Innovative Business Results

Larry Eiler talks with Marisa Smith on this week's Innovations in Michigan Business. Marisa Smith is the President of the Whole Brain Group. The Whole Brain Group derived their name from the idea of combining their complimentary skill sets into one collective "Whole Brain."

Larry & Marisa also discuss the Whole Brain Group's past work doing work flow automation. Over the years, the Whole Brain Group has established a presence in Michigan by providing custom web-based software for academic institutions like The University of Michigan and Michigan State University. Marisa talks about specific examples including the General Counsel Office for the University of Michigan.

Larry and Marisa also talk about "AccreditStation." The Whole Brain Group introduced their AccreditStation product in 2004, and began to expand their reach beyond Michigan, and have now gained a national reputation among research institutions as the leading provider of accreditation management and automation software. AccreditStation helps educational institutions, community hospitals, healthcare systems, and VA facilities manage successful AAHRPP accreditation projects by automating and streamlining the application process.

They also discuss "Press Room", another product that The Whole Brain Group offers. Press Room is another web based system that stores articles, press releases and videos, in a searchable archive.

This week's Innovations with Eiler and Pasick have Larry Eiler & Rob Pasick both discussing their own Michigan businesses.

Robert Pasick is a Ph.D from Harvard, and has been an executive coach in the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan. For the past 30 years, as an Organizational Psychologist and Executive Coach, he has helped leaders and their teams to perform well in challenging circumstances. Rob briefly discusses his new book, "Balanced Leadership in Unbalanced Times", & goes into depth talking about his clients, qualifications, & past.

Larry Eiler is the co-founder, chairman and chief executive of Eiler Communications, a public and investor relations and marketing firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The firm’s business expertise is in five core competencies – Positioning, Writing, Media Relations, Corporate Communications and Periodic Events.

Larry explains social media and how it can be used to market effectively, especially in a down-economy. He also discusses how new techonology is quite effective at reaching out to people & how it's a necessary tool to use as a business.

In this week's Innovations with business, Larry Eiler interviews Joe Miskovich. Joe is the President, CEO, & Founder of Triton Stormwater Solutions. Joe spends a minute giving an introduction of Triton Stormwater Solutions, including some of the basic services that they provide.

Larry and Joe then discuss some of the innovative ideas & plans that Joe was able to implement with Triton Stormwater Solutions. They also discuss a new commercial project for Joe, in Kaiser WV. They are able to touch on many of the successes that Triton has celebrated within the last year.

Larry interviews Bill Worzell for this week's Innovations in Michigan Business. Bill Worzell is the CEO of "Genetics Squared." Genetics Squared is a life science company, founded in 2001 and located in Michigan, that is currently working on developing a new diagnostic test for Cancer. Larry and Bill discuss the positives and negatives of developing a bio-tech type company in the state of Michigan.

Genetics Squared is primarily focused on developing molecular diagnostics. Molecular diagnostics are tests that use genes, and differences in genes, to provide information. The information that they find can then be used to predict the course of a disease, and the likelihood of a disease to respond to a particular therapy.

Larry interviews Michael Rogers for this week's Innvations in Michigan Business. Michael is Vice-President of Communications for the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM). Michael talks about SBAM, including it's history, location and the different services that they offer.

SBAM focuses soley on helping small businesses, which is a trait that helps seperate them from other organizations. Michael also elaborates on some future events that SBAM is holding in the future, and explains how these events help bring different small business owners and entrepreneurs together. Larry also has Michael talk about "Power Suites," which is a program that SBAM uses to help provide professional services to small business owners.

For more information regarding the Small Business Association of Michigan visit http://www.sbam.org/

This week Larry Eiler talks with Jesse Bernstein, President of the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce, on the "Lucy Ann Lance in the Morning" radio show. They speak about how businesses in Michigan have been successful in part to the facilities of higher education. There is a good concentration of a highly educated workforce that helps to keep this area vital for businesses, new and old.

Larry talks about how the funding of technologies and life sciences getting better in Michigan, and how this is helping compliment the region's businesses, and also help to bring in new company. He also talks about some of the new funding that goes into Michigan's automotive design engineering capabilities. They finish the discussion by touching on some of the other companies that are active and doing positive things in the south-eastern region of Michigan.

This podcast has Larry Eiler speaking with Mike Gould about the new and different ways for businesses to communicate with customers. Larry talks about a lot of the new media out there, including podcasts, webcasts, and blogs, and how Eiler PR of Ann Arbor, Michigan, utilizes these different types of media to reach their customers.

Larry also discusses different internet-related ways that companies can target their very specific audiences. He cites examples of different ways to optimize Google to help pull up your company for your potential audience and ways to refine this. There is also discussion of this podcast, and how this podcast has been able to focus on Michigan economy specifically, and Larry has been able to talk directly through this means about the different flourishing businesses in the state of Michigan.

They also discuss the different methods and tools that will utilize and facilitate these different technologies.

This week, Larry Eiler interviews Bill Hermann, the managing partner of Plante Moran. Plante Moran is a 1500 employee accounting and business advisory firm headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, with different offices across the Midwest and China. Plante Moran has been in business for over 80 years and serves middle-market companies that are entrepreneurial and across many industries. A lot of Plante Moran's clients are between the 20 & 200 million revenue range- the backbone of the economy. Bill has been at Plante Moran for his entire career, and has been managing partner since 2001, and in that time has lead the growth and development of the firm into new areas including international operations, manufacturing consulting business and the Plante Moran Trust.

Bill Hermann talks about "Great Lakes Strengths," which is a report Plante Moran published that point out different ways to look at this region in Michigan, and the economic and workforce opportunities available. Bill discusses research results, providing ideas and insights, and then talks about some opportunities for the future.

This week's "Innovations of Eiler and Pasick" has Lou Perry from WLBY-AM interviewing Michael Finney, CEO of SPARK. SPARK's mission is to advance the economic development of innovation-based businesses in the Ann Arbor, Michigan region by offering programs, resources, and proactive support to business at every stage, from start-ups to large organizations looking for expansion opportunities. Michael and Lou talk specifically about Pfizer, and the opportunities that we can gain, and what we can do concerning the downsizing of the company.

Larry Eiler interviews the new CEO of "JobApp Network," Fred Nussbaum, for this week's "Innovations of Eiler and Pasick." Fred has worked at Clarity, and then later Wingspan, before coming to head up JobApp Nework.

JobApp Network is a company that is based in Clinton Township, Michigan, and focuses on building resumes for both job seekers and employers. JobApp Network is a service and business model that uses both telephone services and the internet to help bring employers and future employees together. This service looks at many different attributes, including behaviors and background to fit employers and job seekers together.

Fred Nussbaum talks with Larry about JobApp Network's different methods and the different innovative ways that they are working with local businesses to be successful for all parties included. Fred also speaks about their successes and how the business model is working.

Larry interviews various executives of Otterbase for this week's Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" podcast. Otterbase is a staffing company that is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Bill Bennett, CEO of Otterbase, starts the discussion explaining how the company started, and why they chose Michigan. Bill talks about how the business grew and overcame various market trends and changes.

Joe Sod, the Vice President of Otterbase, comes on next and discusses his segment of the business that is located in Livonia, Michigan. Joe also discusses the different facets of the company, and how they have branched out from their IT niche and into other area of staffing.

This "Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" podcast has Larry Eiler and Robert Pasick focusing on manufacturing in China and its emergence as a world force in manufacturing.

They begin the discussion with speaking with Jimmy Hsaio, founder and Chief Executive of Logic Solutions, a computer-based solutions and technology company that operates in the United States, China, and India. They are focused on doing sourcing, which is doing computer based analysis and programming for customers at one of its locations.

The second guest is Bill Milliken, a commercial real-estate expert and has been head of the Ann Arbor chamber of commerce, the Washtenaw Development Agency (processor to SPARK), and has been widely active in the local business scene. He is currently the director of SPARK.

They discuss on how there are good things for Michigan that can come out of China.

This "Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" podcast is part two of the original August 21st interview with Howdy Holmes from the Chelsea Milling Company. The Chelsea Milling Company is well-known around the company and makes Jiffy Mix. The first segment of this podcast is available for downloading here.

This "Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" podcast has Larry Eiler speaking with Michigan State Rep. Pam Byrnes of Washtenaw County and Rep. Andy Dillon of Western Wayne County. They discuss general business and economy in Michigan, as well as the education of Michigan, the different business taxes, and how those can impact the state's economy. They also discuss the different emerging companies across Michigan and what they're doing here to help Michigan economy.

This "Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" podcast showcases Howdy Holmes, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Chelsea Milling Company. The Chelsea Milling Company makes the well-known Jiffy mixes for home and restaraunt use. Howdy talks about how the company was started and some of the reasons for their great success in Michigan, and some of their marketing ideas and approaches.  This week's podcast is part one of a two-part series with Howdy.

July 26th, 2006 Podcast

The "Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" podcast that was recorded live July 26th, 2006. This week Larry speaks with Michael Shore, communications chief for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation just made the announcement concerning Google coming to Michigan and is committed to helping the Michigan's economy grow. Michael speaks about his corporation, and how his company works to keep the long term economic vitality of the state remain strong.

The "Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" podcast that was recorded live June 26th, 2006. This week Larry speaks with Jane Sydlowski,an engineering graduate of michigan state university. Jane started a company called AMI Strategies. AMI Strategies was founded for the purpose of informing and supporting the business community's diverse telephony and communications needs. AMI's strategy was focused on helping our clients understand and adjust to the long distance vendor confusion caused by divestiture. Jane talks about how she started the business and how they have grown and succeeded.

The "Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" podcast that was recorded live May 10th, 2006. This week's show is all about the two people who got this show started. This week Larry talks with Robert about his executive coaching business, focusing on what he does and who he works with. Robert then turns around and has an interview with Larry where they talk about and focus on Larry's Public Relations company, Eiler Communications.

The "Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" podcast that was recorded live May 10th, 2006. Larry interviews and speaks with Tracy-Ann Palmer, the President of Aricus International.  Michigan Technology Leaders is a private event that runs May 17th - May 18th at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester Hills, Michigan. There is a pre-event that is open to the public on May 16th at the same location. Companies throughout Michigan that work and strive in technology, and the people that work with and run them, meet together and discuss their different plans for economic growth and where the businesses are going, and different influences. There are also awards going out to companies/individuals that work on boosting Michigan Economy and are really attempting to make business in Michigan a positive thing.

"Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on March 26th, 2006. On this show Larry speaks with Tracey Palmer, who runs Michigan Technology Leaders. Michigan Technology Leaders is a program that runs May 17th - May 18th at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, Michigan. There is a pre-event that is open to the public on May 16th at the same location. The event highlights the companies and individuals who strive in technology together. There are also awards going out to companies/individuals that work on boosting Michigan Economy and are really attempting to make business in Michigan a positive thing.

For information and directions concerning the hotel, please visit - http://www.royalparkhotel.net

"Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" podcast that was recorded live on April 11, 2006. This week Larry speaks with Tom Henderson, a true crime author, and also writer for Crain Detroit Business. They speak about some of the things that have changed in the technology community and also some of the promising companies in Michigan.

"Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on March 26th, 2006. Larry and Robert interview Dr. Thomas Xydis, Chairman and CEO of Ensure Technologies and discuss the technologies involved in his company, and also why he chose to keep his company in Michigan. The next guest on the show is Brian Guerin, President of InfoLab Solutions, an Ann Arbor based database marketing company. Brian discusses the needs of benefiting the customers, and the needs of customer-driven service. The final guest on the show is Rick Warner CEO of ParkingCarma. Rick discusses how his company allows drivers to determine the real-time availability of parking spaces from their cars, homes, or offices. He also focuses on why he is thinking of potentially moving his company to Michigan.

"Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on March 19th, 2006. This week, Rob interviews and speaks with John Baldoni who is a premier leadership, media, and communications consultant. John works with some major corporations in the area including Ford Motor Company and others. He is also an author and has six books out dealing with leadership in a corporation.

"Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on March 12th, 2006. This week, Larry interviews and speaks with Bruce Brownlee, general manager of the Toyota Technical Center.

"Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on March 5th, 2006. Farida Ali, vice president of Dynamic Computer of Farmington Hills, and Sandy Eiler, Vice President of Eiler Communications in Ann Arbor join Larry Eiler and Robert Pasick for this weeks show.

"Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on February 26th, 2006. This weeks show includes three former California business entrepreneurs, investors and executives discuss business differences between Silicon Valley and the Ann Arbor and Michigan areas. Gus Salem, CEO, Assay Designs; Terry Cross, president, Windward Associates, LLC; Michael Cole, vice president of technology practice, Bank of Ann Arbor.

"Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on February 19th, 2006. This weeks show is called "Michigan Readers Read" and showcases Cathy MacDonald of the MacDonald group, and also Matt Sharp who is the marketing director of the Ann Arbor Business Review. The show focuses on leadership development programs.

"Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on February 12th, 2006. This weeks show is called "Executive physical fitness" and showcases Steve Sarns, vice president of sales and marketing Nu Step, the recumbent cross-trainer company, and Ken Spencer, former CEO turned personal trainer for executives.

"Innovations with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on February 5th, 2006. This weeks show focuses on Venture capital and investment in Michigan. Robert Pasick speaks with Ron Reed, founder of Endurance Ventures and Jennifer Baird, a serial investor, who is the president and CEO of Acuri Instruments.

January 29, 2006 Radio Show "Discussions with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on January 29, 2006. Robert Pasick and Larry Eiler have an interview with Ari Weinzweig of Zingerman’s and INC. editor in California, Bo Burlingham, who authored the book featuring Zingerman’s, “Small Giants: Companies that Chose to be Great Instead of Big.�

"Discussions with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on January 22, 2006. Larry Eiler interviews John Kosta- President of Huron Valley Travel Company. Discussion on how the internet usage has changed the travel business, highlighting Huron Valley Travel.

"Discussions with Eiler and Pasick" radio show that was aired live on WAAM talkradio 1600 in Ann Arbor, MI on January 15, 2006. The show includes Rich Sheridan, CEO of Menlo Innovations, and discusses the innovative businesses and ideas coming from Southeast Michigan.