Follow The Leader

VR Small has dedicated her work to helping two groups she is passionate about - women and veterans. As a Navy veteran and a member of a military family, VR came back to the business world with a mission and a simple personal slogan of "changing the way we see the world and do business."To that end, VR started the Veteran Women's Enterprise Center. The WVEC aims to help veterans, active duty, reservists and female military spouse scale for success. They establish strategic alliances, leverage public/private-sector opportunities, advocate for relevant research, services and funding, while simultaneously providing on-site the personal and professional resources they need to succeed. Learn more about VR Small at veteranwomensec.orgLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by aneleh

Etiquette is not just a tool for the dinner table. It can be the key to the open the door to all sorts of success you didn't know you could achieve. Jacqueline M. Baker is the Principal Consultant and Founder of Scarlet Communications, which trains individuals and organizations to develop and refine important leadership and etiquette skills and embrace experiences that increase confidence and provide a competitive advantage. Starting out, Jacqueline just wanted to provide etiquette to teen girls, but very quickly corporate organizations took interest in this training and were finding applications beyond simply being well-mannered. Over the years, Scarlet has grown to encompass etiquette and leadership training, at all levels. She also has struggled with anxiety, and what are these days filled with if not anxiety and concern? How does she cope, and what are some simple things you can do to filter out the noise and negative emotions?Beyond that, Jacqueline is the host of the podcast "Just Start: From Ideas

"When one of us is stronger, all of us become stronger. So let's share..."How do you stand out at a time when no one is out doing anything? Jennefer Witter has spent a career getting other people the attention they deserve. Social media is stronger than ever. However, with so much of it being "noise," what do you need to do to rise above it all?Jennefer never took a business class and never had a desire to be an entrepreneur. Her entrepreneurial journey began in 2003 when she founded The Boreland Group. What she learned was that she has a natural ability for business, which was greatly honed in her former position as a vice president at Ketchum, a global public relations firm where she launched the Corporate Technology division. It generated one million dollars of revenue in its first year.Learn more about Jennefer and The Boreland Group at theborelandgroup.comYou can also purchase her book "The Little Book of Big PR: 100+ Quick Tips to Get Your Small Business Noticed" at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.Lea

Employers have been facing all new challenges since having to transition to a limited capacity at the office, or perhaps even all their employees working from home. How much should we permanently change in response to Covid-19? What is the "new normal"?Molly Sandlin, president of CAET Project Management Consultants, is capable of creating functional, efficient, cost effective and easy to follow solutions for complex projects - such a developing strategies to re-engineer the office to comply with new health standards. Her financial audit, analysis and accounting experience led her to positions at Feeley & Driscoll in Boston, MA and American Airlines in Fort Worth, TX before venturing out on her own. American Airlines even became a client!Learn more about Molly and CAET Project Management Consultants at caetpmc.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by aneleh

"It takes time. You have to build a relationship..."Getting noticed takes more than submitting a bid, and all the certifications in the world don't mean anything if people can't remember you. Adrienne Trimble, president of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, knows what it takes to build relationships that grow into repeat business.Trimble led the Toyota's Supplier Diversity initiative from 2005 to 2012, where she directed the development of essential supplier relationships with Toyota’s North American operations and diverse businesses across the country. Her work in making Toyota NMSDC's "Company of the Year" helped bring her to her current position as president and CEO of the organization. NMSDC matches their more than 12,000 certified minority-owned businesses to their vast network of corporate members who wish to purchase their products, services and solutions. NMSDC's corporate membership includes many of the largest public and privately-owned companies, as well healthcare companies, c

Covid-19 has changed the game for a lot of industries, and what do you do if your business is to supply larger businesses that aren't back to full strength? It's not enough to be unique or check a box - solutions are needed now more than ever.How do you find the right person to talk to? What are they looking for? How will business be different even when things return to something that looks like normal? Margo Posey is doing her best to answer those questions for minority-owned suppliers. She is the President and CEO of the Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council.Posey represents the Dallas/Fort Worth affiliate relationship with the National Minority Supplier Development Council. The D/FW MSDC, based on performance, was ranked Council of the year in 2011 and 2015 and ranked in the top percentile of all Councils in all other years. She also bid and was awarded the grant to operate the Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency Business Center-Dallas in 2011. The Center

"You can't be afraid of change. What you look like at $750,000 is not what you're going to look like at $2 million.”Being an entrepreneur isn't easy, so having a partner can be an essential component to success. Brittany Stovall and Paulina Sandoval founded Assured Quality Systems with one goal in mind: give manufacturers a faster, better, more cost-effective process for ensuring manufacturing quality. AQS is committed to not being a staffing company that dispatches “warm bodies” to a manufacturing site, but rather a crew of quality assurance professionals who have been meticulously screened, vetted and trained to miss no detail and waste no time. Prior to the founding of AQS, Brittany served as liaison representative for TRW Automotive and as director of operations at the Private Company. Before AQS, Paulina served as VP at the Private Company in San Antonio.What are the challenges of working with a partner? And how do mentors play a role? Learn more about Assured Quality Systems at assuredqualitysystem

"They break down walls, they don't follow rules..."While the whole country faced lockdown because of COVID-19, Merrilee Kick found herself in a unique position: she could supply people with something that was desperately needed. And not just the usual need for her delicious BuzzBallz cocktails, but for something that could help keep essential workers healthy and safe. So she put her head together with her family (all of whom help run the Texas-based distillery) and sent out their own hand sanitizer to workers around the country.What is the surprising inspiration for BuzzBallz? How has the lockdown affected them? What are some of the new products on the horizon?Merrilee Kick is the CEO and Founder of BuzzBallz/Southern Champion LLC, the only woman-owned distillery and winery in the United States. They specialize in making ready-to-drink cocktails (BuzzBallz), as well as premium spirits with their Southern Champion company which makes vodka, rum, gin, and bourbon. They import/export wines and spirits, and

“Fear is what holds all small businesses back.”There's a lot of fear in the world today, and small business owners are likely feeling their fair share of it. How are they going to survive an extended lockdown? Will business come back when it's over? Are things ever going to be the same?Andrea Tsakanikas, founder and president of CrewFacilities.com, took the opportunity to adapt her business model to the situation. How did a company focused on managing employee travel change course when there's pretty much no employee travel? She's here to answer that and much more about not letting fear get in the way of what you need to do.Andrea has represented investors across the US, managing hundreds of thousands of room nights of workforce lodging, rental, and travel products over the span of her career. Since 2007 she served as a management consultant with a specialization in optimizing operations of hotels, workforce and corporate housing, as well as, Class A, B & C multi-family projects, ensuring the highe

"The business has...allowed me and taught me to take care of myself."There's no better time than now to think about what makes your business recession-proof...or what doesn't. Renee Gilmore, president of Firemans Paving Contractors says it was a long road to get from trying to please everyone to doing a few things really well. There are benefits to being in a niche service.Beyond that, Renee says look for every advantage that's out there. Firemans Paving Contractors has been recognized as a woman-owned business and historically underutilized business, and she says those certifications have opened many doors for them. Companies are often looking to diversify their supply chain.Learn more about Renee Gilmore and Firemans Paving Contractors at www.firemanspaving.com

"People do business with people they know."It's the 25th anniversary of the Women's Business Council Southwest! To talk about the importance of the organization as well as why women really need to network, Chanel is joined by Debbie Hurst, president and CEO of WBCS, and Sharon Evans, owner and CEO of CFJ Manufacturing.What does the Women's Business Council Southwest do? Why is diversity so important, not just in employees but also suppliers? How can a strong network benefit you more than some certifications or training programs?To learn more:Women's Business Council - Southwest (WBCS): https://www.wbcsouthwest.orgServing North Central Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico, the Women's Business Council - Southwest (WBCS) is headquartered in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, with a satellite office in Austin, Texas. If a women-owned business is headquartered within this four-state region, WBCS is responsible for facilitating their certification.Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WB

(Running a Foundation)…”It sounds good on paper, but it is a lot of work!”Some might look at Kimberly Alexander and judge her life by what she’s lost. In 2010 Kimberly’s husband, NFL linebacker Elijah Alexander, passed away due to complications from multiple myeloma (cancer of the bone marrow). As a stay-at-home mother of two, Kimberly decided that was the time to reinvent herself. A better way to judge Kimberly Alexander TODAY is by how much she has given back.Kimberly is very active in the field of philanthropy and picked up where her husband left off by becoming an advocate for cancer patients and caregivers, as well as supporting health care initiatives for athletes. She also established KimCONNECTS, a boutique consulting firm that helps create business opportunities for her top-tier clients. This episode marks my first Guest Leader who comes from the not-for-profit world. We talk about living through an unspeakable tragedy and using that experience to make real change in this world.You can learn more

"Stuff like the names and colors...it does have a factor, but it shouldn't be something that you have to have."Human interaction can be one of the biggest strengths of your business, but also a huge weakness when it comes to security. Tiffany Ricks knows that, and through her company Hacware, Inc. she's hoping to prevent threats rather than react to them. Along the way, she's learned a lot of lessons about going with your gut, listening to feedback, and not being so married to your ideas that you're afraid to let them go.Tiffany Ricks has lead software teams for the one of the largest defense contractors and Fortune 100 companies. She has been featured at SXSW for a clean technology app that disrupted the transportation industry. Tiffany has over 10 years experience in the software development industry. She has also been featured in Tech.co, Dallas Business Journal, LaunchDFW, and many other tech and entrepreneur publications.Learn more about Tiffany and Hacware, Inc. at http://www.hacware.com

"Am I making this an either/or choice when it could be a both/and choice?"Elayne Fluker's credits in the media world are almost too long to list - from starting at Essence more than 20 years ago to launching Chic Rebellion TV and the podcast "Support is Sexy." As a speaker, media coach, consultant, and content producer, Elayne is committed to creating opportunities for women to share their stories. And she says all of that starts with leaving behind your comfort zone and telling the universe that you're serious.Are you thinking too small about what could be possible for you? What is the power of podcasting? Why should a leader not be counted on to have all of the answers?Learn more about Chic Rebellion Media at Contentforwomen.comLearn more about the podcast booking service Girl on Podcast at Girlonpodcast.comLearn more about Elayne's podcast at supportissexy.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp

"You've got to get some ouch on you."You might not think of pest control as the place to find exceptional customer service, but Genma Stringer Holmes did. From when she was little, selling Girl Scout cookies, Genma found that getting to know the customer was the key to success. And now, after having built up a successful radio show and consulting business in addition, she says one of the secrets to success is to be present at all times and get a little "ouch" on you.Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp

"Marketing isn't brain surgery - it's consistency."From attorney to marketing genius, Laurel Mintz made a huge career shift when starting her firm Elevate My Brand. Running a fully digital firm, Mintz was ready to capitalize on the shifting trends in the 21st century, but the only thing constant in marketing and PR is change. How are people pushing back against the online world? How can an event drive content? What is the big mistake companies are making when it comes to marketing?Learn more about Laurel Mintz and Elevate My Brand at https://www.elevatemybrand.com/Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp

"If you get a seat at the table, use your seat at the table."Dr. Karmetria Burton has dedicated her professional life to ensuring diversity in the business world, including her current position as the General Manager Supply Chain Management- Supplier Diversity at Delta. What are the particular challenges she has found for women in leadership roles? Why is it so important to have a playbook when you're trying to build future leaders? And what is the simple, yet powerful, statement that red lipstick can make?Be sure to follow Dr. Burton on social media @drkarmetriaburtonLearn more about her leadership training and book her as a speaker at https://www.karmetriaburton.com/Find out more about her "Paint Your Lips Red" Foundation at https://www.paintyourlipsred.com/Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp

"You're a professional, and people are going to listen to what you say based on how you say it."Kicking off a new season of Follow the Leader is the host herself, Chanel Cristoff Davis! The tables are turned in this episode that was recorded as a pilot of sorts for this podcast. Hear about her early days as a young entrepreneur, working with a spouse, and some of her more hidden talents.Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp

"The award is not the reward."There might not be a better guest for "Follow the Leader" than Janice Bryant Howroyd. For decades she's been synonymous with entrepreneurship and women leadership. She credits her business success to another woman in her life: her mother. She's also not afraid of the younger "millennials" in the workforce, calling herself the most mature millennial there is. Janice talks about how to hire, why skills are less important than attitude, and how she does her best not to give back, but to "give forward."Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp

"We weren't ready for the money."Obviously one of the biggest things you need to scale your business is money. Psyche Terry of UI Global Brands LLC looked high and low for investors, and ultimately found a couple very close to home. But with that money came many lessons. Psyche explains why the best investors can also be your closest advisors, why the last thing that lenders care about is your race or gender, and why you shouldn't get too greedy. Psyche went from working for someone else to having her products in 7,500 stores across the country. Follow her journey from employee to leader!Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp