Free Monthly Networking & Learning Event (Next Date TBD)

This free, casual event is your chance to:

• Gain fresh perspectives through our featured speaker and peer discussion
• Connect with a supportive community of business peers.
• Explore strategies that make a difference for your business and beyond.

Hosted by Lilianna Aguilar (Solutions Cleaning Services) and Daniel Riemenschneider (Good Works Results LLC). We can’t wait to see you there!

AUGUST 2025

The August 28th “Building Business Leaders” event focused on impactful investments. The session opened with attendees sharing how pivotal investments in them or their businesses, like a spouse’s support, certification received from a previous company, or a chance to learn sales, significantly shaped their journeys.

Continuing this theme of investment, Michele Westmaas, Financial Advisor with Thrivent, guided a discussion on charitable strategies to maximize impact. Key takeaways included:

• Wealth and Generosity: We explored how wealth and generosity are not conflicting concepts and how integrating giving into wealth planning can be highly beneficial.

• Giving Back as a Business Owner: The discussion covered various ways business owners can be generous, emphasizing tax implications that can increase the benefits of charitable contributions.

• Strategic Giving Options: Participants learned about diverse approaches to giving, such as immediate contributions, planned future gifts, or a “give and receive” model, similar to networking. Key strategies highlighted included charitable trusts and donor-advised funds. The session explored charitable trusts as special ways to give: one type provides income to the donor for a period before the rest goes to charity, potentially saving on taxes, while the other gives payments to charity first, then returns assets to the donor or their family, also leading to potential tax savings.

• Financial Control: A critical takeaway was the importance of maintaining control over your money’s destination, aiming to direct more towards charity and less towards taxes. It was also noted that the more a financial advisor understands your unique situation, the more effectively they can assist you. The value of a business evaluation was also briefly discussed.

JUNE 2025

This Building Business Leaders event focused on enhancing business connections through active listening, shared insights on client perceptions, and a unique business spotlight.

Client Perception and Trust
Our opening question, “How did a client describe you that reflects how you want to be known?” highlighted the importance of being recognized for doing good work, connections built on trust and respect, and demonstrating transparency. Key desired attributes included always doing the right thing, earning client trust, and being approachable and easy to talk to.

“Beyond Just Hearing, There’s Listening”
Chris Morkert led a session on active listening, emphasizing its critical role in better building meaningful connections and understanding client problems.  The session began with an exercise in grounding and focus through deep breaths. Chris stressed the importance of asking questions, observing thoroughly, and reflecting on information before rushing to solutions.  The practical application of active listening was explored through an exercise, followed by a discussion on key listening skills:

• Body Language and Eye Contact: Participants learned to check their own and the speaker’s body language and maintain appropriate eye contact.
• Verbal and Nonverbal Responses: The importance of acknowledging both verbal and nonverbal cues was discussed.
• Effective Communication Techniques: This included avoiding interruptions, putting away distractions, using “kind eyes” to convey understanding, and employing head nods and appropriate body spacing.
• Tone of Voice and Emotion: Recognizing and conveying emotion through tone of voice was highlighted.
• Managing Enthusiasm: Participants learned that excessive enthusiasm can shift focus from the storyteller back to the listener.
• Mindset and Self-Awareness: The session emphasized that one’s mindset affects listening ability, advocating for a “soft check-in” before conversations and the practice of “checking yourself before you wreck yourself.”
• Understanding Speaker’s Stress: Active listeners were encouraged to consider the speaker’s stress and anxiety levels.
• The Power of Silence: Silence was presented as a valuable tool for allowing both parties to digest information and for the speaker to ruminate, thereby revealing more. The distinction between active and conversational listening was clarified, along with knowing when to politely interrupt for clarification versus simply listening without interruption.
• Finding Your Own Listener: An insightful takeaway was the importance of finding someone who can actively listen to you.

Business Spotlight: Mini RC cars, an entrepreneurial idea
Mark Connor, who also runs the marketing company Provable Solutions LLC, views this as a unique way to bring people together and spark conversations. His entrepreneurial idea involves using RC cars for parties or establishing a warehouse space where people can gather and enjoy the activity.

MAY 2025

Huge thanks to everyone who joined us for our inaugural “Building Business Leaders” event, hosted at Solutions Cleaning Services Roselle!

We tackled some critical challenges faced by business owners, including:
– Strategic Cash Flow: Dr. Pamela Randle from Chase Business Banking provided invaluable guidance on identifying root causes of cash flow struggles, speeding up inflows, slowing down outflows, and leveraging relationships for financial health.
– Navigating Business Operations: We discussed the crucial shift from working in the business (daily tasks) to working on the business (strategic planning, like networking!).
– The Power of Your Professional Team: The importance of cultivating relationships with bankers, CPAs, and attorneys was highlighted, emphasizing how these experts can provide essential support and guidance.
– Overcoming Entrepreneurial Isolation: A significant part of our discussion revolved around the loneliness many entrepreneurs face and how building a support team and seeking external perspectives can provide critical trust, connectivity, and fresh insights.

The biggest takeaway? You are NOT alone in your entrepreneurial journey! Building a trusted team and sharing experiences are key to overcoming challenges and fostering growth.

Solutions Cleaning Services Roselle and Good Works Results LLC partnered to bring this valuable experience to our business peers and community. We’re looking forward to the next event!

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