Southwest Illinois People To Know TheThe GuideGuide ToTo FindingFinding CapitalCapital InIn 20172017 SmallSmall End-of-Year Tax Tips ST.ST. LOUIS LOUIS St.St. Louis’Louis’ BestBest inin QualityQuality BusinessBusiness St. Louis’ Best IT Firms SBM MonthlyMonthly MeetMeet STL’sSTL’s MostMost AdmiredAdmired BusinessBusiness LeadersLeaders SBM JANUARYDECEMBER 2017 2018 TheThe SourceSource forfor BusinessBusiness OwnersOwners JANUARY 2017 THETHE OONESNES TOTO WATCHWATCH FourFour EntrepreneurialEntrepreneurial FirmsFirms PoisedPoised forfor GreatnessGreatness LearnLearn howhow ZachZach Winkler’sWinkler’sLearn How To Turn Your Employees Into Engaged Rock appapp isis goinggoing toto makemake thetheStars Who Love Their Jobs. And Guess What? If They worldworld aa safersafer placeplace Love Their Jobs, Your Customers Will Love You Too! GIFTS IN GOOD TASTE! 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LOUIS Business Monthly SBM The Source for Business Owners December 2018 CONTENTS December 2018 RON AMELN, president 314-569-0076, ext. 100 [email protected] ADVERTISING 16 20 PAT COATES, vice president 314-569-0076, ext. 109 [email protected] TINA DUMAY, sales consultant 314-569-0076, ext. 101 [email protected] PHOTOGRAPHY BILL SAWALICH, Barlow Productions 314-994-9990 [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS $21.50 for 12 issues. Online: http://store.sbmon.com Pat Coates 314-569-0076, ext. 109 [email protected] OUR EDITORIAL FOCUS Our country was founded by visionaries who believed in free enterprise through individual determination. We support that spirit and hold that the future of our area lies in the growth and development of small businesses and the efforts of Cover Story entrepreneurs. We are dedicated to supporting and promoting that growth. From Like To Love St. Louis Small Business Monthly is St. Louis’ locally 16 owned business publication, bringing business tips, Do your employees love their jobs? Keith Alper has just released a strategies and analysis to the presidents, CEOs, new book, From Like To Love. In the book, Alper helps companies owners and top executives of 16,000 businesses in Departments the St. Louis Metropolitan region. SBM, founded build cultures where employees truly love their jobs. And guess & Columns in 1988, publishes every month and also provides what? If employees truly love their jobs, customers will soon love the information at www.SBMon.com and through a 6 Publisher’s Letter variety of business-related forums and events. company as well. 8 Entrepreneur’s Toolbox 8 Mastering Linkedin ST. LOUIS SMALL BUSINESS INC. Feature Stories 9 Sales Moves 2451 Executive Dr., Suite 109 9 Ask The Banker St. Charles, MO 63303 314-569-0076 10 High-Voltage Marketing 314-432-7016 fax 20 Accounting & Tax Tips 10 CultureCentric Leadership www.sbmon.com Get the top tax tips for the end of the year and into 2019 from local 11 Marketing Works www.stlouisbusinessexpo.com CPAs. 11 Financial Fitness [email protected] 12 Technology Trends © St. Louis Small Business Monthly 2018. 14 Best IT Firms All rights reservered. 21 Southwest Illinois 28 Smart Business Entrepreneurs, executives, non-profit and government gurus. These 29 Leader Acceleration FOUNDED BY 29 Legal Matters Katie Muchnick & Bill Schneider 1988 Southwest Illinois difference makers are some of the most influential 30 Value Proposition Judy Meador people in the Illinois business community and they are individuals 30 The Extraordinary Workplace Owner & Publisher 1991-2007 we all believe all business owners in Southwest Illinois need to know. 31 Time With The Boss 24 Business Spotlights Every business has a story to share. Learn about some of the most dynamic businesses, what makes them tick and how they are helping others in the community. 4 ST. LOUIS SMALL BUSINESS MONTHLY / DECEMBER 2018 WWW.SBMON.COM ONE DAY 3 EVENTS 20 SEMINARS ST. LOUIS BUSINESS ONE EXPO DAY 3 EVENTS 20 SEMINARS TUESDAY,ST. APRIL LOUIS 23, 2019 BUSINESS EXPO ST. CHTUESDAY,ARLES C ONAPRILVENT 23, 2019ION C ENTER ST. CHARLES CONVENTION CENTER RESERVE YOUR SPACE TODAY! RESERVE YOUR SPACE TODAY! ONEONE DAY 3 EVENTS3 EVENTS 2020 SEMINARSSEMINARS Tuesday, April 23, 2019 St. CharlesTuesday, Convention April Center 23, 2019 11am-5pm St. Charles Convention Center 11am-5pm WWW.STLEXPO.COM WWW.STLEXPO.COM PUBLISHER’S LETTER BY RON AMELN Fast, Responsive Service Helps Data Dash Serve Its Customers Show Me The Love? “We have the ability to handle 500,000+ documents per week and do so while maintaining a Midwest work ethic and quality customer service, which we know our St. Louis’ customers appreciate.” remember my first car, a beat-up old Ford Mustang I hen Data Dash Inc. was entire back bought for $700 when I was a senior in high school. founded in 1991, it began office,” says with the goal of exceeding its Morton. While it might have been laughable to the neighbors, to Wcustomer’s expectations while provid- “We have Ime it was a Cadillac. I would wash it every Saturday. When ing high quality data entry services for the ability I went on errands, I’d park it way in the back of the parking lot organizations throughout the United to handle (didn’t want to get the dings). States. Offering onshore, secure facili- 500,000+ ties, exceptional quality, extremely fast documents That lasted for about six months. A year later I parked in the turn around and cost-effective services, per week closest spot at the mall, and I wondered how I could afford to the experts at Data Dash have kept their and do buy a nicer car. customer’s needs front of mind. “Today, so while That, my friends, is human nature. we still focus on providing high quality, maintaining HIPAA and PCI compliant data entry/ a Midwest If you own a business, you recognize this behavior. When we capture,” says Susan Morton, president work ethic hire employees, they come to us engaged, enthusiastic and fired of Data Dash. “In 1993, it was a natural and quality up. That attitude changes over time. As the years mount, some migration to offer scanning services. In customer employees find themselves going through the motions, even 2001, we started offering Laserfiche to service, Susan Morton, President help companies, government agencies and which we of Data Dash bored. The enthusiasm they once had for the job is a distant not-for-profits turn their organizations know our memory. into efficient digital workplaces.” St. Louis’ customers appreciate.” In the past, owners would greet this disengagement with a While making sure to evolve with Data Dash’s current clients are of a shrug, as if it were just a part of “doing business.” Thankfully, technology, Data Dash helps their clients wide range including the Parsons Blewett in the past five years or so, that attitude has changed. evolve as well. “We understand that Memorial Fund, for which the com- many companies have started to digitalize pany boxed, scanned and indexed, QC, Business owners are now, thanks to a new wave of millennial employees and a low their documents yet only 10% are fully import, pickup and delivery a conversion unemployment rate, searching for ways to keep employees engaged all the time, year automated and paperless,” says Morton. project consisting of over 250,000 various after year. Building a great culture not only makes work a better place to spend your “We see a huge need to help companies document types. “Service included design week but also is good for business. eliminate manual processes and are very workflow, training and support with excited to share more about how Business Laserfiche Records Management resulting That’s why I’m excited to introduce Keith Alper’s new book, “From Like to Love,” Process Automation (BPA) and Robotic 50% time savings,” says Morton. “We’re in this edition (pages 16-17). Having owned many businesses over the past 30 years, Process Automation (RPA) can help also working with the St. Louis Public Alper realized his biggest edge in business came from his engaged workforce and his streamline organizations.” School District for which we imported employees who truly “loved” working for his business. His goal with the book is to Data Dash helps decision makers and organized over 2.8 million pages of help others build a business where employees love what they do. boost organizational productivity, reduce employee data into Laserfiche. We created workflows and eForms to automate paper- “If an employee doesn’t love being at your company, it can be problematic,” Alper costs, and stay competitive using this type of automation. “We help IT reduce driven processes, training and support said. “This person will eventually cause damage. Their negativity will affect other team with Laserfiche AECM r e yo u p r eresulting p a r e d to s a v e intim etremen- a n d m o n e y? A r e yo u d o in g m o r e risk through digitized processes that with less this year? Do you realize all those file boxes packed with members, hurt customer relationships and hurt your bottom line.