Business Next

Michael Rogers, vice president communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan, interviews Don Macke, co-foudner and director of Entrepreneurial Communities for the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship. Don helps communities and regions throughout North America grow entrepreneur-focused economic development strategies. He works with a group of strategic partners across the country to deliver customized economic development solutions. Don is also active in the Community Development Philanthropy solution area, and conducted the first statewide Transfer of Wealth™ study in Nebraska in 2002. Don has nearly 40 years of community economic development and policy experience.

Michael Rogers, vice president communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan, talks with nationally-known small business advocate Chris Holman about the origins of some common sports/business phrases, and the six things you should know that your investors are thinking while you are making your investment pitch.

Michael Rogers, vice president communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan, talks with Joe Marr, owner of Sandler Training in Ann Arbor, on getting out of your  comfort zone.Marr has over 20 years of experience organizing, training, coaching and managing sales professionals  worldwide. In executive sales and training positions in the corporate world, Joe was responsible for the technical and sales fundamentals training of over 1000 sales people worldwide in support of a $110,000,000 business. A native of Ann Arbor who attended EMU Business School, Joe's mission is to help business people to get as comfortable and effective in selling and sales management, as they are in the rest of their business.

Michael Rogers, vice president communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan, talks with Charlie Gilkey, author ofThe Small Business Life Cycle: The No-Fluff Guide to Navigating the Five Stages of Small Business Growth.

 Michael Rogers, vice president communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan, talks with nationally-known small business advocate Chris Holman about eight ways you can pivot for growth, four consequences of small business success, how change can be good for growth, and seven keys to happy customers.

Michael Rogers, vice president communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan, talks with Linda Daichendt, executive director of the Mobile Technology Association of Michigan, about how data thieves hook victims — and how to beat them, news about a version of Bluetooth that promises more speed and greater range, and five things that give self-driving cars headaches.

Michael Rogers, vice president communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan, interviews keynote speaker, international customer experience consultant and best selling author of three books, John DiJulius. John works with world class companies like the Ritz-Carlton, Lexus, Starbucks, Nordstrom, Nestle, Marriott Hotel, PwC, Cheesecake Factory, Progressive Insurance, Harley Davidson, State Farm, Chick-fil-A and many more.  He is headlining at America's #1 Customer Service Conference: the Secret Service Summit, this September 29 & 30. John is a very successful entrepreneur of two businesses: John Robert's Spa, a chain of upscale Cleveland locations, repeatedly named one of the top 20 salons in America and The DiJulius Group, a customer experience consulting firm that uses the X-Commandment methodology to providing a World-Class Customer experience.

Michael Rogers, vice president communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan, interviews Cam Foote, author of The Business Side of Creativity. The book addresses the biggest challenge facing twenty-first century creative firms--marketing and innovation. It is for anyone who has had difficulty prospecting for clients, needs to know more about hiring and motivating new business development (sales) personnel, and has been less than successful in converting presentations into projects, and concepts into client-approved work.

Michael Rogers, vice president communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan, talks with Dan Cherrin, founder of North Coast Strategies, about the best ways to maximize the value of your trade show exhibition. Daniel served as the spokesperson for the City of Detroit, Mackinac Island, Mich., Detroit Bulk Storage and The Ann Arbor Art Fair.  He also represented a number of local and national companies as their lobbyist or public relations counsel.

Michael Rogers, vice president communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan, talks with Lisa Gustafson, executive director of Business Customer Care at Consumer Energy, about the ways that Consumers Energy work to help insure small business success and profitability through new business communications options and programs like their Business Center Team, Business Account Managers, energy efficiency and Pure Michigan Business Connect.