Issuu

Vol. 2| ISSUE 10 | March 2018

A BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE

CELEBRATING 81 YEARS

NCJFCJ SEE PAGE 10

Benes Z. Aldana

Inside the Harvard of Judicial Education Page 4

BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 1

LETTER FROM THE

EDITOR

PUBLISHER

Corrine Casanova

Chris O’Sullivan

This issue reveals some of northern Nevada’s best kept secrets especially when it comes to one-of-a-kind judicial institutions. The National Judicial College (NJC) and the National Council of Family and Juvenile Court Judges (NCFJCJ) have reputations of historical proportions. The NCJFCJ is the nation’s oldest judicial membership organization and NJC has been on the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) campus since 1965.

So, we finally got some snow. Will this be a miracle March? Hard to tell as I’m writing this, but by the time this issue arrives in your mailbox we’ll know for sure. It just so happens that in our April issue we are talking about water. Stay tuned!. This month, we have an inside look at two of the more obscure, yet important members of our increasingly diverse region. The National Judicial College (NJC) brings judges from all over the United States and the world to attend professional courses and seminars right here in The Biggest Little City. So, how did Reno become home to this national educational organization? Read our cover story to find out.

They are also revenue generators. Last year, the NCFJCJ had a $16 million impact on the state of Nevada. At the NJC, out of state participants at the college benefitted the local economy to the tune of $2.3 million in 2016. For Reno specifically, $1.3 million was spent on local hotel rooms, bars and restaurants.

And what about the National Council of Family and Juvenile Court Judges (NCFJCJ)? For nearly 50 years, the University of Nevada, Reno has been affiliated with this nearly 81-year-old institution. The NCFJCJ is a valuable resource for judges worldwide and located in the middle of downtown Reno. Having these types of international attractions in northern Nevada create a regular, predictable and sustainable economic impact.

What I learned during the interview process was something quite elementary—judges are people too. For many judges, judicial isolation is a by-product of the profession. Honest and robust conversation with each other is often absent. Organizations like NCFJCJ and the NJC offer judges the opportunities to learn from each other. Invaluable collegial networks and friendships are the result. Each month the NJC surveys alumni with a topical question in their monthly e-newsletter, Judicial Edge. Some questions are of a serious nature, however, this one caught my eye:

Also located in downtown Reno is the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum. Allyson Lambert takes a look at this amazing jewel, both as a local family attraction, and also how the The Discovery is inspiring future members of the workforce by expanding their interests.

Q: Do you like wearing a judicial robe? Yes: 83%

No: 17%

We hope you enjoy this month’s issue. Feel free to reach out to us with any comments and suggestions.

Comment: “I like the way it moves like Dracula’s cape as I walk quickly down corridors.”

Happy Easter!

I hope you enjoy reading about these institutions as much as I enjoyed writing about them.

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by Corrine Casanova If you needed to get your appendix out, would you trust a doctor that had no surgical training to remove it? Chances are, probably not. Interestingly enough, most judges receive no specialized education or formalized training about the judicial role prior to either being elected or appointed as a judge. As someone whose role is chief impartial decision-maker, this can be daunting. Back in the 1950’s, the American Bar Association (ABA) decided a complete study of the American justice system was in order. In 1961, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Tom C. Clark held hearings across the country to discuss improvements in the delivery of legal services and conduct of judicial matters. In 1963, he presented his findings at the ABA’s annual meeting. He wrote, “Two years

THE NATIONAL JUDICIAL COLLEGE

RIGHT IN RENO’S

BACKYARD 4 • ISSUE 10 • MARCH 2018

The NJC is considered the premier judicial education program in the United States. BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 5

FAST FACTS on the National Judicial College:

• Founded in 1963 by the American Bar Asso- ciation

• Moved to the Univer- sity of Nevada, Reno campus in 1964

• Became a Nevada non profit 501(c)(3) in 1978

• Governed by a national 21-member board of trustees

• Annually educates between 7,500 and 10,000 judges through in-person and online courses

• The 200 voluntary faculty members contribute $1.4 million annually in volunteer instruction

• Between 2011 and 2017, awarded $2 million in scholarships

• Home to The National Judicial Center, which educates tribal court personnel

ago, the use of the word ‘education’ in connection with the judiciary brought raised eyebrows and the shaking of heads. There was a fear that if judges admitted a need for seminars they would be confessing inadequacy. Today…the skittishness against the tag ‘education’ has been converted into genuine enthusiasm for more knowledge in judicial administration through continuing education.” As a result, the National Judicial College (NJC) was born in 1963. It was first located in Boulder, Colorado, at the University of Colorado Law School then moved a year later to the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno, where it remains to this day.

Priority 3: PUBLIC AWARENESS. Raise the Public Profile of the NJC and Build its Brand

Priority 4: HUMAN RESOURCES. Develop and Sustain

a High-Performance Team of Professionals and Volunteer Leadership

Priority 5: STRATEGIC

ALLIANCES. Strengthen Our Strategic Alliances and Partnerships

There are specialty courses for both new and experienced judges in the college’s more than 100 course, which are offered in Reno, at locations around the country and online. To help educate new judges, the NJC offers four intensive courses, most lasting two weeks: • General Jurisdiction (for state and military judges) • Special Court Jurisdiction (for specialized state court and tribal judges)

Today, the NJC is considered the premier judicial education program in the United States. Its mission is simple: to make the world a more just place by educating and inspiring its judiciary. The face of the NJC is President Benes Z. Aldana. He officially began his tenure in May 2017 after retiring from the U.S. Coast Guard as chief trial judge. He was the first Asian Pacific (Filipino) American chief trial judge in U.S. military history. He is also the first military judge to lead NJC. He said that after taking the helm at the NJC he was immediately impressed by how eager Nevada’s political and legal luminaries were to support to college, including Governor Sandoval and former-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Reid’s successor, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, has lent her support of the college’s federal grant requests. Each year the Nevada governor’s budget makes an appropriation to support the college. Last year it was $125,000. A 2016 study by the Center for Regional Studies at UNR’s College of Business estimated the NJC’s annual economic impact on Nevada at $8.87 million. That was all encouraging. What most disappointed Aldana when he became president was that most people didn’t know that the NJC had been in Reno for over 50 years or, worse, that it even existed. He knew something needed to change. During the first six months of his presidency, Aldana focused on creating a 2017-2022 Strategic Plan by consulting with stakeholders both within and outside the NJC. The result was five strategic priorities:

Priority 1: ACADEMICS. Maintain Leadership in Academic Excellence

Priority 2: FINANCES. Achieve Long-Term Financial Sustainability and Institutional Resilience

PHOTO BY MARCELLO ROSTAGNI

6 • ISSUE 10 • MARCH 2018

BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 7

• Administrative Law: Fair Hearing (administrative law judges) • Essential Skills for Tribal Court Judges (tribal court judges) Judges often hear gruesome criminal cases and they suffer vicarious trauma. Because of ethics considerations, they aren’t able to go home and talk about what happened with their family. After attending an NJC course, they have a network of peers and friends from around the country with whom they can compare notes. The NJC faculty is almost all volunteer and a diverse group by design. Potential faculty members are invited to attend a weeklong faculty development workshop. The NJC Com-

munications/Marketing Director, Ed Cohen shared, “For our judges, it is a great honor to be a judge and to teach other judges. After completing the weeklong workshop, they become official faculty members only after they are critiqued by the students. If don’t get high marks when they teach, they aren’t invited back..” What’s up and coming? In 2019, the NJC hopes to launch a judicial academy for lawyers. Aldana envisions this academy to be like a weeklong boot camp for lawyers considering either running for or seeking appointment as a judge. It would be on a selective basis and scholarships would be available for those in underrepresented groups.

mission, it is doing all it can to make the world a more just place for all. “Now more than ever, democracy demands a judiciary that is skilled, dedicated and principled,” Aldana said. “Everyone

Every business owner has questions. The successful ones know who to ask.

deserves a good judge.” If you would like to learn more about the NJC, go to judges. org., where you can also sign up for the college’s monthly e-newsletter, Judicial Edge.

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NATIONAL ORGANIZATION

One of our nation’s oldest judicial membership organizations is headquartered in Reno. In fact, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), will soon be celebrating its 81st year. An affiliate of the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) since 1969, their mission is to provide all judges, courts and related agencies involved with juvenile, family and domestic violence cases with the knowledge, research and skills to improve the lives of the families and children who seek justice. Their areas of focus are diverse. When it comes to education for judges, knowledge is power. The NCJFCJ aims to build stronger communities through their work with the judicial system. While this organization is national in nature, local Nevadans see the benefits in more than one way. For starters, there’s an immediate economic impact both locally and statewide. Joey Orduna Hastings, Chief Executive Officer, NCJFCJ, explained, “The judges and the people we bring in for trainings comprise a $16 million impact to the state every year. People travel here, stay in our hotel rooms, while our 60 local employees contribute to our local economy. Last year we had 24 successful grants to the tune of over $11 million. Those monies come right back into the state of Nevada. We also hold two national conferences annually. Beginning next year, we hope to hold our annual National Conference on Juvenile Justice in Nevada permanently. In June, we have the Child Abuse and Neglect Institute which is held in Reno every year.”

In 2016, the NCJFCJ moved to its downtown Reno location near the Greater Nevada Field. Photo courtesy: J Savvy Photography

WITH A BIG

by Corrine Casanova

LOCAL IMPACT 10 • ISSUE 10 • MARCH 2018

The NCJFCJ is creating an environment where broken families can be mended and put back together. In 2017, for their 80th anniversary, they used the hashtag #EveryCourtEveryChild to help promote their efforts and improve the day-to-day lives of children by simplifying the court process. One Family/One Judge, No Wrong Door and Equal and Coordinated Access to Justice is at the cornerstone of their philosophy. They want judges to receive guidance for supporting the needs of families and children no matter which pathway brings the child or family to the door of the courtroom.

FOCUS AREAS

• Child abuse and neglect

• Domestic violence

• Family law

• Juvenile justice

• Mental health

• Research

• Substance abuse

• Tribal work

Hastings explained, “We want every child to have an opportunity to succeed. And with that, there is no wrong door. So, if a child finds themselves in a courthouse, we want to express to them that one judge will hear their case. If the child’s family has other issues, that same judge will hear their case. That way, that child won’t be potentially retraumatized by going in front of a new judge to re-explain a traumatizing situation. This way every child can be given BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 11

the opportunity to have a fair case. We want to make sure every child gets to experience a healthy court environment so that he or she may lead a healthy life.” The NCJFCJ serves nearly 30,000 juvenile and family court professionals across the nation. Their current membership is now at 1,600 and continues to grow each year. In 2017, they trained more than 11,500 judges, judicial officers, attorneys and other juvenile and family court-related professionals in 41 different states including Washington, D.C. Dutch Bros. Coffee is a business partnership that gave the NCJFCJ a much-needed perk. Hastings explained how the relationship developed, “I have family in Oregon where Dutch Bros. started and was a regular at their stand in Carson City when I worked with Governor Sandoval. Curiously enough, because the NCJFCJ is so heavily federally funded, we cannot purchase coffee or refreshments for our events with government funding. For some of us, coffee puts us in a better mood. Considering we train thousands of people annually across the country, I approached Dutch Bros. about establishing a partnership with their foundation, Love Abounds. I asked if they could provide us with

“This way every child can be given the opportunity to have a fair case.”

coffee as we go out to courts in Nevada and other states. They said ‘yes’ and now we ship Keurig coffee makers and K-Cup pods filled with Dutch Bros. coffee to our trainings.” Today, Dutch Bros. is the “official” coffee of the NCJFCJ.The NCJFCJ also offers other businesses to assist them by donating unrestricted revenue so they can expand the work they do through scholarships. To learn more about the NCJFCJ, visit ncjfcj.org.

The NCJFCJ celebrated the installation of its downtown office exterior sign in partnership with UNR. In the photo left to right: Judge Sheri Roberts, Judge Katherine Tennyson, Ron Zurek, Joey Orduna Hastings, Dr. Marc Johnson, Judge Egan Walker, Jeanne Karadanis, and Judge Stephen Rubin (Ret.). Photo courtesy: J Savvy Photography

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Kirk also assists enterprise scaled businesses using Enterprise Resource Planning systems like Oracle or SAP by providing native integrated payment processing.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

SIMPLIFYING THE COMPLEXITIES OF MERCHANT SERVICE PROCESSING

by Corrine Casanova Locally owned PaidRight specializes in helping merchants set up, grow and manage their revenue streams. Tim Kirk, owner of PaidRight, does this in several ways:

• Simplify the process for the merchant

•

• Help find the best processing solution

• Create customized solutions, if needed

Lower the cost of merchant processing

PaidRight’s tag line, “the right way to get paid” is something that Kirk strongly believes in. He recognizes each business is unique and have their own definition of the right way to get paid. Kirk has a spectrum of clients ranging from individual contractors (electrical, HVAC, etc.) and small businesses to enterprise sized businesses. No matter what the business size or professional service, (he works with many attorneys, doctors, dentists, etc.) Kirk’s goal is always the same: to simplify the process. For those smaller businesses, their goal might be to set up a simple way to accept payments from clients and customers. Medium sized businesses may have started out small and while they have become more successful and grown, their payment processing system and administrative system might not be keeping up. Kirk explained that some business owners spend too much time on administrative tasks and managing money flow instead of

what brings in the money. When smaller businesses begin to grow, they have two choices. •

They can keep the business small and keep it all. This means they limit their business to include and attract high value customers exclusively to increase their profit margin.

•

They can expand their business by focusing on managing their business better. This may include incorporating a point of sales (POS) system, a customer relationship manager (CRM) system, acquiring more of a workforce. Some business owners realize they need to implement technology that integrates management of payment processing, cash flow, bookkeeping, inventory, scheduling, time clock, asset management to one simple dashboard.

When asked about finding innovative cost-effective solutions to common business problems, Kirk responded, “Business owners with brick and mortar often want a way to put their merchandise online too. Managing that online inventory online with the brick and mortar inventory can be tricky. Businesses want to have a unified inventory system in place. This is typically an expensive process. Instead, I have found solutions that do a great job with good price value. I can also help them with a payment process that is simple for the business and their customers, is very secure while keeping costs at a minimum.”

Kirk started in the merchant processing industry quite by accident. As a business owner, he realized he was losing money by not accepting credit cards. When he went to his local bank and saw the terms of agreement for credit card processing, he felt it was way too much money. So, he started investigating different options. He signed up with a company on the west coast that had much more reasonable terms and was a good fit for him. He started telling other business owners who complained about their credit card processing fees and service. Eventually, he had referrals for five business owners who wanted to switch over. When he called to make the referrals, the company suggested he become a representative in the northern Nevada and in the eastern Sierras. Because he had only been receiving their merchant services for under a year, he told them he wasn’t comfortable selling a product he hadn’t used for very long. The next thing he knew, they were flying him to the company’s headquarters in California to convince him he was the right guy for the job. “I explained that reputation is important here in Reno and I couldn’t sell a product unless I truly believed in it. After going to headquarters and meeting the people there, I was impressed with what I saw and then knew it was the right decision to become an independent agent,” he said. Most businesses want to know how to process their payments and integrate their business. As Kirk is an independent broker, he can create the best solution out of a number of service providers. He explained that through experience he had discovered some merchant processing companies are better with certain types of businesses than others. He works with his clients to make sure they receive the best payment processing service, customer service and integrity.

Get Paid theRight Way

Helping businesses get paid right and simplifying merchant processing systems is PaidRight’s specialty. For a complimentary review of yours, contact Tim Kirk at tkirk@getpaidright.com, 775-393-9669 or go to GetPaidRight.com.

getpaidright.com | 775.393.9669 14 • ISSUE 10 • MARCH 2018

Photo Credit: Jeff Dow

Why Buy Local? by Rob Crocco

Keeping money in the community where you live makes sense. According to the Small Business Administration, there were 29.6 million small businesses in 2014. Only 19,000 of them were large businesses. After the recession, the number of small businesses continues to increase. Who’s in love with “big box” stores anyway? Here are six great reasons why we love when you buy local. 1. Money spent locally stays local. Money spent at a local business stays in the local economy. An added bonus: it continues to strengthen our community’s economic base. How does this work? Local businesses purchase their vehicles from the local automobile dealer, who buys from a local hardware store, whose accountant is a local accountant, who sells their home through a local realtor, who purchases their groceries from the local grocery store, whose attorney is a local attorney, who gets their clothes cleaned at the local cleaners, who eats at the local restaurant, and has coffee at a local shop, who purchases their office supplies from a locally owned and operated business. The money turns over and stays in the community. See? Something to love. 2. Local owners are local contributors. Local businesses are more apt to invest in the community. After all, they are your friends and neighbors. It’s also worth remembering that owners and employees of local businesses contribute to local causes and charities too. Studies have shown that three times as much money stays in a community when you buy goods and services from locally-owned businesses instead of large chain stores. 3. Local businesses offer stable employment. Small businesses are the largest share of net new jobs generated each year. Besides, locally based businesses provide some of the most stable employment opportunities in a 16 • ISSUE 10 • MARCH 2018

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community. Who knew? Surprisingly, jobs from global corporations relative to the world’s workforce is small. The 200 largest corporations in the world employ less than one percent of the global workforce although they account for about 30 percent of global economic activity. The majority of job growth comes from local independent businesses. 4. Local ownership lessens environmental impact. Small businesses have less impact on local ecosystems compared to larger retailers in strip malls or stand-alone buildings. To accommodate large retail development, roads and parking lots must be built, which results in a greater reliance on cars and an increase in auto emissions. 5. Tax revenue goes further. Local businesses in town centers also require comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more efficient use of public services.

C HAMPION

of supporting our own community. Now, that’s something to love. For us at RAM Discount Computer and Office Supplies, we like talking to our customers and helping them solve problems. Because we’re right here in Reno we can jump on a customer’s needs immediately. There are a lot of misconceptions. When it comes to buying from small businesses compared to corporate stores people often believe that shopping locally means pricing will be higher and inventory might not always be readily available. I’d like to discredit these myths. We proudly serve Reno, Sparks and beyond with all your computer and office supply needs.

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Shopping locally not only supports our community, it also allows you to be on the receiving end of unbeatable customer service. Rob Crocco is a member of the Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce, the Better Business Bureau, and an associate member of the business networking group, LeTip. Check out their website to learn more, visit ramdcs.com.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

RENO/SPARKS CHAMBER

MARCH 13

4PM

Ribbon Cut: Brainy Actz Escape Room 449 South Virginia Street #200 MARCH 14

8AM

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3PM

Ribbon Cut: Amerifirst Financial

4PM

20 • ISSUE 10 • MARCH 2018

March/April

Ribbon Cut: Allrise Financial Group APRIL 5

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Public Forum: Energy Choice Initiative

4PM

Ribbon Cut: Occidental TapHouse

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7:30AM

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Biz Café: John Victorino, Reno Tahoe SEO Take Advantage of Google for Your Business Rancharrah Pavilion MARCH 28

Biz Bite: Darren McBride, Sierra Computer Group Email Tips and Tricks Atlantis Casino Resort Spa APRIL 5

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Tech Wednesday Nevada Air National Guard 1776 National Air Guard Way

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MARCH 15

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2PM

Napa Sonoma South Meadowood Courtyard

Reno Chamber Orchestra with UNR Symphonic Choir and Chamber Singers Nightingale Concert Hall

Wildcreek Golf Course Famous Dave’s Reno/Sparks Association of Realtors

Startup Angels Workshop – Reno Desert Research Institute 2215 Raggio Pkwy.

WEDNESDAY NOON

THURSDAY 7AM

Swill Coffee Lakeridge 19th Hole The Plaza Hotel, Carson City Mimi’s Café Napa Sonoma South

APRIL 11 & 12

For more complete and up-todate calendar information, visit biznevada.com/events-calendar BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 21

INVENTORY CRUNCH

RENO & SPARKS

RSAR JANUARY MARKET SNAPSHOT

NORTHERN NEVADA HOUSING INVENTORY HITS ALL TIME

LOW

by Lindsay Clarke & Nicolle Gust

As we approach spring in the Greater Reno-Sparks area, many eager pre-approved buyers are holding their breath in hopes of new listings hitting the market. Standing Inventory? What’s that? Today’s home buyer has to pull out all of the stops just to contend on a decent home that is listed to for sale. Within minutes, viable listings are receiving multiple offers and flying off the market. With major business moving into northern Nevada such as Tesla, Google, Panasonic and more there looks to be no end in sight for the current housing crunch. “January’s available active inventory was at a low of 528 available listings,” said Doug McIntyre, 2018 Reno Sparks Association of Realtors (RSAR) President. “The declining supply of active inventory is the primary reason we are seeing increasing prices. Looking to the year ahead, with the passage of the new tax bill, Californians will be looking at Nevada as a better place to own real estate.” While northern Nevadans are excited about the future growth, the question remains, “Where is everyone going to live?” Why is housing inventory so low? For several years following the

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recession, many homeowners simply didn’t have the equity to sell. Now that there is life blood back in the Reno-Sparks economy many home owners are opting to refinance as opposed to contending with inflated prices. Ironically, prices are raising due to the lack of inventory. According to RSAR, the January 2018 median price was at $360,000. This is a 16 percent increase from January of 2017. Additionally, new home construction cannot seem to keep pace. Because several construction companies and laborers were forced to find work elsewhere during the down-turn, many new home builders are having difficulty finding quality contractors. The Builders Association of Northern Nevada reported only 2000+ permits pulled for new single-family homes in 2017 which pales in comparison to the 5300+ permits pulled for new single-family homes in 2005.

“New home construction cannot seem to keep pace.”

Clarke & Gust Group REALTORS®, ABR, SFR

What does this mean to you? If you own a home and you have been considering selling to upgrade, downsize or have experienced a life changing event forcing you to sell, now is the time! RSAR is reporting that it is indeed a seller’s market, at 1.3 months’ supply of inventory. (1.3 months is the time it would take to exhaust the active inventory at the current rate of sales.) Interest rates are still at historic lows and with equity back in most properties, it is an optimum time to sell and buy. It is imperative that you work with a seasoned real estate professional that can help you navigate through the process, especially if you are buying in a seller’s market with a contingency such as selling your current home.

Lindsay Clarke and Nicolle Gust of the Clarke & Gust Group are Residential Real Estate Specialists in RenoSparks area with over 15 years of experience. For additional information or a personal market analysis of your home contact cggroup@wesellrenotahoe.com

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www.wesellrenotahoe.com

BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 23

Non-Profit Spotlight/The Discovery Museum

Get

Curious About by Allyson Lambert

Discovery

When I first relocated to northern Nevada in spring 2014, the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum (a.k.a. The Discovery) was one of the first places that helped my new city feel like a home. With their dedication to the community and commitment to providing educational opportunities, they truly go out of their way to make everyone feel like they belong.

by Corrine Casanova After three years volunteering at The Discovery, I wanted to share the positive impact the Discovery has had on my life and career. Not only have I developed lifelong friendships, but the staff at The Discovery have encouraged me to expand my career and pursue my dream as a travel writer. Now, as I embark on my sixth city in six months, I had the opportunity to sit down with Patrick Turner, VP of Marketing and Communications, to discuss some of the ways that The Discovery has transformed the area and how local businesses can get involved to support their mission. It’s my hope that you will follow your curiosity and get involved with The Discovery as well.

Q: How do you believe The Discovery has played

a role as northern Nevada continues to grow and develop? 24 • ISSUE 10 • MARCH 2018

We play a large and very important role in our region’s developing economy. By being our community’s home for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) exploration, we’re inspiring future members of the workforce and expanding the interests of current members of the workforce as well. In the six and a half years since The Discovery has opened to the public, we have welcomed more than 1,000,000 visitors. We are the most visited location for K-12 school field trips and have transformed the museum’s impact from serving primarily children into that of a science center, serving learners of every age. The science inspiration The Discovery creates, fuels an entire region of curious, critical thinkers who can actively participate in our region’s changing economic landscape.

Q: What are some of the ways that The Discovery

contributes to workforce development in STEAM fields? We provide a wide variety of ways to experience science. Museum visitors can explore the process of invention, the human body, our state’s history, green building technology and more. One area we see a tremendous amount of impact is our school

field trip program. Frequently we find that science isn’t taught in low-income schools, so the exposure students get to science on a field trip can be a real eye-opener. Feedback from many teachers is that their students develop an immediate interest in a particular STEAM field of study after a field trip that leads to future exploration.

Two years ago The Discovery partnered with the Desert Research Institute to create a lecture series. Science Distilled, held at social locations through Reno, connects members of our community with the amazing scientific research being done in our community. This series has steadily grown in popularity. The last few events have been standing room only.

fer the community for both children and adults?

volved with The Discovery?

The museum’s programs target specific age ranges with the goal of creating optimal learning opportunities for each. One example is The Discovery’s Small Wonder Wednesday program. Every Wednesday, the museum opens an hour early solely for families with children ages five and under.

You can visit the museum, become an annual member, attend any of The Discovery’s events and, of course, you can become a donor. Donors provide much-needed support for the museum’s mission, powering our ability to grow our impact by creating new programs and exhibitions. Businesses can sponsor a variety of the museum’s programs. Sponsorship at The Discovery includes a robust recognition program so that our visitors recognize the philanthropic support provided by the businesses who identify with our mission.

Q: What types of programs and events do you of- Q: How can businesses and individuals get in-

Five years ago, we created our Social Science series. This adults-only series gives adults the chance to explore the entire museum and a unique topic (i.e. the science of beer, the science of attraction, etc.) after hours in a social setting. We also offer an annual Teen Science Night for middle and high school students. This event was created and is run by the museum’s Teen Advisory Committee. This group of science enthusiasts decides on the theme, works with our educators to create the programming and spreads the word about the event.

Allyson Lambert is a travel writer, actor and marketing consultant. She enjoys bringing creative strategy to businesses. You can follow her blog at allysonlambert.com.

BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 25

Expert Contributor

BREAKTHROUGH TRAINING The Power of Accountability

by Jeffrey Benjamin Accountability is tied to success. When you are accountable, you are incredible. Here are some tools that can help you to be accountable and how you can hold others accountable, too. Get an accountability partner. Exercise is easier to act on when you have a workout partner or hire a personal fitness trainer. Who can you team up with to hold you to a higher standard? Any goal can be less challenging with an accountability buddy. The right partner creates a reciprocal relationship in which each person is inspired by the other to achieve more. Use verbal confirmation. Say it! Let it be known that you made a verbal commitment to accomplish what you set forth. If you want someone to fulfill an expectation, let the person acknowledge acceptance of the task or project. Remind yourself why it is important. What is the significance of your resolution? Why do you want what you want? Why is it important to you? Do you want to experience greater financial freedom? Better health? A better connection in your relationships? Know, understand and define why what you want is important to you. Write it down. Refer to it often, especially when you are feeling unmotivated. Leverage the importance of full participation. Share the importance of everyone being fully involved to create team and individual success. Let people know that their commitment and participation is vital. In football or any other sport, each role plays a position that contributes to overall success. Encourage the relevance of individual dedication. Give positive acknowledgement. Each day you have the opportunity to tell someone they did a great job. It only takes a few seconds to recognize the efforts of others. Who helped you? Who stepped up to contribute value? Give credit to those that earned it. Follow the advice of Sam Walton who said, “Outstanding leaders go out of the 26 • ISSUE 10 • MARCH 2018

way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel.” Use environmental anchors. Place items in your environment that evoke action. Display your goals and objectives. Major corporations have signage announcing their mission and core values. This reminds employees and customers what they stand for. Post individual and team goals where they can be reviewed often. Focus on personal accountability. Albert Einstein nailed it when he said, “Being an example is not a way of influencing others, it is the only way.” If you want other team members to be accountable for their actions, then you must first demonstrate your personal accountability. The manager or supervisor that preaches the importance of being punctual, but is always tardy loses credibility. If you want to be seen as a leader, and to lead others, you must let your behavior do the talking.

old adage. Follow up on assignments, commitments and on the progress of personal and team goals. Schedule time each week to follow up. Maintain personal integrity. Do what you say you are going to do. When you say one thing and do another you are not practicing integrity. When you say you are going do something and you don’t do it, does this increase or decrease the way you see yourself and how others see you? When you break your word, you shatter the confidence people have in you—and you in yourself. Hold everyone to the same standard. You can’t hold some people accountable while letting other people off the hook. Showing favoritism only creates confusion and animosity. Don’t give or accept excuses. Remember this: Nobody ever buys an excuse, even though most people are trying to sell one. What is your response when someone offers you an excuse? Do you really care? Are you annoyed? Lots of excuses are floating around as to why people are late, why they couldn’t follow through or why they engage in poor behavior. Excuses are little more than spineless rationalizations. Set yourself apart from the majority by never uttering an excuse. And, don’t accept an excuse from someone else. Criticize the behavior, not the person. Reprimand

can correct behavior, but telling someone that they are a bad person or that they are useless or worthless only supports current poor behavior. Nobody likes to feel as though they are inadequate. That’s why it is crucial to zero-in on specific behavior and how to correct that behavior, not condemn the person. You can improve your personal performance and that of others. Grab onto, and practice, a few of these ways to hold yourself and others accountable. Best of success to you!

Jeffrey Benjamin is the founder of Breakthrough Training in Reno. Contact him at breakthroughtraining.com.

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Provide appropriate training. Holding someone accountable that has not been properly trained is insanity. Does the person know what is expected of them? Do they have the skill set to perform what is expected? Ongoing training is one of the best ways to ensure accountability because it removes the excuse of, “I didn’t know” or “I don’t know how.” Use the power of documentation. If it is not in writing, it does not exist. Write down job descriptions, performance expectations and appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. Document reprimands and achievements. Write down assignments and personal commitments. Make it part of daily messaging. A short daily team meeting in person or over the phone can help to align performance. Priorities can be set and updates on previous assignments can be covered. Company goals and commitments also can be shared on footers in emails, discussed in company-wide rallies and used in everyday verbiage when addressing issues. Follow up regularly. Inspect what you expect is the BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 27

UNLOCK HIDDEN CASH FROM YOUR BALANCE SHEET

Expert Contributor by Brent Forbush

The most urgent question received from clients on a continuing regular basis is, “I need cash and I have a few big jobs that I am awaiting payment but it doesn’t look like I will get paid before this week’s over—what can I do?” Need cash in a hurry? Here’s how business owners can look to their financial statements to improve cash flow. Receivables Many businesses turn first to their receivables when trying to drum up extra cash. For example, you could take a carrot-andstick approach to your accounts receivable—offering early bird discounts to new or trustworthy customers while tightening credit policies or employing in-house collections staff to “talk money in the door.” But be careful: Using too much stick could result in a loss of customers, which would obviously do more harm than good. So, don’t rely on amped up collections alone for help. Also consider refining your collection process through measures such as electronic invoicing (our preferred system of choice is Bill.com), employing collections payment process systems by accepting payment on your website, setting up recurring automatic payments where possible via ach or debit/credit cards or requesting upfront payments from customers with questionable credit and using a bank lockbox to speed up cash deposits. During a business’ high growth phase, this cash call can put a significant strain on business that want to grow faster than their sustainable growth rate. Invoice factoring often alleviates these problems. Factoring is the process of selling the businesses’ accounts receivable to a third party who advances funds against payments to be remitted. Typically a receivable can be sold once goods or services become verifiable with the buyer of the goods or services. This can provide cash to meet payroll, equipment purchases and cover inventory purchased on short 28 • ISSUE 10 • MARCH 2018

“I need cash and I have a few big jobs that I am awaiting payment but it doesn’t look like I will get paid before this week’s over—what can I do?” terms. Factoring is a good choice for high growth companies. Inventory The next place to find extra cash is inventory. Keep this account to a minimum to reduce storage, pilferage and security costs. This also helps you keep a closer, more analytical eye on what’s in stock. Monitor inventory turnover ratio, economic order quantities and plan accordingly to put a strain on cash flows with excessive inventory on hand. Have you upgraded your inventory tracking and ordering systems recently? Newer ones, like Fishbowl, can enable you to forecast demand and keep overstocking to a minimum. In appropriate cases, you can even share data with customers and suppliers to make supply and demand estimates more accurate. Payables With payables, the approach is generally the opposite of how to get cash from receivables. That is, you want to delay the payment process to keep yourself in the best possible cash position. But there’s a possible downside to this strategy: Establishing a reputation as a slow payer can lead to unfavorable payment terms and a compromised credit standing. If this sounds familiar, see whether you need to rebuild your vendors’ trust. The goal is to, indeed, take advantage of deferred payments as a form of interest-free financing while still making those payments within an acceptable period. Is your balance sheet lean? Smooth day-to-day operations require a steady influx of cash. By cutting the “fat” from your working capital accounts, you can generate and deploy liquid cash to maintain your company’s competitive edge and keep it in good standing with stakeholders. Brent Forbush is the Auditing and Accounting Manager at Forbush and Associates which is a family owned and operated local CPA, accounting and tax preparation professional services firm. For more ideas on how to manage balance sheet items more efficiently, contact forbushandassociates.biz.

“Smooth day-to-day operations require a steady influx of cash.” BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 29

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