This week hosts Nick Kuhn and Bethany Hartley talk with Annie Johnson, Founder of Take Care, South Bend, a business connecting the South Bend community with the gifting industry. Annie curates care packages, gift baskets, and subscription boxes using products from various vendors in the South Bend area. She shares her founding story, how she finds the people she works with, and the most surprising part of running her own business. Annie also talks about the challenges of being an entrepreneur and shares her vision for the future of Take Care, South Bend.South Bend business owners and entrepreneurs, if you’ve been in business for five years or less reach out to us to be featured on the Rooted and Reaching Podcast!QUOTES "My favorite thing to make are gifts for people who are in need of comfort." -Annie Johnson [04:37]“I get a lot of people time in my work, but I also really appreciate my friends. I have friends who have been key in supporting the business either by purchasing or sharing online on social media, telling their friends about my business. I am really thankful for them.“ -Annie Johnson [07:36]TIMESTAMPS02:25 Take Care, South Bend founding story04:44 Annie’s favorite part of running her business06:05 South Bend’s renaissance 07:26 Finding support and community as an entrepreneurRESOURCESTake Care, South BendCONTACTNick Kuhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuhnnick/ Bethany Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyhartley/ 

This week hosts Nick Kuhn and Bethany Hartley talk with Kathy Burnett, the owner of Brain Lair Books. Kathy shares her experiences of owning a bookstore that focuses on uplifting marginalized voices,  highlighting authors and illustrators from underrepresented communities. She discusses navigating challenges during the pandemic, implementing revenue streams, and seeking advice from other entrepreneurs.South Bend business owners and entrepreneurs, if you’ve been in business for five years or less reach out to us to be featured on the Rooted and Reaching Podcast!QUOTES "Knowing when to pull back, knowing when to push, and being on the forefront of what's happening in the book business is to know what I should be doing next basically." -Kathy Burnett [08:25]“I feel as if the store is something that's necessary, especially in the climate that we are now. The biggest thing that I say is we wanna help people build empathy and build community. And you do that through reading about other people's studies showing that fiction helps people be empathetic toward other people.“ -Kathy Burnett [06:44]TIMESTAMPS01:06 Brain Lair Books07:22 The day-to-day of owning a bookstore11:17 Investing and Revenue Streams 16:27 Building community18:52 Defining successRESOURCESBrain Lair BooksCONTACTNick Kuhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuhnnick/ Bethany Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyhartley/

For the first live episode of the Rooted and Reaching Podcast hosts Nick Kuhn and Bethany Hartley talk with Ramal Taylor, CEO of Millennia Strategies, and Joel Neidig, the Director of Research and Development at ITAMCO. Joel and Ramal share the beginnings of their entrepreneurial journeys and how they found success in business through their family and community support. South Bend business owners and entrepreneurs, if you have been in business for five years or less reach out to us to be featured on the Rooted and Reaching Podcast!QUOTES“I took inventory of what was going on and made sure I kept good books and I kept the data that I needed to make decisions. I think a lot of entrepreneurs, they may not do that very well, is keeping the data and making decisions based off of the data“ -Ramal Taylor [14:15]“Any agency that spends over a billion dollars has to be part of a percentage of their spend, has to go to small business. There's a roadshow that comes to every state. You can go meet all the people that are buying, that are saying, hey, I need this item. Can you develop it or does your product offer that? And that's great but to Nick's point, you have to go out and research where all these things are happening.” -Joel Neidig [37:45]TIMESTAMPS02:25 Ramal Taylor on Her Upbringing and Impactful Family Lineage06:00 Business Growth and Leveraging10:47 Partnerships to Develop Innovative Technologies in Manufacturing and Childcare25:48 Entrepreneurship and Balancing Work and Family Life32:29 Grant Writing, Bank Funding, and CDFI Model for Entrepreneurship37:21 Exploring the World of Small Business IncubationRESOURCESITAMCO: https://itamco.com/ Millenia Strategies: https://www.facebook.com/CFORamal/ CONTACTNick Kuhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuhnnick/ Bethany Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyhartley/ Ramal Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brightbeginningschildcare/ Joel Neidig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelneidig/

This week hosts Nick Kuhn and Bethany Hartley talk with Ray Fraser, Entrepreneur in Residence at The IDEA Center at the University of Notre Dame. Ray explains how he got into medical technology and how VitalView helps visualize patients' data to prevent hospital visits. He shares his passion for the future of medical technology and talks about the importance of collaboration and working together to discover innovative technologies that focus on prevention and early diagnosis. QUOTES“One of the things we found was that it is about building the relationship along the way. Instead of going in and saying, hey, here's our idea, please buy it, we made sure to make them a partner in the beginning. At first, they were hands-off. But as we kept coming back, kept asking for their feedback as well, wanting their input, actively listening, we found that they were an awesome partner to pilot with.“ -Ray Fraser [03:58]“When you look at heart failure patient care today, a lot of hospital readmissions is one of the biggest issues, and part of that reason is because of fluid buildup, and care teams simply today do not have a good way of monitoring change in fluid volume when the patient is discharged from the hospital.” -Ray Fraser [15:54]TIMESTAMPS00:15 Ray Fraser Intro01:23 Building Relationships with University Partners for Entrepreneurial Ventures05:07 The Benefits of Working in Startups and Consulting14:45 The Impact of Contactless Sensing Platform for Heart Failure Patient Care17:03 Medtech and Chronic IllnessRESOURCESVitalView CONTACTNick Kuhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuhnnick/ Bethany Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyhartley/ Ray Fraser: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayfraser/

This week hosts Nick Kuhn and Bethany Hartley talk with Ambrose Kamya, Founder of Kinga Safety, a South Bend startup working to keep communities and campuses safer. Originally from Uganda, Ambrose discusses a project involving the entire agricultural value chain of his home country and how he was able to connect farmers to exporters with organic produce. He also shares what led to the creation of Kinga Safety and why he is passionate about creating safety for others. QUOTES“I was also running ideas on how to end sexual assault because that was a personal story, a personal attachment because my mom is a sexual assault victim. I was always looking out for ways of making sure that I come up with something that makes sure that doesn't happen to someone else's mother.“ -Ambrose Kamya [08:47]“We are multilayered because we believe for sexual assault to reduce, you have to educate so that the student knows how to avoid, de-escalate, or call for help. But you also need to empower them so that when the situation happens they have an easier way of getting out.” -Ambrose Kamya [15:22]TIMESTAMPS01:43 The Education System in Nigeria and Ambrose’s Journey to South Bend04:20 Transitioning from Notre Dame to the International Agricultural Value Chain08:47 Exploring Solutions to End Sexual Assault13:44 The Kinga Safety Widget15:22 Empowering Students to Reduce Sexual Assault on College CampusesRESOURCESKinga SafetyCONTACTNick Kuhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuhnnick/ Bethany Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyhartley/ Ambrose Kamya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambrosekamya/

This week hosts Nick Kuhn and Bethany Hartley talk with Alex Sejdinaj, Co-founder of Code Works, a digital product studio based in South Bend that designs and develops tech solutions for clients with digital needs. Alex talks about the importance of tech literacy and how it gave her the skills to start her own business. She shares how Code Works is offering coding classes, internships, and other resources to the community, as well as the Give Grove initiative, which matches local volunteers with nonprofits to help them reach their goals.QUOTES“Anyone can learn how to code. We have had students of all ages as young as three. We've had a woman in her 70s learning how to code with us. So I think that there's not one particular type of person who's going to be good at coding. A lot of times I think we think, if we aren’t good at math, then we probably can't code. That is the furthest thing from the truth because there are so many different languages out there.“ -Alex Sejdinaj [07:51]“A lot of things can be really cumbersome if you're a small organization and part of a small team. With Give Grove, we've made it really affordable with no contracts and no hidden fees. We don't make money until you make money. So it makes it a lot easier for organizations of all sizes, to be able to just test out ideas for fundraising to benefit their works.” -Alex Sejdinaj [11:21]TIMESTAMPS02:55 Alex’s Journey from Pre-Med to Co-Founding South Bank Code School07:22 Innovating During the Pandemic09:26 Code Works, Give Grove, and the Digital Storefront Grant Program13:18 Exploring the Benefits of Chat GPT for Small BusinessesRESOURCESCode WorksGive GroveCONTACTNick Kuhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuhnnick/ Bethany Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyhartley/ Alex Sejdinaj: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-sejdinaj-205aa26a/

This week hosts Nick Kuhn and Bethany Hartley have a conversation with Jess Koscher, Founder of Write Connections, a design, marketing, and strategic services company. After losing her job and being unemployed for 12 hours, Jess was overwhelmed with requests from her network to discuss her next move. Although concerned about paying her rent, her network supported her by offering various tasks which led to the launch of Write Connections. Jess discusses her work in the nonprofit sector, the power of community, and how her mindset has helped her build a successful business.QUOTES“I think coming from nonprofit to for-profit has been interesting in that for-profit is a lot looser in many ways, but the penalties, if you screw it up are scary. So that's been a continual learning curve for me. Doing the work and then creating a solid business is a fine balance.“ - Jess Koscher [05:10]“What has been really gratifying is helping our clients do better. We have strategic clients, and the rest are marketing clients. Helping a restaurant that is just trying to keep its doors open, by having a strong branding and presence is gratifying. Helping a corporation create a strategy for diversity, equity, inclusion that works throughout all their channels, is gratifying.” - Jess Koscher [16:07]TIMESTAMPS01:22 Jess Koscher on Transitioning from a Nonprofit to Entrepreneurship03:10 The Surprises of Being a Business Owner05:09 Balancing Doing the Work and Creating a Solid Business12:43 Paying it Forward and Helping Others Succeed14:11 How Jess Built a Successful Marketing Firm During a Global PandemicRESOURCESWrite ConnectionsCONTACTNick Kuhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuhnnick/ Bethany Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyhartley/

In this episode of the Rooted and Reaching podcast, hosts Nick Kuhn and Bethany Hartley speak with Johan Vazquez, Founder of Guac N’ Squat, a food business based in Goshen, Indiana. Johan’s passion for serving people, his pride in his Mexican heritage, and his entrepreneurial spirit have driven him to create a successful business from the ground up. He talks about the valuable role community plays in the support of business owners and shares how he is educating customers about Mexican cuisine through his products.QUOTES“I wanted to do food and serve people. I love serving people. I love inviting people into my home. I think that is hospitality, part of my background, and part of being Mexican. I just love taking care of people.“ - Johan Vazquez [00:29]“You can't do everything by yourself. Seek help. I like the idea of community-building relationships. Whatever I can't do, they can help me get there. Whatever my skill set allows them to do, we can trade. Connect yourself with a good community and group of friends.” - Johan Vazquez [13:16]TIMESTAMPS1:25 Guac, Peanut Butter, and Popsicles2:49 Overcoming Challenges and Sourcing Quality Ingredients6:57 Guac N’ Squat and Johan’s Entrepreneurial Spirit 12:49 Community Building, Obedience, and PerseveranceRESOURCESGuac N’ SquatCONTACTNick Kuhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuhnnick/ Bethany Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyhartley/

In this episode of the Rooted and Reaching podcast, hosts Nick Kuhn and Bethany Hartley speak with Kevin Craig, Chief Executive Officer at Tessellated, a company developing high-strength polymer films in partnership with The University of Notre Dame. Kevin shares his journey from the Air Force to working with Tessellated to create graphene. He also discusses how military veterans have the same skill set as entrepreneurs: being able to be decisive in the face of imperfect information and the ability to get punched in the face and keep moving forward. QUOTES“Properly tabulate wins and losses. Two examples: When I was in the military, I had all the stripes, and people would walk in and go, this person must have been a success. But what I would tell them is my win-loss record. The Air Force actually told me no then told me yes on promotion. So I had a losing record, but ultimately I was successful. ” - Kevin Craig [12:38]“Sometimes success means more hard work. So even when you get a win, cheer a little bit and get back at it.” - Kevin Craig [13:34]TIMESTAMPS[00:01] Kevin Craig’s Entrepreneurial Journey[05:10] Translating Military Experience into Business Success[06:21] Tessellated: Material Science and Graphene Technology[10:26] Developing Graphene-Based Ballistic MaterialsRESOURCESTessellatedCONTACTNick Kuhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuhnnick/ Bethany Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyhartley/ Kevin Craig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-craig/

In this episode of the Rooted and Reaching podcast, hosts Nick Kuhn and Bethany Hartley speak with Paul Anthony, CEO and Co-founder at OpStart, a South Bend based company managing accounting, finance, and other back-office functions for startups. Paul talks about his background in venture capital and how deviating from the traditional career path can bring value to your life and your community. He also discusses the unique ethos of South Bend and the vast opportunity it presents for successful and impactful startups.QUOTES“What we're really focused on is providing the best advice and execution to companies that are looking to scale quickly. Because when you are scaling really quickly, that's when things can break more easily. And you need to be laser focused on your metrics. You need to be really well informed on how you're doing financially because a small slip up can be catastrophic.” -Paul Anthony [14:43]“I'd love South Bend to be an ecosystem where people can work on interesting things that have a social component to them and that make the world a better place. And I think that would be a really great way to match what the community's ethos is in general. This is a very passionate kind of collective community.” -Paul Anthony [23:01]TIMESTAMPS[00:17] Growing up in South Bend and Paul’s experiences in investment banking[05:35] Working with a local community in the Dominican Republic[10:44] The need for financial function as a service for startups[15:30] OpStart's journey [21:40] Leveraging South Bend's strengths to put it on the world mapRESOURCESOpStart: https://www.opstart.co/ CONTACTNick Kuhn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuhnnick/ Bethany Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyhartley/ Paul Anthony: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-anthony-8a256087/