Fast Break

A strong brand can evoke emotion, and build trust, familiarity, and loyalty. But as a growing business with finite resources, figuring out how to create a recognizable name for your business on a tight budget is enough to keep you up at night. You need the confidence to build and articulate your brand, and to show up in a distinctly differentiated way in the market. In this episode of Fast Break,...

In building a successful business, it's essential to create sustainable HR processes that comply with regulations and best practices. But this can be overwhelming, and staying current is challenging. You don't have to do it alone, though. By getting the right people and partners on board for HR tasks, you can get back to focusing on growing your business. In this episode of Fast Break, Matt is joi...

As you navigate the ups and downs of running a small business, hitting those moments where things seem to stand still is totally normal. That's where having the right coaches becomes a game-changer for your success. These coaches can give you fresh perspectives, help you dodge common pitfalls, and make the journey to business growth a whole lot smoother.  On this episode of Fast Break, Matt is joi...

It’s clear gener8tor – a nationally ranked venture capital firm and accelerator that brings together startup founders, investors, corporations, job seekers, universities, musicians, and artists – is on the move and deeply connected to the world of small and growing businesses. They envision communities achieving measurable and transformational growth through programming that enables equitable acce...

Working collaboratively with local non-profits, businesses, community leaders, donors, and volunteers can solve big picture issues that no one person or organization can address alone.  On this episode of Fast Break, Matt is joined by Renee Moe, CEO of United Way of Dane County to talk about why, as a small and growing business owner, you should be  thoughtful about your philanthropic strategy and...

As rising claim costs result in increasing volatility throughout the market, personal insurance lines such as home, auto, and umbrella coverage are impacted as well.  On this episode of Fast Break, Matt is joined by Jennifer Vanderlip, Amy Schroeder, and Kim Nichols from the M3 Elevate team for a personal insurance conversation. They discuss factors impacting the market today, including severe wea...

It’s open enrollment time for Individual Health plans. As a small business owner, you may have employees who need to shop the marketplace for a variety of reasons. However, the Individual Health Marketplace can be confusing to navigate. With all the different plan options out there, how can your employees know that they are choosing the best plan to fit their needs?    On this episode of Fast Brea...

The Medicare space can often be confusing or overwhelming to people. In this episode of Fast Break, Matt has invited four members of the M3 Elevate Medicare team – Virginia Van Haren, Jason Haglund, Rachel Hug, and David Schuebel – whose every day focus is helping businesses and individuals navigate the complex world of Medicare.   In this conversation with Matt, these four Medicare professionals...

When employees are healthy, they're more productive, more engaged, and less likely to miss work. On this Fast Break, Matt welcomes Tyler Stuntebeck, M3's population health and wellbeing manager and Euan Findlater, general manager and personal trainer at CrossFit Mojo - two experts who are dedicated to employee health and its impact in creating a thriving workplace.  Tyler, Euan, and Matt delve int...

Our working environments have undeniably shifted over the past decade. In an increasingly hybrid working model, does your business space matter? We’ve invited Tim Cleary, Executive Vice President at Ideal Builders to Fast Break for a conversation on how your physical space can impact the overall success of your business. Tim and Matt discuss how the lines between business, home, and recreational s...

This episode of Fastbreak features Neil Peters-Michaud, Founder and CEO of Cascade Asset Management, discussing an aspect of business that has been far too long neglected: the retirement of old IT equipment. Neil explains the importance of properly retiring your old equipment to ensure your business is remaining secure and sustainable. Not only will you gain practical knowledge on retiring old IT...

We’re living in uncertain economic times, but where are we headed, and how can small businesses protect themselves? The media doesn't always provide accurate information or sound counsel. That’s why we’ve invited Corey Chambas, President & CEO at First Business Financial Services, Inc., to give us the facts. Corey breaks down everything from what’s happening with the banking crisis, why it’s h...

As a small business owner, tax season can be daunting; but it doesn’t have to be! In this episode of The Fast Break, we break down what can sometimes seem like an overwhelming topic into actionable steps toward a more profitable tax season this year and for years to come. Chase Inda, Tax Partner at Baker Tilly, has worked at Baker Tilly since 2006 and while you may have never heard the words “pass...

In today’s episode, we’re joined by M3 Elevate team members James VanBuskirk, Starie Thompson, Jennifer Vanderlip, and Virginia Van Haren. The team shares their insights and experiences on a variety of topics from business insurance, employee benefits, personal lines, and Medicare. The team provides real stories from real businesses employing effective offensive and defensive tactics, and discuss...

Today’s episode is a special one. Not only are we featuring a giveaway, but get some great advice about being a responsible business leader from Matt Neumann, Chief Executive Officer at Neumann Companies, Inc. If you’re a business owner or manager looking to make an impact, this episode is for you. As a second-generation family business owner, Matt is committed and recognizes the long-term approac...

Jason Ilstrup, President at Downtown Madison Inc., joins us to share the benefits of a thriving downtown–both for businesses and individuals alike. Members of a downtown community (whether as a business or as an individual) can stand to gain a lot from this episode. Jason shares two real-life examples of businesses that effectively use his two favorite offensive strategies: creating a unique exper...

Laura Gallagher, Founder and President of The Creative Company and the author of #180in120 - How to Recharge Your Business in 120 Days, leads one of Madison's most respected PR and digital agencies. Having launched the Creative Company in 1989, Laura has a ton of experience marketing for businesses and was recently awarded IB Madison's Dane County Small Business of the Year in 2022. In this episod...

Keegan Meuer, owner and manager of the iconic State Street Brats in Madison, joins us to discuss the rollercoaster that is owning a business. Though difficult and frustrating at times, ultimately, it can be extremely rewarding. Throughout Fast Break, we’ve heard some really great insights into the offensive and defensive strategies of owning a business, but we have to say that Keegan shares some o...

Zach Brandon, President of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, and Matt Cranney, sit down to discuss the importance of supporting small and growing businesses. The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce aims to help companies to play both offense and defense by providing the resources they wouldn't otherwise have. Throughout the episode, Zach provides real-life examples of businesses that have p...

Now more than ever, it's critical to find and retain quality talent. But it's more than that; you must also sustain demands, be efficient, engage, and meet goals. But as many of us know, this is easier said than done. That's why we've invited Business Psychologist and Co-founder of Ascend Talent Strategies, Julie Unite, to discuss finding and retaining talent. Ascend Talent Strategies is an organi...

Joe Hamilton , Chief Executive Officer at Vortex Optics , joins us for part two of our conversation with him. In this episode, Joe covers the importance of the core values behind Vortex Optics, and how customer satisfaction is everything when it comes to managing a successful business. So tune in to learn how to make your customer the hero. Vortex Optics is a family-owned and operated business det...

Joe Hamilton is the Chief Executive Officer at Vortex Optics , a manufacturer of optical equipment for hunting, wildlife watching, outdoor recreation, shooting sports, and law enforcement. Vortex® is a family-owned and operated business that is determined to change how business is done by putting customers at the center of everything they do. In this episode, part one of two, Joe covers the origin...

Richie Burke , Founder and CEO of GoGeddit Marketing and Media (GGMM) , joins us to discuss marketing strategies that will help set your business apart from the competition. Throughout the episode, Richie shares valuable insight on standing out in "this seas of sameness" and his number one offensive and defensive recommendations. When it comes to offensive marketing, it's vital companies find ways...

If you're interested in becoming the best version of yourself, this episode is for you. In this episode, we're joined by Chad McGhee, Director of Meditation Training at UW Athletics and Co-founder of Inner Edge Meditation, to discuss mindfulness's impact on performance. You can't always control your environment, but you can prepare for whatever may be thrown your way by practicing mindfulness. Cha...

Matt Pletzer is the owner of Lift Consulting , a boutique consulting firm in Madison that helps businesses solve complex challenges and thrive by developing and motivating their people. One of Matt’s strategies on offense is to ask tough questions and do the work that needs doing. On defense, Matt says it’s important to be agile, think a little differently, and pay attention. “One of the best defen...