TK Business Magazine - September 2021 Issue

CHANGE IS GOOD | BUILDING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE | PROFESSOR: HIDDEN INNOVATORS | THE WRITE STUFF SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

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CONTENTS

TK BUSINESS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

SOULFIRE NUTRITION

THE BURGER STAND

LINEN TREE & CO.

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PG.

@tk_business_

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

@TK Business

BROOKWOOD SHOPPING CENTER: CHANGE IS GOOD With new businesses opening and established ones moving in, Brookwood Shopping Center is popping with excitement.

@TKBusinessMag

TK Business Magazine

Photos By JOHN BURNS

MADISON AVENUE MARKET

@TK...Topeka's Business Magazine

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

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CONTENTS

TK BUSINESS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

ON THE COVER

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CHANGE IS GOOD | BUILDING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE | PROFESSOR: HIDDEN INNOVATORS | THE WRITE STUFF

Photo By JOHN BURNS

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

TOPSPORTS.NEWS

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Bill Griffin and Rick Peterson bring their vision of covering Topeka and Shawnee County sports to life.

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BUILDING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE

Photo By EMMA HIGHFILL

The business of coffee

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THE BUSINESS OF COFFEE

Kevin Conard, owner of Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters, has set a high bar for coffee in Topeka and beyond with complex, nuanced roasts, barista training, equipment servicing and coffee education.

Photos By JOHN BURNS

Photo by JOHN BURNS

PG.

See how local companies are training and retaining employees to meet the diverse demands of companies of all sizes.

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SCENE ABOUT TOWN 20thirty Gala Presented by Hotel Topeka

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HIDDEN INNOVATORS

Rick LeJuerrne with Washburn University talks about innovative business plans.

Photo by JOHN BURNS

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EXPERTS

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DECISION FATIGUE

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Michaela Butterworth, Health Promotion Specialist at Valeo Behavioral Health Care, offers tips on ways to prevent and manage decision fatigue.

TK Business Magazine

Photo by JOHN BURNS

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44

TRUCKS, POP-UPS & MORE

TopCity Flavorista talks with food trucks and pop-up restaurants.

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THE WRITE STUFF

Four Topeka authors share their path from keyboard to publication.

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FROM THE EDITOR

PHOTO SUBMITTED

that are screaming for our attention at that moment. But more than that, we have to help the person speaking to us know we are really listening.

At a time when we are in desperate need of connection and understanding, here are a few things that I am working at to better listen to those around me.

Lisa Loewen Editor-In-Chief TK Business Magazine

ARE YOU LISTENING? Telling the stories of local businesses comes from being curious, talking to people, asking questions, and most importantly, listening to what they have to say. It sounds simple. After all, we all have ears. However, many of us have forgotten how to really listen.

We find ourselves partially listening as we multitask. I can type on my computer, check my phone, scan a memo, monitor another conversation at the next desk, all while “listening” to a person standing right in front of me. I hear their words. I respond with the appropriate nods and “uh-huhs,” but those words don’t necessarily penetrate the clutter in my head. The result is that I forget what was said the minute the conversation is over, or I make assumptions based on the half of the conversation that actually stuck. And you know what they say about people who assume…

The worst part is that the people talking to us know we aren’t fully engaged, so they feel their words aren’t important, or even worse, they stop talking altogether.

For those of us who pride ourselves on being multitaskers, it means we have to consciously shut down the other tasks

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Ask good questions. One of the best ways to learn to listen is to ask questions. Be curious to discover things you may not already know.

Follow up each question with a response that shows you are truly interested in what the other person has to say. They will be encouraged to keep talking and you will find it easier to also stay engaged.

Wait to speak. This one is hard.

Silence can be painful. But if we interrupt someone or jump to our next question or tell our story, we take away the opportunity for the other person to speak. What if that lost part of the response would have been the most important piece of their story?

Stay focused. Don’t let distractions take you back to partial listening. That notification on your phone can wait.

Don’t fill in the holes. We often make assumptions based on personal experiences. Try to keep an open mind when you listen. Don’t let your brain automatically fill in information, even if it seems obvious. You might be surprised at how many things really aren’t obvious.

Think about the people in your life that are good listeners. What is the emotion that thinking of them provokes?

My guess is that it is a positive emotion and one that you would like others to feel about you. I know that I hope I can do a better job of listening starting today to ensure that when my kids, my husband or my friends need someone to listen, that I’m on the top of their list to call.

TK Business Magazine

PUBLISHER Tara Dimick EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lisa Loewen CREATIVE DIRECTOR & DESIGNER Janet Faust MANAGING PARTNER & SALES DIRECTOR Braden Dimick braden@tkmagazine.com MARKETING DIRECTOR & SALES Ally Oakes ally@tkmagazine.com COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Emma Highfill CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alison Beebe Samantha Egan Miranda Ericsson Kim Gronniger Eric Smith Adam Vlach CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS John Burns Emma Highfill CONTRIBUTING EXPERTS Michaela Butterworth Rick LeJuernne PUBLISHING COMPANY E2 Communications 7512 SW Falcon St. Topeka, KS 66610 785.438.7773 FOUNDER ǀ Kevin Doel

tkmagazine.com 2021 TK Business Magazine is published by E2 Communications, Inc. Reproduction or use of this publication in any manner without written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Every effort was made to ensure accuracy of the information in this publication as of press time. The publisher assumes no responsibility of any part for the content of any advertisement in this publication, including any errors and omissions therein. E2 Communications, Inc. makes no endorsement, representation or warranty regarding any goods or services advertised or listed in this publication.

Listings and advertisements are provided by the subject company. E2 Communications, Inc. shall not be responsible or liable for any inaccuracy, omission or infringement of any third party's right therein, or for personal injury or any other damage or injury whatsoever. By placing an order for an advertisement, the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher against any claims relating to the advertisement.

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CHANGE IS GOOD

BROOKWOOD SHOPPING CENTER

By ERIC SMITH Photo by JOHN BURNS

Welcoming.

Friendly.

Supportive.

Homey.

Those are just some of the words used by the folks at the Burger Stand and Madison Avenue Boutique to describe how they feel at their new respective locations in Brookwood Shopping Center.

The pair of businesses opened within the past few months at the southwest Topeka shopping center at 2709 SW 29th St., and both couldn’t be happier with how things are going.

Photo by JOHN BURNS

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TK Business Magazine

MADISON AVENUE BOUTIQUE

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Photos by JOHN BURNS

Madison Avenue Boutique carries clothing, jewelry, accessories and gifts.

MADISON AVENUE BOUTIQUE

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START UP WITH SUPPORT Madison Schmidtlein, 24, owns and runs Madison Avenue Boutique, a modern, trendy clothing shop that also has jewelry, accessories and gift options. Schmidtlein, who recently graduated from the University of Kansas, has had her store open since early June.

“It’s scary, but it’s also been going a lot better than I expected,” she said. “It’s fun, and I’ve had a lot of people come in and support me. I’ve always just liked fashion.

TK Business Magazine

And watching my mom do her store, it seemed like something I’d really enjoy.”

Schmidtlein’s mom, Kelly Schuster, owns Linen Tree & Co., which is just down the terrace from the boutique.

“She’s helped me with everything,” Schmidtlein said.

“She’s gone with me to market every time to pick out my product.

We go to Dallas usually. There’s a bunch of vendors, and you go through and order what you want.

It’s very overwhelming, but it’s nice

Madison Schmidtlein, owner of Madison Avenue Boutique, is fulfilling her passion for fashion with her trendy clothing store at Brookwood Shopping Center.

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Photos by JOHN BURNS

Photos by JOHN BURNS

having her there to help. She’s been really supportive with all my ideas.”

Both said they have enjoyed the unique experience of a motherdaughter combo owning shops at the center.

“She has always wanted to have a little boutique. Once we heard that the Burger Stand was coming in here, we’re like, ‘this is the perfect opportunity to go ahead and do something now,’” Schuster said. “It’s fun. We do a lot of stuff together, and I was able to kind of show her the ropes on owning your own business.”

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Photos by JOHN BURNS

THE BURGER STAND GREAT FOOD, NEW LOCATION The Burger Stand, which is directly across from Madison Avenue Boutique on the terrace, opened at the beginning of May after serving Topekans for nearly 10 years in College Hill.

General Manager Joanna Becker said while she has nostalgia for the old location and it was difficult to leave, there are so many benefits to being at Brookwood.

“We found a space here at Brookwood that just seemed to flow really nicely,” Becker said. “We had really good rapport with the landlord, the Robb Company, who has been really gracious to us. Having the support of the other local businesses that are in the strip has just been really important too. We love working with them.”

Siblings Brady Robb and Becky Dickinson are co-owners of the Robb Company, and the family has been involved with ownership of Brookwood since the beginning in 1959.

“We’re just doing the best we can to make (Brookwood) a pleasant and safe experience,” Dickinson said. “We’re always looking for new businesses to complete the mix of retail

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Photos by JOHN BURNS

The Burger Stand, known for its creative gourmet burgers, is also serving up community events at its new location.

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Photos by JOHN BURNS

Using local, high-end products in their food line up also extends to serving local IPA’s on their beer taps at The Burger Stand.

and dining options at the center, and [Burger Stand and Madison Avenue Boutique] were just a good fit.”

Brookwood began as a single building that sat on the corner of SW 29th and Oakley and was owned by Ron Robb, Ed Love and Bob Taggart.

Over the years, the center expanded to what it is today. Becker said the spot where the Burger Stand is now was originally four different shops that merged into one.

“It’s been really neat to hear all those stories from different customers about, ‘Oh, my mom ran this meat and cheese shop here,’” Becker said. “And ‘Oh, this was a shoe store before Boss Hawg’s was there.’”

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Today, more than two dozen businesses call the shopping center home.

“While we were looking around for a new location, we knew the history of the space, and it was a really treasured place in Topeka. I think a lot of people have been there and are familiar with the location,” said Becker, referencing the past restaurants that came before Burger Stand with Boss Hawg’s BBQ and 4 Guys. “And then in our daily viewings, and conversations with the Robb Company, we just felt really listened to and heard by them. They were really willing and excited to get us in here. I think we work really well together.”

In the Burger Stand’s first week being open in Brookwood, the patronage by loyal customers was so strong that the restaurant ran out of food.

“It was such a great surprise,” Becker said. “We felt so loved and people were so excited to get in there and welcome us back.”

To pay ode to the past businesses that came before Burger Stand, the restaurant added a new burger, called the Brookwood. It’s a beef patty, brisket, housemade Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, cheese and white onions.

Becker said while the service and food is very much the same from the location at College Hill, the theme for the new location is a little different with a lot of brighter colors and a retro, eclectic feel that is also more comfortable and warmer than the College Hill spot.

A major point of emphasis for the Burger Stand, Becker said, is using local, high-end products, knowing where their ingredients come from, and striving to stay involved in the community.

“We often see the other business owners in our restaurant, and we try to buy local from them before we go to other stores. They’ve been so helpful, so supportive,” Becker said. “They come in for food, and they tell us how good it was. It’s amazing to be a part of the community that we have here.”

Community Atmosphere As the summer continues, the Burger Stand has picked up its events—trivia, tap takeovers, live music—and they also have plans to do a 10-year celebration party this year and show appreciation for its customers.

Brookwood has also started a new monthly event called “Final Fridays,” switching from the “First Friday” theme it had been doing. The last Friday of every month, the center is hosting an event for families to attend. September will feature tailgating and the final Friday of October will be Boo Fest, an annual Halloween tradition at Brookwood.

“When you’re coming to Brookwood, you’re really supporting local families and local businesses,” Becker said. “And I think that’s a really big deal. Especially nowadays when local businesses are really struggling to keep afloat. We’ve been really impressed with our time with Brookwood, and we’re really looking forward to the things to come.”

Photos by JOHN BURNS

Siblings Brady Robb and Becky Dickinson are co-owners of the Robb Company, the parent company that owns and leases retail spaces at Brookwood Shopping Center.

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SOULFIRE NUTRITION

Photo by JOHN BURNS

Photo by JOHN BURNS

LINEN TREE & CO.

Pictured are Kelly Shuster, owner, and Melanie Kline, former owner of the Linen Tree & Co. TRANSITIONS AND EXPANSIONS Two other Brookwood businesses recently had big changes.

SoulFire Nutrition, a healthy, local alternative to fast food, as co-owner Evie Blanco describes it, opened June 1 at its new location in the shopping center, just a short walk from its old location next to Linen Tree & Co. “It was kind of a partnership deal, we wanted to support Kelly [Schuster] and she wanted to expand into our space,” Blanco said. “And the Robb Company wanted to ensure they kept SoulFire at Brookwood Shopping Center because they love us, and we love them. We worked with the Robb Company to get a bigger newer space that was more customized to what we needed for our nutrition club.”

With the move, SoulFire has also expanded its menu, offering

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meal replacement shakes, herbal teas, protein drinks, sports performance nutrition, and nutrition for the whole family.

They also offer free group fitness classes and nutrition education and personalized nutrition coaching. The business, which has new and improved hours, features a Tasty Tuesday the second Tuesday of every month with a free tasting and mix and mingle from 7 to 8 p.m.

“It’s going awesome,” said Blanco of the business, which has been in Brookwood since 2018.

“We have a lot bigger space for our customers to hang out with friends and stay awhile, kind of like a coffee shop feel. Our customers are loving the new space, and we’ve been blessed.”

Linen Tree & Co., a home decor and gift shop that’s been in Brookwood 40-plus years, took over SoulFire’s previous space, knocking down a wall for an

TK Business Magazine

Alissa Platz prepares a healthy, alternative drink for a customer at Soulfire Nutrition. expansion and updating the area with shiplap, new flooring, and other renovations.

“I’ve just had it in my mind to do this,” said Schuster, who’s owned Linen Tree for nearly four years. “The store has a good following that have been coming here for years. But I just felt there was a real opportunity to add new merchandise that might bring in new customers, and we just didn’t have the space here to do much of that. So, we just decided to do it.”

Schuster said they brought in a ton of new items, including accent pieces, among other things. Of course, they also have linens, bath and kitchen towels, bedding, shower curtains, rugs, and lots of spa items.

“We’re really excited about everything that’s happening here,” Schuster said. “Business is great, and all kinds of new people are coming in.”

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FROM THE PROFESSOR

PHOTO SUBMITTED

HIDDEN INNOVATORS

By RICK LEJUERRNE Lecturer of Entrepreneurship School of Business Washburn University

Who doesn’t love the classic startup story? An entrepreneur working away on the next big thing, who against all odds, usually with a buddy or two, creates something new that transforms the world.

The greatest stories always originate from a dorm room, a basement, a shed, or a garage.

Walt Disney, as a young entrepreneur starting up in California, set up a rudimentary animation studio in his uncle’s shed.

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My favorite is one I share every semester with my students. I like to think about Walt Disney. Not the genius who pioneered a new form of family entertainment with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) or the grandfatherly Walt who appeared on ABC and built Disneyland (1954), but the 21-year-old Walt Disney with a dream.

The one who went bankrupt in Kansas City and then took a train to go live with family in California, where he set up a rudimentary animation studio in his uncle’s shed (pictured). Walt had only $40 to his name, but possessing tremendous talent, determination, a midwestern work ethic, and pretty good timing, created what we know today as the Walt Disney Studios.

That Walt was a small business entrepreneur trying to make a living doing what he loved. His family was urging him to get a job, any job, but Walt persevered. His product at that time was a weekly animated joke reel that would play in local theaters before the feature film. Walt had tested this idea with success while in Kansas City.

The business model also worked in California, and this bought Walt time for his first animated cartoon (Alice’s Wonderland, created in KC) to be picked up nationally.

BUSINESS MODEL INNOVATION Had Walt found anyone (other than family) willing to help him, they surely would have asked to see his business plan, which would have been pure fantasy because what he dreamed had not yet been created.

Today, recommending one just write a traditional business plan is outdated advice. The modern view is that entrepreneurs should behave more like scientists, observing and interviewing customers to develop business models that can be tested well before starting the business.

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FROM THE PROFESSOR

In his book Business Model Generation, Alex Osterwalder, a Swiss business theorist who helped create the Business Model Canvas describes a business model by its nine foundational components:



5. REVENUE STREAMS

The cash a company generates from each customer segment.

1. CUSTOMER SEGMENTS The different groups of people or organizations you aim to reach and serve.

6. KEY RESOURCES

The most important assets required to make a business model work.

2. VALUE PROPOSITIONS

The bundle of products and services that create value for a specific customer segment.

7. KEY ACTIVITIES

The most important things a company must do to make its business model work.

3. CHANNELS

How a company communicates with and reaches its customer segments to deliver a value proposition.

8. KEY PARTNERS

The network of suppliers and partners that are required to make the business model work.

4. CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

The types of relationships a company establishes with specific customer segments.

The Business Model Canvas helps test these business model components and, through an iterative process of experimentation, create something new, unique or special.

The Business Model Canvas Key Partners



�

Key Activities

Key Resources

Cost Structure

“To stay ahead of everybody else and beat disruption you need to constantly reinvent yourself.”

—Osterwalder & Pigneur

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9. COST STRUCTURE

Key costs incurred to operate a business model.

Value Propositions

Customer Relationships

♥

Customer Segments

Channels

Revenue Streams

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For entrepreneurs, the days of resting on your laurels and going into small business management mode are over.

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FROM THE PROFESSOR

Studio Bloom

PHOTO SUBMITTED

24

Entrepreneur Shelley Jensen When Shelley Jensen started Studio Bloom 13 years ago, she began as a typical photography studio, providing wedding, baby and high school senior photos. For 10 years Studio Bloom operated using the traditional business model in a highly competitive market.

That’s when Shelley decided to focus on doing what she loved most: senior photos. In addition, she did something creative with her business model. As part of her new channel strategy, she developed the Bloom Squad, which consisted of local high school students who promoted the new business focus across social media. By narrowing her customer segment and thinking strategically about channels, the new business took off.

This year Shelley tackled a new question. She wondered why the market was focused on photos of babies and high school seniors, but not the years in between. Her curiosity led to an amazing discovery.

She sought answers to her questions, and the response was eye opening. Parents shared stories about their kids being bullied, lacking selfconfidence, not feeling good about themselves.

Shelley had tapped into a pain her customers were experiencing, something she was not expecting.

Her answer to the problem was to design completely different value proposition.

Shelley created the Junior Bloom Squad, an empowerment program for tween and teen girls and boys. The services include photography sessions at a great value, but more than this, mentoring aimed at helping kids succeed, break barriers and learn how to be their best self. By rethinking her customer relationships, she has now tapped into something truly innovative.

The impact on the business has been significant. Studio Bloom is already receiving inquiries for the senior class of ’24 and ’25.

Shelley is quick to point out that the new business model is about much more than increased sales, “I had this on my heart much more than taking photos.”

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TK Business Magazine

Cashmere Popcorn

Entrepreneurs Bill and Angie Anderson Anyone who has ever munched popcorn from Cashmere Popcorn knows that the local product is just better tasting than any of the national brands.

The reason? The manufacturing process they have developed is focused first on producing a quality product. They do the little things the big guys don’t.

Cashmere Popcorn started small (sound familiar?), but their business model has evolved over time. Their first popcorn poppers were intended for home use, not a commercial operation.

This approach allowed the Andersons to test their ideas at the lowest upfront cost possible. Angie admits that the small poppers made things a little crazy early on, “We were popping popcorn around the clock.”

Their original business model was based on providing high quality popcorn to organizations for their fundraising campaigns, but that customer segment didn’t pan out. However, by starting small, Cashmere Popcorn was able to pivot to focus on a retail channel where they found the most traction.

Over time, Cashmere Popcorn has invested in upgrades in equipment and even developed their own proprietary equipment. Investments in resources have helped Cashmere Popcorn improve its value proposition by providing different flavors of popcorn that others can’t do well.

At the same time, their business model has evolved in other ways. As the Cashmere brand has grown, more boutique retailers across the state are carrying their popcorn. Now Angie is focused on improving distribution to take advantage of Cashmere Popcorn’s expanding market.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Banktastic

Entrepreneur Martha Bartlett Piland Martha Bartlett Piland began her entrepreneurial journey in 1998, when she started MB Piland Advertising + Marketing.

Martha took a novel approach to her business model from the beginning. Her concept PHOTO SUBMITTED branded “fat-free marketing” utilized partners as key resources, which meant that MB Piland could offer a full-service value propositioned deeper bench than traditional models. To say this business model has worked well would be an understatement - MB Piland recently celebrated 23 years in business.

Entrepreneurs are continually looking to grow or improve their business, and Martha is no exception. Looking for new opportunities, her search began with a thought-provoking question, “What can we offer that no one else is offering, and how can we leverage our experience to solve problems we see over and over within a single vertical?” Her answer was Banktastic, an agency that works with banks, credit unions, accounting firms, fintechs and other financial brands who also want to grow and innovate in a commodityminded environment.

Through many client conversations and industry observation, Martha discovered a pain point that local banks and credit unions are trying to overcome: attracting millennials in a digital world. By listening to her customers, she was able to enhance her value proposition. Banktastic created the National Millennial Advising Board, a group of 225 millennials nationwide that provide insight that is shared with Banktastic clients.

THE REST OF THE STORY Alas, Walt Disney did not get off the train in Topeka, although I suspect if he had, he would have found any number of sheds available for him to use. No worries; we have entrepreneurs like Shelley, Angie and Martha (and others) doing some pretty cool stuff. Innovation is not relegated to novel products or technology. Designing, testing and building innovative business models— that is the job of the entrepreneur.

TK

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Bill Griffin and Rick Peterson describe their venture as a merger of entrepreneurial spirit and decades of award-winning sports journalism.

Photo by JOHN BURNS

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HEART OF THE ENTREPRENEUR

TopSports.news

By ADAM VLACH Photo by JOHN BURNS

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, or so the saying goes.

Fortunately for fans and followers of local sports, one of the countless “big ideas” discussed in the entertainment capital of the world managed to make its way back to Topeka, where it became much more than just an idea.

TopSports.news—a locally owned and operated website dedicated to sports coverage and related community events in the Topeka and Shawnee County area— officially launched on Jan. 1, 2021.

The brainchild of local businessman Bill Griffin and former Topeka Capital-Journal sports writer Rick Peterson, the website is a merger of entrepreneurial spirit and decades of award-winning sports journalism.

LET’S DO THIS “The conversation about launching this website started about a year and a half before we actually made it to the webpage,” said Griffin.

“It then accelerated when we were at a brunch in Vegas. While we were there, we said, ‘Let’s take a hard look at doing this.’”

“The more we talked about it, the more it became evident that Rick was willing to put in his effort and dedication,” Griffin continued. “From my side of it, it looked like there was an open opportunity in the market for someone to step in and take over coverage of high school sports.”

At the time that this discussion in Vegas was unfolding, Peterson had at least some idea that his retirement from The Capital-Journal was in the not-too-distant future. He wasn’t, however, ready to retire from the craft, and he had a strong desire to remain engaged with the local high school sports community in particular.

By the time Peterson’s retirement date rolled around, the duo found themselves ready to take the leap.

“I was a newspaper sports writer for 41 years and retired from The Topeka Capital-Journal after more than 31 years on Dec. 1, 2020,” explained Peterson. “Then we launched this website on Jan. 1, 2021.”

The proverbial ink had hardly dried on Peterson’s newspaper career before he began penning his new, digital legacy. That, he says, was exactly what he wanted.

“I covered high school sports throughout my entire career, so it was natural to continue to do that. As far as sitting and relaxing in retirement, I plan to do some of that, but sports writing is what I know,” Peterson said.

“I wasn’t ready to walk away from sports writing when I retired.”

FREE CONTENT The website’s primary focus is content and sports coverage related to the 10 Topeka and Shawnee County area high schools,

Washburn University, and other local community and sporting events, such as the NHRA races at Heartland Motorsports Park. Peterson functions as the website’s primary content creator, leveraging four decades of experience and relationship-building to produce and publish second-tonone coverage.

“I think the biggest thing going for us is the fact that we’re free,” Peterson said. “That was one of the things I insisted on when we started: I wanted everyone to have access to this site. Now, to do that, we have to continue to gain more sponsors, but I think at this point, all that is looking good.”

Griffin would seem to concur with the assessment that engagement with sponsors and partners is positive. Lauding the willingness of local businesses to get behind this digital venture, Griffin made it clear that his and Peterson’s vision would not be what it is today without the support and guidance of their sponsors.

AD-BASED REVENUE TopSports.news is sustained by an ad-based revenue model through which sponsors are able to promote their businesses on the site for a fee. Those fees allow the site to remain free to readers and, perhaps more importantly, allow Griffin and Peterson to run the business without

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The TopSports.news website surpassed 250,000 visits in its first 6 months of existence.

the influence of outside investors, ultimately empowering them to focus strictly on delivering the best content experience.

“When we first started talking about this, we had talked about whether we wanted to find investors, or whether we wanted to do it ourselves,” Griffin said. “We decided that we’d do it ourselves, so I purchased the website rights. I now take care of the administration and ad sales for the business.

Griffin said he talked to several successful business owners about the business plan to gather their perspective and suggestions on the best way to proceed.

“Thankfully, for me, I talked to some great people in this town whom I trust, and every one of them thought it was a great idea, so then it boiled down to just making it happen,” he said.

While Griffin and Peterson are satisfied with the results of their venture since it launched, having surpassed 250,000 visits to the website and 500,000 pageviews in the first six months, both were quick to point out that much work remains to be done as it relates to their overall vision and their business roadmap.

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MARKETPLACE RECOGNITION “The biggest challenge is getting our name recognized and making people aware that we’re here,”Griffin said.

If they can maintain their goal of simply providing the best content and coverage of area sports, Griffin believes the metrics and other numbers will take care of themselves.

With that being said, he and Peterson are not ones to sit idly by and wait for their presence to grow by word-ofmouth alone.

“We took on the Shawnee County Sports Awards and Hall of Fame banquet as the host this year.

That has tremendously boosted our name recognition,” Griffin said.

“As football season approaches, we’ll obviously get in front of a lot of football fans and get into radio broadcasts to expand.”

WANTED: WRITERS From Peterson’s perspective, finding more writers will be the catalyst for expansion in coverage and content variety. Currently, Peterson plans and creates most of the content himself. That of course places some limitations on the number of events that can be covered in any given week but having diversification not only in

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the schools covered but in the sports themselves is absolutely part of the plan, he says.

“I will look each week at which games have the most local interest,” Peterson said, explaining part of the decision-making process behind which events he will cover while the business is still building out its writing staff. “I’ll be doing a ‘Game of the Week’ in football and a ‘Game of the Night’ for basketball on Tuesdays and Fridays.”

Peterson said he wants to emphasize, though, that TopSports. news is not just about football and basketball.

“We will cover every single sport that is at the KSHAA level,” he said. “Some of my favorite sports to cover are cross country, volleyball, bowling and wrestling. When we started this, we wanted to make sure we covered not only all the high schools, but also all the sports they participate in. When we get into the city tournaments in golf and tennis and cross country, I certainly plan to be there.”

Griffin echoed this sentiment and reiterated the open opportunities for sports journalists: “We need writers. We need someone to come in and help us cover games and events.”

In addition to coverage of the games themselves, Peterson’s content line-up will boast plenty of feature pieces and watchlists—a product of his preference for player-oriented content.

“We’ll do feature stories on anything that comes up—not only the athletes, but the coaches too,” Peterson said. “But I won’t limit myself. If something is newsworthy, I will do it.”

BOLD VISION Still in its inaugural year, much of the business’ focus remains on reaching a larger audience and producing top-notch content through this fall and winter season. However, Griffin and Peterson find themselves aligned on a bold vision for the website’s future.

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BUILDING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE

By KIM GRONNIGER Photos by EMMA HIGHFILL

A vibrant economic core depends on training and retaining employees to meet the diverse demands of companies of all sizes.

Whether they’re cultivating young professionals starting careers, seasoned workers seeking new skills or individuals striving to overcome employment barriers, these Topeka entities are passionate about promoting individual prosperity and collective community connection.

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PHOTO SUBMITTED

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Many of the interns that Advisors Excel hires come through the summer Top City Interns program.

Sarah Lundry Culture Specialist Advisors Excel

ADVISORS EXCEL & TOP CITY INTERNS Sarah Lundry, culture specialist for Advisors Excel, assists with the insurance marketing company’s internship program for each of its four divisions—wealth management, life insurance, Medicare supplements and creative services (radio, television and graphic design).

AE interns typically come through Kansas State University’s Department of Personal Financial Planning and Washburn University’s Mass Media Department.

Lundry said the company hires about 20 to 25 interns each year and participates in the summer Top City interns program.

“Most of our interns are from Kansas and Missouri, and familiar with the Midwest, but perhaps not with Topeka,” said Lundry, who serves on the Top City Interns

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Committee. “Our founders all went to Washburn University and are passionate about Topeka, so exposing interns to what both the company and the community have to offer them is extremely important to us.”

Through the Top City interns program, interns from multiple companies participate in social events at fun venues like the Topeka Zoo and Evergy Plaza, and benefit from professional development opportunities featuring influential business leaders.

“Networking is a huge part of what we facilitate through the program because college students want things to do,” said Lundry.

“By connecting them to each other and the community, they can make friends and see themselves as future contributors to the culture

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of our participating companies and our city.”

Lundry, a Topeka native and Kansas State University graduate, said that Topeka’s evolving efforts to create entertainment venues has made her job easier “since every possible pocket or niche you might want to explore” is available locally.

Choose Topeka’s incentives for moving and relocation costs have also enhanced the capital city’s appeal, as have activities available through the Forge young professionals’ organization to help acclimate new hires.

Lundry, a Topeka native, returned home after college for what she perceived would be a temporary time but soon discovered “there was no other place I wanted to be. I feel blessed to be part of the growth of my company and my community.”

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Photo by EMMA HIGHFILL

Photo by EMMA HIGHFILL

The Washburn Tech East facility at SE 21st and Washington opened in 2019.

Lalo Munoz Executive Director El Centro of Topeka

EL CENTRO OF TOPEKA & WASHBURN TECH EAST Lalo Munoz, executive director of El Centro of Topeka, has been a staunch supporter of Washburn Tech East’s ability to open doors. Literally. He was once one of many volunteers who knocked on doors of homes in neighborhoods to educate residents about career opportunities the nearby campus would make available.

“Initially, there was skepticism, a belief from neighbors that things wouldn’t change,” said Munoz. “There was a lot of relationship building to overcome doubts, but by the time the campus opened in 2019, there was a lot of excitement.”

Although El Centro of Topeka’s services don’t provide direct employment assistance, Munoz said the agency’s interpreters help

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clients with resume preparation and online and paper applications to find positions, and some of their clients could benefit from Washburn Tech East’s proximity and programs.

Munoz said leadership and collaboration continue to characterize Washburn Tech East’s presence.

“Washburn University and Washburn Tech have been great partners in preparing people for careers that are waiting for them now and new ones that will come in the future,” he said. “They have strong relationships with local companies. These collaborations and considerations are critical if we’re going to have progress in our community.”

Munoz said the campus is already making strides in changing lives.

“It’s incumbent on us to make sure everyone is aware of the amazing opportunities available at Washburn Tech East and understand how they can change a person’s life,” he said. “I’m extremely proud that we have this new educational institution in East Topeka and that it is setting a foundation for a brighter future for community members and our city.”

Photo by EMMA HIGHFILL

IBSA INC. Lazone Grays Jr., CEO of IBSA Inc., has long been a proponent of workforce development and training opportunities for low-income individuals striving to overcome barriers. He describes his vision as a three-legged stool comprising Washburn Tech East, advocacy and volunteer opportunities to serve the community.

“In addition to learning a trade, Washburn Tech East students can apply their skills to help their neighbors bring their homes up to code and make their spaces more functional and beautiful,” he said.

“But some people have impediments to employment and education that have to be addressed first.”

Grays is intent on broadening employment opportunities for ex-offenders, those who haven’t completed high school and older adults contemplating a new career through transitional programs that provide pre-apprenticeships.

“Washburn Tech has several trade tracks, but if you don’t know what you want to do yet, a pre-apprenticeship

Lazone Grays Jr. CEO IBSA Inc.

program could give you a taste of a variety of opportunities to see what you like best before you commit,” he said.

Grays said partnerships between nonprofit organizations and businesses could also provide service opportunities to help struggling individuals develop work skills and experience.

“I’d love to see us reimagine how nonprofits and companies can work together on projects with mutually beneficial goals,” he said.

“For example, individuals working through something like a graffiti removal contract could build skills, make money and have social connections to the community. If people aren’t working, they aren’t taking care of themselves or their families. Being able to have a job and meet commitments can have lasting generational benefits.”

Grays said workforce training and development programs are key components of cultivating confidence and encouraging entrepreneurship to forge economic independence.

He credits his grandmother for his commitment to addressing poverty through workforce initiatives.

“She always said I had to leave things better than the way I found them,” he said.

It’s a mantra Grays is seeing played out across the city.

“The past few years, Topeka leaders have had an outpouring of genuine concern to address and correct issues in the community and make things better for everyone,” he said. “After George Floyd’s death, there has been a greater effort to address the digital divide. Things have been falling in place.”

In 1997, Grays was part of a contingent that met with Nelson Mandela in South Africa.

“He asked me about myself and I told him what I was doing and that I wasn’t gaining a lot of support,” said Grays. “Nelson Mandela told me that someday I’d be in a room with people who could make what I envisioned come true, and he was right.”

In 2004, Grays said unemployment for African Americans in Topeka was 17.1 percent (as compared to 3.8 percent for the general population). In 2018, the unemployment number for African Americans dropped to 7.8 percent.

“All those years people lost income and lost hope, but leaders like Tara Dimick, Scott Smathers and Jim Colson used their influence to push workforce development and others have been doing the same since,” he said.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Grays said more still needs to be done to link Topeka’s amenities like NOTO and the Evergy Plaza with more county residents and introduce training opportunities at Forbes Field.

“There’s an infectious optimism in Topeka that’s exciting to see,” he said. “We’re showing other communities what we’ve got, and we’re leading the pack.”

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Photo by EMMA HIGHFILL

Michael Odupitan Founder/CEO Omni Circle

OMNI CIRCLE Michael Odupitan, founder and CEO of Omni Circle, is on a mission to strengthen personal and professional development opportunities in Topeka.

Applying Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Odupitan said, “We use a bottom-up approach to enhance community by providing resources for basic requirements like food and employment and building sustainable communities to help individuals reach their full potential. Our network is about building up self-esteem and confidence through education while striving for whole-life balance.”

Odupitan defines the components for whole-life balance as health, social interaction, workforce development, life planning, relationship building and stewardship.

Omni Circle, founded in 2019, recently purchased a 15,000 square-

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foot building at 1301 SW Topeka Boulevard to create a collaborative co-working space. Once the facility opens in February 2022, the date Odupitan is hoping for, he anticipates establishing a couple of cohorts each year through which participants will receive extensive training to prepare them for entrepreneurship and workplace success.

Omni Circle will offer resume assistance, workplace behavior training and entrepreneurial skill development to determined individuals of all ages eager for mentorship.

“Our goal is to drive people to achieve what they desire in life and step into leadership positions once they find the confidence to contribute,” he said. “We’re bringing people together to make our community more inclusive and address financial and economic disparities.”

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In addition to office space, the Omni Circle property will include creative capabilities for podcasts and other innovative applications.

Odupitan grew up in a rough neighborhood in West Palm Beach, Florida, and moved to Topeka to play football at Washburn University in 2002, a decision that influenced the trajectory of his life.

Although Odupitan left Topeka in 2015, he returned in 2019 to implement his vision for Omni Circle, a concept he’d been mulling for several years.

“I left here because I had an opportunity to grow somewhere else, but what drew me back was the belief that I was a better person because of the things I’d experienced while living in Topeka, including the relationships I had with my college friends and business associates,” said Odupitan.

“I became a man here and wanted to offer what I have to Topeka since the city saved my life.”

Although implementing Omni Circle in the midst of a pandemic and outrage over George Floyd’s death could have been daunting, Odupitan said the timing “sparked energy and enthusiasm for what we’re trying to build here, a space where we can connect, collaborate and create together.”

Now that his dream is coming to fruition, Odupitan said, “It’s gratifying to be part of something that will break generational poverty and build better families and better communities and to see other people supporting our initiatives.”

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Photo by EMMA HIGHFILL

Gary Bayens Dean Washburn Tech

WASHBURN TECH Before taking the helm as dean of Washburn Tech two years ago, Gary Bayens served 30 years with Washburn University as a professor and department chair following a career in criminal justice.

In his role now, Bayens is not only an administrator for technical education but an advocate too. He engages with representatives from businesses, the Joint Economic Development Organization, Greater Topeka Partnership, Kansas Department of Commerce, public/ private partnerships and other entities focused on enhancing workforce development in Shawnee County and throughout the state.

After a dip during COVID-19, Bayens said enrollment is up to 1,250 this fall.

He said the legislature’s recent passage of the $10 million Kansas Promise Act has helped invigorate interest with wider availability of additional scholarships. Pell

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grants and other forms of financial aid offered through the Kansas Board of Regents have also driven participation.

Enrollment comprises about 60 percent high school students and 40 percent adults.

“Our programs are for anyone who wants to forge a new career path and work hard for a certification that could change their quality of life,” said Bayens.

“Wherever you look in the labor sector, employers are competing for workers. Our graduates typically get certified in less time with less debt than a traditional college degree and can start making good money from day one in a high-demand, highwage position.”

Washburn Tech offers eight divisions with 39 mostly two-year programs.

Two of the school’s biggest divisions encompass health care and business and industry, yielding

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partnerships with Stormont Vail, Mars, Goodyear and other major employers in the region.

“Each program has eight to 10 advisory board members working in the field who provide input, but we’re not just hearing from large companies,” said Bayens. “Small business owners, especially in the plumbing and HVAC trades, call us seeking help in advertising and filling positions too.”

Bayens said Kansas is fortunate to have governmental support for cultivating and keeping a well-trained workforce with initiatives that include registered apprenticeship and internship programs.

“These types of programs are beneficial because students have the opportunity to make good money and gain experience, and employers get to evaluate their skill sets while they’re still in school,” said Bayens.

He said technical education students often include older workers, and even in a few cases retirees, who’ve spent decades in a particular field and now want to pursue a new challenge.

It’s an itch he identifies with.

“I left criminal justice after 22 years and decided to go back to school to get a Ph.D and teach,” he said. “Sometimes you reach a point in a career where you want to try something different. Our programs can get you started and get you launched quickly.”

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KANSAS

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September 21, 2021 Held Virtually 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

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HOW TO OVERCOME DECISION FATIGUE Consciously plan and strategize: Set yourself, your co-workers and your employees up for success by role modeling and offering these suggestions:

Michaela Butterworth Health Promotion Specialist Valeo Behavioral Health Care You know that overwhelming feeling when you’re faced with a decision but you feel like you just can’t make a decision? That’s decision fatigue. Undoubtedly, we have all experienced decision fatigue during this COVID-19 global pandemic.

It doesn’t matter how strong you are, our ability to make our best choices eventually runs out when we are experiencing decision fatigue. Decision fatigue is the emotional and mental strain that occurs as a result of a burden of choices. It often feels like a deep sense of feeling weary or tired, and it likely affects us more than we realize.

Decision fatigue in employees and co-workers may take the form of making hasty decisions, poor judgment, withdrawing or isolating.

Recognizing that stress plays a huge role in your employee’s behaviors can help you understand and discern whether an employee or co-worker is experiencing decision fatigue.

Over time, decision fatigue, which is a type of stress, can lead to mental health issues such as burn out, anxiety or depression, or it can manifest itself as physical symptoms such as irritability, digestive issues or tension headaches.

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 Prioritize and schedule self-care activities. Take 10-minute breaks between work tasks and include activities each day to rest and recharge.  Prioritize tasks. Make a daily priority list and tackle those tasks when your energy is highest.  Practice the pause. Defer major decisions, if possible, to a later time when you feel refreshed.

Streamline communication: Here are some communication and social media strategies to help combat decision fatigue:

 Decide on one method of communication such as email or phone and follow it as much as possible.  Review tasks and priorities weekly with employees to ensure everyone is in the know and on the same page.  Strategically allocate resources to achieve team goals.  When using social media platforms:  Block, unfollow, mute or unfriend people who make you unhappy or who have a negative impact on your mental health.  It’s OK to delay a response or to decide not to respond at all.  Set your own social media boundaries for time and responses.  Avoid ‘blue light’ by not using screens or devices after 9 pm. This can help quality of sleep and rest.

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If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency, it is important to visit Valeo’s Crisis Center located at 400 SW Oakley Avenue. Valeo’s Crisis Center never closes, it is a walk-in emergency clinic, with no appointment necessary. Valeo’s 24-Hour Crisis Line is 785-234-3300.

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atstopeka.com

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SCENE ABOUT TOWN

2021 20thirty Gala | Presented by Hotel Topeka STORMONT VAIL EVENT CENTER AUGUST 7, 2021 Photos By JOHN BURNS

PHOTO 1 Jake & Kysa Farrant

PHOTO 2 Michael Padilla and Michelle De La Isla

PHOTO 3 Hannah & Paul Bossert

PHOTO 4

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Carlos & Tami Cortez

PHOTO 5 Mark Ward Heather & Mark Ward II Paige & Philip Jones

PHOTO 6 Chad & Tara Logan Josh & Tessa Barr

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Matt & Stacy Ricks

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congratulations KANSAS FINANCIAL RESOURCES congratulates

ERIC HUNSICKER

on earning the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation.

This honor is achieved only upon completion of extensive course work, demonstrated practical skill and advanced product knowledge. Further, it reflects the goal of KFR to offer all clients the utmost in professional service. Eric will concentrate on wealth management and specialized planning for his clients.

Join us in congratulating Eric on his accomplishment. He may be reached at:

3311 SW Van Buren | Topeka, KS 66611 785.266.1200 | www.KFRtopeka.com | eric@kfrtopeka.com Registered representatives offer securities through Securities America, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Financial advisors offer advisory services through Securities America Advisors, Inc. Kansas Financial Resources, Inc. and the Securities America companies are separate entities.

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TopCity Flavorista Talks

Photos by JOHN BURNS

Trucks, Pop-Ups & More

Bobby Santacroce Bobby’s Food Co.

By ALISON BEEBE TopCity Flavorista Photos by JOHN BURNS

Jenny Torrence Jenny’s Pop-Up On The Block

Passion. Commitment. Drive.

These are just a few necessary traits of the small business owner. Include love of community and you’ll find these three local business owners: Bobby Santacroce, Jenny Torrence and Shavonn Smith.

TopCity Flavorista Alison Beebe chats with each of these business owners to learn more about their journey and their passion for food, business and community.

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Shavonn Smith Nanny’s Soulfood

Let's Connect!

• Network with other local business owners

• Gain resources through monthly lunch & learn events • Learn about the latest topics & events from local speakers • Gain new business from members who buy locally

Learn more at TopekaTIBA.org

Connect to Success The Topeka Independent Business Association is organized to promote the formation, growth and viability of small and independently owned businesses in the Topeka area.

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BOBBY SANTACROCE, Owner | Bobby’s Food Co.

BOBBY’S FOOD CO.

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BOBBY GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS: Alison: What is the story behind your business?

Bobby: This business actually saved my life. I was working in the onyx (countertop) business and it was not what I saw myself doing forever. My friend and I were at a festival in 2011, and the food was just bad. I thought to myself, “I could do better than that!”

On my 30th birthday, we built our own smoker. Then in 2013, I bought a food truck off Craigslist. I had it gutted and rebuilt in four days. Now I have two food trucks, the catering business and two bartenders.

If I wasn’t my own boss, I’d be really unhappy.

Alison: Did anyone influence your cooking style?

Bobby: I’ve been cooking since I was about 10. My two grandmas taught me how to cook. Our biggest sellers now are tacos and the Philly.

Alison: What is the biggest challenge?

Bobby: Finding good help. The pandemic only heightened that problem.

Alison: What do you find the most rewarding?

Bobby: I love what I do, and I enjoy helping people.

It’s nice to be able to feed people great food.

Photos by JOHN BURNS

Bobby Santacroce owns and operates Bobby’s Food Co, a food truck and catering business.

Hailing from a large Italian clan in Connecticut, he moved with his family to Kansas when he was 11 years old. Bobby’s relationship with food began at an early age.

“I’ve always loved to eat, and that’s why I have an affinity for cooking,” he said. “My favorite meal is Seafood Cioppino, a fish stew made with wine, tomatoes, spices and herbs.”

I also like being my own boss. I kept what worked and got rid of what didn’t. I made all the decisions. I am proud of how far I’ve come. What I’ve really accomplished.

It started as a pipe dream, really, and now I’m out here helping others with their food trucks.

Alison: What’s next?

Bobby: I’d like to be more on the management end and less in the grind.

Alison: What advice do you have for someone wanting to start their own food truck business?

Bobby: Be sure of what you want to do. Sit down and come up with your game plan. Be prepared to work harder than you’ve ever worked. Keep an open mind and a closed mouth. Set yourself up for success. If I can help you figure it out, I will!

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JENNY DEFINES PASSION: Alison: Owning a small business can be brutal, what’s the passion behind your story?

Jenny: I love that I am my own boss. It’s really not about the title behind it. I truly believe that a person should design the life they love. I always like to fight for the underdog and do what I can to make an impact. The universe put me in NOTO to meet so many neat people.

I set my own hours and design my own life. I can go and see the world and travel. Fun fact, as an adult I’ve always been self-employed, so I’ve never had to ask for time off to travel.

JENNY TORRENCE, Owner | Jenny’s Pop-Up On The Block Photos by JOHN BURNS

JENNY’S POP-UP ON THE BLOCK Jenny Torrence owns Pinkadilly, Serendipity and Jenny’s Pop-Up On The Block in the historic North Topeka business district—NOTO. She realized early on that she controls her own destiny, so she tries to always focus on the positive.

“A big thing to me is the power of your brain,” Jenny said. “My motto is ‘What you think about, you bring about.’”

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Alison: What are you most proud of in terms of your business?

Jenny: I’m most proud of the impact my businesses have had to help with the growth in NOTO. It was very important to me from the start that everyone was welcome—however you voted, whatever your skin color or your sexual orientation. I love that we’ll have a room full of people that is so diverse just talking and enjoying one another and vibing with music. That excites me.

It’s really neat to see the beauty that is in those couple of blocks.

Alison: What sets you apart from other businesses?

Jenny: I think one of the best things about being a small mom and pop is that there’s no business like it. We don’t have a formula, instruction manual or prepackaged product. We have to create our own path. There’s no two ever alike, and that’s what makes a town so vibrant and unique. The small businesses and the people that support it are what define it.

Alison: Where do you see your business in a year or two?

Jenny: Probably doing the same thing I’m doing right now. I think I’ll continue this challenge of running and managing properties. You’ll see me in Topeka plugging away for 5-10 more years.

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Women of Influence Awards

The Women’s Initiative Committee is hosting the 7th Annual Women of Influence Awards. This year’s nominees are women that have demonstrated excellence in serving and representing the community on a local, state or national level.

RSVP at the address below to join this event and honor some of the communities women leaders.

Visit here to register: gotopeka.com/women-of-influence

Women & Minority Business Development

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NANNY’S SOULFOOD Shavonn Smith, owner of Nanny’s Soulfood, was born in Topeka and currently resides here with her husband and six children. Nanny’s Soulfood closed temporarily in June because of location issues. But Shavonn isn’t giving up her dream business.

“I’m closed for now, but not closed for good,” she said.

“God has a plan for me.”

Photo by JOHN BURNS

SHAVONN TALKS OF DREAMS: Alison: Owning a small business can be brutal, what’s the passion behind your story?

Shavonn: My dream was to be a social worker because I had been through so much trauma in my own life. Even though that was my dream, cooking was my passion and it just felt right. I had a family member with cancer and they needed help with medical bills.

I enjoy cooking, so I started selling plates to raise money. Cooking also helped with my depression and anxiety and kept me grounded. Me being happy is me cooking.

I started out of my home, then moved to a tent. I sold food for a while at “Faces

By Mayfield ” in NOTO. Then in 2018, I opened Nanny’s Soulfood.

Alison: Why call it Nanny’s Soulfood?

Shavonn: My nephew always called me ‘Nanny,’ so that’s where the name came from. I’m the ‘Big Momma’ of my family.

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SHAVONN SMITH, Owner | Nanny’s Soulfood

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Alison: Did you have someone that was an early influence on your cooking style?

Shavonn: A lot of my cooking comes from my dad and his mom. Back in the day, my paternal grandmother owned Emma’s Café in downtown Topeka. I used to go there to help out. They cooked whatever my grandfather caught, so there was a lot of fish and turtle soup. When I opened Nanny’s Soulfood, fish and my mac-n-cheese put me on the map.

Alison: What challenges have you faced?

Shavonn: My biggest challenge has been to find amazing people to work with me who have my best interest at heart.

Alison: What do you find the most rewarding?

Shavonn: Getting up early to cook and feed people, seeing their happy faces.

Alison: What are you most proud of in terms of your business?

Shavonn: I kept my faith.

Alison: What makes Nanny’s Soulfood special?

Shavonn: I’m different. My cooking is unique because I cook from scratch.

You won’t see me dumping a bunch of canned goods in a pot and calling it homemade.

Alison: Where do you see your business in the future?

Shavonn: I want to own a building. I don’t want to have multiple locations. I just want to own it so I can pass it to my kids, so they’re financially stable.

Alison: What advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own business?

Shavonn: You can’t do it by yourself. Find an amazing team. Do your research and make sure your heart is in it. Everything I’ve done, I’ve learned the hard way. It’s okay to accept help.

A SERENDIPITOUS TURN OF EVENTS In what can only be called serendipity, Jenny and Shavonn have joined forces. Jenny’s Pop-Up On The Block will soon be the new home of Nanny’s Soulfood, and Jenny couldn’t be more pleased.

“I always believe the universe presents itself in ways I should just take,” Jenny said. “Doing what’s most important for NOTO is a huge priority.

Although the pop-up has been an amazing experience for me, and Topeka has really rallied around it, the stars aligned, and Nanny’s Soulfood will be our new full-time tenant of 822 North Kansas Ave.” Shavonn is thrilled to be back in NOTO and looks forward to once again making her famous fish with a side of mac-n-cheese. The universe has spoken.

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LISTEN. DESIGN. INSPIRE.

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN MASTER PLANNING & SITE DESIGN SPACE PLANNING & INTERIOR DESIGN

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Jo Mach Pg

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The Write Stuff

By SAMANTHA EGAN Photos by JOHN BURNS

Writing a book is one of those goals many have, but few accomplish. Given that the anguish of churning out a first draft has been compared to childbirth, who could blame them?

Yet four Topeka writers—each juggling careers and families—embraced the long nights and endless research to push their great idea out into the world. Each author took a different path to publication, yet all four echoed one key aspect of publishing: writing is only half the battle.

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FINDING INSPIRATION

Courtney Turcotte Bond The local high school teacher shares the story behind her Amazon hit—and why she probably won’t write fiction again.

Courtney Turcotte Bond is an English teacher at Washburn Rural High School, owner of Bondbons cake ball business, an assistant coach on her daughter’s cheer squad and, as of last year, a published author.

Bond’s novel, Breathtaking, made Amazon’s Top 100 Coming-of-Age Novels list in its opening week and has sold thousands of copies since its release in September 2020. And it all started with her student loan debt.

WHEN STUDENT LOANS PAY OFF When Bond and her husband set out to pay their $82,000 debt in a handful of years, she shared their journey on her blog. Her posts caught the attention of a publisher, who approached Bond about writing a finance book.

Bond asked if she could first write a novel. After reading Bond’s outline and a few chapters, the publisher agreed.

Cue the writer’s block. Bond struggled with fleshing out the rest of her story and her progress stalled.

Inspiration struck when Bond met Madison Taliaferro. Bond was Taliaferro’s homebound teacher in 2015 when Taliaferro’s battle with cystic fibrosis kept her out of school for months.

Bond spent over six hours a week with Taliaferro and was moved by the teenager’s motivation to pack as much as she could into her short life.

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“Anyone I met with cystic fibrosis knows they’re going to die and tends to have way more zest for life,” Bond said.

Two years into working with Taliaferro, Bond found a new idea that would become Breathtaking.

While the novel isn’t Taliaferro’s story, it is inspired by her and her organ donor Alex Lott, whose lungs gave Taliaferro another six years of life.

A Different Kind of Writing While Bond teaches creative writing for a living, writing a book was a different beast.

“I can write a blog or an essay half asleep, but writing fiction is so hard,” said Bond. “Everything has to be connected.”

Another challenge? Finding time. By the time Bond was done grading papers, filling cake pop orders and taking care of her kids, it was often 11 at night when Bond could sit down to write.

Bond initially gave herself a goal of writing a chapter a day, but that soon proved to be too much.

When she lowered her quota to 500 words a day, she found her flow.

“I told myself, ‘Some days those words may be horrible, but you can always go back and change it,’” she said.

Bond faced an emotional blow when Taliaferro passed away in 2018. In her grief, she was tempted to stop writing. But the desire to honor Taliaferro kept her from giving up.

“Before, it was about my dream to become an author,” she said. “When Madison passed away, my focus shifted to using the novel to spread awareness of cystic fibrosis and organ donation.”

REFINING THE DRAFT After two years, Bond finished the first draft of Breathtaking. But the writing wasn’t finished. The post-writing phase meant getting feedback and making rounds of revisions, a process that took an emotional toll on Bond.

Bond’s husband was the first to read the book, followed by several other beta readers, including Jay Asher, author of 13 Reasons Why, a friend of Bond’s.

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But the first few times she went to hand her draft over, she experienced impostor syndrome.

“I thought, ‘Nope, I’m not going to do this. It’s not good enough,’” she said. “It’s something I put my heart in for two years, and I just thought, ‘What if someone hates it?’”

Once again, her connection to Taliaferro gave her the push to keep going.

“Whenever I would think about not doing it, I remembered it wasn’t about me anymore,” she said.

“It was about honoring Madison.”

SPREADING THE WORD Breathtaking was released Sept. 1, 2020, under Bond’s own publishing company, All of the Everythings, which shares the same title as her blog.

While book sales are always a plus, in Bond’s case they were particularly meaningful. Part of the proceeds fund the Madison Taliaferro Memorial Scholarship as well as the Alex Lott Memorial Scholarship, which his parents created after Lott died tragically at age 16 from a touch football accident. Last May, both scholarships were fully funded from Bond’s book sales.

Bond’s next project is a biography of Taliaferro and Lott and the connections between the two teenagers. After that, she hopes to eventually write that financial book. But another novel may not be in the cards.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever write a fictional piece again because it was just so hard,” she said.

Knowing the challenge for new writers hoping to publish, Bond has taught workshops that walk hopeful authors through the writing and marketing process.

“There are all sorts of behindthe-scenes things that you wouldn’t think about,” she said. “It’s like running a business.”

But perhaps the biggest piece she has for budding authors is to just get started.

“Go for it,” Bond said. “If you have something that you think is worth having other eyes look at, pursue it and find out what you need to do to make it happen.”

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Kristi Pelton

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A romance author discovered her passion while sitting on the sidelines.

Kristi Pelton loves that can’t-put-itdown feeling of a good book. When she started Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series one night, her husband found her in the same spot the next morning, still reading.

“I was totally absorbed in the characters,” she said. “I thought, ‘How fun to make someone feel that, to make somebody get lost.’”

Today, Pelton has given thousands of readers that same feeling with her romance novels in the young adult and new adult genres. An Amazon bestselling author, she’s sold over 100,000 books since 2013.

Pelton wrote her first short story in a college writing class but didn’t write again until she needed something to keep her occupied while her kids played soccer for 2 to 3 hours at a time.

“I just started putting down words to see what happened,” she said. “Once I started, I never looked back.”

Pelton’s friends read her early work and liked it, but Pelton didn’t trust she had something until someone outside her close circle of friends told her she should do something with her draft. That unsolicited praise prompted Pelton to reach out to a friend at the University of Kansas who could edit her books.

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A SPARK IN SALES When her editor reviewed Pelton’s draft, she told her she didn’t have one book, she had four. That draft became Pelton’s first series, Old Enough to Love. While the first series is still her favorite, it didn’t exactly fly off the shelves. Regardless, Pelton was thrilled when she sold 100 copies of her first book.

“It didn’t get me down,” she said. “I just kept writing because I love making that world for people to read.”

Pelton’s next book, Pure Will, had much different results. Pelton was traveling when a friend called her at 2 in the morning to tell her the book was 150 on Amazon’s bestseller list for all genres. It went on to sell 16,000 copies in six days.

After the success of Pure Will, Pelton said the words poured out.

“I just became prolific,” Pelton said.

“Thank God my sons played soccer year round.”

Pelton’s sales kept getting better. Her next title, Sessions Interrupted, reached 130 on the Amazon bestseller list. After that, sLick hit number 33.

Authors who reach the amount of success Pelton did get compensated from Amazon on top of their book sales. That milestone carried significance.

“It made me feel validated,” she said. “It was never about self worth, but it made me believe I could be an author.”

STEAMY SUBJECTS Glancing at Pelton’s covers (many of which contain shirtless men and couples in

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intimate poses) readers wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Pelton’s books contain sexual content. Some have labeled her work as “erotica,” but Pelton disagrees with that label.

“I feel like I have a message in my books.

The message is not sex. It’s not even intimacy,” Pelton said. “Every one of my stories is about love and the building blocks of a relationship.”

Pelton draws inspiration from different parts of her life. Her love of CrossFit often works its way into her plot. Her career as a part-time juvenile court services officer has shaped some of her characters. The central female character in Your Honor has a career fighting for children’s rights. In Convicted, the male character is working off a sentence. But perhaps her biggest influence is her two sons, who motivate Pelton to create healthy male characters.

“It’s easy to read about a male that’s abusive or a stalker or unhealthy in some way,” she said. “I try to show that someone who makes mistakes is redeemable.”

THE FLUSH OF SUCCESS Now 10 titles into her career as an author, Pelton said it can be hard to not fixate on her books’ rankings.

“Your mindset changes a little bit because you’ve had that success,” she said. “Sometimes it’s really hard not to judge your success by how well you get the books into the hands of other people.”

Since her first book, Pelton has seen the industry evolve. Pelton purchased her own stock photo for her first-ever cover for $16.99.

Now, she said, the process is more elaborate.

“The first covers were awful,” she said.

“But in the beginning, it was just simpler.”

Now Pelton sees her books through multiple rounds of editing, formatting, pricing, blurb-writing and copyrighting.

“It’s not just a matter of kind of putting the book on the site and clicking ‘Publish,’” she said. “It is crossing every ‘t’ and dotting every ‘i.’”

While Pelton likes the flexibility of publishing on her own, she said it would be nice to have a publisher take some of the promotional tasks off her hands.

Regardless of how her future books will be published, Pelton is certain that she will keep on writing them.

“I don’t think I could not,” she said.

“Stories are firing up in my head.”

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WHEN THE READER BECOMES THE AUTHOR

Whitney Estenson The stars aligned for a local English teacher to land a publishing deal.

Readers may think the author is in control of their story, but Whitney Estenson knows better. When writing the first book in her awardwinning Ascendant book series, she quickly found out her characters should lead the charge.

“As soon as I tried to just follow the characters, it went so much quicker and the story was better,” said Estenson. “Once I let go, it became very obvious that it was the right way to go.”

A middle school English teacher and avid young adult fiction fan, Estenson always considered herself a reader not a writer. But the idea of writing a book crept in, and one day, she decided to go for it.

“It just came from being such a fan of books and loving to read so much,” she said. “I wanted to make a world I would love to be a part of.”

Estenson has four books: House of Aries, House of Taurus, House of Libra and House of Scorpio. Her series is part of the young adult genre she loves while also delving into the world of fantasy.

FINDING HER PROCESS Just like she tells her students to do in class, Estenson started with brainstorming. Three months of it. Wanting to somehow tie her story to the zodiac symbols, she began digging into mythology. When the ancient stories aligned

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with her own ideas, things started to come together.

“The best fantasy novels are the ones that are relatively possible,” Estenson said. “When I would have an idea, and then the mythology or history would back me up, those were pretty exciting moments.”

After her idea took traction, Estenson set out to write. She tried different approaches after researching how other authors approach writing.

First, she tried planning out each chapter.

That didn’t work. Then she tried writing scenes out of order to focus on the big moments of the plot. That didn’t work either.

“I found myself arguing with my characters,” she said. “I was trying to force them to get to a scene that I already wrote that just didn’t make sense.”

Estenson eventually found her groove by creating major checkpoints for her characters to get to, then letting them take it from there. With her protagonists at the wheel, Estenson said sometimes she ended up in a place she didn’t expect.

“Sometimes even I’m surprised by the route we took to get to a certain checkpoint,” she said.

OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE CLASSROOM It took two years to write the first book. Estenson’s students played a hand in adding ideas to the book through an in-class exercise where Estenson gave them pieces of her draft to edit. That assignment helped her land a publisher.

During a parent-teacher conference, one of her student’s mothers talked to Estenson about her own book. A fellow author herself, she introduced Estenson to Flint Hills Publishing, a boutique publisher in Topeka.

Once Estenson signed on with Flint Hills Publishing, she worked with an editor to get the book ready for publication in under a year. Just as

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her students find feedback challenging, Estenson said she too struggled with it at first. But eventually, she came to enjoy the process.

“I liked the challenge of it,” she said.

“If I can’t justify why something should be in the book, then it shouldn’t be there.”

Just a few months after the release of House of Aries, Estenson went back to her laptop to start the next book. That’s when she started to really have fun.

“Middle books were easier. You don’t have to introduce the world or solve all of your problems,” she said. “You get to go full tilt from start to finish and walk away.”

AUTHOR AND MARKETER Working with a smaller publisher, Estenson had a large role to play, including designing the covers and helping to get the word out through local events and social media. She promoted her books at Topeka’s First Friday book festival and speaking to local school districts. She also invested in paid ads on Facebook and running promotions on Amazon.

Once her book is released on Amazon and on her website, theascendantseries.com, the next—and most nerve-wracking step is seeing how it goes over.

“It’s a very vulnerable thing to put a book out there,” she said. “You spend countless hours, months and years of your life writing it, then you just hope others like it.”

And others did like it. When Estenson submitted her books to the Reader’s Choice annual book contest, she received a silver medal, symbolizing that her books were a favorite among the readers.

“I’ve been lucky that they’ve been well received by people,” she said. “It brings me joy to know my books are out there for others to read.”

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INCLUSION THROUGH PICTURE BOOKS

Jo Mach A small local publisher has a big mission to share the stories of kids with disabilities.

Jo Mach believes all children should see themselves in the books they read. A retired occupational therapist who worked with families and children with disabilities for 36 years, Mach struggled to find books that featured the kids she worked with. So, she made some herself.

With her TARC colleagues, Mary Birdsell and Vera Lynne Stroup-Rentier, Mach published the first book of what would later become their publishing company, Finding My Way Books.

“Kids learn by being included,” Mach said. “They also learn by following what they’re really interested in.”

Their first title, I Want to be Like Poppin’ Joe, tells a story about Joe, a man with Down syndrome and autism, who tells Dylan, a child with Down syndrome, about his popcorn business. Since it was released in 2014, Mach and her

team have published 39 more books and sold 8,500 copies around the world.

Mach has spent seven years learning the publishing industry from the ground up – and is still learning. Her efforts are focused on one mission: helping children with disabilities be better represented in children’s literature and school programming.

“It’s like so many things, you have no idea what you’re getting into,” Mach laughed. “It’s been a huge amount of trial and error, but you eventually move forward.”

REAL KIDS. NO CARTOONS. Mach’s passion stems from witnessing the struggles of families with kids with disabilities.

“Those parents were afraid their children wouldn’t be included,” Mach said. “They needed to know their children

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would grow up and be part of their world.”

One thing Mach and her co-authors avoided was cartoons.

“We didn’t want the books to be cute and precious,” Mach said. “We wanted them to be real and fun.”

Birdsell took photographs of the kids in the stories and Mach and StroupRentier wrote their stories. Each of their books, like Marco and I Want to Play Ball and Waylen Wants to Jam, reflect real kids’ passions and interests.

“They’re about children doing things all kids like to do,” Mach said.

“They may need a little support, or do things a little differently, but they have a lot to offer.”

SHIFTING TO SCHOOLS Mach, Stroup-Rentier and Birdsell soon shifted their focus from selling to families to selling to elementary schools.

In addition to writing books, they also developed curriculum around inclusion.

“We wanted teachers to be able to link the books to lessons and have students realize the kids in the books were just like them,” Mach said.

Mach and her team soon discovered selling to schools is difficult. Contracts with big publishers like Scholastic make it hard for Mach to get traction.

“There’s so much for teachers to deal with. To get them to consider our material is a challenge,” Mach said.

“But we still have something that no one else has done, and we feel it’s really important, so we aren’t giving up yet.”

A LIBRARY OF CONTACTS To help her reach more markets, Mach turned to local resources like the Washburn Small Business Development Center and the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library.

Through the Washburn Small Business Development Center, Mach connected with professionals in the marketing, publishing and legal fields who donated their time to advise her.

“That made a huge difference,” she said. “Topeka is a nice, supportive community when you’re trying to do something new.”

Mach’s growing local network connected her to organizations like the Children’s Book Council. When Mach was struggling to get into schools, the Council connected her to an educational consultant, who introduced her to Brown Books Publishing Group. The publisher eventually picked up the Finding My Way series.

Mach also established a connection with the CEO of bookshop.org, an online bookstore that supports independent book shops. Mach started submitting book lists, a prominent feature of the site, that promote inclusion. While she sometimes includes her own books, she mostly features

To purchase Finding My Way books or for help including them in curriculum, visit findingmywaybooks.com or the Round Table bookstore located at 826 N Kansas Ave.

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titles from other authors. A few times, her lists have been posted on the site’s homepage. She scored a big win when her inclusive holiday list was picked up

by NBC’s website.

Mach said her lists have helped her brand herself as an inclusion specialist.

“You think it’s about creating the book, but it’s really about getting out there,” she said.

Mach reached a global audience through her participation in Skype in the Classroom, which connected her to teachers around the world, including those from India and South Korea.

Through video conferences, she’s visited 35 classrooms in eight countries in three years.

Mach said the books are always a hit with students.

“They’ll say, ‘Is he really alive? Is this really true?’ They can’t believe it,” Mach said. “We wanted them to see that, yes, these are real kids, they’re fun, they’re interesting, and they have their own passions.”

Mach’s hustle and drive to get her books into the world has led her to several hundred new contacts who support her mission to promote inclusivity.

“It’s a really hard path to be a teeny tiny publisher in this huge world with major publishers dominating everything,” she said. “But you can do it if you really want to.”

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The

Business of Coffee

By MIRANDA ERICSSON Photos by EMMA HIGHFILL

Photo by EMMA HIGHFILL

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Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters has set a high bar for coffee in Topeka and beyond with complex, nuanced roasts, barista training, equipment servicing and coffee education. Blue Jazz supplies premium coffee to Topeka workplaces, coffee shops and restaurants, and also offers support and training to help retail partners consistently serve a quality cup of coffee that will fuel creativity, draw people together and bring customers back.

If you frequent local coffee shops and eateries, chances are that you’ve already tried Blue Jazz Coffee, even if you didn’t realize it at the time.

Blue Jazz has long been served in workplaces all over town, but in recent years has expanded into retail venues. You can taste their brews at Milk & Honey Coffee Co., World Cup Coffee & Crepes, Dialogue Coffee House, B’Well Market, Banjo’s Café, Onyx Wellness Café, Norsemen Brewery, The Wheel Barrel, Luis Place, Cook’s Grill, Henry’s Coffee in Osage City, Java Junkies in Clay Center, HotSpot in Holton, and many more. Each venue puts their own spin on the brew so that coffee lovers have the opportunity to enjoy Blue Jazz in the unique ambiance of their favorite local shop.

Owner Kevin Conard says that when local businesses choose a more complex and nuanced coffee for their customers and invest in training their baristas to prepare the perfect cup, it creates a ripple effect that raises expectations for everyone.

“Quality is contagious,” Conard said. “When one of our partners puts in the training, another shop notices, and then they want to get that training for their baristas. Everyone wants to offer the best possible product, and over time we’re going

to see the quality of coffee in Topeka continue to rise.”

LOVE FOR COFFEE Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters was built on a love of good coffee and how it brings people together.

“Coffee is important,” Conard said. “It’s a bridge between people.

Romance and friendship are born over coffee. Important conversations happen over coffee. We want to enhance these moments and help make them as special as they deserve to be. Not many other beverages give us those warm fuzzies like a cup of coffee does.”

Conard and his small crew bring dedication to their craft because they truly love their work. A typical day working at Blue Jazz can include tastings, experimenting with new flavors, dialogue with other roasters, meeting customers, training baristas or collaborating with community partners to spin new ideas.

“My office is in my own private coffee shop, and I am immersed in something that I love and appreciate every day,” Conard said.

A FAMILY LEGACY Conard’s coffee journey began with his parent’s coffee roastery, Coffee USA Corp. He grew up in the family coffee business, gradually taking on more responsibility as his father exposed him to every facet of the business. After college, Conard focused on sales and tripled the company’s office coffee service. In 2002, his parents were ready to retire and offered to sell the company to him and his wife, Amy. With a solid foundation in hospitality, sales and management, he decided to follow his passion for good coffee and see what the next generation of the

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“We’ve grown by creating super high quality coffees and expanding our ability to train baristas.”

—Kevin Conard Owner Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters

Photo by EMMA HIGHFILL

Photo by EMMA HIGHFILL

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company would look like under his leadership.

“We invested in a smaller batch coffee roaster to experiment with a wide variety of origins of coffee, and it was a transformational moment,” Conard said. “It opened our eyes to all that coffee had to offer in the way of being a truly exciting and diverse experience.”

Conard rebranded his coffee company as Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters, and the company grew in new directions. Blue Jazz now offers only specialty-grade arabica coffee grown at high altitude. The company still provides office coffee service, but by selling directly to consumers and partnering with local coffee shops and restaurants, they are reaching more coffee drinkers.

“Ten years ago not many people knew about us,” Conard said. “I’m proud of how we’ve grown by creating super high quality coffees and expanding our ability to train baristas. It feels good to know that the flavors we create are experienced across Topeka and around the country. That makes what we do fun, exciting and highly rewarding.”

EMPOWERING LOCAL BUSINESSES TO SUCCEED Recently, Conard took another leap, investing in ways to better serve and support retail partners.

Blue Jazz introduced a new line of inventory, purchased better roasting equipment and technology, and built a 2,500 square foot tasting and barista training space in the Blue Jazz factory.

“Our goal is to support our retail partners in the community to the best of our ability,” Conard said. “We want to equip their baristas to prepare the coffee well, to serve the flavors that

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we’ve planned, tasted and worked hard to achieve.”

Conard works with local businesses to overcome challenges and find solutions that fit their needs.

“For someone starting a coffee shop, training staff and dealing with equipment selection and maintenance are some of the biggest challenges,” Conard said.

“We can help, so that our partners can focus on their image in the community, the quality of their products, all the things that go with running a small business.”

Blue Jazz’s partners give glowing reviews, saying that the relationship goes far beyond serving a delicious, locally roasted coffee.

Milk & Honey Coffee Co. proudly displays the Blue Jazz logo on their wall, as well as a Platinum Record award from Blue Jazz to show that they are committed to serving the best coffee possible.

“Our partnership includes training new team members and that has been so incredibly helpful and effective,” Owner Darlene Morgan said. “Kevin and his crew work with our staff on pulling shots, steaming milk and several other aspects of coffee preparation. Our crew members return feeling excited and confident to work at the espresso machine.”

Caitlyn Halsey, owner of Dialogue Coffee House, chose Blue Jazz because of how much they value their local partners.

“Blue Jazz has supported our success through the education they provide and continued check ins,” Halsey said. “We are

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Photo by EMMA HIGHFILL

Photo by EMMA HIGHFILL

Dustin Fluke, head roaster at Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters, finds a balance between roast and origins to find the flavors that tasters want and enjoy.

proud to serve Blue Jazz coffee and be partners and ambassadors of their brand.”

Advisors Excel chose Blue Jazz coffee to fuel their staff after a tasting.

“Blue Jazz was hands-down the best that we tasted,” said Sherri Pike, director of hospitality. “Our staff loves the coffee. We’ve recently added their cold brew drinks to our café and will have a complete coffee bar/ barista experience once our Gage Campus café is up and running. The entire Blue Jazz team are absolute rockstars!”

A HUMAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters also invested in a full-time roaster who works to ensure that every batch of coffee is perfect. Conard notes that the human element of coffee roasting is crucial for creating the nuanced, complex roasts that Blue Jazz does so well.

“There’s a lot of sensory knowledge involved in coffee

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roasting,” Conard said. “You have to know what you’re smelling for.

You may have a window of 15 or 20 seconds to know when that coffee has to drop. The computer gets you close, then you have to pay attention visually and with smell. It might be just the faintest hint of blueberry, telling you that the time is right.”

Head Roaster Dustin Fluke has over 20 years of coffee roasting experience and has been with Blue Jazz full time for the last five years.

He is in many ways a coffee chef, finding a balance between roast and origins to find the flavors that tasters want and enjoy.

“Each of our coffees are different,” Fluke said. “Some beans are softer or harder. We have naturally processed coffee that will taste like some kind of fruit, such as strawberry or blueberry. Coffee beans that are washed will take on floral or citrus notes when you roast light.

When you roast dark, the process takes those origin flavors out and you taste the caramelization, or smoky

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flavor, like our 1930 blend. Once we hit that perfect taste, we do our best to consistently deliver that flavor to our customers.”

Coffee is a crop that is affected by the sun and the rain and the soil, so fluctuations in the flavor are unavoidable. Blue Jazz works to keep profiles as close as possible, but it’s a moving target.

“It’s all about trial and error,” Fluke said. “I’ve been doing this for so long, I’ve had the opportunity to try a lot of different things. I love that my work has a nice aspect of consistency but also challenge, change, and variety. Maybe I can do something different this batch that makes it better.”

A COFFEE EXPERIENCE Blue Jazz wants to increase the coffee IQ of as many Kansans as possible and help them to navigate their own personal coffee journey. Their factory tasting and tour experience is an opportunity to see behind the scenes, try something new,

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Photo by EMMA HIGHFILL

To increase “coffee IQ” and provide a behind the scenes experience Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters offers tours that includes a tasting flight, facility tour, espresso bar drink and a bag of coffee to take home.

and learn more about coffee. The $20 tour includes a tasting flight, facility tour, espresso bar drink and a bag of coffee to take home.

“A tasting typically includes 4-5 coffees, and within that mix I ask each person to taste something they would expect to be their favorite as well as a coffee that will challenge them,” Conard said. “Many times, people are surprised how much they like the coffee that they picked as their challenge.”

Blue Jazz staff regularly challenge their own tastes to continue their coffee journey, too. Once a month they participate in a cupping exercise with four roasted samples that are shared among coffee professionals around the country.

The company that provides the coffee live streams a discussion of the history and taste of the coffees.

“We discuss all the nerdy details,” Conard said. “They bring in new language and taste things that we don’t taste. It helps us train our palates and better communicate about what we’re looking for and what we’re creating at Blue Jazz.”

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FOOD PAIRINGS IN THE FUTURE Look forward to the opportunity to visit Blue Jazz on a Saturday morning soon for a breakfast brunch.

Conard plans to partner with various local chefs, who will create a meal that pairs well with a particular Blue Jazz coffee.

“Pairings are a whole new thing for us and very fun,” Conard said.

“For example, maybe we’ve eaten something from Josey Baking Co., and then when we sip the coffee the black cherry notes pop.”

Conard has a love for service to match his love for coffee, so he looks forward to seeing more guests at the Blue Jazz factory in the future.

“Hospitality is in my nature,” Conard said. “I enjoy creating unique and wonderful flavors of coffee, and I want to share that experience and enjoyment with others. It just so happens that as a coffee roasting company, that is exactly what my team and I get to do every day.” TK

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BY THE WAY: Blue Jazz buys a meal for a hungry kid in the Dominican Republic for every bag of coffee sold through their partnership with Trash Mountain Project, a Topeka non-profit serving trash dump communities across the world.

Trash Mountain supports Kids with a Hope program to help children living in poverty to attend school, where they are served two healthy meals a day.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Jayhawk Area Council Announces Topeka’s Top 20 Under 40 Honorees The following list of 2021 honorees will be honored on November 11th by the Jayhawk Area Council at Vaerus Aviation.

Evergy Announces Senior Executive Leadership Changes Evergy, Inc. (NYSE: EVRG) announced Lesley Elwell will join the Company as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. In addition, Evergy announced that Greg Greenwood, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Administrator Officer, has been names as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer.

Erin Aldridge, Executive Director Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library Foundation James Barraclough, Director of Undergraduate Initiatives Washburn University Lacey Bisnett, VP of Project Management Advisors Excel Kasey Clark, Manager–Application Systems Evergy Jennifer Cocking, Associate General Counsel 2021 Coolest Thing Made Capitol Federal Savings Bank In Kansas Competition Cheryl Delacruz, Mathematics Consulting Teacher Kicks Off USD 501 Any product that is made in Lindsey Dowell, Teacher–Gifted Facilitator Kansas qualifies for the Kansas USD 437 Manufacturing Council’s Derek Flerlage, Division Manager Infectious Disease (KMC) Coolest Thing Made Shawnee County Health Department in Kansas competition. The Jennifer Goetz, Owner, Blu Door Creative top 32 nominated products Director of Marketing & Communications, Kansas State Treasurer’s Office will compete head-to-head Jeremy Graber, Partner-in-Charge Foley Equipment in weekly match-ups in a Foulston Siefkin, LLP Announces new CFO tournament-style bracket.

Danielle Hall, Executive Director New Chief Financial Officer Products that receive the Kansas Lawyers Assistance Program, Kansas Judicial Branch Michael Collins will lead the highest votes in each matchCaitlyn Halsey, Owner dealer’s finance functions and up advance to the next round Dialogue Coffee House operations as well as oversee and will move one step closer Del-Metrius Herron, Realtor the IT and Enterprise Process to being named the Coolest Keller Williams One Legacy Partners, LLC Management teams.

Thing Made in Kansas.

Jessica Horton, Vice President of Accounts and Operations Sprout Creative Mammoth Sports Construction Expands Jennifer LeClair, Vice President of Resource Development with Creative Services Boys and Girls Club of Topeka Mammoth Sports Construction expanded Dr. Erin Locke, Health Officer its creative services with the addition of Shawnee County Health Department Bajillion Agency to its extensive team lineup.

Nathan Marsh, Lead Pastor Renamed Mammoth Creative Co, the agency First Baptist Church of Topeka will continue to offer brand strategy, digital, Keegan McElroy, Attorney filmmaking and public relations services to Alderson, Alderson, Conklin, Crow, and Slinkard clients in all sectors.

LeTiffany Obozele, Chief of Prosecution Topeka Wealth Advisor City of Topeka WORKING CAPITAL Elected President of Brail Watson, Worship Pastor is about local and Topeka Symphony Fellowship Hi-Crest, Inc. regional businesses League within the KTWU Clayton Wealth Partners viewing area. WORKING Martinek Joins announced that firm Partner CAPITAL showcases Landmark National Bank entrepreneurship and and Senior Wealth Advisor provides an atmosphere Landmark National Bank Barbara Duncan, CFP ®, for sharing business announced that Kristen has been elected President concepts and practical Martinek joined their of the Topeka Symphony business experiences. commercial banking team as League for the 2021-22 Tune in to KTWU-HD, a Commercial Banking Officer. season.

Digital Channel 11.1.

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GET HELP FIND HOPE! September is National Suicide Prevention Month

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• Talking about wanting to die

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• Talking about having no reason to live

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• Sleeping too little or too much

• Giving away prized possessions • Acting anxious or agitated

• Talking about being in unbearable pain • Withdrawing or feeling isolated

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• Showing rage or seeking revenge • Displaying extreme mood swings

• Talking about being a burden to others SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

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