New Studios for the Houston Business Show

Regular readers of this blog have seen my remarks regarding our world famous studios (they were actually the old news "closet" in the old KIKK days). Well, I am proud to announce that we have gotten brand new facilities that put us well into the 21st century. We now have top of the line facilities with four microphones and a large studio table. In the photo you will find Houston Business Show Advisor in the information technology area, Richard Sonnier between breaks. Richard is President of Nimble Services and has been an with the program for over four years. I have had some people comment on the old studio and was encouraged to share our good news. That is the exact purpose of this post. I now feel like I'm a part of the media elite.

On this week's show I visited with Bruce Kaufmann of Kaufmann Capital Advisors and Business Show Advisor on Corporate Finance and Jim Stein of the Bank of Houston. You can learn more about these guests and listen to the show 24/7 by visiting the Houston Business Show website.

On This Week's Houston Business Show

This week's Houston Business Show was unusually busy, to say the least, with four guests instead of the usual two or three. Any regular listener knows that our studio is small (see photo, right) from the comments I have made about it during the shows. This week, with so many guests coming in and out, it was particularly tight! Fortunately, most were on the via telephone, but this picture right gives you an idea of the cramped circumstances in which I work. So much for media being glamorous.

However, I did have a great slate of guests and if you want to be kept up to date of who is going to be on when and to get information on our updated 24/7 archive, sign up for our newsletter here.

Here's a quick run down of who was on today, and what they spoke about:

* Colette Ann Lombardo of the Sterling Memorial Villages. This innovative program for senior citizens allows them unique ownership opportunities and the ability to be cared for according to their individuals needs. It is excellent at keeping spouses together and affords financial savings that traditional programs simply can't provide.

* Also Ralph Fain of the R/Fain Group provided excellent information on purchasing a franchise.

* Michael Frewer, Executive Vice President of the Bank of Houston provided insights on the changes in the banking environment.

* Noel Halgreen of (Sona MedSpa) discussed his latest articles at the Houston Business Show website.

Check out our archive to listen to recent shows online 24/7. Listen to the show live on Mondays at 1 PM at CNN 650.

On This Week's Houston Business Show

On this week's Houston Business Show I interviews Jim Stein of the Bank of Houston, Steve Hansen of Summit Financial Resources, and Jim O'Neill of Lone Star Sound.

Jim Stein discussed the enormous growth of the Bank of Houston and the secret of the bank's success. The Bank of Houston has gone from $20 million in assets to over $200 in just two years and he attributes that growth to its commitment to community banking. As a result it has gone from a single main location to three in just two years with future growth in mind.

Steve Hansen of Summit Financial Resources discussed an up coming speaking event for the National Association of Business Women Owners in which he will help that audience develop "a financial statement bankers will drool over." Coming up on March 22, I think any person in business will find it helpful.

Jim O'Neill, our latest business show expert discussed his new blog entry about to be added to HoustonBusinessShow.com. It is all about YouTube and how smart entrepreneurs can take advantage of that unique website to promote their business. In addition, Jim discussed a new program that we are developing to give people the opportunity to get TV ad exposure with virtually no production costs. For more information click here.

For the latest in all Houston Business Show media, visit my What's New Blog at HoustonBusinessShow.com. For information on when you can hear today's program online and to receive weekly updates on what's new, subscribe to my free newsletter at Houston Business Review.

The Authorities on the Houston Business Show this Week

On this week's Houston Business Show (today at 1 PM on CNN 650)I interviewed Richard Sonnier, our IT expert from Nimble Services; Sam Morris, representing the Bank of Houston; and Mike Alexander, our Insurance expert from ABM Insurance.

Richard (photo, top) discussed some of the major innovations going on in the ever changing world of the Internet. Specifically he reviewed a new program developed by Yahoo to counter Microsoft Office.

Sam Morris (photo, middle) discussed the commitment to community banking that is pervasive at the Bank of Houston and how that has contributed to the institution's rapid growth (from $20 million in assets when it started two years ago this month, to almost $200 million today). Also, Sam is a graduate of Northwood University, which is one of my favorite schools in the country because of its commitment to free market economics. That certainly made the interview more enjoyable.

Finally, Mike Alexander (photo, bottom) discussed the looming deadline facing seniors when it comes to making changes in their Medicare Supplement program. The cost and inconvenience could be serious if individuals fail to make changes by the deadline at the end of March.

To hear archived shows visit the Houston Business Show website. Subscribe to the Houston Business Review and keep informed of up coming shows or when new podcasts are available.

The Best Cities for Jobs

With unemployment hoovering around 4.5 percent, unemployment is relatively inconsequential in general. However, some cities are better than others. Recently Forbes Magazine listed the top 100 cities for jobs and I noticed they have a few things in common.

* They are in low tax states, such as Texas, Florida, Arizona, and Virginia.

* They are in the South and West. This is why these states are booming in population growth as well. All of the top ten cities are in the South and West (Hawaii being the far West). Some would call DC a northern city and although it has characteristics of such, the demographic includes Southern cities in Virginia. Furthermore DC is a boom city for jobs because of government, which can only happen in the nation's capital. Everywhere else, government is a job destroyer. The next ten cities are also all in the West and South except for number 11 which is made up of cities in Maryland. They, too, are near DC and make money off of big government. The South and West remain the primary job drivers through out the list. Florida is particularly strong, including Orlando, Florida (Home of Disney World, above).

* They are all mostly in states that are predominantly governed by Republicans in the State Houses. These Republicans largely have created jobs through their tax, regulatory, and licensure laws that are friendly to business. Some of these Republicans got beat in the last election cycle, I suspect that people that came from poor performing states inadvertently booted them out. I discuss phenomenon in a previous blog entry.

* These cities are growing rapidly. This could change if the policies in the states they are in change (as the governments have) and become anti-jobs.

I hope people take more than a casual look at the growth of jobs in this country and recognize what the cities (and states) that foster growth have in common. Furthermore, I hope governments practice the policies of low taxes, sensible regulations, and reasonable licensure laws. All of these are factors that contribute to positive job growth.

Jim Stein, Mike Alexander and Holly Uverity on the Houston Business Show

On this week's Houston Business Show I visited with two of our Advisers, Mike Alexander and Holly Uverity, as well as Bank of Houston President, Jim Stein. All of them can be found at the Houston Business Review. In addition to discussing with Jim Stein the differences between community banks and the retail banks so common in business today, I visited with Holly on some practical ways of getting organized in 2007 and Mike Alexander on the way Professional Employee Organizations are helping businesses stay focused on what is important to them.

Holly Uverity discussed a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, entitled "Five Questions for Holly Uverity." In it, she discussed changes she has seen in organization in the last 14 years since she went into this business, tools people need to get organized, and much more. I strongly recommend this article.

Mike Alexander discussed how Professional Employee Organizations reduce liability for business owners by taking responsibility for HR issues, the things a person needs to ask in considering such a company, and why they have grown so much in recent years. Mike also indicated that he would be writing an article on the subject in an up coming Houston Business Review article. Go to that page in order to get your free subscription.

Don't forget, you can hear the Houston Business Show 24/7 by visiting our show archive.

Breakfast With Bruce Kaufmann

This morning I had breakfast with Bruce Kaufmann, who is a leading financial consultant for entrepreneurs. Bruce was in the banking industry from 1978 through 1992. During that time, he worked primarily with privatly owned companies and developed an expertise in financing exports with the support of US government guarantees and insurance. He also served as a manager in the areas of Loan Review and Credit Administration.

In 1992 Mr. Kaufmann established his own consulting practice with an emphasis on showing business owners how they could use financial management techniques to increase revenues. This business has evolved over the years, and now Bruce works with his clients as part of the management team to help business owners improve their ability to obtain financing. This is accomplished by helping the client understand the investor's mind set so the business owner can make a more effective presentation when requesting funds, and by showing the client how to improve internal operations to make the company a more appealing investment opportunity. He has worked with clients in a variety of industries.

Bruce has agreed to become a Houston Business Show Expert who will focus on corporate financial management and will be providing regular podcasts on the Houston Business Show website, which will be launched in February 1, 2007. Bruce will be a perfect compliment to other Business Show Advisors Ralph Fain (business brokering, R/Fain Group), Adrienne Leigh (Business Franchise expert with FranNet), Steve Hansen (factoring expert, Summit Financial Resources), Gary Cooper (CPA, CVA with Cooper, Bergman & Company) and Jim Stein of the Bank of Houston. Combined this team provides outstanding information to our large business audience. You will certainly be hearing more about Bruce as you have of other Business Show Advisors.

Steve Hansen, Jim Stein, Ralph Fain on the Houston Business Show

One of my favorite activities is to spend time visiting with listeners during the Houston Business Show. In spite of the weather here in Houston today and the some what ghost town feeling as people celebrate Martin Luther King Day, I've got excellent guests lined up for this week's show.

Steve Hansen of Summit Financial Resources has been helping my audience learn how to finance their business -- and work towards a relationship with a bank -- for two years. On today's show he will be discussing a new product Summit is making available to clients. Learn more about Steve, who is a Houston Business Show Advisor, at Houston Business Review.

Jim Stein of the Bank of Houston (photo) is on today to discuss a new branch of the financial institution that will open in Memorial later this year. This will make three locations for the fast growing bank with offices just West of the Galleria and in the River Oaks area. The bank has grown 10 fold since it started just two years ago.

Finally, Ralph Fain, the Houston Business Show's business brokering expert, will be discussing the three ways people can own their own business -- starting from scratch, purchasing a pre-existing business, or by purchasing a franchise. This is an excellent way to begin 2007, as people consider ways of making this a great year for themselves financially. You can learn more about Ralph at the Houston Business Review.

Check out this and other programs, 24/7 at our Houston Business Show archive.

From the Houston Business Show Studios...

I'm writing today's blog entry from the studios of the Houston Business Show high above the city of Houston (at CNN 650). Yes, it sounds glamorous and it is true that we are high in the sky (around the 19th floor and fantastic view), but the actual studio I do the show from is smaller than my closet. In fact, a regular joke among personalities associated with the station is that we "come out of the closet" after each program.

On today's program, the first live one from 2007, I visited with Jim Stein of the Bank of Houston, which is a title sponsor of the show. The Bank of Houston is built on the concept that "everything old is new again." Back "in the old days," banks were born out of the neighborhoods they operated in and were built on the concept of relationship banking. Today, that largely seems to be little more than a nifty advertising slogan for most financial institutions. That is where the Bank of Houston differs, it truly is a bank of and for Houston.

Being a new year, I wanted to help individuals get organized with our first program and with that I had Holly Uverity of Office Organizers and Shahara Wright of The Wright Law Firm on about getting one's office and legal issues, in order for 2007. Both of these ladies are also Houston Business Show Advisors with articles at the Houston Business Review.

Holly emphasized the importance of making the beginning of the year a great opportunity to get one's business together. That process usually begins with developing the necessary systems to make your business more organized and effective. Being organized saves a business both time and money and makes it more productive.

Shahara discussed the fact that people are under going constant changes, but often fail to make sure their legal situation keeps up with them. Often, when a new business partner is being added to a firm or an individual gets married, people seem too busy to have the legal paper work reflect those changes. Spending time evaluating the previous year, and considering what changes are necessary, is a great way to begin the month of January.

Remember, you can hear the Houston Business Show 24/7 and around the world by visiting our archive.

Houston Business Show Celebrates Five Years

The Houston Business Show is celebrating its fifth year this month and over the last half decade the show has undergone enormous change. Here are a few highlights:

* It started off with my old friend Kent Batman as co-host, which he held that spot for about 5 months. Shortly after that Aubrey Theode was the host until January of this year. Then, Mark Jeffrey of UBuildIt served in that spot for six months and is now busily hosting his own show with me (the UBuildIt New Home Show). Currently I am hosting the show on my own with several guest co-hosts including Jim Stein of the Bank of Houston and others. Each of these people have made a great contribution to the show.

* When the show started there were many concerns of whether it could last. Remember what happened in September of 2001? By the end of the week that included September 11th I had lost roughly half of my sponsors for a show I had worked on for four months. I decided I wasn't going to allow terrorists to destroy my new venture. Today, the Houston Business Show is the longest running show on CNN 650. I guess we made a great choice.

* The show went from being on Sunday at noon to the very popular time of Monday at 1:00 PM. This is, of course, a much larger audience.

* There was no Business Show Advisors at the beginning, now we have them in virtually every business discipline and they play an important part of this show.

* There wasn't a HoustonBusiness.com or Houston Business Review, and you couldn't hear it online. I received an email around three years after starting the show from Steve Carr of HoustonJobs.com in which he asked if I would like to buy HoustonBusiness.com. I did want to and did so with the help of Henry Fasthoff and others. Today, thanks to excellent PR, web development, content development, huge directory development, news content and other efforts, HoustonBusiness.com has become an Internet monster with around 80,000 unique visitors each month, a Google ranking of 6 (the same as the Houston Business Journal and the Houston Chronicle), and now literally hundreds of pages of content.

* There was no Business Plus blog which has already developed a Google ranking of 4 in only 4 months.

There have been many changes since the show began in 2001, but our commitment to providing sound business news, from a solidly local perspective has been unchanging. If you want to learn more about the show, newsletter, or HoustonBusiness.com, email us at kj_hbr@sbcglobal.net.

New Time, Day for the Houston Business Show

Today marked the new day (Monday) and time (1 PM) of the Houston Business Show on CNN 650. The Houston Business Show is the longest running show on CNN 650 and I'm delighted to be a part of it.

In one hour I visited with an organization expert, a business broker, a private investigator, and the President of the Bank of Houston (Jim Stein, our new Title Sponsor). This show proved to be about the fastest hour in radio. It is interesting that we enter this new chapter just a few weeks before the 5th Anniversary of the radio show.

In the weeks that come I will be interviewing Kent Batman, who was the original co-host of the Houston Business Show; Aubrey Theode who was the longest co-host and who now has a show on KSEV 700; and Mark Jeffrey of UBuildIt who was my most recent co-host and who still makes frequent appearances and has his own show with me on Fridays at 1 PM (the UBuildIt New Home Show). I'll visit with many of the other events that made this a successful show in the weeks to come.

I'm excited by the big changes for the show and to the continued relationship with the station and its audience.