Torchlight - Spring 2025

TORCHLIGHT BBB® | Spring 2025

Is your business ready for the AI era? - pg 4 A BBB Accredited Business and a nonprofit innovate together - pg 8

Apply now! 2025 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics - pg 11 Pete Blackshaw BrandRank.AI

The official magazine of Better Business Bureau® Serving Greater Missouri & Southern Illinois

INNOVATION IN THE AI ERA If you were one of the millions who tuned into the recent Super Bowl, you couldn’t help but notice the use of artificial intelligence (AI) throughout the broadcast. AI was everywhere. Its use was especially noticeable in those commercials many of us tune in to watch. AI is not some passing fad. It is here to stay.

So, how can your business leverage AI to help you thrive? Great question, and it’s one that we are asking ourselves. How can we utilize AI to help our BBB Accredited Businesses and Accredited Charities, as well as aiding the millions of consumers who turn to us for guidance?

Every three years, we create a new strategic vision, set overall goals and develop a plan to achieve them. AI figures prominently in our new strategic plan. It includes the following opportunity statement: “We have the opportunity to claim the leadership role of marketplace trust and ethics in the AI era, while growing total revenue to invest in our mission and communities.”

Your BBB has had an eye on AI for a while now. Last year, one of our Accredited Business webinars included “a guide to understanding AI.” As a system, BBB is trying to help educate businesses and consumers on AI usage.

Our AI headquarters at BBB.org/AI features tips and best practices on how to identify AI and use it wisely.

Among the advice on BBB’s AI headquarters are 10 standards for ethical AI usage.

BBB’s Tips for Ethical AI Usage 1.

Keep humans in control. Always keep humans in charge of the AI systems. Ensure there is a well-defined protocol for human intervention in your AI system, and train your staff on when and how to use it.

2. Engage all stakeholders. Regularly engage with a diverse range of stakeholders who may be affected by the AI system. Consider regular surveys or meetings to collect feedback and ideas from stakeholders.

3. Maintain openness and clarity. Communicate transparently about how you use AI in business. Write your privacy policies and AI-related communications in plain language that is easily accessible.

4. Be fair and inclusive. Design and implement AI systems that treat everyone fairly, avoiding biases on factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, age, or disability. Implement regular bias audits to ensure your AI systems are fair and inclusive.

5. Establish accountability and governance. Establish clear lines of accountability within your organization.

Consider forming a dedicated AI ethics committee to oversee these efforts.

6. Respect privacy. Protect the privacy and security of the personal data collected and processed by AI systems. Implement strict data-handling procedures, such as anonymizing data and using secure data storage and transfer methods, and conduct regular audits to ensure compliance.

7.

Ensure safety and reliability. Prioritize the safety and reliability of AI systems, conduct thorough testing and implement measures to prevent harmful outcomes and unintended consequences. Train your team on key AI safety and reliability measures and establish a regular schedule for system checks and updates.

8. Uphold intellectual property rights. Ensure AI systems properly cite and source intellectual property, including copyrighted content, patents and trade secrets. Ensure legal review of AI operations to avoid IP infringements.

9. Benefit the public and be socially responsible. Deploy AI systems in ways that contribute to the broader social good while considering potential environmental, economic and societal impacts. Evaluate the environmental footprint of your AI systems and take steps to improve it.

BBB TIPS, RIGHT IN YOUR INBOX. Scan to sign up for BBB’s weekly email newsletters for businesses and consumers!

← Business owners can get:

← Your employees can get:

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News, insights and exclusive BBB business tips Updates on BBB events Learning opportunities including webinars and courses

2 | BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU

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Consumer tips for safe shopping, cybersecurity and finding trusted businesses with BBB 1-minute polls to help make businesses better

10. Pursue continuous improvement. Regularly monitor, assess, and update AI systems to address identified issues and improve performance. Plan for regular AI system reviews and updates, and stay informed about the latest developments in AI ethics and best practices.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Carolyn Beard

Callier & Thompson Kitchen Bath Appliance

Don Brown

Ted Liebig

TREND Manufacturing Co.

Tom Linhares

Don Brown Chevrolet

Dodge Moving & Storage Co.

Angela Courtwright

Meghan McClure

Terri DeMent

Sean Nesbit

As a BBB Accredited Business or Accredited Charity, you already show the public your commitment to acting ethically and honestly in the marketplace. Being transparent with your customers is a hallmark for your business. Make sure those same actions carry over to any AI usage at your organization.

Jill Falk

Stefan Sigurdson

Joe Fisher

Heidi Singleton***

Tom Gershman

Todd Smith**

One of our goals in our new strategic plan is to be consumers’ first resource when looking for businesses they can trust. We want to provide diversified services that amplify engagement and value with a growing number of trustworthy businesses and charities across the region.

Gershman Mortgage

Seth Goldkamp

Bryant Summers

Barry Grant

Mary Schwartz Westerhold

There are a number of ways that AI can help even the smallest business or charity. There are customer support, marketing, analytics, cybersecurity, financial management and training resources available through AI.

We’re also aiming to leverage tools, technology and operational best practices to improve productivity for every professional and enhance our impact in our communities. Our aim is for growth in the AI era, adding to our community of Accredited Businesses and Charities.

Innovation and creativity are essential components for successful business growth in today’s environment. Machine learning and deep learning are two of the most influential subsets changing how businesses operate today.

In this issue, you’ll learn how Accredited Businesses are taking advantage of new tools or expanding the reach of innovative resources they already have.

You’ll also learn how your business can benefit from artificial intelligence. Maybe now’s the time to take a deeper look – and if you need guidance, that’s what we are here for.

More for Less Remodeling Nestlé Purina

Schnuck Markets DH Pace Company, Inc.

Design Aire Heating & Cooling

Gonzalez Companies, LLC

Katie Hopkins Truck Centers, Inc.

Greg Kendall* Commerce Bank

Sarah Kiefer Maritz

John Legens Drury Hotels

RubinBrown

Fence & Deck Depot Allen Roofing & Siding New Honor Society

Waterway Carwash Graybar

Madison Communications

Launders Wince Ameren MO

Aaron Windholz McBride Homes

Adriane Yates Spire

Michelle L. Corey**** Better Business Bureau

* Chairman of the Board ** Immediate Past Chair *** Advertising Club President **** President & CEO

Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Missouri & Southern Illinois 211 N. Broadway, Ste. 2060 St. Louis, MO 63102 Phone: (314) 645-3300 Fax: (314) 645-2666 Hannah Kloppenburg, Editor Email: hkloppenburg@stlouisbbb.org Cover and page 4 photo courtesy of Pete Blackshaw Photos on pages 8-9 by Carla Smith

Michelle L. Corey President & CEO, CAE

TORCHLIGHT

Torchlight (ISSN 1547-2043 USPS 053-540) is published quarterly

by Better Business Bureau, 211 N. Broadway, Ste. 2060, St. Louis, MO 63102. Subscriptions are available to BBB Accredited Businesses only. Periodicals Postage Paid at St. Louis, MO. Postmaster please send change of address to: Torchlight, Better Business Bureau, 211 N. Broadway, Ste. 2060, St. Louis, MO 63102.

SPRING 2025 | 3

AI IS HERE.

IS YOUR BUSINESS READY? READY? Whether large or small, Accredited Businesses can’t afford to ignore how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the business world. Consumers are using AI to research products and services, answer questions, generate content or even make shopping decisions. BBB spoke with Pete Blackshaw, Co-Founder and CEO of BrandRank.AI, to learn how Accredited Businesses can prepare for the new AI landscape.

How to adapt to new AI possibilities You’ve likely heard of AI tools like ChatGPT, but what you may not have heard is that these tools are likely to drastically change the way consumers reach businesses online.

Traffic to websites from traditional search engines may decrease by 50% or more over the next three years as AI “answer engines,” like ChatGPT search, Perplexity, Google’s Gemini or Microsoft’s CoPilot, become preferred ways for people to find information online.

Pete Blackshaw, Co-Founder and CEO of BrandRank.AI, says that business owners should be prepared to see a shift.

“We’re in the midst of a search disruption,” Blackshaw explains.

“These AI engines, which we call answer engines, are becoming the new purchase funnel.”

BrandRank.AI’s research suggests that 60% of consumers have already made purchase decisions based on answer engine research “even for small, local services.”

Answer engines provide information in what BrandRank.AI sometimes refers to as a “smoothie”: A combined answer that cites several sources rather than incentivizing customers to click through to your website.

Don’t panic, though: This is an opportunity for your business to become a trusted voice. You can adapt your online content

Optimizing your website content for AI

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to make it easier for answer engines to find it and use it as a source, creating a funnel to your brand.

“Every business needs to understand how algorithms think, prioritize and value certain types of content. The good news for BBB Accredited Businesses is that trust mark counts for a lot because the algorithms have a bit of a bias toward third party credentialling – not just the BBB, but certainly the BBB shows up a lot in our analysis,” Blackshaw says.

So, what’s the first thing a small business should do to adapt?

Blackshaw says answer engines rely heavily on website content, so now is a good time for businesses to rethink the way they build their digital presence. Businesses should “think and act like an answer engine” – in other words, make sure your website has the answers your customers are looking for.

“It doesn’t require a lot of investment. It doesn’t require digital consultants. It just requires meaningful reflection on how these algorithms think and prioritize content,” Blackshaw says. “I think you do need to look in the mirror and just see where you stand.

You don’t need a consultant to just go to ChatGPT and ask, ‘who’s the best roofer in St. Louis,’ and find out if you’re showing up or if someone else shows up, and to ask why.”

How to use AI tools for your business It’s not just about adapting your business to answer engines.

There are tons of generative AI tools out there that can help your business be more productive and efficient, and the field is only growing.

Create an FAQ section: Answer the questions your customers would ask Post user-friendly, easy-to-understand information on your website Include details about your products and services Encourage customer reviews: AI models consider them authoritative Avoid PDFs and use blog article publishing instead: It’s easier for AI to crawl

4 | BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU

You may already be familiar with tools like ChatGPT or Dall-E that can generate text or images, which can be helpful for content creation or marketing needs. But AI can apply to other aspects of your business, like data quality, customer service or administrative tasks. Many of these tools are free or low-cost.

Blackshaw recommends starting with something like ChatGPT that has multiple functions and experimenting to figure out what’s useful for your business. “ChatGPT is a great Swiss army knife. It does a little bit of everything, it does visuals, it does analysis,” he says.

He says that answer engines can benefit many businesses, and tools like Otter.ai and Vizio are becoming ubiquitous for tasks like notetaking, synthesis and summaries.

Blackshaw also points out that tools you may already be using, like Canva, Adobe Suite or Getty Images, are integrating AI features – so you might not even need a new service to get started.

To get in the learning mindset, Blackshaw recommends going to the most tech-savvy people you know: “Spend some time with your kids! Learn how TikTokers make videos, understand their content creation skills. I’m a big believer in reverse mentoring,” he says.

For businesses of all shapes and sizes, now is the time to start experimenting with AI. “These tools are remarkable.

And if small businesses aren’t taking advantage of it, that’s a big missed opportunity,” Blackshaw concludes.

How to implement AI ethically The possibilities AI presents are exciting – but as you dive in, remember that AI can be abused like any other tool and take care to use AI ethically.

Start by creating a process and accountability for using AI. Know who at your company is responsible for it and who will monitor it. AI isn’t a “set it and forget it” solution.

Next, be transparent with your stakeholders about when, how and where you’re using AI. If customers feel misled, it can damage trust. “I think it’s always healthy to disclose to consumers if they’re dealing with a bot. It’s hard to tell the difference these days,” Blackshaw says. “There’s no downside to letting a consumer know you’re using AI. The same goes for imagery.”

Keep in mind that information you submit to tools like ChatGPT isn’t always private and may be used to train AI models. Check privacy policies before you use any new service, and don’t share private customer information with AI tools.

Finally, businesses should take care not to lose the human element. AI tools can – and do – make mistakes, so a member of your staff should review all AI-generated content carefully. And it doesn’t hurt to make sure your marketing content and customer service still have a friendly, human touch. “Be smart about it! If you over-automate, consumers will know and send their loyalty elsewhere,” Blackshaw says. BBB

TORCHLIGHT

HOW BBB IS BRINGING YOU INTO THE AI ERA BBB is taking the initiative to help Accredited Businesses get exposure and show credibility as AI changes the world of search. As we’ve learned, answer engines prioritize reviews and the word of longstanding, trusted organizations like BBB. “Our data holds a lot of value,” says Craig Turner, BBB St. Louis Director of Information Technology. “We know these answer engines, the biggest players – ChatGPT, Gemini, CoPilot, Perplexity, Anthropic – all of those companies are now using web crawlers to crawl our website and collect as much information as they can about our businesses.”

Turner has been working with BrandRank.AI and the International Association of Better Business Bureaus’ AI advisory board to make sure BBB and Accredited Businesses are armed with information about AI. He says that BBB’s longstanding reputation is leading answer engines to cite it as a source when customers search for trusted businesses.

“We want businesses to know that these large companies are identifying us as having good information. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be crawling our site daily,” Turner says. “We hope to provide good results to consumers.”

“These tools are going to ramp up for everyday use. People are going to look to AI to get answers, just the way they look at social media or the news,” he emphasizes.

BBB wants to help you get ahead of the game – so we’re prioritizing AI and teaming up with experts to give you guidance. While we’re learning more every day, these services can help you start adapting to today’s AI landscape.

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BBB Business Profile: Adding lots of detail about your business makes it easier for answer engines crawling BBB.org to use your profile as a source. To update your Business Profile, log in to your BBB account at bbb.org/ stlouis/login Dynamic Seal: The BBB Seal is a clear sign of trust. If you put the Dynamic Seal on your website, customers can click on it to go right to your BBB Business Profile, driving more traffic to your page. Showcasing BBB Accreditation on your website signals to AI that you are a trusted, ethical business.

Customer Reviews: Ask customers to leave a review on your Business Profile. Answer engines will take reviews and responses into account when they crawl BBB.org.

AI Learning: Read articles on using AI for your business at BBB.org. BBB has also teamed up with BrandRank.AI on webinars that keep business owners in the know.

SPRING 2025 | 5

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We asked Accredited Businesses:

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ARE YOU USING AI FOR YOUR BUSINESS? IF SO, HOW?

“We use AI for advertising copy, video production, website coding, product research and pricing, image generation, and general business strategy consultation. AI helps streamline our workflow, enhance creativity, and improve efficiency across multiple aspects of our business. It enables us to generate compelling marketing content, optimize website functionality, conduct in-depth market analysis, and create high-quality visuals tailored to our needs. Additionally, AI-driven insights support our strategic decision-making, helping us stay competitive and innovative. This response was generated entirely by AI, implementing the factual information and prompts of this user, and is exactly 100 words.”

Dave Milliken, President/Owner Milliken Home Solutions, St. Charles, Mo. “I do indeed use AI through many facets of my marketing agency. We use it for many different things: 1. I plug in ideas for blog articles with my detailed list of things that have to be included. I also tell it I need a social media calendar created for 4 social posts for the article and to use the main keyword(s) for all posts. I ask it to include metadata for the blog also.

2. After it writes the article, I send it to my SEO/content strategist to perfect it before posting. We always want to make sure the information is correct and that it is written in our voice.

3. I use AI to create the wireframe for new websites.

4. I use AI to help with website copy for businesses that do not want to pay for custom copy - this takes a lot of babysitting making sure content is correct.

5. I use AI to write metadata for products for online stores pulling it from the product description the client gives us.

6. I use AI to help with Google Ads. 7. I use AI to help me scrub the internet for emails lists.

I could go on and on. The real key is NOT depending on AI to get everything right and to still do your research, inject yourself into the copy/content, and make it unique. It is also important to ask AI the right questions and give it the correct info on what you want up front.”

Christy Smith, Owner NPS Design Studio, Springfield, Mo.

6 | BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU

“We use AI in various areas of our business, from trend research and material selection to marketing. It allows us to analyze data and streamline routine tasks, giving us more time to infuse each project with the creativity and personal touch that our clients love.”

Cynthia Buchheit, Owner, Interior Designer Unique Ambiance LLC, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

“Yes, we have migrated toward the use of AI. We fostered the organic approach of business and were prideful with that strategy. But with the change of ecommerce and technology we have begun to implement AI tools to streamline business practices. We currently are using AI tools for our marketing campaign such as emailing and social media.”

Tiffany Glasco, President & CEO Nahla Madison Home, St. Louis, Mo. “Not yet. From my understanding of hearing about it, researching it, and trying some of the apps, it’s only as smart as you tell it to be. What questions you ask, what framework are you applying it to, what subject matter, what to ask it to do. So knowing this, how to utilize AI is as an office assistant on the website, to chat on the phone to begin a conversation, to not only weed out spam but also briefly get information on the caller – potential client or past client. You can progress with that client hopefully within 30 seconds or 10 seconds to know more about them, and they know more about the company and the landscape services and hopefully that leads to a connected phone call to the potential client from AI being smart enough to connect the call and get rid of the spammers. Right now I do not use AI and have only played around with the apps, my prior answer is how I plan to utilize AI. ”

Mark Flush, Owner Lawns-Gardens-Landscaping.com, St. Louis, Mo.

EVEN MORE AI INSIGHTS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS This is just the beginning. Visit our AI HQ at BBB.org/AI or scan the QR code to learn more on: • • • • •

AI-powered search (answer engines) Improving customer experience with AI Using AI to streamline your marketing Data collection and storage with AI BBB’s standards for ethical AI usage

“Yes, we create our own custom GPTs within ChatGPT, which train and refine the general AI model using our own resources, such as important emails, spreadsheets, internal process documents, and so on. In short, ChatGPT is like a general expert, while a custom GPT is like a specialist trained for our specific business.”

KNOW A STAR STUDENT?

Dusty Winans, Founder & Owner Padearn, Reeds Spring, Mo. “We do not use AI very often yet. We haven’t really felt the need for it, but as we grow this year, we are open to it. I’m sure it can be very beneficial to growing businesses and with the construction industry in general.”

Kelly Watts, Business Office Manager New Beginnings Construction, Columbia, Mo. “Our goal is to provide the best possible service while making things easier for our customers. While we don’t currently use AI in daily operations, we’re exploring how it can help streamline scheduling, improve response times, and ensure more accurate project estimates. If AI can help us serve our customers more efficiently — whether by optimizing crew routes or providing faster, more informed communication — we’re open to embracing it. At the end of the day, it’s about delivering quality service with a personal touch, and if AI can enhance that experience, we’re all in.”

Michael Hampton II, CEO & Founder True Cut Lawn Service & Landscaping LLC, O’Fallon, Mo. TORCHLIGHT

This is just the beginning. Visit our AI HQ High school juniors for at BBB.org/AI or scan thecan QR apply code to learn BBB’s Student of Ethics Award! more on: • • • • •

Winners receive a $2,500 higher AI-powered search (answer engines) education scholarship.

Improving customer experience with AI Using to streamline your marketing VisitAIBBB.org/stlsoe or scan to Data collection and storage with AI apply by May 30, 2025.

BBB’s standards for ethical AI usage

SPRING 2025 | 7

Canine Handler Jennifer White, Piper (left), Canine Handler Katie Blaire and Percy (right) of Rottler Pest Solutions pose with furniture donated to Home Sweet Home by St. Louis businesses and consumers.

A NOSE FOR GOOD How a BBB Accredited Business and a nonprofit are thinking outside the box to create trust and peace of mind for St. Louis families Rottler Pest Solutions takes an adorable approach to bed bug treatment: Canine inspectors. Their working beagles, Piper and Percy, help customers across St. Louis sniff out bed bugs before they spread.

Piper and Percy don’t just help homeowners, though – they team up with Home Sweet Home, a nonprofit providing home furnishings to underserved families, to help their clients feel peace of mind.

Rottler and Home Sweet Home’s working relationship began when the latter received a large donation of mattresses from a local hotel that needed inspections. “We began

8 | BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU

supporting their incredible mission to help individuals and their families in need,” said Jennifer White, Canine Handler for Rottler Pest Solutions.

dogs receive. They are certified by the NESDCA, an organization that evaluates pest control dogs, and they practice their skills daily.

Canine inspectors are an innovative solution for bedbug detection. Bedbugs can be difficult to detect visually, even for skilled inspectors, and can hide in unexpected places like dresser drawers. Canine inspectors can find them quickly and with over 90% accuracy, according to Rottler.

Betsy Reznicek, Executive Director of Home Sweet Home, says the inspections help clients trust that they’re receiving safe, pest-free furniture. Home Sweet Home, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, has helped over 6,200 underserved families furnish their homes.

Piper and Percy went through roughly a year of training to learn how to find and alert for bedbugs, similar to the training bomb- or drug-detection

Reznicek explains that bedbugs can be a major concern for clients who have lost belongings or had to leave their housing in the past due to pests.

“For our families that come with a lot of mental health challenges and have to overcome a lot of social barriers, the fact that we can ensure they don’t have that one additional challenge of bedbugs can be life-changing,” Reznicek says. “While they’re not technically a health hazard, it can push people over the edge.”

Piper and Percy visit Home Sweet Home several times per year. Their visits began as a paid service for Home Sweet Home, but they’ve since agreed to an unpaid partnership that works for everyone: Home Sweet Home can provide even more security

name brand, it’s the individuals we’ve built relationships with,” she says.

“It’s about finding ways that your expertise can add value, whether it’s providing services, donating time or sharing resources.”

- Jennifer White, Rottler Pest Solutions

“It’s been really amazing because this used to stress us out,” she continues. “Now it’s like, no problem. We’ve got the person, we make the call, they show up, we know who’s coming. It’s helped my mental health as well to have that trust and respect.”

White agrees: “We want trust as a core of our partnership with Home Sweet Home...We “It’s not necessarily the love that Home Sweet Home trusts us to name brand, it’s the uphold their high stanindividuals we’ve built dards, and that their clients can feel confirelationships with.” dent with their wellbe- Betsy Reznicek, ing as a top priority for Home Sweet Home us and for them.”

to their clients, and Rottler receives the ultimate training ground for gainfully employed beagles.

“It’s mutually beneficial because it gives us the opportunity, as you see, to set up maintenance training for these guys. You can see the multitude of things that they’re able to inspect here that we don’t always have the opportunity to train around,” says White, referring to Home Sweet Home’s warehouse. “And all the distractions, all the noises, there’s a lot of scents, there’s a lot of movement.

So it’s been fantastic for us in building their confidence.”

“I love being able to have the dogs be part of something,” White adds. Reznicek agrees that the partnership is a good outreach opportunity for Rottler and the dogs, who meet Home Sweet Home’s staff, volunteers, clients and donors while they’re on the job.

TORCHLIGHT

“If you have a unique opportunity and you want to make a meaningful impact in the community, identify your core strengths and how the skills can serve that broader need,” she says.

“It’s about finding ways that your expertise can add value, whether it’s providing services, donating time or sharing resources.”

Reznicek contends that from a nonprofit perspective, the goal is for organizations to feel confident in reaching out when they need support. “We paid [Rottler] a first rate to come out, but we very quickly recognized there was a mutual benefit on the other side with training, too,” she explains.

“You have a very authentic need. Find those local companies that can make a difference and help in that way,” Reznicek says.

Home Sweet Home currently serves two counties, and they plan to scale up in the coming years to serve more agencies and families in four additional counties. Reznicek says partnerships with the local business world and support from the community at large have been instrumental – nearly all of Home Sweet Home’s donations are from individuals or businesses in the St. Louis region.

White and Reznicek emphasized that their partnership doesn’t just build trust for their clients and customers – they’ve established a solid working relationship between their two organizations as well.

Reznicek says her team appreciates having a direct connection to Rottler’s if they have questions or concerns, or to train staff on the signs of bedbugs.

“We could call a number of companies, right? But this is the one we keep coming back to, and it’s because of the people. It’s not necessarily the

With creative thinking and some unique resources, Rottler and Home Sweet Home were able to meet an important need for local families.

White encourages other BBB Accredited Businesses to consider how they might be able to extend the reach of their own innovations to foster trust and collaboration.

Blaire, Percy (left), Home Sweet Home Executive Director Betsy Reznicek (center), White and Piper (right) at Home Sweet Home’s warehouse in Maplewood, Mo.

“The sad news is that there will always be a need for this service. The good news is it’s really easy for people to get involved. And the community has been really, really great,” she says. BBB

SPRING 2025 | 9

WHAT’S NEW WITH YOUR BBB In February, BBB Springfield Regional Director Pamela Hernandez made an appearance on Harmony House’s Voices Against Violence podcast to discuss romance scams. Harmony House provides shelter, advocacy and education to survivors of domestic violence.

BBB makes educational presentations on marketplace trust and ethics for business, community and student groups, free of charge!

Contact outreach@stlouisbbb.org to schedule a presentation for your group.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR BUSINESS BBB LEARNING HUB

Your one-stop shop for professional development — for any industry! Browse ethics-based courses for you and your employees and build skills that will help you grow your business. Plus, BBB Accredited Businesses receive a special discount.

Check it out: Visit BBB.org/ Learning or scan the QR code Use discount code BBBSTLOUIS30 at checkout

LEADERSHIP LEARNING SERIES

The Leadership Learning Series is a series of webinars exclusively for Accredited Business owners and staff who want to elevate their leadership skills and stay ahead of the curve on industry trends.

At BBB.org/ Learning, you can access all upcoming and past webinars, including AIfocused sessions led by Pete Blackshaw and Hank Hudepohl of BrandRank.AI.

10 | BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU

BBB WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS BBB appointed new members to its St. Louis Board of Directors and Regional Advisory Boards for 2025. We’d like to extend a big welcome and thank them for their support of BBB!

CAPE GIRARDEAU Laura Coalter Parker, Coalter Insurance Group Jamie Hunsaker, Aisin Electronics Illinois LLC

COLUMBIA Sarah Brown, The Beauty Trap Thomas McCormack, M5 Contracting

SPRINGFIELD Sam Arthur, ACIS IT Solutions Daniel Koren, Branson/Springfield Roofing Co. Rafael Vite, Primate Digital Marketing

ST. LOUIS Sean Nesbit, Fence & Deck Depot Bryant Summers, Graybar Launders Wince, Ameren Mo.

BBB POLLING Your support allows us to conduct research to help businesses and consumers work better together.

We asked BBB Accredited Businesses: Which of the following types of new technologies do you anticipate using in your business in 2025?

We asked consumers: In your opinion, what is the best way to reduce fraud in the marketplace?

Jan. - Feb. 2025, 177 local respondents in 65 industries

Feb. 2025, 445 local respondents ages 18-75

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN! 2025 TORCH AWARDS FOR ETHICS Your business could be a winner!

BBB’s Torch Awards for Ethics recognize the organizations in our communities that meet high standards for excellence in trust and ethics.

Visit BBB.org/stltorch or scan the QR code to apply for this year’s awards by May 23, 2025.

TORCHLIGHT

SPRING 2025 | 11

Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Missouri & Southern Illinois 211 N. Broadway, Suite 2060 St. Louis, MO 63102

Search Engine Solution+ When customers search, help them find YOU.

BBB Search Engine Solution+ brings new customers to you by combining trust in BBB with the power of search engine marketing.

We create ads that feature your logo alongside the recognized and trusted BBB Seal, driving customers to click through to your BBB Business Profile.

SES+ also re-targets people who have shown interest in your business or industry before, bringing you engaged new customers!

You worked hard to earn your BBB Seal.

Make sure it’s working as hard as it can for you.

For more information, contact Mike McCarthy 314-584-6747 | mmccarthy@stlouisbbb.org