B2B Archives - Business RadioX ®

Samantha McElhaney, SouthState Bank, Keith Costley, Keck & Wood, Inc., and Derek Griffin, Speartek

August 15, 2022 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Samantha McElhaney, SouthState Bank, Keith Costley, Keck & Wood, Inc., and Derek Griffin, Speartek

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Samantha McElhaney, SouthState Bank, Keith Costley, Keck & Wood, Inc., and Derek Griffin, Speartek (ProfitSense with Bill McDermott, Episode 35)

Host Bill McDermott was joined by three accomplished business leaders on this edition of ProfitSense. Banker Samantha McElhaney discussed what business owners need to be focused on now, what to look for in choosing an advisor, as well as how she uses her extensive network to assist her clients. Keith Costley shared how his engineering consulting firm develops and retains talent, how collaboration with clients has been so crucial to their success, and his firm’s succession planning process. Derek Griffin talked about how his firm helps gift and home decor firms, industrial products companies, distributors, and other B2B companies with website and e-commerce solutions for their marketing needs.

Bill closed the show with a commentary on the four components of getting a business ready to sell for its maximum value.

ProfitSense with Bill McDermott is produced and broadcast by the North Fulton Studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta.

SouthState Bank

SouthState is one of the leading regional banks in the Southeast – serving more than one million customers via 275+ locations in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. They offer robust banking solutions, including consumer banking, mortgage, small business banking, commercial banking and wealth management.

SouthState bankers care about their customers and each other – and it shows. They are proud to have earned awards for their banking solutions, service, and workplace environment. For the past three years, they’ve been ranked on Forbes’ 100 Best Banks in America and have earned top workplace honors several years running. This is banking at its best. This is banking forward.

Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.

Website | LinkedIn |Facebook

Samantha McElhaney, Commercial Relationship Advisor, SouthState Bank

Samantha McElhaney is a Commercial Relationship Advisor with SouthState Bank.

She is a single mom of twins at the University of Alabama and the University of South Carolina, respectively. She has been in financial services for 28 years this September and currently holds the position of Commercial Banking Advisor in Greater GA.

She loves Lighthouses because they provide hope in the darkness/storms of life and admits she is extremely hard on herself. She leads and participated in small groups at North Point Community Church and Woodstock City Church because her faith is extremely important to her personally and professionally.

And her favorite time of the year – college football season is about to start, so bring on Fall, food, and “fandemonium”.

Keck & Wood, Inc

Keck & Wood, Inc., founded in 1954, provides professional civil engineering, landscape architecture, and land surveying services to clients throughout the southeast. The company has 65 employees in four offices. Duluth and Fayetteville, GA as well as Rock Hill and North Charleston, SC. Our clients include city and county governments, utility companies, state agencies, education institutions, and private developers.

Company website | Facebook | LinkedIn

Keith Costley, President & CEO, Keck & Wood, Inc.

Keith Costley is the President and CEO of Keck & Wood, Inc., a 65-person civil engineering firm headquartered in Duluth, GA. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a civil engineering degree in 1994 and has become licensed as a Professional Engineer in GA, SC, and NC.

He joined the firm as a Project Manager in their Rock Hill, SC office in 2000 and has steadily progressed his career by becoming the office leader in 2012 and then the President and CEO in 2017.

Speartek

Speartek is a technology company that builds online business solutions for product-based businesses that sell primarily in Business to Business environments. Yes, that online solution is a website but it is so much more than that because it enables the client to do business with their clients in a much more automated and efficient manner. Clients are typically manufacturers or product importers that well either wholesale to retailers or through a distribution channel. B2B selling is significantly more complex than selling to consumers and many of these client websites are integrated into accounting or ERP systems so that data is exchanged automatically, reducing the administrative costs and time in managing orders. With B2B as a primary focus for the past 20 years, the experience that Speartek delivers coupled with a platform built for B2B is an incredibly valuable combination.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

Derek Griffin, President, Speartek

Derek Griffin has spent 22 years as the leader of Speartek, a niche B2B eCommerce solution provider. His background includes being a CPA in public accounting for 7 years as well as a CFO for a $20M manufacturing company. That financial experience and understanding of how a business needs to operate has been tremendously valuable in what Speartek delivers for its clients. Derek has lived in the Atlanta area since 1992, is married and has 2 children. Outside of work, his interests are mountain biking and hiking national parks (up to 30!), live music, and college sports.

About ProfitSense and Your Host, Bill McDermott

ProfitSense with Bill McDermott dives into the stories behind some of Atlanta’s successful businesses and business owners and the professionals that advise them. This show helps local business leaders get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, their community, and their profession. The show is presented by McDermott Financial Solutions. McDermott Financial helps business owners improve cash flow and profitability, find financing, break through barriers to expansion, and financially prepare to exit their business. The show archive can be found at profitsenseradio.com.

Bill McDermott is the Founder and CEO of McDermott Financial Solutions. When business owners want to increase their profitability, they don’t have the expertise to know where to start or what to do. Bill leverages his knowledge and relationships from 32 years as a banker to identify the hurdles getting in the way and create a plan to deliver profitability they never thought possible.

Bill currently serves as Treasurer for the Atlanta Executive Forum and has held previous positions as a board member for the Kennesaw State University Entrepreneurship Center and Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity and Treasurer for CEO NetWeavers. Bill is a graduate of Wake Forest University and he and his wife, Martha have called Atlanta home for over 40 years. Outside of work, Bill enjoys golf, traveling, and gardening.

Connect with Bill on LinkedIn and Twitter and follow McDermott Financial Solutions on LinkedIn.

Lisa J. Smith, SMITH Company LLC

June 18, 2021 by John Ray

Minneapolis St. Paul Business Radio

Lisa J. Smith, SMITH Company LLC

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Lisa J. Smith, SMITH Company LLC (Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio, Episode 11)

If you’re engaged in B2B sales, this show is a must listen. Lisa J. Smith of SMITH Company joined host John Ray to discuss why B2B sales can be so hard, the shifts in client behavior, work styles, and digital demand which affect B2B sales effectiveness, the advantages of being an introvert in sales, tactical changes which can help improve B2B sales quickly, and much more. Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio is produced virtually by the Minneapolis St. Paul studio of Business RadioX®.

Lisa J. Smith, CEO, SMITH Company LLC

SMITH Company LLC was born out of a period of rapid change called the pandemic. Lisa J. Smith started the consulting firm to help micro and small B2B companies meet the rapidly evolving landscape and stay relevant.

This sector has seen some of the biggest shifts in client behavior, shifting work styles, and accelerating digital demand. Smith co. exists to help companies get unstuck. They provide a fresh perspective on some of their stickiest sales problems.

Through rapid analysis and “SMART” strategic mapping, Smith co. can quickly address any business development challenge and pinpoint areas of change to achieve better results. Whether it’s about connection or growth, acquisition or retention, often the smallest changes result in the greatest impact.

Company website | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube

Questions and Topics in this Interview

Why are B2B sales so hard?
Where do most B2B companies get stuck?
Analysis Paralysis does exist; how do you snap out of it?
Why can’t I train my team to sell as I do?
What business development tactics do I really need to win more work?

Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio is hosted by John Ray and produced virtually from the Minneapolis St. Paul studio of Business RadioX® . You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

Josh Sweeney with FounderScale

July 27, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Josh Sweeney with FounderScale

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Josh Sweeney, Founder of FounderScale, has been through many roles in his life and has worked for a number of organizations, but none of them delivered as much value to his family and community as being an entrepreneur.

As he scaled his business, Josh has had the opportunity to give back more than ever before by donating to Boy Scouts of America and local schools. He has the time and freedom to coach youth sports and be there for his family.

Josh has helped other founders through the Entrepreneurs Organization and has created career opportunities. All of that would not have been possible in any other role. His mission is for every founder to have the same success that he has had so that they can impact their family and community.

Connect with Josh on LinkedIn and follow FounderScale on Facebook.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

What motivated Josh to start FounderScale
How FounderScale is different from other companies
Common roadblocks when scaling your business
The types of businesses FounderScale works with
The difference between sales and marketing content

About Our Sponsor

OnPay’s payroll services and HR software give you more time to focus on what’s most important. Rated “Excellent” by PC Magazine, we make it easy to pay employees fast, we automate all payroll taxes, and we even keep all your HR and benefits organized and compliant.

Our award-winning customer service includes an accuracy guarantee, deep integrations with popular accounting software, and we’ll even enter all your employee information for you — whether you have five employees or 500. Take a closer look to see all the ways we can save you time and money in the back office.

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Resound CEO Mike Jones E5

July 16, 2020 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

Resound CEO Mike Jones E5

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Resound CEO Mike Jones E5

Creating a brand for your company is one of the most important things you can do as a business owner.
Great brands are more than what they are selling or the services they offer. They focus on their purpose as a company. Think of Nike as an example of a company with a clear purpose and great branding.

Mike Jones, CEO of Resound, was the featured guest on this episode of MAC6 Community Connection Radio Show and Podcast. Jennifer Burwell, Kyle McIntosh, and Mike talked about everything from branding to marketing, the MAC6 community, to great books and more.

They all agreed that branding is an integral part of a successful business.

People are intrinsically remarkable, and since organizations are created by human beings – every organization is remarkable too.

Unfortunately, most organizations don’t act like it.

Resound helps B2B companies find their authentic identities in order to resonate with their audiences and build lasting customer relationships through branding, websites, video, and marketing content.

Remarkable brands require authenticity and a die-hard commitment to values and purpose. Mike Jones passionately pursues these beliefs as CEO of his brand agency – Resound. (He also explores these topics as co-host of the podcast AZ Brandcast.)

In recognition of the work he’s done, this Arizona native has been named one of the state’s 40 Under 40 business leaders by the Phoenix Business Journal. He’s also co-directed PHX Startup Week, cofounded ThrivePHX, and serves on the board of Conscious Capitalism Arizona. He and his wife and three kids live in very sunny, Mesa, Arizona.

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

ABOUT YOUR MAC6 COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS CO-HOSTS

With a background in marketing, in various for profit and not for profit companies, Kyle McIntosh wondered, “How can I pair the passion and commitment to community progress of a non-profit with the sustainability and reach of a for profit company?” From this question and perspective a mission evolved to tear down the false distinction between the two sectors and to promote companies with Conscious Capitalism® business models through MAC6.

Kyle is the President and Creative Excitant of MAC6. Day to day, his main operational role is on the “spaces” side of the business, focusing on creating thriving communities in the commercial office buildings, the co-working space, and the co-manufacturing space. The other role that he plays is that of EOS implementer, working with clients to bring the Entrepreneurial Operating System, from the book Traction® to their businesses. Additionally, he sits on the boards of Conscious Capitalism Arizona, telling the stories of good businesses in Arizona, and The Tempe Chamber of Commerce, sustaining Tempe’s quality of life and keeping our community and economy vibrant.

Kyle loves Arizona and wants to see us all collectively find great success based on the awesome things that are happening here every day.

Follow MAC6 on Facebook and Twitter.

Jennifer Burwell, joined MAC6 in 2013. Jennifer is their VP and Director of Programs. She uses her experience in real estate, team development and management to seamlessly integrate each of the MAC6 business units to assure they are all focused on the long-term company vision. She is also a student of human behavior.

As a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst, she uses her knowledge to facilitate culture-focused leadership programs with organizations of all sizes to integrate the company’s values and create higher-performing teams.

To learn more about MAC6 Communities, call 480-293-4075 or find them on Facebook

ABOUT OUR SPONSOR

MAC⁶ offers flexible spaces and programs to help your team grow, and a community of thriving businesses, just like yours. Advocating Capitalism as a Force for Good, MAC6 is Accelerating the shift to Conscious Capitalism (where Purpose and Profit Unite) through Creativity, Collaboration, Community and Change.

Kara Brown with SmithBrown Marketing

July 3, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Kara Brown with SmithBrown Marketing

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Kara Brown is the Founder and CEO of SmithBrown Marketing, a fractional CMO and team focused on B2B sales and marketing alignment and execution. Originally from Chicago, Brown was one of the first employees of Echo Global Logistics, the first tech-enabled freight broker. Brown was a one-woman department single-handedly managing the company’s brand, image and marketing initiatives as the company grew 3000% in just over 3 years.

In 2008, she took on the role of Investor Relations and was part of the company’s successful 2009 IPO (NYSE:ECHO). This was all by the time she was 26. She was recruited by OHL (Ozburn-Hessey Logistics), at the time a $2B Nashville-based global supply chain provider with clients like Apple, Starbucks, Samsung, Sony and Remington.

A few years before OHL was bought by GEODIS in 2015, she kicked up a consulting practice in Chicago and was the fractional CMO for six transportation and transportation technology companies. In 2016 Brown and her family moved to Atlanta when she was tapped to be Rubicon Global’s first VP of Marketing.

Since then, SmithBrown has become a part of the Atlanta B2B marketing and sales landscape.

Follow SmithBrown Marketing on LinkedIn.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

SmithBrown Marketing’s business strategy during COVID-19
B2B Marketing
Lead Generation

About Our Sponsor

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Eric Holtzclaw with Liger Partners

April 2, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Eric Holtzclaw with Liger Partners

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Eric Holtzclaw is the Dojo Master for Liger Partners, a full-service marketing firm based in Atlanta, GA. When his team of Ligers isn’t feasting on tater tots and quesadillas, they are working with companies across a wide spectrum of industries to create killer brands, solid strategy and flawless execution.

Eric is an unconventional thinker with 25+ years of experience. He is a founding member of multiple successful start-up companies, including one of the first profitable Internet enterprises.

A trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies and small business owners alike, Eric uses his extensive experience starting, growing and running his own businesses in concert with a knowledge base from over a decade of business and consumer interviews to accelerate a deeper understanding of the true behaviors, motivations, goals, preferences and expectations of customers and teams.

His professional experience includes: founding multiple startup companies, including one of the first profitable Internet enterprises; co-founding User Insight which made the Inc 5000 fastest growing companies 3 years in a row; and the creation of new divisions within established companies to encourage a shift in thinking and change in approach.

Eric is an award winning and sought after speaker and author. He is a regular contributor to several news outlets and his column Lean Forward appears weekly on Inc.com, where he shares the strategies for successful company growth. He is also the co-host of the weekly podcast “Build Your Best Business” which highlights the stories of those that start and grow companies.

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn and Twitter, and follow Liger Partners on Facebook.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode