This is a collection of short interviews and education from local business owners with amazing insights into today’s challenges. Coaches Mark McNulty (MM) and Sandy Merritt (SM) virtually sit down with business owners to learn how they are working through these unusual times, and their current challenges and successes. Check out their inspiring stories for business tips and general wisdom.
Be sure to visit the companies’ websites. Reach out to those who offer services you can use. Let’s support each other!
Featured in this edition:
- Everyday Athletes – Brad Longazel
- Diversified Nurse Consultants – Tracy Diers
- Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities -Betsy Johnson
- Mixed Nation -Luke Whitehead
- Farley Printing – Bud Farley
- Breakout Creative – Robert Hatfield
- Changes Hair Salon – Deana Sehlinger
- S.E.C. Custom Computers – Benny Foster
- Waterfront Botanical Gardens – Kasey Maier
- Peggy’s Place Adult Life Center – Tracy Diers
Everyday Athletes, Brad Longazel
MM: Tell us about your business.
BL: My business partner and I started providing personal training services in college. Over the years, we built up a corporate fitness training practice before opening our own gym eight years ago. We have expanded the square footage tenfold since then. We help clients become more fit and trim, and help athletes such as powerlifters increase their level of achievement.
MM: Who is your target customer?
BL: We help many people who are behind the 8-ball on taking care of their weight needs. We are an excellent fit for those looking for a gym with specialized equipment to help them meet their goals. Specifically, we see a lot of people between 20 and 40 years old, but we can help anyone.
MM: What has been the greatest impact of COVID-19 on your business?
BL: We have less space available for use. We can’t have as many people in our gym as usual. We even had to close for two months.
MM: What are one or two actions you’ve taken to make a difference?
BL: We added 24-hour access about a year and a half ago, and people have been coming in to work out that way. In fact, people have been hearing about it through word of mouth, which is always a great way for people to find out about your company and its services. We’ve worked hard to meet our clients’ needs in this new environment.
MM: What is a mistake you’ve made along the way that other people can learn from?
BL: Don’t follow a trend without assessing if it’s a good fit for your business. Just because it’s working for someone else doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you.
MM: What is inspiring to you today?
BL: The opportunity to step out of my shell and be an active leader inspires me. I enjoy helping my staff grow rather than just focusing on dollars.
OFFER: Receive a free day pass when you mention ActionCOACH.
How to Reach Us:
Everyday Athletes
2001 Production Dr. Unit 6
Louisville, KY 40299
(502) 275-0543
Waterfront Botanical Gardens, Kasey Maier
MM: Tell us about your business.
KM: Waterfront Botanical Gardens is a popular destination for people who want to explore the relationship between plant life and a healthy environment. Built on the site of a former landfill, the organization is becoming a world-class botanical garden. A non-profit, Waterfront Botanical Gardens provides everyone, people young and old, opportunities to appreciate and experience nature. I helped grow it from an idea to an expanding place of beauty and discovery.
MM: Who is your target customer?
KM: We have a variety of donors. Some are young, and some old. These days, you have to reach people in different ways. Some want us to call them, while others want us to email them or mail them information. The young ones are always very conscious of environmental sustainability. We have guests from all walks of life.
MM: What has been the greatest impact of COVID-19 on your business?
KM: The pandemic mostly shut down our programs. Our rental space went unused. Earned income was way down, while donations also decreased. We received some much-needed donations in December, but until then, we were hurting. We’re doing our best to crawl back up the hill.
MM: What are one or two actions you’ve taken to make a difference?
KM: We have focused on serving smaller groups. We provide an elopement package for small weddings now. We are working to monetize our services where possible. We’re also utilizing virtual capabilities as well. For example, we give virtual tours of our gardens, and people love them. In the fall, we had a hybrid version of our gala. Part of it was in person and part was online. Also, in terms of our business, we have another building under construction, and part of one of our new projects is in the design stage.
MM: What is a mistake you’ve made along the way that other people can learn from?
KM: Don’t burn a bridge, no matter who you’re dealing with in life. You never know who you are talking to. Everyone is connected. Be sure to do good, and be as nice as possible because your actions will ripple out. Even if you’re firing someone who deserves it, be as nice as possible.
MM: What is inspiring to you today?
KM: The opportunity to make a difference inspires me. No one will remember the work I did in banking and finance. Now, I’m working on something meaningful. Seeing older people and little kids come and enjoy our gardens as they grow motivates me.
How to Reach Us:
Waterfront Botanical Gardens
1435 Frankfort Ave.
Louisville, KY 40206
(502) 276-5404
S.E.C. Custom Computers, Benny Foster
MM: Tell us about your business.
BF: S.E.C. Custom Computers has been in business for more than 30 years. The company offers network support and maintenance, PC and notebook repairs, and new computer sales and upgrades. S.E.C. customers often have a couple computers at home or a few hundred computers at the office. The company is happy to help and advise you when it comes to any computer problem big or small.
MM: Who is your target customer?
BF: Everyone who uses computers is a target customer. We serve higher education, local government, and small-to-and-medium-sized businesses.
MM: What has been the greatest impact of COVID-19 on your business?
BF: We have slower sales on the corporate side, but even in a typical year, we see slowdowns and pickups at various times. Consumer sales have decreased less. Local sports teams have shut down. The biggest impact is that we are disconnected from our customers due to changes in regulations.
MM: What are one or two actions you’ve taken to make a difference?
BF: Initially, we were very busy setting up VPNs and other technology to enable people to work from home. We followed the required health protocols. We have talked with leaders of different industries to brainstorm and adapt. For 2021, we have set the same goals as usual. Hopefully, we will get back to normal this year.
MM: What is a mistake you’ve made along the way that other people can learn from?
BF: The customer has the answers. You don’t. They have a need, and it’s your job to fill that need. Since we’re in the technology business, we have to stay up with technology and adapt to stay successful.
MM: What is inspiring to you today?
BF: It’s the same as what it was 30 years ago: technology. The changes in technology over the past 30 years have been incredible, and they’re just going to keep getting more incredible as we move forward into the future.
OFFER: Receive a 10% discount on your next retail purchase when you mention ActionCOACH.
How to Reach Us:
Mixed Nation
2315 Bardstown Rd
Louisville, Ky 40205
[email protected]
(502) 709-9290
Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities, Betsy Johnson
MM: Tell us about your business.
BJ: The Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities is a non-profit member-driven association of long-term care providers. Their members include skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, and more. The association has supported members statewide through education, lobbying, and other services since 1954.
MM: Who is your target customer?
BJ: We help facilities of all sizes. We serve big chains, non-profits owned by religious organizations and smaller locally-owned entities. Our members pay dues based on the number of beds in their facility.
MM: What has been the greatest impact of COVID-19 on your business?
BJ: It has been difficult. Our members have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. Our association members have suffered emotionally. The amount of suffering and loss is difficult.
MM: What are one or two actions you’ve taken to make a difference?
BJ: We started working from home in March. I testified over the summer about how to help caregivers. We have worked to figure out how to best support our members in this difficult time. This has elevated discussions about long-term care facilities and how we help plan for the elderly.
MM: What is a mistake you’ve made along the way that other people can learn from?
BJ: You need to keep up relationships even when you disagree with someone. Compromise is needed, even when you’re frustrated. Learn to keep your cool. That has been an important lesson to keep in mind over the past year.
MM: What is inspiring to you today?
BJ: Our caregivers. It’s been encouraging to see them overcome their difficulties. And people are talking about long-term care facilities at the state level and nationally, which is healthy.
How to Reach Us:
Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities
9403 Mill Brook Rd
Louisville, KY 40223
(502) 425-5000
Diversified Nurse Consultants, Tracy Diers
MM: Tell us about your business.
TD: Diversified Nurse Consultants was founded in 2011. The group of nurses who founded Diversified saw that many of the needs of people in the healthcare system they worked for were going unmet. Now Diversified aims to fill holes and cracks in health care. We care for those who are dealing with traumatic events or chronic conditions, helping to bring relief to those navigating the health care system.
MM: Who is your target customer?
TD: We help a variety of clients. Often it is a family member who has trouble taking care of an aging family member or a loved one with a chronic condition. We also help many guardians and others who need to take care of others’ health.
MM: What has been the greatest impact of COVID-19 on your business?
TD: It definitely had a big impact. We had to reduce our workforce. Some of our partners closed down, which affected our business.
MM: What are you doing to make a difference?
TD: We are providing more remote care options. More people need help in their home, and so we’re expanding our telehealth and telemonitoring services. Many are afraid of nursing homes and assistive care.
MM: What is a mistake you’ve made along the way that other people can learn from?
TD: When we were new, we selected services providers, such as a CPA, without vetting them thoroughly. We wasted time and money before we figured out who was really a good fit for us.
MM: What is inspiring to you today?
TD: Seeing the community band together, serving the vulnerable. More people are thinking about the impacts of social isolation – in the past people in this area weren’t thinking about those things enough. We have a great opportunity to move people to a condition where they can age in place comfortably and safely.
How to Reach Us:
Diversified Nurse Consultants
1730 Audubon Drive
Suite 100
New Albany, IN 47150
(844) 580-8338
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