DECEMBER 2018 December 7th
r a e Y cial e p t! S n e v E End
December 14th
— IBAW Social Event — Join us as we escape a life sized game room of mystery and intrigue!
Inside This Issue:
SEROKA: MEASURE THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR CULTURE THROUGH EXIT INTERVIEWS
MENDELSOHN: BUSINESS CASUAL. TOO CASUAL?
Post Election Business Survey Results show business community cautious about the future economy in Wisconsin
MEINERT: CLARIFYING OSHA’S ANTI-RETALIATION RULE
KEATING: HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON OFF TO A NICE START FOR SMALL BUSINESS
DREFS: DOES YOUR WEBSITE PASS THE 5 SECOND TEST?
Networking matters
At AT&T, we know that making connections is critical to success. In Wisconsin and across the nation, we link businesses with their customers and the world through our wireless network with access to the nation’s largest Wi-fi network. It’s just another way we help our customers stay connected. AT&T is proud to support the Independent Business Association of Wisconsin.
© 2014 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.
IBAW thanks AT&T for it’s continued sponsorship.
Executive Director Steve Kohlmann
President
Dan Hansen
Wishing you, your family and your business much happiness and success this Holiday Season and throughout 2019!
Secretary Charles Fry
Baird
Treasurer Tony Palmen
Sikich
Directors Jim Leef
ITU AbsorbTech Ann Barry Hanneman
Von Briesen Law OďŹƒce
John Weber
Hypneumat
Lisa Mauer
Rickert Industries
Robert Gross
Gross Automation
Scott Seroka
Seroka Brand Development
Tom Parks
Annex Wealth Management
Jake Hansen
Jacsten Holding
Scott Hirschfeld
CTaccess
Andy Oliver
Gear Wash
Al Leidinger
Mathison Manufacturing
IBAW Mission: To advance business prosperity through insightful programming, executive networking and member-driven public policy and advocacy.
Independent Business Association of Wisconsin
MONTHLY MEETING Monthly Meeting Monday, December 14, 2018 | Time: 7:00 am - 9:00 am Location: The Wisconsin Club, 900 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee
Special Year End Event! America’s Military: Answering the Call on Present & Future Threats We’re ending 2018 with a special event only the IBAW can do. Join us as Brigadier General Daniel Yenchesky of the United States Air Force presents America’s military and its preparedness to address present and future threats at home and around the globe.
LOCATION
THE WISCONSIN CLUB 900 W. WISCONSIN AVE. MILWAUKEE
7:00 AM
CHECK IN, COFFEE & NETWORKING
7:30 AM
BREAKFAST & PROGRAM
9:00 AM
PROGRAM ENDS
Register at IBAW.com
Forward Steve Kohlmann, IBAW Executive Director
I don’t remember how old I was at the time, probably nine or ten. But one warm summer day my dad announced that he and I would be going to Madison to visit the state capital. This would be a pretty big deal for me. My dad worked a lot…a lot. His time was limited so there was no playing catch in the back yard or other traditional ‘father & son’ activities so this trip was a big deal for me. I don’t recall much from that trip, it was a long time ago and Madison was considered ‘far away’ for a little kid. The few things I remember is how white the capital building was and I also remember looking up at the ceiling of the rotunda and being impressed. But the thing that made the biggest impression on me was seeing a statue on display in the rotunda. I seem to recall that it was a stainless steel abstract of a man in a forward stance. Dad told me that the statue was titled “Forward” and that was the state’s motto. Like I said, I don’t remember much from that trip but what my dad said next has stuck with me all these years. Dad said, “Remember, always push forward.” When my dad said it, I don’t think he meant it to be some earth shattering advice his son would remember some forty five years later. It was said sort of nonchalantly. But an impression it did make. With the recent election results in Wisconsin I’m going to take dad’s advice and push forward. Some of you may be despondent of Governor Walker losing the election to Tony Evers. I get it. It’s going to be a big shift for me as well. As director for the IBAW I have only dealt with the Walker Administration and I have to admit I’m concerned on how the Ever’s administration will respond to Wisconsin business and to the IBAW. I’ve enjoyed a very good relationship with the Walker administration. When I took over as director for the IBAW, I called the Governor’s office to see if the Governor would be available to speak at one of our monthly meetings. Someone in the Governor’s office took my call and said they’d get back to me. I thought “Oh, sure, I’ll never hear from this guy again.” But, much to my surprise, a few hours later someone called me back and told me Governor Walker was open the day scheduled and he’d be delighted to come to IBAW. I thought, “Boy, that was easy.”And the same attitude was present at the Lt. Governor’s office as well. Phone calls or emails would be answered in a very timely manner, often within a few hours. And in the following years those offices even reached out to me. I once answered my cell phone and it was Lt. Governor Kleefisch herself on the other end inviting me to the Governor’s budget meeting. She wondered if I would be available to sit in the VIP section of the gallery. My initial thought was ‘do you have the right number?’. She did indeed have the right number. Unfortunately, I had to decline since I sit on the board for the Town of Brookfield and we were going through our own budget meeting that night. But with the recent election the political landscape has changed in Madison, it’s musical chairs time in the Governor’s and Lt. Governor’s office. All my old contacts will be gone and I’ll be spending a fair amount of time making new connections in those offices as well as other state departments. The balance of power has changed and some day it will change again. This is the way it works in a Republic. I have already reached out to the Ever’s administration and they have responded in a timely manner of ‘we got your message and will respond shortly’. Still no real official communication from them but in all fairness they have a lot going on as they ramp up to take over. Wisconsin has come a long way under the Walker administration and, naturally, there’s a lot of unknowns with the Ever’s administration. We’ll have to see how it all shakes out, but rest assured, the IBAW will be included in the conversations that take place in Madison. Remember: “Always push forward.”
Held in Waukesha County… Don’t Miss It!
Register by clicking here.
7:15am – 8:00am
Registration and Breakfast
8:00am – 8:15am
Welcome: Lt. Governor Kleefisch, County Executive Farrow
8:15am – 9:00am
Keynote: Dick Leinenkugel, President Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., LLC.
9:00am – 10:00am
K-12 Innovations in our Wisconsin Schools Laura Myrah, Superintendent, Arrowhead School District Don Sidlowski, Founder, Northwoods Broadband Coalition Craig Cegielski, Tech Ed Teacher, Eleva-Strum School District
10:00am – 10:30am
Coffee and Networking Break
10:30am – 11:30am
Launching into a Career Kaylen Betzig, President/CEO, Waukesha County Technical College Dr. Deborah Ford, Chancellor, UW-Parkside Dr. John Walz, President, Milwaukee School of Engineering
11:30am – 12:30pm
Lunch and Governor Walker’s Remarks
12:30pm – 1:30pm
What are we doing to Expand the Talent Pipeline Tricia Braun, COO, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Dr. Bryan Albrecht, President/CEO, Gateway Technical College Pastor Jerome Smith Sr., The Joseph Project
1:30pm – 2:30pm
Cheers, Cheese & Chocolate – WI Small Business Success Stories Mike Clark, KP Toffee Renee Bemus, Driftless Glen Distillery Katie Fuhrmann, LaClare Farms
2:30pm – 2:45pm
Closing Remarks Lt. Governor Kleefisch
2:45pm – 4:00pm
Networking with Cheers, Cheese & Chocolate Tasting
Does Your Website Pass the 5 Second Test? (If it doesn’t then you’re losing a great deal of money) Andy Drefs, Bottom Line Productions
When a prospect first lands on your site they are there for one simple reason; they have a problem and they’re hoping that you can fix it. Therefore, the fact that you’ve been in business since 1974, or that it’s a family owned business or that you’re hiring is lost on them, and the clock is ticking. None of those things help them solve their problem. This is one of the key marketing principles we teach our clients: if you aren’t speaking to your prospects problems then they will stop listening. You need to get to the point and do it it quickly. So what’s with the 5 seconds you ask? Imagine sitting across the table from someone you just met. They know nothing about you or your business. You open your laptop to your homepage, spin it around for them to see and snap it shut 5 seconds later. You then ask them these 3 simple, yet vitally important, questions; 1. What do we do? 2. How will it make your life better? 3. How do you get it? What do you need to pass this important test? Clear away the mess, get rid of the newsletter sign-up (that nobody signs up for anyway) and for goodness sake if you’re not actually trying to sell your building then get rid of that picture as well. What you need, in a word, is CLARITY. A simple, definitive statement that tells the world what you do, in one to two sentences at the very most. Followed by a subheading of how this product will make their life better. We produce the most accurate and failure free injection molded parts in the world. Never again worry if your parts will fit and always be on budget.
The very top of the page ought to have little more than your logo in the upper left and a strong call to action in the upper right. “Learn More” and “Get Started” are not a strong calls to action. “Call Now” is much better and is vastly improved if it actually includes the number. Don’t ever make a prospect search for a way to get in touch with you or they may just click away to someone else. “Call Now: 414-839-1575” is the way to do it. So many companies would increase their revenue substantially if they simply had strong calls to action. With that said though, getting a prospect to actually pick up the phone and call is sort of like a marriage proposal, it’s a big commitment. That’s why it’s a great idea to let them go on a date first. This is where the alternative call to action comes into play and the best one by far is a video. People love videos and by showing them the passion you have for what you do accomplishes so much in such a short amount of time that it’s well worth the investment. You’ll build trust, develop rapport, convey your expertise and wrap it all up with another strong call to action of course. On your homepage and throughout your site the imagery ought to be of happy smiling people enjoying your product. Show them how their life will be better by working with you. Do these things and your site will pass the 5 second test and your revenues will increase. Clarity is key.
Clarifying OSHA’s Anti-Retaliation Rule Kyle Meinert, Principal / Risk Advisor, HNI Risk Advisors On October 11, 2018 OSHA issued a Standard Interpretation to clarify its position on the new record keeping rule’s anti-retaliation provisions that were put into place in 2016. Essentially, they completely reversed their position on previous limitations with safety incentive programs and post-incident drug testing. According to the memo, OSHA believes that safety incentive programs and post-incident drug testing are generally not put into place to penalize employees for reporting injuries. Rather, they are implemented to promote the safety and health in the workplace. How does the new interpretation impact you? The original regulation required employers to remove all-inclusive testing rules for post-incident drug testing. The rule called for employers to be certain that drug testing only occurred when there was a reasonable basis to assume drug use contributed to an accident or injury. They went to great lengths trying to explain the rule by issuing several example scenarios. To many, the explanations were very confusing and vague. The recent interpretation supersedes all of the prior guidance on this topic. Simply stated, the rule states that post-incident drug testing is allowed in the following circumstances: • “Random drug testing”; • “Drug testing unrelated to the reporting of a work-related injury or illness”; • “Drug testing under a state workers’ compensation law”; • “Drug testing under other federal law, such as a U.S. Department of Transportation rule”; and • “Drug testing to evaluate the root cause of a workplace incident that harmed or could have harmed employees. If the employer chooses to use drug testing to investigate the incident, the employer should test all employees whose conduct could have contributed to the incident, not just employees who reported injuries.” This should be treated as good news because it is clear now that employers do not need to analyze whether there was a “reasonable possibility” that drugs or alcohol could have contributed to an accident. Now, broad post-incident drug and alcohol testing is allowed as long as all employees whose conduct could have contributed to the accident are tested. We would recommend that you conduct post-incident drug testing consistently. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that employees feel free to report an injury or illness. Safety Incentives We’re of firm believe that the best safety incentive is the hard earned paycheck at the end of the week. However, safety incentives, if administered properly, can be an effective tool to continuously reward smart/safe decisions. If not administered properly, incentives for safe behavior can become an entitlement and no longer hold safety value. Previously, OSHA’s clout on incentives was difficult to understand. Organizations that have had long standing, effectively ran safety incentives found themselves under the gun. “Do I stop offering this profit sharing and avoid unwanted OSHA attention or “Do I accept the risk and keep saying thank you to my employees for coming to work, ready to work hard and safe?”
While incentives have never been outright banned. However, the pressure was put on the employer to prove that the incentive wasn’t a deterrent to report incidents/injuries. OSHA’s stance is still that incentives may not be a deterrent however it has been formally recognized as an acceptable tool to increase safety awareness and success. What makes for a successful safety incentive? • Be creative and make it count for the employees. Their incentive should reflect their everyday responsibilities and choices • Include a group of employees in on the developing stage of the incentive. Find out what would drive them to make better decisions. • Keep their skin in the game. Don’t allow employees who have a bad day to be completely exiled from the incentive. Make them feel the pain a little but give them a chance to earn it back. • Encourage a catch them doing something right reward • Consider rewarding employees for reporting of unsafe acts or conditions • Always communicate with the employees that a failure to report an injury, in an effort to save the incentive, will be strictly prohibited and could be a disqualifying factor all together.
Merrill Lynch is proud to support the IBAW. Tinder Creek Follis Michael Poludniak, CRPC®, C(k)P®, CPFA Senior Financial Advisor Thomas Follis, CFP® Resident Director Daniel Creek, CRPC® Senior Financial Advisor
Merrill Lynch 2600 Browns Lake Drive Suite A Burlington, WI 53105 262.514.7960
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management makes available products and services offered by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, a registered broker-dealer and Member SIPC, and other subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation. Investment products: Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value The Bull Symbol and Merrill Lynch are trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. CRPC® is a registered service mark of The College for Financial Planning. C(k)P® is a registered trademark of The Retirement Advisor University, Inc. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the U.S. © 2018 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. AR4M9LKC | AD-10-18-0699 | 470944PM-0718 | 11/2018
Measure the Performance of Your Culture Through Exit Interviews Scott Seroka, Seroka Branding If your company is experiencing higher than industry average turnover, or if you suspect there may be an issue with your culture, consider implementing an exit interview process as part of your employee retention strategy. Measuring and monitoring the health and performance of your culture, which drives productivity and operational performance, cannot be achieved simply by getting feedback from employees during annual reviews or loosely counting on them to bring urgent matters to your attention. The perceived (or perhaps real) risk that speaking up could cause more trouble or discomfort than it’s worth is motivation enough to keep quiet and get through each day without attracting any attention. After all, no one really wants to be labeled as the company snitch or potentially cut their own throat by being the messenger. One proven way to get a good read on the health and performance of your culture in an environment where people may not be speaking up is through the exit interview. Timing Facilitating exit interviews should never be done during that two-week notice timeframe between the submission of the employee’s resignation letter and the farewell lunch on his or her last day. The reason for this is that most people are a bit anxious when submitting their resignation and want to get the process over with as quickly as possible. As the employee is already nervous, and you as the employer on the receiving end of the resignation may be in a state of shock or surprise, the encounter will not be conducive to obtaining enough meaningful information as to why the employee is leaving. According to an article in the April 2016 issue of Harvard Business Review, Making Exit Interviews Count, the ideal time to do the exit interview is one month after the employee’s departure. The reason is because the conversation will be more relaxed, and potentially strong emotions harbored while still on the company’s payroll will have dissipated. This will provide for a much more productive and valuable dialogue. The Interviewer Ideally, the CEO or president of the company should be the person to reach out the former employee requesting an interview. However, the likelihood of the former employee agreeing to an exit interview is largely dependent on how the invitation to meeting is made. If the HR person reaches out on behalf of the CEO to schedule a time to meet, the invitation will likely fall on deaf ears and blind eyes. Alternatively, if the CEO him or herself reaches out with the message of wanting to learn more about why the employee left, the former employee will be more inclined to accept the invitation to meet. Keep in mind throughout this process that the employee seemed to be a good hire and fit in the beginning and you need to know what went wrong that led to his or her departure. As you may guess, it would be beneficial to retain an outside consultant experienced in conducting exit interviews for two reasons: 1) they know which questions to ask, what not to ask and how to acquire the intelligence companies need to make necessary changes, and 2) the interviewee is more likely to agree to an interview and reveal sensitive information about his former employer than to a person from the company he may not like, trust or respect. If you want to know why your people leave and what you can do to prevent further attrition, all you have to do is ask. It really is that simple.
Business Casual. Too Casual? Lori Mendelsohn, Men’s Fashion Expert and Personal Stylist
In the mid 90’s, corporations started loosening their ties (literally!) to allow employees one dress down day per week, and it was called “Casual Friday.” A collective sigh could almost be heard across the U. S…as men didn’t feel chained to a suit, tie, and a dress shirt for five straight days. Instead, they were relegated to just four days-most likely for good behavior! As someone who has lived through the 90’s and then some, I’ve noticed that Casual Friday has been taken to a whole new level, and has even been adopted into business casual every day. But sadly, business casual has gone from the sublime to ridiculous, and many employers have had to put dress codes into place. Recently, I saw a perfect example of how bad things have gotten, and not just in the workplace. This couple was meeting for the first time, and plainly said, this was a very awkward moment: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wfFa/ultra-downy-half-washed-the-u-neck-shirt Let me ask you…. Is being THAT comfortable a good thing? This young man could be one of your employees! Let’s take a look at statistics and data: Ray Smith, writer for the WSJ, commented that “A number of recent studies suggest that dressing up for work in a suit or blazer could do wonders for an employee’s productivity, whether going into a negotiation, making a sales call or even participating in a videoconference with business associates. Using a number of measures, including simulated business meetings at which subjects wore formal and more casual clothing, the studies offer indications that wearing nicer clothes may raise one’s confidence level, affect how others perceive the wearer, and in some cases even boost the level of one’s abstract thinking, the type in which leaders and executives engage.” https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-dressing-for-success-leads-to-success-1456110340 Plainly said…employees feel more confident and powerful when dressed work appropriate! Should you need help establishing a proper dress code, please reach out to me to help you. I understand the laws of dress codes and how lenient or strict you can be.
Lori Mendelsohn is an award-winning fashion designer who has worked in both LA and NY designing men's, women’s and children’s clothing. She has worked in Hollywood, and in the garment centers of NY and LA for over 33 years. Presently, she is assisting Midwestern Men in creating their own personal brands and style for www.uncommonman.net
Post Election Business Survey Results show business community cautious about the future economy in Wisconsin
With the November elections now over in Wisconsin, we wanted to get a sense of how the business community viewed the results of that election and whether or not it would impact their business. We sent sent out the survey to all of our contacts in the IBAW database (approximately 800) as well as pushing the link for the survey out through social media accounts such as the Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. 45 businesses responded and took the 5 question survey.
Question 1: As a result of the elections, what best describes your economic outlook for your business over the next several years?
Question 2: If you had plans to expand your business, how have the results of the elections impacted those plans?
Question 3: If you had plans to add new employees to your business, how have the results of the elections impacted those plans?
Question 4: What topic below is your biggest policy concern over the next several years?
- Income disparity - Taxes & regulations increasing for manufacturers. The dismantling of WEDC and FoxConn - Continuing rise of the national debt and both parties not addressing it
Question 5: Which sector below best describes your business?
Holiday Shopping Season Off to a Nice Start for Small Business Ray Keating, Chief Economist, SBE Council, Washington D.C.
When talking about the retail business, you’re talking small business. According to the latest Census Bureau data, for example, among employer firms in the retail trade business, 80.4 percent have fewer than 10 employees, 91.1 percent fewer than 20 employees, and 98.4 percent fewer than 100 workers. Retail businesses overwhelmingly are small businesses. So, when we look at the Christmas holiday shopping season, we’re very much getting a read on how well the year is going to turn out for small retailers. With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday behind us, what’s the early take on the holiday shopping season? Consumer Confidence is Strong First, it must be noted that the latest measure of consumer confidence from the Conference Board showed that their index was down in November compared to the previous month, but that consumer confidence remains at “historically strong levels.” Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board, noted, “Consumers’ assessment of current conditions increased slightly, with job growth the main driver of improvement. Expectations, on the other hand, weakened somewhat in November, primarily due to a less optimistic view of future business conditions and personal income prospects. Overall, consumers are still quite confident that economic growth will continue at a solid pace into early 2019.” This strong outlook among consumers was reflected in the early holiday shopping season numbers being reported. Consider the following, for example: ● Small Business Saturday. According to the 2018 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, a total of 104 million U.S. consumers reported shopping or dining at small businesses on Small Business Saturday, spending an estimated record high of $17.8 billion. ● Black Friday. The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) reported that “an estimated 151 million people visited a mall or shopping center over the weekend,” and that on Black Friday “49 percent of shoppers spent more than in 2017, and 30 percent spent the same as last year.” The ICSC survey also made clear that the combination of physical and online sales channels is a major plus: “Omnichannel retailers – those with a physical and online presence – were overwhelmingly the preferred destination for holiday shoppers, capturing 88 percent of spending on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday, demonstrating once again that having multiple options for consumers to take advantage of is a winning strategy.” ● Cyber Monday set records. According to a report from ChainStoreAge.com, online shopping on Cyber Monday was on track to increase by 19.7 percent over last year, hitting a record of $7.9 billion, and mobile transactions were up by 55 percent. ● A November 26 Forbes.com analysis made note of several important trends to take note of, including the records being set in online sales for Cyber Monday: “American consumers were on track to spend $7.8 billion and make it the biggest online shopping day in U.S. history, according to Adobe Analytics. That follows record online sales for both Black Friday and this past weekend.” In addition, it was noted, “Not only did Black Friday, a day once synonymous with in-store shopping, see the day’s biggest online sales ever of $6.2 billion, but online orders from consumers choosing to pick up in stores surged 73% from Thursday to Friday, according to Adobe.”
● High growth clearly is in the online retail realm. However, it also should be kept in mind that as of the third quarter of 2018, according to the Census Bureau, e-commerce sales account for 9.1 percent of total retail sales (that compared to less than 4 percent in early 2009). ● Bloomberg News noted strong sales over the holiday shopping weekend: “Black Friday weekend sales data from third-party analytics providers indicate a merry start to the holiday season, with online sales taking more share — even ahead of Cyber Monday. Four-day Black Friday weekend sales totaled about $60 billion, according to Customer Growth Partners. Consumer electronics and appliance sales rose 6.4 percent, vs CGP’s estimate of 6.1 percent growth, while apparel sales rose 5.4 percent, in line with the firm’s projection, but still the best growth since 2011.” Finally, it’s worth noting that these positive retail sales numbers for the start of the unofficial holiday shopping season line up with a strong 2018 for retail sales overall and the consumer. As noted in the Census Bureau’s latest look at retail sales, through the first ten months of 2018 compared to the same period last year, retail and food service sales were up by a solid 5.4 percent. For good measure, personal consumption expenditures accounted for a significant share of GDP growth in both the second and third quarters of this year, according to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data. If the holiday shopping season continues to exhibit strength, 2018 will turn out to be a solid one for retailers, and that means for small businesses. _______ Raymond J. Keating is chief economist for the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council.
IBAW Members Score Wine By Giving Referrals IBAW members can get a free bottle of wine every time they refer a business friend to IBAW and that persons joins. We want to grow the IBAW and since we are a member driven organization, we rely on you to help grow the group. What type of person is a good candidate? Any type, it doesn’t have to be a large company. Any person or business that has a ‘pro business’ attitude is an ideal candidate. This can include businesses both large and small along with individuals who are entrepreneurs who are free market thinkers!
Contact IBAW director Steve Kohlmann for details on how you can invite a guest to a monthly breakfast meeting.
How to Reduce Holiday Stress Steve Bobowski, Dale Carnegie Training Coach Dear Carnegie Coach Bobowski: HOW TO REDUCE HOLIDAY STRESS! Recently things at work have gotten really hectic. With the year-end crunch to make our Sales goals, Family Get Togethers, Holiday Events, and Office expectations, I go home each night feeling overwhelmed and without reward for my tireless fight. Every morning, it slaps me in the face and signals the start of yet another non-stop, incessant stress and anxiety filled day! Plus I rarely have the time I need to devote to important projects because I am always preoccupied with new and mundane tasks my supervisors keep throwing my way. I have deadlines it would be impossible to meet and calls that wanted me to return them yesterday. After the day has ended, I continue to think about the job, and how many things I was supposed to have completed, but did not. The daily attempt to get it all done leaves me mentally tired and physically drained. I can’t seem to leave the work at work, and when I’m at work, I simply can’t seem to get the work done. How can I handle everything without going crazy? Vicky from Manitowoc Dear Vicky: What you are experiencing happens to every professional. Sometimes, we find ourselves becoming increasingly agitated and flustered as the workload just continues piling up and family obligations mount. Many of us have come to accept that stress always comes with the job. We forget that stress is almost always counterproductive and can seriously harm our health if we allow it to dwell. THE ACTIONS I WANT YOU TO TAKE: DEVELOP AND STICK TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: Good health is a powerful safeguard against stress. You know the right mix: a nutritious diet, plenty of rest, and regular exercise. KNOW WHEN TO SAY NO: Acknowledge your time and stress limits up front to avoid taking on too many responsibilities. Assess the importance of each assignment and prioritize your activities. Try delegating some tasks to associates or speaking frankly to your superiors and family members about recognizing your challenges and adjusting your duties. And, remember families can be very demanding. TAKE BREAKS: If you are experiencing a nerve-racking day, try taking an unscheduled break to take your mind off work for a few minutes. Go for a walk, do some deep breathing or converse with a colleague. DO NOT TRY TO BE PERFECT: Do the very best you can, not perfection. When you give 100%, you know you have given all you have. None of us can give more than 100%. Do you find yourself proofreading a report over and over again even though you have checked it twice and found no mistakes? It makes sense and is admirable to strive for excellence. However you are unnecessarily adding more stress and burden on yourself when you impose impossibly high standards on your performance. A tough self-analysis will help reduce excessive activities, fears of criticism and rejection, and also create less angst at work. THE BENEFITS TO YOU: A more Productive Holiday Season! • A Happier and Healthier Season. • Stress less. Smile More! • Make It A Great Day! Steve
President’s Circle IBAW / DALE CARNEGIE PRESIDENTS CIRCLE A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR CEOs, PRESIDENTS, AND BUSINESS OWNERS
As the CEO, President, or Owner you are asked to produce more results with fewer resources, meet and exceed competition, innovate and motivate. This creates very difficult teams and leadership challenges. Leaders must encourage teamwork, bottom-up idea generation, alignment, loyalty and above all commitment. Rather than direct and dictate, leaders must inspire and motivate!
The Presidents Circle: The IBAW and Dale Carnegie Training have developed an exclusive Leadership program for IBAW members only. The Presidents Circle combines peer group engagement and highly targeted executive Dale Carnegie Training among peers to help you achieve significant results. These results will be achieved by providing insights, peer challenges, and developing leadership skills which are aligned with your organization and which will help drive agendas. By combining corporate mission, vision and values with our unique methodology employees will begin supporting a world they helped create.Ultimately, the only sustainable competitive advantage is the innovation, motivation, and creativity of the employees of an organization. Establishing a strong leadership culture provides the environment where innovation and creativity can flourish.
Program Specifics: • • • • • • •
Meetings with other IBAW CEOs/Presidents/Business Owners 10 monthly meetings Dale Carnegie Executive Leadership Training workshop each session. Round Table Issues Discussed and Resolved Guided Yearly planning Accountability among peers. Business Results
The President’s Circle will help you achieve results by: • • • • • • • •
Providing training among peers Creating and sustaining change initiatives Ensure continuous improvement and bottom-line impact Align the organization behind a common vision Develop a habit of fact-based decision making at every level. Strengthen and implement strategic planning Create a value based culture to ensure loyalty Build energy and trust up and down the organization to insure customer loyalty.
Commitments: • Attend meetings • •
No cost for meetings, a benefit of IBAW membership Referrals or 3 enrollments
Program Leader: Steve Bobowski
“Knowledge isn’t power until it is applied.” -Dale Carnegie
This program is now forming and is limited in the number which can attend. For more information, contact Program Leader Steve Bobowski by clicking here.
: S E L A S
2nd Monday of the Month SALES ROUNDTABLE 7:30 am - 9:00 am Free & open to IBAW members only Register at IBAW.com
Sales can be a tough road of ups, downs, potholes and a few bumps. But it can also be fast paced, exhilarating and rewarding. If you’re in sales, you know there are things only other sales people understand; the thrill of scoring the big account, the uncertainty of “let me think about that.”, the frustration of phone calls or emails that don’t get returned. IBAW’s Sales Roundtable is a support and knowledge resource for sales professionals, business owners, marketing and branding experts who are charged with driving sales. Join us to discuss the strategy, tactics, inspiration, and motivation to increase sales. It’s a FREE benefit of your membership! Who should attend: • Sales professionals of any level. • Business owners • Sales Managers • Marketing & P.R. Professionals
“For many years I ran sales meetings for as few as 3 and as many as 22 sales rep’s now I can go as a participant once a month to IBAW’s Sales Roundtable.
BONUS! Join the IBAW Sales Roundtable and get a compact disc with the BEST in Sales Survival Music. Play it to pump you up before that big meeting or to console you if you hit a sales slump. Guaranteed to make life better.
It’s a focused meeting and everyone wants the same thing – to be more effective at selling.” - Jerry Wick, CEO, Custom Data Too Mail
IBAW Public Policy Committee Hosts Legislative Roundtable in Brookfield
On the afternoon of Thursday, January 25th, the IBAW Public Policy Committee hosted a Legislative Roundtable featuring Senator Lena Taylor, Senator Chris Kapenga, Representative Rob Hutton and Representative Dale Kooyenga, held at the offices of Sikich in Brookfield. Welfare reform, excessive business regulations and the ever increasing shortage of a competent workforce were the main concerns of business owners. Additionally, the topic of the present state of the city of Milwaukee - crime, unemployment and the state of Milwaukee Public Schools, became quite heated at times. Our next Legislative Roundtable is scheduled for Thursday, November 1st. Visit IBAW.com for details.
IBAW is on an upward trend of growth and we are actively recruiting businesses just like yours to join! When you join IBAW your entire company is a member - anyone from your team can attend our fine educational and networking events. Help yourself, your business AND your Team Members. Come on in...we’re open for business!
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2018 Membership Committee
Jake Hansen Jacsten Holdings
Charles Fry Robert W. Baird
Mike Poludniak Merrill Lynch
Dan Hansen
Tom Parks Annex Wealth Mgt.
Legislative Fix Moving Ahead for Wisconsin’s New Manufacturing & Agricultural Credit Jim Brandenburg, CPA, MST - Sikich LLP
In IBAW meetings and publications in recent years we have introduced you to Wisconsin’s new tax incentive - the Wisconsin Manufacturing and Agriculture Credit (referred to as the “MAC”). The MAC came about in 2011 to provide an incentive for Wisconsin manufacturers and agricultural companies to remain and grow here, and also perhaps to have out-of-state companies move here. It was scheduled to begin in 2013, and when fully phased-in by 2016 it would essentially exempt any Wisconsin manufacturing and agricultural income from Wisconsin income tax. The MAC was championed by Representative Dale Kooyenga and Senator Glenn Grothman in the legislature.
Magazine Content Needed Consider Submitting an Article!
The MAC, however, had some problems for individual taxpayers when it was drafted and this glitch was recently identified. Here is the issue in a nutshell: the MAC would reduce a taxpayer’s Wisconsin individual income tax, but then would trigger a Wisconsin minimum tax for nearly the same amount. Thus, there may be little, if any, net savings for the MAC in 2013 (a “MAC Attack?”). The legislature is trying to remedy this situation now so that taxpayers can realize the proper tax savings with the MAC on their 2013 Wisconsin individual tax returns.
The IBAW magazine is in need of content, we rely on our members and sponsors to supply us informative articles. The digital magazine is sent out to over 650 contacts statewide and the magazine is parked on the web where, on average, it gets over 1100 views.
Legislative Update: It seems that all key legislative leaders are now on board to correct this issue. It was approved by the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee last week. The Senate and Assembly will be in session in March and voting on final passage for several bills, one of which is this tax bill with the MAC correction. It looks like the legislative timetable will have the bill passed near the middle of the March, before going to the Governor. Thus, a best guess now is that the bill would be enacted into law somewhere in the latter half of March, 2014. MAC Attack Options: For any of our individual taxpayers taking advantage of the MAC, this may present some filings logistics. Here are the possibilities:
1. Best case scenario - in some cases the taxpayer’s share of the MAC for 2013 will be used and not result in a Wisconsin Minimum Tax. A taxpayer in this situation could go ahead and claim the MAC and file their 2013 Wisconsin individual return. There would be no need to wait for the legislation to pass.
Consider writing an article on a timely business related topic to your particular field of business. This is an outstanding opportunity for you and your company to gain exposure and increase your brand awareness to a statewide audience. There is no cost to submitting an article.
2. Next, a taxpayer has generated a MAC for 2013, but it will trigger a Wisconsin Minimum Tax. The taxpayer in this case could wait until the law is changed (and then wait a little for the WDR to update its computer processing systems) and then file their Wisconsin tax return and claim the MAC, and not incur the Wisconsin Minimum Tax. This could present a tight timeline for the April 15 deadline, and you may need to file for an extension.
3. Similar case as #2, but this taxpayer could file their Wisconsin individual return with the MAC, but also incur and pay a Wisconsin Minimum Tax for 2013. Then, once the corrective law is enacted go back and file an amended 2013 Wisconsin tax return to obtain the proper tax benefit of the MAC. You would not need extend, but you would need to amend. We’ll keep you posted as this legislation moves forward. If you have any questions, please contact Jim Brandenburg or Brian Kelley at Sikich, LLP in Brookfield (262)754-9400.
Contact Steve Kohlmann for details.
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Welcome New IBAW Members!
Meeting Recaps 2014 Wisconsin Manufacturing Knowledge Summit
Power Test
On June 20, 2014 the IBAW partnered with the Tool, Die & Machining Association of Wisconsin (TDMAW) to offer Wisconsin manufacturers and their suppliers a unique look at trends within the industry and to also report on some of the challenges the industry faces in the next 5 years.
Power Test, Inc. is an industry leader in the design, manufacture and implementation of dynamometers and control systems.
Special thanks to the event sponsor, First Business Bank for their efforts in helping organize this event.
For more than 37 years, Power Test has provided specialized test equipment to manufacturers, rebuilding facilities and distributors globally. Our products can be found in use at these facilities in nearly 100 countries on six continents.
Chris Halaska
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Our headquarters and manufacturing operations are located in Sussex, WI with sales representatives worldwide. Our unparalleled customer service is well known throughout the industry. Power Test employs a dedicated staff of talented machinists, fabricators, electronic technicians, assemblers, designers, engineers, software developers, and administrative and customer service personnel. Our exceptional product life and excellent customer service is well known throughout the industry and has made us one of the industryleading dynamometer manufacturers. Our dedication to the customer and to the advances in powertrain component testing keep us there.
Power Test N60 W22700 Silver Spring Drive Sussex, WI 53089 Phone: 262-252-4301
4 Advanced Waste Services Advanced Waste Services is an environmental services company that provides wastewater recycling and other waste and risk elimination services to manufacturers in all industries. Each day, AWS helps hundreds of businesses, both large and small, meet their community and environmental obligations. Annually, we collect, treat and recycle more than 50 million gallons of contaminated wastewater into clean, reusable water and other valuable resources like fuel, steam and electricity. AWS is constantly helping our clients manage, reinvent and improve their sustainability successes. For example, we recently partnered with Forest County Advanced Waste Services Potawatomi Community to help Wisconsin food and beverage manufacturers convert 1126 South 76th Street food waste into clean, green renewable energy. Suite N408B West Allis, WI 53214 Founded in 1993, AWS employs 55 people in the Milwaukee area and a total of 150 people companywide in 5 states. 414-847-7100
Photo Key 1: A full house in the main ballroom of the Wisconsin Club as IBAW & TDMAW members prepare to hear about the state of manufacturing and the challenges the industry faces in the workforce.
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2: David Vetta of First Business Bank delivers opening remarks and highlights the importance of a strong relationship between banking and manufacturing working together for success. 3: New IBAW President, John Weber of Hypneumat addresses the change in IBAW Bylaws and calls for voting in new board officers. 4: Kent Lorenz of Acieta gives the main presentation on “Manufacturing Matters” pointing out the trends on manufacturing now and what to expect in the future. 5: Outgoing IBAW President, Steve Van Lieshout receives his award for his efforts as 2013 - 2014.
6 Photos courtesy of Tim Townsend.
6: IBAW Executive Director, Steve Kohlmann (Left) presents David Drumel with an award for his service on the IBAW board.
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THERE’S ROOM AT THE TABLE
As an advocate for small business, the IBAW offers intimate meetings on relevant topics such as Leadership, HR, Sales, and Political Issues. Business Leaders...Leading Business
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“ I almost always come away from an IBAW meeting with useable material that helps me with my business. Many times, a speaker will give me something that applies to ITU AbsorbTech. Other times, it is a conversation over breakfast that gives me value.” Jim Leef, President & CEO, ITU AbsorbTech
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