The Business News Hour - The Friday Wrap

Each weekday starting at 5:05PM Insight on Business the News Hour brings you the business news headlines of the nation, region and the Greater Des Moines Metro. It's the only daily, hour-long business broadcast in the Midwest and can be heard on AM-940, FM-104.5 and if you've got HD you can find us at 103.3 HD2.

Along with the news and the Market Report we conduct long-form business interviews with a wide range of guests and those we also podcast. The interviews are available on our Podcast Page and on iTunes for download.  Here's the Friday Wrap on our conversations you can listen by clicking the player or the name of each guest. 

Our friend Cynde Cronin from Merit Resources (Now Aureon) talks about the special relationship the company has with non-profits. How, often, non-profit companies struggle with balance between mission, board, fund-raising and the area of benefits administration.

This week the big announcement, that had been in the works for years, took place as the INS Family of Companies formally changed their name to Aureon. Why? Why would a company spend the time and money on such a big undertaking?  We asked Ron Keller the CEO of Aureon and he answered. 

One of the very best new restaurants in the Des Moines Metro, that's what we think anyway, is Prime Land & Sea on 8th Street in West Des Moines. We asked co-owner Sara Hill to come in and share a bit about what makes the restaurant so special and a favorite to so many. Listen in as Prime Land & Sea are in our Small Business Spotlight. 

We're joined by the founder and president of Tero International, Ro Crosbie a business training company helping businesses large and small create a more involved workforce. We talk about soft skills. What are they? What's the best way to learn them? How can the best be used? Oh, and what about sales training...how has that changed?  We asked and Ro answered.

Honored that our friend and Polk County Supervisor, Tom Hockensmith made some time to visit with us about transportation issues, economic development, neighborhood revitalization, hockey and the Polk County Courthouse Project. Lot's of areas to cover...listen in!

We welcome back our friend Jeff Garrison who represents ImageTek a company that has been around for a very long time and has been successful in creating more time for business. How? Listen in:

Our Small Business Spotlight shines on John Bartlett and his retail business I Work and Play. It's an interesting story on American Made Products and he also operates a union shop and he says that is part of his passion. Here is his story:  

Our guest is Sock Spearman a native of Singapore who now works as a realtor with Re/Max Real Estate Concepts. We talk a bit about the wonders of Singapore and then launch into a conversation about her home purchase guarantee an exclusive way in which sellers can get an immediate purchase of their home. Have a listen...

And, our regular contributors are Laura Kinnard with Networking and Social Media for Business and Sheryl Tessier from Eat, Play, Love Des Moines and "Stuff to DO in the Metro".

Thanks for reading and listening!

 

Why Don't They Call?

Two weeks ago I attended a BNI meeting in Urbandale. They tell me it's the largest Business Network International group in the Des Moines Metro. The breakfast meeting was well attended and I knew a great many of the thirty plus people there...I've been around awhile.

When it came my turn to address the group I offered them each a gift. I gave each person the business card for Insight on Business the News Hour and said, "I do the only daily, hour-long business broadcast in the Midwest and I would love for you to call me and let's get you on the air to chat a bit about your business. There is no charge."  

But, I knew they wouldn't call. I've been doing this business broadcast for years. I knew.

Perhaps having the 11,500+ people who listen to the three stations isn't impressive. Perhaps having us hand each guest their own copy of the recorded broadcast, in podcast form, along with the studio photos so they can share their story beyond the broadcast isn't impressive. Perhaps they figure it's "too good to be true" and it's my way of squeezing out a client relationship. Perhaps they just want to do business with each other.

Or they miss the value or they think we to "toxic talk radio" with "gotcha" questions.

I dunno.  Maybe you do.  Maybe you can help me understand why the phone sits there and collects...dust.  I'm really interested. 

 

 

The Business News Hour - The Friday Wrap

Each weekday starting at 5:05PM Insight on Business the News Hour brings you the business news headlines of the nation, region and the Greater Des Moines Metro. It's the only daily, hour-long business broadcast in the Midwest and can be heard on AM-940, FM-104.5 and if you've got HD you can find us at 103.3 HD2.

Along with the news and the Market Report we conduct long-form business interviews with a wide range of guests and those we also podcast. The interviews are available on our Podcast Page and on iTunes for download.  Here's the Friday Wrap on our conversations you can listen by clicking the player or the name of each guest. 

Business Law: When families of business owners get together, whether for holidays or family celebrations, sometimes discussion turns to the future ownership o the business. Here Sam Kreamer of the Kreamer Law Firm of West Des Moines talks about various considerations important to the transfer of a family business within the family. 

There is now a place in the Des Moines Metro that offers a total spectrum of care for the elderly. Those of you with aging parents, grandparents or a spouse with frailty or memory issues you must listen to this interview with Dr. Robert McKinney the Primary Care Physician from the new Immanuel Pathways PACE Program. It will change your life.

The book is "Letting Go the (Sometimes) Messy Art of Relinquishment"with its author Jean M. Baker. We talk about what keeps people from "letting go" what some might want to "let go" and more. Join us for this discussion. 

This is a great story about food and diversity. Lutheran Services in Iowa has a program called Global Greens which matches up refugees coming to the Des Moines Metro to garden plots that, in turn, produce food for consumption and for sales at Farmer's Markets. It's business at it's most "grass roots" level. Meet Hilary Burbank.

Could Phil Wever be the "Most Interesting Man in the Metro"? Good question. Phil is a professional photographer, has survived a recent heart attack, is an avid bicycler and...drives for Uber in his spare time. It's a fun, wide ranging human interest conversation. Enjoy!

We're talking about the business of bicycles. While cycling has been rather flat nationwide here in the Greater Des Moines Metro the business is booming. We answer why that might be in our conversation with Forrest Ridgway of Bike World. Listen in.

The National Association of Women Business Owners - Iowa Chapter is holding their Women Mean Business event which is designed to bolster women in the business world. We visit with Kristin Hall the president of NAWBO about that and more.

There you have it!  The Friday Wrap.  Today we'll visit about "Stuff to DO in the Metro" with Sheryl Tessier of Eat, Play, Love Des Moines and our Friday Wrap on the Business News.

Monday our regular contributor Laura Kinnard is in with a look at Networking Events in the Metro and a Social Media Tip and we'll hear from Ned Flynn from Merit Resources and some exciting news from the INS Family of Companies. 

Listen daily at 5:05 and thanks in advance! 

 

 

The Business News Hour - The Friday Wrap

Every so often I comment about Insight on Business the News Hour in this blog. The thought occurred to us that you might be interested in some of the long-form business interviews we do. You may find valuable the information our guests share with our radio audience. 

For those of you who don't know, The Business News Hour is the only daily, hour-long business news broadcast in the Midwest. It is heard on AM-940, FM-104.5 and in HD at 103.3 HD2. Each day, Monday - Friday starting at 5:05PM, we cover the business news headlines of the Nation, Region and the Greater Des Moines Metro along with a Market Report and our business interviews.  To listen or download any of these, simply click on the play button or click on the IOB image of the Des Moines Skyline for our Podcast Page. 

Our conversation with the editor of the Des Moines Business Record, Chris Conetzkey, focuses on paying attention to trends, business R&D in an economic downturn, the back-story of the publication and the print industry.

While listeners enjoy promotions there is a back story to every one. Joining us in studio is Jeff Delvaux the General Manager of the Des Moines Radio Group and we talk about that and more...enjoy! 

Today we share the IOB Mic with the Dean of the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa, Sarah Fisher Gardial. Sarah was in Des Moines to speak at a Hawkeye Lunch & Learn about women and business leadership.

How you say what you say matters. Wayne Bruns is one of the Tero Trainers and he's here to break that down for you and give you some solid tips on how to improve your speech.

On any given night there are roughly 300 people sleeping under bridges, in parks or in tents. This is the story of Joppa Outreach and what they believe is an answer to the issue if only the City of Des Moines will give them the green light. Meet Joe Stevens, Amy Hunold-Van Gundy and Kyle Horn in studio to offer up a solution and offer transition to families.

With us in studio is the AMA-Iowa Co-Vice President of Programing, Sarah Barthole.  We talk about what members can expect, what marketing trends are exciting, how email may still be an effective way to reach consumers and the upcoming monthly program.

Our Small Business Spotlight shines on Amber Robinson and Krave Gym of West Des Moines. She says that she started Krave so she could help develop a program that would attract individuals who really want to see results.

Last week we shared with you the difference between "Reach and Action". Today we offer up Five Tips for your Business Facebook Page that will drive activity and create action. Ready?

Thanks for coming by for a listen.  Now for our commercial:

Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is a production of our advertising agency, Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications and is the only daily, hour-long business broadcast in the region. The News Hour is made possible through the sponsorship of: Merit Resources of Urbandale, Iowa Computer Repair of Windsor Heights, ReMax Real Estate Concepts of the Des Moines Metro, the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, DWebware of Urbandale, The Strudl Haus of Des Moines, Manpower of Central Iowa, Tero International and the Kreamer Law Firm of West Des Moines. 

Big Getting Little

Grocery store chains across the country are consolidating or simply calling it quits. Last week legendary A&P filed for bankruptcy protection...for the second time. Kroger announced they are buying Harris Teeter and one of the oldest chains, Albertson's was swallowed up. Locally, family owned Dahls threw in the towel.

Today there are only a handful of regional grocery store chains in the nation. 

The grocery industry is vastly different today than just 10 years ago because there is more competition and the changing habits of consumers. Natural, local and fresh rate high on the expectation list of consumers. So, how does a regional chain compete against the likes of Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and others?

Bring on the LOCAL feel and flavor of a time gone by.

A couple of years ago HyVee, a Midwest regional chain, had a pretty successful run at calling attention to locally sourced produce. (Photo at left and you can click to enlarge.) While it all worked the effort was small compared to what they've recently rolled out.

Here (above and to the right) is the new roll-out of how big can go little all in an effort to boost a little nostalgia while calling attention to the fact that they sell what comes from your neighbor. 

The entire "feel" of the brand says, "Hey, we remember what it was like...shop here for local produce!" And then they go to great lengths to tell you how "local".

We love the graphics, the look and the feel of the campaign.  Good stuff HyVee! 

Thanks for reading!

The Folly of Digital Start Ups?

I am about to peek behind the curtain.  You know, that old bit from The Wizard of Oz, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"  This is not intended to cast doubt or to discourage our digital start-up community. It is intended to point out that the goal of business is to produce a profit. Making money, we would think, beats out the latest "wowza web-based, app infused techno company".  Stay with me on this.

Over the past several years I've asked dozens, if not hundreds, of "digital dreamers" if they are making money.  I get answers like, "Not yet but soon." or "I'm doing this for the love of creation." or "We're building it to sell and that will come."  Meanwhile they compete for angel investors, first round financing and the attention consumers with an ever growing array of tech choices.  The work, the dedication and the dream are all celebrated...but who is making money?  

Meanwhile, Jack Mathews, the close to 80 year-old newspaper guy who retired two decades ago, gets bored. He sees opportunity with a hyper-local news site.  Our Grinnell launches in 2007...long before folks knew what "hyper-local" meant.

Last year Jack went back to publishing a newspaper (yep...a NEWSPAPER!) that shares the back story of economic development. The Grinnell Business Journal started as a quarterly, now is published every two months.  The goal, says Jack, "Is to make this a weekly business news publication."

One other thing, Jack is turning a profit.  And he's doing it with an old school media piece called a "newspaper".

Just like my friends that are in digital design he has passion.  He has, just like they do, talent and knowledge of the business.  He also has a product that is tangible, familiar, usable and adds value in a space that is not currently covered.

We just think it's a great story and something for business to think about. How can you add value to a niche of consumers that are under-served?

 

 

Oversaturation!

Why would you want to start a new business?  It's a fair question and one we asked ourselves when we launched the only business news broadcast in the region. After all, does the Metro really need another news/talk outlet?

The answer on that is a firm "No!"

And, judging by this article about "Oversaturation", we were right when we launched and said, "This is non toxic-talk radio".  This is the business news of the nation, region and Des Moines Metro without the shouting and finger pointing.

The article mentions "listener fatigue" because what you'll often hear on "news/talk" stations is the same old thing, outrage and silliness. And, listeners are tired.

When we launched Insight on Business the News Hour last year our goal was, and is, to give voice to the owner/managed businesses that would never get a chance to tell their story in a broadcast.  To provide news that is not only informative but also useful in the business environment.  To celebrate the large and the small and be even handed.

Why?  Because nobody in the broadcast world was doing it.  Nobody, and that would make it...."under-saturated".

Thanks for the opportunity!

 

 

No, Not Your Grocery Store!

Pepsi just launched a new mid-calorie drink but you'll not find it at your grocery store and it won't be at the local convenience store you'll only be able to get it at...wait for it...Amazon.com.

Seriously, no Pepsi True at your grocery store.

So, is this a big deal or a gimmick?  We think it is a seismic big deal because it points to the power of online vs. brick & mortar.  But there is more to this and that part has to do with saving launch dollars.

Pepsi saves money by not having to provide distribution to physical locations across the nation.  They won't have to pump up a traditional advertising campaign.  It's a very low cost roll-out.  And, if the soda catches on with consumers Pepsi has the option to move the product into brick and mortar stores...quickly.  And, this is cool, the money they save can be then spent in distribution and marketing.  In other words, they can "bank their savings" now and then...only if Pepsi True takes off...they can lay out the cash.  If it flops...no biggie.

Your take-a-way? Can you find alternative distribution methods to take your product or service to the consumer and then...bank your savings for a launch when it is accepted?

Insight Advertising, Marketing and Communications is a full service advertising agency and the fuel that powers the only daily business news broadcast, Insight on Business the News Hour.  Thanks for reading!

 

 

Wait! What?

"Free? Did he say, free? Nah, what's the hook?"

There isn't one. Over a year ago our ad agency, frustrated that the broadcast media in the Des Moines Metro ignored much of the business news being generated by small to mid-size businesses, decided to try something.

If no one was going to spend the time broadcasting the business news of the nation, region and the Des Moines Metro...well...we would step up and do it. So we kicked off Insight on Business the News Hour with the Des Moines Radio Group. We purchased the time, we own the hour. Each day, Monday - Friday from 5PM to 6PM on 1350-KRNT we talk about the business news of the day and provide business an opportunity to come to the station and talk about...their business.

For...free.

It's "Non-Toxic Talk Radio" there isn't any "gotcha" moments. Our goal is to help drive the business of business.

We're able to do this because we've got some great partners as sponsors who believe in live, local broadcasting about...business the engine that moves our Metro.

And, it doesn't stop there. We made the decision to put up a podcast of each business interview so that those businesses who come and share their story can extend their reach beyond the eight to twelve minutes we broadcast live. To date there have been close to 30,000 downloads of those business interviews. The cost? Free.

Then we take that interview, photos and video and share it with thousands of our friends on social media...for, you guessed it...free.

So how about your business? I'd invite you to give me a call directly and let's talk about the Business News Hour and having you set a date to talk...business. My direct line is 515-331-3207.

Thanks for reading....

Facebook vs. Twitter - Get Over It!

Over the course of the past couple of weeks lots of folks who may (or may not) understand social media have predicted the demise of Twitter.  Why? Because investors who don't understand Twitter decided to sell off stock because... "Twitter is not performing as well as Facebook."

Silly.

While both Facebook and Twitter are lumped into the pot of "social media" they are two very different beasts.  

Facebook is a platform that targets relationships between folks who know each other.  In fact, Facebook will often send you a note asking if you really know this person...outside of Facebook.  Facebook is personal.

Twitter isn't so much personal as it is a new media broadcast platform that targets news sharing much more than personal interaction.  True some use Twitter as a personal form of communication but, the vast majority don't.  We like to think of Twitter as a huge teletype machine that continually spits out information from people who are connected and have something original to say or share.

On Facebook we almost feel compelled to "like our friends/family" on Twitter it's much less so...it's the news connection.  The information connection - it's the hashtag connection.

That's our take and how we see it.  

You are welcome to share...yours!

 

 

 

Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications is an ad agency in Des Moines, Iowa and the fuel that powers Insight on Business the News Hour.