2 017
ISSUE 5
OCT.
Vol. 1
WHY RENO,
WHY NOW? A sitdown with the men who have had a major influence in bringing professional sports to northern Nevada see page 4
IN THIS ISSUE
SEE PAGE 18
LETTER FROM THE
LETTER FROM THE
Corrine Casanova
R i c h a r d W. M o o r e
EDITOR On a return flight to Reno from Phoenix the plane was packed with 1868 FC players with their signature cobalt blue, silver grey and light gold apparel. They had just won their first game against the Phoenix Rising FC in Phoenix on May 6. I had the honor of sitting next to Brian Brown who was kind enough to let me record him saying hello to my friend’s kids who are huge 1868 FC fans. The team had good reason to be elated about that first victory as it propelled their season forward. Since then they became the highest goal-scoring professional soccer team in North America (in mid-September). Having a professional soccer team like 1868 FC is great for Reno’s visibility. Publisher Richard Moore and I sat down with representatives from the Barracuda Championship, Reno Aces, Reno 1868 FC and the Reno Bighorns to learn more about the business side of professional sports teams and events. We asked the question, “Why Reno? Why Now?” We gained valuable insight about the impact of professional sports on the local economy and community and want to share that with you. Now I know why we refer to Reno as the biggest little city.
Cover photo: Marcello Rostagni
PUBLISHER Over the years, I have learned to enjoy the varied offerings of our region, its people, the vast recreational opportunities and more recently our varied and high-octane commerce. This month’s letter is actually an invitation for you to learn more about one the region’s most misunderstood and intriguing forms of commerce, our professional sports. Yes, professional sports have been in the region for many years, however, when was the last time you stopped to consider the true value of these organizations? The bizNEVADA team felt it was time for all of us to take a deeper look, to re-introduce our four primary professional sports organizations which includes professional soccer, AAA baseball, one of the 26 “G” League basketball teams, and the Barracuda Championship. It was truly a pleasure to have a Q&A session with the top executives of each organization, Eric Edelstein, President of 1868 FC Soccer; Reno Aces, Dustin Toms, Vice President of the Bighorns, and Chris Hoff, the Executive Director of the Barracuda Championship. What do you think their overall contribution has been to our region? You will find the answers in our cover story. You also will discover some keys to doing business with them in the future. I hope each of you embrace these organizations as they will play a key role in our region’s future success. Richard W. Moore, Co-Publisher
BOOK YOUR NEXT EVENT AT THE KINGPIN CLUB
National Bowling Stadium, Reno | Team Building • Celebrations • Corporate Events
Several packages to choose from – all include access to the lanes, bowling balls, bowling Cover Card Art by Peter © shoes and a scorer – or we can customize! Gloand bowling, food and Laxalt bar options are available! StartUp Deck 2.0 Images Copyright 2017 Matthew McIver ©
Call Morgan Edwards for best choice of dates! 775.827.7641 medwards@RenoTahoeUSA.com
INTHISISSUE VOL. 1 / ISSUE. 5 BizNEVADA PUBLISHING TEAM PUBLISHERS: Richard Moore and Chris O’Sullivan GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Thom Martinson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Corrine Casanova SALES DIRECTOR: Lora Enget PHOTOGRAPHER: Marcello Rostagni ADVERTISING: Lora Enget at lora@biznv.com FEEDBACK/IDEAS We welcome your feedback and ideas regarding BizNevada. Send a message to info@biznevada.com @ 2017 Richard Moore and Chris O’Sullivan. All rights reserved. CONTACT US info@biznevada.com www.biznevada.com
PG 4-9
Why Reno, Why Now?
PG 10-12
Business Spotlight: Menath Insurance
PG 14-15
Executive Recruiting in Nevada in the 21st Century
PG 16-17
Five Ways to Benefit from Credit Union Membership
PG 18-20
Hidden Potential: Changing the Conversation Around Homeless Youth in Nevada
PG 22-23
Calendar of Events - NOVEMBER
PG 24-25
Gallup Results Show Western Governors University Leads Way in Helping Graduates Achieve Goals
PG 26-27
How Women Leaders Can Define Their Own Metric for Success
PG 28-29
Book Review: Women Artists as Entrepreneurs
EXPERT CONTRIBUTORS Jeffrey Benjamin Corporate Training Breakthrough Training BreakthroughTraining.com 775-337- 1600
Tim Kirk Credit Card, Merchant Services PaidRight GetPaidRight.com 775-393- 9669
Ward Sutton Golf Hidden Valley Country Club HVCCReno.com 775-857- 4735
Kyle Reeves Digital Marketing Revolution Online Marketing RevolutionReno.com 775-335- 0091
Brian D. Wheeler Financial Advisor Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Agency BoulderBasin.MassMutual.com 775-870- 1552
Stephanie Audain Reno Cyberknife Cancer Treatment Center renocyberknife.com 775-348- 9900
Govind Davis Digital Marketing Agilcore and RSO Consulting RSO-Consulting.com 415-992-7711 Brent Forbush Certified Public Accountants Forbush & Associates ForbushAndAssociates.biz 775-337- 6001
Mike Menath Insurance Menath Insurance MenathInsurance.com 775-831- 3132 David Spillers Printing Digiprint DigiprintCorporation.com 775-786- 4464 BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 3
by Corrine Casanova
4 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
In mid-September, bizNEVADA Publisher, Richard Moore and I sat down with the following three gentlemen for a joint interview: • • •
Chris Hoff, Tournament Director, Barracuda Championship Eric Edelstein, President, Reno Aces and Reno 1868FC Dustin Toms, Vice-President, Business Operations, Reno Bighorns
RM: Why Reno? Why now? EE: For the Reno Aces, the decision was made during the last economic boom in 2007 and it started as the community began to bust. I think we were a breath of fresh air during a time when the city and the community was reeling. It was this bright shiny building in downtown Reno. The location was critical and it was literally the other side of the tracks so it was good for redevelopment. The team was in Tucson and they wanted to look for a location that made sense for AAA baseball. People were saying that’s a risk. If you are just looking at market size, Reno is the size of single A markets but there is an underdog mentality to this community that just fits well. It’s like, “Oh, you are going to tell us we are too small? We will just show you.” Reno is the smallest in the AAA market in the country.
RM: Why Reno, why now, bottom line? EE: It’s an outdoor community with the right type of mindset to come out and support our team. People are looking for that experience that we can give them here. Otherwise you have to go hundreds of miles and spend thousands of dollars to get that experience.
RM: Why Reno for 1868 soccer? EE: We had a venue that we felt could possibly do more. Soccer is a good fit for this community. When you see the Hispanic base continuing to grow at 25 percent and cross that with our baseball attendance, we saw this segment of the population wasn’t attending. Baseball is a 35 plus age group with a relatively Caucasian audience. Soccer is kind of everyone else. It’s 35 and below, it’s Hispanic and just multicultural, period. Anyone who has had direct descendants not born in the United States is probably a soccer fan. We saw that as a completely underserved demographic so the fact that we had an avail-
able facility with capacity and then we just looked at the community at large and where it was headed and where soccer was going in the country.
SPORTS IN RENO Reno 1868 FC was founded in 2015 and made its debut in the United Soccer League (USL) in March 2017. It is one of 30 teams in the league. The USL is a Division II Professional League and is placed under Division I Major League Soccer. In 2016, they announced a two-year partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes. Previously, Nevada had three other professional minor league soccer teams. The Reno Aces are a AAA affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They began their inaugural season in 2009 in the new Greater Nevada Field stadium in downtown Reno. Prior to the Aces, the Reno Silver Sox played in Reno from 1977-1992. Following their 1992 season they moved to Riverside, CA to become the Riverside Pilots. The Reno Bighorns are an NBA GLeague team and are owned and operated by their NBA parent club, the Sacramento Kings. Darrick Martin was named head coach in 2016. They were founded in 2008. The Barracuda Championship is a professional golf tournament which was founded in 1999 as the RenoTahoe Open. The tournament is played at the Montreux Golf and Country Club. Barracuda Networks became the title sponsor in 2014. BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 5
RM: Were you surprised at the support? EE: I was pleased. I made the recommendation that we go forward with it so I definitely put my own future on the line to some degree and took a big risk but I just believed it was going to work. We are the smallest market in the United Soccer League as well. We are competing market to market with the big boys in larger cities like Phoenix.
RM: What does it mean to Reno down the road to have these professional sports teams and events here? CH: It puts Reno on the map. What we like to do is take a look at the markets that don’t have a PGA Tour. Places like Portland and Salt Lake City. These are markets that Reno is often ranked below that have similar geogra-
as they had affiliated professional baseball and they lost it. They wanted it back so they were definitely knocking on the door and then an interested party came forward.
RM: How about the PGA? CH: It was really the developers of Montreux and the Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Association (RSCVA). The PGA Tour was looking for playing opportunities for its members and we had the venue. It was pretty straightforward from there. So, when you say, “Why Reno?” the first thing is the geography and the venue. We have spectacular golf courses all around us and I would say Montreux is on the top of that list. The other side of the coin for us is why our title sponsor, Barracuda, chose Reno. We use the Modified Stableford method of scoring which is different than every other tour event. Bar-
Photo: Marcello Rostagni
phies but they don’t have what we have. There are only 32-34 PGA tours left around the country and Reno has one of them.
RM: People will be shocked that there really is a relationship that can be built through having a relationship with you with some of their other markets. They just don’t know. Did the city of Reno reach out to you guys initially to start the Reno Aces? EE: No, Sparks initiated it. The community was interested 6 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
racuda liked that because they stand out in this market as different but I think the market itself was just as big a factor. Barracuda is based in Silicon Valley and they saw the potential of Reno. It made logical sense to invest a significant amount of money, not only in our event, but in the community. Now we have a global publicly traded company that is invested in us and our community and it kind of legitimized a lot of what we’ve been doing.
RM: For the Reno Bighorns, Why Reno? Why now?
DT: Basketball is the fastest growing sport globally. The Reno Bighorns are in our 9th season and similar to the PGA Tour, there was mutual interest. Reno wanted the team and we had some supporters in the NBA office looking for ways to work here. We actually had Tommy Smith, who is one of the NBA’s VPs. He was the go getter that pushed the Bighorns to make that happen. So, fast forward up to now. The Sacramento Kings looked at this market and they noticed the gaming community isn’t the big piece anymore and the tech companies are moving in like Tesla, Apple, Microsoft and Breadware. Companies from the Bay area who couldn’t afford to pay their office space rent went to Sacramento because it was
the next best spot. Well, the Kings partnered up with that and built the Golden 1 Center which is now dubbed the best arena in the world. What that is doing is raising the prices similar to what happened in the Bay area so it’s funny to see that now people that were looking at Sacramento are now looking more toward Reno. Our Kings ownership group has 38 owners which is the largest ownership group in the NBA. They are either tech conglomerates in the Bay area so they see Reno as an opportunity. The rest of them are real estate/land developers who have property in Sacramento but they’ve already invested in Reno. They see Reno as the next spot so it is the best coincidence in the world that our minor league
Business Banking That’s Greater Sometimes the best solution for your business is also a pleasant surprise. Learn about the many ways that Greater Nevada Credit Union, named
Flexible business checking options
Cash management for 24/7 account access
Local branches and a nationwide network
Online ACH and Wires for your convenience
Competitively priced merchant services
Deposits that are federally insured
the USDA National Lender of the Year and an SBA Lender of the Year, helps more people Live Greater—and more businesses succeed.
Title Sponsor of
Commercial Services (775) 882-2060 | (800) 421-6674 GNCU.org Federally insured rred by NCUA
BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 7
affiliate just happened to be here in Reno. It made all the sense from a business operations side to the basketball operations side so it is going to become a true 1/1 relationship across the NBA. You will see NBA first round talent play here in Reno. We saw that last season. We will see more of that this season. Some of the most highly touted young basketball athletes in the world will be here in Reno.
RM: What is it that corporate northern Nevada is missing the most about soccer and baseball? EE: There still might not be a complete appreciation for just how good these guys are. We have two players that now have been called up to their national teams for soccer. We have nations who are filling out the best 23 players in their country and we have two guys on 1868 that have been recognized in that pool. That is wild to me. The level of talent that you are seeing here is right on the cusp of that next level and probably could be said for all of our sports. CH: I would say the talent on the field. There were about 50 of the top 100 players here. I think it is also a testament that Jason Day and Adam Scott have played here multiple times. Beyond that, our broadcast is seen in over 200 countries around the world and is available to over 1 billion households.
RM: Are you televised in other markets? DT: All our games are broadcast on Facebook Live. NBA parent clubs share the broadcasts on their Facebook so it is letting NBA fans know these are where your next NBA stars are coming from. This is who you can watch and get ready for. That way when they get to Sacramento or wherever they are going, you will be ready for them. The NBA is considered the most proactive league out there. They were the first ones to put a big push on social media. Now they are tapping into the esports market by creating NBA 2K. It’s introducing a brand-new market to the NBA. The video game NBA 2K turned itself into more of a consumer game rather than a sports game. And that is a market that the NBA never was able to tap into because it has always been viewed as sports, 8 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
sports, sports. Now it is turning into a player association where people are fans of players, not just the teams. They started to expand on that and are talking to people they have never talked to.
RM: The Barracuda Championship was a lot more hip hop this year in certain sponsored tents. How do you create those kinds of diversified experiences for your guests? EE: That is the event experience we are trying to create. You can’t completely remove that traditional experience for people that want that but you also have to have a different experience for those people that are looking for it. We try really hard to program those experiences. For example, the Coors Light Party Zone is where you get the cheap beer and your home plate will be quieter. You can even play around with the volume on the speaker. The same noise that you are hearing all over the stadium can be softer in one area and louder in another. And you can play with that to bring those experiences to people that want them. We can’t just say this is the one baseball experience. CH: That is what minor league baseball has done in the last 20 years. They have just lapped everybody else. The onfield stuff is going to be there no matter what. The quality is going to be there but the amount of fans who are paying attention to it I would bet is decreasing every single year. It’s not a decrease in attendance. They are just decreasing the amount of focus they are paying to the game. Now they need to find something outside of the sport to bring people there and bring them there with their dollars and keep them entertained. The tournament will always be the focal point but inside the ropes is inside the ropes. We want to find new things to draw people there. Our demographic is skewing to the baseball demographic, older, Caucasian, 60 percent male, 40 percent female, higher income than normal which helps us with our corporate clients because it does skew more to that higher demographic.
RM: You guys are accessible. It’s not extremely expensive. DT: If you want to talk about the accessibility, we are all accessible. It’s not just the affordable piece. At our
games, you can walk up and high five a player when they walk off the court and shake their hand. We have season ticket holders who have developed relationships with these players. They get to know them as a person and human being. When they get called up to Sacramento, you get 100 feet from them and the security guards tackle you. CH: Same thing at the Barracuda. Tickets are way less than you think. People think Montreux is way out there but when you take our transportation system it is so easy. It’s not the Phoenix Open where there are 200,000 spectators. The players love coming here because of the fan base and because it is not an absolute mob scene. It’s a nice change of pace for them and the fans reap the benefit of that.
RM: If there was a byline that we put out nationally, what would it be? Would it be Reno is the Happy Gilmore town of professional sports or Reno is the best kept secret? What would you want people to know across the country about baseball or soccer in Reno? DT: I haven’t been in Reno that long. I am still learning the market and the perception of the local residents have and I get this huge sense of pride from people that have grown up here. But people don’t like to talk about that pride. I don’t know if they want to keep it a secret so they don’t get all these people coming in with the tech boom. EE: We have a world class destination in Tahoe. People travel from all over the world to come here. We can now say “Oh, by the way, we have world class sports here too.” It’s the same way I was sold on why I should come take this job in Reno. You can golf and ski on the same day. That kind of stuck with me and I don’t do either but it’s just the idea of it. It’s remarkable. Our owner who also owns the Indiana Pacers has been involved in the NBA and the G League as well and what he always says is, “I just don’t know why Vegas didn’t happen here. Everything is better here. The weather is better. The topography is better. It is a prettier place. Tahoe is right there.” His point is we have everything that Vegas has plus all these things they don’t. This is a much better place and it’s hard to disagree with that.
BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 9
EXPERIENCE MATTERS (When It Matters Most) by Corrine Casanova crushed roofs, burst pipes, legal entanglements and thefts of all kinds. Mike and his team take their role seriously of being a corporate safety net for the businesses and individuals they serve. The Menath Insurance philosophy is to be a trusting friend when disasters occur and also to provide knowledge proactively to help avoid them from happening in the first place. What’s the value of serving 36 years in a single industry? According to Mike Menath, president of Menath Insurance, the
“People think of insurance primarily as peace of mind,
answer is both predictable and precise: “Experience.” Being
something you hope you never need and it is. But the best
in the daily business of unforeseen emergencies, he’s wit-
kind of insurance is the foresight and expertise to reduce
nessed just about everything you could imagine.
the level of daily risk in your business. Just about anyone can sell you insurance. Very few agents can provide you with
He’s been the calm in the storm as his clients have dealt with
enterprise-wide risk reduction strategies. That capability
forest fires, raging snowstorms, company car accidents,
comes directly from experience. Insurance is oftentimes the
10 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
last thing people want to talk about and deal with but it is the one thing that can save your business and keep you from being shut down in an instant. Our job is to plan for the worst and make sure you’re protected. That’s the task of an experienced agent,” Menath shared. Menath said, “Our clients are busy business owners in a challenging corporate environment. The last thing they have is time to worry constantly about everything that could go wrong. We take it on ourselves to lift the burden of risk reduction from their shoulders.” Mike and his wife, Lisa, started Menath Insurance in 1981. Prior to this, Lisa was a teacher and Mike was a military officer and later the Director of Tourism for the State of Nevada. They chose to open the agency because they wanted to be in business for themselves, be involved in the local community and raise their kids in a good environment.
RENO’S COUNTRY CLUB
They launched and grew their business the old-fashioned way. Mike recalls working long, hard hours to gain those initial clients and even climbing over huge Lake Tahoe snowbanks to knock on doors. Meanwhile, Lisa was working the phones and cold calling in the evening hours to generate prospects. The business has grown since its inception. In addition to Incline Village, Menath has offices in Reno and South Lake Tahoe and provides services across the Western United States. The agency currently includes 28 producers and service personnel. The Menaths’ are also founders of Westbridge Insurance Network (WIN), the largest network of independent agen-
Championship Golf Course Men’s Club Ladies Club Junior Programs Swimming Pool Fitness Facility Proprietary Memberships
Corporate Memberships Weddings Reunions Business Meetings Corporate Retreats Special Events
cies in Nevada, with partners in Las Vegas, Reno/Sparks, South Lake Tahoe and Minden/Gardnerville. WIN also extends to several different states and has formal partnerships with other agencies. This collaborative organization
Call us today at 775.857.4735 to schedule a tour or plan your upcoming event
allows Menath Insurance and its partners to share expertise and specialization so that their clients can get the benefits of a large agency, while retaining a hometown, personalized experience. This individualized approach allows Menath to provide
Ward Sutton, PGA Director of Club Operations wards@hvccreno.com
3575 E. Hidden Valley Drive | Reno, NV 89502
customized packages across a wide spectrum of businesses; from Homeowners Associations to Assisted Liv-
www.hvccreno.com BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 11
ing facilities to construction companies to home and auto insurance and everything in between. As an independent insurance broker, Mike and his team are able to offer a world of options to their clients, something
Introducing Aflac Value Added Services
that can’t be done with the single carrier agencies. “These organizations only have one package of coverage to sell;
Nobody should have to handle healthcare and insurance-related issues alone.
Health Advocacy
whereas we have a multitude of carriers to choose from. This allows us to provide a level of customization to our
With Health Advocacy & Medical Bill Saver, customers enjoy peace of mind, knowing they have 24/7 access to a personal health advocate who can help with their insurance-related issues.
clients that really can’t be matched. It also means we can provide those difficult-to-find solutions. Where others quit, we’re just getting started,” Menath said. As founders of a long-established business, the Menath Agency feels strongly about giving back to their community, both in action and resources. “It’s a blessing for us to be able to share our success by supporting the great causes throughout our neighborhoods,” Menath shared. This has become a family tradition as Mike’s son Scott, who runs the Reno office, is on the board of directors of three non-profits.
The stress of identity theft can be overwhelming and time-consuming— both of which can impact an employee for months.
Fraud Protection
Aflac Fraud Protection, powered by EZShield, provides expert services to help monitor and protect personal information.
The Menath Insurance motto can be captured in two words, “We care.” They care if a business succeeds, they care for people and they care that they are doing the right thing for their customers, employees and the community. “Experience is valuable in every aspect of what we do. Yet, it’s when you combine caring with that experience…that’s when you have something truly special to offer. That’s what brings joy to the work we do each and every day,” Menath
Telemedicine
No more trying to fit doctor visits into busy schedules. Now, employees can visit a doctor from the comfort of home (or almost anywhere else!), online or by phone, 24/7. MeMD telemedicine provides enrolled employees and their families with online medical treatment for just $25 per visit.
concluded. Menath Insurance is an independent insurance agency with headquarters in Incline Village, NV and an office in Reno, NV.
We Have the Ideas for Your Next Promotion!
Maintaining good health is essential for living a long and happy life. With on-the-go Personal Wellness, getting fit has never been easier.
Personal Wellness
The Personal Wellness program helps customers develop a healthy lifestyle plan to achieve wellness goals with support from a dedicated online wellness coach.
Want a taste? Call for your free sample. W
Your Source For Business Holiday Gifts www.peterfishburn.espwebsite.com
Call Peter Fishburn for a 12 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
Consultation 775-883-9428
Northern Nevada Regional Office | Kevin Curtis 300 E 2nd St #1320, Reno, NV 89501 Phone: (775) 824-9900
THE UNIVERSITY OF
THE FAST TRACK TO CORPORATE SUCCESS. Competency-based degree programs let you earn an accredited bachelor’s or master’s degree faster. Fly through what you already know to focus on what you still need to learn.
Online. Nonprofit. Surprisingly affordable. Visit nevada.wgu.edu today!
by Diana Hoffman
Nevada is growing rapidly with the infusion of new businesses from entrepreneurial endeavors to major Fortune 500 companies. The need for competent and professional senior management in these companies at the Nevada lo-
This is accomplished in the following manner: •
filled (as well as reviewing the strategic plan to ensure
cations is critical. The availability of such talent is not read-
that the position will meet the goals and objectives of
ily available. The lack of available talent and the old methodology of obtaining such senior positions is making the growth of these companies significantly slower. CZDirectSearch now has an office in northern Nevada and I am the principal in charge for the State of Nevada. We specialize in senior management from the Director level to
Thorough understanding of the position needed to be
the plan) •
Competitive analysis of others in the same industry or space
•
Careful screening of all potential candidates
•
Presentation of qualified candidates
•
Negotiating resulting in a successful hire!
Chief Executive Officer. What differentiates this recruiting
This work culminates in our major deliverable: a successful
firm is that we work with current senior management on
hire and a positive experience. In addition, the agreement
their strategic plan and identifies key elements in both the
between the recruiting firm and the company is unique in
culture of the company and the goals and objectives for
that it is not just on a commission basis (payable up hire)
a two to three year period. Each situation (and company)
but it is on the base salary only, with a 90 day guarantee.
is unique. One-size-fits-all approaches will never help the
The team of experts utilized to obtain this result are for-
business reach its full potential. Custom solutions take ad-
mer senior executives in diverse industries (e.g. past CEOs,
vantage of opportunities that competitors cannot. Both the
senior management, marketers, sales executives and op-
business and its culture are important in completing man-
erations leaders of other similar companies) and therefore
agement positions.
have the company-side experience to know what makes a good candidate.
14 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
As set forth in an earlier article in bizNEVADA on employee
and customers, these sales may be short lived. Also, if this
retention, the retention of current employees is important
same VP does not treat his/her down reports (e.g. sales as-
for the smooth operations of the business and that providing
sociates) with respect or provide support when requested,
a supportive work culture is key to that retention. The best
the sales associate turnover rate will be high. Therefore, the
way to ensure retention is to make sure both the candidate
bottom line is in fact affected by an increase in training costs
and the company are compatible in the business culture.
and other turnover costs to the company as well as a diminution of morale.
While a candidate may have great credentials and skills, their communication levels may be different than the company
The analysis and screening of the company and candidate
wants from their management both in up and down reports.
in this regard is crucial for success. Bringing in an executive
It is one thing to agree on the salary, benefits, and work re-
recruiter who understands how to run a company supports
quirements. It is another to harmonize the manner in which
management’s endeavors, not just filling positions with the
the candidate relates to his/her superiors or down reports.
“hope” of retention and compatibility.
In addition, it is critical how that candidate is communicating with the community at large and/or the industry meetings or
Diana Hoffman brings more than 30 years of experience in
events. How the candidate relates in these external environ-
building businesses and leading them to successful hires at
ments is a reflection on the company. For example, a VP of
CZDirectSearch. She has been a CEO, President, CMO and at-
Sales may be aggressive in communicating at trade shows
torney for many companies and has both national and in-
and while the closing of sales may be significant at the begin-
ternational experience.
ning, if there is no relationship building by the VP to vendors
BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 15
by Tom Wambaugh Banking continues to evolve, from how we access our ac-
established in a branch gives you the opportunity to meet
counts to how we make and process payments. Expecta-
the staff and ask questions. Either way, the following are
tions have also evolved for both personal and business
at least five things you should know and be sure to take
banking. We want easy access, including online and mo-
advantage of when becoming a credit union member.
bile, great service and a banking partner we can trust. For many people, they have found just that and more by joining a credit union.
1. When you’re a member, you’re also an owner of your credit union. As a member, you’ll own a share of your credit union. That share gives you an op-
First, it’s important to understand that virtually everyone is eligible for credit union membership.
portunity to participate in the annual election of the volunteer Board of Directors so that you have a say in your credit union’s future.
Sites such as mycreditunion.gov and ncua.gov provide credit union locator tools to help you start the process.
2. Earnings are returned to member/owners.
From there, you can narrow your selection to find a credit
Credit Unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives,
union that best fits your needs. That could include branch
which means earnings are returned to members in many
locations, types of services offered and product features.
ways, such as fewer or lower fees, better interest rates,
You might also want to ask family and friends that belong
and exclusive services and programs. As an example,
to credit unions for their recommendations.
Greater Nevada Credit Union offers a variety of rewarding checking options for both consumers and businesses. As
Once you select a credit union, setting up your mem-
the title sponsor of Greater Nevada Field, home of Reno
bership and accounts should be easy, whether done in
Aces baseball and Reno 1868 FC soccer, we also provide
branch or online. If you’re new to credit unions, getting
members with game and special event ticket discounts.
16 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
3. There’s easy access to ATMs and branches.
5. Credit Unions are active in their communities.
Many credit unions are part of a shared network, in which
While many financial institutions are legally bound to help
members can receive service at other participating credit
their communities, per the Community Reinvestment Act,
unions. For instance, the CO-OP Network provides Greater
credit unions give back through their philosophy of “people
Nevada Credit Union members access to more than 30,000
helping people.” This includes providing financial education
fee-free ATMs and 5,000 shared credit union branches na-
at local schools and community organizations, support-
tionwide.
ing non-profits that provide local social services, and even scholarships to help students of all ages reach their goals.
4. The service is personal.
Being member-focused re-
Greater Nevada supplements all of that with an active com-
sults in services and products designed to help the people
munity service program, in which every Greater Nevada
who own the credit union. Members who own a small busi-
employee is encouraged to volunteer a few hours a month
ness often find that their credit union will provide a com-
during paid work time.
mercial loan that they couldn’t obtain elsewhere. Or a member struggling to pay bills will often find solutions through
To learn more about joining a credit union, visit mycredi-
their credit union for credit counseling and debt consolida-
tunion.gov or ncua.gov. Or visit gncu.org or any Greater Ne-
tion. Credit union employees get to know their members
vada Credit Union branch. You can also call (775) 882-2060.
and take a proactive approach to serving them. At Greater Nevada Credit Union it’s not unusual for members to re-
Tom Wambaugh is Vice President of Member Services at
ceive calls or other messages requesting feedback or offer-
Greater Nevada Credit Union, the USDA National Lender of
ing ways to improve their banking experiences.
the Year, an SBA Lender of the Year, and the title sponsor of Greater Nevada Field in Reno. For more information visit gncu.org.
MAKING SENSE OF EVERY CENT Brent 5490 Longley Ln., Ste. A Reno, NV 89511
Dan Tel: (775) 337-6001 www. forbushandassociates.biz BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 17
HIDDEN POTENTIAL:
Changing the Conversation
Around Homeless Youth in Nevada by Corrine Casanova It’s difficult to tell the difference between a homeless youth
open on weekends or evenings because of funding. Her
and any other kid walking down the street. According to
push in the next four to six months is to open a 50-bed
Michelle Gehr, executive director of Eddy House, a central
overnight drop in center in downtown Reno for homeless
intake center for homeless youth ages 12-24, they dress
youth ages 12-24. At five p.m. these kids are released back
and talk the same as other kids their age. You don’t realize
on the street. Gehr is hoping to change that with the pro-
these same kids that are skateboarding during the day are
posed 24 hour drop in center.
sleeping back to back in the park at night for safety reasons.
Gehr noted that homeless youth are homeless for different reasons than adults. Data and research shows that the
The Eddy House is a safe haven for homeless youth Mon-
relationship should not be mixed because the older home-
day-Friday between the hours of 9-5. They currently aren’t
less will prey on the younger people. In Reno, less than
18 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
eight percent use the adult shelter citing safety concerns. Currently, homeless youth in Reno sleep in trees, in abandoned buildings, in parks and might cram 14-15 kids into a weekly motel room. Additionally, they are being trafficked and are engaging in survival sex. Gehr shared, “There is no safe space for them at night. One hundred percent of our kids say they are sexually abused or physically assaulted once a week on the street. We have a small window of opportunity. The data shows if you can intervene with homeless youth before the age of 25 they don’t become chronically homeless so we have the potential of the community
The Eddy House Statistics: • • • • • • •
43% have been in the foster system 66% became homeless between the ages of 16-18 50% have no high school diploma or GED 74% are male 34% have given birth or fathered a child 59% have received mental health services 93% are between the ages of 18-24
to lead the way nationally.” In the United States and Canada, nearly one out of five homeless youth are victims of
lack of affordable or low-income housing here. As more
human trafficking, according to a recent study completed
and more parents downsize, some push their older teen
by the University of Pennsylvania and Loyola University.
onto the street. Our community has seen an increase in
Sex trafficking is also a problem in Reno although precise
domestic violence and human trafficking. These kids find
statistics are difficult to gather.
their way to the Eddy House through word of mouth.”
Eddy House has an extensive intake process where anyone
In 2016, Eddy House saw 504 individual kids and had about
entering the facility must complete an extensive 11-page
6,200 interactions with them. Through August 2017, they
intake form. They collect basic demographic information.
have seen 625 individual kids and have had 6,000 interac-
One of the questions they ask is, “Where did you spend last
tions so far. The top three needs of this population is em-
night?” Gehr said, “A lot of times they will respond that they
ployment, housing and food. The U.S. Inter Agency Council
stayed in my house. They don’t have a house. They live on
on Homelessness estimates the cost to a city for one home-
the streets so we really have to drill down because there is
less person to be between $30,000-$50,000 per year.
a shame factor and they view homelessness as a bump in the road. They feel this is just a temporary situation and all
Eddy House doesn’t do traditional case management with
they need is a job and they will get back on their feet which
the kids where they receive a treatment plan and work with
in a lot of cases is true. They all want to work, finish their
case managers. Gehr noted that this doesn’t work with this
high school equivalency or receive their high school diplo-
population. “Everything we do is relationship based. They
ma and be productive members of our community. These
might have never had an adult that they could trust that
kids are non-system kids. From an economic development
wasn’t trying to exploit them so we really focus on the soft
standpoint, they end up on the streets because there is a
skills which you need to have a job. We help them with
Auto-Home-Life-Health Employee Benefits Workers Compensation-Bonds Business Insurance
MENATH INSURANCE HAS BEEN PROTECTING NORTHERN NEVADA’S FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES FOR OVER 30 YEARS. CONTACT US TODAY FOR A COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE REVIEW AND COMPETITIVE QUOTES FROM OUR EXPERT AGENTS.
www.MenathInsurance.com
775-831-3132 BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 19
hand shaking and having a conversation with an adult.
solve it. This is a solvable issue. I like to think of the Eddy
That’s where we start. My staff knows every kid by name.
House as the first stop in a continuum of care so when we
We know their stories. After the soft skills we move into
are able to expand to a facility with 50 beds, we can fill those
care and comfort because if you are hungry and haven’t
beds. Ideally, I’d like a small medical clinic too as these kids
slept in three days, they can come in here and shower, get
go to the emergency room for any medical needs because
snacks, clothing and have a safe place to be. My whole fo-
they have nowhere else to go. And then we have classroom
cus here is to have this psychologically and physically safe.
space and other space and hot food and we have show-
Most of our kids are suffering from PTSD and they are 100
ers and everything they need right there so they can get
percent trauma affected. It was either previous trauma as
some stability and then I need other local organizations to
children or ongoing trauma from living on the street. Just
put up low income or affordable housing so they can tran-
living on the street is traumatic,” said Gehr.
sition out. These kids have untapped potential. When I ask them what they want to be when they grow up they have
The Eddy House has everything from life skills to job skills
the same dreams and desires as others, they want to be
to art therapy, music therapy to individual group counsel-
everything from a marine biologist to astronaut to a doctor
ing. They encourage alternative therapies. In fact, they had
and police officer. They don’t want to be here and have no
a mindfulness group with a licensed marriage family thera-
desire to be associated with the homeless.”
pist there recently. There were 65 hard street youth in class learning to be mindful. More kids wanted to attend but
The Eddy House offers tours for local businesses. There are
there wasn’t enough space. The Eddy House uses a collab-
opportunities for partnering with Eddy House where you
orative model to partner with about 25 agencies. Some of
can teach them skills specific to your business/organiza-
those partners include the Food Bank of Northern Nevada,
tion. Gehr believes the answer to this youth homeless is-
Northern Nevada Literacy Council, TMCC, the Notables for
sue is the community as she estimates it costs Reno about
music therapy, Safe Embrace for domestic violence, Orvis
$10 million a year. Together, Reno could become the na-
School of Nursing, Planned Parenthood and the UNR School
tional model for solving teenage homelessness.
of Social Work. Gehr is continually looking for people that are experts in their field to share their expertise. Behavior is a primary focus of this organization as many of the kids have never seen positive behavior in action. If they’ve never seen it they have no way of duplicating it. All the kids are required to sign a behavior contract when they come in so they are aware of the expectations and the rules. Gehr shared, “I’m probably the only organization that can have 74 street youth in a space of less than 1,000 square feet with no conflict.” Finding employment is a number one priority. There is a basic job skills group where the kids learn where to look for a job, how to assess their skills, how to fill out an application and do an interview. About 140 kids have landed jobs so far this year. The non-profit pushes jobs as the kids are able to make the link between having a job and not being homeless. Gehr concluded, “These kids are high potential. I am not interested in putting a Band-aid on the issue of youth homelessness. I don’t want to manage this problem. I want to 20 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
Get Paid theRight Way
Make Your Money Work Better for You or Your Business Open a New Money Market Account TODAY!
Money Market Account New Accounts Only, Fixed for Six Months
Opening Deposit $1,000 | 1.00% APY Opening Deposit $10,000 | 1.10% APY Opening Deposit $25,000 | 1.25% APY
Don’t Wait –This Offer Ends Soon! 5370 Kietzke Lane Reno, NV 89511 775-321-5400
1101 N. Carson Street Carson City, NV 89701 775-885-1200
mutualofomahabank.com
getpaidright.com | 775.393.9669
APY (annual percentage yield) effective 9-5-17. Please contact a personal banker for further information about applicable fees and terms. Rates subject to change. Minimum opening deposit $1,000, $10,000 or $25,000 for Money Market accounts to obtain disclosed APY. Fixed Premier Money Market account is effective for six months after account opening. After six months, your account will convert to a variable-rate Premier Money Market account. At that time, the interest rate and APY will be a variable rate and may change. Your interest rate and APY will be based on the balance in your account. Minimum collected balance of $1,000 required to obtain disclosed APY. Maximum collected balance to obtain the disclosed APY is $10,000,000. Fees could reduce earnings. New money only (money not currently held by Mutual of Omaha Bank). 294500_MM Member FDIC
OCT. / NOV. 2017
RENO+SPARKS CHAMBER OCTOBER 18 4:45-7:30PM Accelerated Networking Three Ways to Grow Your Team Cheri Hill Hidden Valley Country Club OCTOBER 19 4-5PM Ribbon Cut: Plaza Resort Club Plaza Resort Club OCTOBER 20 6-8PM Lead Dog Brewing Beer Dinner Toiyabe Golf Club OCTOBER 24 5:30-6:30PM Travel Presentation: Peru, Portugal, Scotland & Tuscany Reno+Sparks Chamber of Commerce OCTOBER 25 10AM-3PM Northern Nevada Business Summit featuring Taste of Nevada Reno Ballroom NOVEMBER 14 5:30-7PM Connect90 Nothing to it Culinary Center
NCET OCTOBER 25 11AM-1PM Biz Bite The Introvert Revolution: Valuing Diverse Personalities Mikalee Byerman Atlantis Casino Resort Spa NOVEMBER 2 11AM-1:30PM 2nd Annual State of Digital Marketing Atlantis Casino Resort Spa
22 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
NOVEMBER 8 5:30-7:30PM Tech Wednesday
REMSA Remsa NOVEMBER 15 11AM-1PM Biz Bite: Kylie Rowe Atlantis Casino Resort Spa
WIN OCTOBER 26
7-9AM WIN Breakfast Meeting
Laugh to Win; Negotiating Life with Humor Karyn Ruth White Atlantis Casino Resort Spa CARSON CHAMBER OCTOBER 18-19 Times vary Carson City Leadership Institute Kick Off Carson City Chamber of Commerce OCTOBER 18 5-7PM Dark Side of the Moon Mixer Jack C. Davis Observatory
NOVEMBER 9 Chamber Soup’s On Luncheon 11:30AM-1PM Gold Dust West NOVEMBER 9 8AM-5PM Carson City Leadership Institute Carson City Chamber of Commerce
CARSON VALLEY CHAMBER OCTOBER 18 11:45AM-1PM General Membership Luncheon
Corley Ranch
OTHER EVENTS
OCTOBER 31 5-9PM Genoa Halloween Party and Hay Ride Historic Downtown Genoa NOVEMBER 4 6-10PM Community Recognition Awards Gala Carson Valley Inn
OCTOBER 19
NOVEMBER 14 4-5PM Chamber Ambassador Committee Meeting Cultural Center & Museum NOVEMBER 15 7AM-8:45AM Carson Valley & NNDA Annual Joint Breakfast Meeting Carson Valley Inn
ONE MILLION CUPS EVERY WEDNESDAY
9:00AM Swill Coffee and Wine 3366 Lakeside Court, Reno
BNI MEETINGS TUESDAY 7AM Mimi’s Café BizClub Zero Swill Coffee Napa Sonoma South
5:30-7:30PM Young Professionals Network Raise the Bar Networking Mixer Impossible’s Magic Shop & Theatre, 780 Smithridge Drive, Suite 450
NOVEMBER 10, 11 AND 12 Reno Startup Weekend Techstars Startup Programs Greater Nevada Field
NOVEMBER 15 2-4PM Biz Café Conscious Capitalism Rancharrah Pavilion
NOVEMBER 16 5:30-8:30PM The Silver Spikes Award The Grove
NOVEMBER 17 9AM-4:30PM Sierra Sales Summit Professional Saleswomen of Nevada Atlantis Casino Resort Spa
NOVEMBER 17 5:30-7:30PM 20 Under 40 Awards Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel For more complete and up-to-date calendar information, visit www. bizNEVADA.com/events
WEDNESDAY 7AM Napa Sonoma South Meadowood Courtyard
WEDNESDAY NOON Wildcreek Golf Course Famous Dave’s Reno/Sparks Association of Realtors
THURSDAY 7AM Swill Coffee Lakeridge 19th Hole The Plaza Hotel, Carson City Mimi’s Café Napa Sonoma South BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 23
GALLUP RESULTS SHOW WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY LEADS WAY
IN HELPING GRADUATES ACHIEVE GOALS by Western Governors University (WGU) When selecting a university, students select the best choice to achieve their goals—especially in regard to careers upon graduation. WGU graduates credit their alma mater with
According to the Gallup study: •
uated within the last five years—81 percent—outdis-
providing better experiences and overall value than the national average, placing large emphasis on the quality of a competency-based education model in which WGU Nevada excels. Gallup released the results of this study that compares the satisfaction and overall well-being of WGU graduates with
tances the national average of 74 percent. • •
university. “WGU graduates are twice as likely than other college graduates to say they had a mentor who encouraged their goals and dreams,” said Brandon Busteed, Gallup’s Executive Director, Education and Workforce Development. “Given that Gallup has found this to be the single strongest element linked to long-term success in career and life, it’s a hugely positive outcome. It’s not about simply having an advisor who provides course selection tips. WGU graduates are being inspired and encouraged around their life goals and dreams.
24 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
WGU graduates said their experience was worth the cost—73 percent compared to 38 percent.
•
WGU alumni are nearly twice as likely as graduates of other institutions to be thriving in all five elements of well-being—purpose, social, financial, community, and
the third year, the results demonstrate that WGU gradugaged at work and have an emotional attachment to the
WGU Graduates are more likely to be engaged employees—15 percent higher than the national average.
graduates from other institutions in the United States. For ates are more likely to have the jobs they want, feel en-
The employment rate for WGU alumni who have grad-
physical. •
WGU alumni are almost twice as likely to be emotionally attached to their university than alumni from other universities—demonstrating that personal connections are possible in distance learning.
“WGU Nevada excels at preparing its students for life outside of college following graduation,” said Chancellor Spencer Stewart of WGU Nevada. “We’re passionate about the long-term success of our students, and they’re passionate about the long-term success of the communities in which they live and work.”
The survey, which included 2,700 WGU graduates, compared
WGU is a private, non-profit, online university based in Salt
the WGU responses to the national data included in the Gal-
Lake City, UT. Go to wgu.edu for more information.
lup-Purdue Index. Gallup and Purdue developed the index to examine the long-term success of graduates as they pursue a good job and a better life. The index provides insight into the relationship between the college experience and whether college graduates have great jobs and great lives. WGU Nevada offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high-demand career fields of business, K–12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on
WGU Nevada’s graduation was held Saturday, May 20, at The Smith Center where
Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). A non-profit university,
they honored over 400 graduates. The grad speakers were alumni Logan McDan-
WGU Nevada is dedicated to offering affordable education to all—including those who do not have access to a standard brick and mortar establishment seeing as the WGU model is strictly online. In addition to WGU Nevada, there are five other WGU state-based, state-endorsed universities: WGU Indiana, established in June 2010; WGU Washington, established in April 2011; WGU Texas, established in August 2011; WGU Missouri, established in February 2013; and WGU Tennessee, established in July 2013.
iel, Samantha Brady, Cae Swanger and Carrie Brown. The photographed Board Members include Todd Sklamberg, Debbie Fowler, George Ann Rice, Sandy Colón-Peltyn
How WomenLeaders Can Define Their Own Metric for Success by Joelle Jay You can make great strides in your career by understand-
The perfect performance environment would be a true
ing the advantages of exceptional performance and how to
meritocracy—a system in which people chosen to advance
make that performance count. Performance is the degree
were selected on the basis of their ability. Performance is
to which you do your job well. Your performance is mea-
certainly not the metric from which people are evaluated,
sured by your results, using whatever outcomes matter
but it is the most important. Performance is a clear indica-
most in your organization and your role in the organiza-
tor of success and understanding when to deliver peak per-
tion.
formance and showcasing it appropriately cornerstones a place for a successful career.
Leaders strive to have meaningful results. They want to know their efforts will make a positive impact on their ca-
Leaders can lose sight of this when they forget to prioritize
reers, whether that means building their reputation, get-
and advocate for their own good performance for several
ting new opportunities, or being rewarded for their good
reasons. For instance, performance measures may not be
work. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee. Corporate life
clear in your organization, or maybe you’re the one who is
is more complex than that.
not entirely clear on those measures. Clarifying those priorities can make identifying your performance more obvious
Many company leaders believe that their performance will
and directed. You can also become focused on the wrong
count for everything; however, in complicated and chang-
thing–the next job, office politics, or the fire drill of the mo-
ing organizations, it doesn’t. When it comes time for career
ment, instead of your results. In addition, you can neglect
advancement, you cannot always control what happens to
to track changes in your performance measures overtime.
you or believe that your performance will count for every-
Your performance measure changes as your jobs change
thing. But, you can take steps to ensure that good things
throughout your career. Be sure you are staying current.
do happen and allow your performance to be the foundation for that success.
A final and potentially disastrous mistake is forgetting to identify, communicate and improve your results. You
Performance becomes a dilemma for women when it
don’t have to overdo it, but you do have to own your per-
doesn’t seem to count the way it should—you do your best,
formance. No one else will do it for you. You secure your
get great feedback, and nothing happens. Research shows
performance by getting clear on the metrics that matter
that women, much more than men, must have proven ac-
your role—tracking the changes in those measures as your
complishments before their talent is recognized.
career progresses—and continuing to track your results.
26 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
By doing this, you can reap the benefits of a job well
SIERRA SALES SUMMIT
done. Typical benefits of good performance are pretty straightforward: salary, benefits and bonuses. Beyond that, additional and less concrete rewards become available such as confidence, marketability, promotability, career choice and fulfillment. If you show yourself to be a talented leader—and a future leader—of your company, you can start gathering the experiences now that you will need to succeed in the future. Then, you won’t just be promotable, you will be prepared. Joelle K. Jay, PhD, is a principal with the Leadership Research Institute and an executive coach specializing in leadership development. Joelle works with presidents, vice presidents, and C-level executives in Fortune 500 companies, and is the author of The New Advantage: How Women In Leadership Can Create Win-Wins For Their Companies and Themselves and The Inner Edge: The 10 Practices of Personal Leadership.
Want to learn more about how to take ownership of your performance while protecting your quality of life? Joelle K. Jay will speak on this topic and more as the keynote speaker at the 2017 Sierra Sales Summit. The Summit will feature a full day of sales education from top-notch speakers on leadership, personal branding, social selling, connected communication, content marketing, professional style and a special session for business owners on financing. Attendees will receive breakfast and lunch, networking opportunities and a workbook of resources. The Summit is scheduled for November 17 at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. Buy your tickets today at sierrasalessummit2017.eventbrite.com.
When: Friday, Nov. 17; 9AM-4:30PM, bonus breakfast session for managers from 8-9AM Where: Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, 3800 S Virginia St, Reno, NV 89502 About the event: The Sierra Sales Summit is Northern Nevada’s only sales and marketing training event featuring a full day of sales education from thought provoking speakers. Produced by the Professional Saleswomen of Nevada (PSN) this day of workshops and sessions will help sales professionals and business owners grow their skills and knowledge. Engage with topics such as leadership, reputation management, social media selling, connected communication, content marketing, financing and professional style. This event is a must-attend for every person who needs sales training to be successful at their job—so, everyone! Speakers/Topics: • Getting an Edge, the 10 Practices of Personal Leadership, by Joelle Jay, an executive coach, speaker and author • What Do You Stand for? Position Yourself and Your Ideas in The Marketplace, by Tracy Benelli, founder of The Relevant You • How to Care About What You Wear When Business Casual Doesn’t Work, by Kathleen Audet, owner of Your Authentic Image • Establish Better Credit and Get Leverage to Make More Sales, by Julie Macc, a credit expert • Use Social Media to Promote Your Brand and Grow Relationships, by Jennifer Darling, professional speaker, trainer and consultant • Learn the Secret to Connected Communication, by Shari Pheasant, an award-winning business specialist and founder and CEO of Horse Power Strategies • Position Yourself as An Expert with Content and Get More Leads, Annie Flanzraich, award-winning writer, editor and owner of Flanz Writes • **Bonus Breakfast Session for Managers: Attracting, Retaining and Growing Great Sales Talent, by Alice Heiman, national sales expert, and PSN past president Attendee benefits: • A full day of learning • Breakfast and lunch • Networking and sales training • Workbook of resources to take home Sponsorship: Set your organization up for success with an event sponsorship. Each sponsorship includes tickets to the event and promotional benefits. For more information, please call your PSN contact or Diana Provost, Summit Chair, 775-722-9288, or email psnpresident@gmail.com. Cost: $109 for PSN members before Oct. 17, $119 for general admission before Oct. 17, $775 for a table of 6 with reserved seating and company logo Tickets: sierrasalessummit2017.eventbrite.com
BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 27
BOOK
Review By Eric L. Miller
Book Review: Women Artists as Entrepreneurs One of the stars of the book is the Great Basin itself, a landscape replete with a unique geography and a smorgasbord of cultures that occupy its cities and towns. A region much maligned and dismissed as a barren wasteland, the Great Basin comes across in this book as a powerful creative generator for a wide variety of woman artists who work in and on the land, and are inspired by its playas. Forged in a hotbed of searing creativity, readers of this book will come to see these women as visionaries, creating their own pathways to success, always defining and redefining
Women Artists of the Great Basin Text by Mary Lee Fulkerson Photographs by Susan E. Mantle University of Nevada Press, $49.95, 216 pages
what it means to be a working artist. Veteran authors Fulkerson and Mantle logged in thousands of miles from their base in Reno to visit these artists in their homes and studios. Actually visiting with the artists helped them to gain a deeper understanding of who these artists were, what
Making a living as an artist has never been easy. Couple
their art was all about, and how they went about creating it.
this hardcore reality with being a woman artist and things become even more complicated and interesting. This
We are introduced to 32 different art-
new book is a series of compelling portraits set around
ists who work in a diverse set of me-
dynamic women artists from across the region, those
dia, from sculptors, painters and fabric
who actually made it work. This is a lively illustrated
workers, to glass blowers and stone
chronicle and a candid look inside the lives of some of
workers. Diversity is the key word here.
the most creative and fascinating women on the planet.
Carola Nan Roach is a world-renowned
28 • ISSUE 5 • NOVEMBER 2017
artist in Reno who overcame poverty and homelessness
of these artists, who are spread across the four corners of
as a child to own two homes and a 10-acre property. She
the Great Basin. The art comes from each artist’s lived ex-
works with what she calls “the crazy alchemy of glass.”
periences and this is what makes it so powerful. The range
Through a combination of discipline and raw inspiration,
of artists represented for the book in the Great Basin region
she expertly forms molten glass into lyrical forms. Danaë
was clearly not meant to be comprehensive. Surely there are
Bennett-Miller from Oregon prevailed over divorce and
male artists, and other women doing highly original work
a catastrophic horseback riding accident to find her pas-
across this vast region. What is so compelling are the striking
sion and success as an innovative sculpture artist in wax.
biographies of the women profiled, and how they circumvented economic and domestic adver-
She creates distinctive public sculptures of animals and other
wildlife.
sity, overcame sexism and transcended
Kay
their roles as wives, mothers, sisters,
Minto from Eagleville,
and friends to create lasting and spec-
CA bounced back from
tacular artworks and forge meaningful
having
careers for themselves in the art world.
breast
can-
cer and used her art as a source of heal-
Eric L. Miller is a writer and market-
ing and regeneration
ing consultant based in Reno, NV. You
to become a pioneer in industrial arts. She developed
can contact him at eric@3ibooks.com.
a novel form of welding using lava rock and aluminum. Mary Lee Fulkerson wrote the text and is a Great Basin artist in her own right. She is author of Weavers of Tradition
and Beauty: Basketmakers of the Great Basin (1995) with Kathleen Curtis, one of the artists profiled in this book. She writes with an insightful and colorful style rendering the life story of each artist and their various modes of work. The photographs of Susan E. Mantle expertly catch the spirit of artists at work, displaying their art works, and putting the entire thing in context with stunning visual representation. There is a striking variety and richness to the work and lives
2 DAY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM For Managers, Supervisors and Key Employees
October 24 & 25 - RENO Call (775) 337-1600 Full Program Description at: LeadershipTrainingReno.com BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 29
334-INFO (4636) | Reno.Gov/Reno150 | #BelieveReno
Top Digital Marketing Firm Now In Reno
WHAT DRIVES YOU
IS WHAT DRIVES US.
RSO Has Joined Forces In Nevada. RSO Consulting is a top digital marketing agency that has helped businesses worldwide achieve online success for over 10 years. Top firm in San Francisco and a Google Premier Partner. Specializing In: • search engine optimization • paid search advertising • social media optimization • web analytics consulting • email marketing • marketing consulting GET A FREE CONSULTATION CALL NOW: 707-320-2507
Your passion fuels your success. And we’re as dedicated to you as you are to your business. MassMutual will listen to your needs, seek solutions to your financial challenges and help you plan for what’s ahead. Brian D. Wheeler MassMutual Boulder Basin 9590 Prototype Ct., Suite 400 Reno, NV 89521 775-870-1552 Brianwheeler@financialguide.com
BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING + KEY EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND EXECUTIVE BENEFITS PRODUCTS +RETIREMENT/401(K) PLAN SERVICES
MassMutual Financial Group refers to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (MassMutual), its affiliated companies and sales representatives. Local sales agencies are not subsidiaries of MassMutual or its affiliated companies. CRN201809-186028
5
0
c
Preparing your business for what’s next.
We can help you with your business plan. With Wells Fargo small business resources, you’ll have access to: • Business plan resources at wellsfargoworks.com that includes educational resources, a business plan tool to develop or enhance your business plan, and the competitive intelligence tool that lets you keep track of the competition. • Information and support from a banker in your community. • Innovative products, services, and programs. Stop by and speak to a local banker today, or go to wellsfargo.com/appointments to schedule an appointment at a time that’s most convenient for you. Wells Fargo Center • 5340 Kietzke Lane • 775-689-6333
© 2017 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. IHA-21345