Sun, 23 September 2018
Michael Diamond is an expert when it comes to building, motivating, and growing business teams. He honed his skills in war zones – first fighting Iraq in Operation Desert Storm – and more recently, battling the fierce competition in the highly competitive mobile products marketplace.
Michael is currently general manager of payments for Mitek Systems. If you’ve ever deposited a check by taking a picture of it with your mobile phone, then you’ve probably used the technology that Michael and his team oversee. Michael is passionate about leadership, and innovation, and this week he reveals to host and reputation coach Dean Rotbart the most valuable – and actionable – lessons he’s learned along his life’s journey. Photo: Michael Diamond, Mitek Systems |
Sun, 16 September 2018
What was once science fiction, is rapidly becoming reality – especially when it comes to the prospects of small businesses operating in space, or at the very least, feeding commercial space operations.
Earlier this month, a group of scientists, entrepreneurs, and space futurists gathered in St. Louis for Gateway to Space 2018: Destination Moon – a one-day conference about working and living on the moon. Christine Nobbe, an educator and president of St. Louis Space Frontier, was the opening speaker. She is host and reputation coach Dean Rotbart’s guest this week, as the two explore out-of-this-world business concepts and realities. Photo: Christine Nobbe, St. Louis Space Frontier |
Sun, 9 September 2018
In a very, very crowded market for pizza restaurants, Drew French discovered the recipe to stand out from the crowd – offering made-to-order pies, baked in brick ovens, using a wide variety of fresh ingredients, hand-tossed doughs, and served in just four minutes. Drew’s Athens, GA-based Your Pie, launched a decade ago, now has 58 locations in 19 states, with nearly 60 additional locations in development.
Drew is widely credited with pioneering the now-popular and highly competitive “fast casual” pizza concept. The distinction is all the more impressive, says host and reputation coach Dean Rotbart, given that Drew only recently turned 35 years old. “A well-known adage says, if you want something done, ask a busy person to do it,” Dean observes. “Perhaps, in a similar vein, Drew French and Your Pie embody the entrepreneurial concept: If you want to succeed, look to innovate in a market that is already crowded. At least, when you launch, you’ll know there are plenty of ready prospects to win over.” Photo: Drew French, Your Pie |
Sun, 2 September 2018
Millions of small business owners stand to realize big savings on their 2018 taxes, thanks to revisions of the federal tax code that were signed into law in late 2017. Only in the past few weeks, however, has the IRS fully explained who stands to profit from the so-called Section 199A deduction for qualified business income – and who will be left out.
Rachel Sawyer, a partner in Denver-based TaxOps, a respected business tax specialty and advisory firm, joins host and reputation coach Dean Rotbart this week to delve into the nuances of the new tax code and what entrepreneurs can do to take maximum advantage of the savings it offers. If you qualify, Section 199A could mean tens of thousands of dollars of extra cash in your pocket come next year. Photo: Rachel Sawyer, TaxOps |