RICHARD A. HUEBNER

President

Houston Minority Supplier Development Council

Richard A. Huebner is President of the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council, one of 37 affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council.

In 1985, Huebner responded to a blind ad in the Wall Street Journal that provided a perfect match for his proven skills in association management and his passion for economic development.  Today he leads 221 major corporations and more than 1,000 Minority Business Enterprises in a common mission to increase and expand business opportunities and business growth for minorities.

Under his direction, the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council has been recognized five times nationally as Council of the Year and by the Greater Houston Partnership as Houston’s Greatest Non-Profit Business Organization.

Huebner serves on advisory boards of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Port of Houston Authority, Houston Community College, Unity National Bank, ACCION Texas, Harris County Sherriff’s Office,  and the NASA-Johnson Space Center Joint Leadership Team.  He is active in Grand Lakes Presbyterian Church where he leads the blood drive and Habitat for Humanity programs. He currently serves as Chairman of Leadership Houston, graduate of the Center for Houston’s Future and a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum.

He has received numerous awards and recognitions, and was named to Best of the Decade in Supplier & Workforce Diversity by Minority Business News.

Cheryl Harris-Brown, CEO CFO, Innovative Payroll Services

Innovative Payroll Service

For small businesses, processing payroll can be a complex and time consuming task employees must be paid accurately and on time, payroll taxes must be paid to the government, and other administrative tasks are necessary to ensure compliance. Payroll functions Include determining employee wages and withholding taxes, updating vacation and sick pay and deducting employee contributions for benefits since the payroll function can be a complicated process, many businesses, both big and small, hire an outsource service such as innovative Payroll Service Outsourcing your payroll can cost your business one-half of what it costs to do in house Hiring an outside payroll service also eliminates the need to hire a full-time payroll manager and/or staff. Freeing up time and resources to concentrate on other important aspects of your business. www.innovativepayroll.com

STEVEN KLEBER

PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER

KLEBER & ASSOCIATES, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Steven Kleber founded Kleber & Associates (K&A) in 1987. An Atlanta-based full-service marketing agency which specializes in the home and building channel, K&A works in partnership with a variety of clients who market premium products for both residential and commercial applications that are targeted to consumers, architects, developers, builders, remodelers, designers and manufacturers.

His client partners include leading door manufacturer Masonite, LG Hausys, and Gerber Plumbing Fixtures – maker of faucets, bathroom fixtures and vitreous china. The agency also works with Basco Shower Enclosures, Danver Stainless Steel Cabinetry, Elmira Stove Works and Nichiha Fiber Cement Building Products, to name a few.

Kleber is a passionate force driving his agency to consider non-traditional marketing approaches and alliances with key influencers to add impact to marketing and sales efforts.

K&A also regularly collaborates with marketing research partners to explore emerging trends in generational and consumer purchasing groups. Some of Kleber’s recent presentations and original white papers include an exploration of the Missing Male in marketing and product development circles, social media and search as it relates to ROI, and consumer trends in relation to specific demographic and attitudinal groups such as Baby Boomers, Generation Green, the Chief Purchasing Officer of the Home: The Woman, Generation X and Y, Ruppies, and the Luxury Consumer.

Most recently, Kleber presented on utilizing integrated marketing and social media to sell the value of green at the Florida Green Building Coalition’s GreenTrends Conference. He spoke twice at the 2009 Southern Building Show and Conference regarding “marketing in a low time” and “eco-friendly building trends.” In the past, Kleber spoke at national platforms including the International Builders Show, the Remodeling Show, the Pacific Coast Builders Conference, as well as the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show.
Kleber is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He is the current president of the National Remodeling Foundation, which supports and creates awareness for professionalism and education in the remodeling industry. Kleber is the immediate past president of the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s Center for Kitchen and Bath Education and Research, a non-profit foundation created for the purpose of educating and cultivating future leaders in the kitchen and bath industry. Additionally, his agency is an active member of the National Association of Home Builders, National Association of The Remodeling Industry, National Kitchen and Bath Association, American Association of Advertising Agencies, American Marketing Association, and Public Relations Society of America.

Outsourcing: Your Business is Their Business

Small businesses employing minimal numbers of staff tend to be of a close-knit nature, and in fact can be among the most successful types of business to operate. There is a family ethic and approach that somehow cannot be replicated in the corporate world. They usually have some type of specialism or local niche, which means there is a real demand now, and in the future for their services. Above all the employees, your people, care and it is difficult to attach a price on the value of goodwill. Because of this there is generally little need for external support, you muddle through and get by and when your tax is due, for example you find a way to make it happen.

As your business becomes more successful, the likelihood is that you may need to source external talent to bring into the business by hiring a specialist.

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Take your accounts as an example. Your wife may do your books (with no accountancy training) and do them pretty well, after all they say that behind every successful man is a successful woman. So along with the billion other tasks falling to her she may well be your lifeline especially when it is year-end and so on. But in reality once your business becomes more complex you need to invest some of your capital in seeking professional support in filing tax returns, completing year-end books, devising and forecasting budgets and setting targets. Outsourcing companies may be the answer.

Similarly looking at your wider talent base you have to bring in more skills, from a specialized and experienced sales manager to after sales care teams you are unlikely to be able to keep resourcing your workforce by looking to your family. You have to make recruitment decisions that fit the needs of the business and recruiting the right people with the right experience and capabilities is critical. It is very scary when you jump from small family business to employing people in the true sense of the word. Running Payroll (on time every time), writing contracts of employment, dealing with behaviors and performance capability can all feel like an impossible task to an inexperienced manager.

There is a real fear amongst many small businesses about having to deal with issues of employment law and labor relations too. It is a whole new side to your business and is heavily steeped in legislation; unless you are lawyer of course you will feel fear.

Outsourcing

The answer to all of these concerns is approaching a specialist outsourcing company. There are thousands of them, all desperate for your business. Many will offer a full range of services for the small business from Human Resources to Accountancy and many other services in addition.

There are many organizations that provide HR services for small businesses that don’t need a full time in house function but nevertheless need some HR guidance. They will support you in setting up employee handbooks, contracts of employment, health and safety policies, expenses procedures, payroll systems, as well as guiding you through difficult scenarios such as disciplinary interviews or dismissals for misconduct.

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Equally with a financial outsourcing organization you can call up for advice on legislative loopholes, planning budgets, and plan in some time for an accountant to attend your premises to keep you books fully up to date and file your tax return for you.

In house

As your business continues to expand it may even become necessary from a cost point of view to cease the partnership with outsourcers and bring these specialists in house. This is largely because the services are charged according to the levels of usage, so as your workforce and business needs increase, so does your call time to outsourcing partners. Huge bills could be reduced at this stage by bringing an HR Manager and/or a Financial Planner in house. Even on a part time basis to start off with, these specialists help you to protect your own business by adhering to the legislation and making your accounts and HR processes more efficient.

Remember that, hopefully, you and your business are the best that they can possibly be in the field in which they operate. You are specialists in the truest sense of the word and in turn you should use the resource of other specialists to support you in your areas of weakness. You give your business the very best chance because what ever their title, in house or outsourced, your business is their business!

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Lisa Redding is a freelance writer from England who specializes in small business topics ranging from topics as diverse as truck insurance to human resources and everything in between.

Diana Trondsen
Principal & Franchise Consultant

Diana is an entrepreneurial advisor with a focus in the franchise industry with FranNet.   Diana advises individuals who are seeking business ownership opportunities.   She works to match the personal, professional and financial goals of his clients with national franchise companies.  From there she coaches her clients on how to thoroughly search for and evaluate franchise opportunities.  She is an avid supporter of the franchise system and understands the importance of getting that right match for her clients.  Diana has over 20 years experience in franchising. Starting out in her family’s multi-unit franchise and in 1994 she became a hair care franchise owner. Diana is a lifelong native of the Houston area and is committed to helping her clients find the best opportunities that reflect their goals.

Diana conducts over 40 seminars annually on franchise ownership, many of these seminars have been conducted in cooperation with the Small Business Administration, Small Business Development Centers, and similar organizations.
Being a part of a franchise system was a key factor in Diana’s success as a young entrepreneur. Diana joined FranNet as the associate for south Texas and devotes herself to assisting other aspiring entrepreneurs to achieve the same personal and financial success in franchise ownership that she enjoys.

Diana will work closely with you to understand who you are; not just your work experience and skills, but also your personal goals, values, and interests. She will then coach you through the FranNet Four Step Research Process that matches you, the client, with franchise opportunities and ensures that you get the information you need to make the best decision. Diana’s goal as a FranNet associate is to match you with the best and most affordable franchises that coincide with your strengths and resources. She can help you get the franchise information you need and find the right franchise opportunity for you–and her services are free. Contact her today to get started!

The Better Business Bureau

PROFILE: Dan Parsons

Joined the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Houston, Inc. in 1983; appointed President of the Bureau in 2002

Formerly served as:  Director of Investigations

Vice President, Operations

Vice President, Government & Public Affairs

Executive Vice President

PRIORCAREER&EDUCATIONHISTORY:

Former News & Public Affairs Director at KODA Radio.  Other radio news media work in Houston and Pittsburgh

1976 Communications graduate of the University of Houston; prior journalism studies at Duquesne University-Pittsburgh

Graduate – Council of Better Business Bureau Executive Development Institute

Graduate – FBI Houston Citizens Academy

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

Chairman – Houston Consumer Protection Group (coalition of 20 fraud-fighting government agencies)

President – Better Business Bureau Educational Foundation, Inc.

Representative Elect – BBB Operations Committee – Southwest Region – 2012 Term

Regular contributor to local and national news media, including ongoing liaison to DATELINE: NBC.

VOLUNTEER SERVICES:

– Musician at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and St. Cecilia Catholic Church

PERSONAL PROFILE:

Special Commissioner – Harris County Court of Law #4

City of Houston and Harris County Eminent Domain Proceedings

Former Grand Juror – 179^th Criminal District Court-Harris County

A downtown Houston resident for 34 years

Designer: Angela Lee, ASID Allied Member

Some people know what they are destined to do because they feel it.  This is true for Angela Lee who is a native of East Texas.  Angela Lee started her college career majoring in architecture. However, after three years of architectural coursework, Angela’s passion for interior space planning, interior detailing, and all of the other creative aspects that contribute to design, inspired her to pursue a degree in Interior Design/Architecture because the two industries go hand in hand.  Angela graduated with a B.A. in Interior Design from the highly recognized Louisiana Tech University School of architecture and interior design.

With over 12 years of experience in the design industry, her career has consisted or working for residential as well as commercial companies.  In fact, one of her residential jobs consisted of her being a designer and assisting with the original startup and the establishing of the design criteria for the design center and models for a company based out of California (Royal Oaks/Sunrise Colony).  This community is considered one of Houston’s most exclusive gated communities. While working with this company full-time, Angela provided design services for many of her clients as well as new potential clients on a part-time basis on the weekends.  The demands for her services began to increase rapidly.  Angela’s services were sought for construction, renovations, floor plan drawings, decorating and complete design services for the enhancement of spaces.

After much persuasion, prayer and a complete leap of faith, Angela’s husband, William, encouraged her to pursue the business full-time because of the increased demand and the reputation that she had established in the design community. After much consideration and of course support from her husband, she and her husband, William Lee, originally opened Interior Evolution, which is now Evolution by Design, Inc., a full service Design company.

Angela is the principal designer of Evolution by Design, Inc. which provides design service to a diverse clientele in Houston as well as other cities throughout the United States.

Since embarking upon this endeavor, she has worked on several residential and commercial projects throughout the United States. Her clients’ list ranges from new construction homeowners, CEO’s of corporations,  universities, public and private schools, custom homebuilders, and  some of the A-List professional athletes.

Over the years Angela has created some of the most over the top designs that have not only intrigued the client but everyone that walked into the space. Her passion and love for design is often exemplified not only when she creates a custom floor plan or designs furniture for the space, but it illuminates throughout with every detail from accessories, window treatments and art that give character to the overall design.

Most of Angela’s clientele completely trust her and will tell her “I would like to just walk in and have everything completed when I move in”. This is certainly a task that has been done on several occasions by Angela Lee and her team. The client has walked in and everything from furniture, window treatments, clothes in the closets, personal belongings, refrigerator stocked and everything they would need to move in is in its place. Her company Evolution By Design not only creates a total design, but she and her team creates an environment that is timeless, displays the clients’ personality, taste and lifestyle. One thing that Angela always tells her clients” The easiest mistakes to correct are the ones on paper” Therefore, she makes sure she guides her clients in thoroughly reviewing every detail of their floor plan or the existing space to make sure their needs are accommodated  without losing the functionality of the environment. By addressing issues before construction, allows Angela to guide the client not to make costly mistakes.

Along with being an ASID allied member (American Society of Interior Designers), Angela has a membership with several organizations where she volunteers her time and her services. Two causes that are very dear to her heart and she has volunteered to support are breast cancer and Alzheimer’s awareness.

Although, Mrs. Lee has rubbed shoulders with some of Houston’s social elite and worked on some of the most beautiful homes and commercial interiors throughout the United States, she has always remained humble.  Her true love is for her husband William, her family and of course, her close personal friends.

Someone once asked her what is the best part of being a designer and the answer has always remained the same. “I love the reaction that my clients have upon completion of the project when they walk into the room for the very first time. The look on their faces isn’t worth any amount of money it is simply priceless.  I love what I do and my passion for the industry is shown in my respect, dedication, and above all integrity for the craft.”

Her energy, enthusiasm, and strong passion for design are not only reflected in her work, but they are embedded into her personality.  Clients have described her as the little designer with the big ideas that can transform just about anything. Whether it is designing furniture, floor plans, or creating a space that fits her clients’ personality, she exceeds expectations while giving clients an exceptional design experience.

Bruce Hurta
Business Lending Manager
Bruce Hurta has extensive experience in Small Business Lending. He has served in a number of commercial lending and banking capacities in his career including, President of a Houston-area community bank for 6 years, managed Independence Funding Company, a non-bank start-up in 1994, where he developed his SBA lending expertise.

Bruce spent 4 years in Finance as a bank examiner for the Texas Banking Department, 7 years in executive management at two community banks, and 14 years as SBA Lender. He is active in the commercial realtor and business brokerage communities, along with various business and industry organizations.

In July 2009, he joined Members Choice Credit Union as the Business Lending Manager to lead their
new SBA Lending Program.

Leading from the Front

When asked to think of a leader, you will probably automatically think of a person for whom you have great respect. You are thinking of someone who has touched your life in either a personal context or a work relationship and who has made things better by being a part of your world, however briefly or constantly.

At school you are not conditioned to understand about leaders and their qualities. Now think of your head teacher and think about what he or she did to guide you personally and your school as a whole and you probably are thinking of a leader.

Why is a leader in the world of work so important to success? There can be no doubt that, as with a shop or any type of business really, a team of people needs someone to steer them and make decisions, to be accountable and responsible for outcomes.

Fortunately most amazing leaders are born with a predisposition to leadership through early childhood and into adulthood may have been the type of child to dominate and lead peer groups, school teams, sports teams and the like. It is a natural trait, which is much easier to use in a raw state than it is to train into a person without the leadership predisposition. It is why recruitment processes when you are looking for a very senior post need to be rigorous to test that the person you feel is right for the role really will be.

Nevertheless it is possible to teach and train some specific people to take on leadership qualities and for them be successful in such a role, although they must have some natural confidence characteristics and intelligence in the first place to allow them to make informed decisions based on data and knowledge.

The charismatic leader, the type who steers large organizations with high success is likely to be the natural leader rather than the taught leader, maybe even an eccentric leader. Think of the late Steve Jobs, Apple Inc’s former Chairman and you will think of a highly intelligent slightly eccentric individual highly capable of leading and achieving amazing results for both himself and his organisation, through his people for his people.

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Few leaders would manage to pull off delivering a talk to their organization in trainers, jeans and a jumper, but really this approach added to his charm and highlighted the amount of respect he was afforded by all who worked for and with him.

The Team

Of course the leader is only half of this story and the leader is only useful when they form part of a team. There is no use in having a leader unless he or she has a team of people around him or her. If the team has no respect for the leader, their ability as a leader will quickly be called into question. All teams function in different ways. Some need close management, a type of hand holding and reassurance, more time and input from the leader, while others are more capable and a laissez-faire style may be more appropriate. The leader has the responsibility to tailor his or her style according to the needs of the team.

Jim Collins, American Business Consultant

Level Five Leaders are the most proficient type of leader as described by Jim Collins in his book Good To Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap….and Others Don’t (2001). They are the type of leader who first and foremost is all about the cause rather than themselves; it is all about the organization for them. There is a blend of personal humility and professional determination and will.

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Collins asserts that: “Those who build great organizations make sure they have the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the key seats before they figure out where to drive the bus. They always think first about “who” and then about what.”

A leader of any team no matter the size or purpose must look at its people and their skill sets. Capability to complete the work, ambition to get the job done on time and sheer will to succeed are all qualities you need from your team members to help create the blueprint for the perfect team. If they don’t have the basics your team will not stand a chance of allowing you to be the leader you can be.

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Lisa Redding is a freelance writer from England who specialises in small business topics ranging from contents insurance UK to human resources.