Lift Speaks

Two Business Owners. Two Countries. Two Cultures . . . using technology to create hope, learning and job opportunities.   Two LIFT Office members, Keith Thode, AdvanceNet Labs, based in Grapevine, Texas and Jamshid Sultanzda, PomTech IT, based in Herat, Afghanistan, have formed a partnership which solves problems on both sides of the ocean.   In the US, Keith gets a quick turnaround on a big educational project.  In Afghanistan, Jamshid is creating jobs for men and women in a war-torn country. Both men are using technology to solve problems, improve lives, and in the process, create a good exchange.   In today’s episode on LIFT Speaks, you’ll learn how a good business transaction is also helping a lot of people along the way.

Brett lives outside the box both personally and professionally.  As owner/operator of Printed Threads, Brett is willing to question the status quo and be intentional about finding the right balance between business and living a full life.   In an open and authentic conversation, Brett shares some of the joys of taking risk and hardships of choices in his journey.   A Few Questions with Brett   I started my business because . . . well, I hated my job.  I’m not sure that is a good reason in retrospect, but it worked out!   The biggest surprise for me as a business owner is . . . how many strange challenges come up every day.   My advice to people considering starting a business is . . . get a business coach.  You need people around you who understand what you are going through.   My older self would coach my younger self to . . . wait, am I an older self?

Lisa Harrington is a coach with Vistage,  an executive coaching company. She spent many years as a COO, CMO, and CEO before deciding to take the leap and start her own business. After years serving at the C-level, she decided to get back to her true calling which is strategic consulting and helping businesses to grow.   Lisa helps her clients understand the human equation. Whether at home or at work, people bring their whole personality, and the acknowledgment of our humanity in our day-to-day work makes a difference for people.   Sometimes there is too much focus on the business and not enough on the person - their personality and their natural talents. Lisa believes if you are using your natural talent every day and you’re doing something that brings you joy, you never work a day in your life.

Are you curious how to select the best location for your growing business?  As a startup, have you considered why it’s important to start and grow your new company in the same city?  Besides location, what are other factors in choosing the best location for your business?   If you are looking to start, move or grow your business, and are considering what is the best location for you and your employees, you’ll enjoy learning from Bob Farley, Economic Development Director for Grapevine, Texas.   Bob Farley has had a long, and successful career in Real Estate Development.   Early in his career, Bob served in the public sector for the State of Texas as Senior Staff in charge of economic development for Texas Governor Bill Clements. He has also served as Chief Development Officer for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.   Bob then moved into the private sector and spent the next 25+ years working with large corporations conducting site selections and leading strategic plans for evaluating and entering new markets.

Mark Delgado has been an entrepreneur since his college days at TCU.  Looking for a way to make extra money to cover college expenses, Mark and his buddy saw a niche in the market and started Frog Savers – a coupon book for local businesses in the TCU area.   After graduating, he cut his business teeth in the corporate world before starting his own business.  He owned and operated an insulation company. When the crash of 2008 happened, like many people in the construction-related business world, he slowly watched his business dissolve and went through the “gut-wrenching” experience of having to let great employees go.   The crash was a watershed moment for Mark. Since 2008, Mark decided he would always have more than one type of income stream. He currently runs his main business, a roofing company, and has several side hustles.   If you think that Mark’s side hustles interfere with his main working gig, you are wrong.  Referrals are his main source of generating new business. He puts customer care at the top

In 2009, Anthony John Amyx, Business Coach, put down his guitar to stop touring as a professional musician and decided to build a personal brand known as the #TwitterRockstar, where he trained over 10,000 people on how to use Twitter to generate leads and sales.   Along the way, he has been featured on CNN, BusinessInsider, CreativeLive and is a mentor to several of Forbes Top Social Media Influencers.   Today, AJ teaches entrepreneurs in the creative industries there is a way of living that defies the status quo and mediocrity. He wants them to know it is possible to thrive in the modern-day marketplace.     I started my business because . . .  I wanted freedom. I wanted to be able to work from anywhere in the world using a laptop and internet connection.   The thing I enjoy most about my business is . . .  seeing the positive impact it has on humanity. I see the impact it has on my clients and their families.   The biggest surprise for me as a business owner is . . .  my results are not solely driven by the

Joel Widmer, Founder & CEO of Fluxe Digital Marketing, is a highly sought-after content marketing guru. He recognizes that every business owner brings unique experiences and a perspective that will resonate with their audience. He gets results by taking his client’s expertise and voice and getting it in front of the right people – time and time again.  The impact is lead development and revenue generation.   Do people read your content, but never take action?   Joel is teaming up with the LIFT Office to host a hands-on, half-day workshop designed to help small business owners and marketers master their content marketing strategy. You'll gain the insights and understanding you need to plan and execute a marketing strategy that generates more quality leads for your business.   This workshop will teach you how to get out of the content friend zone and build real connections with your readers (Just like you do offline).   In today’s podcast, Joel shares two of his recent success stories and who would benefit

Fanny Dunagan, Co-Founder PathLynks, learned to lean into the discomfort of change and discover work she loves. What started as a volunteer opportunity to coordinate job training, turned into a business connecting job seekers with job opportunities, and helping them forge the change they want to create.   Today, Fanny’s work continues to evolve.  She is now focusing purely on video marketing and content creation for small and medium size businesses and experienced professionals.  Hear Fanny share her journey from corporate career to stay-at-home mom to entrepreneur and her three tips to get unstuck and find the work you desire.

George Lynch, CEO Traffic 911, has experienced the ups and downs of life, and has created a bigger, more impactful life in the process.  In an open and honest conversation, George shares his experience of leaving the corporate world after receiving his pink slip and pushing forward to find a new sweet spot of purpose-filled work.     In the words of George, “I’m glad to have those little dips in life. You can’t surf in a flat tub of water. You got to have a wave.”     In my current position I am responsible for . . . serving and empowering front line employees and volunteers to serve the most vulnerable in our communities — child sex trafficking    victims. In 2019, Traffick911 is being asked to expand by the Governor’s office. I will be entirely focused on Traffic 911 duties and supporting additional counties in Texas.   The thing I enjoy most about my work is . . . seeing the 30,000-foot view of big change.   The biggest surprise for me in the non-profit world is . . . collaboration is EVEN more import

Betty Mutai is a woman on a mission.  She is a forward thinker, looking for ways to impact people groups in positive ways.  She works for TEAM and she’s getting her master’s in political science. She not only thinks about big ideas, but she’s active in making her dreams come true.   In my current position I am responsible for…. making sure our constituents’ donors’ issues and questions are resolved.   The thing I enjoy most about my work is…. when I finally get to the bottom of a complicated issue and deliver a satisfactory solution.   The Biggest surprise foe me as businesswoman is … the level of patience required when your intuition tells you one thing, but there isn’t enough data to justify.   One Question people should ask me is… how to overcome the fear of public speaking.   My older self would coach my younger self….to not take life too seriously.     One thing I wish I knew when I was younger is… that sometimes life doesn’t always go in the direction you plan but nevertheless, persistence is key!

Andrew Kussmaul, lawyer, doesn’t mind doing the dirty work. While he was a working at a law firm in Dallas, he started a business on the weekends for the sole purpose of learning what it was like to be an entrepreneur, to manage the books, hire employees, and work on weekends until the job was done.  Today, Andrew uses his knowledge and experience to help guide and support his business clients through his law practice. I started my business because . . . I wanted to combine my business and legal experience to help entrepreneurs with issues they might not always see or think about. The thing I enjoy most about my business is . . . knowing that the services I provide help entrepreneurs achieve their dream in one way or another. The biggest surprise for me as a business owner is . . . how a small amount of effort each day can produce big results.   One question people should ask me is . . . what legal structure should my business be in order to help me attract investors and grow. My older self would coach my

Martin Rojas is founder of Alas de Dios, Wings of God, and President of US Roast, Coffee with a Cause.  Energetic. Adventuresome. Generous. Martin has experienced the adventure of saying “yes.” Martin’s “yes” started with a last-minute trip to the jungles of Nicaragua and over a 10-year period, has led to starting a school for children who live on the trash dumps. And, oh yes, in the middle of all this, he has started a coffee plantation to support this work . . . which led to a “yes” to being President of US Roast.  It’s a “you just can make this stuff up” type of story.   I started the non-profit, Alas de Dios, because . . . we were given this amazing land to steward and we felt that we needed to affect children’s lives, not just two or three times per year when we could visit them in the jungle, but every single day through a school where we could feed them physically, spiritually, and mentally.   The thing I find most rewarding is . . . watching the kids grow up and knowing that their minds, hearts, souls

Welcome to the LIFT Office and our twenty-fourth episode of LIFT Speaks, stories of what people do and their impact on the world. Today we are visiting with, Ryan Wilkerson, RevGrow. Ryan looks for the "why" in his work and finds joy in supporting his clients and helping their businesses grow.

Chuck Finney, Finney Media, can tell a story that will stop you dead in your tracks.  He’s a master at understanding how to capture the attention of people who are distracted, busy or hurting. After many years of experience in radio, Chuck took the leap and started his own company helping businesses hone, communicate and deliver their message. I started my business because . . . prayer. It's what I was made to do. And when I was laid off in 2009, it felt like that was the right time to get moving. It sure was.The thing I enjoy most about my business is . . . the people. Our friends and clients who work in communicating uplifting, encouraging music and messages. And the team I'm blessed to work with. LOVE the collaboration.The biggest surprise for me as a business owner is . . . how much I enjoy it. I would not have guessed that. I loved my work under others, but I love this so much more.My advice to others considering starting a business is . . . Ask a lot of questions of successful, prayerful people. Look fo

Tracy Levinson, first-time author, is a bull-dog when it comes to prioritizing.   As a self-published author, Tracy did her research, designed her book launch strategy, unwaveringly executed, and achieved her goal as a best-selling author on Amazon – not in one category – but in 5 different categories.    Join us on LIFT Speaks and learn the secret of successfully launching a book on Amazon.   

Jarvis Boyd took the leap from corporate guy to owner/operator of a Chick-Fil-A restaurant in Grapevine, Texas.  He believes in the corporate vision, and he has created actionable steps to support it. Jarvis is intentional about personally living out the vision and creating a team that executes on the vision.  It takes focus, commitment, energy and time. But, for Jarvis, it’s core to how he wants to live his life – to have positive impact on his community.   I started my business because . . . I wanted to make an impact on my community and partner with an iconic brand. The thing I enjoy most about my business is . . . meeting and connecting with new people. The biggest surprise for me as a business owner is . . . how extremely important it is to plan out my time because of the many daily demands.   One question people should ask me is . . . why Chick-fil-A? My older self would coach my younger self to . . . to take advantage of every moment to connect with and learn from as many people as I could. One thing I

Shane Bender has a plethora of experience in the accounting world. As a CPA, he spent over 15 years in the corporate world, and then moved to a digital startup company as their controller until they were acquired. He’s worked as a CFO for a variety of small businesses. He understands how to evaluate a business and forecast for a profitable future.     I started my business because . . .  I wanted to make a larger difference helping small businesses be successful in a more direct and impactful way. The thing I enjoy most about my business is . . . that I learn so much and get to work with various types and sizes of businesses. I have freedom to build a business that adds value in areas of my strengths. The biggest surprise for me as a business person is . . . that you never know when and where new business will come. I have had business come from different contacts and take varying amounts of time to acquire.  We just need to keep planting seeds and leave the timing to God. One question people should as

When Ponce Duran III graduated from university, the 2008 recession had just hit in full force. Ponce felt blessed to get a job working for a Dallas Congressman, Pete Sessions.  One requirement of this job was to join seven Chambers. Seven. Ponce not only grew to love the work, he also rode the digital tidal wave, using a variety of platforms for branding, marketing and communications. Hear what it takes to create an award-winning program as the Director of Communications for the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce. In my current position I am responsible for . . . Marketing and Communications for the Grapevine Chamber as a whole – Social Media, Websites, Graphic Design, SEO, Content Creation, Photos, Video, Email Marketing, Strategy, Technology and Database. The thing I enjoy most about my work is . . . Exploring new technologies while promoting the business community. The biggest surprise for me as a businessman is . . . That many people don’t know they have to innovate and adapt or become obsolete. One question p

Erica Davis-Frimpong, owner/operator of Annie Admin, had her life planned, and it didn’t include running her own business.  However, after years in the big banking world, Erica took the leap and started her own business . . . and it’s flourishing. Thoughtful.  Energetic. Driven.  Purposeful. Erica has found her pace and her place in the entrepreneurial world.  Learn from her honest and raw stories about the decision process, the leap, and the unadulterated truth about the beauty and the pain of starting and running your own business.

Welcome to the LIFT Office and our seventeenth episode of LIFT Speaks, stories of what people do and their impact on the world. Today we are visiting with, Christina Cates, Community Manager at the LIFT Office. Christina finds great joy in creating community and connections that last. She's smart, has a big, generous laugh, and she loves to celebrate birthdays with cake!   In my current position, I am responsible for . . . making sure the toilet paper never runs out because we all know what happens when it does.   The thing I enjoy most about my work is . . . rising to the challenges that come up daily. They give me the opportunity to further sharpen who I am and who I want to become.   The biggest surprise for me as a business woman is . . . being an adult. My childhood punishments of going to bed early, not leaving my house, and taking naps are my adult goals.   One question people should ask me is . . . anything about Myers Briggs or Enneagram. I’m very unhealthily obsessed with these personality theories.