This episode was recorded live from The Ripple Space in Downtown Vancouver, WA at the Passages to Success Fall Conference. Our guest is Chris Hays, President and COO of ZoomInfo. It's not often that you get to talk to an executive leader of this caliber. Chris shared his experience in growing ZoomInfo into a multibillion dollar public company and provide very relatable ideas for small business owners around sales, growth, scaling, failure, exit strategy, and ways to weather an economic downturn. Prost!Episode Highlights:0:37 Introductions2:45 ZoomInfo's commitment to Vancouver, WA5:30 The Beer portion of the program7:57 How to manage growth & executing on opportunities10:56 Learning from failure14:20 Best ways to focus on your Total Addressable Market (TAM) - fit and intent17:33 How company size impacts your ability to pivot19:56 Ripcord moments21:21 Cofounding a small business26:32 Always have a contract28:11 Tips for scaling your business32:15 The natural tension between Sales and Operations34:57 The hardest thing Chris had to sell35:50 Keys to weathering an economic downturn39:30 Ways to look bigger as a small business42:15 The Final Action43:45 Wrap upGuest Beer:Victor 23 Craft Brewery - Vancouver, WABriefcase Full of Hops, Fresh Hop Hazy IPA, 7% ABVThanks to all our Sponsors of the Passages to Success Fall Conference:Comcast BusinessThe Port of VancouverGravitateGreenhaven LandscapesRational UnicornIn Light HyperbaricsTwin Star Credit UnionChaseVictor 23 Craft BreweryValo CellarsHeathen BrewingK Water StoreThe Barbers

This episode was recorded live from our Passages to Success monthly member event at IV Tea Company in downtown Vancouver, WA. Our guest is Natalie Fairchild, Founder and Chief Inspirational Office with Pacific Perks, a mobile cafe that creates personalized experiences for families and organizations in the Pacific Northwest.Small Business Owners are experiencing a wide variety of hiring challenges in today's market. In this episode, we do a deep dive into some of those challenges. We discuss the notion of The Great Resignation, and Natalie shares with us some creative solutions for a more effective hiring process. In addition, Natalie shares with us her 5 Rules for Business Basics and shares some big news about the future of her company. Prost!Episode Highlights:0:08 Intro1:11 Thanks to our Sponsors3:35 Top Hiring Challenges5:00 Welcome Natalie Fairchild Founder of Pacific Perks6:36 The Great Resignation9:44 Creative Problem Solving in the hiring process12:52 How many spaces after a period?16:35 Changing the old school mentality17:58 The role of storytelling in the hiring process20:47 Constantly recruiting for great candidates23:54 The beer portion of the program26:45 How pivoting can help you make the best of a bad situation32:30 5 Rules for Business Basics37:48 Franchising at Pacific Perks43:05 Balance your work and maintain your flexibility47:47 The Final Action50:15 Contact Natalie50:42 Wrap Up51:20 Meet Jason Huggins with our Sponsor Twin Star Credit UnionGuest Beer:Blue Moon Brewing Company - Denver, COBlue Moon Belgian Style Wheat Ale, 5.4% ABV, 9 IBUEpisode Links:Passages to SuccessNatalie Fairchild Pacific PerksTop Hiring Challenges from BMA GroupThanks to our Sponsors!Twin Star Credit UnionChucks ProduceIV TeaLoowit Brewing

Coming to you live from The Clark County Historical Museum in Vancouver Washington, this was recorded at our April 2022 Passages to Success member Event. We are excited to have Owners Jon Dyer and Kara Bowman of CheckRight NW, a Bookkeeping and Payroll company based in Vancouver, WA. Her journey from 10 hours a week to 10 hours a day Jon started offering bookkeeping services while getting his accounting degree and by the time he graduated, he had an established business. The question was whether or not to change to a CPA business or stay the course. He stayed the course, growing from just bookkeeping, in an office barely big enough for two people, to multiple offices all over Portland, OR Metro and expanding in to Payroll Services as well. Kara started as a part time employee in 2012 as Jon's first hire, and has now become a Partner in the business. Episode Highlights:00:42 Introductions3:53 High level overview of CheckRight NW 5:10 The beer portion of the program6:30 Our first ever live TikTok11:25 How John and Kara came together17:55 Should have quit my jobs sooner ("18:50 I wish I would've just let go of some of things that were holding me back")19:40 Work life balance 24:40 Building their company culture 30:05 How Kara went from employee to partner 36:25 Curiosity as a cornerstone of growth41:03 Don't bake for clients45:11 How their Customer Service culture will drive future growth decisions49:15 Advice for small business owners about growth53:30 The Final Question55:55 Contact information 57:20 Wrap upEpisode Links:Passages to SuccessCheckRight NWKara BowmanJohn DyerJon's Mom's Google ReviewVon Ebert BrewingSector 7 Hazy IPA

Business Over Beer episode 110 with Gus Farah | Executive VP of Operations for the Ridgefield Raptors "Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack"... because we're going out to the ball park with Gus Farah, Executive VP of Operations for the Ridgefield Raptors baseball team. In this episode, Gus shares with us that he was born in Cuba and his family relocated to Portland, OR when he was a young child. Professionally, he spent 17 years running the revenue generation side for five CBS Radio Stations in Portland. Also, he ran sponsorship sales for the Portland Trail Blazers before joining the ownership group of the Raptors. The West Coast League that the Raptors play in, along with the the Cowlitz Bears that Gus and his partners also own, has expanded by five teams for the 2022 season including several teams in Canada, showing that this is a great way to build community around baseball and to give a professional level development for college players. The Raptors are committed to affordable family friendly entertainment for all of Southwest Washington and bringing the joy of baseball to new generations of players and fans. Prost! Episode Highlights: 0:48 Introductions 3:57 50,000 foot view of the Ridgefield Raptors 6:28 The beer portion of the program 8:26 What makes baseball a great sport 10:25 Why players come to the West Coast League 14:15 Gus' Background 17:30 The business side of things 20:53 Appealing to the younger generation 24:50 Angie's Mystery Beer 30:00 Baseball in the Pacific Northwest 34:33 Commitment to the game of baseball 39:40 Advice for other small business owners 44:27 The Final Question 46:08 Contact Info 47:27 Wrap Up Guest Beer: Belching Beaver Brewery - Oceanside, CA Peanut Butter Milk Stout, 5.3% ABV, 30 IBU "Don’t let the dark color fool you, this beer is delightfully easy to drink with cascading aromas of roasted peanuts, dark chocolate and coffee. Good times to you my friend, and welcome to the beaver family!" Angie's Mystery Beer: Wild Ride Brewing - Redmond, OR Nut Crusher Peanut Butter Porter, 6% ABV, 18 IBU "We love beer. And we love peanut butter. And Nut Crusher Peanut Butter Porter is here to bring the best of these two worlds together! With notes of chocolate and caramel, this porter is complemented by the addition of creamy peanut butter flavor. It's a true liquid peanut butter cup, and it's here for you to enjoy." Episode Links: Ridgefield Raptors Gun Farah Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex West Coast League Northwest Star Academy Pink Lemonade Project Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard

On this episode of Business Over Beer, we have Passages To Success member and owner of Escape Zone 360, Ben Bevard.   Ben originally had the idea for his escape room while taking a marketing class in college, and when the pandemic hit, he found himself in a position to start his own business. Not only was he able to get it up and running, he has expanded, adding a second escape room in 2021.  Escape Zone 360 provides immersive - device free - entertainment, that is family friendly, perfect for birthdays, youth groups, and celebrations of all kinds. In addition, Escape Zone 360 is great for businesses for a fun day out of the office, or through team building with a professional business coach.  Starting and growing your own business is never easy, but as Ben has shown, if you have the courage to take some risks, it can pay off by turning your dream into reality.  Prost!   Episode Highlights: 0:43 Introductions 1:15 50,000 foot view of Escape Zone 360 2:00 Inspired by the love of travel 3:21 Types of escape rooms? 7:21 The consumer that never leaves 9:00 The escape room community - co-petitors not competitors 11:00 Good for your mental health 12:52: Team building 17:07 Why an escape room 18:54 Business growth lessons 20:39 Ideal clients of Escape Zone 360 23:02 The Final Question 24:55 Wrap Up   Episode Links: Escape Zone 360 Ben Bevard Escape Room movie Audrey Clark Co. Business Over Beer

On this episode of Business Over Beer, we have Passages To Success member and local realty expert, Diana Rutherford.   A former Collegiate Athlete, Diana's experience playing softball has helped her develop more of a teammate approach to her real estate business as a way to best serve her clients. She first got into Real Estate though her dad's business, and is now taking a fresh approach to the real estate industry centered around service. Diana believes that we are all better together and through more human connection we can build a better community.    Prost!   Episode Highlights: 0:43 Intros 1:17 50k foot view 2:15 What's with the softball uniform 3:24 Iowa State 4:10 Service is number 1 6:35 How got Diana into real estate 10:40 Importance of adjustment 12:43 Navigating areas she's not good at 15:50 Rewriting the realty playbook 20:36 Push Back to the new playbook 23:45 The Final Question 27:42 Wrap Up   Episode Links: At Home With Diana Realty By Rutherford PNW Real Estate Realty One Group Cascadia Iowa State Cyclones Business Over Beer

On this episode of Business Over Beer, we recorded live from Victor 23 Brewing with Head Brewer, Todd Britt. Victor 23 is a great local brewpub, complete with all the regulars saddled up at the bar, there to support the brewery. In this episode, we learn about  where the name "Victor 23" originated from. Also, Todd talks about his journey from the Midwest to The Pacific Northwest, brewing for institutions like Goose Island and Rock Bottom, before landing the head brewer job for Victor 23.  Todd talks about the art of brewing and his passion for barrel aged beer, but understanding that this is a business, and he needs to brew beer that his customers want. "Somebody's gotta buy it," Todd told us. "It Doesn't matter if its the best beer in the world, if I can't get you guys to drink it, it doesn't matter what I think of the beer" Prost! Episode Highlights: 0:48 Intros 4:05 50k foot view of Victor 23 Brewing 5:00 The beer portion of the program 7:35 What's new with the beer industry 9:21 Todd's passion for barrel aging beer 15:50 Changes to hop technology 19:55 Todd's brewing background 22:22 Goose Island 24:10 Rock Bottom 25:45 Adjusting to the PNW beer culture 27:51 Does the PNW love for hops hinder our beer culture 33:47 Angie's Mystery Beer 39:35 Where the name Victor 23 comes from  41:37 Getting the Victor 23 brewer job 43:54 Let demand lead supply 49:37 The Final Question 52:40 Wrap up   Guest Beer: Victor 23 Brewing - Vancouver, WA Business Class, Hazy Pale Ale, 5% ABV, 10 IBU "Upgrade your ticket and experience the comfort beyond the curtain. Brewed with the guys of Biz Over Beer, this Hazy Pale Ale features layers of hop character, including citrus, papaya, mango, blueberry, and orange blossom."   Episode Links: Business Over Beer Victor 23 Brewing Todd Britt Rose City Distilling Goose Island Brewing Rock Bottom What's our vector Victor? DB Cooper 5440 Brewing

Welcome to the first episode in our Passages To Success series, recorded live at our recent Sales and Marketing Seminar in January 2022, featuring Charles Swatzell, Formos CEO and Dave Barcos, Formos Director of Business Development.   Formos, the self proclaimed "Best Kept Secret in Vancouver", is an enterprise software development company headquartered in Vancouver, WA with global offices in Vietnam and Ecuador, and a newly opened a new US office in Nashville, TN.   In this episode, Charles shares with us lessons he learned from his acting days and how doing a character study on those you want to do business with will help you understand their motivation and help you earn the right to sell to them. People buy things for their reasons, not yours.  You will also get a real explanation of what Business Development is versus Sales along with some tangible takeaways on hustle, tenacity and telling your story, which will help you be a better business owner.   In the end, running a successful business means showing up day after day, putting in the work and practicing with intention to get better at the different aspects of your business.   Prost!   Episode Highlights: 0:43 Intro 4:00 50K foot view of Formos 6:33 The beer portion of the program 11:15 Signs you've made it 14:31 The difference between Start Up and Starting Up 16:00 The Hustle 20:10 How being an actor helped in business 27:58 Business Development Defined 32:02 Start Up Development Phases 35:54 Walking a lonely path and self motivation 42:23 Tenacity 44:30 Navigating sales as an introvert 47:19 Telling your story 53:59 Projects they're proud of 1:03:46 The Final Question 1:06:34 Wrap Up   Guest Beer: Victor 23 Brewing - Vancouver, WA Business Class, Hazy Pale Ale, 5% ABV, 10 IBU "Upgrade your ticket and experience the comfort beyond the curtain. Brewed with the guys of Biz Over Beer, this Hazy Pale Ale features layers of hop character, including citrus, papaya, mango, blueberry, and orange blossom." Episode Links: Formos North Bank Innovations Charles Swatzell Dave Barcos Aria Gin The Swatzells Perform One More Day Parody Sidekick Pan's Mushroom Jerky Mushroom Jerky Beer Pairings VanTechy

Business Over Beer welcomes back Vancouver, WA City Councilor, Kim Harless, for part 2 of her interview.  A lifelong resident of Vancouver, Kim has spent her entire adult life in service, working with non-profits and government agencies. Elected to the first ever Clark County Charter Commission as the only person of color, she has become the first Indigenous person elected to Vancouver City Council.  In this episode, Kim shared with us that she is not viewing her City Council seat as a stepping stone to further her political career or to do what's in the best interest of a political party. Rather, she is committed to making the community a better place for everybody and on policies that make it easier to promote mutual aid projects and allow for community members to support each other.  Now is a time for Vancouver to "grow up", literally and figuratively. We need to be more effective in how we grow our urban centers and protect our rural farmland. We need to have a resilient community that can take on these challenges and still thrive, but at the same time recognize that we cannot simply rely on the resiliency of our people. We need to provide opportunities to all our citizens. We won't thrive if our people are constantly having to overcome huge setbacks.  Prost!   Angie's Mystery Beer: Worthy Brewing - Bend, OR Lights Out Stout, 7.7% ABV, 30 IBU "This hybridized American Stout accentuates the subtle nuances of non-traditional ingredients, such as Bob’s Red Mill Oats and milk sugar, which lend a smooth body with some residual sweetness. The whole Madagascar vanilla beans show mostly in the aroma."   Episode Links: Kim Harless Paint Care Vancouver Free Fridge Project Proper Mystery Beer Opening Procedure with Keith Sconiers

On this episode of Business Over Beer, we welcome Vancouver, WA City Councilor, Kim Harless.  A lifelong resident of Vancouver, Kim has spent her entire adult life in service, working with non-profits and government agencies. Elected to the first ever Clark County Charter Commission as the only person of color, she has become the first Indigenous person elected to Vancouver City Council.  As a natural introvert, Kim never really saw herself in the spotlight, but she has a greater desire for the world to be a great place for everybody and won't want to stand on the sidelines when she sees injustice or an opportunity for life to be better for her community. Prost!   Guest Beer: Black Raven Brewing - Redmond, WA Trickster IPA, 6.9% ABV, 68 IBU In mythology, the raven can play tricks or otherwise disobey normal rules, hence the name Trickster. This well-balanced IPA has a light fruit, citrus and piney hop aroma with a full hop flavor. With delicately balanced malt and hops and a 6.9% ABV, this beer has truly earned its name.    Episode Links: Kim Harless Paint Care More Black Raven Brewing Co.