Entrepreneur and regular BizTimes columnist Jerry Jendusa joins associate editor Arthur Thomas to talk about sustaining results during and after a crisis. In his latest column, Jendusa advises businesses to avoid being paralyzed by a crisis but also to not let drastic times lead to drastic measures. On this podcast, he discusses how business leaders can go beyond looking at their financial results to see the whole picture of how their company is performing. 

BizTimes MKE: Milwaukee Business Insights

Jerry Jendusa on sustaining results during and after a crisis│Ep. 41

BizTimes podcast partner Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life joins associate editor Arthur Thomas to discuss lessons learned from her diversity series podcasts. Ridley talked with four Milwaukee-area diversity and inclusion leaders to get their thoughts on how companies can see results from their own D&I efforts. On this episode, she reflects on some of the key lessons learned, draws from her own experience helping companies with D&I and offers some guidance for small and medium companies starting their own D&I journey. 

Beth Ridley on lessons learned from diversity series podcasts│Ep. 40

In the fourth of four episodes with Milwaukee-area business diversity leaders, Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life talks to Devona Wright Cottrell, associate general counsel and director at Baird. Wright Cottrell also co-founded Baird's African American employee resource group, chaired it for six years and now serves as an advisor to the group. Their conversation focuses on engaging employees in diversity and inclusion efforts, including how to best structure employee resource groups for success. In partnership with The Brimful Life. 

Diversity Series: Engaging employees with D&I with DeVona Wright Cottrell

In the third of four episodes with diversity leaders from the Milwaukee area, Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life talks with Chris Rowland, global diversity officer at ManpowerGroup. Their conversation touches on embedding D&I practices into business operations. They also discuss responses to those who argue companies should just hire the best person for a role without regard for diversity and inclusion efforts. In partnership with The Brimful Life.

Diversity Series: Embedding D&I into business operations with Chris Rowland│Ep. 38

In the second of four episodes with Milwaukee-area diversity and inclusion leaders, Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life talks with Grady Crosby, chief diversity officer at Johnson Controls. Their conversation touches on how to align D&I efforts a businesses strategy, measuring the results of those efforts and celebrating successes along the way. In partnership with The Brimful Life.

Diversity Series: Aligning D&I to business strategy, measuring results and celebrating success with Grady Crosby│Ep. 37

In the first of four episodes with Milwaukee-area diversity and inclusion, Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life talks to Erikajoy Daniels, chief diversity and inclusion officer of Advocate Aurora Health. Their conversation focuses on the need for leadership commitment to D&I efforts. It also touches on some specific tactics those looking to improve organizational diversity can use to build momentum. In partnership with The Brimful Life.

Diversity Series: Driving leadership commitment to D&I with Erickjoy Daniels│Ep. 36

George Bureau, vice president of consulting at WMEP Manufacturing Solutions, joins BizTimes associate editor Arthur Thomas to talk about the state of manufacturing in Wisconsin. WMEP has conducted two rounds of surveys since COVID-19 hit the state to understand how manufacturers are responding. The surveys have found sharp declines in business activity for manufacturers, but also some signs of improvement among larger firms and a desire to hold onto workers if possible. 

George Bureau of WMEP on the state of manufacturing│Ep. 35

At the start of every year, BizTimes Media hosts an annual economic trends breakfast. At this year's event, the coronavirus was barely on the radar of panelists and attendees. A few short months later, the virus has changed nearly everything about the economy. BizTimes invited this year's panelists -- American Family Insurance CEO Jack Salzwedel, Husco CEO Austin Ramirez, Graef CEO John Kissinger and UW Foundation president Michael Knetter -- back to take another look at where the economy stands. This week's podcast features the Q&A portion of the event. To hear the full webinar, visit biztimes.com/trends2.0

BizTimes Economic Trends 2.0 Webinar Q&A│Ep. 34

Bill Berrien, chief executive office of New Berlin-based Pindel Global Precision, joins the Rotary Club of Milwaukee to discuss his company’s quick actions to begin making ventilator parts for OEMs around the country as the coronavirus pandemic hit. Berrien volunteered on a LinkedIn post to have his company make parts at cost during the outbreak. That led to emergency purchase orders with tight turnarounds on parts the company had never made before. Berrien scrambled to find suppliers and vendors who could help on those tight timelines and a week later parts were delivered. During the Rotary webinar, Berrien discussed how his time in the Navy SEALs has informed is leadership approach. He also touched on his expectations for the future of manufacturing in the United States.“There actually is a tremendous amount of untapped capacity across the equipment with companies like Pindel all across the country and the question is probably going to turn on, how do we better tap that, how do we take advantage of that capacity?” Berrien said. He also said the company’s investments in training for its employees have paid off during the pandemic in having the human talent to be able to take on new challenges. “I think without a doubt, for defense purposes, for commercial purposes, we are coming to the realization that we need to have a strong manufacturing base, that the legacy decisions of the past 30 years, let’s have someone else be the manufacturing floor for the country, that’s coming home to roost here when you are encumbered by these global supply chains that are disrupted,” Berrien said.  In partnership with the Rotary Club of Milwaukee.

Bill Berrien: Making ventilator parts and the untapped potential of U.S. manufacturing│Ep. 33

Ian Abston, co-founder of Light the Hoan, talks with Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life about his work to raise funds to illuminate Milwaukee's iconic bridge. He discusses the challenges of raising money in the city, how he and Light the Hoan co-founder Michael Hostad kept the faith in their vision, and advice for the next person with a big idea in the city.A partnership with The Brimful Life.

Ian Abston: ‘Getting new things done in Milwaukee is really hard’│Ep. 32

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the nonprofit sector as it has all our lives.  The organizations we depend on to serve the most vulnerable, educate our youth, enrich our lives and build stronger communities are in jeopardy.  Steve Zimmerman, principal at Spectrum Nonprofit Services, shares steps leaders can take to increase the likelihood of success amid these challenging times. This Rotary Club of Milwaukee session will explain these principles, balancing the sense of urgency with feelings of empowerment, leaving nonprofit employees, board members, and volunteers with action steps to share with their favorite organizations to help them survive and, ultimately, thrive.In partnership with the Rotary Club of Milwaukee.

Steve Zimmerman: From sustainability to survivability: Managing uncertainty amid crisis│Ep. 31

Héctor Colón is president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services, one of the Midwest’s major health and human services organizations that provides aid to nearly 40,000 individuals a year. Héctor reflects on how his childhood experiences shaped his leadership style. The influence of his mother helped Hector learn the true value of servant leadership and how to balance putting others first while also driving a culture of accountability.Héctor ’s journey to become a professional boxer helped him learn the value of determination, discipline and preparation. “Entering into the ring, there is great fear," Héctor  describes what it is like to be a boxer. “But, if you have no fear, you have no courage. What gives you courage is preparation.”Héctor also shares how having a bold vision and asking five key questions enabled him to successfully transform Lutheran Social Services from being in the red to realizing a $2.4 million dollar surplus. A partnership with The Brimful Life.

Héctor Colón: Leadership from listening and lessons from boxing│Ep. 30

Beth Ridley talks with Dr. Tiffany Mullen, co-founder of Vytal Health, a company that provides functional and integrative medical consultations and services online.One could argue that the healthcare industry is a great example of what goes wrong when leaders don’t put people first. Healthcare costs continue to rise, but our overall health and quality of experience with healthcare providers isn’t improving.Driven from her own experience as a patient living with a chronic medical condition, Dr. Mullen is working to bring humanity back to healthcare to improve our overall health and wellbeing and our experience with healthcare among patients and physicians as well.In partnership with The Brimful Life.

Dr. Tiffany Mullen: Bringing humanity back to health care│Ep. 29

Serving others, connecting work with purpose and meaning, staying grounded and striving for better are some of the values Christine brings to life at Cousins. Christine makes leading with such optimism look easy, but she shares that she’s really intentional about developing these positive leadership competencies. One of Christine’s tips for being a successful leader is to walk away from the laptop, put the work down and just think. That and occasionally blasting some '80s hair band music in the car, keeps Christine motivated to be her best.A partnership with The Brimful Life.

Christine Specht: Put work down and just think│Ep. 28

The 2020 BizTimes M&A Forum featured a panel discussion with Andrea Bukacek, CEO of Bukacek Construction, Sharad Chadha, CEO of Sprecher Brewing, Paul Grunau, chief learning officer at APi Group, and Ryan Martin, CEO of Midwest Composite Technologies. Panelists shared lessons learned from their own M&A journeys, including the importance of trust in a deal and financing coming together, the role culture plays in success after a transaction, and some of the tough decisions buyers and sellers have to make as a deal comes together. The panel was moderated by Ann Hanna, managing director and owner of Taureau Group, an event sponsor. Other sponsors included Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. and Old National Bank.

2020 BizTimes M&A Forum: Lessons in culture, trust and buying and selling businesses│Ep. 27

The BizTimes MKE podcast, powered by BizTimes Media, is designed to keep you informed and provide ideas and strategies to help improve your business. Each episode features thought-provoking insights and best practices from business and community leaders.

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BizTimes MKE: Milwaukee Business Insights

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