DESIGNING WOMEN | FUEL & FIRE BEHIND McCURDY | COCKTAILS, COFFEE & CRAFT BEER The Wichita EatERTAINMENTLegacy fall 2022
LOCAL BUSINESS
TESTIMONIAL
2 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine H o s t i n g y o u r e v e n t a t T W P s u p p o r t s t h e v e r y s u r v i v a l o f m a n y o f t h e r a r e a n i m a l s t h a t c a l l T a n g a n y i k a h o m e w h i l e c r e a t e s l a s t i n g m e m o r i e s a n d e x p e r i e n c e s f o r y o u r g u e s t s C O R P O R A T E E V E N T S J o i n W i c h i t a ' s l a r g e s t H a l l o w e e n e v e n t w h e r e y o u c a n t r i c k , t r e a t , a n d d r i n k a l l e v e n i n g l o n g w h i l e e n j o y i n g f a l l w i t h y o u r f a v o r i t e a n i m a l s . P U M P K I N S A T T H E P A R K T h i s f a m i l y f r i e n d l y h o l i d a y l i g h t e x t r a v a g a n z a i s t h e p e r f e c t o p p o r t u n i t y f o r y o u t o s h o w y o u r e m p l o y e e s h o w m u c h y o u c a r e a b o u t t h e m S A F A R I O F L I G H T S L o o k i n g f o r y o u r n e x t p l a c e t o h o s t y o u r b u s i n e s s e v e n t ? E n j o y u p t o 5 0 % o f f c o r p o r a t e p a c k a g e s a t o u r a w a r d - w i n n i n g w i l d l i f e p a r k
T a n g a n y i k a w a s a w o n d e r f u l e
x p e r i e n c e f o r o u r c o r p o r a t e e v e n t O u r g u e s t s t r a v e l e d f r o m t h r o u g h o u t t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d e n j o y e d t h e u n i q u e e x p e r i e n c e o f f e e d i n g t h e a n i m a l s i n s e v e r a l s t a t i o n s t h r o u g h o u t t h e p a r k O u r g u e s t s r a v e d a b o u t i t a s o n e o f t h e i r f a v o r i t e e x p e r i e n c e s i n W i c h i t a W e h i g h l y r e c o m m e n d t h i s a s a c o r p o r a t e e v e n t e x p e r i e n c e . N O V A C O A S T C o r p o r a t e E v e n t s S C A N H E R E
The Fuel & Fire Behind McCurdy
Learn about the three recipients of the 2022 Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards, each catering to a clientele seeking connection through cocktails, coffee, or craft beer.
Kansas Leadership Center’s Julia Fabris McBride and Damon Young discuss how navigating change and eliminating barriers to success requires us to think beyond the old, top-down model of leadership.
Growing up on two different continents thousands of miles apart, Alicia Ybarra and Aida Stenholm made their first forays into fashion as young girls. Decades later, both are making their mark as designers in Wichita.
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Cocktails, Coffee & Craft Beer
When the Economic Weather Gets Stormy: Leadership Starts with You
CEO, broker and auctioneer Braden McCurdy describes the fuel and fire that has driven the decades-long success of his family’s business as “continued bursts of energy.” Today, McCurdy’s team of 40 employees does 600 to 700 auctions a year — almost exclusively online — with real estate being 95 percent of their focus.
A World of Opportunity
Designing Women
The Wichita EATertainment Legacy
The Wichita
PATTONAARONbyPhotosPHOTOSUBMITTED
HAMLINLINDAbyPhoto
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As thoughts of retirement become more pressing, entrepreneurs find themselves faced with a new dilemma: a succession plan. Two business owners share how they have found an opportunity to transition their business even with retirement still years away.
EatERTAINMENTLegacy08 DESIGNING WOMEN | FUEL & FIRE BEHIND McCURDY | COCKTAILS, COFFEE & CRAFT BEER fall 2022
After 20 years of ownership, Jim Hamlin and Jim West are retiring and selling their Kobe restaurant in West Wichita to long-time employees Shane and Lisa Davis. Read about the legacy of one of Wichita’s most famous eatertainment destinations.
CONTENTS
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6 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine PUBLISHER & EDITOR Tara Dimick CREATIVE DIRECTOR & DESIGNER Danielle Smith SALES DIRECTOR Braden braden@wichitabusinessmagazine.comDimick316-706-0178 COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Linda Hamlin CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Amy MeLindaKimGeiszler-JonesGronnigerLisaLoewenSchnyderEricSmith CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS John Burns Linda Hamlin Aaron FernandoPattonSalazar CONTRIBUTING EXPERT Julia Fabris McBride Damon Young EXPERIENCE WICHITA Hope Dimick CONTRIBUTORS @wichitabizmag Wichita Business MagazineWichita Business Magazine@wichitabusinessmag 2022 Wichita 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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WICHITA REGIONAL CHAMBER ANNOUNCES 2022 LEADERSHIP WICHITA CLASS
The sixth annual Kansas Manufacturing Summit will focus on key issues challenging today’s manufacturers. The day-long forum provides the opportunity to network, learn about manufacturing resources and industry trends, and gain insight into workforce development.
WSU BARTON SCHOOL TEAMING UP WITH WSU TECH ON SUPPLY CHAIN
WICHITA STATE’S ULRICH ART MUSEUM NAMES NEW DIRECTOR
The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University is teaming up again with WSU Tech on a new career pathway program for WSU Tech students interested in an industry greatly affecting the entire world right now: supply chain management.
Vivian Zavataro has been selected as the new creative and executive director of the Edwin Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University. She will begin her directorship on Oct. 16.
Mandi Plunk joined The Trust Company of Kansas (TCK) Wichita office. She will work closely with Vice President & Trust Officer, Paul Fowler, on the day-today administration of his client relationships.
Twenty-four citizens from the Wichita region have been selected to participate in the 2022 Leadership Wichita class, an immersive leadership experience presented by the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce. This class will join nearly 1,000 other Leadership Wichita alumni who have committed to become stronger leaders for the community since the program was launched in 1983.
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MELINDA SCHNYDER LINDA HAMLIN & JOHN BURNS
The Wichita EatERTAINMENTLegacy
A generation prepares for the passing of the spatula at Kobe
new
Photo by JOHN BURNS Chef Isaias entertains with fire, stunts and humor while cooking delicious food.
If you’ve had dinner out with friends and family while seated around a teppanyaki grill in Wichita during the past two decades, there’s a good chance you were enjoying an evening at a Kobe Steak House of Japan owned by Jim Hamlin and Jim West.After 20 years of ownership and multiple locations in Wichita and Derby, the brothersin-law are retiring this year and selling their Kobe restaurant in West Wichita to long-time employees Shane and Lisa Davis.
Wichitansyet. supported the first Kobe Steak House of Japan restaurant, and the chef’s success here allowed for expansion into St. Louis, Missouri, in 1991 and Omaha, Nebraska, in 1996. After two decades of building the business, the chef asked his accountant in 2001 to help him sell the group of restaurants so he could retire. The Jims were mutual friends of the accountant, and were looking for a new opportunity after the family meat packing operation where they had worked for many years was sold.
It’s a simple model that the Jims – as employees refer to them – refined after buying the business in 2002 from Kumeo Komazaki, a Japanese native who brought the concept to Wichita in 1980. The name Kobe has become synonymous with the Japanese teppanyaki dining experience
Photo by JOHN BURNS
and because “Kobe” is not trademarked, you’ll find restaurants using the name across North America.
impressive knife and spatula skills to slice, dice and flip the ingredients of your meal on the grill right in front of you. At the same time, they entertain you with humor, interactive stunts and tricks that involve oil, fire and volcanos made of onions.
Kobe could be considered Wichita’s original eatertainment spot. You watch chefs display
The Wichita version of Kobe is an independent restaurant created by Chef Koma. Hamlin said Chef Koma trained at Japan’s Imperial Palace Hotel and moved to the United States with the goal of eventually owning his own business. He first worked at Benihana Corporation in New York City and built his vision for Kobe based on the teppanyaki experience at Benihana restaurants. As he was thinking about where to open his first restaurant, Hamlin said, Chef Koma noticed the return address of Wichita, Kansas, on a box of beef delivered to Benihana. He went to the library to look through city directories and found that Wichita didn’t have a teppanyaki restaurant
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prepped fresh in the kitchen not served out of bags.
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With three locations in three states, the Jims spent a lot of time traveling in the early years, too. In all three cities, they worked to get the right locations. In Wichita, Kobe started in East Wichita’s Carriage Parkway. They expanded and moved locations several times, and since 2013 Wichita’s Kobe Steak House of Japan has been at 21st and Tyler.
Lisa Davis, who runs the front of the house, likens their nightly schedule to the puzzle game Tetris, with every minute counting and all the pieces having to fit together just right to succeed.
The Jims took ownership of the trio of restaurants in 2002 after visiting the restaurants anonymously and becoming interested in the business when they saw a streamlined menu and how much fun the guests were having. While they had no restaurant experience, they were able to build on a solid concept developed by a chef by bringing their business acumen and a focus on cleanliness and processes from their packing house“Frombackgrounds.thetime we purchased this business, we improved every aspect of it,” said Jim West, who turns 77 in September and whose retirement plans include more travel from his home in
Winfield. “We took pride in improving the sanitation, the quality of the food, the quality of the service. During the first years, Jim and I were very hands on; we did every job in the restaurant: maintenance if we were short-handed, washing dishes, cashiering, tending bar. For a long time, one or both of us was in the restaurants every day.”
Photo by JOHN BURNS
The Kobe concept is unique in the restaurant world. There are 12 teppanyaki grills with eight to nine seats around each.
Photo by LINDA HAMLIN
Ownership team #2 Jim Hamlin & Jim West
They modernized the look and feel of the restaurants by brightening interior lighting and establishing a black and red theme, among other design and operational changes. They added additional sauces, high protein meal options and a few other tweaks but kept the menu streamlined while focusing on using quality food. All sauces and dressings are made at the restaurant, steaks are cut in house daily, salmon is never frozen, and vegetables are
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Ownership team #3 Shane & Lisa Davis
Lisa met Shane through a mutual friend in 2005 when he was still a chef in training at Kobe. They dated briefly and when Shane left for St. Louis, they stayed in touch. She started as a server at Kobe in Wichita in 2006, then transferred in the same role to St. Louis to be with Shane. After a couple of years in Missouri, though, they wanted to move back to be close to their families.The Jims welcomed them back to Wichita and gave them management opportunities, including helping to open Kobe’s first westside location at 21st and Maize in 2008. Lisa focused on the front of the house, appreciating the time Hamlin – who started his career as an accountant – would take with teaching her about the financials. Shane continued to learn about running the back of the house through layers of lessons from the Jims.
There were hours of talking about life and business, first while traveling to St. Louis and Omaha together and later while sitting in a boat fishing
During his summer break from high school in 2003, 17-year-old Shane Davis took a job at Kobe working first as a bus boy and then in kitchen prep. Early on, though, he was intrigued by the teppanyaki style of cooking. He asked to be trained by the restaurant’s chefs and would take home utensils to practice. Eventually he became a full-time chef for Kobe and the Jims sent him to St. Louis to help open a new location there in the summer of 2006.
Photo by JOHN BURNS
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The Davis’ are grateful for the opportunity to become owners of Kobe Steak House of Japan in Wichita and thankful to many employees who have helped them reach this point. They employ about 18 full-time and 42 part-time employees, and among their crew of 12 chefs, it was Big Noy, who trained an eager bus boy named Shane in 2003. Now that he’s owner of the restaurant, what does he plan to “Notchange?asingle thing,”
In the end, the Jims said, it feels like turning over the restaurant to family members. Lisa and Shane agree.
“We didn’t just connect on a business level, we connected on a personal level,” Shane said. “They were huge mentors in my life. They taught me how to be a better person, to financially stabilize my life, to stay humble and to live within your means. I could go on and on about the two of them.”
Photo by JOHN BURNS Chef Cliff showcases the flaming volcano.
close to home. There were regular lunches at Scotch & Sirloin, where Hamlin would point out to Shane how the longtime manager there interacted with customers. There were restaurant walkthroughs to train Shane’s eyes on how to ready the facilities and employees to greet customers. There were meetings Shane was invited to sit in on with bankers, builders and insurance companies.“Every time he would swallow, we would give him another bite,” said Hamlin, who at 68 years old plans to spend more time Eventually,fishing.the Jims were confident enough in Shane and Lisa’s management of the restaurant that they were able to not work in the business every day. When it came time to think about retirement they wanted to reward long-time employees in Omaha and Wichita even though it would have been easier – and likely more lucrative – for the Jims to sell all three Kobe restaurants to one buyer.
“The business prospered and Jim and I prospered, and a big part of the reason that we did was because of the work that Lisa and
“We were teenagers when we first got to know them and now we are 35 and 36 years old,” Lisa said. “We look at them not so much as our bosses but more like our family.”Lisa and Shane said the Jims have been a part of most of their big life moments, from helping Shane get his first new vehicle to supporting their decision to adopt their son at birth four years ago.
As he matured, Shane said, he started to envision owning his own restaurant by the time he was 40. It wouldn’t have happened without his relationship with the Jims or without having a wife who understands the restaurant business. He and Lisa were “eating, sleeping and breathing” the restaurant life together in their 20s and early 30s. They believe their loyalty and dedication to building a management system is paying off, as their transition to business owners will be easier and allow them time to raise their son and preserve their Sunday family day.
Shane put in,” West said. “Their work ethic and their dedication have been a large part of what helped the restaurant to grow. It was just a natural decision for us to sell it to them.”
Shane said. “Anything we’ve ever wanted to change, we’ve brought to the table and we’ve discussed it. Either it made sense and we did it, or it didn’t. Nothing will change besides continuing to evolve with technology and things like social media. Other than that, we’ll continue to do things the way we’ve always done them because that’s what has made us successful.” WB
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Growing up on two different continents thousands of miles apart, Alicia Ybarra and Aida Stenholm made their first forays into fashion as young girls. Decades later, after formally studying their crafts, both are making their mark as designers in a city that many don’t consider as fashion-forward as New York City, Los Angeles or the fashion centers of Europe. But for both of these women, Wichita has all the designs of being an ideal place to grow their customized fashion businesses.
AMY GEISZLER-JONESAARONPATTON
DesigningWomen
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Alicia Ybarra has come a long way since she won a 4-H award for sewing at ageThis7. year, the owner of the bridal and formal-wear custom studio, Vanya’s Designs, took her Convertible Couture Collection to the National Bridal Market Chicago in March, a goal she had set when she came up with the concept of providing brides with mix-and-match customizable outfits for their special day a few years ago.
Ybarra studied fashion at Kansas State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in apparel and textiles in 2002, followed in 2003 by a master’s degree in apparel and textile marketing management, which emphasized product development and consumer research.
Vanya Designss
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Before that, in February 2020, Ybarra and Wichita artist Christopher Gulick were invited to present their wearable sculpture line during New York City’s Fashion Week. Gulick, internationally known for his kinetic mobile sculptures, and Ybarra were part of the hiTechMODA Fashion Show, known for showcasing up-and-coming designers with some unique looks.
The experiences have also helped her set sights on participating in another epicenter event: the New York Bridal Fashion Week.
“It really made me think, ‘can I roll with other designers?’ And yeah, I believe we can. We saw the same caliber of stuff we are making right here. Ours is just as good, if not better, than what we’re seeing out there,” said Ybarra, during an interview in her design studio located in a Commerce Arts district building that had been a former corn broom factory.
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GETTING HER START
“In college, I had the opportunity to work in a couple of bridal stores and I really loved the experience of helping brides choose their dress for their special day,” said Ybarra. “It’s so rewarding to see a bride put their dress on and transform to feel like a princess.”
Having married her high school sweetheart, Ty, in a dress she created for herself, of course, and before their
Just a few feet away, her two assistants, Libbi Jessen and Angela Ortega, were diligently handsewing details on bridal wear in the workroom section of her 3,000-square-foot space.
Gulick, who is intrigued by lines and shapes, and Ybarra, who had been looking for something to take her out of what she calls “wedding land,” had created the wearable sculpture line when
Photo by AARON PATTON
Ybarra’s experiences at both of those high-level fashion events helped set aside any small-town mentality the Wellington, Kansas, native might have had about what it takes to be a top-tier designer.
they decided to pair up their talents to create something new and different. They debuted the line of clothes and accessories at a Wichita charity fashion show in 2019 that got the attention of the hiTechMODA organizers.
Going to the Chicago bridal market had been on the books for Vanya’s Designs in 2020. Ybarra’s plans were to wholesale her Convertible Couture Line and get the pieces on the racks of boutiques and bridal wear departments in other locations across the country, with Wichita still being her base of operations.
boys started school, Ybarra would often take sewing jobs on the side in the years after college. She even landed a job for a while designing and sewing cheer uniforms when the young family lived in Tennessee before moving back to their native state.With her skills and knowledge of the formal wear business, fueled by her childhood love of princess dresses and the transformation she’d witnessed working with bridesto-be, Ybarra started her wedding design and custom sewing business in the basement of the couple’s Derby home in 2007.
The company’s name is based on the middle name her parents had considered for her, before settling on Yvonne because “they thought Alicia Vanya was a mouthful.” Ybarra chose it for her business because of its meaning and her strong sense of faith. Various definitions of Vanya describe it as meaning “gracious gift of God,” “God is gracious” and the one Ybarra cited: “God’s grace is upon“It’syou.”my way of saying I’m sending some of God’s grace with every dress I send out the door,” YbarraYbarra’ssaid. first two storefronts were in Derby, but she realized the community south of Wichita wasn’t the right location for her customers, most of whom were coming from Wichita and elsewhere.
PIVOTING AFTER COVID
regional customers from other states are finding her services, along with the occasional bride who lives even farther away but has Kansas roots.
In 2017, Ybarra moved to her current location at 520 S. Commerce St., just south of INTRUST Bank Arena, in a revitalized warehouse district that includes art galleries, residences and other creative businesses. During the pandemic, she renegotiated her lease through 2025.“We’re right here off of Kellogg and I-35 so it’s easy to get to if you’re coming from Kansas City, western Kansas or anywhere really,” YbarraHersaid.business profile as a custom design studio is unique enough in the Midwest that
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Photo by AARON PATTON
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During the pandemic, sales held steady, Ybarra“Peoplesaid. were still getting married.”
In the meantime, she wants to solidify her national direct-to-consumer model before moving into the wholesale business.
To better accommodate out-of-town brides, including one in New York City and another in Chicago, she created a virtual fittings process. Landing clients from cities with no shortage of designers also affirmed Ybarra’s belief that she can do what she loves from America’s heartland.
While Vanya’s Designs primarily focuses on bridal wear, they don’t overlook the grooms. They offer bespoke suits, which are crafted based on a customer’s fabric choice and specific measurements, as well.
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She’s looking for a designer that can create a software program that would digitize a paper doll concept she debuted at a 2021 bridal expo show in Wichita. With 2-foot dolls attached to a whiteboard, visitors used magnetic, small-scale versions of Ybarra’s pieces to visualize different looks.
VANYA
FACEBOOK PAGE
With those plans thwarted by the COVID pandemic, Ybarra decided to continue her direct-to-consumer sales of the line, which features a variety of pieces from the traditional to the trendy, including pearlembellished chiffon capes, mix-and-match tops and bottoms to rompers and jumpsuits.
About 50 percent of her current sales comes from her customizable designs, with formal wear alterations and vintage, heirloom redesigns constituting the rest. The company’s alteration work —which can even include some customized work beyond hemming or taking in seams — seems to have two seasons: February through May and again from July to October. Brides looking for a custom design need to allow at least six months and even up to a year.Over the business’ lifetime, Ybarra estimates the company has created more than 600 custom dresses and has redesigned around 250 vintage dresses.
Photos taken from DESIGNS
The March experience at the Chicago market has helped hone Ybarra’s vision for her business. Buyer attendance was down but the feedback Ybarra received was encouraging and insightful.“Ithinkour concept is a little too early to market” to wholesalers.
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As couples played “catch up” in 2021, Ybarra added two contract seamstresses to help with the increased demand.
“I thought they were beautiful,” said the Lima, Peru, native, who now runs a custom shoe-making business in Wichita that carries her name.Alas, the construction of her first pair was a bit lacking and they didn’t last very long, but they sparked a longer-term interest in being an entrepreneur and making shoes.Her parents ran a meat shop, and money for things beyond necessities for Stenholm, her sisters and two brothers were scarce. Stenholm’s first money-making venture was as a middle-schooler, when she would sell small packages of popcorn she’d made at home on
STEP BY STEP
StenholmAida
Photo by AARON PATTON
the down-low to her friends and fellow middle-school students. The principal put a stop to that venture when he caught her selling the snacks. But at age 10, she’d earned enough money to purchase her very own pair of leatherYearsboots.later, shoes would again play an integral part in her life — but this time to counter bouts of depression. Making shoes would become just what the doctor ordered.
Aida Stenholm was 7 or 8 when she created her first pair of shoes — sandals she constructed from cardboard and twine because she usually had to share shoes and hand-me-downs with her six sisters.
Her family couldn’t believe Stenholm was unhappy. She and her husband, whom she met while he was vacationing and she was teaching in the Bahamas, were living in a beautiful home in Orlando, Florida, had a nice car and were raising a son. On the advice of her doctor to find
something that would hold her interest, she remembered her love of shoes.The
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next step: If she wanted to make shoes, she needed to learn more about manufacturing and design and she knew just the place to do it — in her home city and capital of Peru. She started incorporating the traditional, colorful hand-woven textile of her home country into her designs, starting with leather ballerina flats and ankle-high boots that featured insets of the textiles. Each region in Peru has its own colors and designs, which accounted for the different looks of theAsinsets.shestates in a blog on her website: “My world had finally felt colorful again and I felt nothing but motivation.”Bythetime they left Peru, Stenholm had invested in her
The pandemic also forced Stenholm to retool her business model.
She has moved to exclusively designing, making, and selling a custom-fitted driving shoe that is made wholly on-site in the second-floor workroom of her store by her and her two assistants. With its unisex design, the shoe appeals to all genders.
Only select parts of the shoe require machine stitching; most of it is hand stitched. Even the soles, made of organic rubber, are based on Stenholm’s design. In a fitting room adjacent to her sales room, customers choose from various colors and
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Photo by AARON PATTON
With her unique story — her background, her artistic designs, and her location — Stenholm has received local, regional, and national media attention, including being featured on NBC’s “Today” show in late 2019 and in “Midwest Living” magazine in late 2020.
own manufacturing shop, where workers worked exclusively on her designs.
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RETOOLING HER BUSINESS
By late 2017, Stenholm was ready to open her first storefront on the corner of Douglas and Hillside.
With limited foot traffic and a drop-off in sales because of the pandemic, she moved farther east on Douglas to the Clifton Square shopping and dining complex in late 2020.
When her young family moved back to the U.S., they settled in Wichita, her husband’s hometown. Stenholm named her shoe business Killamasuq, a Peruvian word meaning beautiful moon, and started selling her various designs at shopping expos and on consignment at three Wichita boutiques.
With the move, Stenholm also rebranded her store, using her first and last name to make it easier for customers to pronounce her business’ name.
While working with customers has always made her feel good, Stenholm said, she realizes creating custom designs is a much more satisfying experience for both her and her customers.
Her storefront still features her previous designs, but what remains is just inventoried stock.In addition to shoes, Stenholm also creates some specialty accessories, like circular-shaped crossbody bags and earrings, which tend to be popular Mother’s Day and holiday gifts.
According to fashion sites, the driving shoe was created by an Italian designer to provide safe, comfortable footwear that could better accommodate pedal changes. On her website, Stenholm calls the shoe, “the European sporty cousin of loafers.”
Photos by AARON PATTON
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With a downturn in sales and demand for her other shoe designs, Stenholm closed her shop in Peru and sold the equipment. With her new focus, she can still create shoes and do all of the work in-house.
During the pandemic, she also took stock of her customers’ shopping habits and feedback.While many loved the quality and colorful shoes — like her ballerina shoes with the hogan symbol from the Wichita flag or the colorful Oxfords and booties — she often got requests for more custom options to take into account a person’s foot structure or favorite colors.
WHY CHANGE
“I love hearing, ‘oh my gosh, I have found the perfect shoe for me,” Stenholm said.Sometimes she’ll muse with her husband, Brett, a certified public accountant, that it makes her so happy that she would do it for free. But then he reminds her that wouldn’t be a good business model.
“This definitely is the best therapy for me,” Stenholm said. WB
“With the internet, I can sell shoes to customers from everywhere,” she said. And she already does. She estimates less than 5 percent of her customers are local Wichitans.
prints of hanging, massive swaths of leather to make each unique pair. If a company wants logoed footwear, they only need ask; she can incorporate a logo.
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over the 40 years,” Braden said, highlighting employees like Rick Brock, chief administrative officer and auctioneer who has been with the company 35-plus years.
ERIC SMITH McCURDY REAL ESTATE & AUCTION
FUEL
“In business, I think you’re either growing or shrinking. You’re never just status quo. And when we reflect over our 40 years, we’ve had key people that have come into the business and helped provide new bursts of energy to continue to manage consistent continual growth
“This is our home. So, my bias is that Wichita is the best place to live,” he said. “We have so many positive things to be thankful for within our community. Our community continues to advance and grow.”
The McCurdy business, which also does traditional brokerage and personal property liquidation services, moved from the family home to an office at 5900 E. Central in the late 1980s and was there through the early ’90s. In 1994, they moved offices to 519 N. Oliver until they sold that location to QuikTrip in 2015 and built their current office at 12041 E. 13th St. Since then, three small modifications have been made to accommodate continued further expansion.
26 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine }
Today, McCurdy’s team of 40 employees does 600 to 700 auctions a year — almost exclusively online — with real estate being 95 percent of their focus.Founded in 1982 by Braden’s parents Lonny and Annette McCurdy in the basement of their house, the family-owned business, which also includes their daughter Megan McCurdy Niedens as chief operating officer and auctioneer, is celebrating 40 years this year.
Lonny and Annette, who are still involved in the company on the executive team as chair and vice chair of the
&FIRE FIRE
“Continued bursts of energy.” That’s the way McCurdy Real Estate & Auction CEO, broker and auctioneer Braden McCurdy describes the fuel and fire that has driven the decades-long success of his family’s business.
board, both came from family businesses in Hutchinson that had an entrepreneurial spirit — Lonny’s parents had a Dodge Chrysler Plymouth dealership, and Annette’s parents had a music
BradentherealFame.AuctioneersalreadyinachievementsofAuctioneersinductedauctioneeristhenLonnyessenceThatstore.business-mindedcarriedovertoandAnnette,andtheirchildren.Lonnyasecond-generationandwasrecentlyintotheNationalAssociationHallFameasrecognitionforhisandleadershiptheauctionindustry.HewasamemberoftheKansasAssociationHallofMegan—theonlyfemaleestateauctioneerincityofWichita—andarethird-generation
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“I kind of joke that child labor laws don’t apply to your immediate
President of the Kansas Auctioneers Association and president-elect of REALTORS® of South Central Kansas, Braden said people ask him all the time, how do you get so many auctions?
28 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine
auctioneers, and the family trio makes up half of the six auctioneers at the business. Braden said his brother, a third McCurdy child, works in the oil and gas industry down in Houston, and that they refer to him as the one that got Braden,away.42, said he obtained his real estate license when he turned 18 while attending Wichita State, where he went to school in the morning
and worked at the family business in the afternoon. He joined full time in 2002, and his sister joined full time in 2005.Asa youngster in the ’80s and ’90s, Braden said he and his siblings cleaned out a lot of houses and helped with a lot of personal property auctions.
Braden took over as CEO in 2016 and said his mom and dad over the years have become less involved in the day-to-day operations.
“You do one good job after another, and that word of mouth spreads,” he said. “Caring about the auctions, caring about the clients we take on and helping them navigate something that is likely a transition period for them. They become your advocate and spread the good word of how you helped their family.”
Braden McCurdy and Megan McCurdy Niedens
family,” Braden said. “We learned that at an early age. Growing up in a family business was great at instilling a strong work ethic and a dedication to a do a good job for our clients.”
“We have so many positive things to be thankful for within our community. Our community continues to advance and grow.”
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- Braden McCurdy CEO, Broker & Auctioneer
In the auction business, the saying is “Going once, going twice, last call, sold.” And “last hand wins.”
For 40 years and counting, McCurdy has often been the last hand standing when it comes to auctioning real estate in the Wichita area. WB
“The auction industry is growing,” he said. “There are a lot of sellers discovering that there is a cleaner way to sell real estate.”
And while the business is just licensed to conduct auctions in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Colorado, the reach for McCurdy’s buyer community goes much further and continues to grow nationally and internationally every day, Braden said, with more than 100,000 people in the company’s system taking place in auctions from out-of-state locations as far as Hawaii and the Galapagos Islands.
A lot of the growth can be attributed to online sales. Historically, McCurdy did live auctions out at a property, on a front lawn, connecting buyers and sellers. Today, it’s predominantly online with the tech team and a mobile app.
“Our business has changed quite a bit. We were doing a lot of online auctions three, four, five years before the pandemic. But the pandemic just put the foot on the gas pedal with doing everything remotely,” Braden said. “The buyers value and appreciate the fact that they can pull out their phone any second and see where they are at on a deal. They
fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine 29
don’t have to drive somewhere and stand there in a live auction.”
Braden McCurdy, Annette and Lonny McCurdy, and Megan McCurdy Niedens
The variety of properties McCurdy auctions — whether it’s commercial, retail, industrial, farm and ranch, luxury, bank-owned, a multi-million-dollar home, cell phone towers, golf courses, or airports — keeps it interesting and enjoyable, Braden said, and allows for McCurdy to interact with a lot of people.
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All three recipients of the 2022 Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards are in the hospitality industry, each catering to a clientele seeking connection through cocktails, coffee, or craft beer.
Each year applicants representing a wide range of industries and nonprofits in business compete for the awards program, which was established in 2005. Experienced judges evaluate
CRAFTCOCKTAILS,COFFEE&BEER
Award finalists and recipients also become advocates for the organization, often helming top volunteer positions within the “SmallChamber.businesses are one of our six strategic priorities, and
“Our locally owned retail businesses and coffee shops give our community its uniqueness and help us show off our city,” said Angie Elliott, vice president of member engagement and small business for the Chamber.
SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS }
finalists, not only theJanuaryspecialNomineesstartsitealsoapplicationscomprehensivereviewingbutconductingvisitstoo.NominationsinNovember.attendareceptionintolearnaboutapplicationprocess and determine whether they will move forward. Those who apply are highlighted during a public showcase where the finalists are announced. Finalists are recognized at a Sunrise Scrambler, and then celebrated at a luncheon to announce the winners. All the finalists are invited to participate in a trade show later in the year.
The Chamber has more than 1,400 members, of which 88 percent have 100 or fewer employees.
“It was unique to have three winners in the same industry category. These three hospitality businesses all had compelling stories, especially given their perseverance through the pandemic,” said Chelsea Dyer, director of engagement of the Chamber.
this program has been a wonderful way for us to identify and cultivate great business leaders,” Elliott said.
KIM GRONNIGERAARONPATTON AND FERNANDO SALAZAR
Meet this year’s winners— the owners of Shaken or Stirred Bartending, Leslie Coffee Co. and Wichita Brewing Co.—to see how they achieved personal and professional fulfillment by turning their hobbies into flourishing hospitality opportunities for Wichitans to enjoy.
“These small businesses are a critical part of the community and their contributions and tax base help drive our economy, whether they’re restaurants, retail businesses or manufacturers providing products and services to complement our health care, technology and aviation industries,” said John Rolfe, president and CEO of the Chamber. “They all make a significant economic impact that we appreciate and recognize.”
WICHITA
32 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine WICHITA SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS Shaken or Stirred Bartending Patrick Pelkowski Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards Tier 1 | 1-5 Employees
Photo by FERNANDO SALAZAR
He obtained a liquor license in May 2015 and had six gigs. In 2016, the number rose to 34 and steadily increased to 175 events in 2018. Although the pandemic thwarted business in 2020, 2021 garnered 235 events, all in the last nine months of the year.“2022 has been fantastic since everyone wants to get out and connect again,” he said. “Especially after the pandemic, no one is ever upset to walk in and see a bartender at a venue.”
Bartenders are easily identifiable in black polos. In addition to crafting cocktails and pouring beer and wine, they card attendees, adhere to all liquor laws and oversee other operational aspects so hosts can focus on their own fun while fulfilling their hospitality responsibilities for work or leisure.
WICHITA REGIONAL CHAMBER OF
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THE 2022 SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS FINALISTS
Presented by Cox Business
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Committed to giving back to the community that welcomed him when he first arrived, Pelkowski also contributes to nonprofit gatherings like Automobilia, Heartspring and The Bourbon Salute.
“About 60 percent of our business is weddings, and about 25 percent is annual events, the latter of which is great because it means repeat business,” he said. “We really hope our wedding clients don’t repeat, but we’re here if they do.”
“I love entertaining and I’m very social, so I figured that Shaken or Stirred might be the right segue into a second career after my retirement from the FAA,” he said.
MEET
Pelkowski retired in 2016 to focus on Shaken or Stirred Bartending full time. The business now has two vendor trucks, the Mobiltini, a 1980 former food truck, and the solar-powered Tipsy Turtle, which was inspired by a trip Pelkowski and his wife, Jodi, a Wichita State University professor, took to the Caribbean. The Mobiltini is equipped with a 42-inch kegerator and the Tipsy Turtle has a 72-inch commercial refrigerator.
Patrick Pelkowski, a former air traffic controller from Pennsylvania, moved to Wichita as another stop in his career with the Federal Aviation Administration, but liked the community so much he decided to stay, earning a degree in business and entrepreneurship along the way. On the side, he decided to pursue a mobile bartending idea he’d researched for several months.
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Pelkowski said being named a small business award winner has been a thrill.
WICHITA SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS }
Holly Nguyen serves customers drinks from Shaken or Stirred Bartending’s Tipsy Turtle.
34 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine
He occasionally works events himself, but typically relies on a team of part-time employees to staff
Pelkowski says his entrepreneurial education came through the collective support of professors, mentors, business leaders and his wife.
“To have the community and the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce recognize us and validate that we’re doing a good job feels really great,” he said. “We were up against some stellar companies, and I wish we all could have won.”
“Everythingengagements.inmy life has had a learning curve, whether it was serving in the Air Force or becoming an air traffic controller or starting this bartending business,” Pelkowski said. “It’s great to have the business do well, but trying to figure everything out during those early years, especially with this business, was, in some ways, the most fun part. Things happened but we learned and just kept going.”
“This is the biggest small town you’ll ever be part of, and people here want everyone to succeed,” he said.
36 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine WICHITA SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS Leslie Coffee Co. Sarah Leslie Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards Tier 2 | 6-20 Employees
Photo by AARON PATTON
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“It was a big surprise both times,” said Leslie. “I feel like Food & Wine recognized what I was trying to do: build community through and around great coffee. It wasn’t about being the best as much as it was about feeling like people felt and recognized my values.”
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She opened Leslie Coffee Co. in the Delano District on Dec. 26, 2018. Just a year later, Food & Wine Magazine’s list of the best coffee shops in America ranked Leslie Coffee Co. number seven and in 2022 recognized it as the top coffee shop in Kansas.
“We barely made it during the shutdown, so this award gives me and my team a little bit of credibility and makes me feel like we’re making good choices,” said Leslie. “We were surprised and happy to receive it. We’re still taking it all in.”
While pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in New York City, Wichita native Sarah Leslie supported herself as a barista and immersed herself in coffee culture. She volunteered for American and European barista guilds and taught others about espresso extraction, milk steaming, and latte
intent on pursuing an academic career upon completion of her master’s degree in cinema studies in 2011, Leslie spent five more years working in coffee before moving home to Wichita in 2016.
Originallyart.
Photos by AARON PATTON
Freedom to enjoy a day at the park.
Located in a walkable neighborhood, the corner shop has a high turquoise tin ceiling, large windows and more than 100 plants that create a welcoming aesthetic for an eclectic clientele—businesspeople, neighborhood locals, students,
Winning a Small Business Award from the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce brought additional affirmation for the coffee shop this year.
Whether customers come once a day, once a week or once a month, Leslie strives to make them feel welcome.
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Leslie laments the lack of women and non-binary people in leadership roles in the industry but sources products from Mother Tongue in Oakland, California, and Gimme! Coffee in Ithaca, New York, to complement her inventory.
38 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine
She also consulted with a New York chef and former colleague to
Photos by AARON PATTON
Customers who want to contribute can support the effort through cash donations and payment apps.
“I wanted my shop to be classic and timeless, a nice space to be,” she said. “One of the things I appreciated about New York City was that everyone mixes, everyone rides the subway, everyone walks. In Wichita, people often just go to their safe spots, so I like bringing people together — East Side, West Side, young, old. It’s important to me to have a place for everyone.”
Leslie’s inclusionary focus extends to participation in the ICT Community Fridge Program. The refrigerator is stocked weekly with beverages and single-serving staples like yogurt and Lunchables.
develop her menu, which includes a variety of breakfast and lunch options incorporating ingredients sourced from local suppliers like Crust & Crumb Co., Firefly and RISE Farms, Phil’s Farm and Elderslie Creamery. All baked goods are made in house, along with syrups.
WICHITA SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS
Leslie also caters events and offers classes for customers who want to learn how to brew better coffee at home.
“I’m happy we’re still successful and that I get to do what I want and what makes me feel proud,” she said. “When I was growing up, there were mostly chain places with just a few independent shops in Wichita, but that’s changing. People are excited about locally-owned businesses and rooting for us to succeed.”
“The thing I love most about working in a coffee shop is building relationships with people through this special touchpoint ritual,” she said.
Before opening her shop, Leslie sought support through the Wichita State University Small Business Development Center and consulted contacts she’d met through the Barista Guild to glean ideas and advice regarding suppliers, pricing and other considerations.
Leslie appreciates the opportunity to focus on working with people in the industry “who are ethical and transparent and who have sustainable approaches.”
“We use real vanilla beans and real cream, and sometimes we feature seasonal flavors like grapefruit and honey lavender,” she said.
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40 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine WICHITA SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS Wichita Brewing Co. Jeremy Horn Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards Tier 3 | 21-100 Employees
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Jeremy Horn was an avid Keystone Light fan at Fort Hays State University before discovering an affinity for craft beer after graduation. Oskar Blues
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“We wanted to open a brewery and the most economical way to do it was to attach it to a restaurant because it would take less capital and less time to create enough volume to make a profit,” said Horn.
“Friends came over to help me but nine out of 10 times they watched and drank while I did the brewing,” said Horn. “Initially, I started brewing beer to save money, but eventually I realized I wanted to make beer I could sell.”
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The first few years Horn maintained his career in finance before joining the brewing company full time four years ago.
Photo by FERNANDO SALAZAR
Old Chub, Boulevard Wheat and Boulevard Pale Ale sparked his taste buds and led to nights and weekends of experimentation in the kitchen and later the garage.
In 2011, he and his business partner, Greg Gifford, launched Wichita Brewing Co., which now has two locations, one on the East Side and one on the West Side. The brewery offers 17 brews on tap and distributes beverages in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa.
Jeremy Horn Owner
“I’ve lived here for 18 years, and community pride has grown, especially in the last 10 years,” he said. “You see a lot of Wichita flags around town and people understand the appeal of local businesses and what they add to the area.” WB
42 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine WICHITA SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS
“There was a steep learning curve in the beginning, and still every day we have a series of hurdles to overcome. It’s taken a lot of work for us to get here and we’re proud of the resume we’ve -built.”
“There was a steep learning curve in the beginning, and still every day we have a series of hurdles to overcome,” said Horn. “It’s taken a lot of work for us to get here and we’re proud of the resume we’ve built.”
Photo by FERNANDO SALAZAR
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The brewery’s logo features a replica of John Brown taken from a mural created by John Steuart Curry, the abolitionist’s rifle and Bible replaced with two beers.Horn and Gifford purchased an 18,000-square-foot warehouse in 2016 and later obtained the serendipitous acquisition of Tallgrass Brewing Company’s equipment and an exclusive license to produce their popular brands as a complement to their own beers, which include several seasonal and experimental varieties in addition to the brewery’s flagship beverages.
With Horn’s extensive business background and Gifford’s expertise as a real estate investor, the partners understood the financial aspects of starting a brewery but sought industryspecific guidance from Chris Arnold, owner of River City Brewing Co., and Jeff Gill, founder of Tallgrass Brewing Company, to determine pricing, projections, packaging and logistical needs for Horn,distribution.whoseprevious restaurant experience entailed a stint waiting tables at Carlos O’Kelly’s in college, outmatches Gifford, who has none.
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are realizing that there’s a whole spectrum of styles to craft beer, so while one may give them bitter beer face, another might become their new favorite.”
“Adding Tallgrass options created an exciting opportunity for consumers and also for us,” said Horn. “Consumers
Just as craft beer benefits from varied flavors and experimentation, the wood-fired, artisan pizzas Horn and Gifford envisioned during their backyard-oven days do too. Two of the brewery’s most popular options are “The Banick” (Capicola ham, Italian sausage, chicken, hot links, sweet pepper bacon) and “Around the Horn” (pepperoni, Italian sausage, hot links, black olives, onions, mushrooms, yellow peppers). The menu, updated twice a year, also includes calzones, salads, sandwiches and pastas with inventive ingredient combinations.
As a Wichita Chamber Small Business Award winner, Horn appreciates the community’s support of buying local and gives back to support charitable events and quality-of-life initiatives.
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44 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine
Many small business owners have spent most of their lives growing their companies from the ground up. It is like raising a child; they have given it life, nurtured it through good times and bad and proudly watched it grow into something wonderful. But like parents who must plan for their own future once the children are grown, as thoughts of retirement become more pressing, entrepreneurs find themselves faced with a new dilemma: a succession plan.
LISA LOEWEN
For some business owners that succession plan is clear. An existing business partner or family member will take over the business. But for those whose options are a little more limited, finding an acceptable exit strategy can be complicated.Owners must consider much more than just their own retirement needs. They have employees who count on them, clients who still need their services, vendors and industry partners with whom they have spent years building relationships, and a reputation that they would like to leave as a legacy.
A WORLD OPPORTUNITYOF
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That can be a hard bill to fill. Unless a buyout offer that meets all those requirements comes knocking on your door.
In addition to being able to compete with bigger agencies, if he took the acquisition offer, Lesser would be able to provide his clients with more than insurance products because the family of companies under the World Insurance Associates umbrella includes human resources solutions, employee benefits services, payroll, retirement benefits, financial planning, compliance and more.
It seemed like an obvious choice, but to someone who has spent 30 years building a business, the biggest obstacle is the one staring back from the mirror. Going from owner to employee is a difficult pill to“Theswallow.ideaof giving up control to someone else was always the final caveat that I couldn’t get past,” Lesser said. “But that is where World is radically different. Their model is to add resources and make agencies more profitable with as little change as possible.”
Michael Lesser weighed the pros and cons of selling his agency to World Insurance Associates and knew it was the right decision for his company, his employees and himself.
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A WINNING PROPOSITION
“I went into that first meeting with an open mind, but also a healthy degree of skepticism,” Lesser said. “From the first meeting, I had an immediate connection with the team at World. They answered all of my questions with straight forward answers and addressed my hesitation without any pressure.”Lesser had already decided that it would have to be a perfect storm for him to consider selling the business. At only 50 years old, he was coming off the best year he had ever had with a bright outlook for the future. However, he could sense a change coming in the insurance industry and wanted to stay ahead of that shift.Smaller agencies were being absorbed by larger corporations that could provide a wider range of client products and service as well as more cost-efficient employee benefits. Growth opportunities for smaller agencies required significant capital expenditures, adding a layer of risk that outpaced tolerance.
“Overnight,size. I would have access to 50 more carriers and many more products than I ever could obtain on my own,” Lesser said.
fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine 45
That outlook, combined with an honest look at his own retirement options and succession path, had Lesser weighing the pros and cons of selling his agency to a larger corporation. The most obvious benefit was the income from the sale of the business. It would be like taking his retirement early and investing it for later.
But it was the less obvious benefits that caught Lesser’s attention. Becoming part of World Insurance Associates would instantly broaden the range of
Michael Lesser, owner of People’s Insurance Group, is glad he answered that knock, even though he is still years away from retirement.Asowner of his own agency, Lesser had been approached before by brokers looking to facilitate purchase of his business, but he didn’t take any of them seriously. After all, he was too young to think about selling and none of the offers appealed to him. But in May of 2020, World Insurance Associates approached him with an offer that was nothing to joke about.
AN INTRIGUING OPPORTUNITY
products he could offer to his clients because of market
Having more time to concentrate on his clients and the additional services he can provide them made Lesser realize what World Insurance Associates was still missing: a safety and compliance solution.
Fortunately for World Insurance Associates, Lesser had a client who had been specializing in safety consulting for decades. He just had to convince both parties that working together would benefit everyone.
“My employees are making more money and have better benefits and more job security now. If something happens to me, they will still have a place to work,” Lesser said. “On a personal note, I don’t have to worry about the day-to-day headache of accounting, accounts payable, payroll and IT. It frees up more time for me to take care of my clients. And I no longer go to the office on Saturdays to catch up on paperwork.”
That commitment to leaving the local integrity of the business intact swung the pendulum for Lesser and he signed the contracts in August of 2020.
Lesser had been writing insurance for Safety Consulting, Inc. for several years and had built a strong relationship with its owner Craig Stromgren. The company, which has offices in Wichita and Topeka, works with clients to provide one-on-one client specific training and consulting that encompasses every aspect of corporate safety and risk management while maintaining compliance with governing regulations.
MAKING A CONNECTION
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Lesser set up the connection and made the introductions, and then stepped back while Stromgren and World Insurance Associates began discussions.
“I had been approached by companies before wanting to acquire Safety Consulting,” Stromgren said. “But it was a little early for me to consider retirement. This deal was different. They weren’t looking for me to
FILLING A VOID
Craig Stromgren is happy with the acquisition of his business by World Insurance Associates as it increases the opportunity to grow and solidifies a financial future.
That is why when Lesser approached Stromgren about exploring the opportunity to join the World Insurance Associates group of companies, Stromgren didn’t dismiss the idea outright.
46 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine
“Mike and I had spent the past 10 years working together and had already built a strong relationship based on integrity,” Stromgren said. “So, when he asked me if he could set up a meeting with World, I agreed to listen.”
A tweak to change the agency name to People’s Insurance Group, A World Company, and some internal software and technology changes, are really the only thing that has “Ourchanged.clientsare still going to receive the same quality of service from the same people they have trusted for the past 30 years,” Lesser said. “Now, they just have more options to choose from.”
Safety Consulting was established in 1971 to help businesses navigate compliance issues resulting from the enactment of OSHA. Stromgren purchased the business in 1994 and has spent almost 30 years building a company based on relationships and trust. He oversees the Topeka office while Dan Pabst manages the one in Wichita. Pabst has been providing safety consulting services to clients in Wichita and throughout western Kansas for more than 22 years.
“This is a people business,” Stromgren said. “Our customers, some of whom we have worked with for more than 20 years, rely on us to keep them safe and provide oversight of their compliance. Over 95 percent of our new business is from referrals, so customer relationships and mutual trust is everything.”
SEALING THE DEAL
The real changes are the ones that most people don’t see.
One would think that having sold his business, Stromgren would be sitting back and taking it easy, but that is not the case. Instead, he is working harder than ever because he wants to make sure World Insurance Associates is as pleased with the working relationship as heStromgrenis.
is now seeing many of the same benefits that Lesser discovered after the acquisition. Being included under the World Insurance Associates umbrella brings a significant increase in resources but still allows him to foster those local relationships that Safety Consulting was founded on.
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retire. They wanted to keep everything exactly the same and implement a Safety Unit within World for their other offices throughout the country. I found that intriguing.”Thatintrigue eventually led to an agreement to sell Safety Consulting to World Insurance Associates in December 2021. Now almost a year into the relationship, Stromgren says he is happy with his decision.“This acquisition by World actually increases our opportunity to grow and solidifies our financial future,” Stromgren said. “We didn’t really have a succession plan in place, and with most of our employees in their 50s or older, there wasn’t really anyone in place to acquire the business.”
Jared Dye, DMD, Southwind Oral & Facial Surgery & Implant Center
It also gives World Insurance Associates more products in its arsenal: safety and compliance solutions and safety supplies. This means it can now offer Safety Consulting’s services including site safety inspections, safety training, OSHA assistance, DOT compliance, and risk management to clients across the country.Andwith the additional purchase of Stromgren’s Safety Supplies business, those same clients can purchase everything from gloves and apparel to gas detectors and confined space protective equipment.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
“I created Safety Supplies 15 years ago as a way to improve the service we provide to our clients,” Stromgren said. “We were already providing safety consulting services, so this company helped them find the safety equipment and protective gear solutions as well.”
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“Heartland has visited our office multiple time, sometimes just to help us balance our books. I love the personal relationship that I have with several members of the Heartland team and know that they are willing and there to help”
GuidanceGrowth to drive
“A lot of my clients are my friends. The biggest factor in my decision was our ability to keep those relationships and maintain the integrity that Safety Consulting is known for,” Stromgren said. “Really, nothing has changed in our day-to-day operations. We just added the words ‘A World Company’ to our brand.” WB
Julia Fabris McBride Chief Leadership Development Officer Kansas Leadership Center
Like thoughtful entrepreneurs and executives worldwide, Wichita business owners recognize that turbulent times call for creative approaches to leadership. Record-breaking inflation, social unrest, and a global pandemic that just won’t quit have forced even the most stable companies to reevaluate. Perhaps you find yourself wondering if the-waywe’ve-always-done-it is strong enough shelter from the economic storms of the early 2020s.
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LEADERSHIP SKILLS
JULIA FABRIS McBRIDE & DAMON YOUNG
WHEN WITHSTARTSLEADERSHIPSTORMY:GETSWEATHERECONOMICTHEYOU
Damon Young Chief Business Officer Kansas Leadership Center
Decisions you make now mean everything for the future of your employees, your company and even your community. Choose well and your company thrives. Fail to recognize that the moment calls for hard choices and a new approach to leadership and you risk your business collapsing or withering away, one customer and one unrenewed contract at a time.
But even as they limited risk in some areas they increased it in others, prioritizing innovation and investing strategically in research and development, training, and marketing. While it may seem counterintuitive, cutting costs in some areas while investing in others appears to be the path to success during turbulent times. Companies that combine retrenchment and investment strategies are more likely to thrive during an economic crisis.
GUIDANCE AND ADVICE FROM RECENT HISTORY
The results of our research pinpointed best practices we now use in coaching executives and teams as they seek to exercise good leadership, make wise choices, and increase both reach and revenue during tough economic times. What we learned may help you entertain new ideas and more possibilities for leadership.
First and most intriguing, companies that thrived through the 2008 crisis both retrenched and invested. They acknowledged, understood, and accepted necessary losses. They made strategic cuts and focused scarce resources where they were needed most. But unlike companies that failed or barely survived the crisis, the successful companies didn’t just hunker down. Even during an economic crisis, they invested in new waysPeopleforward.atthose companies knew they needed to let go of some things so they could lean into others. At successful 2008 businesses, those in top jobs and supervisory positions made difficult decisions that may be similar to those you’ve been called upon to make in response to inflation, supply-chain issues, or pandemic-related human resource challenges. The businesses that thrived during the 2008 crisis postponed some projects, went back to basics, and assessed exposure to risk.
RETRENCH AND INVEST
Early in the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kansas Leadership Center (a Wichita-based training and engagement center with a global reach) sought wisdom from history. We knew we’d be able to serve our corporate partners more effectively today if we understood how the most successful businesses navigated the 2008 global financial meltdown.Whydid some companies thrive amidst massive change and forced adaptation?
Companies that prioritize relationships are more resilient during a crisis.
Your business will more effectively navigate change and eliminate barriers to success when employees at all levels embraces these five leadership principles:
In addition to balancing retrenchment and investment, companies that weathered the 2008 economic storm were prepared in three important ways. Even if you are still worried about this crisis, it’s never too soon to start preparing for the next one. Consider which of these lessons might merit attention from your company.
In 2008 the most successful multi-nationals empowered local units to make important decisions, do their own R&D and develop new products to meet the needs of their environments. If you work for a large global company, what can you do now to encourage those higher up to loosen control and set the whole organization up to thrive?
Some things an expert can fix, or the boss can order done. But as a culture, we’ve fallen into bad habits. Either we horde too much power at the top or (if we hold jobs in middle-management or the front lines of a business) we let ourselves off the hook, waiting for others to lead. Tough challenges require everyone to own their piece of the solution.
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Leadership is an activity, not a position. Leadership and authority are two different things. Leadership is mobilizing others to solve their most important challenges. Authority is more like management. Having good people in authority positions is absolutely necessary, but insufficient to weather the storm.
Anyone can lead, anytime, anywhere.
50 fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine LEADERSHIP SKILLS
Leadership is about our toughest challenges.
When subunits or subsidiaries are allowed to play by their own rules the company outperforms those who insisted on uniformity.
PREPARING FOR THE STORM
Boldly articulate your aspirations. Make the necessary hard decisions. Encourage people to keep their eyes on the prize. Remind your people that you are navigating rough weather together.
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There is no quick way out of the current economic storm. No matter what business you are in, big or small, locally owned, or multi-national; no matter who your customers, or what service or product you deliver, one thing is sure: the challenges you face are complex and daunting. They require you to think beyond the old, top-down model of leadership. No one person can meet today’s overlapping crises on their own. We need everyone doing their part.
The strongest companies are those with a culture of honest diagnosis.
The economic storms of the early 2020s are real and could be dangerous. We have not yet made it safely to the other side. But with a combination of wisdom born of research and experience, and an inclusive, experimental approach to leadership there are clear skies ahead. WB
Our research shows that businesses that thoroughly understand themselves and their environment are more able to thrive during difficult times. By examining areas of vulnerability to a crisis and exploring the broad range of perceptions about your business, you set the company up to weather future storms.
When it comes to our toughest challenges, everyone has a part to play. Lots of people need to contribute time and energy. Companies need everyone’s ideas; everyone thinking beyond the status-quo to identify and implement strategies for success during turbulent times.
The most successful companies in 2008 had an existing track record of supporting employee rights and safety, consciously committing to a diverse workforce, and consistently sharing visions, resources, and information across their organization.
Leadership starts with you and must engage others.
WEATHERING THE STORM DEMANDS A NEW APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP
Leadership is risky. As you look for ways to balance retrenchment and investment, be sure to acknowledge the risks involved. Encourage everyone to pause regularly, reflect on the situation or challenge in front of them, ask good questions, and test the waters with low-risk action steps before going all in with a big, bold investment idea.
fall 2022 WICHITA Business Magazine 51 60%23,000inDailyWorkforce Foot Traffic DowntownTopekaInc.com of Topeka’s Office Space is Located AccountingDowntownfor *Development incentives available. Contact DTI at Rhiannon.Friedman@topekapartnership.com DowntownTopekaInc.com/Incentives There DemandMarketisforAdditional Residential Units DowntownResidentialTopekaRetail Retail Opportunities Square Feet of
