NKY Business Journal | May/June 2025 | Entrepreneurship Edition

BUSINESS JOURNAL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF NKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

in in sync MAY/JUNE 2025 COVER STORY P. 24

SUPPORT SYSTEM P. 1 2 SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT P. 20 UNDERSTANDING VENTURE CAPITAL P. 30

OUTSTANDING WOMEN HONOREES Jane Herms President & CEO Family Nurturing Center

Julie Kirkpatrick President & CEO meetNKY

Melissa Lutz Principal Champlin Architecture

Natalie Ruppert Manager, Career & Job Services Division Kenton County Public Library

2025 Awards Luncheon Thursday, June 5 | 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM Turfway Park Racing & Gaming, Florence, KY The Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Awards celebrate women who work, live or volunteer in NKY. They exemplify notable achievement, outstanding service in their professions or to the NKY community, the qualities of personal integrity, perseverance, leadership and represent the region’s diversity and extraordinary accomplishments.

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CONTENTS

ENTREPRENEURSHIP MAY/JUNE 2025 VOLUME 44 NUMBER 5

ON THE COVER: An AI-generated image featuring Synthoni’s Operating Partner Jerry Hamburg and Chief AI Architect Mike Lewis standing before the Covington riverfront.

4 Chair's Letter

24 In Sync

6 Perfect Pairings

28 Business Achievement Awards

10 SparkHaus Opens Doors for Innovators in NKY 12 Support System 16 2025 Business Impact Awards 18 Tech Tools Every Entrepreneur Needs 20 Small Business Spotlight: The Hive East Coast Kitchen and Coffee Bar

30 Understanding Venture Capital 32 Tools of the Trade 34 Around the Chamber 40 Ribbon Cuttings 44 Member Milestones 47 Events

INVESTORS' CIRCLE

ENTREPRENEURSHIP | VOLUME 44 NUMBER 5

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CHAIR'S LETTER

EN TR EP R EN EUR S H IP

JASON PAYNE Chair, NKY Chamber NKY/Cincinnati SVP, Managing Director, Republic Bank

We want to add value to our members and listen to your thoughts… LET’S CONNECT! Listening to you, our members, is a priority. If there’s a topic or suggestion you’d like us to explore, or simply a question please contact Lynn Abeln, Vice President of Membership, at (859) 578-6390 or Labeln@nkychamber.com.

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AN ENTREPRENEUR CAN BE DEFINED AS SOMEONE WITH AN idea. They invest time, energy and money into turning that idea into a success. It’s a process which requires getting others to see the value in the product or service they offer and ultimately joining them in supporting it. Every big company starts with humble origins – someone who was bold enough to believe not only in their own abilities and skills, but also to inspire others to follow suit on the way to paving a legacy.

In Northern Kentucky, we are laying the foundation for the next wave of entrepreneurs whose ideas may very well do the same for our region. With SparkHaus one step closer to becoming a hub for aspiring business leaders and the OneNKY Center poised to house key growth organizations (including the Northern Kentucky Chamber), we are positioning ourselves to help them lead the charge.

As this edition of the NKY Business Journal shows, all the tools needed to make this happen are here – and our region is well on its way to ensuring that it does.

Our cover story on Synthoni, the generative artificial intelligence company based in Covington, details how one local company is propelling our region forward in a highly competitive and crucial space for future growth. By helping companies operate more efficiently, they are also contributing to our region’s efficiency – a move that will be essential to achieving our talent attraction and retention goals.

Efficiency creates opportunity and opportunity attracts talent. That’s a fact we cannot overlook and must champion across our economy and workforce.

This month’s Small Business Spotlight on The Hive is a classic tale of entrepreneurship and its impact on the community. Erlanger Mayor Jessica Fette’s story is both inspirational and informative, illustrating what makes our region a great place to pursue one’s passions. The same is true of our feature on what entrepreneurs should know as they look to establish their businesses in Northern Kentucky.

Additionally, our features on understanding venture capital and the importance of networking, mentorship and strategic partnership offer expert insight that every entrepreneur should know. And of course, celebrating our region’s achievements is important, too, our write-up on this year’s Business Impact Awards finalists is a welldeserved celebration of those helping Northern Kentucky reach its full potential.

With this issue of the NKY Business Journal, I hope the passion of Northern Kentucky’s entrepreneurial community inspires you to follow your dreams, support others and be part of our collective greatness. NKY

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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PERFECT PAIRINGS Utilizing the power of networking, mentorship and strategic partnerships to grow your business

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media

NETWORKING, MENTORSHIP AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS ... For entrepreneurs, being adept in all three is essential. If you’re introverted, or simply inexperienced, these critical actions may feel more like a chore or burden than they should. If that describes your entrepreneurial journey, have no fear; these experts are here to help guide you on a path to a better you.

Read along as John Baines, founder of management consulting firm Insight Partners LLC; business coach Jennifer Sheffel, President and CEO of Summit ActionCOACH Business Coaching; and professional and personal life coach Kan Yue, founder of Kan Yue Coaching, LLC, share their insights to help you make the most of your next networking, mentorship and/or strategic partnership opportunities.

WHAT MAKES FOR EFFECTIVE NETWORKING AND WHY IS NETWORKING IMPORTANT? SHEFFEL: When I go to a networking event, I always ask myself, ‘What is the outcome that I'm trying to achieve?’ Networking is very different today for me as a business owner than it was when I was part of corporate America. When I was in corporate, it was about gaining relationships with peers to understand what others were doing in order to make their processes better, more efficient and effective.

Today, my goal is to walk out with five business cards and a discovery meeting on my calendar. It's also about getting to know more people, to really lift them up, and guide them to that place they want to be.

YUE: I used to dread networking events. The pressure, the small PAGE 6

talk, the expectation to “work the room.” It can feel overwhelming.

Instead of forcing myself into spaces that drain me, I’ve found it more effective to ask: ‘What kind of networking feels most natural to me?’

Over the past three years of running my business, I’ve realized that the most valuable connections come from meaningful one-on-one conversations. We all need connection and community, but that doesn’t mean we have to fit into pre-existing spaces just because they seem important. Instead, I started focusing on building relationships in a way that feels aligned, intentional, and energizing.

That’s what I am looking for going into every networking space.

BAINES: When I began my career, it was in engineering and networking wasn’t something engineers typically did. I was fortunate to have mentors, people who recognized my curiosity and desire to do things really well and my strong work ethic. They supported me beyond just learning the skill to do my job; They also helped me understand the bigger picture.

Networking helped me see different personalities. The head of the design department was an older man with a quirky sense of humor, while my direct boss in the engineering department was a German individual and very precise. Both proved to be valuable sounding boards as I was exploring, and I felt like I could confide in them.

The networking side, honestly, I didn't truly appreciate until I moved to Cincinnati. I was hired as president of HAHN Automation.

It was a job I was not fully qualified for, so networking became a necessity. I didn't know anyone in the area and I knew I needed to surround myself with people smarter than me to help me quickly NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE Our networking, mentorship and strategic partnerships experts at a glance JOHN BAINES | www.insightpartners.us Baines is the founder and managing partner of Insight Partners LLC, a management consulting firm based in Cincinnati serving regional and global manufacturers in strategic planning, sales development strategies, and workforce and automation consulting. Baines is a Vistage Master Chair leading six peer advisory groups representing 60+ companies serving their CEOs, key executives and emerging leaders.

Prior to starting Insight in 2018, Baines also served as president of HAHN Automation for 14 years, board president for Gateway Community & Technical College and the European American Chamber of Commerce. He currently holds board positions with Gateway as well as the Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board while also serving as partner with NKY Works. He holds undergraduate degrees from Northwestern University in Mechanical Engineering and German Studies – where he also earned his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management – and completed coursework for his master’s in Automotive Engineering from the University of Michigan.

JENNIFER SHEFFEL | www.summitactioncoach.com Sheffel is the president and CEO of Summit ActionCOACH Business Coaching, joining the company in April 2022 to continue its mission of delivering extensive coaching, training, education and related services to 18,000+ businesses in 80+ countries. Prior to joining Summit, Sheffel served as an adjunct professor at Northern Kentucky University’s (NKU) Haile College of Business after spending time working for the likes of Peter Cremer North America, LP, General Cable and Education Management Corporation in Fort Mitchell.

A graduate of NKU where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting, she would go on to earn summa cum laude honors in achieving her MBA at Thomas More College. She is also a graduate of the NKY Chamber’s Leadership Northern Kentucky program for which she now also serves as a committee chair.

KAN YUE | www.kanyuecoaching.com Yue is a leadership coach and the founder of Kan Yue Coaching LLC, supporting leaders and teams in turning uncertainty into clarity, doubt into confidence, and ambition into meaningful impact by developing self-leadership and emotional resilience, so that they can create a culture of collaboration, trust, and high performance. Yue is also an associate professor of economics at Xavier University.

After moving to the United States in 2009, Yue received her master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Economics from Illinois State University and Purdue University, respectively.

adapt and succeed in the role. I found a network through different channels which allowed me to meet fantastic people – many of whom I remain close to today.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE MENTORSHIP AND WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND PEOPLE LOOK FOR WHEN SEEKING A MENTOR? HOW DOES SOMEONE KNOW THEY ARE READY TO SERVE AS A MENTOR TO OTHERS? SHEFFEL: Mentors happen organically, really. The people who hold you accountable when you're not doing what you need to do often are those people. They’re the ones you’re asking for business advice - people you lean on and really value for their insights.

If you don't have someone that is providing that for you, then business coaches are a phenomenal option because we are paid to hold you accountable and call you out when necessary. I wouldn't be sitting here today if I didn't have strong mentors along the way that lifted me to make me think bigger and better.

You know when you should become a mentor when people begin to ask for your advice. However, make sure when you begin to give advice to others, you ask for permission as that’s very important.

Some people may not want your advice and that's okay; others may take your advice and not like what you have to say but at least you asked for permission before giving it to them.

YUE: A mentor doesn’t have to be someone with decades of experience or a top executive in your industry. They can be just a few steps ahead of you, offering guidance from a place of experience but also relatability.

I once read that we all need our own personal board of directors - a mentor, a coach, a cheerleader, a truth teller and a connector.

If your mentor can also be your cheerleader, even better. The right mentor doesn’t just offer advice; they lift you up, whether in leadership, decision-making or personal growth.

If you’re already thinking about becoming a mentor, you’re likely ready, ready to give insight, support, and space for someone else to grow. The real questions are, ‘Do I have the capacity and the willingness to invest in someone’s growth? And if so, who would be the best fit for me to mentor?’

BAINES: Ideally, a mentor is in a position that you're looking to attain. If you want to be CEO, you really want to find a mentor who is in that role already. It's also someone that is willing to share their experiences, both the good and the bad. Not just the things they did well, but also the mistakes so you see that leadership is not about excellence; it's about learning.

A mentor is someone who asks really good questions – it's not someone you're taking your problems to look for solutions. It's someone who is going to help you identify the things that you're really thinking about. A great mentor doesn’t let their ego take over by saying, ‘Here’s how I did it, so you should do it this way too.’

Instead, they guide you toward discovering your own answers.

We all have the capacity to mentor someone. In most cases, we have more experience than the person reaching out to us ... I might be younger than you and still be a good mentor because our experiences are different. Again, it's about the mentee. It's not about you. You're there in service of that person.

You also want to be someone who wants to learn. If you don't think you're ready to be a mentor, you're probably ready. If you think you're absolutely ready, you may need to learn a few things about being a good mentor. There's a humility in mentorship.

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WHAT MAKES A PARTNERSHIP STRATEGIC AND WHAT ARE THE SIGNS IT WILL BE BENEFICIAL? YUE: To me, the decision isn’t just about business – it’s about alignment. A strategic partnership should create value for your business, yes, but it should also feel like the right fit. (Ask yourself), ‘Do you resonate with this person? Do you share similar values and approaches to leadership? Do you complement each other in ways that expand both of your impacts?’

I chose to step into a partnership because I deeply respect how the other business owner operates – grounded, calm, and intentional.

It’s not just about business synergy; it’s about shared vision and the right energy. When a partnership feels aligned on both strategy and values, while both parties bring something unique to the table and their strengths complement each other, that’s when it becomes truly beneficial to both parties.

BAINES: A strategic partnership has to be value added. The combination must provide more value than the sum of its parts and be beneficial to both parties.

There will always be some imbalance – one side giving more at times – but if that dynamic becomes one-sided and your balance sheet shows mostly debits with few credits, that’s probably not strategic. At the same time, if that becomes your first filter, it's really hard to form meaningful relationships because then you are focused on keeping score.

Strategic partnerships also happen with really good people. If I excel at something, I want to be with other really good people because that means they recognize and value quality. Quality work leads to happy customers and references. If they're going to refer me, their customer already has a ton of trust in me before we’ve met.

SHEFFEL: A strategic partnership is in anyone’s interest to grow.

Everyone involved would have opportunities to meet with new potential clients and they will have contact with one another, too.

Strategic partnerships make the world go round as an entrepreneur. Leveraging each other’s strengths is a dynamic not enough business owners think about. I encourage my clients to ask themselves ‘What can I offer others?’ Strong strategic partnerships are those you can pour yourself into, often resulting in referrals to and from one another.

Now the flip side of that is, ‘Who are the people that I can leverage? Who can I work with to get to where I want to be without taking my eye off my priorities? Who’s going to hold me accountable?’

That’s where a business coach comes into play as we really lean in on teams, company culture and even the bottom line. We want to make sure we’re getting that return on investment. NKY

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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SparkHaus Opens Doors for Innovators in NKY

By Meg Erpenbeck

New entrepreneurship hub readies to welcome founders, guests this August SOMETHING SPECIAL IS COMING TO MADISON AVENUE IN the City of Covington. In just a few short months, the historic Montgomery Ward department store will come back to life as SparkHaus, Northern Kentucky’s new entrepreneurship hub.

At its core, SparkHaus will support individuals and businesses at all stages of their journey. Whether it’s an early-stage founder seeking guidance, an established company looking to expand or an investor searching for new opportunities, SparkHaus is an environment where ideas flourish and entrepreneurs thrive.

“Great things in business and life are rarely achieved alone, with SparkHaus, we’re unlocking the power of connections for our Northern Kentucky entrepreneurs,” Kenton County Judge/ Executive Kris Knochelmann said. “This space will give them access to the resources and community they need to create Northern Kentucky’s next success story and build their own legacy in our community.”

A project two years in the making, SparkHaus is the product of a partnership between Kenton County, the Northern Kentucky Port Authority and Blue North. Once complete, it’s anticipated between 200 and 300 people will use the space daily and, at more than 40,000 square feet, it will be the largest dedicated entrepreneurship hub in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Construction on SparkHaus began in late-September 2024, with Urban Sites in the lead and City Studios serving as the architect.

SparkHaus will welcome its first occupants this August.

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DESIGNED FOR INNOVATION SparkHaus is not just an office; it is a facility where entrepreneurs can bring their ideas to life. The flexible workspace caters to a wide range of professionals, from freelancers who need a place to work to growing startups looking for a home base.

While SparkHaus is a great location for solo entrepreneurs, it also provides flexible infrastructure for growing enterprises.

Businesses that need room to expand can take advantage of private offices and suites, allowing their teams to work together in a collaborative yet professional environment. It can accommodate businesses of various sizes, ensuring that as a company grows, its workspace can grow with it.

SparkHaus contains multiple levels when it comes to working spaces. For example, a founder might start out with a coworking membership, which provides access to the ground floor where seating is available on a first-come basis, before graduating to a dedicated desk or office on the second floor.

SparkHaus’ 35 dedicated offices range from two desks to as many as 10 within the building’s two Enterprise Office Suites, which also come with additional building memberships to accommodate larger teams. All offices come fully furnished, eliminating a potential headache for founders.

Members can take advantage of high-speed internet, conference rooms and premium amenities like the building’s onsite fitness center and storage. The environment encourages focus while also allowing for spontaneous conversations and NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

networking that can lead to new opportunities.

A HUB FOR LEARNING AND GROWTH In addition to workspaces, SparkHaus offers event and meeting spaces tailored for various needs. Whether it’s an entrepreneur hosting a pitch event, a startup team conducting a strategy session or a creative recording a podcast, SparkHaus provides well-equipped spaces to support these activities.

The facility has eight rooms available for daily rentals.

This includes the First Floor Assembly Room, located on the corner of Madison Avenue & East Eighth Street and designed to accommodate up to 100 people, or the Ideation Garage, a space suitable for team meetings with comfortable seating and whiteboards for collaborative thinking. There are also several rooms equipped to support hybrid meetings.

Members enjoy exclusive access and discounts on these spaces, making it easier for them to host events, collaborate with their teams and create high-quality content. The versatility of these spaces ensures SparkHaus remains a central hub for innovation and creativity.

In addition to events hosted by members and external organizations, SparkHaus will host its own series of educational and networking events, spearheaded by Blue North, Northern Kentucky’s Innovation Hub, and its partners.

These curated events, workshops and networking sessions will provide members the chance to learn from industry experts and connect with potential collaborators.

Whether it’s a panel discussion featuring seasoned entrepreneurs, a hands-on workshop covering the latest business trends or an investor meetup designed to help startups secure funding, SparkHaus will offer countless opportunities for personal and professional growth.

A COMMUNITY THAT INSPIRES COLLABORATION While resources like workspaces and mentorship are essential, the real magic of SparkHaus lies in its community.

Like-minded individuals—people who understand the challenges of entrepreneurship—create an environment of motivation and

encouragement. At SparkHaus, members are not just renting office space; they are part of a network of innovators, creatives and business leaders who inspire and motivate each other every day.

The collaborative spirit within SparkHaus is evident in the conversations that happen in shared spaces, the partnerships that emerge from casual meetups and the friendships that develop over time. Whether an entrepreneur is seeking feedback on a new idea, looking for a technical co-founder or simply needing encouragement on a tough day, the SparkHaus community will be there to support them.

By joining SparkHaus, members become part of an ecosystem that is shaping the future of Northern Kentucky’s business landscape.

“For too long, Northern Kentucky’s entrepreneurs have had to look beyond our region for the resources, space and community needed to grow their businesses,” Blue North Executive Director Dave Knox said. “SparkHaus is changing that. By transforming a historic Covington landmark into the region’s hub for entrepreneurship, we’re cementing Covington’s role as a driving force in the Tri-State’s innovation economy.”

To learn more about SparkHaus and explore membership options, visit www.sparkhaus.co or contact Dave Knox at dave@ bluenorthky.com. NKY

Renderings provided by Urban Sites and City Studios Architecture

ENTREPRENEURSHIP | VOLUME 44 NUMBER 5

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FORT THOMAS ERLAN Support System

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media

Northern Kentucky’s cities have plenty of options to help entrepreneurs get started, thrive AS THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR the City of Erlanger, Mark Collier has learned a thing or two about permits, zoning and a whole slew of laws, standards and practices that are helpful to potential entrepreneurs. But as one of the founders and owner of Fort Thomas Matters (now part of LINK Media) can tell you, there’s a lot that entrepreneurs don’t know when they start out.

That includes being unaware of all the resources available to them - and the permits they’ll need to operate their businesses.

As the old saying goes, “You don’t know what you don’t know.”

“As an entrepreneur, it often feels very lonely. It feels very like you're doing this on your own – and to a degree, you're not wrong,” says Collier. “What Northern Kentucky does very well, and in Erlanger, specifically, is we want our small business owners and entrepreneurs to know that you're not alone. You do have a community. The cities that do this very well - their marketing and/or economic development teams - should be in a place where the entrepreneur sees them as an extension of their team. That's a true indication of what sets Northern Kentucky apart in terms of being realistic and taking the opportunity to celebrate small wins.”

Collier – along with Fort Thomas Economic Development Director and Events Coordinator Chanda Calentine and Newport PAGE 12

Economic Development Coordinator John Willis – has plenty of tips and tricks to help aspiring entrepreneurs achieve those victories. Discover how to overcome some of the hurdles often associated with entrepreneurship by utilizing their advice.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION While “location, location, location” may be a well-known mantra in business, Willis, Calentine and Collier all agree it’s especially important when it comes to choosing one in Northern Kentucky.

All three stress the importance of not just choosing a location in a highly visible area with foot traffic but also selecting one suited to the type of business an entrepreneur seeks to conduct. For example, Fort Thomas’ consistent ranking among the commonwealth’s top school systems makes it attractive to businesses catering to families. Meanwhile, Newport’s adjacency to downtown Cincinnati and attractions like Newport on the Levee make it highly attractive to hospitality and restaurants.

Calentine, an Ohio native who’s also lived in New York and North Carolina, says determining which part of Northern Kentucky best suits their business is a crucial consideration every aspiring entrepreneur must undertake. That includes knowing the amenities available in different cities throughout the region.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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NGERNEWPORT “My perspective is that in Northern Kentucky, each city is very different ... If you look at zoning regulations, that can help decide where you can locate your business. Across the board, the river cities sort of hold hands and navigate what that looks like together (because) we want to keep businesses in Northern Kentucky,” she says. “In a conversation, I might say, ‘We don't have what you're looking for (size of building, storefront, etc.), but contact Tom West in Covington, (the City of) Newport – or even (the City of) Florence.’”

IN THE ZONE Whoever first said, “it’s better to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission” probably never owned a business. As Calentine, Collier and Willis will tell you, having the right permits is crucial to opening or expanding a business throughout Northern Kentucky. Not only do permits matter, but additional factors such as occupational tax rates, insurance premium taxes, zoning and building codes can all impact your business.

Depending on the business type, entrepreneurs may need permits not only from the city, but also from the county and the state, covering everything from construction and environmental regulations to development activity. Calentine notes, “We have a design review board in the city of Fort Thomas. If you are in our zoning area for businesses, there are only certain colors you can paint your building.”

That’s why Fort Thomas and Erlanger maintain websites with resources to help entrepreneurs understand local regulations, permits and other information essential to starting a business in their respective cities. Willis notes Newport plans to launch a similar page on its economic development site soon.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP | VOLUME 44 NUMBER 5

If you can’t find the answer you need online, Calentine says it's best to contact city officials before making a move you might regret.

“There are so many different businesses that it's really challenging to know what every specific business owner needs.

A lot of it comes down to research and working with the various boards and departments,” she says. “If you’re going into a new space and want to tear down a wall, you might need to go to the city, or event to the county, to make those changes. It depends on what you're looking at from a business perspective, but also a building perspective.”

MONEY MATTERS With all the paperwork and permits required to get a business up and running, one could easily feel overwhelmed.

That’s why Collier, Willis and Calentine each say it’s important to utilize the resources available to help alleviate the stress of entrepreneurship.

Grants are a great way to help entrepreneurs boost their businesses. Willis recommends entrepreneurs look to see what programs, such as Newport’s Job Development Incentive Program and Historic Rehabilitation Investment Tax Credit are available in a prospective city. Fort Thomas offers its GROW Grant which provides up to $10,000-$20,000 in assistance for façade and interior improvements such as upgrades to lighting, accessibility, masonry, wall construction, demolition, energy efficiency and more.

Erlanger’s incentives, including the Demolition Incentive, EDGE Incentive and Commonwealth Area Professional District Grant (CAP), are expected to have a significant impact this *Graphics provided by Northern Kentucky Area Development District

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year. The CAP is designed to help businesses by providing a 50% reimbursement (up to $20,000) for qualifying capital improvements on new commercial buildings or residential buildings converting to commercial office space. However, Collier says the Small Business Grant is most popular with small businesses in Erlanger.

“Our previous record for allocations was $90,000. We’ve already hit $108,000 with still five months to go this year,” Collier says. “Factoring in the funds spent by local businesses, that’s over $400,000 in private investment that wouldn’t have happened without our incentives.”

Collier adds that every city’s economic development team is ready to help entrepreneurs – all they need to do is start the conversation.

“Ultimately, as cities, we are stewards of taxpayer money and residents want accountability,” Collier says. “They also want their cities to look nice. Our focus is to make Erlanger a place where people say, ‘That's a great place to bring my business and a great place to live.’ That's the true magic of the incentives – finding that win-win.”

YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS There’s one more resource Calentine, Collier and Willis all say entrepreneurs must utilize – and that’s their fellow entrepreneurs in their respective neighborhoods, cities and counties. Being an active member of the community where customers and fellow entrepreneurs see that you are invested is crucial, they say, to longterm success.

Calentine and Willis point to their cities’ respective Business Councils as great ways to connect with fellow entrepreneurs. Collier credits the Northern Kentucky Chamber’s Leadership Northern Kentucky program for being “by far the most impactful group in terms of networking and focus that I’ve ever been a part of.”

The more people utilize the resources available to them, the better Willis says Northern Kentucky will be.

“People investing in Northern Kentucky who may not be familiar with the region should understand the growth we’re already seeing— and that we’re going to continue seeing for years to come,” he says.

“For entrepreneurs, it’s valuable to connect with people, to know where your business best fits and to recognize that an increased workforce and demand are coming.”

His advice? “Get in touch with your local municipality. Set up a meeting. Just start that conversation. From there, things will snowball and you'll find more resources.”NK Y

MARK COLLIER Director of Economic Development, Assistant City Administrator City of Erlanger PAGE 14

CITY CONNECTIONS Looking to launch a business in Northern Kentucky? These websites just might be able to help!

CITY OF ERLANGER START A BUSINESS: www.erlangerky.gov/economic-development/startbusiness/ CITY OF FORT THOMAS’ ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT START A BUSINESS: https://fortthomasky.org/departments/economicdevelopment/start-a-business/ CITY OF NEWPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: www.newportky.gov/184/Economic-Development KENTUCKY BUSINESS ONE STOP START MY BUSINESS: https://onestop.ky.gov/start/Pages/default.aspx NORTHERN KENTUCKY CHAMBER BUSINESS COUNCILS: www.nkychamber.com/business-councils/ TEAM KENTUCKY BUSINESS INCENTIVES: www.ced.ky.gov/Locating_Expanding/kybizince

CHANDA CALENTINE Economic Development Director and Event Coordinator City of Fort Thomas

JOHN WILLIS Economic Development Coordinator City of Newport NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Florence Business Council May: Business Council Annual Celebration presented by the City of Florence Join us for the inaugural Business Council Dinner Celebration presented by the City of Florence where we will celebrate the success and achievements over the past year for the Business Councils of Florence, Fort Thomas, and Newport. Featuring a keynote address from Eastern Kentucky University’s men’s basketball coach, A. W. Hamilton.

Wednesday, May 7 | 5:30 - 8:30 PM | Turfway Park Racing & Gaming

June: Empowering Employees for Mental Wellness Your workforce is one of the most important aspect of your business. They bring with them their experiences and skills that move the business forward. They also may face challenges on a personal or wellness level that affect their productivity.

You will hear from our experienced panel that will discuss how to navigate workforce challenges from an HR, EAP, personal, and business level. You will take away resources to recognize signs of issues and how to be proactive in getting and giving support while helping the productivity of your workforce.

Wednesday, June 18 | 11:15 AM - 1:00 PM | Turfway Park Racing & Gaming

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NKY Chamber Honors Businesses Driving Growth, Innovation with 2025 Business Impact Awards ON MAY 1, THE NKY CHAMBER CELEBRATED LOCAL business leaders and innovators that are positively impacting the Northern Kentucky Metro through innovation, creativity, strong business practices and leadership during its annual Business Impact Awards, presented by Huntington Bank.

"The Business Impact Awards give us an opportunity to honor the businesses that are driving growth and innovation in Northern Kentucky. Their contributions strengthen our region’s economy, enhance competitiveness, and support a successful business community," said Brent Cooper, President & CEO of the NKY Chamber. "This year's finalists have showcased outstanding achievements through creative strategies, exceptional customer service, and a strong commitment to their employees. It’s inspiring to celebrate their hard work and dedication to making a lasting impact."

Businesses and organizations were recognized in 10 categories during the event at Devou Properties. Join us in congratulating this year’s winners and finalists.

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Small (1-10), Medium (11-50), Large (over 50) Business Award: Recognizes businesses that are industry leaders in their respective markets and represent Northern Kentucky to the broader region by providing outstanding goods or services.

Small Business

• WINNER: Untangled Escapes Travel • Dollhouse Beauty Salon • Gross Insurance Agency • Gute Medical LLC • The Turning Pointe Dance Studio

Medium Business

• WINNER: C-Forward, Inc. • Emerge IT • Fortress Safety • Prolocity • Sweets & Meats BBQ

Large Business

• WINNER: Barnes Dennig • Clark Schaefer Hackett • Donnellon McCarthy Enterprises • Notre Dame Academy • Verst Logistics

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Community Champions Award:

Innovation Award:

Recognizes a business or organization that not only engages and gives back to the community but values a strong diverse and inclusive workforce as part of the culture and values of the organization.

Recognizes a business that has inspired and delivered new thinking in the marketplace.

For-Profit Company

• WINNER: TENTE Casters, Inc. • Chick-fil-A Houston Road • Jolly Plumbing Drains Heating & Air • New Riff Distilling • Thrive Empowerment Center

Nonprofit Company

• WINNER: 1N5 • Adopt A Class • Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Cincinnati • The Carnegie • Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky

Cool Place to Work Award: Recognizes a business that is a fun place to work and demonstrates innovative initiatives to discover, grow, maintain and retain its workforce while fostering a culture where employees value their jobs and enjoy going to work.

• WINNER: Gravity Diagnostics • Baynum Solutions • Connico • Perfetti Van Melle USA • Rudler, PSC

Heritage Award: Recognizes a business that has shown consistent stability and has been an economic contributor to the Northern Kentucky community. (Must have been in business longer than 25 years.)

• WINNER: MPI Consulting • Ancra Cargo • Atlas Air Worldwide • The Business Hospital • Gilman Partners

Environmental Stewardship Award: Recognizes exceptional achievements in energy efficiency, resource conservation or innovative business practices that promote environmental sustainability.

• WINNER: Sanitation District No. 1 • BlairTech • Melink Solar • Safran Landing Systems Kentucky • Toyota Boshoku America, Inc.

"This year’s finalists are true leaders in their industries," said Tony Johnson, Market President for Northern Kentucky at Huntington Bank. "We are proud to partner with the NKY Chamber once again to celebrate the achievements of these businesses and the dedicated individuals driving their success.

Their innovation and leadership benefit us all, strengthening our region’s business community and keeping us competitive regionally, nationally and globally."

The Business Impact Awards were presented by Huntington Bank. Award sponsors were Clark Schaeffer Hackett, HUB International, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Strauss Troy and Trane.

Event sponsors were Ancra Cargo, Barnes Dennig, Fortress Safety, Gravity Diagnostics, Gute Medical, LLC, The Kable Group, Paul Hemmer Company, Perfetti Van Melle USA, PNC Bank, Republic Bank, Sweets & Meats BBQ, TENTE Casters, Inc., and Toyota Boshoku America. NKY

• WINNER: ATech Training • Atkins & Pearce • Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center • CTI Clinical Trials • R.A Jones

Start-Up Award: Recognizes a business that has been in operation for at least one year, but less than five. This business has shown proven growth and demonstrates sustainability.

• WINNER: Current HR • Builder Backed • Elite Nannies on Demand • NKUs BizAccessHub • ReFlex: Recruiting Flexibility

UNIQUE INTERNATIONAL MARKET - 2024 START-UP AWARD RECIPIENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP | VOLUME 44 NUMBER 5

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Q & A:

Tech Tools Every Entrepreneur Needs to Streamline Operations

ChatGPT. Canva. Slack. Mailchimp. HubSpot. Asana. Google Analytics – the list goes on. Today’s entrepreneurs have access to an array of apps, design platforms and AI tools designed to streamline daily operations and increase efficiency. But what tools are local business owners actually using to navigate the fast-paced, tech driven world?

We asked NKY Chamber members to share some of their go-to tech tools. Here’s what they had to say.

Molly Berrens, President Spotted Yeti Media www.spottedyeti.com THE TOOLS: Slack, Monday.com “Our team loves Slack. It helps keep conversations organized by topic and streamlines communication so that we can collaborate in real time. It also integrates with platforms like Google Calendar, Frame.io and Monday.com to automate project status updates and send notifications.

We use Monday.com as our all-in-one content resource manager (CRM) and project management platform streamlining our workflow from the sales pipeline through project completion. Its automation features eliminate manual tasks, keeping processes seamless and efficient. Plus, the platform makes it easy to collect and analyze data, helping us identify opportunities to optimize operations and make informed decisions.”

Jill Morenz, President Aviatra Accelerators www.aviatraaccelerators.org THE TOOLS: Taft Systems, Eisenhower Matrix

"We use an all-in-one business platform called Taft Systems. It includes a CRM, courses, quizzes, calendar, funnels and so much more – all with a single login. It's saved us a lot of money, and it's owned by an Aviatra Accelerators alum!

Not a tech-tool per se but in terms of decision-making, one tool we use to prioritize tasks is the Eisenhower Matrix. It helps us figure out which tasks are urgent and important. It also helps us delegate things that don't rise to the top of the matrix!”

Michael Wolff, Senior Architect Hub + Weber Architects www.hubweber.com THE TOOLS: Midjourney, SketchPro AI, Bluebeam Revu

“We use AI image generation and editing tools to help early in the process, or to enhance images we’ve created. It takes some tinkering, but platforms like Midjourney (for image creation) or SketchproAI (for image manipulation) can help speed up the initial iteration phase.

Bluebeam Revu is kind of specific to our industry, but it is an invaluable PDF markup and review tool. We use it for early design sketches, presentations, field coordination, cloud collaboration, etc. It is designed for our industry and has great tools to make our work easier.”

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Kim Dubé, Chief Executive Officer ReFlex: Recruiting Flexibility www.reflexrecruiting.com THE TOOLS: Google Workspace, Loxo “Google Workspace, it's a one stop shop for all things communication, collaboration, documentation, and scheduling for our team. Switching from Microsoft to Google Workspace was a game changer for us. We were able to collaboratively view each other's schedules, and changes to shared documents are real time, unlike Microsoft. It's made our entire business run more efficiently.

We also use Loxo, which is a recruiting specific CRM and ATS (applicant tracking system) platform and has made things really easy because client information is stored in one place.”

Rachel DesRochers, Founder/CEO The Gratitude Collective www.thegratitudecollective.org THE TOOLS: Google Documents, Calendly, Mailchimp

“I am a Google Documents girl! I love that my team and I can easily share working documents in one place and collaborate with outside organizations for edits, comments and more. It's created a one stop shop for us. In terms of email marketing, we use Mailchimp. We host five different email lists, and the tool is so user friendly. We also use Calendly as it integrates easily with our calendars and makes setting up meetings easy.

It’s important to keep it simple. Tools are great if they work for you.

If you don’t like it, ditch it, try something else until you find what works for you.”

Sarah Grace Mohr, Chief Operating Officer MACKEY www.mackeyadvisors.com THE TOOLS: Loom, Read.ai, Beautiful.ai, Claude.ai

“As a service business, Loom creates so much efficiency for us. Whether it is creating a how-to video for another team member or recording an in-depth video for a client, Loom has saved us so much time, created more personalized communication and helped us build a resource library for (both) ourselves and our clients. It is a wildly powerful tool.

Read.ai has really improved my workflow. With Read.ai, I no longer have to take notes during a meeting which means the conversation is richer and I can be more present. It also captures follow-ups, tasks and insights really well.

Beautiful.ai is amazing for creating visual presentations in record time. We are also really investing in Claude.ai for producing our work. We are setting up customized writing styles that align with our brand voice to have a more consistent communication style. We are building out robust projects per client and service line. We are having Claude do the heavy lifting when it comes to analysis and modeling work.” NK Y NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Business Impact Awards

20

25

Presented by:

Thursday, May 1 | 4:00 - 6:00 PM Devou Properties (fka Drees Pavilion) NKYChamber.com/events

AWARD CATEGORIES Small, Medium and Large Business Community Champions — For-Profit and Non-Profit Cool Place to Work Start-Up Innovation Heritage Environmental Stewardship

Fusion: A Multicultural Experience Thursday, June 12 | 4:30 - 6:30 PM | The Metropolitan Club, Covington

Engagement Sponsor

Co-host Sponsors

Supporting Sponsor

Media Partner

Scan the code to register or visit NKYChamber.com/Events

JANET HARRAH

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT:

THE HIVE EAST COAST KITCHEN & COFFEE BAR

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media

Jessica Fette continues to use drive and desire to help others succeed, to fuel restaurant and entrepreneurial endeavors RESTAURATEUR. SKI INSTRUCTOR. BEEKEEPER. MARKETING PROFESSIONAL. VOCALIST IN the duo Guitto and the Bee with fellow entrepreneur and Foto by Guitto co-founder Steve Ellis. Wife and mother of three. Mayor.

The resume is quite impressive, and according to Jessica Fette, there’s only one thing that enables her to stay in a perpetual state of motion.

“I’m only able to do all that because I have an incredible, amazing team around me of exceptional human beings that are empowered to do what they do best,” Fette says. “One of my superpowers is building a team of talented humans and figuring out how to empower them to utilize the skills that God has given them to better themselves and the surrounding community. If that happens, everybody's going to see success.”

That superpower has turned what may be the oldest house in the city she calls home into an award-winning eatery in a relatively short time.

SWEET LIKE HONEY Located in a former home built in 1875, before the city of Erlanger’s official incorporation in 1897, Fette opened The Hive East Coast Kitchen & Coffee Bar in 2022. The business is within walking distance of the Erlanger City Building, where Fette has worked as the city’s first-ever female mayor since November 2018. The restaurant has quickly found a dedicated fan base, as reflected in its 2023 and 2024 recognition by Cincy Magazine as Northern Kentucky’s Best Breakfast/Brunch Restaurant for Overall Excellence.

A charming space, The Hive has approximately 72 seats of traditional table-service dining inside its front door parlor space, while the upstairs coffee bar offers a relaxed café setting with couches and comfy chairs. The upstairs also houses “The Cowork Hive,” a conference room space with audio and visual presentation capabilities.

The restaurant’s menu, featuring breakfast, lunch and brunch selections, is its bread and butter, both literally and figuratively speaking. This includes any number of biscuits, waffles, pancakes, omelets, burritos, salads, quesadillas and sandwiches, including the best-selling Beekeeper’s Breakfast, a bowl featuring Glier’s Goetta, potatoes, scrambled egg and cheddar cheese (add gravy for an extra $2). In addition to their own dishes and spirits, The Hive also supports several fellow local businesses, looking to the Incubator Kitchen Collective and Square Peg Bakery among others for beverages, baked goods and more.

Serving as a “third place” for all those in the community is what Fette says is “the most important piece” to The Hive’s success.

“You have places in your life: your home, your work and then you have your third place, where you feel comfortable, where you feel at home and you can just relax. That is what we provide – the community – and it far exceeds the city of Erlanger,” she says. “I want The Hive to not just be another place to eat; I want it to be community-centric ... I truly believe food is the doorway for love and connection, and that's really at the heart of what The Hive stands for.”

Erlanger Director of Economic Development/Assistant City Administrator Mark Collier – a self-admitted fan

ENTREPRENEURSHIP | VOLUME 44 NUMBER 5

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GENERATIONAL TALENT

of the Beekeeper’s Breakfast – says Fette’s dual roles as elected official and entrepreneur make him “look really good” at his job.

“I sort of lucked into having our mayor be an entrepreneur; and not just an entrepreneur, but a really, really good one. She put her money where her mouth is and built The Hive around community – what better way to show gratitude toward the community or service to community, but to invest in that community, too,” Collier says. “If I had this property and I had an entrepreneur that wanted to open a restaurant that ends up becoming Northern Kentucky's best brunch, best breakfast, I mean, what an absolute home run, and it's our mayor who did it.”

CONSTANT ELEVATION In addition to her mayoral duties, The Hive and Jace Solutions, the business-to-business marketing company of which she is the CEO, Fette is busy with two new entrepreneurial ventures. One is a new production kitchen near The Hive that will specialize in producing more of the jellies Fette’s motherin-law makes. The other? A ghost kitchen that will serve as the home of The Lunchbox, a grab-and-go lunch concept partially inspired by 1990s TV show Saved by the Bell. Described by Fette as “a throwback to your mom packing your lunch in a brown paper bag,” the concept offers your choice of sandwich, side, drink and dessert options for $14. The meals are available via DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub.

With so many things on her plate – pun intended – one might be inclined to think Fette would long for the days of a slower schedule. That, however, is directly opposed to the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen – continuous improvement – by which she says she lives. For Fette, that means going into every day with the mentality of making every relationship, operation and city function better than they were the day before.

Fette says embracing that mentality can lead to the smallest improvement eventually producing huge, positive results.

“At the city, we've reduced the tax rate for 10 years in a row; did we do it all at once? No. Did we do small incremental decreases for 10 years in a row? Yes,” she says. “That is something special that possibly no other city in the entire country can say. We keep that same mindset at The Hive.”

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Fette was no stranger to the restaurant industry prior to the opening of The Hive. Originally from New Jersey, Fette moved to Northern Kentucky as a youth, her family owning and operating the former Vianna Pizza in Burlington for seven years.

She says she was shielded from many of the difficulties of being both an entrepreneur and a restaurateur. She has not taken the same approach with her own family, however, noting her children – Max, 10, James, 14 and Grace, 15 – understand “all the facets of trying to get this operation to work.”

“That's how you build resilience – don't sugarcoat things.

Things are going to be hard; wrap your head around the idea that things are hard and you're going to have to work hard to overcome them,” Fette says. “That mentality won't let things drag you down. That's probably one of the most important things that we can teach our kids.”

Noting her daughter “has confidence like I’ve never seen in a 15-year-old,” Fette says that was most evident when her daughter worked as a server at The Hive this past Presidents’ Day. The manager on duty had to leave due to illness, and Fette herself was unable to come in due to parental responsibilities with Grace’s younger siblings.

Fette says her daughter had two choices: Crack like the eggs The Hive serves daily or live up to her name under pressure. Her daughter’s response in that moment will keep her and The Hive buzzing for years to come.

“She’s got 20 other individuals – the kitchen, the servers, the baristas, the prep cooks in the basement – and she’s 15, commanding the restaurant on a busy day ... We had a fantastic day and that girl rocked it out. That was the most gratifying thing,” Fette says proudly. “I'm so proud of her, and I see that in my boys, too. As soon as they're given the opportunity, I know that they'll step up just like their sister – that's why we do this.

To see it play out is so powerful and so incredible. Our customers see what's going on ... It's a special thing when it's a familyowned and run business.” NK Y

ALL THE BUZZ The Hive AT A GLANCE 480 Erlanger Road Erlanger, KY 41018 (859) 495-5655 www.thehiveerlanger.com HOURS OF OPERATION: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday–Sunday DID YOU KNOW? Although Jessica Fette, the owner of The Hive, has a passion for beekeeping, the name of the restaurant is actually inspired by a song and recording studio owned by her favorite band, 311.

As a tribute, the interior of The Hive showcases lyrics from 311's songs and even features a guitar autographed by the band in the coffee bar.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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in sync PAGE 24

Synthoni looks to bolster, revolutionize Northern Kentucky’s business community through artificial intelligence education, implementation

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Photos by Ben Gastright AI Illustrations provided by Synthoni

ITS GOAL IS “TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS NAVIGATING the untapped potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).” The company, Synthoni, believes the first step to achieving this is by demystifying the acronym, allowing for the implementation of solutions that are safe, secure and scalable. This includes using tools and applications that can automate “knowledge work,” high-level cognitive skills essential for problem solving and product innovation.

In doing so, the Covington-based Synthoni seeks to shape the future of Northern Kentucky’s entrepreneurial community and beyond.

AI PILLARS FOR BETTER BUSINESS Launched by parent organization TiER1 Impact in January 2024, Synthoni seeks to impact businesses throughout the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region through three central pillars: education, activation and automation.

Education speaks to the company’s training programs, which include workshops, consulting and the development and usage of tools to save the aforementioned knowledge work hours. Activation refers to the process of selecting AI tools, setting governance rules, and communicating effectively to drive company-wide adoption. Automation is about improving individual, team and company-wide processes, which is why Synthoni's Chief AI Architect Mike Lewis says the company has created more than 100 apps across 15 categories to help its clients. By utilizing these three pillars, Synthoni is working to make AI practical and accessible so organizations can focus on what they do best while adapting to a changing world.

The creation of Synthoni is the latest evolution of the work TiER1 began with its founding 22 years ago.

“Since the beginning we’ve been focused on helping people do their best work so organizations perform their best.

Through that, there has always been a layer of technology,” says Synthoni Operating Partner Jerry Hamburg, “We need to help leaders understand, we need to communicate, we need to train, and we need to make sure processes are smooth.

In that regard, we saw AI as a coming tidal wave like the internet decades ago. Because it involved people, business and technology, it was something we had our eye on.”

Synthoni’s origins trace back to its Miket, Mike Lewis, who began building the company in 2022 while exploring OpenAI’s potential applications for private businesses.

Experiencing a “career renaissance” as he familiarized himself with AI platforms and tools, Lewis met with TiER1 Impact CEO Greg Harmeyer. Seeing Lewis’ passion for technology, tech education and helping others, Harmeyer connected him with Hamburg, who has worked in tech-enabled human performance solutions for more than two decades. Their similar backgrounds and interests made it “very clear to me that I wanted us to work together,” Hamburg says. Together, they became the driving forces behind Synthoni.

Synthoni's homegrown innovation "Andy" demonstrates the company's expertise in AI-powered creativity. "Andy is an Idea Factory that transforms how organizations approach challenges," explains Lewis.

"Andy works by creating virtual roundtables where multiple AI personas collaborate on your problem," Lewis says. "You can simply describe an issue or upload a meeting ENTREPRENEURSHIP | VOLUME 44 NUMBER 5

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transcript, and Andy will facilitate a discussion between diverse “We'll help you by exploring what tools are out there that AI thinkers – each with different perspectives and thinking styles." can do what you need – that's part of the education,” he says.

What makes Andy unique is its ability to introduce “Seeing what tools are safe in your environment and how unexpected directions and run hundreds of these virtual sessions well they integrate with others is the activation part. Then, if simultaneously. "Traditional brainstorming gets stuck in familiar necessary, we can build it – that’s the automation part. AI can patterns," Lewis notes. "Andy breaks through these limitations be scary, which is why we always want to keep employees and by exploring multiple angles at once and can even introduce leaders informed about what's possible, engaged in what's new randomized prompts to spark truly original thinking." and involved in creating the future.”

The system also includes tools to identify and elevate the This is why getting more organizations and business leaders in most promising ideas across all sessions, delivering breakthrough Northern Kentucky to embrace AI is critical to the region’s future. solutions that human teams might never discover on their own.

“If I'm worried about the survival of my business, I need to realize that other companies who start now have this as HUMAN-CENTRIC HELP their native framework. Many leaders think the AI race ends at While “Andy” is a tool that excites Lewis for its ability to help understanding the technology," says Lewis. "The true finish line people, he says what separates Synthoni is how they will consider is transforming your economics—delivering greater value while “practical, immediate ideas” that may not always require buying significantly reducing the costs of knowledge work that once a digital product. These solutions can improve every function of required intensive human effort." a business.

Both Lewis and Hamburg say it’s equally important that “If someone came to me and said, ‘We want to make a businesses approach AI from the standpoint of helping their ChatGPT for our company,’ which we've had people do, we'd say, workforces to use their time more efficiently rather than as a ‘All right. Let's talk about why you want that,’” he says. “Who tool for replacement. are the people that feel this pain? Can we meet them and watch “Everyone, even business leaders, frontline employees, them work? Let's look at what they make, at what shows up in middle managers, even I, has had that fear and thought, ‘Is AI their inbox before they go do something – Let us understand the coming for my job?’ What I've learned is it’s much healthier to situation.” pump the brakes and ask the better question: ‘Is AI coming for Hamburg agrees. my company?’” Lewis says. “It's not about, ‘How can I protect my PAGE 26

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

"AI can be scary, which is why we always want to keep employees and leaders informed about what's possible, engaged in what's new and involved in creating the future.”

- Jerry Hamburg, Operating Partner

IN HARMONY Synthoni AT A GLANCE 100 RiverCenter Blvd., Suite 100, Tower 2, Covington, KY 41011 (888) 866-0626 synthoni.ai LAUNCH DATE: January 2024 WHAT'S IN A NAME? Synthoni takes its name from the verb “synthonize,” which means to bring different elements into a harmonious whole, the company using its skill of blending artificial intelligence – AI – with human creativity and intuition, “ensuring they work in concert rather than in isolation.”

job?’ It's about, ‘How can I protect all of us - our community, our clients, our leadership, my coworkers and all that we’ve built?’ Executives don't want to get rid of people as most love the team they've built. What they want to know is, ‘How can I get the most out of my people?’ – that's when we show up to help them.”

Hamburg’s firsthand experience emphatically supports Lewis’ point.

“I asked a company vice president about this once because I knew there might be fears with her team about job loss ... She told me, ‘That is the furthest thing from my mind. What’s closest to my mind are the things I know our team could accomplish if we weren't spending time on tasks we can automate,’” he recalls. “Her thinking was, ‘We've got a huge list of things to do – how can we make it better?’ That was very heartening for me because that type of thinking allows people to reach their potential in new ways and helps the company reach its full potential.”

Jerry Hamburg Operating Partner

Mike Lewis Chief AI Architect

INSPIRED INNOVATION If Synthoni can help more companies achieve similar results, Hamburg says the possibilities for AI to positively impact Northern Kentucky are endless.

“We want to help with supporting education, supporting small business so people can achieve a perfect harmony of blending our human ideas and how AI thinks,” he says. “When we do that, our schools are better, our civic organizations are better, our businesses are better, which makes our region better and stronger. Then, our region can attract more people interested in joining or starting a business. That's the reason we're committed to the region.” NK Y ENTREPRENEURSHIP | VOLUME 44 NUMBER 5

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Northern Kentucky Chamber Celebrates Local Excellence at Inaugural Business Achievement Awards Staff Report This spring the Northern Kentucky Chamber Business Councils celebrated their first-ever Business Achievement Awards, a vibrant celebration of local entrepreneurship, community leadership, and the spirit of innovation. Held on May 7, 2025, at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming Event Center, the event marked the culmination of a vision set in motion with the formation of the NKY Chamber Business Councils in 2023.

Presented by the City of Florence, the inaugural Business Council Annual Celebration honored three outstanding businesses— each representing the best of their communities in Florence, Fort Thomas and Newport.

AWARD WINNERS WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

GARAGE

• FLORENCE BUSINESS COUNCIL HONOREE: NOSTALGIC GARAGE Tucked into an industrial space on Kentucky Drive, Nostalgic Garage breathes new life into classic cars through high-end restorations and custom builds. But it’s not just about horsepower—the company regularly hosts cruise-ins and open houses to benefit local nonprofits like Go Pantry and Master Provisions, proving that a passion for cars can also fuel community impact. www.drivenostalgic.com • FORT THOMAS BUSINESS COUNCIL HONOREE: FORT THOMAS COFFEE Located in the heart of the city, Fort Thomas Coffee has become more than a coffee shop; it’s a thriving community hub with a welcoming space for intentional community and connection around business, friendship, coffee and cocktails. FTC embraces community through student internships, career training for local special education students, community storytelling, and an after-school student "frappe-y" hour. www.fortthomascoffee.com • NEWPORT BUSINESS COUNCIL HONOREE: INCUBATOR KITCHEN COLLECTIVE A nonprofit commercial kitchen with a mission, the Incubator Kitchen Collective in Newport empowers food and beverage startups with the tools they need to grow. From mentoring to strategic networking and funding access, the Collective is giving culinary entrepreneurs a recipe for success — and strengthening the local economy along the way. www.incubatorkitchencollective.org

AN EVENING OF CELEBRATION AND INSPIRATION The awards ceremony was part celebration, part inspiration. Attendees enjoyed networking, local fare, and an energizing keynote from Coach A.W. Hamilton, head basketball coach at Eastern Kentucky University. Hamilton’s message about resilience, leadership, and chasing big goals resonated with the room full of changemakers and entrepreneurs.

“Each of these honorees is actively enriching their community by giving back, uplifting others, and creating places where people want to gather and grow,” said Brent Cooper, NKY Chamber President and CEO. “These businesses are more than economic engines— they’re cornerstones of culture and connection in Northern Kentucky.”

A NEW TRADITION BEGINS The awards were selected by a panel of judges drawn from across the region’s business councils. As the NKY Chamber continues to build its Business Council programming, this new tradition will remain a cornerstone — highlighting and celebrating the businesses that make Northern Kentucky a stronger, more vibrant place to live, work, play, learn and give back.

The event was made possible thanks to the support of Presenting Sponsor City of Florence, Host Sponsor Turfway Park Racing & Gaming and Photobooth Sponsor, City of Fort Thomas.

The NKY Chamber Business Councils are supported by Title Sponsor Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and Presenting Sponsor, Heritage Bank.

To learn more about the NKY Chamber Business Councils or get involved, visit nkychamber.com/business-councils. NK Y PAGE 28

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

NKYP EVENT PASS

“

The NKY Chamber, particularly the NKYP program, has been a huge part of my career growth. My involvement has given me access to new relationships, business partners, leadership opportunities, and lasting friendships. I’ve learned when you surround yourself with other young professionals who are dedicated to furthering the Northern Kentucky region, you are able to move mountains.

I’m also a huge fan of the NKYP Event Pass which has allowed me to make one annual investment to expand my network and take full advantage of everything the NKY Chamber offers.

- Hank Heidrich, Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

NKYP Presenting Sponsor

NKYP Event Sponsors

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport St. Elizabeth Healthcare Edgewood

Purchase an Event Pass with the code, or visit NKYChamber.com/ NKYP

Helping people do business with the people they know...

It’s what we do.

As you think about your 2025 marketing strategies, consider advertising in the NKY Business Journal.

For more information, contact Diana McGlade at dmcglade@nkychamber.com or 859-578-6381.

UNDERSTANDING VENTURE CAPITAL

Insight into the world of venture capital and its importance for Northern Kentucky’s aspiring entrepreneurs

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media HAVING EXPERIENCED ENTREPRENEURIAL CHALLENGES firsthand, Kyle Schlotman has an appreciation for all those now seeking the venture capital investments his company often evaluates.

“It helped us, especially early on when we were investing, that we could relate to these values. If you're a startup and you raise $1.5 to $3 million, it sounds like a lot of money. But you have to build your product, hire at least four or five people, and, at the end of the day, you're the last one to get paid,” says Schlotman, CEO of Wendal, a proprietary AI solution for screening venture deals. “You have to keep the lights on, make payroll – there’s a lot of stress that comes with being a founder. It’s made our team better venture capitalists having been entrepreneurs ourselves, rather than just joining a larger fund with the infrastructure of hundreds of million dollars. We've never lived in that world.”

Now looking to help entrepreneurs live in a world where their dreams can become a reality, he and Chad Summe, Managing Partner at eGateway Capital, have plenty of venture capital expertise to share.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN VENTURE Venture capital is a crucial financing method for entrepreneurs and is, at its core, money invested into a business, usually a startup, with high growth potential but also an amount

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of risk. Schlotman and Summe are well-versed in venture capital, each helping lead investments at their respective firms.

Alongside partner Brad Zapp, Schlotman helped launch one of America’s first digital venture capital firms, Connetic Ventures, in 2019.

A veteran of the U.S. Navy who began his career serving as a nuclear engineer on a fast attack submarine, Summe now spends his days navigating the sink-or-swim world of venture capital at eGateway Capital. Formed in 2021, eGateway Capital focuses on investing in “technology that enables the future of e-commerce” by backing portfolio companies with their experience, connections and advisory services.

While venture capital firms and banks both lend funds, the differences between the two are distinct. Whereas a traditional bank loan requires an entrepreneur to repay it with interest, venture capital firms typically provide funding to startups and emerging companies in exchange for a portion of ownership — equity — in those businesses.

Regardless of the route an entrepreneur takes, Summe says bank loans and venture capital investors have one thing in common because lending of any type carries risk.

“Banks have a lower risk, a more algorithmic way to underwrite companies. Generally, that's connected to the assets of that company, and venture capital often is underwriting companies

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

with zero assets and more of an idea, a vision and maybe some revenue,” says Summe. “It's just a different stage of risk and return.”

Knowing when you’re ready for venture capital is just as important as finding the right firm to pitch your business. That’s why Schlotman says entrepreneurs needn’t worry about venture capital in their gestation years when they are raising money via friends, family and angel investors – individuals or organizations that don’t require repayment of funds. Venture capital, he says, would come into play once a company has a scalable idea and is ready for its initial public offering (IPO) or to be sold to a private equity fund.

INVESTMENT WORTHY Schlotman says his company deals involve businesses doing “somewhere between $100,000 to $200,000” in annual revenue, which is “big enough to show there’s a market” for their product or idea. Summe says eGateway Capital invests later down the funnel when a company has proven product market fit with revenues usually north of $10 million. Similarly to Connetic as they are underwriting people – and more specifically, their teams and abilities – just as much as the product itself.

That’s why he and Schlotman both say entrepreneurs should do a fair amount of research on both a potential lender and their own standing as a company before seeking venture capital. Summe says entrepreneurs would be wise to look for an investment that isn’t just financial, but one that also offers help with go-to-market expertise in the industry in which they specialize.

Getting more funders to invest in Northern Kentucky, however, remains a challenge. Summe says asking what Northern Kentucky can do to become more attractive to venture capital funds is “a big question with a lot of answers.”

If the region continues “to keep putting one foot in front of the other,” he believes it can reach the heights of venture capital potential necessary to change its current reality.

“We need more capital allocators, more eGateways and Connetics in the ecosystem allocating capital. For that to happen, we need more eGateways and Connetics to produce outsized returns – that's how this system works,” he says. “You make good investments and good outcomes lead to bigger and more opportunities for firms to open that are allocating capital – we just need more of it. We have a tremendous amount of wealth in our region, but this asset class of venture and private capital overall is just underrepresented. Second, as part of any innovation ecosystem, you need good founders, so we need to continue to cultivate everything around serving and encouraging founders to run with ideas and great execution.”

Continuing, Summe says, “Our region is uniquely in a great position to help companies scale. The middle of the country is predisposed better to help companies scale for a variety of different reasons, but largely because so much of the U.S. industry is sitting here. That's often who these entrepreneurs are serving.”

Schlotman agrees.

“As great as Northern Kentucky is, it's not considered a traditional hotbed for startups. The big venture capital funds, they're in the Bay Area, New York, Boston ... We call it the ‘millionmile problem,’” Schlotman says. “With the building of SparkHaus, there’s going to be a vibrant community and startup ecosystem, for the first time in Covington and Northern Kentucky, which I think is going to be great ... If you have an idea and want to figure out how to get it off the ground, that's going to be a great way to do it.” NK Y ENTREPRENEURSHIP | VOLUME 44 NUMBER 5

CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY About the Experts

KYLE SCHLOTMAN

A Villa Hills native and 2008 graduate of Indiana University, Schlotman began his career at JP Morgan and Sagent Advisors as an investment banking analyst focusing on retail and healthcare. He would then leave Wall Street and return to Cincinnati to work for dunnhumby/84.51 retail data science, insights and media, leading multiple consulting projects for retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) clients including Kroger and Procter & Gamble. This included marketing and digital strategy for an $18 million CPG brand.

Currently, Schlotman is the CEO of Wendal®, a proprietary AI solution for screening venture deals which has analyzed some 13,000+ startups and 21,000+ founders. He was previously Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Connetic Ventures, an early-stage venture fund where he was involved in 300+ transactions.

CHAD SUMME

A native of Fort Mitchell now residing in Edgewood, Summe is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy where he earned a B.S. in Economics (with Honors) before going on to achieve his MBA at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He then proudly served in the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Force as a submarine officer on the USS Topeka (SSN 754) in San Diego. He is a Founding and Managing Partner at eGateway Capital, a late-stage venture capital fund that invests in technology companies enabling the future of commerce – across supply chain, to marketing, to sales.

His past work includes serving as COO and Chief Strategy Officer for Quotient Technology, a publicly held technology company as well as Procter & Gamble, leading strategy and brand marketing in the company’s baby care division. He is a member of several boards of directors/trustees including CVG (where he is currently the Vice Chair) and CincyTech USA, a venture capital and private equity firm helping entrepreneurs and research institutions in the life sciences and digital realm throughout southwest Ohio.

PAGE 31

TOOLS OF THE TRADE NKY Chamber membership benefits that can help you achieve your business goals

As an NKY Chamber member, you gain exclusive access to a robust network of resources designed to help grow and support your workforce, strengthen your company, and drive your success.

SAVINGS, SUPPLIES AND MORE HEALTH INSURANCE – The NKY Chamber has teamed up with Anthem to offer ChamberAdvantage, a health coverage solution that gives small businesses an easy, affordable way to offer health benefits to employees.

Save 20% to 25% on your monthly medical spend with ChamberAdvantage.

OFFICE SUPPLIES – The NKY Chamber offers several perks in the form of discounted office supplies. ODP Business Solutions offers members up to 55% off their most purchased office supplies both in-store and online with no contract. VIE Ability, which was launched by the Cincinnati Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired, has 60,000+ office products and supports people who are blind or have severe vision loss.

BANKING – The NKY Chamber’s partnership with PNC Merchant Services provides several benefits to members including referral bonuses, no early termination fees, next-day funding of card payment processing transactions and more.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS – NKY Chamber members can receive discounts on advertising courtesy of Adsposure and Everything Cincy, both of whom can help you save on social media, ad packages and more.

IT SOLUTIONS – The Circuit’s CIO Circle is a problem solving, information sharing, technology-based peer group allowing IT leaders to collaborate. NKY Chamber members enjoy a $200 discount for the program.

HR SERVICES – In need of human resource help? NKY Chamber members can save on a variety of HR services through partnerships with ClearPath Mutual and MPI Management Consulting.

MEMBER DIRECTORY – Leverage the Chamber’s online Member Directory to connect with fellow NKY Chamber members, build valuable business relationships, and keep your dollars within the community.

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE BUSINESS REFERRAL NETWORKS – The NKY Chamber’s Business Referral Networks (BRN) can connect you to teams of 15 to 30 people to help you learn how other members can help you grow your business.

ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE – Rali Solutions helps companies foster successful outcomes by uniting technology, behavioral science and change management best practices via its Change Experience Platform to help drive behavior change.

THE VOICE OF BUSINESS IN NKY – The NKY Chamber advocates on members’ behalf on key legislative and regulatory issues in Northern Kentucky, Frankfort and Washington D.C. HR 100 – HR professionals and small business owners can utilize timely programs centered on talent recruitment and retention issues while also often earning SHRM-credits in the process.

HR TRIFECTA – Hosted in partnership with NKY SHRM, the HR Trifecta brings HR leaders together to discuss three unique aspects of the workforce pertinent to industry professionals.

WORKFORCE BEST PRACTICES SYMPOSIUM – This event brings regional experts together for discussions and breakout sessions highlighting strategies employers can use to attract/ retain talent and promote workforce development.

INCLUSIVE IMPACT BREAKFAST – This morning event features discussions around the critical role inclusion plays in attracting talent, driving investment, and ensuring our region remains competitive in the global economy TALENT STRATEGIES SPOTLIGHT – This regular feature of the NKY Chamber Spotlight podcast features employers and workforce practitioners discussing tactics, resources and more centered on talent attraction, retention and inclusive business strategies.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WOMEN’S INITIATIVE REGIONAL SUMMIT – Powered by PNC, this daylong learning event for women of all career stages features speakers who present inspirational content for professional women.

LEADERSHIP NORTHERN KENTUCKY – Powered by Citi, this popular program uses the community as a classroom to develop leaders that will serve the region.

ENCOUNTER NKY – Powered by Citi, Encounter NKY is a talent retention program designed to help young professionals (YPs) and those newer to the region with career advancement while also developing a deeper connection to Northern Kentucky.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY YOUNG PROFESSIONALS (NKYP) - Presented by meetNKY, NKYP connects YPs with peers by expanding their networks, programming and engagement while impacting their community through diversity and inclusion.

NKYP EVENT PASS – The NKYP Event Pass provides employees admission to nearly every event hosted by the NKY Chamber and helps them engage with the community, network with others, and take advantage of professional development opportunities.

WOMEN’S INITIATIVE MENTOR/MENTEE PROGRAM – Designed to help female leaders in your organization, this program pairs like-minded individuals for a one-on-one growth period over one years’ time.

These are just some of the resources and benefits that come with being an NKY Chamber member.

To learn more, contact Lynn Abeln, Vice President of Membership at labeln@nkychamber.com or call (859) 578-6390. You can also find information on all the programs and benefits included in this article at www.nkychamber.com. NK Y

INCLUSIVE BUSINESS STRATEGIES SERIES – This workforce programming series empowers businesses with actionable strategies to overcome employment barriers, enhance talent attraction and retention, and unlock the benefits of cultivating an inclusive workplace.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP | VOLUME 44 NUMBER 5

PAGE 33

AROUND THE CHAMBER

WOMEN'S INITIATIVE ANNUAL BREAKFAST, POWERED BY PNC | TURFWAY PARK, FLORENCE

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EGGS 'N ISSUES: THE INTERSECTION OF BUSINESS AND PUBLIC SAFETY | RECEPTIONS, ERLANGER

FLORENCE BUSINESS COUNCIL - BUSINESS RESOURCE ROUNDTABLES | TURFWAY PARK, FLORENCE

NEWPORT BUSINESS COUNCIL SOCIAL | NEWPORT ON THE LEVEE PAR 3 AREA

NKYP COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATIONS | VELOCITY ESPORTS, NEWPORT

NKY COMMUNITY AWARD | BOONE COUNTY SHERIFF MIKE HELMIG

WOMEN'S INITIATIVE CONNECT HOUR | BOURBON HOUSE PIZZA, NEWPORT

FORT THOMAS BUSINESS COUNCIL SOCIAL | K. ANDERSON JEWELERS, FORT THOMAS

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AROUND THE CHAMBER

7TH ANNUAL WORKFORCE BEST PRACTICES SYMPOSIUM | KENTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, ERLANGER

PAGE 36

DAY IN FRANKFORT | KENTUCKY STATE CAPITOL, FRANKFORT, KY

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AROUND THE CHAMBER

INCLUSIVE IMPACT BREAKFAST: A DISCUSSION ON REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS | ST. ELIZABETH TRAINING AND EDUCATION CENTER, ERLANGER

NEWPORT BUSINESS COUNCIL - WHAT'S NEW IN NEWPORT | THE PRESTANT

WE LEAD CS GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT | NKY CHAMBER, FORT MITCHELL

EGGS 'N ISSUES: STATE OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY | RECEPTIONS, ERLANGER

NKY CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS/BOARD OF ADVISORS HAPPY HOUR | NEW RIFF DISTILLING, NEWPORT

WE BUILD SOMETHING BETTER

WITH YOU.

At Central Bank, we live, work and play in the same communities you do. You’re our neighbor, friend, business partner down the street.

We know and understand you because we build relationships with you – every day. That helps us serve you better, and that’s what makes “highly personal banking” more effective banking.

We start with you.

Florence • Fort Mitchell Crestview Hills • Union centralbank.com

Member FDIC

Trouble finding talent?

Build your own through Work-Based Learning NKY Works can connect you to students and emerging young professional through our free online platform: NKYCareerJumpstart.com.

Request your free login and put NKYCareerJumpstart.com to work for you.

NKYWorks.org 859.657.WRKS

RIBBON CUTTINGS

Ribbon Cuttings Sponsored by:

DRURY PLAZA HOTEL CINCINNATI FLORENCE 7915 US Highway 42 | Florence, KY 41042 | 859-488-9101 | druryhotels.com

THE N.E.T.'S EFFECT COMPANY 409 W. 6th Street | Covington, KY 41011 | 888-921-2990 | thenetseffect.com

CO HATCH 409 W. 6th St, Suite 200 | Covington, KY 41011 | 859-651-8151 | cohatch.com

KTS ADVOCACY 409 W. 6th Street | Covington, KY 41011 | 859-363-5981 | ktsadvocacy.com

RIBBON CUTTINGS

Ribbon Cuttings Sponsored by:

JALEN HUDSON AGENCY 495 Erlanger Rd, Suite 101 | Erlanger, KY 41018 | 859-282-8660 | jalenfromsf.com

PUBLIX 430 Richwood Road | Walton, KY 41094 | 859-379-1137 | publix.com

FACELAB 1088 Walburg Ave, Suite 202 | Villa Hills, KY 41017 | 859-443-8070 | facelabnky.com

DAVE & BUSTER'S 781 Heights Blvd | Florence, KY 41042 | 859-692-9800 | daveandbusters.com PUBLIX 430 Richwood Road | Walton, KY 41094 | 859-379-1137 | publix.com

We want to help you promote and celebrate your ribbon cutting ceremony for your new facility, expansion, anniversary celebration or open house! We’ll bring our trademark giant blue scissors, a group of Chamber ambassadors, and a camera to capture the excitement of your special day.

Call Lynn Abeln at (859) 578-6390 to schedule your FREE ribbon cutting today!

PAGE 43

MEMBER

MILESTONES

STEINHAUSER Steinhauser, a fourth-generation, 100% woman-owned printing company, is celebrating its 120th anniversary. Since 1905, Steinhauser has remained a trusted printing partner in the local business community with a strong commitment to craftsmanship, reliability, and customer success.

AFounded B O U asT a commercial S T E I N print H A shop, U S EtheRcompany has adapted over the Steinhauser, a fourth-generation, 100% women-owned company, hasspecializing been a leader in in custom prime decades to meet changing industry needs, now label printing since 1905. With a focus on innovation, quality, and sustainability, pressure-sensitive and shrink sleeve labels for consumer product goods Steinhauser partners with top CPG brands in the beverage, spirits, personal care, and household markets. company evolves by integrating cutting-edge companies.

With The over 900continuously years of combined printing expertise, Steinhauser’s printing technology and sustainable practices while maintaining deep community roots team continues to raise the bar for quality and service, collaborating with in Northern Kentucky. local, national, and global brands to bring packaging visions to life.

While honoring its rich history, the privately held company remains REC G N I with TIO C 21% O Ryear-over-year E F O C U growth S focused on O progress anN average since 2019, reinforcing its position as a leader in premium label printing.

2024 Printer of the Year Delivering an exceptional experience for everyone, every day. Focusing on custom Steinhauser Expands its Flexo Fleet www.steinhauserinc.com.

2021 Fast 55 Honoree 2020 Top 25 Women Owned Businesses CEO Tara Halpin appointed to NKY Tri-ED Board of Directors

WELLS FARGO ADVISORS

FACTS

SHARE YOUR GOOD NEWS! All NKY Chamber members are invited to share announcements & personal achievements in the Milestones column.

Founded: 1905 Location: Newport, KY Ownership: 100% women-owned, fourth-generation family business Leadership: 50% women managers Industry: Label and shrink sleeve printing Key Markets: Beverage, Spirits, Personal Care, Household Technology: UV Flexographic and digital printing Growth: Averaging 21% year-over-year since 2019 Employees: 52 Facility: 36,000 square ft facility, 10,000 square ft off-site warehouse

prime pressure sensitive and shrink sleeve labels.

SERVICES Steinhauser specializes in pressuresensitive and shrink sleeve labels that Barbara M. Johnson of Wells Fargo Advisors enhance brand visibility and packaging With a commitment to precision hasappeal. been recognized

by Forbes as one of the and durability, the company delivers labelsWealth using state-of-the-art Topsuperior Women Advisors Best-in-State for printing technologies.

2025. This accolade honors women who set the benchmark for best practices and consistently S O an C exceptional I A L M Eclient D I experience.

A deliver “I am honored to be named one of Forbes' Facebook: facebook.com/SteinhauserInc/ linkedin.com/company/steinhauser-inc./ TopLinkedIn: Women Wealth Advisors in Ohio,” said Instagram: @SteinhauserInc Johnson, Senior Vice President – Investment Officer. “I’m immensely grateful for the WWW.STEINHAUSERINC.COM opportunity to help individuals and families achieve their financial goals and for the trust PHOTOS clients place in me every day.”

Based in Ohio, Johnson oversees more than $240 million in client assets as of July E2024 X Eand CU TIVE TEAM has more than 29 years of experience in the financial services industry.

With $2.139 trillion in client assets as of December 31, 2024, Wells Fargo Advisors provides advice and guidance to help clients maximize all aspects of their financial lives. www.wellsfargoadvisors.com

Tara Halpin

Rod Baehner Sandra Winkle Erin Dickman Dawn Clark Sarah Callahan

CEO & Owner

VP of Operations

VP of People & Culture

VP of Sales & Marketing

Controller

Quality Manager

Send Milestones to bgastright@nkychamber.com

PAGE 44

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

PEOPLE WORKING COOPERATIVELY For five decades, People Working Cooperatively (PWC) has been a cornerstone of support for homeowners living on low and fixed incomes, ensuring that elderly neighbors, veterans, and individuals with disabilities remain safe and secure in their homes. As the nonprofit marks its 50th anniversary this year, the milestone is not just a celebration of longevity but a testament to the thousands of lives impacted through essential home repairs, accessibility modifications and weatherization services.

Founded on Feb. 14, 1975, PWC has dedicated itself to strengthening homes, families, and communities. With a team of more than 130 full-time, licensed professionals and a dedicated network of volunteers, the organization completes approximately 7,000 service projects annually. These efforts range from installing wheelchair ramps and stairlifts to improving insulation for energy efficiency to fixing plumbing and HVAC systems, all to keep their clients safer and healthier in their homes.

During its golden anniversary, PWC invites the community to get involved through its annual volunteer events, such as Repair Affair in the summer and Prepare Affair in the fall, where volunteers assist with exterior home maintenance projects. Additionally, supporters can attend the annual ToolBelt Ball in September, a key fundraising event that helps sustain PWC’s services, or pledge $50 for 50 years.

As People Working Cooperatively embarks on its next 50 years, the organization remains committed to its mission of building stronger communities, one home at a time. For more information on how to volunteer, donate, or learn more about PWC’s work, visit pwchomerepairs.org. NK Y

Fort Thomas Business Council Event Calendar May: Business Council Annual Celebration presented by the City of Florence Join us for the inaugural Business Council Dinner Celebration presented by the City of Florence where we will celebrate the success and achievements over the past year for the Business Councils of Florence, Fort Thomas, and Newport. Featuring a keynote address from Eastern Kentucky University’s men’s basketball coach, A. W. Hamilton.

FT TOM June: Campbell County’s Transformation BIZ COUNCIL Wednesday, May 7 | 5:30 - 8:30 PM | Turfway Park Racing & Gaming

Campbell County has had unprecedented growth and is projected to continue this growth into the future. You will learn about economic development in the county, plans for the future and how Campbell County is making a name for itself.

Thursday, June 26 | 11:15 AM - 1:00 PM | Mess Hall, 801 Cochran Avenue Membership is open to businesses and community organizations operating within the Fort Thomas city limits.

If you are a current member of the NKY Chamber in good standing, your business is automatically a member of the Fort Thomas Business Council.

You do not have to be a member of the NKY Chamber to be a member of the Fort Thomas Business Council.

Fort Thomas Business Council dues are $100 annually.

Title Sponsor

Presenting Sponsor

Register for these events and more at nkychamber.com/events

Banking that Grows With You. Partners Who Think Ahead.

Kevin Garrett

Mark Sams

Commercial Banking 859.320.1253

David Stringer

Regional Market Executive 812.496.0704

Commercial Banking 859.320.1251

B. Adam Irlam Private Banking NMLS# 574957

859.320.1254

At Civista Bank, we go beyond transactions—we’re your strategic financial partner. Whether you’re scaling your startup, expanding your operations, or optimizing cash flow, our proactive team delivers creative, tailored solutions to keep your business moving forward.

Learn more at civista.bank 300 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 103 Fort Mitchell, KY 41017 800.604.9368

Newport Business Council May: Business Council Annual Celebration presented by the City of Florence Join us for the inaugural Business Council Dinner Celebration presented by the City of Florence where we will celebrate the success and achievements over the past year for the Business Councils of Florence, Fort Thomas, and Newport. Featuring a keynote address from Eastern Kentucky University’s men’s basketball coach, A. W. Hamilton.

Wednesday, May 7 | 5:30 - 8:30 PM | Turfway Park Racing & Gaming

June: KY 8 Licking River Transportation Update The KY 8 Licking River Bridge is a critical connection for commuters, freight, pedestrians, and bicyclists traveling between Covington and Newport. Join us for an update from Cory Wilson, Project Manager with KYTC District 6 who will share an update on the project and the interim plans for helping residents between Newport and Covington navigate the construction.

Tuesday, June 24 | 11:15 AM - 1:00 PM | Location TBD Membership is open to businesses and community organizations operating within the Newport city limits.

If you are a current member of the NKY Chamber in good standing, your business is automatically a member of the Newport Business Council.

You do not have to be a member of the NKY Chamber to be a member of the Newport Business Council.

Newport Business Council dues are $100 annually. Reach out to Lynn Abeln at labeln@nkychamber.com to join.

Title Sponsor

Presenting Sponsor

Host Sponsor

Register for these events and more at nkychamber.com/events

REGISTER FOR THESE EVENTS AND MORE AT NKYCHAMBER.COM/EVENTS

EVENT CALENDAR

MAY 5/1 5/7 5/8 5/10 5/14 5/16 5/16 5/19 5/20 5/22

Business Impact Awards | Devou Properties, Covington | 4:00 - 6:00 PM Business Council Annual Celebration Dinner | Turfway Park, Florence | 5:30 - 8:30 PM LNK Community Vibrancy Session | TBD | 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM (Class only) NKYP Volunteer Opportunity | Brighton Center, Newport | 4:00 - 8:00 PM HR 100 Employment Law Update | NKY Chamber, Ft. Mitchell | 8:00 - 10:00 AM LNK Closing Retreat | Florence Nature Park | 11:30 AM - 6:00 PM (Class only) NKYP Brews and Baseball | Killer Queen/Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati | 4:00 - 11:00 PM Women’s Initiative Connect Hour | New Riff Distilling, Newport | 4:00 - 6:00 PM Eggs ‘N Issues: Career Development & Education | Receptions, Erlanger | 7:30 - 9:00 AM Business After Hours | TBD | 4:30 - 6:30 PM

JUNE 6/4 Getting the Most of Your Chamber Membership | NKY Chamber, Ft. Mitchell | 9:00 - 10:00 AM 6/5 Outstanding Women of NKY Awards | Turfway Park, Florence | 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM 6/12 Fusion: A Multicultural Experience | Metropolitan Club, Covington | 4:30 – 6:30 PM 6/17 Eggs ‘N Issues | TBD | Receptions, Erlanger | 7:30 - 9:00 AM 6/17-18 NKY United 2025 | Northern Kentucky/Great American Ball Park | All Day 6/18 Florence Business Council: Empowering Employee Wellness | Turfway Park | 11:15 AM - 1:00 PM 6/24 Newport Business Council | TBD | 11:15 AM - 1:00 PM 6/26 Fort Thomas Business Council: Campbell County’s Transformation | Mess Hall | 11:15 AM - 1:00 PM 6/30 Women’s Initiative Connect Hour | Performance Lexus NKY, Ft. Wright | 4:00 - 6:00 PM TBD NKYP Joint Happy Hour w/Emerging Leaders | DBL Law, Covington | 5:00 - 7:00 PM

JULY 7/9 7/10 7/10 7/15 7/22 7/22 7/24

HR 100: Happy HR Hour | TBD | 4:00 - 6:00 PM NKYP Lunchtime Leader Chat | TBD | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Business After Hours | TBD | 4:30 - 6:30 PM Eggs ‘N Issues | TBD | Receptions, Erlanger | 7:30 - 9:00 AM Women’s Initiative Coffee Connect | Elite MedSpa, Union | 8:00 - 10:00 AM Newport Business Council | TBD | 4:30 - 6:30 PM Fort Thomas Business Council: Merging Google Marketing with AI | Mess Hall | 11:15 AM - 1:00 PM

Northern Kentucky Business Journal is published bi-monthly by:

Periodicals Postage Paid USPS-548630 at Covington, KY.

CEO/Publisher Brent Cooper | bcooper@nkychamber.com

Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc. 300 Buttermilk Pike Suite 330 P.O. Box 17416 Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017 859-578-8800 NKYChamber.com

Postmaster: Please send address changes to the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, 300 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 330, P.O. Box 17416 , Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017-0416.

Marketing & Communications Shannan Boyer | shannan@scootermediaco.com

The Business Journal is a benefit of membership and included in membership fees. Annual subscription rate for nonmembers is $30.

Subscribers: Please send address changes by e-mail to info@nkychamber.com. © 2024, The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and by the individual authors.

All rights reserved.

Design & Photography Ben Gastright | bgastright@nkychamber.com Lindsey Vanderkolk | lindsey@scootermediaco.com Vice President, Membership–Sponsorship Sales Lynn Abeln | labeln@nkychamber.com Director, Sponsor Investments Diana McGlade | dmcglade@nkychamber.com Staff Writer Tabari McCoy | tabari@scootermediaco.com Printing Black Tie Productions