Catalyst - The Business Magazine (3rd Qtr 2015)

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

3RD QTR 2015

MOVING IN

Plans for Arnold Hall

SUMMER READS

Exclusive information about Lee’s Summit’s largest new development • page 16

Business Books You’ll Want to Read

MONEY MATTERS

Understanding Why Cash is Still King

LSmeansbusiness.com

Collaboration...

Our robust education system and skilled work force may have something to do with the fact that more than 5,000 successful businesses are proud to call Lee’s Summit home. Or maybe it’s because we’re conveniently located to all surrounding metropolitan areas. Or it could be that our resourceful, responsive and collaborative community business environment fosters the belief that when businesses succeed, we all prosper. No matter how you look at it, Lee’s Summit is a quality place to live, work and invest.

Yours Truly, LSmeaNSbuSiNeSS.cOm | 816.525.6617

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Advisor of the Year Award” recognizes professional advisors for their work in is presented at the Toast to Our Towns gala.

Bringing the Heat There’s something inspiring about this time of year. Maybe it’s the promise of abundant sunshine, or maybe it’s all the activities that come with summertime. Either way, summer is officially here and things are heating up at the Lee’s Summit Chamber.

In May, the Chamber announced the 2015 Business of the Year winners, and in June celebrated the completion of the depot renovations. A few weeks later, we hosted another sell-out golf tournament. All the while, Chamber new member volume continues to grow at an exciting pace and the Lee’s Summit business community is buzzing. Our real estate market remains hot; new developments are popping up around town; more workers than ever before are traveling into Lee’s Summit; and it is becoming more clear to outsiders that Lee’s Summit means business.

To all of our current members, I say ‘Thank You.’ Your membership allows our organization to continue creating opportunities for business success through networking and advocacy, as well as business and professional development. The Chamber is proud to provide leadership by serving as a catalyst for the economic growth and prosperity of the Lee’s Summit community.

If you are not a current member of our organization, I invite you to attend an upcoming event to see what the Chamber is all about. Check out pages 41 and 42 for a list of upcoming events. Pick out two events of interest to you and call 816.524.2424 to make a reservation, or register easily online at LSchamber.com. I hope to see you soon.

Yours Truly,

JOE STASI, SAINT LUKE’S EAST HOSPITAL 2015 Chamber Chair of the Board CHAMBER STAFF Nancy Bruns, CCE, President Matt Baird, Director of Business & Governmental Relations Stephanie Kusek, Director of Communications Stacy Needels, Director of Special Events Cathy Young, IOM, Director of Member Services Darla Hall, Advertising Manager Gina Seibel, Creative Director Anne Aubuchon, Administrative Assistant Nedra Hoover, Bookkeeper Marilyn Pemberton, Part-time Assistant 4 | CATALYST - BUSINESS MAGAZINE

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

3RD QTR 2015

PUBLISHER Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce CHAMBER PRESIDENT Nancy Bruns, CCE ADVERTISING MANAGER Darla Hall CREATIVE DIRECTOR Gina Seibel COPY EDITOR Stephanie Kusek _______________________________ EDITORIAL STAFF Darla Hall Stephanie Kusek Gina Seibel _______________________________ CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Robin Blakely, Brad Cox, Rick McDowell, Jim McKenna, Ben Seidel and Kathy Hunter _______________________________ ADVERTISING For advertising information, contact Darla Hall dhall@lschamber.com 816.524.2424 _______________________________ PRESS RELEASES Send to gseibel@lschamber.com _______________________________

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ENTREPRENEURS CORNER • pg. 8 Learn Andy Lock’s keys to restaurant success.

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ECONOMIC UPDATE • pg. 26 Area developer celebrates 20th anniversary.

FEATURE STORY - GAME CHANGER • pg. 16 Development kicks off at I-470 and View High Drive COMMUNITY FOCUSED The “service” business TRULY THE BEST Meet the award winners

Professional Installation

MONEY MATTERS Cash is king GET TO KNOW A CEO Summit Flooring & Turf’s Angela Grego NEW TO TOWN Ted’s Café Escondido STAYING RELEVANT Marketing don’ts PRO TIPS Standing out in a crowded industry SURVEY SAYS Favorite business books CHAMBER UPDATE Depot renovations complete PERSON TO PERSON Meet Eliene Blundell ECONOMIC EXPANSION Latest news from LSEDC

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SOCIAL BUZZ Evaluating social media DOING GOOD Local foundation funds several grants LOOKING AHEAD Networking events calendar

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Because Lee’s Summit means business, we’ve enthusiastically created a “one stop shop” for our customers to quickly navigate each step of the business and development process from start to finish. We think this collaborative approach creates the optimum environment for economic growth and development for both the community and our business partners who call Lee’s Summit home.

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In Corner

Entrepreneurs Moving

Andy Lock’s dream was to be a professional football player.

During his senior year at the University of Missouri, he received an offer to play for the New York Giants. When he was cut from the team, he realized he hadn’t given any thought to life after football, but knew he had to do something since both school and football were over. Because his degree was in restaurant/ hotel management, he applied to be a waiter at Everett’s in Columbia, Mo., simply because it was his favorite restaurant.

Sometimes it takes just one decision to determine a path in life.

Andy Lock has now been in the restaurant business for 26 years.

Lock worked for the Everett’s organization for 17 years, making his way up to running the restaurant in Columbia. He even met his wife Laura, a teller at the bank they used, and he sweettalked her into working for him. They moved to Lee’s Summit so he could build and run a new Everett’s restaurant.

Eventually, Lock left Everett’s to run McCormick and Schmick’s and M&S Grill on the Plaza. “Looking back, it is the combination of those two experiences…an independent operation where I learned to be a true businessman and a corporate restaurant where I learned all the systems that make restaurants successful…it is that combination which I attribute my personal success in this business,” said Lock. In addition, it was at McCormick and Schmick’s where he met his current business partner, Domhnall Molloy.

Lock was the general manager and Molloy was the executive chef when they were identified as leaders by the M&S executive team. They were both promoted to regional directors and in ten years, they were responsible for 12 to 16 restaurants with revenues of $70 to 100 million.

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Working for himself became Lock’s second dream. He and Malloy had a closed-door promise; if the opportunity arose, they would start their own business. When McCormick and Schmick’s was sold and their mentor left, it became a good time to transition. They were able to purchase Rumors, the restaurant where Everett’s used to be, and in October 2012 Summit Grill & Bar opened in Lee’s Summit.

“It’s scary to say it, but the difference between opening a restaurant and running a restaurant are so dramatically different. Opening a restaurant is one of the hardest things you can do, from facility to product to staff performance. There’s a million things you have to juggle,” said Lock.

The restaurant quietly opened without promotion. “This is going to sound really funny, but the best recipe of success is to not to be busy when you first open. We did nothing but make sure inside our four walls were ready and our doors were open.

And we knew that if we executed, we would grow our business steadily over time and as time went by, we would get better at what we did. I’ve seen this recipe work over and over,” said Lock.

Two things contribute to the success of each Summit Grill & Bar location. Lock believes you are only as successful as the people you surround yourself with; secondly, they’ve benefited from a strong menu, offering the customers something a little bit different, making the infamous street tacos or Summit’s chicken fried chicken wildly popular.

“We put things on the menu we love to eat. There’s one word we use a lot – craveable. Think about a restaurant you like to go to. Let’s use Olive Garden as an example. Breadsticks. Or

Red Lobster. Cheddar biscuits. Pretty craveable. You don’t think of that restaurant. You think of what’s inside that restaurant. If you do everything else at your restaurant well and have your craveable foods, people will come,” said Lock.

The second Summit Grill & Bar opened in Waldo in October 2013, taking over the former Kennedy’s and Remedy. They’re utilizing the same business plan in Waldo as they did for their first restaurant, tweaking the menu to fit the smaller kitchen.

Their latest venture, 3rd Street Social, is projected to open in spring 2016 in historical Arnold Hall in downtown Lee’s Summit.

“We’re so excited because it’s going to be so cool. This has been a long process so we have a very clear vision of what it’s going to be like. We think downtown Lee’s Summit is going to be one of the hottest areas in the Kansas City area and we want to be a part of it.”

Though they hoped to open by the end of the year, the historical aspect of the restaurant is worth adding to the timeline. “We love the brick, we love the barrel roof, and we’re going to incorporate skylights to add some natural light,” said Lock.

3rd Street Social’s design will feature great design elements both inside and out, including a wood-burning fireplace, wood bar with a copper top, brick walls from the original structure, a “fire

and ice” patio and more. The atmosphere of the restaurant can transition depending on the clientele and time of day. During happy hour, they might have the TVs down showing a sporting event; later on, the TVs go up, the music begins and the restaurant’s ambience changes for a different customer experience.

“I’ve been a part of this community since 1999. My kids grew up here and I feel a certain connection to Lee’s Summit, specifically downtown. What a great place to grow old, raise your kids, feel safe and secure, have everything you need and be surrounded by a bunch of great people,” Lock said. “I want to try to help where I can help and this is a way where I can not only help myself, I can help the City too. Where Lee’s Summit sits today is not even close to where we’re going to be in five years. I really appreciate this community and I see it every day, people supporting other companies in the Chamber and wanting local businesses to be successful.”

On the verge of opening a third restaurant; his wife, Laura, is enjoying her job as the Middle School Coordinator at Our Lady of the Presentation School; his son Drew is heading to the University of Missouri with an athletic scholarship, and his daughter Claire is learning to drive. Lock smiled and admitted, “It’s a good time right now in the Lock household, that’s for sure.”

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Focused

Community

The “Service” Business

by Brad Cox We’ve all seen a mission statement. Usually in the lobby and full of flowery and lofty aspirations. Most are good, well-intentioned and carefully thought out. My wife, Sandy Langsford-Cox and I decided to cut to the chase and reduce our “mission statement” to one word: service. If we apply that word to all the aspects of our various businesses, such as Langsford Funeral Home, Five Petals and the Emaline Ballroom; customers, employees, the business itself and the community, we accomplish what we want, and more importantly, what we should do in our business.

Customers, employees and business health are all important, but this article is about service in the community. Many means exist to do this, but the first question is, “Are you willing?”

Have you truly decided that giving back to your community is part of your business plan, just like your retirement, capital expenditures and employee training? It should be. It can be.

There are many people in our community who do an enormous amount of work with little recognition. I won’t embarrass them by naming them here; they rarely like attention called to them or the things they do. The real “doers” often go unnoticed, and too often unrecognized, though they are usually found behind the scenes giving their time, expertise, leadership and yes, oftentimes their money to help causes that benefit the community at large. They serve on boards, task forces, organizations and many other positions that advance the good of the community in too many ways to count. Remove this element from our town and the proverbial wheels come off.

“I don’t have time.” “I can’t give any money.” “I’m not a leader.”

All of these excuses are quite common and all are false. Service

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doesn’t mean 20 hours a week, thousands of dollars or being chairperson. It means finding what is important to you, finding what you can do to help in that regard and committing to do it.

You will be surprised at how much time you might actually be able to give, since money has a way of being raised when the cause is right, and leaders are more often made than born.

The commitment to participate is the most important part of the equation.

“Where do I start?” Anywhere, everywhere. Lee’s Summit has many things that make it remarkable and one of those things is its inclusiveness. If you want to, you can. There are plenty of business/community organizations such as the Chamber, EDC and Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street. There are service clubs like Rotary, Lions, Optimists, Scouts and many others. There is a whole list of boards and commissions on the City website you can apply to join. The list is endless, the opportunities varied. The point is, if you want your business to succeed, you have to help the community it operates in be successful. It’s much easier to do business in a thriving community than to struggle in one dying around you.

The question I leave you with is one often quoted by an old friend. Old, not because we’ve been friends for a long time… although we’re getting there…but because he truly is older than me. He often quotes a writer who is much smarter than he is, but it’s still a great quote.

“If not you, then who?” Answer that and you’ll be in the service business in no time.

“We don’t do this for recognition; it’s for giving back to the community.”

Sandy Langsford-Cox

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Brad and Sandy are too humble to share all the ways they help the community, but here at Catalyst we were able to compile a brief sampling of places where you can find these two volunteering...

•

Boys Scouts of America

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Boys and Girls Club of Kansas City

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Langsford House Youth Center

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Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce

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Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council

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Lee’s Summit Orchestra

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Lee’s Summit Parks Foundation

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Lee’s Summit Rotary

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Lee’s Summit Missouri Municipal Building Authority

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John Knox Hospice

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John Knox Foundation

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St. Luke’s Foundation’s Boo Ball

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Truman Heartland Community Advisory Board

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Powell Gardens

The Lee’s Summit CARES Character Business Sector strives to build businesses of character that make life better for employees, customers and the community. Learn more by visiting LScharacter.org/business.

3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 11

Truly the

Best

Chamber Announces Top Businesses for 2015 The Lee’s Summit Chamber recently announced the winners of the 2015 Truly the Best Business of the Year awards.

The four award winners include: MetroCARE-Lee’s Summit (nonprofit with less than 20 employees); A Thyme for Everything (five or less employees); Lakewood Animal Health Center (6-20 employees); and Hollis + Miller Architects (more than 20 employees).

MetroCARE-Lee’s Summit improves access to medical care for uninsured residents through volunteerism among health care providers. MetroCARE opened its Lee’s Summit site in 2011 in response to requests from members of the Lee’s Summit Health Education Advisory Board per the Lee’s Summit 360◦ strategic plan.

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A Thyme for Everything, a culinary retail shop located in downtown Lee's Summit, carries a diverse array of merchandise including cooking tools, dishes for entertaining, gourmet food and specialty gifts. The store also offers cooking classes taught by industry professionals, holds private events and hosts team builders for companies and corporations.

Lakewood Animal Health Center strives to meet the best standards within veterinary medicine. As part of their commitment to their customers, they are accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association, they maintain the latest in medical equipment and have an educated and professional team of people to serve you.

“For us, winning the Truly the Best Business of the Year award is a huge morale boost to our team,” said Julie Dyer with Lakewood Animal Health Center. “Our team t-shirts say ‘Pawsitively the Best’; and we try to live it every day!

This acknowledgment from the Lee’s Summit community gives us such encouragement and pride in a job well done! We all love what we do; and taking care of pets has to be one of the best jobs around!”

Hollis + Miller Architects empowers communities through smart and inspiring learning environments that have a rewarding experience and a successful impact on clients. As the longest continuously practicing architecture firm in the greater Kansas City area, the firm offers master planning, architecture and design, interior design, structural engineering and architectural environmental graphic design services.

Winners are selected based on their service to the Chamber and to the community, prudent business practice, stability/growth, history of good employee relations, effective marketing strategies, technology resource management, growth in number of employees and the application presentation.

Winners from the Past Five Years 2010 candid marketing agency Summit Strength Physical Therapy, LLC Summit Christian Academy 2011 Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street Steppin’ Out–The Studio Marian’s Kids Lakewood Counseling TMC 2012 Hope House Cartridge World–Lee’s Summit Weed Man ReDiscover 2013 Lee’s Summit Social Services Cinematic Visions Lee’s Summit Journal MCC–Longview 2014 Pro Deo Youth Center Julia Hampton, CPA Douglas Tire & Auto Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic School

3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 13

Matters

Money

Cash is King

by Kathy Hunter

Cash flow is the lifeblood to the health of any business. While most business owners find that negotiating the sale is the most exciting aspect of their business, it’s their cash flow that allows them to maintain their desired lifestyle. So what are some good rules to manage business cash flow?

Simply put: 1. Never run out of cash 2. Negotiate reasonable payment terms with vendors 3. Manage your inventory, not too much and not too little 4. Invoice customers timely and collect when it’s due 5. Increase sales when the time is right; more revenue doesn’t always mean increased cash flow Sounds easy, right….

Here are some tips that business owners have shared over time.

The critical message to take away is that sometimes the obvious isn’t so obvious until you take time to think through what is causing your shortfall in cash. Is it growing pains or do you need to revise some of your current business practices?

CASH ON HAND: Entrepreneurs as a general rule love to operate with “other people’s money.” That’s fine as long as you know when and where it’s coming from. Otherwise, it’s time to hold some cash in “reserves” for those peaks and valleys.

PAYABLES: Identify your top vendors. Consider picking up the phone to find out how important you are to them. Are longer

payment terms available? Are discounts available if you pay sooner?

Higher profit margins or more favorable terms can contribute to improved cash flow.

INVENTORY: Purchasing inventory requires a skillful hand. Buy too much and you risk tying up your cash on the shelf or risk obsolescence. Purchase too little, and you miss an opportunity for a sale. By performing inventory analysis and audits more frequently, you can analyze turnover rates and adjust your purchasing to correspond with client demands. Remember, slower moving inventory should be priced with higher profit margins.

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Inking the deal is a good day; collecting payment is what it is all about. Send out invoices as soon as possible. Clearly state your terms on the invoice, including any penalty if not met. Consider offering incentives for prepayment; discounts for early payments; or the option to pay using a credit card. Dedicate time to contact those who still owe.

INVOICING: If you wait to send out invoices, you are delaying the collection of your money. Consider sending invoices by email, so you have a record of it being sent. The sooner the cash is in the bank, the sooner you can put it back to work.

SALES STRATEGIES: Growing your business can put a strain on cash if not well planned. Will you need to buy equipment, hire people or increase goods before you can achieve increased sales?

Plan accordingly. Low and slow usually takes less cash upfront than rapid growth. Some business owners have pursued growth as the solution to their cash flow crunch only to find that they increased their dilemma in the process.

You work hard in your business, and a healthy cash flow should be one of the benefits you enjoy. In a perfect world, you would accurately project your cash flows and avoid liquidity issues. In reality, all businesses can experience a cash crunch from time to time. It is essential to understand where and why your cash is tied up. Then it’s all about using those tricks to shorten the cycle so you can return to business as usual.

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16 | CATALYST - BUSINESS MAGAZINE

LEE’S SUMMIT SCORES BIG WITH NEW DEVELOPMENT Great things take time. Great developments take even longer. Flip Short bought 55 acres of land adjacent to Lee’s Summit city property in 2005. Bill Brown set up his company in late 2007. Short and Brown started sharing a mutual vision in 2008. The key players on the development team have met every Thursday for years. The Lee’s Summit City Council announced in July 2012 it had selected Happy Valley Properties to develop 77 acres of city property north of I-470 near View High Drive.

“This location is just phenomenal,” said Short, in describing the site at the gateway to western Lee’s Summit. Bordered by the interstate, the Little Blue River and the Rock Island Railroad, the property encompasses more than 100 acres, with the addition of 22 acres from Jackson County.

All these years and all this planning set in motion nothing less than the construction of “the nation’s best sports facility,” according to Flip Short, founder of Happy Valley Properties. “No one has ever done such a grandiose project as this. There will not be another one like it in the United States and probably the world. Right now, you cannot find a synthetic grass, lit soccer field that has any place where you can get something to eat, unless it’s at the concession stand.”

The process would have been daunting to anyone less than these determined, patient developers with a long-term vision. They’ve already spent years on time-consuming feasibility studies, wetland assessments and future infrastructure needs, dreaming of what could be. Now the actual development process finally begins. They plan to start work on engineering documents in fall 2015, break ground in spring 2016 and have the multisports complex fully operational in spring 2017.

Flip Short (left) and Bill Brown (right) proudly announce the first group to fly their flag over the Paragon Star clubhouse. KC Select, one of Kansas City’s premier youth soccer organizations with more than 80 teams, has found its home. KC Select currently has teams ranked on the state, regional and national levels.

“This sports complex will be the epicenter of an axis of development that is going to happen. You will see more development down View High Drive and this will kick off even more development down I-470. People will have to see it, and when they do, they will finally get it,” said Brown.

3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 17

Story

Feature

Both Short and Brown have been rather tight-lipped to date, preferring to stay quiet until they had actual developments to report. In late June, Short stated, “This project is real and it is moving forward.”

In the first of a series of announcements, exclusive to Catalyst, Happy Valley Properties is pleased to release to the public the official name of the property: Paragon Star.

“A paragon is a model for excellence,” explained Short.

“And ‘star’ because of the five different aspects of this project, including sports, hotel, business, residential and entertainment.” Short knows it’s different but he likes the idea of an unusual, memorable name, similar to Zona Rosa.

So, what does an enterprise of this scale look like?

Here’s a breakdown of what is being planned for the Paragon Star village: •

10 sports fields, lighted with synthetic turf

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Championship field accomodating 3,500 to 5,000 spectators

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120-room LEED-certified hotel, looking out over the Little Blue Trace and the sports complex

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50,000-square-foot Entertainment Center, including a 6-8 screen theatre, bowling alley and more

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23,000-square-foot Clubhouse with viewing deck of championship field

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Office space in clubhouse for Paragon Industries

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Eight outdoor sand volleyball pits

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Hiking and biking trails

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90,000-square-foot Class A office building

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Parking Garage

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Retail and Eating Spaces

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200-250 multi-family upscale apartments

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Additional soccer fields in Phase 2

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A projected park, either through Jackson County or Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation

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“This is going to be a big deal. We are looking at ways to keep people here, to keep their dollars here,” said Short. A firm in Chicago did a feasibility study and based on only 21 weekends, there would be a need for 30,000 bed nights just for those 21 tournaments. There are only 450 hotel rooms in Lee’s Summit right now.”

“We see an entertainment district coming out of this when you look at the mix of amenities we’re going to offer,” said Brown. “Lee’s Summit has an eating and entertainment dollar leakage. Eastern Jackson County does not have an entertainment center. Right now, 90,000 cars go through this intersection every day. We could attract dollars from northern Cass, Raymore, Peculiar, Independence,

Blue Springs, Pleasant Hill, even Warrensburg. In time, there will be 20,000 people working a few miles away at Cerner’s new facility.

Where are they going to go to eat? For entertainment? The western edge of Lee’s Summit is primed to take advantage of this.”

The complex will be high-design architecture, yet the model of sustainability, both the development and the day-to-day operational aspects. It will be “very green,” using both solar and geo-thermal alternative energies. LEED or LEED-like building standards will be upheld and the plans are for the entire site to have its own recycling program. In addition, it will be “teched-out,” using Google fiber in the office buildings.

What does this mean to Lee’s Summit? “This is a community project and, let me tell you, Flip has approached it that way from the beginning,” said Brown. “What is good for Lee’s Summit has been at the heart of all this effort to make this happen.

This is Lee’s Summit. Nature. Kids. Activity. This is so Lee’s Summit. We want everyone who lives here to be proud.”

...but wait, there’s more.

Another one of Short’s companies, The Family Ranch, LLC, is a land reclamation project, located north of I-470 along Pryor Road. Approximately 70 acres in that area currently sit on a mine. Taking an unsafe, dangerous mine with a collapsing roof, the Family Ranch proposed dropping the ceiling, mining the rock and turning it into saleable gravel.

It was a lengthy process to become operational, and there were public hearings due to concerns.

Eventually, The Family Ranch received approval from the Missouri Public Safety Commission to utilize controlled blasting of the underground pillars. Through the process, the roof areas of the mine collapse, leaving a level surface that can be utilized for development.

In addition to clearing the brownfield, the finished aggregate is available for the utilities, concrete and asphalt needed for the Paragon Star multi-sports complex to the east, with virtually no transportation costs…a win-win situation.

“The whole operation is very innovative because it takes an abandoned limestone mine – an economic brownfield – and allows us to harvest the rock. Massive rock crushers take rocks from eight inches to 42 inches and turns them into half-inch rock, a revenue source. Plus, once it gets down to bedrock, moving east to west, you can use the dirt you’ve removed from the mining operation for backfill, creating land for development,” said Short.

3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 19

Get to Know a

CEO

“I just want other businesspeople, especially women, to know that they can do this. I’m not any different than anyone else. If I can do it, you can do it. If you have a dream, go for it.”

Breaking New Ground Summit Flooring & Turf • 1051 SE Century Drive

Angela Grego is a survivor. She’s a survivor of the economic downfall of 2008, which was felt first and the hardest by those in the real estate field. She wasn’t making any money in real estate and looked to recreate herself out of necessity. She capitalized on something her husband, Kirk, said and turned it into a thriving business. As owner of Mid-America Golf and Landscape, he encouraged her to explore the use of synthetic grass for landscaping in the midwest.

Grego began in the artificial turf industry in 2008, but business really took off when she joined forces with SYNLawn, a sister company of AstroTurf, and the industry leader in synthetic turf.

“Everything’s green because we don’t have droughts here in the midwest, like they do in the west, east and southern Texas, so I had to develop a niche,” said Grego. She began developing the

playground niche and was so successful, it became a new area of growth for SYNLawn nationally.

“I continued to constantly network, market, advertise and go out and ‘see the people’ as my husband says,” said Grego. “I was always out there making sure potential customers were seeing the product and knowing its advantages. For instance, we were able to get in front of all the facilities managers at the school districts which helped a lot.”

Grego was one of the top three suppliers in 2013 for SYNLawn, largely because of exclusive relationships with school districts such as Blue Valley and Blue Springs. They now have the contract for the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District to do its playground surfacing.

Synthetic grass has a myriad of uses, primarily commercial, though Grego is happy to help residential customers as well. It can be utilized for landscaping, pet areas and dog runs, decks, patios and rooftop event spaces.

Professional golf grass and backyard putting greens remain its primary use. SYNLawn recently installed a putting green in Tom Watson’s backyard and he was so satisfied with the product, he is now onboard doing national marketing for SYNLawn.

In 2014, their lease was up, so Grego decided to expand into flooring when Mohawk offered her the opportunity to have a Color Center Elite Store. “We decided to go for it and found a larger building that would fulfill my dream of having a boutique style flooring store,” said Grego. “I wanted it to feel homey because more than 95 percent of the original flooring buyers are women and I wanted to appeal to them.”

Thus, Summit Flooring & Turf was born. The store, located at 1051 SE Century Drive, east of Home Depot in Lee’s Summit, offers a range of flooring to suit the house flipper or the DIYer to the highest quality flooring made. Even though ceramic tiles and wood flooring continue to be popular, one of the best sellers is a long-lasting, wood-look tile. Buyers love Mohawk’s “Forever Clean” carpet, which repels spills and stains, even red wine and nail polish.

“We have silks, Karastan, nylon and Berber. We’re even getting a full line of Karastan wool flooring,” said Grego. “It’s carpet that will last you a lifetime.” Grego wishes people would realize the availability of flooring in Lee’s Summit. “You don’t have to drive to Johnson County for flooring. We have everything you need right here.”

Summit Flooring & Turf, a woman-owned business, is working on a WEB certification, which will enable Grego to bid on flooring for government buildings and playgrounds for organizations such as Jackson County Parks and Recreation.

Summit Flooring & Turf’s revenues climbed to more than $2 million in 2013 and, as of May 2015, Summit Flooring & Turf is on track for a record year.

DANCE FOR FUN! DANCE FOR LIFE! 816-525-7464 • steppinoutthestudio.com 750 W Main Street • Lee’s Summit, MO

THE LEGACY OF DANCE IN LEE’S SUMMIT Phyllis Balagna has 26 years of dance and performing arts instruction to the children of Lee’s Summit. She is thrilled that both her daughters, Jennifer and Jill, have joined the outstanding faculty at Steppin’ Out. Steppin’ Out - The Studio is 100% synonymous with outstanding training and is the area leader in dance education and performance, from preschool to professional.

3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 21

CHAMBER GOLF CLASSIC • Foursome Ben Chinnery, Carl Chinnery, Steve Begshaw and Lanny Maness golfed on behalf of Chinnery, Evans and Nail, P.C. which sponsored the putting contest at this year’s Chamber Golf Classic.

DEPOT RENOVATION CELEBRATION Rob Lund listens as Cathy Young with the Lee’s Summit Chamber explains the many different phases of the Chamber’s extensive depot renovation.

RECESS FOR SUCCESS SEMINAR • Attendees Rick Kehr, Tonya Maddox, Kelsey Starks and Tim Shrout enjoy an interactive moment at a recent Recess for Success.

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CHAMBER GOLF CLASSIC Though it was warm, there was no rain at the Chamber Golf Classic this year. Katie Accurso, Roger Accurso, Rex White and Jane Scheid, representing Reinhart Foodservice, enjoyed playing on the course at WinterStone Golf Course.

CHAMBER AFTER HOURS • Amanda North, Mike Maksin and Leon Schumacher enjoyed grilled burgers and brats, refreshments and networking at the Chamber After Hours held at Duct Doctor USA of Kansas City.

RECESS FOR SUCCESS SEMINAR • Angela Brown, a presenter on how to proactively sell to different personalities, overcome objectives and increase closing percentages, gives one-on-one advice to Megan Gray at a recent Recess for Success event.

3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 23

Town

New to

By Hand with Heart

Ted’s Café Escondido • 636 NE 291 Highway • Tedscafe.com

Al Lejarzar, president and COO and Danny Ragusa, district manager

If you believe that a business should be judged from the top down, you will think highly of Ted’s Café Escondido. Al Lejarzar, President and COO of Ted’s Café Escondido, recently showed Catalyst around their operation in Overland Park. Ted’s Café is set to open in mid-July, at the former Deals location at Chipman and Highway 291 in Lee’s Summit.

Entering Ted’s Café Escondido, customers or “guests,” as Ted’s likes to refer to them, receive a warm welcome. Everything has been carefully thought out, from ample lobby seating to bright, colorful décor. The walls feature hand-painted murals and signs, including the one reading, “By Hand with Heart since 1991,” signifying the year Ted’s Café was founded in a house in Oklahoma City. Set back from the road, one could drive down the street and not know it was there, hence the addition of Escondido, or “hidden café”, to the name. “We haven’t changed the things that brought crowds to the original Ted’s,” said Lejarzar. “We kept the things that were important…service and food.” The entryway also has a distinctive “To Go” area, where an employee checks the order with you to make sure it’s correct.

Ted’s Café insists on the “freshest, premium ingredients” in everything served, such as real cheese, prime or high choice beef; premium chicken, etc. The restaurant is known for its slow marinating process, a secret recipe making “Ted’s World Famous 24 | CATALYST - BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Fajitas” the most popular dinner. The meat marinates for 72 hours before their guests ever get a chance to eat it…no short cuts allowed. In addition to TexMex fare such as nachos, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, etc., specialties include pappas Mexicanos, garlic-infused mashed potatoes with green chilis and corn con crema, corn in a cream cheese based sauce with spices and chilis.

Ted’s doesn’t cut corners. In touring the immaculately clean, orderly kitchen area, one sees Ted’s commitment to quality does not end in the front area. Everything is the best it can be, from the “Cadillac” dishwashing system, to the over-the-top HVAC system keeping the kitchen at normal temperatures.

“We choose to have high standards as part of our culture,” says Lejarzar, explaining why they spared no expense in providing the best equipment.

Every table that orders an entrée receives complimentary fresh tortilla chips, salsa, warm cheese sauce and handmade flour tortillas, as well as sopapillas with honey, another practice endearing them to their guests. Guests can watch the flour tortillas being fried through a window in the indoor courtyard area; there’s even a bypass slot where kids can ask for a tortilla hot off the grill.

Ted’s also utilizes a team approach to service, training everyone to take care of each table as if it was their own.

“Nobody does it the way we do it,” said Lejarzar. “Our focus is 100 percent on the guest.

The average ticket time, from taking the order to receiving your food, is eight minutes.”

Lejarzar started at Ted’s Café about 10 years ago in an operations role. In 2013, a majority buy-in from the Beekman Group gave Ted’s the financial backing and connections it needed to expand, even though Lejarzar will say they’re just a “little ol’ mom and pop place spreading its wings.” Lee’s Summit will be its 10th restaurant and only its second one outside of Oklahoma; the Liberty location will open in the fall.

Lejarzar is in negotiations for two more locations in the Kansas City metro and thinks the area can support six to eight Ted’s Cafés eventually.

“We’re a family restaurant and we want to be a part of the community. We want our managers to be involved in the schools, churches and businesses,” said Lejarzar.

Ryan Walker is the general manager of the Lee’s Summit restaurant, which includes a separate bar and banquet area. Megan Chamberlain is the catering manager for the district. Lejarzar continues, “We love to cater. We catered 900 to 1,000 people at the University of Oklahoma’s football team’s media day and did it in 45 minutes. If we can make that happen, we can certainly cater any event your business has in mind.”

“It’s all about the people,” said Lejarzar, as to the success of Ted’s Café Escondido. That sentiment was echoed by Danny Ragusa, recently promoted to district manager of the Kansas City area, who also came to Ted’s about 10 years. “It’s a great company to work for. Great culture and great teamwork…it’s second to none,” said Ragusa.

The Sandler Selling System® relies heavily on the 3 Rs. Reinforcement, Reinforcement and Reinforcement.

Sandler Training™ utilizes continual reinforcement through ongoing training and individual coaching sessions. The combination helps you learn more quickly and ensures your success. With a training center in Lee’s Summit to provide support, you won’t fail…we won’t let you.

Jeff Driskill Driskill Business Development Group, Inc. An Authorized Sandler Training™ Licensee 816-591-4438 / jeff.driskill@sandler.com www.driskill.sandler.com

Sandler Sales Institute and S Sandler Sales Institute (with design) are registered service marks of Sandler Systems, Inc. S Sandler Sales Institute Finding Power in Reinforcement (with design) and Finding Power in Reinforcement are service marks of Sandler System, Inc. ©2007 Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 25

Economic

Update

Area Developer Celebrates 20th Anniversary

If you’ve heard about or eaten at the new Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue restaurant in Lee’s Summit, and who hasn’t, you have RED Development to thank. The development, which has been years in the making, is the first free-standing, built from the ground up restaurant for the Jack Stack organization. Both parties wanted to ensure it was in the right location in eastern Jackson County.

Thankfully, it ended up in SummitWoods Crossing in Lee’s Summit.

To add to the excitement, RED Development is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2015. Starting with BarryWoods Crossing in the Northland in 1995, RED is headquartered in Phoenix, with a local office in Overland Park and a recently opened third office in Dallas.

RED oversees 31 properties in 12 states with a total of 16 million square feet, all retail, commercial and mixed-use properties.

SummitWoods Crossing, an 800,000-square-foot center, was RED’s first venture into Lee’s Summit, welcoming all new merchants.

Since its opening in 2001, the shopping center has remained 100 percent leased, becoming the crown jewel of RED Development.

“SummitWoods Crossing has been a phenomenal shopping center and continues to be the reason why RED Development wants to continue expanding in Jackson County,” said Eric Mann, director of development at RED Development. “Retailers and restaurants look at that shopping center and want to be in this market because they know how successful SummitWoods Crossing is.”

RED’s second project in Lee’s Summit was Summit Fair in 2007, a 507,000-square-foot outdoor lifestyle center anchored by Macy’s and JCPenney. Opened during a recession, Summit Fair is now 92 percent leased with higher-end retail stores than those in SummitWoods Crossing. Besides retailers such as White House Black Market, Francesca’s, Charming Charlie, etc., it also is home to local and regional stores such as Heavenly Olive Oils, Micah’s Boutique, Whim, Escapist Skateboarding, Topsy’s Popcorn and Smallcakes. Residents anxiously anticipate the opening of Victoria’s Secret in fall 2015, as well as Torrid, an exclusive plus-size store for young adults, opening this summer.

The final piece of Summit Fair is a 38,000-square-foot retail building in the lot southeast of the current retail shops, as well

26 | CATALYST - BUSINESS MAGAZINE

as the development of three pad sites. Discussions are underway with several new tenants and restaurants with hopes to begin construction in fall 2015 or early spring 2016.

“SummitWoods Crossing and Summit Fair both serve as destination points for the region, attracting customers not only from Lee’s Summit and communities to the south, but also those down Highway 50 to Sedalia,” said Katie McDonald, marketing coordinator for RED Development. “We receive a lot of compliments on the upkeep of our centers because they’re nice, welcoming, family-friendly shopping centers.” Shoppers like the range of stores from lifestyle and everyday needs, to national retailers and local enterprises.

Public private partnership financing called TIFs were utilized for all three developments. The TIF for SummitWoods Crossing was paid off in 11 years, sooner than the 23 years allowed, thus allowing revenues from that point forward to go back to the city and school district.

Eric Mann, dir. of development and Katie McDonald, marketing coordinator

“Everybody we’ve worked with from the city staff and the City Council to the EDC and the Chamber and just the business community in general have been wonderful to work with. It’s so much easier to work in a community where you’re supported…people want you to be there and want you to grow and expand. That’s what the Lee’s Summit community has meant to RED,” said Mann.

Due to the success of SummitWoods Crossing, RED Development plans to develop a third shopping center in Lee’s Summit, called Summit Place. Projected at 350,000 square feet, the first phase includes 250,000 square feet and the second phase is estimated at 100,000 square feet.

Tenants for this center are stores generally 10,000 to 20,000 square feet in size, similar to SummitWoods Crossing.

“Summit Place will house businesses new to Lee’s Summit, and could even be new to the metropolitan area,” said Mann.

RED Development is excited about the infrastructure changes going on in Lee’s Summit and hopes to benefit from the extension of Tudor Road and the advent of the Missouri Innovation Campus, granting easier access for customers to the east. As Mann reiterated, “Right now our focus is filling up Summit Fair and starting Summit Place. Locally, we’re here and we’re not going anywhere. We want to expand because of the success that we’ve gained from the support of the community, residents, businesses and everyone else standing behind us.”

“We have some great events coming up we’re excited about,” said Katie McDonald. “Fall into Fashion will take place during the entire month of September. For every $250 spent at any Summit Fair store, shoppers can be entered to win $500 in gift cards to the store of your choice. We’re also hosting the Run Like a Girl 5k on August 23.”

3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 27

Relevant

Staying

Disappearing Brands Keep Marketing in Mind to Keep Your Business Around

by Jim McKenna In this rapidly-changing world, brands that fail to stay relevant can disappear overnight. Don’t believe me? Just ask Blockbuster, Atari, Circuit City, Sharper Image, Polaroid and Borders. All were once category leaders that unfortunately lost their way and now all reside in the branding bone-yard, where once great brands go to die.

KEY TO SURVIVAL

TOP 10 REASONS BRANDS FAIL

Marketing allows you to reinforce the essence of your brand through consistent and relevant messaging that attracts and retains both customers and investors by distinguishing your business from the competition.

1. Insufficient or irrelevant research 2. Not looking at their business from the consumer’s perspective 3. Focusing on short-term results 4. “We’ve always done it this way” mindset 5. Not following the strategy either because of internal dissidents or the lure of some new, bright and shiny objects 6. Failure to grasp the true essence of your brand 7. Cutting or underfunding your marketing investment budget 8. Lack of a consistent voice and graphic presentation across all mediums and media vehicles 9. Giving in to the negative and restrictive self-serving departmental silo mentality 10. Not delivering what you promise

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Have an uncanny ability to remain calm

EQUITYBANKNAPKINSTORIES.COM Member FDIC

909 NE Rice Rd | 301 SE Main St | 1251 SW Oldham Pkwy 2ND QUARTER - 2015 | 5 816.554.7000

Tips

Pro

Standing Out in a Crowded Industry For more than 40 years, Tim Morehead spent his days intertwined in the demands of the corporate world. He put in his time building business plans, performing analyses and nurturing relationships. Armed with the knowledge and experience he gained, in combination with his ambition, he decided to launch his own business.

In August 2005, Tim and his son Tyler started Morehead Agency, LLC, a branch of Nationwide Insurance providing value-added insurance and risk management services to customers in Lee's Summit and surrounding communities. Taking what they already knew, they began building the foundation for what turned out to be a successful endeavor during a tough recession.

That foundation consisted of a solid, yet constantly evolving business plan. By creating executable action plans with timetables and conducting regular SWOT analyses, the Moreheads were able to maintain a flexible plan. Part of that flexibility is keeping up with trends and emerging concepts by reading articles and industry journals, preparing for both opportunities and threats. One of the most important trends to keep up with remains the ever-changing marketing scene.

Branding the agency came with many trials, searching for ideas that worked. Nationwide Insurance is a national entity; however, the Moreheads faced the challenge of setting their agency apart

from the rest of the local crowd.

Nationwide uses a smaller business model, with only five agents in the Kansas City area.

It took a lot of trial and error to determine which marketing tools work best. In the “Google age,” search engine optimization was a major component to their digital visibility, as were keyword retargeting ads. One tool proven successful for the agency has been marketing in their church bulletin, exemplifying how relationship-building and networking pay off.

Moving forward, the agency spends each day working to retain current customers by devoting as much time as possible to face-to-face interaction. The Moreheads can be seen out and about in the community, effectively working on their business while supporting local organizations, including the boards of the Lee’s Summit Chamber and Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation.

Get Ready to Shop Lee’s Summit The popular Shop Lee’s Summit contest returns this summer. Shop five Lee’s Summit businesses August 10 through Labor Day, turn in your receipts and you could win $1,000 in Chamber Checks.

No catches, no spamming, we just want to reward Lee’s Summit residents for keeping their sales tax dollars in our city. Remember, it’s not about how MUCH you spend, it’s about WHERE you spend it.

Visit LSChamber.com to download and submit an entry form, or visit the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce at 220 SE Main Street, in downtown Lee’s Summit.

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What’s Your Business Book?

RESPONSES PROVIDED BY LEE’S SUMMIT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERS

I like Blue Ocean Strategy. It goes through research and established examples of creating your own arena in business.

ASHLEY BACKHUS ETAP COMMUNICATIONS

Right now I am reading, How We

Lead Matters, by Marilyn Nelson.

JEFF DRISKILL DRISKILL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GROUP

by David Horsager is a great modern business book.

ANDY ELLIOTT COMMERCE BANK

TRISHA DRAPE COMMUNITY BUYING GROUP

t is Best business book: Talen .

Overrated by Geoff Colvin orites.

Definitely one of my fav gives It is extremely inspiring and can be hope to people that they they successful with whatever want to accomplish.

CLINT HAYNES NEXTGEN WEALTH

MONICA MEEKS LEE’S SUMMIT CARES

The Trust Edge

We just bought seven cop ies of The One Thing by Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan for the lending library at our company. It's helping us determine what to foc us on for our business and for balan ce in our lives outside of work.

Daniel Pink’s book Drive.

The book does a great job of identifying motivators for an engaged workforce, and dispels the myth that money is the best motivator.

Sean Covey is my go-to right now. I’m currently reading his book, Four

Disciplines of Execution.

TERRY TRAFTON LAKEWOOD COUNSELING TMC

I am a big fan of Success Built to Last: Creating a Life that Matters. It is an excellent look at work/life balance based on research performed by one of the leading research firms in the world.

MIKE MAKSIN N2 PUBLISHING

3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 31

Update

Chamber

Renovation Station Chamber Celebrates New Office Space and Welcomes New Staff

by Nancy Bruns Earlier this year the Lee’s Summit History Museum moved out of the depot and into their new beautiful space at 220 SW Main Street. We have known for several years that one day the space would be ours. Because of the success of Oktoberfest, the Chamber was able to set aside money each year to save for the renovations.

The remodel began at the beginning of March, and I must say I loved swinging the hammer to kick off the project. As you can see from the photos, things got a little interesting here with staff moving all over the place, but the finished product made it all worthwhile. The additional space allowed the Chamber to expand its staff to better serve our members.

I am excited to introduce three new staff members. Matt Baird has been hired as director of business and governmental relations, Stacy Needels as director of special events and Anne Aubuchon has joined the team as administrative assistant.

Matt comes to the Chamber from HCA Midwest Physicians, where he served as the practice administrator since 2010. Prior

to that, he co-owned a residential/commercial real estate firm in Lee’s Summit. He has been engaged with legislative advocacy throughout his career – from real estate with the KCRAR governmental committee to healthcare, where he has served on the KC Healthcare Managers Association Board promoting the growth of large and small business practices at the local, state and national levels.

Prior to joining the Chamber, Stacy served as development manager for JDRF, formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, in Kansas City. Her responsibilities included managing the JDRF One Walk program and the silent auction of the Dream Gala, an event that raised more than two million dollars for type one diabetes research. Prior to that, Needels was the events and promotions director for Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, where she coordinated the Downtown Days Festival and Piccadilly Gala, along with many other events.

Anne has lived in Lee’s Summit with her husband and son for 21 years and worked most recently as volunteer extraordinaire for Lee’s Summit CARES. She has chaired the Got Talent fundraiser for five years and has also been involved in coordinating other events for the organization. In addition, Anne has chaired fundraisers for Pro Deo Youth Center, Hope House and more.

If you haven’t been by the office lately, stop by. You can check out the new space, meet our new staff and say hello to everyone! At the Chamber we are happy to serve our members and remain the champion of business in Lee’s Summit.

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ADVANCE YOUR CAREER. Whether it’s a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or a certificate program to help you get ahead, the University of Central Missouri – Lee’s Summit offers affordable, in-demand programs with the flexibility to fit your busy life.

UCM – Lee’s Summit offers several programs ideal for business owners: • Management (undergraduate completion program) • MBA in Ethical Strategic Leadership (graduate program) • Dale Carnegie Training • Organizational Leadership • High-Impact Sales • Strategic Communications for Leaders

Check out your options at ucmo.edu/ucmls.

Person 2

Person

Eliene Blundell (left), purchased Alissa’s Flowers from her mother Alissa Glaser nearly 20 years ago.

Meet Alissa “Eliene” Blundell Alissa’s Flowers and Interiors • 19321 East 40 Highway, Independence, MO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS The business was started in June 1975. I have been an employee since I was 15 years old...so nearly 40 years. I purchased the business from my mom approximately 20 years ago.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO DO THIS FOR A LIVING? I like being able to explore my creative side. I love colors, textures and flowers, especially creating artful florals.

WHO’S YOUR IDEAL CLIENT? My ideal client is one who allows me to be creative throughout the entire process, one who trusts me to develop something for them and then hearing them say that’s exactly what they wanted.

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS? The atmosphere, how hard we work to make the store a new experience every time you come in, especially from September to December. It is truly a magical experience.

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY I have two beautiful children and two wonderful grandchildren.

My mom is my best friend in the entire world. Nobody on this earth has looked after each other as we have and there are no words to express what we have; she is a blessing.

WHAT’S YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN CIVIC, COMMUNITY OR CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS? Wayside Waifs, Hope House, Chamber of Commerce, Soles4Souls, etc. We also try and offer services to our customers during the holiday who might need a little extra help.

FIRST JOB? At the flower shop cleaning flowers, bookkeeping and learning to design.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING IN YOUR DOWNTIME? I love spending time with my children and grandchildren.

I also enjoy sports and travel.

FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE? “If you want to do something extraordinary, you must start by doing something not ordinary.” Author Unknown WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT LEE’S SUMMIT? I love the people of Lee’s Summit and appreciate how the people of the community support us. We have continued to be successful because we listen to the people around us, and we are always learning and growing and changing, based on the needs of our customer.

WHAT IS THE VISION OF YOUR BUSINESS IN FIVE YEARS? We started as a simple flower shop in a 500-square-foot shop and are now a full-service floral and events specialist. The shop features a ladies boutique that includes clothing, gifts and jewelry. We offer interior design services too. We have big plans for the future with lots of surprises in store. Most importantly, we will continue to offer very personal service. We like to get to know our customers and take care of each of their needs whether it’s an event, birthday, anniversary or just because.

3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 35

CELEBRATE LEE’S SUMMIT’S BIRTHDAY SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 2015

PARADE

Starts at 10 a.m.

Downtown Lee’s Summit

CELEBRATION EXTRAVAGANZA Gates Open at 6 p.m.

Lee’s Summit High School

For complete event details visit Truly150.com

Economic

Expansion

Economic Development Gold Research Provides a Fresh Look at How to Attract Businesses to Lee’s Summit

by Rick McDowell

Quantifiable results show research is a powerful resource for fueling Lee’s Summit’s future economic development marketing efforts. The Economic Development Council and the City of Lee’s Summit utilize research to serve as the intelligence to strengthen our business strategies, as well as for the planning and execution for all our communication efforts.

Recently, Community Marketing Director Jim McKenna and I met with staff from North Star Destination Strategies in Nashville. North Star had previously provided statistical data to McKenna regarding the City of Lee’s Summit’s branding efforts.

Those results revealed the importance of using research as the cornerstone for developing a civic brand, and we suspected they could provide the same level of usefulness when determining just which industries we should target. Because of their thorough view of Lee’s Summit in that study, we felt they were the right people to analyze Lee’s Summit’s top business prospects.

four employees, followed by companies that fall into the five to ten employee bandwidth. Given that such a large number of Lee’s Summit businesses operate with less than 10 employees, we can conclude that the heart of the city’s economic landscape is paved with small businesses and entrepreneurial enterprises.

North Star’s research also showed that Lee’s Summit’s top growth industries are in business services, consulting services, health care and financial management.

Those are pretty surprising numbers and we look forward to receiving the complete report from North Star and will share full results at that time. When it comes to economic development and recruitment, knowing who to talk to and how to frame your message is not just half the battle – it IS the battle. We believe this will give Lee’s Summit a significant advantage as it pursues smart business growth for our community’s future.

The Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council will be using this research to take a fresh new look at understanding how to attract businesses and sectors that would be the perfect fit for our community.

The proprietary study now underway will allow us to target untapped top business prospects.

Some intriguing statistics already have come to light, including that the majority of Lee’s Summit businesses employ fewer than 3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 37

Social

Buzz

Evaluating Social Media What’s Best for Your Business

by Ben Seidel The number of social media platforms increases nearly every day. Usage of these platforms also is on the rise for every demographic. Being involved with social media provides another way for customers to interact with your brand or product outside of the normal purchasing relationship.

In addition, people use Google and other social media to investigate and gauge a company’s credibility. With all these benefits, social media still remains a daunting challenge for most small businesses to tackle.

Part of the enormity of this challenge is the common misconception that your small business needs to be on all the major social media platforms. This is simply not true, nor is it economical. So, which platforms should your small business pursue? We recommend answering the following three questions to help get you started:

1. WHAT PLATFORMS WORK FOR YOUR TYPE OF BUSINESS? Is your product or service visual (i.e. a custom home builder or restaurant) or information based (i.e. accounting or legal services)? Highly visual businesses may push you towards Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest which are optimized for visual sharing. Are timely updates on industry news from your company sought after by your customers? Twitter works well for this format. Would most of your posts consist of shorter or longer updates? The answer will help determine the best platform for your business.

2. WHERE ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS? Just because your product or service works for a particular social media platform, does not mean it will have success reaching your customer. As a company, you know who your ideal target market is, but can you deduce where they go for social media? For instance, if you’re targeting business to business relationships, you might notice your customers are participating on LinkedIn or industry specific social media platforms. If you do not know what social media your customers prefer, consider doing some research online for demographic usage statistics, or simply ask some of your current customers.

3. WHAT CAN YOUR COMPANY REALISTICALLY MAINTAIN? Even if the previous two questions point you to three different social media that work well for your company, you must identify what resources you can dedicate to managing social media.

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Having a presence on social media without regular updates can be more detrimental than having no presence at all.

We recommend that most small businesses evaluate how much time each week a staff member can dedicate to social media. Typically, starting out with just one or two social media platforms is much easier to handle. If consistency and success is experienced with those platforms, one can expand to additional platforms.

NEXT STEPS Once you’ve identified the ideal platforms for your business, you must evaluate the monetary and time resources available.

Then you can begin creating a posting plan and creating your content. If you are still having trouble evaluating which social media platforms may be right for your business, consider talking to a small business marketing professional, many of whom offer free initial consultations and proposals.

If used effectively, social media should be seen as an additional part of your marketing plan, not an overwhelming headache. Look at social media as a way to extend your brand’s credibility and ultimately generate leads.

Once you have the right tools and plan in place, success may be just a tweet away.

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CORPORATE EVENT at The 8!

• Private Theatre Rental • Party Space • Custom Event Packages • Plus we offer affordable advertising options!

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Make Your Business

Beautiful.

Attention to detail is our middle name! Impress your visitors and • Mow, edge, trim, & clean protect your business investment • Mulch flower beds with exceptional corporate lawn • Trim & prune shrubs maintenance from MILLER LAWN & • Flower planting & care LANDSCAPE. Our business is • Patios, landscaping keeping your business beautiful. & retaining walls • Snow removal • Special requests

{816} 737-8733 P.O. Box 1005 Lee’s Summit, MO 64063 www.MillerLawn.com

Buzz

Social

Looking for some social media inspiration? Check out some of these accounts to see what other Lee’s Summit businesses and individuals are posting.

ParadiseParkKC @ChiefTForbes Molly Wichman

An effective and affordable way to grow your business with the right customers.

Advertise in their monthly neighborhood newsletters.

@DowntownLS

Contact Mike Maksin

816-892-0788

michael.maksin@n2pub.com 3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 39

Doing Good in the

Neighborhood

Seeking Good Health Everyone wants to live a healthier, more fulfilling life. But doing what it takes to help an entire community reach the goal of living the healthiest life possible requires focus and support. That’s where the Greater Lee’s Summit Healthcare Foundation comes in.

The GLSHF is all about making a positive impact on the culture of good health.

“The Foundation is one of the local leaders in the movement to make Lee’s Summit a healthier community,” said John Beaudoin, GLSHF board member. “The Foundation offers real support for individuals and groups who are actively working to promote healthier lifestyles here.”

Since its inception in 2004, the GLSHF has created a strategy to champion wellness efforts in the Lee’s Summit area by funding more than $500,000 to places where local residents live, learn, work and play.

Grants are awarded annually to local charities with health and wellness projects.

This year, six grant recipients were chosen.

• Coldwater of Lee’s Summit was awarded $3,000 to support its Friends’ Day lunch program.

• ReDiscover was awarded $5,000 for fitness equipment at its new Wellness Center.

• Lee’s Summit CARES received $10,000 for its Lee’s Summit R-7 Student Assistance Program.

• Hope House was awarded $15,000 for upgrades to the shelter’s kitchen and for integrating health and nutritional education into program offerings for its clients.

• MetroCARE was awarded $15,000 for a one-year period of care provider recruitment in Lee’s Summit.

• Pro Deo Youth Center was awarded $14,434 for its Healthy Lifestyles challenge.

Scholarships are also awarded annually to strengthen higher education goals. This year, a total of $55,000 was awarded to 11 scholarship recipients, the largest number of candidates awarded to date; they each received $5,000.

“Our scholarships are awarded to area students seeking health care and allied health care degrees,” said Katie Langdon, scholarship chairman and GLSHF board member. In the past eleven years, nearly $300,000 has been awarded to students studying at 19 institutions across the Midwest. Areas of study include medicine, dentistry, optometry, physical and occupational therapy, radiologic technology, nursing, pharmacy and dietetics.

Some of the recipients have been repeat winners and are now serving in the health care field. We’re thrilled to be part of that.”

40 | CATALYST - BUSINESS MAGAZINE

CALENDAR OF

EVENTS LS CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Friday, July 17 Location: Gamber Center Sponsor: Express Employment Professionals Speaker: Barbara Shatto – Owner, Shatto Milk Company RSVPs Required BUSINESS BASICS – REPRESENTING YOUR BUSINESS RIGHT 6:30–7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 22 Location: Mid-Continent Public Library-Colbern Road You have only seven seconds to make a first impression.

Learn how to make the best impression when representing your business at networking sessions, sales meetings and expos. For more information contact Seth Moses at 816.525.9924.

CHAMBER BEFORE HOURS 7:30–8:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 28 Location and Sponsor: Mazuma Credit Union, Lee’s Summit LS CHAMBER RECESS FOR SUCCESS 3:30–4:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 4 Location: John Knox Village, The Manhattan Room Sponsor: Apex Business Advisors, Scott Swim Speaker: Clint Haynes, NextGen Wealth Topic: An in-depth view on the power of Linkedin

FINANCIAL AND TAX STRATEGIES FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS 7–8 p.m. Thursday, August 6 Location: Mid-Continent Public Library-Colbern Road In this informative one-hour workshop you’ll learn how money works and how to make it work for you, to help lower your tax liability, protect your assets, and supercharge your retirement opportunities. For more information, contact Seth Moses at 816.525.9924.

LS CHAMBER AFTER HOURS 4:30–6 p.m. Thursday, August 13 Location and Sponsor: Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Lee’s Summit LS CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Friday, August 21 Location: Adams Point Conference Center, Blue Springs Sponsor: Weed Man Speaker: “Bulldog” Bob Fescoe, Host of Fescoe in the Morning.

Fescoe has been a voice in the Kansas City sports scene for the better part of the last decade, and brings his passion to the table with some bite every weekday morning.

RSVPs Required

continued on next page >>

3RD QUARTER - 2015 | 41

LS CHAMBER BEFORE HOURS 7:30–8:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 25 Location and Sponsor: The University of Kansas Cancer Center-Lee’s Summit LS CHAMBER RECESS FOR SUCCESS 3:30–4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1 Location: John Knox Village, The Manhattan Room Sponsor: Marilyn Arnold Designs, Marilyn Arnold Speaker: Dana Gonnerman, Mastering Excellence Topic: Secrets to Becoming a Client Magnet LS CHAMBER AFTER HOURS 4:30–6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10 Location and Sponsor: Saint Luke’s East Hospital, Lee’s Summit LS CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18 Location: Emaline Ballroom, Lee’s Summit Sponsor: Greater Lee’s Summit Health Care Foundation Speakers: Stan Elliot, Missouri Innovation Campus and Elaine Metcalf, Summit Technology Academy RSVPs Required LS CHAMBER BEFORE HOURS 7:30–8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22 Location and Sponsor: Liberty Tax Service

OKTOBERFEST 2015 5 p.m. Friday, September 25–11 p.m. Saturday, September 26 Location: Downtown Lee’s Summit The Chamber invites you to participate in our annual Oktoberfest in beautiful Downtown Lee’s Summit. Enjoy German food, live entertainment, carnival rides and much more. Presented by Pinnacle Bank LS CHAMBER RECESS FOR SUCCESS 3:30–4:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 6 Location: John Knox Village, The Manhattan Room Sponsor: Diagnostic Imaging Speaker: Kristina Turner, Mid-Continent Public Library Topic: Leveraging libraries for free marketing research LS CHAMBER AFTER HOURS 4:30–6 p.m. Thursday, October 8 Location and Sponsor: Summit Point Rehabilitation And Wellness Center LS CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Friday, October 16 Location: TBA Sponsor: Truman Heartland Community Foundation RSVPs Required

To submit business related events, please visit LSchamber.com and select the member events calendar.

42 | CATALYST - BUSINESS MAGAZINE

220 SE Main Street • Lee’s Summit, MO 64063

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1100 SE Century Dr.

Lee’s Summit, MO 64081

816.524.7733

www.BodiesHF.com