Portraits of Leadership Series – Kurt Knutson

Kurt Knutson – Freedom Bank, Overland Park, Kan.
Founder, Chairman and CEO

It’s Business Drive Time^® in America, and we’re on a national business leadership tour. We are speaking with some of the finest leaders across America’s top growth industries. We are fielding a national market study, developing news stories and creating a video series about leading growth cities, industries, companies and people.

We recently sat down with Kurt Knutson of Freedom Bank in Overland Park in Overland Park, Kan., a growing suburb of in the Kansas City metro. Kurt is a respected CEO, a CEO advisor and business founder. Freedom Bank is one of the most well-managed business owner banks you will find. In addition to business banking insights, Kurt has provided valuable insights on what is required to foster growth of privately held companies.

The $180 million bank was founded by Kurt in 2005 after more than 20 years of prior commercial banking and finance experience. Freedom Bank is a new kind of bank, dealing exclusively with small to medium-sized privately held companies. Freedom Bank’s lending services focus on business term loans, working capital lines of credit and owner-occupied business real estate loans.

The bank’s mission, the portfolio of services and even the contemporary headquarters building were developed around the unique needs of business owners. Freedom Bank’s personalized level of services mirror what was once the norm in banking. This single-location, community bank with a visible, respected leader is something Kurt experienced firsthand as he grew up in the Midwestern town of Waterloo, Iowa, home of John Deere Tractor Works www.deere.com.

In addition to Freedom Bank, Kurt worked with his investor group to create a Founders Club and a Freedom Bank Foundation. Associated activities help to cultivate ongoing business friendships and professional connections for all involved. Freedom Bank hosts quarterly in-house events and an annual charity golf tournament. Kurt and his team select worthy local causes each year to receive the tournament proceeds.

Kurt also established a Freedom Bank banking and corporate finance training institute. The Freedom Bank Institute offers young professionals a taste of career opportunities in business banking. The institute provides student internships and training to promising young professionals on the subjects of banking, credit analysis and corporate finance.

Kurt is active in the business and banking community across the region. He is a member and past chairman of the Kansas Banking Board within the Office of the State Bank Commissioner. Kurt is an active member and chairman elect of the Kansas Bankers Association www.ksbankers.com, and is a member of KBA’s federal affairs committee. Kurt is on the board of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce www.kansaschamber.org, and a corporate board member of Clements Worldwide, a leading supplier of insurance solutions for expatriates and international organizations.

Kurt began his career as a regional sales manager at Russell Stover Candies before entering commercial banking. Prior to founding Freedom Bank, Kurt held senior and executive level banking positions serving customers locally, regionally and nationally. Prior banking experience includes Enterprise Bank, UMB Bank, Bank of America, Johnson County Bank and Bankers Trust. Kurt received his degree in marketing from the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa. www.uiowa.edu

For business loans in the Kansas City region, you can reach Kurt and Freedom Bank at www.IBankWithFreedom.com

Portraits of Leadership Series Dr. Chad Welter – Founder of Laser Advanced Founder of Active Family Chiropractic

12:58 am By Dave Anderson

Dr. Chad Welter is the “Active Family Doctor.™” He is also an active entrepreneur. Chad owns a sports medicine practice in Overland Park, Kan., a Kansas City suburb. www.DrChadWelter.com

Through his practice, Active Family Chiropractic, Dr. Welter provides advanced laser therapy services to athletes and other patients of all ages that are trying to recover from injuries, aches and pains. Chad’s story is one of a committed medical professional, an early adopter of technology and a committed business owner. His drive and passion are helping to heal patients, creating numerous happy customers and also creating a well-respected healthcare practice.

When Chad graduated from Cleveland University’s College of Chiropractic Medicine, he wanted to distinguish himself and his practice from other care providers. His personal experiences with sports, sports related injuries and the healing process helped him decide to incorporate advanced laser therapy into his practice.

Dr. Welter was a competitive athlete throughout his formidable years. Chad was active in football, basketball and track in high school. When not in school, he played baseball, and was (and is) an avid water and snow skier. He is also a participant in another specialized sport. Chad is a bull rider.

Sports injuries and the necessary therapy and healing has been a part Dr. Welter’s own active life. As a result, he found a way to incorporate advanced laser therapy into his practice. Laser therapy is a proven tool used regularly by professional sports teams to help their players heal more quickly. Laser therapy helps athletes get back in the game.

As a part of our discovery of Dr. Welter’s laser therapy practice, we spoke with David Lindstrom, a retired NFL player www.nfl.com and former member of the Kansas City Chiefs www.chiefs.com. David related to us the risks associated with injuries as a professional athlete.

Sports related injuries are all part of the game even in the major leagues. However, when you are sidelined with injuries, the team will need to fill your spot with another player. The quicker you can heal and get back out on the field, the quicker you can return to your own position before the team decides they can live without you.

Getting back out on the field of life is also important. Patients typically want to remain active and healthy as a part of their daily lives. Advanced laser therapy can also be a part of accelerated healing for the average active person in the routine of their daily life.

Dr. Welter is a driven business owner, but he is driven to serve his patients. He has shown focus, vision and commitment as a sports medicine and injury recovery doctor. In six short years, he has developed a bustling practice that has reached patients from as far away as 300 miles.

One of the best report cards a business can receive is referrals. Chad has a long and growing list of satisfied patients. This brings with them a steady stream of new patient referrals. Dr. Welter receives 30 to 50 new patients each month nearly entirely through word of mouth. This includes not only referrals from other patients, but also from professional athletes, coaches and trainers as well as doctors and surgeons in the area.

Advanced laser therapy is a not only a proven treatment for sports injuries. Chad treats patients of all ages. His customers have included infants, student athletes, active adults, professional athletes and seniors. This includes patients who are suffering from pain caused by recent injuries, age, over-exertion and bodily wear. Laser therapy can also provide enhanced comfort for persons who live with permanent injury and reoccurring chronic pain.

Laser therapy is an FDA approved treatment that has been around for many years. Recent advances in the laser technology have dramatically accelerated the patient treatment process. Injuries that used to require up to eight hours for each laser treatment can now be treated each time in a few minutes. Multiple visits are typically necessary, but each treatment is fast, safe and convenient. And his patients are seeing results, even from the most nagging pain and injuries.

Chad has achieved enough success at a local level with deep tissue laser therapy, that he has become an advocate, supplier and training resource for other medical professionals across the country. Dr. Welter, along with a partner, has established a new company, Laser Advanced LLC, to equip and train colleagues in other cities. www.laseradvanced.com

We have been impressed with Chad’s level of enthusiasm for life both professionally and personally. Besides growing his own practice that now includes his brother Curt, Dr. Welter is active in the Kansas City community. He is an avid sports fan, volunteers extensively for charities and fundraising events, and is a member of multiple community development organizations. He is also an active traveler throughout the country both personally and with his Laser Advanced business.

Prior to receiving his doctorate of chiropractic medicine at Cleveland University, Chad received a bachelors of science in medical diagnostic imaging at Fort Hays State University. Chad can be found locally at his Active Family Chiropractic www.ActiveFamilyKC.com office, at Royals baseball games www.mlb.com/royals, watching the Kansas City Chiefs and Sporting KC MLS soccer www.SportingKC.com and at charity golf tournaments. He enjoys outdoor activities, travel and helping other doctors with their sports medicine practices.

J.D. Higgason – Reece Nichols Real Estate Koehler Bortnick Group

8:07 pm By Dave Anderson

J.D. Higgason of Koehler Bortnick Realty is a premier home real estate professional in the Kansas City area. He has served as an advisor to Alpha Board on the growth elements of the Kansas City metro area. J.D. is an expert on the dynamics of local real estate market. J.D.’s Kansas City area home real estate practice is tied directly to the growth and vibrancy of the region. By working with local residents as well as families who are relocating to Kansas City, he knows what makes the Kansas City region attractive to working families.

J.D. is the most senior level team member of the Koehler Bortnick Group beyond the firm’s founders, having worked there for over 15 years. Koehler Bortnick’s Leawood, Kan. based office of Reece Nichols Realty (reecenichols.com) is owned by Kathy Koehler and her daughter Heather Bortnick. With more than 45 real estate professionals, Koehler Bortnick was ranked 25th nationally among its peers in total sales in 2017 as according to the Wall Street Journal. https://bit.ly/2E32itu Also consistently number one in the Kansas City area, Koehler Bortnick sold more than 850 houses in 2018 averaging one house sold about every 10 hours throughout the year. Koehler Bortnick’s sales for 2018 were $356 million.

The insights J.D. has provided include the view of an executive realtor, as well as a resident, leader and member of the Kansas City business community. J.D. is a consummate professional with his career devoted to sales, service and account management.

J.D. has and will continue to provide us with information about what residents and newcomers believe is special about the Kansas City community. He has helped us better understand where and why people choose to locate in the Kansas City region. J.D. described for us what he believes are key drivers of growth in the area, the special attractions, activities and culture of the Kansas City community as well as the leadership and growth that the city provides as a 21st century, Midwest business hub.

J.D. is a father, husband and former high school and college athlete. He has a degree in agricultural economics from Kansas State University and was raised on a farm in rural Norton County, Kan. near Logan.

To reach J.D. to discuss your own Kansas City real estate needs, you can reach J.D. at the Koehler Bortnick office of Reece Nicholls Realty at www.KBSells.com.

Building Great Brands in a Digital World

2:16 am By Dave Anderson

It’s Business Drive Time^® in this new age, ever changing digital world.

So, who in the marketplace is doing the finest job in the business race? Who are the winners? What industries, what companies, what products, which people are leading the pack?

We are speaking with leaders across the country and throughout the most innovative industries as we attempt to answer these questions. It’s part of Alpha Board’s National Business Leadership Tour. The tour includes companies and leaders from a number of the hottest markets in the U.S. and ultimately beyond.

One of the subjects we will be discussing is the challenges and opportunities of building great brands in today’s dynamic technology world. We are speaking leaders inside well branded companies. In addition, we’re speaking with the marketing agencies and advisers that are helping promising companies manage and develop their brands in the marketplace.

We’re not looking for leaders in the cliché companies. We’ll leave Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and their peers for someone else’s tour. We’re looking for the hidden gems, the fast companies, the smaller companies, the private companies and the emerging leaders who are mastering the art of new.

We have the same philosophy as we select the cities in the tour. While New York, LA, San Francisco and Seattle may not be yesterday’s news, we’re visiting the cities that are truly winning in the 21st Century.

Technology is hot, but even technology is not just for California anymore. If you are in a city like Minneapolis, Kansas City, Denver, Austin, Phoenix-Scottsdale, Dallas, Nashville or Raleigh-Durham you may find yourself on our list of experts for the tour.

One of the topics we will be discussing with leaders is the art and science of growing great brands and achieving marketplace attention in our new, always spinning, digital age.

We’re looking for the experts that can tell us how the great brands roll.

What are the most powerful methods and trends driving today’s new age brand growth?
What companies are doing it right?
Are they product driven or market driving?
Are their brands about loyalty, clicks or both?
What is the blend of traditional marketing, product innovation, social media, the web and personal sales?
Is there a secret formula? Is there one strategy or many?
How are marketers finding the delicate balance between innovation, hard work? Traditional versus non-traditional tools?
Who are market suppliers and media companies with the leading-edge approaches?
Who are the agencies, digital leaders and market advisers that are doing the best work?

If you are an engaged and engaging leader in today’s branding and marketing race, we’d love to hear what you have to say. We can be reached at 913 685-4850, or via email at dave@alphaboard.com.

Time to Hit The Road

11:30 am By Dave Anderson

Who are the leaders that are moving American business forward?

It’s Business Drive Time^{^®}, and we are looking for some of the greatest business drivers regionally and nationally to feature in our 2020 Alpha^{^®} Board Fresh Octane Tour.

Who are the innovators? Who are the leaders? What (and where) are the opportunities? Which companies, technologies, products, people will be propelling growth over the next few years?

We have already begun to engage business leaders and leading businesses in multiple cities. We’re working with those that will be most responsible for the leadership, innovation, products, companies and programs that will be driving business forward. If that includes you, we’d love for your organization to participate.

Discussion topics:

What regions of the country and more importantly what are the key trends, issue and activities within those geographies that will help companies succeed moving forward?
What industries show the most promise for growth in jobs, revenue and profits over the next few years?
What companies are driving those industries?
Who are the people, products, and services that are most responsible for new business growth?
What key market trends and technology platforms are most responsible?
How can we help the best business drivers gain more recognition, visibility and market connections?
Which leaders should be involved in the tour, and what companies, in your opinion, are the most deserving of recognition?

To learn more about the Alpha Board Tour and to share with us who you believe are the best business drivers, give us a call. You may call Dave Anderson at (cell/text) 612 810-4000, (office) at 913 685-4850 or by email at dave@neuvision.com. You may also speak with Dan Vasey at 303 809-9058 or reach him via email at dan@neuvision.com.

The Mojo Moment

11:05 am By Dave Anderson

4:53 a.m. August 18, 2009

Have You Ever Been Struck By Lightning? Have you ever experienced that “Mojo Moment” in your business? Can you name the time and place? Can you name the result, how it was handled, and whether you actually achieved anything based on that instant?

Most people describe this as the “aha,” but it’s much bigger than that. It is a level of inspiration that is of biblical proportions, although others might describe it in more easily referenced sexual terms. The “o” in mojo is a great description because once you’ve achieved it, you know it and there is no question. And, there are those who can fake it, often fairly convincingly. Unfortunately, I don’t think very many business leaders or even very many businesses have ever experienced that moment or the feeling and opportunity it can create.

I will tell you too, it’s like a lightning strike. It is typically unexpected. You often can’t plan for it. Most people spend their lives trying to avoid it. You don’t know when or where it will strike. And, it’s over even before you know it. However, the “mojo” instant of power can provide a positive jolt with cosmic effects, if you are able to harness the energy. The most fun and funny part is that some people have the knack, and the “mojo moment” exponentially more often than others. In addition, you can easily see the smile and the confidence it creates.
Can you survive as a business without one? Sure. Most do. Can you thrive? Likely not nearly as well as you would if you had that spark of creativity, the spark of vision, the one lightning strike where everything comes together in a magical way.

I recently read an SBA report on the fastest growing businesses in the U.S. There were a number of key takeaways. One of the most important is the entrepreneurial culture of the cities containing the most “fast” growing businesses. The report was NOT about culture, yet if you know some of the higher ranking cities, you’ll see that a cultural open-mindedness is a key element in growth. It’s also a requirement in achieving the spark that could change the life of your business.

The other interesting element is that there is no particular industry where high growth companies alone reside. This means that everyone can achieve the “Mojo Moment” if they only would.

Clearly, having the spark and harnessing the energy created are two very different things. Research would also bear out the fact that in many cases, there is little practical correlation between the skills required to achieve both. That should not discourage you.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks and months as we highlight the companies, the leaders, and the business results of those who really have the juice. They are not only taking delight in its energy, but also taking it to the bank. This is about honoring those who are doing well, giving those who are trying visibility and a “chance,” and also sharing the journey with others so everyone can learn. It’s a moment that should be celebrated, shared, and repeated early and often.

For more about great business, great vision, great leadership, profits, and the “Mojo Moment,” stay tuned, and let us know if you or someone you know has a story to tell.

Seeking the Finest Business Drivers in America

4:20 pm By Dave Anderson

Alpha^® Board 2020 Fresh Octane^® Tour

National Business Leadership Exchange^™

Executive Overview

Join the conversation! Are you a great business driver? We’ve working with some of the finest Alpha^® Grade leaders in American business, and we’re looking for additional standout leaders to be involved. Which business leaders in your market do you believe are creating the greatest regional, national and global market impacts? What industries, companies, people and products are moving business forward? Got Drive? Let’s talk!

Alpha^® Board Fresh Octane^® National Business Leadership Tour:

Fresh Octane^® Tour: Showcasing innovative new products, Alpha^® Driven companies, Alpha^® Grade CEOs, and outstanding business leaders throughout major growth markets across America.
It’s about creating excitement, gaining visibility and driving inbound leads.
Helping to grow the reach, reputation and revenue of the region and nation’s finest business leaders.
A chance to place the great business drivers’ stories on the national stage.
Alpha Board Fresh Octane^® Tour is a field tested system with well-designed, unique and powerful approach.
- Proprietary, centralized system to drive marketplace attention
- Innovative design based on rock-solid product launch/market acceptance techniques
- Proven exponentially more efficient and powerful than comparable single company initiatives
- We have market partners committed and participating from across the U.S. and globally.
- CEOs, CEO advisors, business developers, celebrity guests.

Alpha Board Fresh Octane Executive Programs

Centralized visibility system for leaders: executives, companies, products and services
Leverages two decades of experience creating visibility and market adoption for new products
Alpha Board Portraits of Leadership Executive and corporate showcase interviews and profiles
Alpha Board News Reel: Video shorts and comprehensive news film (local, regional and national video)
Alpha Board Fresh Octane CEO/Business Leader Roundtable discussions
Alpha Board Exchanges: Newsworthy leader exchanges among other cities and high profile venues
Alpha Board Ambassadors: Serving as a host for CEOs, business advisors, and/or celebrity guests
Alpha Buzz: Corporate and individual news content, social media, SEM, SEO

For more information, you can reach us via telephone or email. In Denver, call Dan Vasey at 303 809-9058 or via email at dan@neuvision.com. In the Twin Cities or Kansas City, call Dave Anderson at 612 810-4000/913 685-4850, or by email at dave@neuvision.com.

Alpha^® Board’s 2020 Fresh Octane^® Tour

Alpha Driven Winners

Who are the best business drivers in America? Which of these business leaders are making national and global impacts? What industries, companies, people and products are moving business forward? We are seeking some of the finest drivers of business success, to include in the Alpha^® Board Fresh Octane^® National Business Leadership Tour.

The Fresh Octane^® tour is a national effort to showcase Alpha^® Driven companies and Alpha^® Grade leaders across the United States and ultimately beyond. We’re starting the tour in three U.S. cities, all known for their ingenuity, new technologies, and a business climate that embraces innovation and fosters business growth.

We are working with innovative businesses and business leaders in these three regions as we assemble a targeted group of organizations and professionals that we would like to recognize during the first leg of the tour. We would like you to consider being involved. Why, you ask? It’s about creating excitement, gaining visibility and growing the reach and reputation of the regions’ finest leaders. It’s quite literally a chance to place the great business drivers’ stories on the national stage.

A great business, just like a high-performance racing team, is a well-oiled machine. Both are designed and built by professionals, with the finest components, proper assembly, an experienced maintenance and repair crew, a talented crew chief, and a great race driver. Even with everything designed and prepared perfectly, you still have to face the competition and race. Track conditions, other drivers, when to pit, wrecks to avoid, and when to really push to pass. There is a huge amount that goes into a winning the race. Not just on the track of motorsports, but also on the track of business.

And, just like great sports teams, businesses, business leaders, and business teams must be recognized, respected and learned from. We are involved in a major program to do exactly that. Alpha^® Board is working with NeuVision^® Group (Kansas City, Minneapolis, Denver), Jeff Andretti Motorsports, and Mesa Research Group (Los Angeles, Paris, Shanghai) to identify and provide recognition to some of the greatest business leaders throughout the Midwest and across America. We’ve devised a formal program to accomplish the task. We are identifying targeted leaders and participants throughout the U.S.

The Alpha Board Fresh Octane^® Tour has been field tested and it works. CEOs, business owners and senior executives that have participated in past effort have been excited about the visibility and camaraderie associated with the programs. We have and will continue to develop new features and fine tune the program based on ongoing market feedback. Finally, we’ve shown that through this effort, we can efficiently gain much needed market attention among key opinion leaders, the business press, and also among participants’ major targeted customers.

We are working with leaders across the region to gather people, products and companies that we should include in our tour. We would love to have you participate, and we also welcome ideas and suggestions regarding companies and leaders that we might feature in our National Business Leadership Tour.

About Alpha^® Board and the Fresh Octane^® Team

Alpha^® Board

Alpha Board is a National Business Leadership Exchange^™, designed to provide added market reach and further the cause of great business leaders and the companies they represent. The 2020 flagship program is a national leadership press tour and market study on leadership and innovation. Other Alpha Board programs include keynote speakers, executive interviews, corporate profiles, leader roundtable discussions, news stories, and live open-house events for businesses. Alpha^® Board is a collaborative venture between NeuVision^® Group, Mesa Research Group, and local, regional and national participants throughout business. Alpha Board provides the opportunity for enhanced market reach and visibility for the companies involved in the program, locally, regionally, and nationally. More information on Alpha Board and the Fresh Octane® Tour can be found on the web at www.AlphaBoard.com.

NeuVision^® Group

NeuVision Group helps leaders, companies and new product teams manage the risk and maximize the opportunities associated with new products, new companies, and major new growth initiatives. NeuVision Group is the initial founder of Alpha Board and is working with other partnering organizations throughout the U.S. to join the effort. Clients have ranged from the most innovative new ventures to many of the world’s most respected companies and brands. NeuVision Group, its president and founder Dave E. Anderson, and NeuVision Group’s sister company, Alpha Scouts^®, have worked across North America and beyond with organizations like Pfizer, 3M, IBM, Dell, Microsoft, Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, Seagate, Iomega, Caterpillar, Monsanto, Deere, DuPont, CNH, MarketWatch, USDA and many more. Our previous Business Drive Time^® efforts, which served as a market test for Alpha Board and Fresh Octane, received national and international attention, and were recognized by major media outlets such as BusinessWeek, Forbes, CNBC, MSNBC, Reuters, Bloomberg, MarketWatch, EuroInvestor and more. For more information on NeuVision^® Group visit us on the web at www.NeuVision.com.

MESA Research Group

MESA Research Group is a privately held global consulting and leadership development company created through the collaboration of Cam Danielson, Bill Davidson, and Francois Dupuy. Through their partnership, MESA maintains offices in Los Angeles, Paris, and Shanghai. MESA operates with a global and diverse team of world-class thought leaders, practitioners, and academics. They work with CEOs and rising star executives around the world on leadership, innovation, business development and executive coaching. Partner clients have included companies such as 3M, Aditya Birla Group, Alcatel-Lucent, Anthem (Wellpoint), AT&T, BAE, BP, Boston Scientific, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Duke Energy, Credit Agricole, Dow Chemical, EDS, Eli Lilly & Co., ExxonMobil, FedEx, GDF Suez, Indus Towers, Ingersoll-Rand, Mahindra & Mahindra, Manitowoc, Monsanto, NASA, Philips Electronics, Polaris Software, Prudential (London), Rolls-Royce, Shell International (London), Sara Lee, Schneider Electric Industries, UTI, Whirlpool, Xerox and more. Learn about Mesa at www.mesaresearchgroup.com

Jeff Andretti Motorsports and JAM Marketing Partners

With Alpha Board, we want to have fun. And we want you to have fun. And fun drives excitement and buzz. That requires blending some unique, distinctive, Alpha^® Grade activities with the tour. In December 2013 we began working with JAM Marketing Partners and Jeff Andretti Motorsports to become marketing and promotional partners with NeuVision Group and Alpha Board. We’re providing access to marketing and promotional programs for clients and companies that would like more sizzle in their marketing efforts.

Jeff Andretti Motorsports and JAM Marketing Partners are providing us with access to cool venues that would only be available through celebrity connections. While some of the promotional activities are directly related to racing, they also include access to specialty luxury cars for filming and fun, resorts locations for meetings, executive lifestyle promotions and celebrity related endorsements. This not only drives pleasure for Alpha Board members, but also visibility. Our joint efforts will drive excitement, create buzz, and help boost attendance for Alpha Board member events. This program will also provide access to newsworthy meeting venues, as well as other CEOs and business celebrities across the country. In addition, our work with Jeff Andretti Motorsports, JAM Marketing Partners, their clients and our joint marketing efforts will provide exponential boosts in web presence for participating Alpha Board clients. The extent of our working relationship will be client, company and circumstance dependent, but in the name of leadership, family business, sports and branding dynasties, there are few names out there as timeless and recognizable as the Andretti racing family. In addition, the relationship is expected to kick open a few doors for all interested parties. We believe this is an example of the caliber of reach and market access we can provide for Alpha Board participating companies and executives.

Growing up KC^{^™}

1:21 am By Dave Anderson

We are currently a key player in a national leadership tour, market study and business leadership exchange. The program is a showcase platform to highlight the best business drivers across a number of major metros throughout the United States.

We are showcasing distinguished companies, business leaders and cities that are poised for major business growth over the next five years. The tour will include more than a dozen cities across the country, as well as some hidden gems in key rural and small town regions.

We have some special plans for Kansas City area leaders. The Kansas City metro is our home, and we want to take this opportunity to showcase the city and it’s leaders on the tour. While our organization is national in scope, the Kansas City area has been headquarters for the past 15 years. We have lifelong ties to the region and a strong affinity to the people, the communities, the businesses and the lifestyle of the greater Kansas City metro.

Because of our commitment to the Kansas City region, we’re developing a special platform to promote Kansas City based businesses, industries and leaders in conjunction with our U.S. Alpha Board tour. Our “Growing up KC” program is a special series to promote KC area leaders, companies, lifestyles and growth opportunities on a local, regional and national scale.

So, what does that mean? Quite simply, “leaders wanted.” We are putting together a list of some of the standout leaders who represent not only the legacy of the region, but the future. We are seeking business owners, CEOs, senior executives, business advisors, and also “Kansas City lifestyle” experts to helps us tell the story of Kansas City to the world.

It’s an opportunity for leaders to interact with each other, meet other leaders in other cities, highlight their businesses, and frankly get placed in the news. We cannot promise the cover of Rolling Stone magazine but our past efforts have been well received. Our work has been recognized by BusinessWeek, Forbes, CNBC, Reuters, Bloomberg, MSNBC, EuroInvestor, and dozens more. One lucky chap that went through this process subsequently became the featured cover story for Fortune Small Business. Through Alpha Board, we will host speeches, CEO interviews, panel discussions, a series of leader roundtables, and also work with leaders to develop news profiles about their respective companies. There will be some significant opportunities beyond this, but one thing at a time. If you are an Alpha Grade leader, and spend at least a portion of your personal and professional life associated with a Kansas City area business, we’d love to have you join us.

One quick word of note. We’ll be working with key industry leaders and innovators in other cities, states, companies and industries across the country. A major goal of the program is a national leadership exchange, providing national visibility and opportunities to develop new relationships with business leaders throughout the U.S. Our Alpha Board Leadership Exchange will bring national leaders and experts to Kansas City and Kansas City leaders to other markets across the nation. We believe your reputation is like rainfall. You need to spread it around a bit even to grow anything at home.

CEOs and business leaders from other parts of the country are visiting Kansas City as a part of our tour. Kansas City leaders who participate early in the “Growing up KC” program and/or the national Alpha Board activities will have the opportunity to meet them, hear them speak, and participate exclusively in KC area Alpha Board Leadership Exchanges. There will be reciprocal trips as well, as we bring Kansas City leaders to other peer cities. As a result, there is some urgency and advantage to getting your name in the hat, and getting involved in the process.

For more information on Alpha^® Board, and/or to include your company in our publicity efforts, you can call me at 913 685-4850 or 612 810-4000, or reach me via email at dave@neuvision.com. You can also speak by phone with Dan Vasey in Denver at 303 809-9058, or via email at dan@neuvision.com.

Alpha Board and NeuVision Group are founding hosts of the 2018-2020 Fresh Octane^® Tour. In addition, we’ll be including sponsors and co- hosts throughout America’s Heartland. More market partners will be announced as the tour rolls on.

Alpha Board Fresh Octane^® Tour

5:51 pm By Dave Anderson

Who are the leaders that are moving American business forward?

It’s Business Drive Time^®, and we are looking for some of the greatest business drivers regionally and nationally to feature in our 2020 Alpha^® Board Fresh Octane Tour.

Who are the innovators? Who are the leaders? What (and where) are the opportunities? Which companies, technologies, products, people will be propelling growth over the next few years?

The National Alpha Board Tour includes a market study, leader profile interviews, business news coverage and series of leadership exchanges among standout business leaders across the country and throughout the most promising industries.
We have already begun to engage business leaders and leading businesses in multiple cities. We’re working with those that will be most responsible for the leadership, innovation, products, companies and programs that will be driving business forward. If that includes you, we’d love for your organization to participate.

Discussion topics:

What regions of the country and more importantly what are the key trends, issue and activities within those geographies that will help companies succeed moving forward?
What industries show the most promise for growth in jobs, revenue and profits over the next few years?
What companies are driving those industries?
Who are the people, products and services that are most responsible for new business growth?
What key market trends and technology platforms are most responsible?
How can we help the best business drivers gain more recognition, visibility and market connections?
Which leaders should be involved in the tour, and what companies, in your opinion, are the most deserving of recognition?

To learn more about the Alpha Board Tour and to share with us who you believe are the best business drivers, give us a call. You may call Dave Anderson at 612 810-4000 or by email at dave@neuvision.com. You may also speak with Dan Vasey at 303 809-9058 or reach him via email at dan@neuvision.com.

What’s Your Growth Superpower?

10:13 am By Dave Anderson

How are strategic planning and growth even related? Everyone loves growth, yet “strategic planning” are two of the most dreaded words in business. Don’t make it that way!

A strategic plan is your future. It documents where you are, where you are going, and how you will get there. It forces your thought processes to get organized beyond the day-to-day tasks of running your business and places you in the mindset of the future growth of your company.

Many, if not most organizations that even do a strategic plan are just going through the motions. Someone from above told them they have to put together the notebook and the slide deck. Once it’s reviewed and blessed, it typically goes back on the shelf for next year.

And, if you are not one of the lucky ones that have a demand on you, from a banker, and investor, a board, or from someone… to do an annual plan, you may not have one. For most persons, that can be a bureaucratic relief.

Don’t be one those people!

Let’s take a minute to see it from the other side. There are logical reasons that you need a plan, even if it seems difficult.

Strategic direction is real and it is how you achieve growth! It’s not just the sum of short-term tactics. It requires thought and documented market knowledge.
The data portion of a plan should be factual. That forces learning, discussions and information gathering. It also forces a specific discipline within your business. It is NOT easy to turn directional market opinions into verifiable facts.
It is a time allocation thing. Putting together a plan, and identifying a person who is the ongoing keeper of the plan, requires you to identify resources to be your strategic and/or informational eyes and ears. Most organizations don’t have time for a plan. Which means, most organizations either don’t have time or don’t take the time to really look forward strategically.
A plan can serve as the impetus for you to find the “thinkers” within your organization. You may also need to reach out to outside resources to help with the process.

Find the big idea. It’s not (just) an academic process. Don’t stop at the numbers and format.

One of the best leadership skills in the world is intuition.
For intuition to be accurate, you must base your thoughts on a mutually accepted set of facts and market dynamics.
For you to have the skills and bandwidth to really create a vision for your company, you have to start with the foundation. The basic set of facts. Then you must remove yourself from the clutter and truly find a strategic direction. The two (facts and vision) are often separate tasks, but you cannot consistently rely on one without the other.

The market moves. Don’t forget!

The biggest danger of fact gathering is to forget that everything is moving.
Your big ideas need to be based on where the market is going, not just where it is.

Your goal is marketplace leverage.

What is the one big thing that makes you better than your competitors?
What is the element of your business that distinguishes you in the eyes of your customers?
Will that one thing be enough going forward to continue to lead you where you’d like to go, or do you need to find another leverage point?
The numbers and planning in the life of your company will not replace the need to prioritize, synthesize and identify the strategic leverage points for you to grow.
Most organizations can identify 10-12 major tasks or elements within your business.
- Two to three of those elements can be critically important for growth.
- Two to three of them can be buzz killers, which, if not managed properly, can kill your momentum entirely.
- The remainder of the items on the list are qualifiers. You must have them to be in business, and you must perform at a decent level. But they are also not strategic leverage points.

“Lead, follow or get out of the way.”

Pick a direction that is realistic, and fit within your financial and organizational means.
The plan literally should tell you where you are going, and how to get there.
Businesses have a natural ebb and flow. One highly effective measure of future growth potential is market maturity.
New, undefined and/or rapidly growing markets offer opportunities for rapid growth.
Mature markets and companies can be opportunities, roadblocks and/or an impetus to go in an entirely new direction. Make sure your plans are aligned with market reality.
Be creative, strategic, committed but also pragmatic.
Companies should understand where they are with their current business, what their chances are to achieve renewed growth and at what cost.

Commit Your Plan to a Financial Forecast

Everyone has their own terminology. My definition of a forward financial projection is a “forecast.” Many view that as “budgeting” although it goes deeper than a budget. Regardless of the terminology, you need tracked, verified and continuously monitored financial projections.
A forecast makes your plans real. There is NOTHING better to force the tough conversations and commitments than to translate your plans into financials.
It must start with a forecast of sales, overall, and by product or service.
The forecast then goes to costs of goods, overhead, investments, profits and cash flow.

Conclusions

Gather, organize and maintain a set of relevant facts. You need ongoing knowledge and an analytics about your company, customers, competitors, and marketplace.
Center your initial thinking around a traditional set of planning documents, but don’t stop there!
Step back from the plan and think. The numbers are not the plan. The numbers help you with the comfort, process, and facts to discover the real plan.
Great plans are about creativity, vision, and intuition. Step away from the spreadsheets and day to day in order to really think.
Allocate the necessary time and proper human resources. Don’t be afraid to ask for outside help. Planning is a specialized task.
Create strategic leverage. You must have leaders dedicated to managing all aspects of your company. But, you must also understand where the true leverage points are that will create our opportunities to win over the less wise and the less organized.
Create and maintain a detailed forecast. Without financials, the plan is hollow.
Be realistic with your growth goals. Grow where you can, and don’t overplay your hand. It’s a competitive world out there, and few are invincible.
Make your plan a living breathing document. Review regularly, not just annually. Task a “keeper of the plan” with the ongoing responsibility to keep the document current, relevant, and fresh within the minds of your teams and company.

Kurt Knutson – Freedom Bank, Overland Park, Kan. Founder, Chairman and CEO

4:53 a.m. August 18, 2009

Who are the leaders that are moving American business forward?

Kurt Knutson – Freedom Bank, Overland Park, Kan.
Founder, Chairman and CEO