Blog

It’s a simple story, where a desire to capture great photos of his children eventually led to Milt Mounts moving his photography from hobby to business. But as he shares with Don and Ebony, his Essential Images business did not necessarily go in the direction you would expect.

When one thinks of dynamic and evolving industries, funeral services does not immediately come to mind. However, Ashley Cozine is continuously looking for opportunities to innovate with the Cozine Memorial Group and he shares those developments with hosts Don and Ebony.

Bill Gardner has been around the brand creation game for a long time and has a ton of insight to share. Don and Ebony dive into what has made him successful with Gardner Design and how others can be successful at building their own brands.

When Jessie Sterling saw a unique opportunity for a new business in Wichita she jumped right in with Paint the Towne. Despite having no business background, she has continued to thrive and operate 11 years later. Jessie shares with co-hosts Don and Ebony what led her to become an entrepreneur and her unique perspective on success.

Where does Hollywood go when they need to store critical items? Who does a local medical supply company turn to when filing records? Honestly, the same company: UV&S.

What do you do when national competition comes flooding in? How do you survive? This is the story of a small local bookstore outlasting large national chains. Sarah Bagby has been leading Watermark books through difficult challenges, but has always been able to move forward, partly on having the right focus. She joins host Don Sherman to share what makes her business stand out.

We wrap up our special three-part Journey Unseen series with Amy Williams who shares about how she learned to own her own space when she enters a room. With these special conversations we share the stories of women in our community who have had a profound impact on our community through their leadership and achievements.

In the second episode of our Journey Unseen series, host Don Sherman is joined by Vera Bothner. As she shares her unique professional path as a woman in business, she reflects on the pivots and changes she has made each step of the way and what she has learned from them.

As a first generation student in the 70’s Yolanda Camarena experienced the many obstacles Latino students faced trying to get a college education. Yolanda vowed when she was able to help ease that burden for other Latino students she would assist them to fulfill their goals of getting a college degree.

An entrepreneurial seizure and the passion to help others grow and achieve their potential. Co-hosts Don Sherman and Ebony Clemons-Ajibolade catch up with Ajamu to discuss how he expanded from his first location in Kansas City to the Wichita market...

So a Human Resources director and a farmer walk into a bar. Sounds like the start of a great joke, but it is the true story of an AI based video tech firm with an international reach that started right here in Wichita, Kansas. Quicc is every ...

Sometimes you just have to be willing to follow your passions and lean into what you don’t know. When Stacy Ward-Lattin and her husband, Torrey, started the Hopping Gnome taproom six years ago, they had no idea the adventure they were in for. ...

It all began with a single, humble restaurant in west Wichita, but now Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers has grown to over 400 locations all across the United States. On this episode hear directly from co-founder and COO Scott Redler on ...

When competing on the global scale in data analytics, it’s important to find ways to stand out. Joy Eakins has done just that as her team focuses on delivering for their clients while also serving our local community. Joy joins co-hosts Don ...

Sometimes all it takes is that small moment of inspiration to create a business that is truly unique. Conan Fugit and his wife, Katherine, turned their love of campers and photography into a thriving photo booth business that travels to events all ...

In a world full of chaos, trying to remain open and pay employees is an ongoing challenge for small businesses, but the Small Business Administration (SBA) can provide assistance to new businesses or established companies that need the help. Wayne ...

It’s all in the family with Shea by Dolce. Carla Lawless’s daughter was inspired to create beauty products to assist with her own eczema struggles while leveraging her engineering knowledge. Now, Carla and her three daughters have ...

Does your online presence need an upgrade? Krissy Buck, Program Director of Digital Marketing at WSU Tech, joins the show to talk all things social media and digital presence. Co-hosts Don and Ebony pepper Krissy with questions aimed to help ...

Beginning as a passion side-project, Mary Billings came to a crossroads with her party company, Love of Character. Faced with uncertainty, she left the safety and security of a corporate job to pursue growing her own business full time. Join ...

Expanding a business just mere weeks before a pandemic sets in? That’s exactly what happened to Sherrie Hill when she expanded her dry cleaning business in March of 2020. Joining co-hosts Don Sherman and Ebony Clemons-Ajibolade, they explore ...

Sometimes it's not about creating a new business but more about bringing it to a new location. James Barfield discusses being a franchisee for a larger brand, Squeegee Squad, and how he focuses on being a resource partner locally in Wichita. Joining ...

Inventors come from all over the world and Ethan Eck has found the right spot to perfect his inventions in Kingman, Kansas. Ethan, owner of Eck Fabrication, founded his company in 2013. The company started with the development of the patented ...

One thing that often is forgotten when starting and running your own business is how you finish. On our first deep dive conversation, Chad Hanson from Emprise Bank joins us to talk about succession planning for your business. Our co-hosts Don ...

Growing a business in Wichita, some think it's not possible. But Luis Rodriguez is convinced that Wichita is a location for growing any kind of business, particularly the technology kind. He joins co-hosts Don Sherman and Ebony Clemons-Ajibolade to ...

Sometimes where you end up is not where you expected. April Albert, owner of Four Feathers Boutique, joins co-hosts Don Sherman and Ebony Clemons-Ajibolade to share how she unexpectedly pivoted from eCommerce to having her own storefront.

Sometimes a simple idea can explode into a full-blown business. Eddie Sandoval started Pinole Blue in his dorm room at Wichita State and now finds his products on grocery store shelves. Pinole Blue offers cookies, protein balls and different flavors ...

Hexcode Designs is a one-stop marketing and branding agency located in downtown Wichita. Hexcode means “the six-digit code that informs the browser to display the color of your website.” A graduate of Wichita State University, Chrissy ...

Throughout the years, McClelland Inc. has been a business staple in Wichita since 1928. Even being in a market dominated by technology shifts, this family business has continued to evolve. The largest and most experienced sound engineering and contracting firm in the state of Kansas.

It’s no joke, exhibit and display company Red Door Three was founded on April Fool’s Day in 2014. Hosts Don Sherman and Ebony Clemons-Ajibolade are joined by owner Stacy Edmundson discussing her passion for helping her customers. Learn ...

Being a small family business means wearing a lot of different hats. While the title says Marketing Manager, Brandon Huynh does a lot more than that in the business his father started more than 15 years ago. He joins co-hosts Don Sherman and Ebony ...