405 Business Magazine

10/13/2023

ReMerge of Oklahoma County recently received a $100,000 grant from Google.org to fund diversion programs for families battling cycles of trauma, poverty and incarceration. Read the full story: https://shorturl.at/pAO56

10/12/2023

WSB acquires EST: The Oklahoma-based engineering firm expands the Minneapolis-based firm’s footprint in the southern and western United States. More: https://shorturl.at/zBQZ8

10/11/2023

Need your own copy of our exclusive, stand-alone issue The Metro's Most Influentials? We thought so. Order here: https://shorturl.at/puNOZ

10/11/2023

OCCF Awards $203,050 in Grants for Parks and Public Safety Improvements

The grants are part of the Community Foundation’s Parks & Public Space Initiative, a program that has invested more than $4.7 million in the community to encourage central Oklahoma residents to enjoy parks and other public areas. Read more: https://shorturl.at/bxCJ5

10/11/2023

Iron Rose Salon owner Misti Byrd celebrates 10 years this year as a salon owner, now employing 15 people in her salon designed to allow employees and patrons alike to be themselves, all while wielding high-carbon Japanese steel Hanzo Shears. More: https://shorturl.at/bprz0

📸: Walcher

10/10/2023

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10/10/2023

How do companies build a positive work culture?
We asked some of OKC’s top CEOs, chief culture officers and human resource executives to explain what they do to grow their culture and increase employee engagement. And they explain how your company can do it too. Read it all: https://shorturl.at/sBEGX

Photos: Charlie Neuenschwander Photography, LLC
Words: Kayte Spillman

Simple Modern
Express Employee Professional
Love's Travel Stops
Paycom
Phase 2
INTEGRIS Health

10/04/2023

10/04/2023

We’re honored to share that our managing partner Nathaniel Harding, has been named as one of OKC Metro’s Most Influential by 405 Business Magazine! Check it out: https://405business.com/the-metros-most-influential-nathaniel-harding/

10/04/2023

The Culture Issue is here!

When I was a kid fresh out of college, I landed a true dream job at a city magazine just a little north of the 405 in Tulsa. I loved every minute and everything about that job, and I worked the hours to show for it. But it didn’t matter: I was at the stage of life when work could be my life and my life could be my work.

Fast forward more years than I can believe, and now my work-life balance has to look a lot different. I’ve got kids, carpools, a whole slew of other people to consider every day. My priorities have shifted, just like the employees at more than 50% of Oklahoma companies that now offer remote work positions to meet the flex-time demands of a post-COVID workforce.

So many employers, thanks to an abundance of reasons like the Great Resignation and a tightened job market, are turning their attention to growing positive company culture. The leaders in this group push authenticity and transparency — along with a good dose of humility about what they can do better — in order to accurately assess their culture. In our cover story, Building a Better Culture, we wanted to ask these leaders what makes a good culture and see if we could glean advice for how other companies can grow their culture, too.

I had the privilege to talk with so many smart, passionate, intentional business leaders from a lot of Oklahoma's biggest and well-known companies for this story. These men and women dedicate their professional lives to helping the culture of their business match the mission and vision of its leaders. They care about the whole employee, and they want to build companies that help these employees become the best version of themselves, both in the office and out. It was inspiring to hear Simple Modern chief culture officer (and our cover star) Jonathan Kuhlman talk about knowing culture was an important cornerstone of the company even before the company was formed. Or hearing Phase 2 CEO Heath Clinton talk about the importance of trust when his team of 67 employees all work remotely in 10 states.

The bottom line is that work looks different than it did when my parents were younger, or goodness, even when I was younger. But people are the same. Companies are beginning to realize that they actually employ the whole person, not just the parts they see behind the keyboard. And, for that, we’re all better for it.

Kayte Spillman
405 Business Editor-in-Chief

Read the entire issue: https://shorturl.at/jmW24

10/02/2023

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Congratulations to the PRSA-OKC members recently recognized on 405 Business Magazine’s Most Influential list! We are so proud of these passionate and intelligent for their incredible work ethic and for representing our organization so well.

Join us in congratulating the following EIGHT (!!) members on this remarkable achievement:

- Debbie Anglin | Anglin PR
- Vahid Farzaneh | Freestyle Creative
- Katy Gustafson | Gooden Group
- Tristan Shutt | Gooden Group
- Sam Sims | Sims Grp
- Jacqueline Sit | Gooden Group
- Karen Wicker | Candor
- Krystal Yoseph | Konjo Concepts

09/29/2023

AXIS Powered by Francis Tuttle and its entrepreneurial center serve as incubators for entrepreneurs and small business owners and collaborative workspaces with an entrepreneurship program to encourage and increase startups.⁠
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Click this link to read the interview with Adam Troxtell, Francis Tuttle content developer: https://405business.com/talent-workforce-innovator-of-the-year-2023-francis-tuttle/

09/28/2023

Three leaders discuss why diversity in ownership matters and how we can support women-owned businesses.⁠
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Recent disruptions in workflow, thanks to the pandemic, and the shifting expectations of new employees entering the workforce will cause the future of Oklahoma’s work to look mightily different than it did just a few years ago. Oklahoma business leaders, from several diverse industries, discuss the need to stay flexible, listen to employees and provide for the different needs of the changing workforce of the future.⁠
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Read these stories here: https://405business.com/why-is-it-important-to-support-women-owned-businesses/
Illustrations by Emily Grant.

09/27/2023

Marketing used to be simple. Today, it feels like there are thousands of places to invest your precious marketing dollars. So how do you decide where to put your dollars when you are not sure how many dollars you have to invest? Join 405 Business Magazine as we host an educational webinar to help you prepare to plan your upcoming marketing budget.⁠
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What you will learn:⁠
-Where small to medium-sized businesses are investing their ad dollars in 2023⁠
-How to build the right marketing budget⁠
-How to connect with buyers at each stage of the consumer journey⁠
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Just a reminder: This is not a sales presentation, so relax. It is to give you information you can use no matter who you do business with.⁠
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Click the link here to register for this informative webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gZ1krt1GSGCMXaIaHoGrLQ

09/27/2023

Opened at the end of 2021, Harvey Bakery burst onto the hospitality scene and quickly seemed like it had always been a part of Oklahoma City.⁠
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We sat down for an interview with founder Molly Grenier. Read the story here: https://405business.com/hospitality-dining-innovator-of-the-year-2023-harvey-bakery-and-kitchen/

09/26/2023

In the United States, women own 42% of all businesses, employing 9.4 million people. However, often funding across all financial platforms lag behind proportionally for women-owned businesses. Here, the editorial staff of 405 Business present 12 women entrepreneurs who represent retail establishments, professional services, nonprofit endeavors, small businesses and so much more. Read about their success, their advice and how to support them. Then, go do it.

Click this link to read these incredible stories: https://405business.com/2023-notables-female-entrepreneurs-winners/

09/25/2023

Cortado Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm, recently secured a $20 million investment from OCAST and now have $100 million in assets under management with 35 portfolio companies that now represent close to a billion dollars in enterprise value. Read the full interview with Nathaniel Harding, Cortado Ventures managing partner.

Check out the story here: https://405business.com/cortado-ventures-starting-final-close-for-fund-ii-oversubscribed-at-80-million/

09/22/2023

Photo Booth fun from The Metro’s Most Influential! Check out some of these attendees and see if you can recognize anyone!