Traversing Entrepreneurship

In previous episodes of the Traversing Entrepreneurship Podcast, we asked our guests about their experiences with COVID-19—how they navigated it and how they adapted to the situation. At the height of the pandemic, the future was uncertain for business owners, who were without concrete guidance. But, despite the drastically different ways COVID-19 impacted businesses, there are common threads in h...

John Smiddy is the Founder and Managing Partner of LeadPlan Marketing, an agency that helps entrepreneurs reach a larger audience so they can be more successful with their business by putting their client's best interests first and making each and everyone a fan for life. John has helped market and scale over 200 companies in various industries over the past 10 years. He is the host of "The Market...

Mitchell Blue is a commercial insurance agent and co-developer of Lakemore Resort, a high-quality luxury resort located west of the Arbutus Lake in Michigan. Lakemore Resort opened its phase 1 in the summer of 2020 and has since opened its doors as a year-round weekly rental resort that serves as the perfect home base for guests interested in retreats, wine tours, color tours, downhill skiing, hol...

Mark VanderKlipp is an experience and systems designer who has been working in human-centered graphic design for over three decades. He is the Co-founder of The Adjacency—a systems strategy and design consultancy—and the Senior Performance Experience Design Consultant at TiER1 Performance. Mark was also the Founding Partner of Connect_CX and President of Corbin Design, an organization he worked wi...

David Hague is a market owner at Nelligan Associates, an elite consulting firm that helps brokers and consultants navigate ancillary benefits with confidence, expertise, and efficiency. Dave has over 16 years of experience in the group insurance industry, 14 of which he spent at The Hartford as the Senior Regional Account Executive. At The Hartford, Dave earned several accolades—including National...

Geoffrey Harris is the Vice President of Medicare Sales at Michigan Planners, a full-service insurance agency specializing in employer group benefits. For over 60 years, Michigan Planners has assisted groups and individual customers with unparalleled service. Geoffrey graduated from Northern Michigan University with a degree in Business Administration. He has been serving in the insurance and fina...

Dr. James McClellan is the Owner and President of Bayside Allergy, a medical practice committed to finding the best treatments for patients' allergy, asthma, and immunology needs. James specializes in the treatment of various disorders involving the immune system, including types of allergies and immunologic diseases. He was board certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology and is a...

Today I am joined by Melissa Niedzielski and Bridget Thoreson.   Melissa is the Operations Manager of TreMonte Financial Consultants and Accountant at TreMonte Tax Solutions. Bridget is the Operations Administrator at TreMonte Financial Consultants.     While we may share an office from Monday to Friday, Melissa and Bridget join me today to discuss the TreMonte brand, our history, and services. We...

Adam McQueen is the Founder and Owner of Skål Beer Hall, a modern interpretation of the Viking mead hall based in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. Before founding Skål Beer Hall, Adam was a customer engagement expert with over 12 years of experience working in brewery and agency settings. He served as the Director of Customer Engagement of Enjoy Beer, the Digital Marketing Director of Harpoon Brewe...

Aaron Kricher is the Founder of ARK Valuation Consultants, a business valuation firm dedicated to providing affordable and customizable business valuations tailored to clients' needs. With over two decades of experience in human resources and finance in the healthcare industry, Aaron is an expert in business valuations for small and medium-sized companies. In 2020, Aaron purchased the Saginaw staf...

Jeff Joslin is the Founder and Owner of JJ's Just 1 More Northern Michigan Tour, a tour operator and transportation services company. After receiving his degree in Business Marketing and Management from the University of Tennessee at Martin, Jeff spent seven years in the supply chain industry working for Plastech Engineering and Johnson Controls. In 2010, Jeff returned to North Michigan and worked...

Jeff Guntzviller is the General Manager of Miner's North Jewelers, a specialized jewelry store in Traverse City, Michigan. Established in 1975 as a rock shop by Wayne and Beth Guntzviller, Miner's North Jewelers is dedicated to providing the ultimate jewelry experience to every customer. Jeff began working full-time after he graduated from Western Michigan University in 2010. He later continued hi...

Jacob Kaberle is the owner of Burritt's Fresh Markets, the premiere specialty meat market in Traverse City, Michigan. Jake spent several years serving in managerial roles for several businesses, including Boone's Long Lake Inn, where he worked for over 15 years. In 2012, he launched his own IT support company, Kaberle Consulting, where he helped individuals and businesses find solutions to their m...

Andrea Holcomb is the owner and CEO of Extreme Cleaning Solutions, a commercial cleaning company in Traverse City, Michigan. For over 15 years, Andrea and the Extreme Cleaning Solutions team has been dedicated to providing superior services to local businesses of Grand Traverse County and its surrounding areas. The company offers a variety of services and provides bi-weekly cleaning and maintenanc...

Matt Hodges is the Managing Broker and Owner of Kultura Real Estate. With over 16 years of experience, he specializes in residential listings and purchases in the greater Grand Traverse region. Matt is an industry leader, currently serving as a Director on the Michigan Association of Realtors Board of Directors. Matt has also served on Aspire North Realtors Board of Directors, the local associatio...

Ron Harris is the Founder and Managing Partner of Harris Group CPAs, a full-service accounting firm dedicated to providing businesses and individuals with quality and innovative accounting, tax, and financial services. Ron completed his degree in Accounting at Central Michigan University and has more than 20 years of experience as a business owner. Together with his team at Harris Group CPAs, Ron...

Dr. Andrew Gorecki is the Founder of the award-winning clinic, Superior Physical Therapy, and the author of The Truth About Lower Back Pain. He is a highly-regarded physical therapist dedicated to helping people who struggle with physical pain and has delivered over 400 speeches and seminars to individuals who live with chronic back pain. In 2018, Superior Physical Therapy was the recipient of the...

Jake Baldridge is the Founder and CEO of The Baldridge Group, a boutique, full-service sales agency that helps innovative brands gain the market share they deserve. Jake served as the Chief Strategy Officer of SunFrog Wholesale for over a decade prior to founding The Baldridge Group. Before his entry into the promotional merchandise industry, Jake worked in institutional finance and hedge funds. H...