Looking Forward Our Way

"In Ohio, small businesses drive $1,700,000,000 of economic impact. And in 2023, Ohio jobs create or Ohio businesses small businesses created 10,747 new jobs in 2023." Brett Johnson and Carol Ventresca invite Kelly Fuller, a seasoned guest expert and the Senior Vice President of the Columbus Chamber Foundation , to discuss entrepreneurship. Emphasizing local resources, Kelly provides a wealth of r...

We are thrilled to present an episode rich with insights for aspiring and current entrepreneurs, with tips from several local experts. Each guest brings a wealth of experience and valuable advice for those looking to start or grow their businesses in Ohio. We begin by discussing the significance of self-confidence and the myriad of questions that come with starting a business. Our first guest, Kat...

Welcome to the new year! We are celebrating our five-year mark as we enter 2025. We began during the COVID-19 pandemic and have since produced over 124 episodes. We appreciate our loyal listeners and enjoy making the podcasts. We emphasize the importance of having the right co-host and maintaining a good rhythm in their conversations. Our podcast focuses on interviewing experts to provide valuable...

How can the death of a spouse affect the surviving partner's financial stability and credit score, and what steps can be taken to mitigate these impacts? We discuss financial challenges facing Ohioans aged 50 and over, with a specific focus on surviving spouses. Featuring consumer law attorney Laura Nesbitt, the episode focuses on the financial instability that can arise after the death of a spous...

The latest episode of "Looking Forward Our Way" features an engaging discussion about the pivotal role of advisory councils in addressing the needs of older adults at the state and local levels. The episode brings together Anna Tobin and Melissa Owens, two prominent figures in the aging services sector, to share their insights and experiences. Grant Ames, Government and Community Relations Manager...

"This was a a really strong convening then for employers and education to to better communicate and then plan on how to improve that connectivity between graduating students and employment." We welcome guest experts John Hambrick , Work-Based Learning Coordinator at the Educational Service Center (ESC) of Central Ohio, and Lauren Stowe Jones , Senior Director of K-12 Partnerships at Columbus State...

Employee resource groups (ERGs) are vital in providing support to veterans, helping them feel less isolated and more integrated into their new work environments. We sit down with Ronnie Bailey, the Human Resources Manager at Bullen Ultrasonics , to talk about a critical topic during this National Veterans and Military Families Month : the value of veterans in the civilian workforce. We explore the...

Empowering Voters: Understanding Campaign Financing, Fair Districting, and Poll Participation Brett and Carol chat with Jen Miller, the Executive Director of the League of Women Voters Ohio, about the nitty-gritty of ballot issues and voting policies. Jen talks about a cool bipartisan effort to draft a new amendment (Issue 1), mentioning notable figures like Maureen O'Connor and Yvette McGee Brown...

In this episode, we are joined by Josh Kinzel from Seniority Benefit Group to discuss key changes and updates for Medicare Open Enrollment 2024, highlighting how these alterations might impact current and prospective enrollees. Josh Kinzel brings 18 years of experience, with a focus on Medicare for the past 16 years. He assists individuals with the often intimidating and multifaceted choice of Med...

Are you curious about how Central Ohio plans to evolve its transportation network to support future growth? MORPC leads strategic transportation planning and coordinates the allocation of federal transportation dollars to local governments. Our guest, Maria Schaper, is the Transportation Study Director at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC). The central focus is the upcoming levy and...

We are joined by career expert Sharon Hamersly to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) can be a crucial tool in the modern job search, while also emphasizing its limitations and the critical role of human input. **Crutch Words in AI Writing** A common issue with AI-generated content: the over-reliance on generic phrases and crutch words such as "consequently" and "furthermore." These phrases c...

**Disaster Preparedness**: "If we are separated and a disaster occurs, where's our meeting place a little bit away? Right? Where are those 2 or 3 meeting places in the 20 mile radius, 50 mile radius, where we know that you're gonna be if I can't reach you." — Cory Paul  We welcome Cory Paul, the Executive Director of the Greater Columbus Chapter of the American Red Cross . We discuss a range...

Aging Population Boom: "There will be more seniors than there are kindergarteners by 2030." — Chanda Wingo We're thrilled to have Chanda Wingo, Director of the Franklin County Office on Aging . She shares insights on an innovative blueprint aimed at understanding the impact of an aging community and guiding local stakeholders in allocating necessary resources. We explore the various programs and s...

"They can grab a cart, grab a clipboard, and essentially go shopping free of charge for whatever they need to support their program."— Eric Rutkowski We welcome Eric Rutkowski, the program director for Leveling The Playing Field Ohio . Eric shares his inspiring mission to support youth sports across Ohio by ensuring that programs in Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati can share equipment and resou...

Consolidating Accounts and Legal Risks: "I think the biggest risk would be for the financial accounts because the person that does know the password that is the key to the kingdom may not understand where their control starts and where their authority ends, And just because they know the password to that bank account doesn't mean that the dollars sitting in that account are theirs or can be transf...

We have a special announcement: Employment Forward Seniors, a casualty of the pandemic, now finds a new home under the New Directions Career Center as Mature Works. Joining us are experts Kat Yamaguchi and Jami Phillips from New Directions Career Center. With rich backgrounds in nonprofit program development and job seeker support, they share insights on the unique challenges older job seekers fac...

The episode focuses on the challenges and solutions associated with ageism in the workplace, particularly concerning mature adults. With insights from experts Dr. Phillip Taylor and Dr. Phyllis Cummins, the discussion explores the importance of addressing age discrimination, rethinking job roles for older workers, and the benefits of intergenerational collaboration. Dr. Phyllis Cummins, Senior Res...

We are joined by tech experts Andy Landrum and Alex West from Nice Guy Technology . We dive into the importance of rebooting your computer, the crucial practice of backing up data, and the precautions you should take with USB drives. Andy and Alex share insights from their rich background, offering practical advice on diagnosing tech problems and differentiating between hardware and software issue...

In this episode, we look into a harrowing yet crucial topic—human trafficking. Joined by our special guest Theresa Flores, the founder of The SOAP Project , we explore the intricacies of combating this pervasive issue. Theresa, a survivor of human trafficking herself, shares her profound insights and the impactful work being done by her organization to rescue victims and raise awareness. We cover...

Garden For All blossoms with hope and inspiration as we explore the fertile ground of food security efforts led by our expert guest, Beth NeCamp, the executive director of Garden For All. Amidst the thorns of food insecurity, The Garden For All sprouted as a beacon of nourishment and education during the pandemic, founded by the compassionate duo, Catherine and Shawn Duffy in New Albany. Beth, wit...

Ben Hoeger, Director, Private Wealth Management – Baird, shares valuable advice on building a strong financial foundation. Hoeger stresses the critical role of referrals in selecting reliable financial advisors and advocates for a meaningful, almost friendly relationship with them for a successful long-term partnership. We discuss the shift from reliance on pensions and social security to individu...

In this episode of "Looking Forward Our Way," hosts Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson sit down with guest Emma Strange , the mobility coordinator for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission ( MORPC ). The episode covers MORPC's role in developing a comprehensive regional mobility plan for Ohio's Department of Transportation's Human Service Transportation Coordination Region 6. This plan aims to...

In this episode of "Looking Forward Our Way," the focus is on the opportunities for lifelong learning in Central Ohio and the specific Lifelong Learning Community (LLC) program at Otterbein University. Hosts Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson are joined by guest experts Dana Viglietta, the executive director of engagement at Otterbein University, and Kevin Byrd, a member of Otterbein's LLC. The epi...

On this episode of "Looking Forward Our Way," hosts Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson welcome expert Darlene Ziebell to share her strategies for turning around failing businesses and to dive into the challenges small business owners face. Darlene Ziebell, a seasoned strategist and consultant , begins by discussing the critical process of assessing a struggling business. She stresses the importance...

In this episode of "Looking Forward Our Way," hosts Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson welcome Jennifer Bechtel , the program manager for geriatrics and gerontology at Ohio State University's College of Medicine. The discussion focuses on the challenges and opportunities in the field of gerontology, navigating healthcare for aging populations, empowering individuals to advocate for their own health...