74 episodes

Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and, in fact, make up 99% of all businesses in the United States. Yet only 50% of them will survive their fifth year in business. Mitten Money host William Zank will focus on helping Michigan-based business owners find answers to the tough questions that will help them succeed. How do I expand my business? What options do I have for retirement? How do I move forward when I feel stuck?

Having worked with small business owners throughout his career, William Zank of Tri-Star Trust uses his strong analytical skills to unearth answers to these questions and more on Mitten Money. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or Amazon

Mitten Money Tri-Star Trust

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 11 Ratings

Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and, in fact, make up 99% of all businesses in the United States. Yet only 50% of them will survive their fifth year in business. Mitten Money host William Zank will focus on helping Michigan-based business owners find answers to the tough questions that will help them succeed. How do I expand my business? What options do I have for retirement? How do I move forward when I feel stuck?

Having worked with small business owners throughout his career, William Zank of Tri-Star Trust uses his strong analytical skills to unearth answers to these questions and more on Mitten Money. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or Amazon

    Budget-Friendly Traveling

    Budget-Friendly Traveling

    Curious about extending your vacation budget beyond its initial expectations? Will and Kevin discuss how to pinch your pennies when traveling.

    • 18 min
    Meet the Co-Host

    Meet the Co-Host

    We are back with a new version of Mitten Money!
    Today, Will is joined with our NEW co-host, Kevin Scorsone! Kevin is the Market Director for Tri-Star's Midland location.
    Do they prefer Coke or Pepsi? Old-fashioned budgeting or budget apps? Tune in as Kevin tells more about himself while the pair answer This or That questions!

    • 18 min
    Refresh Loading...

    Refresh Loading...

    We have some very exciting news! Mitten Money is undergoing some changes, just in time for our 3rd anniversary. Stay tuned on February 20, 2024 to see what's in store...

    • 22 sec
    Meet the New CEO of Tri-Star Trust with Pavel Konecny

    Meet the New CEO of Tri-Star Trust with Pavel Konecny

    Will interviews the president & CEO of Tri-Star, Pavel Konency, about himself and his new position.
    Pavel grew up in the Czech Republic where he was going to school for engineering. Pavel also played tennis and was learning English at the time, which ended up leading him to Northwood University in Midland, MI. He ended up going for Business Management while playing tennis for the school in 1992.
    Pavel originally didn’t have a plan to go into banking and finance, but he had a knack for numbers. He had a long career at Chemical Bank where the possibility of becoming CFO was tossed around. Some changes took place, and his path didn’t become as clear as it once was. The co-founders of Tri-Star eventually reached out to talk about a potential plan for him to lead within five years.
    As a leader, Pavel makes it a point to invest in younger employees. He claims a rewarding part of his job is to watch someone grow while sharing wisdom and knowledge and giving them opportunities. When looking for potential employees, Pavel looks for soft skills along with technical skills, which a lot of younger employees proved to have.
    While Tri-Star is growing, Pavel comments they made it a point to expand in areas that attract people to downtown development. With locations such as the Saginaw and Midland office, there is opportunity to grab lunch at a small sandwich place or shop at local boutiques. Pavel also helps make sure the office environment is somewhere employees want to be rather than working from home.
    In his new position, Pavel is looking forward to continuing community involvement, creating value, and investing in futures while teaching about financial health.
    Connect with Pavel here:
    https://www.tristartrust.com/

    • 23 min
    Building Bodies & Business with Anna Bebow, Soul Fit

    Building Bodies & Business with Anna Bebow, Soul Fit

    Will had the opportunity to sit down with Anna Bebow, Owner of Soul Fit in Bay City. Anna not only opened up Soul Fit to connect people to each other and their mind and soul, but she also runs her own wedding photography business.
    Anna had opened up Soul Fit when she realized there wasn’t a lot of places that connect movement and the soul. Soul Fit is known to empower women through classes like Pilates, dance class, yoga and more, but is also available to men as well. Soul Fit is a studio rather than a gym, making the atmosphere more inviting with diffusers, low lights, and fewer equipment. The goal behind the studio is to make it more relaxing and not as intimidating as other fitness centers.
    Anna is open to trying new fitness trends in the studio. She recently added a dance class to Soul Fit, incorporating dance moves with core and lower-body exercises. The studio has plenty of instructors for all different classes to suit each client’s tastes. Because of this, she has been open to the idea of offering virtual classes. Anna says the best marketing for her businesses is word of mouth. Most clients come with their friends or family to Soul Fit after hearing about it from someone else. On top of word of mouth, Anna turns to social media such as Instagram to post Reels of different classes. Besides typical exercise classes, Soul Fit offers hiking trips outside of Bay City for those who want to connect more with other people and with nature. Anna hopes to continue these trips quarterly, one for each season!
    While Anna owns Soul Fit, she also manages her photography business. She recognizes that one person may not be able to do it all, such as running multiple businesses, so she learns and grows from her weaknesses. Putting trust in instructors that are passionate for Soul Fit has made balancing her other business much easier.
    Connect with Anna here:
    https://soulfitmi.com/
    https://creativegraceco.com/

    • 26 min
    Exploring International Markets with Tim Newburn, Brandes Investment Partners

    Exploring International Markets with Tim Newburn, Brandes Investment Partners

    Will joins Tim, Director, Institutional Group at Brandes Investment Partners, to discuss his journey from northern Ontario to working for a Southern California-based firm, Brandes. He started his career in the early '90s in banking and retail advisory, transitioning to asset management. Tim joined Brandes when they sought to establish a Canadian subsidiary, attracted by their commitment to value investing and the opportunity to work with former colleagues.
    Tim explains that investors often exhibit a home bias, preferring to invest in familiar domestic companies. This bias is particularly evident in well-developed and diversified markets like the US, where investors feel more comfortable with companies they recognize, possibly due to personal connections or local presence. Tim warns against the drawbacks of home biases, emphasizing the need for diversification to mitigate concentration risk, underscoring the importance of international investing.
    Tim shares that people often seek active exposure to non-US securities. While some clients adopt a passive US approach, others blend it with active international strategies or even active US strategies to address concentration risk. There are various ways to build a portfolio and according to Tim, some popular biases are towards active management.
    For new investors, Tim touches on a few key points such as distinguishing between investing and speculation, delegating to professionals, taking a long-term view, and the power of compounding.
    You can reach Tim here:
    Brandes Investment Partners | Website
    Tim Newburn | LinkedIn

    • 17 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
11 Ratings

11 Ratings

CAROL LAUX ,

Love hearing from local leaders!

I love the hometown stories! Keep up the good work!

tylerd1717 ,

Unique and Informative

Will does a fantastic job leading informative discussions. I would recommend this podcast to any individuals who are interested or own a small business. Can’t wait for future episodes!

karafrancke ,

Great Podcast!

Looking forward to more episodes of Mitten Money!! Great and meaningful conversation and information. Will is wonderful to listen to and asks the real questions.

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