Social Capital

Meet Lorraine BallAfter spending too many years in Corporate America, Lorraine said goodbye to the bureaucracy, glass ceilings and bad coffee to follow her passion to help small business owners succeed.Today, this successful entrepreneur, author, and professional speaker, enjoys sharing what she knows about marketing in presentations to groups around the county, in college classrooms and in her weekly podcast More than a Few Words.She brings creative ideas, practical tips, and decades of real-world experience to every conversation.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:12 Introducing Today's Guest: Lorraine Ball02:11 Three Essential Marketing Questions04:00 Classifying Your Competitors07:19 Aligning Objectives with Marketing Tactics11:07 Advice to My 20-Year-Old Self12:32 Host Interview and Final Thoughts15:30 Closing Remarks and Contact InformationGiveawayRandom Strangers to Raving FansThis self-paced program explains how to step prospects through your sales funnel, converting random strangers into raving fans.Connect with LorraineMore than a Few WordsLinkedIn

Meet Melanie StuberMelanie is the founder and CEO of Cultivate and Thrive LLC. She partners with leaders to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals through business strategy and organizational culture guidance. She is a former executive with over 25 years of diverse business experience from three top-tier organizations, Northwestern Mutual, CNA Insurance Company, and Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Melanie understands the challenges of leading teams through complex environments. She delivers dynamic keynotes, interactive workshops, and customized consulting services designed to empower leaders and their teams. Her approach helps organizations gain clarity, boost efficiency, enhance experiences, and improve overall performance. Although her focus is on supporting women leaders, Melanie welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with all leaders.Melanie is serving her second term as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Board Director for Metro Milwaukee Society of Human Resource Management. She recently joined the Engagement Committee for the Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha. As a member of Tempo Milwaukee, Melanie serves on the Professional Development Committee and is the Chair of the Builder Community, which focuses on women entrepreneurs and business owners. She also serves on the Talent Solutions Council for the Waukesha Business Alliance.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:20 Introducing Today's Guest: Melanie Stuber02:33 Melanie's Journey from Corporate to Entrepreneurship06:38 The Importance of Strategy and Culture08:42 Challenges and Motivation in Business10:45 Advice for Young Professionals13:34 Lori's Turn: Personal Insights and Goals16:40 Final Words and Contact InformationGiveawayMelanie is collaborating with two other women entrepreneurs (Amanda Nowak and Julie Schmidt) to host an event tailored for women - The Empowered Path: Bite-Sized Strategies for Wellness, Financial Freedom, and Leadership for Women. This in-person event is Friday January 17, 2025 (8:00-9:30) at 11270 W Park Place (First Floor Conference Room) Milwaukee, WI 53224.She would love to give two tickets away to our listeners so they can start their year feeling empowered as they guide you in boosting your confidence with actionable steps to help you navigate both your personal and professional life effectively.Connect with MelanieCultivate and Thrivemelanie@cultivatethrive.com LinkedIn

Meet Remso MartinezRemso W. Martinez is the founder and CEO of Marketer on the Run LLC. Remso's career started in small-scale social media and blasted off in 2019 when he became the social media coordinator for the Washington Times. After a short time in the tech start-up space, Remso moved to Wisconsin in 2021 to relaunch the marketing efforts for a Milwaukee-based nonprofit on the verge of collapse, revitalizing their brand awareness, online efforts, and helping secure the necessary funding necessary to keep going. In 2022, Remso moved into the world of digital publications where he stayed until this year, when he launched Marketer on the Run LLC and made the move into full-time entrepreneurship.Highlights00:00 Introduction and Welcome01:20 Guest Introduction: Remso Martinez02:06 Remso's Career Journey07:29 Entrepreneurship Challenges and Insights14:19 The Fractional CMO Model Explained18:34 Lori's Reflections on Business Growth21:34 Final Thoughts and Contact InformationConnect with Remsomarketerontherun.comremso@marketerontherun.comFree e-book: The Small Business Owner's Digital Marketing HandbookLinkedIn

Meet Heidi Solomon-OrlickHeidi is a proven veteran in Enterprise sales as well as a DEI and active aging advocate. With over 3 decades of global sales and executive leadership experience Heidi has generated over $1.5 Billion in revenue throughout her career in the BPO industry and has created thousands of jobs globally. She currently serves as Founder & CEO of GirlzWhoSell and CRO of The DORS Group Powered by Keller Williams. Founded in 2020, GirlzWhoSell is committed to democratizing professional sales and to building the largest pipeline of diverse, early-stage female sales talent. Heidi is a 2x author who, in 2022, released the highly acclaimed and award-winning book “Heels to Deals: How Women Are Dominating in Business-to-Business Sales.” Heidi is a 3x Stevie Award Winner for Women of the Year in Sales (Gold), Worldwide Sales Executive of the Year (Gold) and Women Helping Women (Bronze). She was listed in the Top 100 Women Magazine, was featured in Top Sales Magazine, was listed in the Top 100 Women in Sales published by Demandbase in both 2022 and 2023 and the Sales Collectives list of Women in Sales to Follow in 2024. Finally, Heidi has been ranked in the Top 50 Women Leaders of New Hampshire and was recently nominated for the SheRise 2024 Women in Leadership award.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:21 Introducing Today's Guest: Heidi Solomon-Orlick02:51 Heidi's Journey and Influences05:13 Sales as a Life Skill06:00 The Intersection of Athletics and Sales10:34 Closing the Gender Gap in Sales16:35 Advice to My 20-Year-Old Self19:43 Lori's Why and Final Words of Wisdom21:40 Wrapping Up and Staying ConnectedConnect with HeidiLinkedInGirlzWhoSellHeels to Deals: How Women are Dominating in Business-to-Business Sales

Meet Brin'na Rollins-WilliamsBrin'na is an unshakable optimist who is an accomplished people leader with over 10 years' of Leadership experience at Target, Fortune 50 Company. From an Intern to District Senior Director overseeing multiple stores, thousands of team members and +$500 million in annual revenue.As a high performance coach, speaker, and culture consultant Brin'na has discovered remarkable patterns, tools and resources that some of greatest, leaders and organizations use to think, act, and communicate. She is fascinated by how people and organizations truly have the ability to unlock team synergy, elevate company culture to make a lasting impact on their employees and in the world. She has devoted her life to leadership, sharing her experience, thinking, and leading a movement to inspire people to do the things that inspire them to be successful both at work and in their life.Free PDF Resource: From Chaos to Clarity: A Simple Tool to Reclaim Your Time, and Recharge Your LifeHighlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:20 Introducing Today's Guest: Brin'na Rollins Williams02:36 Scaling Leadership: Personal Growth and Development05:31 The Eisenhower Matrix: Prioritizing Urgent vs. Important13:15 Balancing Personal and Professional Growth14:46 The Power of Journaling for Personal Growth15:42 Reflective Questions for Daily Improvement17:17 Advice to My 20-Year-Old Self17:54 Balancing Personal and Professional Success19:48 The Importance of Simplifying Leadership22:07 Embracing Technology for Human Connection23:27 Final Words of Wisdom and Free Resources25:55 Connecting with Brin'na Rollins Williams26:53 Conclusion and Call to ActionConnect with Brin'nalegacyfulfilled.combrinna@legacyfulfilled.com LinkedInFacebookInstagram

Meet Brent HalfwassenBrent Halfwassen is the founder of MKE’s Small Business Coach, a business coaching and consulting firm focused on small business owners and entrepreneurs from $5,000 to $5M in revenue, helping to turn their hard work into hard cash.Brent is a reality-focused small business coach empowering small business owners and entrepreneurs so they can stop spinning their wheels and instead take the next right actions to transform their hard work into hard cash. He has spent over 20 years building businesses and opportunities, coaching hundreds of entrepreneurs and small business owners around him and evolving his own entrepreneurial focus.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:12 Introducing Today's Guest: Brent Halfwassen02:12 The Unique Approach of MKE Small Business Coach04:18 The Importance of Delegation for Entrepreneurs07:57 Building and Maintaining Business Relationships12:08 When to Hire a Business Coach15:08 Lori's Podcast Journey and Final Thoughts20:14 Closing Remarks and Contact InformationConnect with BrentMKE’s Small Business Coach | Halfwassen & Associates, LLCOFFER: Free Small Business Scaling Score DownloadLinkedIn

Meet Michael CreedMichael Creed is the Branch Manager for Luminate Home Loans’ Brookfield and Waukesha, Wisconsin locations, but he does much more than just manage. In fact, Michael wears many hats at his job—from running his own personal production team to creating systems, policies, and procedures for branch processing, Michael does it all. In addition, he also coaches the loan officers and other team leads at his branch, working hard to ensure his team is set up for success.As a homeowner before he even graduated college, Michael is very familiar with the pain points that most homeowners and prospective homeowners face. He loves working with clients that are willing to trust his expertise to get mortgages closed quickly, while also improving their quality of life with a holistic financial plan.When at work, Michael is energized by all of his amazing clients and hardworking staff. Outside of work, you’ll usually find Michael rock climbing, alpine skiing, mountain biking, weightlifting, attending church, or going on other various outdoor adventures.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:12 Introducing Michael Creed02:29 Michael's Journey into the Mortgage Industry04:54 Keys to Success in the Mortgage Business09:59 Personal Life and Hobbies15:55 Advice for the Younger Self21:02 Lori's Turn: Marketing and Hockey Passion24:43 Final Words of Wisdom25:18 Closing Remarks and Contact InformationConnect with MichaelLuminate Home Loans -Mortgage Lending -Mortgage Careers  -YouTube -Coaching and Consulting -Text (262)696-9048LinkedInTwitter

In this special 400th episode of Social Capital, host Lori Highby, CEO and Founder of Keystone Click, is interviewed by Abby Radewahn, Digital Content Manager at Keystone Click. They discuss Lori's background, her passion for sports, and her journey from working at a web development company to founding her own digital marketing agency. Lori shares valuable lessons she learned about networking, mentorship, and the importance of authentic relationships. The episode highlights essential networking tips and emphasizes the significance of strong personal and professional connections in achieving success.Highlights00:00 Introduction to Social Capital Podcast00:49 Lori Highby's Background and Early Life02:57 The Role of Sports in Lori's Life04:42 Early Career and Lessons Learned07:12 Founding Keystone Click10:02 Personal Growth and Decision Making18:06 Networking and Mentorship25:35 Final Words of WisdomConnect with Lori on LinkedIn.

Meet Louise McDonnellLouise McDonnell is a renowned expert in leveraging social media to enhance sales and lead generation for coaches, consultants, and online entrepreneurs. She offers a comprehensive suite of services, including a complete "done for you" package, group coaching, and online training, aimed at converting social media efforts into tangible business results.As the founder of SellOnSocial.Media, Louise leads an agency dedicated to developing and implementing custom digital strategies that drive real results. Her team excels in creating actionable plans that effectively integrate strategy with execution to boost sales and market presence.Louise also established the Academy, an online platform offering training in sales-driven digital strategies. It features group coaching and mastermind sessions to support collaborative learning and practical strategy development. This platform is designed for professionals eager to expand their digital marketing skills and achieve sales growth.In addition to her entrepreneurial work, Louise is a four-time best-selling author, recognized for titles like 'Facebook Marketing, The Essential Guide' and an annually updated 'Social Media Planner & Guide.' These works are essential for businesses aiming to optimize their digital marketing strategies.As a keynote speaker, Louise shares her expertise on digital marketing and social media strategy with audiences worldwide. Her presentations offer practical insights, aiming to improve digital marketing skills and contribute to organizational success.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:14 Introducing Today's Guest: Louise McDonnell02:38 Using Social Media to Drive Business Sales04:46 The Impact of AI on Social Media09:47 Common Mistakes in Social Media Marketing16:58 Advice for Young Professionals21:48 Host's Perspective on AI23:28 Free Guide and Final Words of Wisdom25:10 Closing Remarks and Contact InformationConnect with LouiseSellOnSocial.MediaLinkedInFacebookInstagram Twitter/X Free Guide: Why Isn’t My Social Media Working for Me in 2024Free E-book: AI Powered Social Media: How To Save More Time & Get More Leads

Meet Erik OwenErik brings over 30 years of diverse business experience across manufacturing, distribution, services, and banking. He spent 20 years in corporate America, including roles at Fortune 500 companies, focusing on finance, operations, and executive management, with expertise in IT, strategic sourcing, logistics, and Lean/Six Sigma. In 2009, Erik founded Oak Hill Business Partners, a boutique consulting firm in Brookfield, Wis., dedicated to growing the intrinsic value of lower-middle market companies through excellence in finance, sales, marketing, and operations. Oak Hill has been recognized multiple times by the Milwaukee Business Journal and has successfully guided companies through growth, M&A transactions, and exit planning. Erik holds CPA and CEPA designations and is actively involved in the Exit Planning Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:09 Introducing Today's Guest: Erik Owen01:41 Top Problems Businesses Face05:18 Valuation of a Business10:55 Alternative Exit Strategies18:40 Preparing for an Exit Plan24:23 Fun and Reflective Questions31:48 Final Words and Contact InformationConnect with Erikoakhillbp.comLinkedIn