magazine soho october08

October 2008

SOCIALLY NETWORKEDAND AUTHENTICPROFESSIONALS page 10

MILWAUKEE 2.0

Life Is A Game:Wanna Play page 7

Are The Right Leaders The

Smart Leaders page 15

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owners - publishers, cd vann, steve ball & jim schesling • editor, jim kogutkiewiczphotographer, I Do Photography • layout & design, VanderBloemen Creative

Modern Travel: Staycations, Bucket Lists And Going Green - Part IKatie CiancioloCruiseOnePhone: 262.347.4776Email: [email protected]

Get In Their Face: Grow Your Network With Face TimeJason JacobsohnKMG EnterprisesPhone: 773.368.0229Email: [email protected]

Referrals: Make Them The Foundation Of Your Business.Jim PalzewiczActionCOACH Business CoachingPhone: 262-790-1213Email: jimpalzewicz@ actioncoach.com

Life Is A Game: Wanna Play?Jeoffrey R. HutchersonCinnerG SystemsPhone: 262.894.3515Email: [email protected]

Understand Your Online RankingDiana MyreComstarPhone: 262.953.6000Email: [email protected]

Hiring Younger Workers: A Different Approach For Small BusinessesBrian WeisJobbing.comPhone: 414.604.1280Email: [email protected]

Learning From The One That Got AwayMike CarrollIntelligent ConversationsPhone: [email protected]

Are The Right Leaders Smart Leaders?Eric. VincentDesign for Business Int’lPhone: 877.771.3330Email: ericv@ DesignForBusinessIntl.com

Michael H. BerzowskiWeiss Berzowski Brady, LLPPhone: 414-276-5800 Email: [email protected]

John L. ChiappettaJD Financial Services, LLC Phone: 847.986.2740Email: [email protected]

Jason KayzarMC2 IncorporatedPhone: 414.788.1800Email: [email protected]

Stephanie KernVanderBloemen CreativePhone: 414.828.2123Email:stephanie@ vanderbloemencreative.com

Al KruegerComet Branding, LLCPhone: 414.672.8777Email: [email protected]

Jason SeyfertNorthwestern Mutual Financial NetworkPhone: 414.358.5110Email: [email protected]

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SOHO PLAYERS, page 10(continued to pages 16 - 20)

Jason Kayzar [pg 17]

Owner of MC2

Steve Glynn [pg 17]

Founder of Spreenkler

Al Krueger [pg 18] Owner of Comet Branding

Hillary Fry [pg 18]

Owner of Solessence and Founder of Milwaukee Fashion Week

Blake Samic and Ryan Graves [pg 19]

Founders of ActionsTalk

Stephanie Kern [pg 20]

Owner of Vanderbloemen Creative

New Berlin, WI • Email: [email protected]

SOHO EXPERTS

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Businesses Who Want to be Profiled and Positioned

SOCIALLY NETWORKEDAND AUTHENTICPROFESSIONALS

MILWAUKEE 2.0

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Modern Travel: Staycations, Bucket Lists And Going Green - Part I

biz travel

Katie Cianciolo

Benefi ts - Staycations are far less costly than a vacation involving traveling. Costs might include gasoline for local trips, dining and local attractions. Staycations do not have the stress associated with travel, such as packing, long drives or airport waits. They may be of economic benefi t to local businesses, which get customers from the area. It gives you a chance to experience your own “backyard and beyond.”

What Not To Do - Entrepreneurs may fi nd this especially diffi cult since they tend to work from home and turning “off work” isn’t easy. Checking e-mails and voice mail messages should be kept to a minimum. Those that are employed might have bosses or co-workers that think since you are “at home” they can call with questions or ask you to do some extra work.

What to Do - This is a good time to hire someone to clean the house, mow the yard or complete other chores that never seem to get done. Go to a day spa. You may want to spend part of the time on a creative project. But the idea is to take a break and relax – not spend it working at something!

Upside - After months of American staycations, many hotels, resorts, cruise lines and tour companies are offering some fantastic deals. Call it the “staycation effect.” Between now and the holidays is a traditionally low season for travel, so you may get a steal of a deal. The best places for bargains are Florida, Las Vegas, Hawaii and especially Europe. Travel packages are the best deal.

Bucket List & Green Travel - This is also a good time to think about your “bucket list” and how “green travel” can fi t into your plans. Movies tend to trigger travel to that location. With Mama Mia’s release, Greece has become very popular. The Da Vinci Code movie led to the creation of specifi c tours to England and Italy. New York City tours were created just for Sex and the City. Another recent movie was The Bucket List, which involved the two lead actors making a list of places and activities they wanted to see and do before they died.

In planning your dream travel – your “bucket list” – keep in mind earth-friendly (green) options. The next several articles will focus on those destinations. I look forward to hearing from readers about their “bucket list” or any other travel questions they might have. You can email me at [email protected].

With the rising cost of gasoline and airfare, combined with an unstable job market, many people skipped their typical summer vacation. They enjoyed a “staycation” instead.

It is a well-known fact, however, that entrepreneurs and employees that take a vacation from work are more productive and healthy.

Staycation is a buzzword that combines two words – “stay” and “vacation” – and refers to a holiday that takes place either at or near home. The Wikipedia entry for staycation defi nes it as a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions.

Common activities of a staycation include backyard pools, beaches, visits to local parks, zoos and museums, attendance at local festivals and bike rides. It could involve a nearby hotel stay. Travel agents can simplify your plans by booking hotels, rental cars and some sporting events that you may want to include.

Vacation, all I ever wanted; vacation had to get away - The Go-Go’s“ “

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Every business needs new customers. This requires a consistent stream of qualifi ed prospects to fuel the sales engine.

While most businesses recognize the need for marketing to develop this lead stream, a most powerful strategy is obtaining referrals from existing customers and strategic partners. Referral strategies are a way of introducing new customers to your business for a low lead acquisition cost. What better way to grow your business than having your existing customers and partners promote your business for you to their family, friends and colleagues? Yet, many businesses struggle to implement successful referral strategies.

WHY IS THIS? People will only give you referrals if they are absolutely convinced that you will make them look good for referring them. We all value the respect of our friends – and we put our reputation on the line every time we make a referral. Have you ever given someone a referral and then heard from your friend that they weren’t happy with how that business took care of them? It’s personally embarrassing when this happens, and we lose some respect with that person.

However, when our customer refers us to their friend, and we delight them with our product or service, we make our customer look good for helping their friend fi nd the best solution for their need. This is exactly why referrals work so well as a marketing strategy.

So the first rule for gaining referrals is to make sure that our product or service consistently delivers on our brand promise. In other words, our customers get what they expect, at a minimum, and hopefully they get much more than they expected.

This is delivery mastery, and without it, we are doomed to the frustrating cycle of gaining new customers who try us once and then switch to a competitor who will actually deliver what they expected.

Continued on page 6

networking

Get In Their Face: Grow Your Network With Face Time Jason Jacobsohn

CHICAGO

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business coach

Referrals: Make Them The Foundation Of Your Business.

Jim Palzewicz

We live in a fast-moving world that allows us to interact virtually with almost anyone. Without technology such as e-mail, social networking and blogs, we would have more diffi culty connecting with people on a regular basis.

While technology is great for maintaining relationships, it doesn’t replace face-to-face communication. In order to fully connect with people, you need to interact with them in person, as well.

Connect During Meals

One easy way to connect with people is to get together during meals. Since you need to eat, why not make it a productive meal?

Invite people to join you for breakfast, lunch, dinner or coffee. Be fl exible around other people’s schedules so you don’t inconvenience them. Meeting with people outside of a business setting allows individuals to feel more comfortable.

Be proactive and invite people to join you for meals at least once a week. It is a good habit to schedule two to three of these meetings a week so you can get to know people better on a regular basis.

In fact, you should try to get together with at least one new person each week. This way, you are continuously connecting with new and existing contacts.

Connect at Events

Another easy way to connect with people is to interact with them at events. Relationship building at events is great for meeting new people or reconnecting with existing contacts.

Many events exist, so pick the ones that make sense for you and go meet people. Don’t discount the power of face-to-face interaction.

In person, you can learn about a person through fi rst impressions and non-verbal communication. After you meet someone, you usually get a good sense of whether it’s worth your time to pursue a relationship.

While at events, don’t spend your entire time with people you already know. After all, part of your reason for attending an event is to meet new people.

Connect at Organizational Meetings

Another great way to connect in person is to volunteer with

groups such as charities, industry associations and community organizations. Taking an active role with an organization is an excellent way to get to know other people.

In fact, you should take on a leadership role so you will stand out as a leader and get to know more people within the organization. If you are not involved with an association, then consider making the time and effort because the relationships you will build will be priceless.

You will not regret getting more involved because you will develop better relationships than by just meeting people at events. Of course, it is still important to attend events to support the organization and to meet new folks.

Connect During Sports & Entertainment

Sports and entertainment are defi nitely activities where you need to be present with other individuals. It can be a fun and relaxing activity to get to know others.

Invite people to sporting events or concerts so you can get to know them better. People will appreciate the gesture and return the favor.

In relationship building, you need to be creative and fi nd ways to connect in person. Regular interaction is healthy and makes you relevant in people’s minds. Staying on top of someone’s mind is important so you are remembered. Take the opportunity to connect via sports and entertainment.

While you can maintain some of your relationships through online tools such as fantasy leagues or community sites, it is still important to have face time.

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“Company Bylaws Bypass Later Problems” continued from page 5

When we have achieved delivery mastery in our business, the referrals will come naturally. So I have a question for you: How many referrals do you get now? If your answer is a few or none, go back and work on mastering your delivery each and every time. When your business is successful at creating delighted customers, you’re ready to implement some formal referral strategies to really grow your business.

The truth is that if you’ve been in business at least three years, most of your new business should come from referrals. Let’s put it this way: If each of your customers referred just one new customer to you each year, you would double your business. Of course, you also need to keep your existing customers (which I’ll save that for another column).

Besides delivery mastery, you also need to give people a good reason to refer you. Every time we ask something of someone, they need a positive answer to that question that will always pop up in their mind: “What’s in it for me?” When creating a referral strategy, always ask yourself: “Would I refer someone for that reason?”

Finally, you need to decide what type of customers you want to do business with. Defi ne your “ideal customer,” and communicate it to your customers and partners. The last thing you want is to get referrals that don’t turn into business, or referrals that only buy from you once and never do business with you again. Even worse are referrals that create more headaches than they do sales and never give you the business you’re after.

Every time you educate one customer about referring new people to you, you’ve got an advocate for life – with one condition: that you always give them at least the level of service you’ve promised, and overdeliver anywhere and anytime you can.

HOW ARE YOU BUILDING A REFERRAL-BASED BUSINESS? Let me know by visiting my blog, “The SOHO Biz Doctor” at www.sohobiztube.com. Thanks for seeing the Soho Biz Doctor, the cure to what’s ailing your business!

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CruiseOne - Waukesha, WI Katie Cianciolo & Crew

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It’s really amazing to see how our society functions. The Olympics just ended, and we saw some history-making events. People from far and wide came together to show they were the best at the games or sports in which they participated.

Who would’ve thought you could get a gold medal for playing table tennis, water polo or beach volleyball? We had a magnifi cent demonstration of human greatness and passion. Most of the players made those activities look almost effortless, whether they stood alone or were part of a team.

Life Is A Game: Wanna Play?

soho life coach

Jeoffrey R. Hutcherson

Record-breaking swimmer and winner of multiple gold medals Michael Phelps said that he could not have done the things he accomplished without the support of his team.

“I’m just having fun,” he said.

And Usain Bolt, the runner from Jamaica who literally blew away all of his competition, was celebrating before the race was even over because he knew he won. You could just see that he was having fun, even after he crossed the fi nish line. The joy bursting from that amazing human being was palpable across the miles and the airwaves. When asked how he felt, he simply said, “I was just having fun.”

Do you see the common trait between the two men? They both embraced it – the “it” being human excellence. Isn’t it wonderful that they were having fun playing the game?

Life is meant to be fun! Your beliefs and attitudes are what make it so. My point here is to really pay attention

to the games we play, the activities into which we put our hearts and souls. Ask yourself: Do I have the right people around me who support me in being great? Do I have the commitment, the energy, the passion to move toward success as a winner?

Like attracts like, and Phelps and Bolt obviously surrounded themselves with people who had a winning attitude. And that’s how I choose to go about living my life. How about you?

Remember being a little kid and people asking you what you wanted to be when you grew up? You would answer: fi reman, policeman, cowboy, doctor, Batman, dancer ... OK, maybe the Batman thing was mine but I wasn’t the only one. We were playing games, having fun and living life to its fullest.

Guess what? That’s how it’s supposed to be! I don’t recall my childhood group of kids getting together and playing the game of people barely making any money, struggling at life,

being angry at each other, always arguing and fi ghting. Nope, that game was not on the list. Then how is it that most of us end up playing that game now that we’re adults? Well, my guess is someone said, “You can’t play games all the time, you must be responsible. Get a real job.” And people ended up being so serious that they somehow lost the fun. We envy those who enjoy life, who laugh and dance and play. How about you stop the envy and play your game your way? If one can become great, so can you.

Decide right now, this minute, to fi t at least fi ve belly laughs into your life each day. How about 10 hugs? Put more fun into your day, each day. Appreciate every little miracle that happens. You’re surrounded by miracles. In fact, remember that you are a miracle, a magnifi cent human being, a gold medal winner. Let that magnifi cence show.

Now where did I put that Frisbee?

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web design and IT

Diana Myre

webb desiggnn annd IT

Diana Myre

Last month we talked about how tracking online statistics can mean better results for your business. Have you been tracking the number of visitors to your Web site? Do you want to increase that number?

I thought so, and the good news is, there is a way to do just that. The answer lies in search engine programs.

Search engine programs will assist with providing an increased number of click-throughs and a higher ranking. Let me show you where to begin and how to decide if a program is right for your business.

TEST YOUR WEB SITE’S POPULARITYIf you are unsure if your Web site really needs the help of a search engine program, start by doing some testing. Have you ever wondered how popular your Web site is compared to all the other sites out there? How does it rate compared to your competitors? Well there is a cool online tool available that you can use to fi nd this information. The best part about the tool is that it is free to use.

To use the tool, go to www.alexa.com and click on traffi c rankings. Type in your URL and look at your overall statistics. Write down your ranking and any other traffi c

details that may interest you. Repeat this process for your top fi ve competitors.

Take a look at the results that you found. If your competitors have a lower ranking than you, this means they are getting more traffi c to their Web site than you. Even if you have a slightly better position than your competition, how do you feel about your overall rank?

TEST YOUR WEB SITE’S RANKINGThe information on Alexa is said to be fairly accurate and a good judge of reality. Besides this test, you should go to a few search engines and manually test your ranking by typing in relevant keywords to your business. See how you rank compared to those same competitors that you tested with Alexa. Remember not to just type in your company name to test, but rather think like a customer and type in what they might. If your Web site does not show up on page one of the results, it is time to look into a search engine program. Remember, 75 percent of search engine users never scroll past the fi rst page of results!

TAKING THE NEXT STEPBoth of these tests will give you great information to help determine

if you need to spend the time – and money – improving your ranking with a search engine program. If after these tests you feel that you need to improve your rank, fi nd a company that can help.

Many Web site design fi rms offer a variety of programs to fi t different budgets and goals. Some even offer search engine programs that guarantee a certain number of visitors will get to your site each month. Check out your budget and fi gure out what your company is willing to invest every month.

Remember, while a company might be able to guarantee visitors, it is up to your site to convert them to a sale. Make sure that your Web site is useful and will get all of those visitors to take action once they arrive.

Your business needs an online asset, not just an online presence. To be an asset, your Web site must be both useful and used. Make sure your business is not just doing half of the equation.

Stay Tuned: Next month we will tackle what the differences are between the available search engine programs.

Understand Your Online Ranking

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MILWAUKEE 2.0

SEE PAGE 16

Social networking and Web 2.0applications present an enormous opportunity for businesses and individuals alike - maybe the most significant in tech since email

“ “


Brian Weis

Hiring Younger Workers: A Different Approach For Small Businesses

recruitment

If you haven’t had to recruit a new employee in a while, there are some things you should know about today’s younger workers- they are part of the most wired generation in history; they’ve grown up with technology and have been online since childhood, which shapes their experiences, creates attitudes, expectations, and behaviors that are far different from many adults they work with. Young people today have a much wider range of experiences to choose from and a lot more career possibilities than ever before- are you prepared to navigate these new waters when you need to hire a younger worker?

In years past, most candidates were focused on salary, advancement opportunity, pensions and bonuses… but today, issues like work-life balance, fl exible work hours, culture and company mission are foremost on the minds of job seekers- particularly for those under age 30. Generation X (those born between 1963 and 1980) and Generation Y (those born after 1980) are establishing a more prominent position within the employment landscape as the Baby Boomers begin to retire and exit the workforce. This dramatic shift in younger generations is prompting a new focus in hiring tactics, particularly among small businesses. Younger workers are creating a paradigm shift in employee hiring based on their priorities and a fundamental shift in career ideology. Numerous studies have shown, and many experts on the topic agree, that there are certain patterns which are universally consistent when hiring Gen X and Gen Y employees:


Work-Life Balance Perhaps there is no more profound shift in career values than this topic. Young people are much more focused on a job’s time requirements; this is not to say that they are not hard workers; on the contrary, they put tremendous effort into their work, but they also place a high value on their personal time away from the offi ce. This balanced approach has been mistakenly interpreted by the Baby Boomers as a “slacker mentality.”

The younger generations search for opportunities where they can grow their skill set without having to sacrifi ce every other area of their life. As a business owner, it is imperative to understand this desired balance if you are going to hire a younger worker.

Career Path The Baby Boomer generation experienced a marketplace where prescribed opportunities existed to climb the corporate ladder within the same company; where the org chart and titles mean everything. Today’s younger generations generally do not have such consistent opportunities before them. More importantly, many of the younger generation do not place as big an emphasis on company loyalty as do the Baby Boomers.

Gen X and Y candidates are looking for a career path- they desire to understand what skills are needed to be successful in the position today. The long-term incentive is to understand what skills they will personally develop or acquire within the company. It is imperative to share with younger candidates the responsibilities they will have and how their skills will become more advanced by working for you.

Sherpa Managers Gen X and Y highly value the manager-employee relationship- an ideal situation for smaller companies where new employees work closely with the business owner. They view their manager less like a boss and more like a guide – an experienced Sherpa- to make sure they are on the right path.

Work Smarter Not Harder Gen X and Gen Y have spent most of their lives surrounded by new technology and the explosion of the Internet- information has always been available to them at a moment’s notice. These younger candidates are savvy about Internet job boards and have a tendency to always have an eye out for new opportunities. However, the upside of this technological ability is far greater, a good strategic benefi t for many small business owners who don’t have an I.T. department.

The Gen X and Y workforce will be ascending into prominent management positions at a brisk pace in the coming years. The next wave of change will occur in the management ranks as they shift the hiring process away from the Baby Boomer approach. As that happens, progressive companies will perceive these current shifts and adjust their hiring tactics in advance. If you have hiring needs and want to attract the top local young talent, visit us at Jobing.com to learn more.

MIke Carroll Ad


Mike Carroll

Learning From The One That Got Away

sales

How often do you look back at the deals you’ve recently lost to understand what you might have done better? For that matter, how often do you look at the deals you’ve recently won to identify what you might have done better?

In the day-to-day hustle of business-to-business sales, it’s easy to create the habit of always looking forward to the next opportunity. And you should. You should always work on making your calls, building your referral network and touching base with your clients. But what would happen to your sales productivity if you paused once a month to look back and refl ect on where you could improve?

When you take a serious look at the opportunities your team lost, you will likely see some trends emerged. Applying a bit of sales management focus to address these trends should produce strong improvements and better sales results.

Here are some common mistakes seen in our consulting practice as we’ve led clients through the process of reviewing the deals that got away.

1. Timing Issues – Are your sales people going

to the proposal stage too soon? When you look at a lost

deal, be sure they “earned the right” to make a proposal in

the fi rst place. Have they done enough to fully understand

the prospective prospect’s situation? Have they defi ned all

of the prospect’s requirements? Did your sales person ask

questions to defi ne the consequences of not solving the

problem?

2. Resource Issues – Did your sales people ask

the key budget questions? Did they know exactly how

the prospect was going to pay for your services? What

about other resources required for success? Did your sales

people know exactly who was going to do the work – at

your prospect’s company – to implement your solution?

Did they ask questions about timing and talk about how

implementing your solution could impact other activities?

3. Decision Makers – Are your sales people

calling high enough in the organization? There are times

when you start the dialogue with a mid-level manager, but

in our experience, it’s a lot easier when you sit down with

the person who can sign your contract. A quick way to

check this is to look at the deals you’ve recently won – how

many of those conversations involved the ultimate decision

maker? How many opportunities are in your pipeline right

now where your sales team is not talking to the person who

can sign your contract? As you look at recently lost deals,

did your sales people ask questions about how the decision

process works and how your proposal will get approved?

Understanding your mistakes is the fi rst step to taking

the necessary measures to improve. Once you know

what your sales team is doing wrong, you can help them

improve by asking questions specifi c to those areas. Why

not take 30 minutes per month to look back at your lost

deals and think about what you might have done better?

What’s preventing you from doing this prior to your next

sales meeting?

Are The Right Leaders Smart Leaders?

leadership and development

Eric Vincent

Many of us have had the experience of working for someone who was…let’s just say… not smart. You may have wondered exactly how the boss got the job in the fi rst place. Does a company leader need to be smart in order to be a successful leader? Should a company only hire leaders who are intelligent?

There are scores of leadership characteristics advocated for in books, articles, and the speaking circuit that distinguish successful leaders from unsuccessful ones. Emotional intelligence, charisma, inspiration, integrity, confi dence, and intuition, are amongst these characteristics. But, no matter how they are grouped together, they are normally presented without indication of which ones are more important than the others, as though each of them is equally necessary for success. In other words, we are left to assume that no evidence exists that any characteristic is more important than others.

This is not the case. Though the best leaders need many characteristics, one is more consistently predictive of leadership success than any other. Regardless of setting, general cognitive ability is the most reliable predictor of job performance and occupational level (Schmidt & Hunter, 2004). It is more predictive of job performance than personality. Further, the effects of better cognitive ability don’t go away as leaders get more job experience (Schmidt & Hunter, 2004). This is because those with higher general mental ability acquire more job knowledge in a more effi cient way than those with lower ability. So, the differences persist.

However, one of the diffi culties with general mental ability is how to test for it in prospective leaders. Using a traditional IQ test would likely not be received well by applicants for leadership positions because it measures the verbal, quantitative, and spatial reasoning skills needed to succeed in school. Though IQ is predictive of job success, it doesn’t seem to refl ect the situations leaders are confronted with that are ambiguous, complex, and lack an easily identifi able right answer.

Critical thinking has recently received attention as the best application of intelligence of business leaders. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s description of job skills in their O*NET database, critical thinking is the use of “logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.” In the business context, Menkes (2005) indicated that, rather than representing intelligence as the academic skills needed in school, business leaders need critical thinking in the following three general areas: tasks, people, and themselves (see the Menkes article for a complete list of specifi c skills). The leader that you want in your company will use their reasoning skills to gather needed information, evaluate the situation, and arrive at the best conclusions in each of these areas.

Your company needs to hire leaders who are experts at using critical thinking skills to determine their decisions and actions. While there are off-the-shelf tests available that measure executive intelligence, companies can evaluate critical thinking skills effectively in their interview, provided they are asking the right questions. This is the

topic of my next Soho article. Menkes, J. (2005, November). Hiring for smarts. Harvard Business Review, 83(11), 100-109.

Schmidt, F., & Hunter, J. (2004, January). General mental ability in the world of work: Occupational attainment and job performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86(1), 162-173.


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In today’s Milwaukee, more people are coming together to share ideas, discuss innovation, connect and leverage Web 2.0 applications that will drive business growth. There is a buzz and a shared sense that Milwaukee is changing. Evolving. This Milwaukee 2.0 Evolution is moving beyond talk and is creating street-level action.

Social networking and Web 2.0 applications present an enormous opportunity for businesses and individuals alike — maybe the most signifi cant on the tech scene since email. And in-person meet-ups following online connections enable even greater opportunity for collaboration and business growth.

These tools enable powerful connection and the opportunity to follow conversations in and outside of your industry and engage in them locally or across great distances, instantly. You can also share your personal voice to show authenticity and realness.

Be careful though, because “sharing is great, but don’t lift up your skirt too much,” says Al Krueger, brander and storyteller, when discussing how to infuse your personality and personal side into business communications.

Steve Glynn, founder of Spreenkler, is one example of a new breed in Milwaukee who are stepping up and out and doing what it takes to advance their ideas by leveraging Web 2.0 to gain traction and drive growth. So, for the fi rst time, magazineSOHO, profi les seven of what we call – Socially Networked and Authentic Professionals.

Jason Kayzar, founder of MC2 has developed a strong business crafting strategic mobile communications solutions for business

clients founded in great service. Kayzar uses multiple apps to connect, network and build his business.

Stephanie Kern, founder of Vanderbloemen Creative uses her creative vision to help her clients in the best ways possible and uses several Web 2.0 and in-person networking groups to drive business.

Al Krueger, founded Comet Branding to be a progressive agency that uses deep storytelling, creative thinking and strategic planning to help businesses. He uses Twitter and an Internet radio program to drive business and awareness.

Hillary Fry, founder of Solessence and Milwaukee Fashion Week, works to beautify the world, one life at time and bring awareness to Milwaukee’s growing fashion and design scene, in part, through social media.

Blake Samic and Ryan Graves, founded ActionsTalk to bring attention to Milwaukee Startups. They are entrepreneurial-minded and use many forms of social media to drive their mission and move Milwaukee forward.

These seven people have a fresh approach and engage in Web 2.0 to amplify and conduct their business everyday. In this group, you won’t hear “what’s your handicap?” Instead, you’ll hear “what’s your Twitter name?”

To tap into the minds of these progressive Milwaukee 2.0ers, magazineSOHO asked them to share their thoughts on their passion for doing business in Milwaukee, the impact of social media on business and the ongoing challenges of work-life balance.



MILWAUKEE 2.0JASON KAYZAR| Owner - MC2Milwaukee | Although I’m not a fan of winter, I love Wisconsin for the people and Milwaukee is a neighborhood, not a big city. Wisconsinites are passionate people – they look out for each other.

I LOVE doing business with people around Milwaukee. It takes a little longer to build a relationship here, but once you do it’s solid. When you go to Chicago or New York or Los Angeles, you just don’t develop the same kind of business relationships.

Social Media | Social Media has really helped me build my personal brand. Someone “Googled” me the other day and said, “Wow, you’re really successful!” That was a great validation for all of the time and effort I’ve put into getting my name out there. The Internet has erased all of the old social borders. I interact with business contacts all over the globe now on a daily basis. It has given me access to the world’s

“people” database.

Balance | When I launched my company, I jumped in. I used all of my spare time outside of work while I was employed to formulate a business plan, lease space, secure a line of credit, etc. I quit my job and walked into my new (empty) offi ce the next day. It was truly sink or swim.

STEVE GLYNN| Founder - SpreenklerMilwaukee | I have a passion for Milwaukee because I was born and raised here and I’ve been able to create my place and my future here and it allows me to be happy.

I take pride in Milwaukee as a place to live, to work and to raise a family and I want to give back to the city that has given me so much, to put in place the kind of thinking that will allow my kids and others to enjoy the same in the future.

Social Media | Social Media speeds business potential and provides businesses of any size with tools to reach almost any audience quickly, consistently and effi ciently. For Spreenkler, social media has helped increase the awareness of Spreenkler and attendance and allows me to stay engaged in the conversation all the time.

Whether I’m actually participating in a social community or have established a presence in one, there is a great chance to connect with someone new. The impact of that has been enormous.

Balance | Fullhouse is completely supportive of what I do with Spreenkler, but I don’t mix the two. I’m also fortunate I have a supportive wife who allows me the time to “work” at home or engage with the Spreenkler community regularly. But, I have a two-year-old and a new baby, so I work to minimize time away from the family and to do that, I sacrifi ce sleep.

www.twitter.com/spreenkler

www.twitter.com/jasonkayzar

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AL KRUEGERFounder, Brander - Comet BrandingMilwaukee | Milwaukee is accessible, approachable and actionable. If you want to get involved here, you can. All you have to do is get up and do something. You don’t have to be rich or from a prominent family, you can create action if you want to.

This city also has a great balance of low cost of living, green space, family friendliness, short commutes, culture and spirit that are appealing to a creative type like me. This is where I want to grow my business and raise my family.

Social Media | Applications like Twitter and a new BlogTalkRadio show have helped my business by enabling me to get involved in a national community of creative and innovative thinkers and be a part of great conversations and share my voice – at no cost.

I’ve connected with some cool people whom I wouldn’t be able to meet due to time or budget constraints. It’s like going amazing conferences, but getting a chance to chat with the keynote speaker at every show – without leaving my desk. Because of these connections, I have learned new things, sharpened my skills, bounced ideas off other people and created action.

Balance | I couldn’t do what I do without my wife’s support. She’s my rock. I have been fortunate to be able to start a business that is my day job, but I also help groups like Spreenkler and local startups get going by helping them think and plan strategically in regards to brand and product focus. I end up doing a lot of early-morning and lunch meetings, because I want to keep my evenings and weekends for my family.

HILLARY FRY| Owner – Solessence Founder – Milwaukee Fashion WeekMilwaukee | Milwaukee has major mojo, and is ready to run with the pack. My husband, pitched it to me as

“the center of the universe.” He really believes that, and now I do, too. In terms of creativity, Milwaukee is akin to a budding New York – without all of the lights and the incredibly convenient 24-hour food delivery.

There is something about this place that leads to having an unusual pool of creative-types. We have to cultivate it and leverage it! Someone recently said they were told it had to do with Milwaukee’s alignment with the water, earth and the stars. The new Milwaukee is being created right now.

Social Media | There has never been a replacement for relationship building or face-to-face time, but the Social Media wave has allowed people to initiate business in a very natural and effective ways. People are willing to be more open and accessible.

Balance | I still remember the days: You just roll with it; there is nothing else you can do, unless you choose to close shop. It is important to delegate what you can, if you can. The rest is about continuing to make connections, planning and prioritizing and having a bit of “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” mentality.

RYAN GRAVES & BLAKE SAMIC Founders – ActionsTalk.comMilwaukee | A couple of the reasons we’re excited about Milwaukee is its potential and we feel like we have the ability to make a big difference. It’s great to live in a city where we can build something and help it grow. Milwaukee is on the verge of big things.

The different segments of the creative class in Milwaukee are converging and Milwaukee will fi nd that this group will help establish a platform for economic and social growth and revival.

Social Media | Social Media is increasing communication and collaboration between everyone

- businesses to consumers, businesses to businesses, and consumers to consumers. The result will be better products and services that meet more needs. Companies that don’t embrace it are bound to be at a disadvantage. The customers are connecting with Social Media anyway, so businesses might as well tap into that and close the loop.

Social Media has been the lifeblood of ActionsTalk, we’ve used Twitter, Seesmic and Friendfeed and other social video platforms to advertise and position our company. This is the fi rst time in history where producing a “show” like this has had so few barriers to entry. Social Media provides: free marketing; free video hosting and free customer input and engagement. That’s a lot free!

Balance | Balance is in the eye of the beholder. It really comes down to time-management and passion. We tend to keep Parkinson’s Law in mind

- work expands so as to fi ll the time available for its completion, we get pretty busy, so we have to prioritize and we tend to work out an agenda when we get together.

We truly enjoy our jobs, but they don’t always fulfi ll our passions for other learning and challenge. In some sense, picking up outside projects and working on ActionsTalk help balance our lives. Seems odd that more work creates balance, but it does.

MILWAUKEE 2.0 - SOCIALLY NETWORKED & AUTHENTIC PROFESSIONALS

“As far as the community goes, there are plenty involvement opportunities in Milwaukee. The key will be finding better ways to get the word out.

“

www.twitter.com/AlKrueger

www.twitter.com/solessence

www.twitter.com/ActionsTalk


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Milwaukee | I grew up in Milwaukee and have always felt most “at home” here. There are many things to do in Milwaukee, all year-round. Summer in Milwaukee is amazing – music, festivals and the lakefront. Our art museum inspires me after a drive from Fox Point to the War Memorial along Lake Drive.

Social Media | It has opened up a lot of opportunities to meet people and business owners from all over the United States – even the world. Without the inclusion of social media in my daily business, I would not have the amazing resources that I cherish. I have learned more about business and made new friends.

I am someone who enjoys Social Media, but believes it is only one of many steps to building your business and creating awareness of your brand. Once you are connected virtually, you should make it a point to meet with the people in your network one to one so that you can get to know them better. In order to refer someone, I need to know a lot about him or her. I don’t care how many people you have in your online network, numbers don’t matter – actual relationships do.

Balance | It can be diffi cult to be a wife, mother, business owner and boss. There are days that vanish in a blink of an eye. I try to make sure that I do not promise too much and spread myself too thin. I also make sure to allow time for myself. My current “me” project is starting up a new business that focuses on young kids and harnessing their artistic abilities. I also make time to read a good book. I love my book club!

MILWAUKEE 2.0 - SOCIALLY NETWORKED & AUTHENTIC PROFESSIONALS

“Without the inclusion of social media in my daily business, I would not have the amazing resources that I cherish.

“

STEPHANIE KERNFounder, Creative Director - VanderBloemen Creative

www.twitter.com/vbctw

magazine soho october08

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