Leading a company isn't easy, especially in the new digital age. We speak with Robert from Twisthink about how he's setting his company up for success and building resilience in his team.

This podcast is sponsored by Comcast Business. Learn more at https://business.comcast.com/

Peter Marantette has lead the team at Reserve Wine & Food through a lot of challenges throughout the years, including COVID, staffing shortages, and inflation. We had a chance to sit down with Peter and learn more about how he's tackling one of the toughest industries out there and building resilience in his team and organization for the future.

This podcast is sponsored by Comcast.

How did we get into the situation where we are 35,000 housing units short of demand? What happens to people who can't find housing in their budget? 

We sat down with Brooke Oosterman, Director of Policy & Communications for Housing Next to learn more about how we got in this housing crisis to begin with, and what we can do to find homes for the many families and individuals that are looking 

Honor Construction knows what it takes to build multifamily housing at all price points. We sat down with Honor's President, Brad Laackman to learn more about the housing shortage in West Michigan, and how he's working to overcome those difficulties.

Tommy Brann finished his time in Lansing in 2022, but not before making a big impact and being named Legislator of the Year by MIRS. Andy Johnston, Senior Vice President at the Chamber and Brann joined the podcast to learn how Brann is reflecting on his time in the Legislator. 

Brann is also looking forward to joining the Wyoming City Council and making an impact closer to home.

Winter months often lead to slower economic activity. World of Winter is bringing visitors to our downtown.

Over 7000 people visited downtown during the festival's opening weekend. With two months and dozens of events to go, we're excited to see thousands more visitors and new art installations as the festival progresses. Many of these art installations are coming from artists with a worldwide audience.

In the Episode we speak with Richard App & Kim Van Driel of Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. to learn more about what visitors can expect at World of Winter and learn more about the logistics of putting on the festival, and why this is an important event for businesses.

2022 was a dynamic year for the community. We checked in with President & CEO Rick Baker to wrap up the year and hear what he's excited for in the next year.

We checked in with Rick Baker in April as well. Find that episode in your feed to hear our discussion on the growth of Grand Rapids and West Michigan in the last decade.

Catherine’s Health Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center. They provide a variety of high quality services in our community to those who might not otherwise have access to care.

On this episode, we sat down with Megan Erskine, CEO of Catherine's to learn more about the work that they are doing in our community. 

Learn more about Catherine's Health Center: https://catherineshc.org/

ArtPrize recently announced they were ending their original experiment started in 2009. This led to headlines like "ArtPrize is calling it quits". ArtPrize is in fact, not calling it quits. The original nonprofit is closing it's doors, but ArtPrize is finding new life with Kendall College of Art and Design, the City of Grand Rapids, and Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc.

We sat down with Tara McCrackin, the President of Kendall College of Art and Design to learn more about what's on the horizon for ArtPrize.

Crime is one of the most important issues for our members. Many don't realize the Chamber has been working with Silent Observer for decades to create resources to safely provide law enforcements with more tips to track crime. 

We sat down with new Director Maddison Moser and outgoing Director Chris Cameron to learn more about what Silent Observer does to help fight crime.

Learn more about Silent Observer: https://www.silentobserver.org/

Today on the Back to Business Podcast, we learned more about how TowerPinkster is working with their clients to create a more sustainable future. 

Learn more about TowerPinkster's sustainability efforts: https://www.towerpinkster.com/

Hightalian is one of the many companies that jumped into the new cannabis market that was created when recreational cannabis  was legalized in 2019. 

We sat down with Davide Uccello, the company's founder to learn more about what makes their company unique, and how they're breaking into the new market space.

This episode was recorded live at the 2023 West Michigan CEO Summit. Ben Miller & Jeff Snyder work on Comcast's Government Affairs team. Their big priority at the moment is bridging the digital divide in rural communities across the Midwest. We had a chance to sit down with Ben & Jeff and learn more about how their working to build resiliency in their networks and the communities they serve.

This podcast is sponsored by Comcast.

The Grand Rapids Junior Chamber has been making a difference in Grand Rapids for decades. The organization is a group 21-40 year old young professionals. In addition to networking and talent development programs, the Junior Chamber is committed to giving back to the community. One of their biggest events of the year is the upcoming Santa Clause Parade. We had a chance to sit down with Levi Cipcic, the Junior Chamber's President to learn more about the impact the Junior Chamber makes on the community. 

Childcare is one of the number one issues preventing people from returning to the workforce. The State of Michigan's solution is a new program called Tri-Share. This program helps parents get back to work by making childcare more affordable. The program splits the cost between 3 partners: the state, the employer, and the employee.

On the final episode of our workforce development series, we learn more about the ins and outs of Tri-Share. 

Learn more about Tri-Share: https://www.michigan.gov/mwc/initiatives/mi-tri-share-child-care 

Talent attraction and development is a top concern for employers in West Michigan and across the country. We’re excited to be hosting a 3-part series on Workforce Development with resources businesses can use to strengthen their workforce.

One barrier to talent attraction and development is access to education and workforce training programs. The State of Michigan is working to address this with the Michigan Reconnect program. This program is designed to help make college more affordable for those over 25 who are seeking an education. On this episode of the podcast, we interviewed our Director of Government Affairs, Nate Henschel, and Grand Rapids Community College's Assistant Director of Adult Recruitment and Community Outreach, Jason Schueller to learn more about the ins and outs of this innovative program. 

Learn more about MI Reconnect here.

For more information or to get involved in our Workforce Development & Education committee, contact Nate Henschel, Director of Government Affairs, at Nate@grandrapids.org.

Talent attraction and development is a top concern for employers in West Michigan and across the country.

The Going PRO Talent Fund is one way that employers can attract and retain top talent, and give them skills to succeed on the job. On this episode of the Back to Business Podcast we had a chance to learn more about how employers can utilize this money to their advantage. 

West Michigan Works! is hosting an informational webinar where you can learn more about how you can take advantage of the Going PRO Talent Fund Register here: https://westmiworks-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_z17jkUhATsyAYG80KSqZ8w 

Families come in all shapes and sizes and from all across the world. Ama International and Bethany Christian Services are working together to create welcoming environment for all in West Michigan. Whether that be working to place foster children in loving homes or helping a New American with their residency paperwork, these two organizations work in a variety of ways to help the people who need it most. 

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the largest grassroots mental health organization in the country. Their focus is on helping those who with mental illnesses or caretakers of someone with a mental illness to have access to resources and feel a sense of belonging.

On this episode of the Back to Business podcast, we had a chance to sit down with Kevin Fischer, Executive Director of NAMI of MI. Kevin explains NAMI's goals for the future, as well as the ROI for businesses who invest in their employee's mental health.

In an era where talent attraction & retention is the number one issue for employers, this is an episode you can't afford to miss!

DJ Tony Banks has been DJ-ing since he was in high school. The Grand Rapids DJ does weddings, corporate events, and more. He's been the official DJ for a few Chamber events.

On this episode of the podcast, we had a chance to sit down with DJ Tony and learn more about the ins and outs of being a DJ.

This is an episode you won't want to miss!

Dr. Richard Pappas has the big responsibility of leading Davenport University students, faculty, and staff and enabling them to succeed in the ever-changing world that we live in. 

On this episode of the Back to Business podcast, host Connor Smithee and Dr. Pappas sat down to discuss how Davenport is setting itself apart from the competition by staying innovative. The university can create a new major in 60 days to enable them to respond to changing trends in the talent market.

The Back to Business Podcast: CEO Summit Series is brought to you by Davenport University.

Talent is the top of mind issue for employers across both West Michigan and the country. Floriza Genautis is the CEO of Management Business Solutions. MBS works with employers to fill temporary and full-time positions in the West Michigan area. 

With Floriza being on the front lines of the talent shortage, we had a chance to ask her what she's seeing in the talent space, and what trends she's expecting to continue into the future.

If your organization is struggling with talent, you can't afford to miss this episode. The CEO Summit Series is brought to you by Davenport University.

On this episode of the CEO Summit Series, we spoke with Jamie Stuck. Stuck has been an elected official of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP) since 2006. He was recently appointed Tribal Council Chairman and serves as the Ex-Officio Board Member of the Waséyabek Development Company, LLC.

Stuck and host Connor Smithee look closer at the work of Waséyabek and what Stuck's day to day looks like, as well as how he's working to prepare for the next 7 generations that will come after him.

This is an episode of the Back to Business podcast you won't want to miss! The CEO Summit Series is sponsored by Davenport University.

This episode was recorded live at the 2023 West Michigan CEO Summit. Laura Hopson is the President and CEO of EM Services. We had a chance to sit down with Laura and learn more about what she's excited about in her role and how she's thinking about resilience while leading her team.

This podcast is sponsored by Comcast.

West Michigan is home to several big players in the footwear industry. HOLO Footwear is a newer company entering the West Michigan footwear scene in Grand Rapids. They have a focus on outdoor shoes made from sustainable & recycled materials.

On this episode of the Back to Business Podcast, we sat down with Yurida Rodriguez, HOLO's President. Rodriguez & host Connor Smithee discuss what goes into leading a new startup. This is an episode you won't want to miss!

The Back to Business Podcast: CEO Summit Series is brought to you by Davenport University.

El 14 de junio del 2022, la Cámara de Comercio de Grand Rapids, fue anfitrión de la Cumbre de Ejecutivos del Oeste de Michigan, invitando a lideres de organizaciones y empresas a reunirse para un día de aprendizaje y conexiones.

En nuestro primer episodio en español, entrevistamos a Elizabeth Rosario, dueña y fundadora del bufete de abogados Grand Rapids Law Group.

Elizabeth comparte su perspectiva sobre manejar un negocio durante tiempos desafiantes de inflación, crisis de talento y más.

¡Este es un episodio que no querrás perder! Este episodio es patrocinado por la Universidad Davenport.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Elizabeth Rosario of Grand Rapids Law Group.

Elizabeth founded Grand Rapids Law Group several years ago, and has seen her company grow and expand ever since. We talked about some of the challenges she's helped her clients overcome, and some of the challenges her company's had to overcome in the era of inflation, talent shortages, and other key issues. 

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we the Phoenix Theatres team. Phoenix Theatres recently opened in Woodland Mall. Working in the movie industry isn't just show business. There's a lot of logistics that go into making sure your favorite film gets on a big screen near you. Host Connor Smithee had a chance to interview their team to learn more about the ins and outs of opening and running a movie theater.

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Peter D'Arienzo of John Ball Zoo. Overseeing a zoo has it's unique set of challenges. Peter and host Connor Smithee dive into some of these challenges and what he's excited about.

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Mike Vangessel of Rockford Construction. 

Mike hasn't just seen Grand Rapids grow over the past few decades, he's helped BUILD that growth. He cofounded and built Rockford Construction into one of the largest construction companies in the area. We had a chance to ask him how he's helping his company overcome top issues, and why he's proud to be a Grand Rapidian. 

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Jonny Brann of Kitchen 67.

It's no secret that running a restaurant has its own unique sets of challenges, especially in the post COVID era. Jonny and host Connor Smithee have a unique discussion on how restaurant owners are overcoming top issues like talent and inflation. 

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Joel Rahn of Independent Bank.

Joel has been working with Independent Bank for over 30 years. Being the Vice President of Commercial Banking allows him a unique angle to learn what businesses are struggling with in our current economy in the areas of inflation, talent, and more.

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Joe Chamberlin of the West Michigan Whitecaps.

Joe oversees all of the operations for the Whitecaps. While the player side is managed by the Detroit Tigers, Joe has the job of making sure everything else is running correctly for the Whitecaps to play ball.

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Greg McNeilly of Windquest Group.

Greg has the responsibility of overseeing the Windquest Group's diverse portfolio of companies in industries like manufacturing, food and beverage, and more. Greg has a unique opportunity to answer the question: Why Grand Rapids, because he works with companies and individuals both in Grand Rapids and around the world.

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

This episode was recorded live at the 2023 West Michigan CEO Summit. Tim Shields is the new President & CEO of Kentwood Office Furniture. We had a chance to sit down with Tim and learn more about what he's excited about in his new role and how he's thinking about resilience while he's leading leading his team at Kentwood Office Furniture.

This podcast is sponsored by Comcast.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Arick Davis of Last Mile Cafe.

Last Mile Cafe is a new coffee venture that Arick helped start in Grand Rapids in 2018. They do coffee differently. From compostable bags to making sure it’s ethically sourced, Arick has his hands full most days. He’s also looking to expand the company and add a retail location in Grand Rapids. Arick also shares his insights on Grand Rapids’ growth as he works with people from around the world.

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Carlos Sanchez of Ferris State's Latino Business & Economic Development Center. 

The center's mission is to develop high-performing Latinx leaders and entrepreneurs in West Michigan. Carlos explains the program's mission, and explains what he's seeing in the Latino business community as our region faces challenges like talent, inflation, and supply chain issues.

This is an episode you won't want to miss! The CEO Summit Series is sponsored by Davenport University.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Deb Prato of The Rapid.

Deb has been working in the transportation industry for most of her career, including for the nation's largest public transportation authority in New York City. We had a chance to ask Deb how she's leading the Rapid through top issues like the talent crisis, inflation and looking towards a green future for public transportation.

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Beth Kelly, HR Collaborative.

Kelly is an expert in the talent space, and our conversation focuses on the current talent environment and the search for workers.

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

On June 14, 2022, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted the West Michigan CEO Summit, inviting leaders from area organizations and businesses to come together for a day of networking and learning.

On this episode of the Back to Business: CEO Summit Special, we interviewed Dr. Bill Pink, President of Grand Rapids Community College, and soon to be President of Ferris State University.

Host Connor Smithee and Dr. Pink discussed Pink's tenure and what he's looking forward to at Ferris. 

This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss! This episode is brought to you by Davenport University.

Talent is the number one issue for employers in 2022. This week on the Back to Business podcast we spoke with AHC Hospitality and Andre Daley, the Chamber's Director of Inclusion to discuss the benefits of implementing DEI practices into your organization.

The AHC team shared their DEI journey, including their work with Andre, as well as some of the challenges they overcame in their DEI journey.

With Talent being the number one issue for employers, implementing DEI practicies has proven to be an important method for attracting and keeping top talent.

This is an episode of the Back to Business podcast you won't want to miss! 

As companies struggle to find workers, many are adapting their workplace practices and who they hire. Whether that be adapting their schedule for parents of school-aged children, or allowing more work, companies are having to get creative to overcome the talent shortage.

Valley City Electronic Recycling has been hiring people returning from incarceration for more than a decade. When Jason Kehr bought the business, he didn't know too much about the program, but now 10 years later, he's proud of the impact he's been able to make in his employees' lives.

Learn more about Valley City Electronic Recycling: http://www.valleycityer.com/

Madcap Coffee & DTE have one thing in common. Both companies challenging the status quo and trying to do bigger and better things. They've come together to help promote being green during Earth Month. They've got a lot of cool projects up their sleeves (literally and figuratively!) This is an episode of the Back to Business Podcast you won't want to miss!

Don't forget that on Friday May 6, Madcap will give each person a free cup of coffee courtesy of DTE! This (This applies to their Fulton Street location only.)

Check out Madcap's website: madcapcoffee.com

Learn more about DTE Energy: dteenergy.com

The Grand Rapids Drive was formed about 10 years ago as an affiliate team of the Detroit Pistons. When the Pistons told the Drive they needed to move closer to Detroit, owner Steve Jbara said no. He wanted to keep the team in Grand Rapids because he know the power of Grand Rapids. Now the team under the new name Grand Rapids Gold, and a new partnership with the Denver Nuggets. After finishing their first season, Jbara sat down with podcast host Connor Smithee to discuss the successes of the team and what it takes to manage an NBA team here in Grand Rapids. 

It's hard to believe it's already April! The year is already a quarter of the way done. At our Annual Meeting in February, we presented an economic forecast from the Seidman College of Business. The big takeaways were that Grand Rapids was on a growth trajectory, with the biggest issue in the region being talent.

We had a chance to sit down with Rick Baker, the Chamber's President & CEO, to hear what he is seeing in his interactions with the Grand Rapids community, what he's excited for in 2022, and how he thinks our community is rebounding from the pandemic.

This is an episode of the Back to Business podcast you won't want to miss.

This episode was recorded live at the 2023 West Michigan CEO Summit. Jen Crowley is a Partner at Highland Group. We had a chance to sit down with Jen and learn more about how resiliancy helped her bounce back from an unfortunate situation and start her company. Jen also serves as the Grand Rapids Chamber Board Chair for 2023.

This podcast is sponsored by ⁠Comcast⁠.

Talent is the big problem of 2022. On this episode of the Back to Business Podcast, we focus on how the Grand Rapids Chamber is working to overcome the talent gap.

Our guests this week are Allie Walker, Vice President at Truscott Rossman, and Mel Trombley, Director of Leadership Programs for the Grand Rapids Chamber. Allie is not a newcomer to our leadership programs, being an alumni of Leadership Grand Rapids and Speak with Purpose. Allie has also sent her team from across the state to our Speak with Purpose program.

In the episode, we take a look at how employers are overcoming the talent shortage and how they are using the Chamber's leadership programming to strengthen their team.

Learn more about our resources: https://www.grandrapids.org/talent-development/

The last two years has been a wild ride for everyone in our community. Right at the center of the action has been Kent County Commissioner Mandy Bolter. On this episode, host Connor Smithee sat down with Bolter and the Chamber's Vice President of Government Affairs, Josh Lunger to discuss the wild ride that was the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as what goes into making a great elected official at the local level.

You won't want to miss this episode of Back to Business!

"Sustainability is no longer a nice to have, it's a need to have."

Rockford Construction is committed to sustainability, including in their own building. On this episode of the podcast, Jen Boezwinkle, Rockford’s Executive Vice President of Construction and Keith Winn, President of Catalyst Partners join host Connor Smithee and Katie Doyen, the Chamber's Government Affairs Manager discuss Rockford Constructions commitment to sustainability.

Learn more about the Grand Rapids Chamber's priorities on our website: grandrapids.org.

The Literacy Center of West Michigan has been working with employers across West Michigan in Grand Rapids. One of their successful partnerships has been with Spectrum Health. On today's episode, host Connor Smithee, and guest host Omar Cuevas, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the Grand Rapids Chamber had a chance to sit down with Dr. Wendy Falb, Executive Director of the Literacy Center of West Michigan, and Kevin Vos, Sr. Director, Hospitality Support Services of Spectrum Health. 

We had a chance to discuss the Literacy Center & Spectrum Health's partnership and how they've been able overcome some of the employment problems we've seen during the talent crisis. 

Learn more about the Literacy Center of West Michigan and their programming here: https://literacycenterwm.org/