The Business Alliance Grapevine - It's All in the BAG!
The Capital City Club and Cardinal Club Business Alliance has been created as a way to bring members and businesses together through educational and social events that foster learning, fellowship with peers, and networking opportunities.
October Issue 2007
View the BA Fall 2007 Directory
Send your company announcements to Jean Wiley to go in the next Grapevine!
Letter from the Editor
First and foremost, I would like to extend hearty congratulations to our publisher Daniel Trimpey and his wife Dayna, who became new parents in mid-September with the birth of a baby boy. Congratulations!
The Business Alliance only has two events remaining this year so please be sure, to read about and attend the events below. You can always visit the Capital City Club and Cardinal Club calendar for dates and times or call the respective clubs for information.
Secondly, I would like to encourage BA Members to forward this newsletter to other club members and associates. The Business Alliance is an alliance (between the Capital City Club and Cardinal Club) conceived of, and provided to, club members to build relationships, receive discounts with member businesses, and to enhance business visibility. Use it! Attend the Joiners Table every third Thursday as well as our monthly luncheons.
Thirdly, remember to also get involved in the Leads Groups, which is yet another way to meet new people and form strategic alliances. People like to do business with people they know. There is no cost to join and the dates and times are listed on the Capital City Club calendar.
Warm Regards,
Jean Wiley, Editor in Chief
Inspirvations
(the hybrid of Inspiration and Motivation)MOTIVATION
Last month at the Business Alliance Luncheon the statement was made that people are either security driven or freedom driven. That led me to start pondering about what motivates people. I, to the dismay of some, have never been security driven. When I think and relate to money it is typically within the context of what I can do and where I can go. Money itself has never been in and of itself a strong motivator. For me it is a tool of freedom. It allows me to consider among multiple options and more importantly, possible destinations.
In the most general of terms, motivation is the psychological feature that arouses an individual to action towards a desired goal.
Motivation comes in many forms and what motivates one individual is not necessarily the same for their counterpart. Good financial planners understand and know this. Strong leaders intrinsically incorporate this knowledge when motivating individuals and teams. They ask the question; is this person security driven and/or do they seek recognition and awards? Does gaining more free time or more money motivate this individual?
To better understand the complexities of motivation researchers over the years have developed a number of theories to try to explain why people behave in the ways that they do and to try to predict what people actually will do, based on these theories.
These theories, called motivational theories are often split into two categories – content and process.
Content theories are centered on finding what makes people tick or what appeals to them. These theories suggest that people have certain needs and/or desires which have been internalized as they mature into adulthood. These theories look at what it is about certain people that make them want the things that they do and what things in their environment will make them do or not do certain things. Two popular content theories are Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory and Hertzberg’s Two Factor Theory. (more to come in December’s Newsletter)
Process theories focus on how and by what goals people are motivated. Process theories of motivation look at what people are thinking about when they decide whether or not to put effort into a particular activity. One of which is Adam’s Equity Theory.
Adam’s Equity Theory asserts that we each seek a fair balance between what we put into our job and what we get out of it. John Stacey Adams calls these inputs and outputs. We form perceptions of what constitutes a fair balance or trade of inputs and outputs by comparing our own situation with other examples in the market place. If we feel that inputs are fairly rewarded by outputs then we are happy in our work and motivated to continue inputting at the same level. If we feel that our inputs outweigh the outputs then we become demotivated in relation to our job and employer. Inputs typically include: effort, loyalty, hard work, tolerance, enthusiasm, trust in our boss and superiors, personal sacrifice, etc. Outputs can include: pay, salary, expenses, perks, benefits, bonus and commission as well as, recognition, reputation, praise, travel, training, developments and a sense of achievement.
What motivates you? Do you feel there is a fair balance between your inputs and outputs?
Happenings
Thursday, October 25th
Time: 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Location: Capital City Club
Cost: $15.00++
Reservations Please:
Vickie Nelligan - 832.5526
The Power of Being Unconditionally Constructive: How to Successfully Negotiate Anything with Anyone, Efficiently, Confidently, and Honorably
The Business Alliance will present Rich Conners, Managing Principal of Primarity Resources, LLC in a lively and interactive mini-workshop to help you create your own personal action plan for preparing and executing a winning negotiating strategy. Rich will help you assess and develop interpersonal skills critical to being a successful negotiator using proven principles that include: understanding the critical beliefs that drive motivation, both yours and theirs; and the power of being “Unconditionally Constructive”.
Business Alliance
Tuesday, November 13
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Cardinal Club
Members $15++
Reservations Please:
834-8829
Dan Davies presents The Mystical, Magical Power of Words
For the past twenty years, Dan Davies, founder of Business Leader magazine and Publisher of all Triangle area publications for Business Leader Media, has been producing words. While publishing magazines and writing columns he has simultaneously been studying the development of language and the importance words play in the ability leaders to lead and organizations to evolve. Along the way, he has discovered that words have enormous power. Join us on November 13th, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm at the Cardinal Club as Dan shares with us how you can use your speech, your words, your language to transform yourself and your company.
Events Recap
You Worked For It – Here’s How to Keep It! Creating and Retaining Personal Wealth through Your Business
Summary of August Luncheon
At our August BA program luncheon Graham Crispin of Murphy Business and Financial, Steve Peters of VisionQuest Wealth Management and Ralph DiLeone of DiLeone and Associates, LLP used a business transfer scenario to engage attendees in Q&A on retaining wealth from our businesses. They concentrated primarily on exiting the business with a business transfer. Of particular interest to the attendees was the importance of a proper buy/sell agreement to keep the options varied for the exit strategy.
September Business Alliance Event
Bringing the Future of Raleigh Together
The Business Alliance Fall Social at the Cardinal Club on September 26th offered a casual interchange between The Business Alliance and the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association. Steve Peters, CEO and President of VisionQuest Wealth Management, was the event emcee. Brenda Peterson, Executive Director of the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association, gave an impressive overview of GRMA activities which include the Raleigh Holiday Parade, serving as a liaison between local and state government and Raleigh businesses, founding Raleigh CrimeStoppers, and holding an annual Retail Forum which examines the impact of retail on the overall local economy. For more information about GRMA, go the www.grma.org.
Devon Kaplan – dbkaplan@mailaaa.com
Assistant Editor, General Business
The Purple Cow and Your Business
Phil Okrend, Stepping Stones Coaching, Guest Columnist – phil@steppingstonescoaching.comRecently I found myself sitting next to a real estate agent at a business luncheon. She was a fairly new agent who was trying to make contacts as were the other people at the event. Being a business coach, I tend to be curious, and I asked her about herself.
A little into our conversation, she revealed that she was also a licensed massage therapist, and loved doing that work too. I then asked her if she mentioned this fact to her real estate clients, or had any mention of this in her real estate marketing materials. She replied that she didn't, and wasn't sure of the connection.
So my next question to her was the following: If you were driving down a road and saw a purple cow in a field would you stop to take a look? She said that of course she would. The obvious reason was that the purple cow was different than the other cows grazing in the field, and was in fact rare.
And what does this have to do with anything? In the Triangle area of North Carolina where there are so many real estate agents, this woman possessed something different, and on a closer look there was a crossover. A massage therapist is trained in soothing the body and reducing stress. This information may be comforting and appealing to prospective clients who are involved in one of life's most stressful events, buying or selling a home. The real estate agent could use this other part of her life to connect with potential clients. It makes her stand out from the crowd.
So in an environment where there is so much noise and distraction, and so many people offering similar products and services, how do you draw attention to what you're doing? The answer; find your "Purple Cow."
When you find your purple cow, use it to your advantage. Use it in your web site, in your advertising, in your public relations, in your networking, in other words in your marketing. You can use it to really hone in a niche of customers that will get who you are and find connection and rapport with you. The real estate agent can start to build a referral list from her past massage clients. She may want to offer a free massage in exchange for real estate referrals that turn into sales. She may want to write articles or advertise in holistic health magazines. Her background in massage not only makes her more likely to find a niche, but it makes her memorable in a field of brown cows.
There is another reason why “The Purple Cow” is so compelling in today’s business environment. The Purple Cow symbolizes authenticity. Authenticity is something your clients, customers and prospects really want. Authenticity means not holding back from being who you are because you are afraid that someone won’t approve or like it. It is being who you are that will allow others to feel a sense of comfort and trust around you, and you will be seen as the real deal.
So what is your purple cow? I assure you that you possess something, a talent, a passion that is unique to you. If you look more deeply, you can use it to bring attention to your business, to an event, to a cause. Don't be afraid to bring it out. It may be the very thing that can make a difference in how far you can go, and how impactful you can be in your business, and in your life.
The concept of the Purple Cow comes from a book written by Seth Godin. In it, the author offers the case that in order for a product or service to be successful in today's competitive landscape, it must not only be remarkable, but it must stand out in a remarkable way.
"If you have anything really valuable to contribute to the world, it will come through the expression of your own personality, that single spark of divinity that sets you off and makes you different from every other living creature."
-Bruce Barton
Phil Okrend, CPCC, JD is a Certified Life and Business Coach and the owner of Stepping Stones Coaching. He works with professionals and business owners to increase clarity, performance and peace of mind. Phil started his career as a family and business attorney and went on to build a successful greeting card company whose products have been sold and distributed in major retail stores nationwide. That company has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America, Business Week Online and USA Today. As an experienced coach and business entrepreneur, Phil is passionate about helping others achieve their own vision of success. Also an engaging speaker and presenter, Phil works with companies and organizations to help their employees and sales teams induce change for outstanding results.
www.steppingstonescoaching.com
919-621-1578
Thomas Griggs, Assistant Editor, Leadership
tgriggs@nscgroup.com
Designing Diversity: What Works?
Abstract: This article presents a series of critical success factors for launching and maintaining an organization-wide multicultural initiative. It is intended for managers and executives who want to initiate or support an existing diversity program in their organization. This material applies to programs both in the corporate and the not for profit sectors. It will also be of interest to anyone interested in understanding the critical success factors that underlie an effective diversity program.
Over the past 15 years our firm has partnered with a consulting group in Boston for the provision of multicultural consultation and training to organizations across the US and abroad. We have worked with hundreds of organizations and thousands of employees, and we always take the time to ask our participants about their previous experience with diversity training. What do you think they tell us? Would you suppose that many folks have had less than optimal experiences with diversity training? Would you expect people to be largely guarded about the value and effective relevance of inclusive diversity training? If you supposed, "Yes," you would be correct. It is easy to do a poor job of diversity training. It is extremely complicated and emotionally demanding work. Most of our participants, when polled, report high levels of skepticism that their time with us will be well spent. So, what can work?
Participants give us clues. During this same period we also ask people to list their greatest hopes and fears at the outset of our trainings. The two most common concerns by far are:
- That the dialogue is open, honest and real, that people don't play it safe by holding back
- That we follow through after today and not stop with one or two days training
The first concern is the subject of a subsequent article. The second can be addressed by ensuring that diversity training occurs within the context of an on-going, thoughtful initiative. What follows are recommendations to organizational leaders for ensuring such an initiative.
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Commit to A Multi-Year Initiative. Diversity work is extremely complex. The historically significant forms of social injustice called the "-isms" are maintained by deeply emotional and largely unconscious forces, as well as long-standing institutional and cultural practices. Our society has struggled with effective approaches to equity issues during the entire course of US history. Therefore, anticipate a lifelong journey and a multi-year initiative.
Choose One Conceptual Approach. The most successful initiatives are based on one comprehensive model that is powerful enough to incorporate any issues and actions that may arise and systemically provides a common language for planning, training and evaluation purposes. A unified conceptual approach is teachable and learnable over time and allows support and skill-building to grow exponentially.
Include All the "–Isms." Initiatives that attempt to focus on only one or two variables, such as racism and sexism, will ultimately not have credibility with employees, who are also concerned about the other historically significant forms of injustice as well. Including dialogue on modern classism, ageism, xenophobia, for example will include more engaged participants.
Plan at Four Levels. The -isms were created and have been maintained historically through the interaction of four levels of activity: Personal, Interpersonal, Institutional, and Cultural. A successful initiative can only be accomplished with conscious planning and meaningful results at each of these levels. Therefore, as early as possible, initiative designers should become familiar with these distinctions. (See the earlier BAG article on Levels)
Create an Internal Diversity Committee. This should be a cross-functional working group that studies issues, recommends and often leads action on a broad front throughout the organization. A well-conceived and published process of how its members were selected can provide the committee with necessary good will and authority.
Allocate Adequate Resources Up Front. It takes several years to learn and integrate the known set of effective multicultural leadership skills, and it is essential that the Diversity Committee demonstrate capacity for both teaching and learning such skills, because the Committee will be the on-going, internal source of guidance to the organization during the life of the initiative. Contributors are encouraged by the knowledge that their time and effort will be protected and sustained, and that absence from their given post will be back-filled if necessary. Defining resources of time, staffing and funds will free the Diversity Committee up to engage in the critical work of the initiative that only they can accomplish.
Provide Adequate Training Early. Leaders must be aligned in the same language and conceptual model in order to have a unified impact on the organization. An experienced orchestra assumes the value of rehearsal. Merely to appear on the same stage, at the same time, under the same marquee, does not guarantee a memorable performance.
Sustain the Diversity Committee. Protect this key group from likely burn-out by providing expert outside facilitation. Diverse groups always differ and struggle on the design and execution of a multicultural initiative because the issues and passions are so diverse. An objective outsider can mediate conflicts and create essential value by ensuring members' personal learning objectives are met and their individual issues of concern are honored while the group moves forward as a whole on common organizational goals.
Senior Leadership Models the Learning Process. This is the single greatest predictor of the success of a multicultural initiative. While it is especially symbolic and empowering for Senior Leadership to show up as invested in learning and leading by example, this success factor also includes all other constituent groups who have leadership influence in the community, certainly all those with teaching positions or supervisory authority over others. Modeling recognizable competent behavior is made possible by training in a consistent unified model that offers a distinct description of effective behaviors to practice.
In our experience, organizations that embrace these critical factors greatly increase the chances that their initiative will be engaging and well supported. Success in your endeavors.
THOMAS GRIGGS, Ph. D., is President and CEO of New Science Consulting Group, Inc., in Raleigh. His particular interest is in designing effective programs that bring research scientist/engineers into new business ventures, and he especially enjoys designing and implementing solutions to apparently impossible challenges. He is a graduate of Duke University and holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in Palo Alto, where he received an Ark Foundation grant for peace research and the “Outstanding Dissertation Award” for his doctoral thesis. He has been on the adjunct faculty at Duke University and currently teaches at the University of Richmond. Dr. Griggs may be reached at 919.844.1990 or tgriggs@nscgroup.com.
BA Member Announcements
Introduction to Multicultural Leadership: A Weekend Intensive Training Workshop with Dr. Thomas Griggs, Friday through Sunday, October 12-14, 7:00 p.m. Friday until 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Raleigh. This 2.5-day workshop is an advanced training providing applied consultation for executives, managers, team leaders, consultants, educators, clergy, board members and others who are called upon to lead a group through the exploration of differences. TUITION IS SELF-DETERMINED. PARTICIPANTS ARE ASKED TO DETERMINE THE VALUE THEY RECEIVED AND CONTRIBUTE ACCORDINGLY. Call today to receive a registration form by email: Contact Dr. Griggs at 919.844.1990 or tgriggs@nscgroup.com
Bonnie Holder formally of the Curtis Media Group, has joined her husband Steve at his two Cartridge World locations: North Raleigh at Sutton Square at the corner of Spring Forest and Falls of Neuse , and the Villages of Townridge on Pleasant Valley off Glenwood. Bonnie will concentrate her efforts on acquiring new corporate business and recycling programs. Contact Bonnie at bonnie.holder@cartridgeworldusa.com or call 919.271.8653.
Graham Crispin, president of Murphy Business and Financial-NC Corporation, has been elected to a three-year term as a member of the Carolinas-Virginia Business Brokers Association’s board of directors. Crispin is the regional director for Murphy Business Financial, offering services and expertise in all areas of the business transfer process to bring optimum value to those buying or selling a business. Murphy Business & Financial provides support to both business buyers and sellers, facilitating and effective business transfer. As the owner of the North Carolina regional franchise, Crispin mentors business brokers who are new to the business and supports experienced brokers seeking more effective operations and reliable income. For more information, contact Graham Crispin at 919.481.2191 or g.crispin@murphybusiness.com.
Eileen Wood has announced the opening of her new store Mystic Gardens Natural Foods. The store offers products for wheat free/gluten free needs, supplements for detoxification, cancer support and they are addressing and fulfilling the needs of children’s health issues. Through their classes and workshops customers can learn meditation, stress management, how to use aromatherapy for optimal health, lifestyle management and much more. The store is located at 1141 Falls River Avenue, Suite 110, Raleigh, NC 27614. Contact Eileen at 919.848.3707 / eileen@mysticgardensnaturalfood.com. www.mysticgardensnaturalfoods.com
Bob Ritchie has recently purchased the Raleigh office of ANDY OnCall, a handyman repair service company. The local ANDY OnCall office has been operating in the Raleigh area for almost 6 years. Bob will be spending much of his time working in the ANDY OnCall business, but will continue to serve existing and new clients exploring self employment options through his existing The Entrepreneur's Source business. Bob would like to acknowledge the assistance and support of fellow Business Alliance members Steve Peters of VisonQuest and Ralph Dileone of Dileone & Associates with this business acquisition. Contact Bob at andyoncall@nc.rr.com or call 919.875.4474.
Sarah M. Place of Place Trade announced that they were a proud sponsor of the Texas Outlawz, a champion softball team made up of women in law enforcement and based in San Antonio, Texas (members include everyone from firefighters to hostage negotiators and they travel from as far as Austin to compete on the team). The Texas Outlawz returned to Las Vegas last month to defend their gold medal, against other teams from all over the county, in the 31st Annual Nevada Police and Fire Games. Place Trade was successful in bringing home another gold medal! Contact Sarah at service@placetrade.com or visit their website at www.placetrade.com.
Dana Stallard, Major Accounts Sales District Manager with Automatic Data Processing, Inc., has been named as Business Leader’s 2007 Triangle Mover and Shaker. The Mover and Shaker award recognizes substantial achievements in the workplace coupled with leadership and impact through community and non-profit involvement. Contact Dana at Dana_Stallard@adp.com or 919.789.2009.
Ralph J. DiLeone, managing partner at DiLeone & Associates, P.C., has been listed in The Heritage Registry of Who's Who in honor of his achievements within the legal profession. The Heritage Registry of Who's Who recognizes thousands of executive men and women in the United States and Canada for their achievements in their profession.
Lesle McClure of McClure and Associates has announced that her company is a Parade of Homes entry in this year’s Parade, which will be held Sept. 29-30, Oct. 5-7. and Oct 12-14. The home, Onslow Cottage II, located in Terrell Plantation, features a flexible family plan with interior stone fireplaces, a sleeping porch off of the master suite, and an innovative gourmet kitchen. The details are available in this year’s Parade book, which will be distributed during the Parade. McClure and Associates also has a featured ad in this month’s issue of Midtown magazine showcasing their renovation/remodel division, “Transforming the home you have, into the home you really want”. McClure and Associates specializes in whole house renovations and remodels, as well as large additions, and already has projects in the Midtown area scheduled for this Fall. Contact Leslie at lesle@mcclurebuilders.com or call 919.878.8006.
Mr. Dieckhaus joins Clearfield Financial/VisionQuest Wealth Management as a Creative Financing Specialist. Stephen Peters, President and CEO explains that he brings more than 20 years of sales experience and 9 years of financial services experience in the area of lending. His experience in sales management and as a top producer will truly be valuable to Clearfield Financial/VisionQuest Wealth Management as we look to grow and develop the Creative Financing Division. Furthermore, his contributions to civic organizations are right in-line with VisionQuest Wealth Management’s focus. Contact Steven Dieckhaus at StevenD@vqwealth.com.
Tracy Needham, President of Compelling Communications LLC, has been named chair of the communications committee for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Greater Raleigh Board of Directors. She was also recently recognized by the National Endowment for Financial Education for her work writing the new guide for their High School Financial Planning Program. Contact Tracy at tracy@tracyneedham.com.
Tana Malerba of Coats Auto Body & Paint announced that for every vehicle that they repair in October they are donating a portion to Urban Ministries of Wake County. Tana has also asked their neighbors, vendors and customers to participate by donating food, health & beauty products as well as money. Urban Ministries is a wonderful organization that has been dedicated to the community and its needs for 25 years. Their new location at 1390 Capital Blvd. is very impressive. Urban Ministries Mission Statement: Urban Ministries of Wake County is a non-profit, interfaith organization that provides essential basic services to close to 20,000 diverse families and individuals in Wake County every year. These services include emergency and transitional housing, medical care, prescription medications, financial assistance, food assistance and other support services to promote self-sufficiency and a stable home environment for those in need. We began as an organization with interfaith beliefs, and will continue to serve everyone in need. Please contact Tana at 919.833.6877 or email her at Coatsbodyshop1@aol.com.
Pamela Wimbush, First Charter has been elected to a 3-year term on the Board of Arc of Wake County. “It is an honor to be on the board. Our goal of Wake is to bring more community awareness to Arc of Wake”. Arc of Wake will be holding their Annual Fundraiser at November 3, 2007 at the Shrine Club on Lead mine Road. For more information on Arc of Wake County and the Annual Auction Gala, please go to www.arcofwake.org or call 919-832-2660.
Dr. Thomas Griggs, President and CEO of New Science Consulting Group Inc., has made 6 trips in the last 3 months to Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas consulting to the Mississippi South Delta Initiative, funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. The purpose of the initiative is to “Lift Up the Delta” educationally and economically through collaborative work groups across race and class lines. Most recently Dr. Griggs designed and facilitated five straight days of large group conferences for The Island School, South Eleuthra, Bahamas, and Progress Energy Legal Department, in St. Petersburg, Florida. Participants in both venues overwhelmingly reported that their conferences were the best they’d ever had, and they were exceptionally pleased with the services they received from the New Science Consulting Group, Inc. For more information visit www.nscgroup.com or call Dr. Griggs at 919.844.1990.
Graham Crispin, Liutenant Govenor of Kiwanis Division 28, announced the 3rd ANNUAL HORSE and BUDDY PIG PICKIN’ sponsored and hosted by Kiwanis Division 28 Horse and Buddy Therapeutic Riding Program Pig Pickin’ was Saturday September 29th from 11am to 3pm at Ritter Park in Cary. This Fall Festival Pig Pickin’ featured delicious food, a kid’s carnival, and more. The fundraiser helped Horse and Buddy erect a covered riding arena and aid their barn raising effort. Contact Graham for additional information at Graham.kiwanis@yahoo.com.
Jean Wiley, Director of Sales and Training at Giga-Net Training and Staffing Solutions was selected from among hundreds of submissions to be featured in the 2008 Woman’s Advantage Calendar. The calendar will provide advice for women business owners from influential women leaders across the US and Canada. The Woman’s Advantage 2008 Calendar, scheduled for release this fall, will provide sound bites of advice on key business issues including: organization, promotion, sales, and human resources. Contact Jean at jean@jeanwiley.com. To order a calendar visit www.WomansAdvantage.biz.
Our Newest Members…
- Weddings by Michael Michael Lentz (Photography)
- Renaissance Group of Remax Preferred Jennifer Perkins (Real Estate)
- O'Brien & Associates Realty, Inc. Tim O'Brien (Real Estate)
- Successful Travels, LLC Maricia Moye (Travel)
- WingSwept Doug Meeker (Computer Services)
- AVANT Kevin D. Griffin (Human Resources / Employee Staffing)
- Carolina Barcode Inc. Al Fortuner (Computer Services)
- Jay Adkins & Associates, LLC (Allstate Insurance) Jay Adkins (Insurance)
- In Town Optical Andres Quintana (Medical Health Services)
- Wake Forest Smiles Jane Quintana (Medical Health Services)
- Health From Inside Out Jean Wright, C.H.C., AADP (Medical Health Services)
Assistant Editor Bios
Devon Kaplan is a professional insurance agent with AAA Carolinas. She is a young executive who has been in the insurance industry for three years, and recently partnered with AAA to provide the best options for her client’s particular insurance needs. Being an independent agent, she has a market for most everything from auto coverage to coverage for yachts, and prides herself on being a valuable resource for any insurance questions. Devon brings to the table her enthusiasm, ambition, and commitment to excellence. Devon can be contacted at 919.832.6411 ext. 9301#
Thomas Griggs , Ph. D., is President and CEO of New Science Consulting Group, Inc., in Raleigh. His particular interest is in designing effective programs that bring research scientist/engineers into new business ventures, and he especially likes to design and implement solutions to apparently impossible challenges. He is a graduate of Duke University and holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in Palo Alto, where he received an Ark Foundation grant for peace research and the Outstanding Dissertation Award for his doctoral thesis. He has been on the adjunct faculty at Duke University and currently teaches at the University of Richmond.
Dr. Griggs may be reached at tgriggs@nscgroup.com or 919.844.1990.
Susan Rumble is the President of The Vista Group, Ltd. The Vista Group offers professional sales representation for small business, partnering with visionary business owners who want to leverage their limited resources into the Next Level of growth from sales revenue. The revenue growth specialists at the Vista Group bring new business in through the front door for their clients and their consulting teams work with business owners to manage the rapid growth delivered by a successful sales mechanism. Prior to her sales career, Susan was a corporate trainer where she worked with executives from the Center for Disease Control, Coca Cola, Accenture, the City of Atlanta and many others. She has an extensive history of giving back as a community volunteer. The Vista Group is the fulfillment of her lifelong dream to help others reach their full potential. www.VistaGroupLtd.com 
Mike Schaul is retired from IBM where most of his career was focused on the software development process, specification and design methods for reducing error insertion. He started KG Funding in 1995 to buy and broker the sale of seller-financed mortgages and business notes. The American Cash Flow Association inducted him into its Million Dollar Club in 1999. Since then he has evolved his focus to commercial mortgages, business cash flow solutions, and litigation funding. Recently, the Gerson Lehman Group Councils named Mike a GLG Scholar for being ranked in the top 20% of their consultants. www.kgfunding.com
Daniel Trimpey is the CEO of Technigrafa, which is a print design, web design and web hosting company in Raleigh, NC. Daniel has a BS in Technology Education, with a minor in Graphic Communications from NC State University. Since graduating, Daniel taught middle school for 5 years in the Wake County School System, being awarded "Teacher of the Year" in 2003, before taking his business full-time in 2005. Other past positions include graphic designer for the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and web developer for Cisco's IT Learning Group. Daniel may be reached at 919.374.3014.
Jean Wiley’s professional experience includes corporate, mid-size (retail) as well as the small business owner and entrepreneur. Jean started coaching eight years ago while working in Professional Technical Search where her focus was in the engineering, IT and pharmaceutical industries. She develops and delivers customized training modules for the Technical Staffing industry in both recruitment and business development. Ms. Wiley is also a motivational speaker addressing such topics as: Empowering the Mind and Your Business, Mastering the Art of Communication as well as a variety of motivational Sales topics. Clients have included: GlaxoSmithKline, IBM, Martin Marietta, Duke Children’s Hospital, Eli Lilly, Univision Television, The American Heart Association, Mang Insurance, Productivity Point International and the NC Engineering Association.
Jean is also the author of two books, “The Inner World, Exploring Your Dreams,” and a children’s book “Sweet Dreams for Sydney,” due to be published this Spring.
She has a monthly radio show in Pinehurst, NC and has appeared on television and radio stations across the state. Jean is a member of the Capital City Club, sits on the Business Alliance Steering Committee, is a member of UPSA (United Professional Sales Association) and attends NSA conferences. www.jeanwiley.com
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