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We’re building a community of merchants and consumers who want to help promote the importance of buying locally owned. Look here to find your locally owned merchants and shop online to help. (10% of anything sold on-line goes buzz.)



Des Moines Social Club interview with Zach Mannheimer

Dmsc logo

The Des Moines Social Club is the convergence of plenty to do and see at an affordable price. More importantly, it is about connecting us . . . to each other through the expression of art. Zach Mannheimer takes us on a tour of this old building located on Locust, finagled now into rooms and spaces for everything from art exhibits, dance and yoga instruction, to wrestling events. Yep. You read right. Find out more about this unique venue and why Zach sees a very optimistic future for our community.

Entrepreneurial Journeys of July

Misspatt wapsitrail

Each month on Entrepreneur People. Real Stories. it is a privilege to bring the stories of entrepreneurs to you via Blog Talk Radio. In these interviews, the people who aspire and realize their passions share experiences of what they’ve learned from the process.

July 7:  Zachary Mannheimer, Director of The Des Moines Social Club, takes us on a tour of this visionary and eclectic venue located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Zach explains why he sees Des Moines as the perfect hub for this convergence of the arts, collaboration, and connection. (podcast #116)

July 14: Nancy Nehlsen of Nehlson Communications and Boomerful offers candid and thoughtful insights from her 30+ years of experience owning a business. Her story is the kind that everyone needs to hear in these tight times. Based in a small town on the Illinois and Iowa border, Nehlsen and her staff have not only survived in this past couple of years but thrived. (podcast #117)

July 21:  Mindee Doney and Julie Pickens of Boogie Wipes share a captivating story of success. For 2009, these mom-preneurs expect to generate sales of $6 million. Learn from their experiences as they take us on the journey of developing these handy saline wipes, manufacturing and launching them, and how they’ve grown the business exponentially in just a few years. (podcast #118)

July 28: Steve Shearer, co-owner of Chocolate Story Book, waxes poetic on the subject of chocolate but relates a terrific entrepreneurial tale too. Learn how he, and his wife Meg, came to own this beautiful destination shop located in West Des Moines, and also built new avenues of sweet success.  (podcast #119)

photo by MsPatt, powered by flickr

 


#115 ParkingSpots.com Aynsley Deluce

PSpotsSign_logo I first read about this business in a piece on Wall Street Journal and thought the idea was so interesting that I immediately e-mailed and asked for an interview with the owners of Parkingspots.com.I was thrilled when Aynsley Deluce agreed to be a guest, and then ecstatic when she turned out to provide a candid and informative interview. If you have a web based business, or think you want to take your business to the web, there are insights here for you to think about. As always, it is the power of the story that brings the lessons home. Find a detour in your day to park it and listen to this terrific discussion with Aynsley Deluce.

Who owes whom here?

NewCardBig There’ve been a few posts that have caught my attention recently on the subject of small business and the buy local theme. It started with Drew McLellan's piecequestioning the decision by the Iowa Department of Economic Development to utilize a marketing firm from outside of Iowa ― to promote Iowa. I was left wondering: if the purpose of the IDED is to tout the great wealth of resources available here, then by their decision aren’t they saying, "We're great, oh, except for our PR businesses?"


There was also the post by Michael Libbie, “Small Business and Customer Service– A Myth?” This blog expressed the importance of local businesses to provide good customer service if they really want to keep customers. Michael’s post referenced another by Tom Vander Well, “Customer Service is Crucial to Local Small Business.” Tom details a few examples of his attempts to buy locally, only to be disappointed and inconvenienced in the effort.


Bag All three posts addressed the buy local quandary of “being neighborly” in our consumerism versus being a consumer first. Really who owes whom when it comes to buying locally owned? As small businesses owners we can’t clamor for people to buy from us if we don’t address the challenge of delivering useful and well executed services. As consumers we want ease, affordability, and thoughtful service. What to do? 

 
Of course, I can restate the tangible, data-driven benefits for buying locally: keep more revenue in the state, support unique businesses, invest in your neighbor who has invested in your community, and buy from independents as they support our local nonprofits more than the corporate giants. BUT, I would also add that we buy stuff and services because it meets our desires and expresses our values. “I am what I consume.” 


With that as an additional purpose of consumerism, what do we really want that vast quantity of stuff we own to represent? I suggest that when we support our locally owned merchants, we are actually investing in the American dream of business ownership. Many people dream of breaking out of the cubicle and forging the frontier of entrepreneurship ― but don’t because they are afraid of failure. I think our dollars are placeholders not only for the things we get, but for what we encourage in others.


So, yes small business owners need to listen to their customers and put that foremost on the list of the gazillion other issues demanding their time. But don’t let the incidence of a bad experience with a local shop steer you away from the major point. (Besides, I bet everyone has anecdotes of poor experiences buying big and corporate too.) When things don’t go well, let the merchant know (nicely please) and then move on down the street to the next locally owned store and try again. I expect where you had a bad experience in one shop, you may find quite the opposite in another. The alternative is to have absolutely no voice and no choice if you simply write off small and go with the big entities driven by consumption alone.

The Family Tree - Yoga, massage, pre/postnatal, music classes

The Family Tree logo My husband, Zach, and myself own The FamilyTree. We are a mama and papa business offering yoga, massage, Reiki, pre/postnatal services, health counseling and music classes for children. We started this business as a way to move more freely in our lives, grow stronger roots in our community and to live and work collectively.

We are a young and growing family—blessed so far with two beautiful boys who are eager to be a part of everything we do (and most times are). We believe that through sharing our gifts, talents, and ourselves with the community—the community in turn will share the same with us, and we can all grow together.

We hope to create an environment that is welcoming to all and one that fosters a true sense of community. We strive to offer services and activities to complement, enhance or better balance your lives.

Sandi hoover

The Family Tree                          

Sandi and Zach Hoover

3817 Ingersoll Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50312
http://www.thefamilytreedm.com/  

#114 Michael Wagner of White Rabbit Group

Michael Wagner White Rabbit Group How well do you share your passion and purpose with your customers and employees? How do you stand out in a crowd as a service that is unique? In this interview, master storyteller and branding expert Mike Wagner of White Rabbit Group provides several key concepts that you can act on immediately to present your business in a way that connects you to your customers while refreshing your focus. Enjoy this business renewal!    


#113 Maria Luttrell-Murphy of Soy Spacasso

Maria Luttrell Murphy Maria shares her passionate and heartfelt journey of creating the soy-based skin care line Soy Spacasso. In this interview she recounts the process of designing the lotions and candles, developing a marketing program, launching the Soy Spacasso website, and getting products on the shelf. Learn from Maria's experience what it takes to get an idea from the kitchen lab to the cosmetic aisle. (about 32 minutes long)



VJ Farmers Market photos, join the fan club

Here are some fun shots of the Valley Junction Farmers Market taken by camera woman Sofi, daughter of Kristie Karima Burns, of HerbnHome. Kristie (in the first photo) is hosting the booth 4 of the Thursdays in June. This Thursday look for Sarah Reid of Wallypop to be there.

Mary Boyvey of Sparkle Hoop Dance was at the booth for a couple of weeks and will be back here and there throughout the remainder of the market. (second photo)

Also, please join the dsmBUZZ fan club and keep posted on what's happening with locally owned merchants. I plan to share My Des Moines and the stuff I love about living there. Tell me about Your Des Moines and join the group too.(lots of dogs at the VJ market. Check out the size of this one!)


Kristie Karima Burns farmers' market  


Mary Boyvey Sparkle Hoop Dance 


Dog at VJ farmers market

KIVA lenders can now microlend in the U.S.

Kivaloans KIVA has had a meteoric rise helping to facilitate micro-lending between individuals to small business owners all over the world. This week they expanded the businesses who can ask for loans to those found right here in the U.S.

KIVA lenders and entrepreneurs utilize story to help explain the emotional impact they are trying to achieve. Good stuff for those of us who like the idea of knowing the story behind the mission statements, logos, and whatnot.

Sparkle Hoop Dance - Mary Boyvey

Mary Boyvey 

Mary found herself in the hoop in 2006, while trying to find a stress reducer for both herself and her co-workers.  The experience was profound – everyone laughed and forgot about their worries for a time.  In 2008, she became a certified Hoopnotica hoop dance instructor so that she could share her passion with others. 

Along with this progressive curriculum, Mary enjoys blending a variety of movement and meditation practices into her classes.   Whether it be hooping, teaching or making a hoop; Mary finds hooping to be a fun, creative outlet.  She is a regular at the Woodward area sample sunday events and at Snus Hil winery on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.   She can be reached at sparklehoopdance@yahoo.com.  Come give it a whirl and see if you can find yourself in the hoop!

 www.sparklehoopdance.com

 

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