disability communities and to his personal experience living with blindness.

Says Ron, “When the transit industry talks about how to better serve people with disabilities, I’m able to literally think about services from this perspective. ‘How would this affect my ability to get to the store or pick my kids up from school, or how would this affect the other disabled people in my life?’ Having that perspective helps me to do my work with a greater degree of empathy and humility, and when we truly understand our customers’ needs, and when we seek to solve their needs first and foremost, we can always get a better result.”

Connect with Ron on LinkedIn.

About Your Host

As the manager of Community and Public Relations, David Steinmetz uses his expertise, education, and personal experiences to “change the perception of blindness.”

Diagnosed with RP, a blinding retinal disease, at the age of 19, David uses his personal story to drive change that leads to improved employment outcomes and community integration for people who are blind or visually impaired.

Mr. Steinmetz graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Economics. Additionally, Steinmetz has continued his education by graduating from the Business Management Training (BMT) program provided by Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia.

In 2008, David was the national recipient of the National Industries for the Blind Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement award. This prestigious award recognized Mr. Steinmetz for his career achievements and community service work.

David Steinmetz is a member of the Governors’ Council on Blindness & Visual Impairments, is a Board Member at the Arizona Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired (ACBVI) and serves his community through the Chandler Lions Club.

Connect with David on LinkedIn and Instagram.

About the Show

Changing the Perception of Blindness; One Conversation at a Time is dedicated to breaking down barriers, de-mystifying blindness and promoting real world solutions that empower people who are blind to live a full and inclusive life.

Host, David Steinmetz connects with organizations, industry professionals and thought leaders who are working to bridge the gap that creates a world accessible for all.

About Arizona Industries for the Blind

Arizona Industries for the Blind is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating employment opportunities for people who are blind. It’s employees, more than half of whom are blind, deliver a variety of products and services, including a full-service Warehousing and Distribution Center, confidential Digital Data Scan (DDS) services for private businesses and government and the operation of Base Supply Centers located at each of Arizona’s three military bases under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Labor’s AbilityOne program.

Follow AIFB on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Kak Varley with Kak Varley Marketing E30

March 22, 2022 by Karen

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Phoenix Business Radio

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Kak Varley with Kak Varley Marketing E30

Kak Varley Marketing is a consulting firm and agency focused on bringing value to companies in regard to their digital marketing.

Resting on a foundation of ethics, these folks exemplify a level of candor that is often not experienced in the marketplace.

Kak Varley is a man with a jagged life’s journey, from a factory worker and musician to a successful salesperson, business owner, and marketer.

He put in 35+ years in the sales world and 10+ years in business ownership and drew from those experiences and bring them into digital marketing.

Connect with Kak on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Arizona Good Business

What is good business? What are local businesses doing to build a better Arizona?

Join Arizona Good Business to hear from local companies who are:

Centering purpose at the forefront of business
Creating social well-being for the community
Prioritizing sustainability and positive environmental practices
Growing strong company cultures through building authentic teams
Ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion are involved in all business decisions

Arizona Good Business features local business leaders that are redefining what it means to do good business.

About Your Host

Thomas Barr is the Executive Director for Local First Arizona, the largest coalition of local businesses in North America. He advocates for a strong local business community that contributes to building vibrancy, equity, and prosperity across the state. A proud Arizona native and graduate of Arizona State University, Thomas leads the business coalition of Local First Arizona by advocating for the economic and cultural benefits provided by building strong local economies.

Thomas steers the strategic direction of LFA’s major programs and initiatives as well as the engagement of over 3000 businesses across Arizona. As Executive Director, Thomas guides a team of statewide senior directors overseeing the execution of LFA’s communication strategy, major initiatives and key partnerships, as well as the collaboration of over 30 staff implementing work in entrepreneurship programs, small business advocacy, local food initiatives, sustainability, urban development and community building. He frequently speaks to groups locally and nationally, presenting the impact of Local First Arizona and the importance of local economy work in building prosperity.

Outside of Local First Arizona, Thomas has participated in volunteering his time to many causes and organizations throughout the Valley including Young Nonprofit Professionals – Phoenix, Equality Arizona, Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, Arizona Commission on the Arts, Heritage Square Foundation and Phoenix Legal Action Network. Additionally, Thomas is a 2018 Phoenix Magazine 40 Under 40 honoree, alumni of Arizona Leading for Change, and current participant in Valley Leadership Institute’s 40th cohort.

Connect with Thomas on LinkedIn and Twitter.

It Takes A Village E30

March 21, 2022 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

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It Takes A Village E30

On this episode of Collaborative Connections Radio Show and Podcast, host Kelly Lorenzen had the pleasure of interviewing some amazing leaders in our community.

Ania Kubicki, CEO & Founder of ANGLES Communications and President-Elect of NAWBO Phx, Laura Bode, Director of Community Engagement of A New Leaf, and Shana Duffy, Principle Consultant, Blue Ocean Advisory and owner of Yellow Day Marketing joined Kelly on-air for an enlightening conversation.

If you want to be inspired, get more involved in the Arizona community, or learn something new about PR, non-profits, business ownership, or women in business, then check out this episode.

Did you know there is a media collaborative in Phoenix that focuses on Positivity? The Center for Positive Media just opened and Ania was excited to share about it. https://www.thecenterforpositivemedia.com/

Did you know that NAWBO advocates for women in business? They are a great resource in our community. https://www.nawbo.org/phoenix

Did you know that A New Leaf helps sexual and domestic violence victims? They are opening a Rap Crisis Center next month. Check out all of their services at https://www.turnanewleaf.org/services/

Did you know there is a consulting firm that helps brands connect with financial institutions for co-branded credit cards and loyalty programs? Shana Duffy is a principal consultant with them and a great resource for small and large businesses needing help with customer loyalty. https://boadvisory.com/

These ladies shared some GREAT resources, stories, and quotes during the show about everything above and more. It is worth the hour to listen to this episode of Collaborative Connections.

Thank you, KLM Consulting, Marketing, and Management for sponsoring Collaborative Connections Radio Show and Podcast.

A New Leaf advances its mission of “Helping Families…Changing Lives” by providing meaningful opportunities to empower disadvantaged individuals and families, and to create a stronger and healthier community. A New Leaf’s 30+ programs in the Phoenix Metro area address households’ immediate and longer-term needs through a continuum of care that promotes social and economic health and stability.

Services include emergency shelter, supportive housing, domestic and sexual violence support, financial empowerment, behavioral and primary health care, foster care, early childhood education, and family preservation. With 51 years’ experience providing social services to local communities, A New Leaf anticipates improving more than 30,000 lives this year through culturally responsive programming that cultivates equity in the community.

Laura Bode serves as A New Leaf’s Director of Community Engagement. She has worked with A New Leaf for 10 years and is passionate about advancing the critical services the organization provides for the community.

She engages community corporations, foundations, civic leaders, and service groups to build awareness, funding, in-kind donations, and volunteer service to support all of A New Leaf’s programs.

Follow A New Leaf on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ANGLES is a communications agency with a mission to connect ideas and the people behind them to those who benefit from them. ANGLES works with visionaries who challenge the status quo and disrupt industries that need change.

We help our clients bring positive change to industries, communities and the world through highly curated communications strategies and programs.

Ania Kubicki started her career in public relations in New York City, working on high profile campaigns for destinations and political organizations. She moved to Phoenix in 2002 and started her agency, ANGLES Communications in 2006.

Ania is passionate about her clients and works with growth-oriented companies, powerful organizations and meaningful non-profits. She firmly believes that if you are not telling your story, someone will tell it for you.

Ania is an active member of our community serving on multiple committees, supporting and volunteering for causes in education, arts & entertainment as well as women and children. She is the President-Elect of the Phoenix Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners and is passionate about helping people overcome adversity and own their stories!

Connect with Ania on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Blue Ocean is a multi-faceted advisory firm that excels in brand loyalty and payments solutions with a strong emphasis in the co-brand credit card space. Blue Ocean uses their vast experience and industry knowledge to successfully align brand partners and merchants with issuing banks and payment providers.

The Blue Ocean team has spent many years effectively negotiating co-branded programs nationally and internationally for travel, auto, retail, and financial institution brands. Additionally they manage RFP’s and contracts with Issuers and all three Card Networks; Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.

Blue Ocean also provides operational and marketing guidance on credit card programs to maximize growth and revenue, create winning marketing and focused strategies that enhance consumer loyalty through enhanced product value and innovation.

Beyond marketing and business development the Blue Ocean team has strong operational backgrounds that cover Credit, Risk, Fraud, Customer Service, Forecasting, Financial Analysis, and user Analytics.

Shana Duffy is a Principal Consultant with over 25 years of experience in the credit card and co-brand industry. Her experience runs deep across Operations, Marketing, and Business Development.

Shana spent over 20 years at Bank of America where she managed Credit Underwriting, Fraud, and Risk teams and strategies before transitioning to co-brand marketing where she spent 10 years managing a suite of successful programs such as America West, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines.

Prior to joining Blue Ocean Advisory in June 2020, Shana spent 7 years managing Retail, Airline, and Financial Institution co-branded programs at U.S. Bank.

Shana’s skills span across executive leadership, program management, product development and innovation, contract renewals and negotiation, revenue generation, and relationship management.

Follow Blue Ocean on LinkedIn.

About Collaborative Connections

Kelly Lorenzen started the “Collaborative Connections” show to bring her clients and favorite charities together to meet each other, connect and collaborate in life and business. She hopes to build a stronger community one show at a time.

About Our Sponsor

KLM is a one-stop support shop for small business owners who are starting, growing, or trying to sustain. Our purpose is to foster the growth and prosperity of small businesses in our community.

Entrepreneurs & small business owners come to KLM for support in all areas of business. KLM clients think of us as a concierge, business snuggy, another arm, or duplicate for the business owner; They call us when they need us. Business owners can continue to do what they love while having the support they need when they need it.

About Your Host

Kelly Lorenzen, CEO of KLM, is an award-winning entrepreneur with over 15 years of business-ownership experience. She is also a certified project management professional.

Kelly’s expertise is in business development, customer service, marketing, and sales.

Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn, and follow KLM Consulting on Facebook.

City of Maricopa – Economic Development Done Correctly E1

March 21, 2022 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

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City of Maricopa – Economic Development Done Correctly E1

Robert and JJ met with Nathan Steele (Chief Economic Development Officer) of the City of Maricopa to discuss “all things” development related in the City of Maricopa. Nathan enlightened everyone with the tremendous growth in Maricopa and went on to elaborate on how that will most likely continue in their community for the foreseeable future. Maricopa is uniquely qualified with their land mass, infrastructure, neighborly relationships, and utilities to accommodate serious growth in the future.

We also learned more about Nathan’s background and his passion for doing all the right things as an economic development guru, yet getting out of the way of private industry to deliver on those promises. The team had fun bantering about the tag lines for Maricopa; (1) “Come build the City with us”, (2) “YES!, here, (3) “We’ll answer the phone for you” – all three monikers were a clear representation of Nathan’s passion and his embodiment of the culture within the City of Maricopa to do “smart” and “effective” development. Nathan stressed that the QUALITY OF LIFE is what drives their vision and continues to attract people to call Maricopa HOME.

Nathan provided a wonderful context of useful and supportive government agency, especially in a time where over-regulation and bureaucracy seem to be the norm. Public customer service at its finest.

Economic Development is at the forefront of everything we do in the City of Maricopa! Maricopa’s City Council is committed to creating a highly-desirable place to live and do business by being responsive and pro-business. Economic Development focuses on placemaking, infrastructure, and property development.

In Maricopa, it’s the long-held belief that you can’t stand out from the rest by doing it the same way as everyone else. With its pro-business environment and streamlined permitting processes, clients will find that Maricopa is not just open for business, but it’s the best City in Arizona FOR business!

Nathan Steele is an experienced public servant, currently serving as the Chief Economic Development Officer for the City of Maricopa.

He has previously served, in Maricopa, as the Director of Economic and Community Development and the Assistant to the City Manager.

He is responsible for coordinating all economic development-related activities conducted by the city departments and other relevant entities in the community. This includes everything from business retention to new business recruitment.

Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn.

About Your Hosts

Meet JJ Levenske

JJ Levenske is a seasoned construction executive with over 30 years of experience in the commercial and industrial sectors. From pre-construction services to complex quality controls and close-outs, he brings a commitment to delivering the highest levels of professionalism and customer service.

JJ’s dedication to construction has allowed him to become an industry expert which he aims to share with customers and investors alike. JJ does not believe in mediocrity and strives to see the “end at the beginning” for each project, effectuating a higher return on investment for the entire team.

Early on in his career, JJ worked as a cost engineer conducting feasibility estimates, strategic capital estimates, cost planning, and analysis of value engineering for the technology, petrochemical, and food industries. He went on to develop and implement a variety of systems for estimating, scheduling, resource management, and cost tracking while holding Project Manager and Senior Management Positions.

During his tenure, JJ has been involved in $1 billion worth of construction services. A strong entrepreneurial acumen allows him to be the perfect advocate for your facility based business solutions.

Meet Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson is a knowledgeable construction professional with over 40 years of experience. His experience ranges from residential to the commercial and industrial sectors.

Robert began working in the trades immediately out of high school and quickly advanced to Journeyman status. Robert went on to estimating, operations, senior level management and then business development.

Robert is consistently building relationships and networking with those associated with all aspects of development and construction. Robert has become a respected source for prefabricated construction solutions.

Robert enjoys spending time with Pam, his wife of 42 years, their 3 children, and 10 grandchildren.

About Our Sponsors

Bleuwave is a Phoenix-based general contractor with a specialty in land development & site improvement, pre-construction, design build, remodel and renovations, construction management, and post construction.

Bleuwave is passionate about what they do and takes pride in their partner’s success.