192 - The 2023 Women’s Business Conference

Amanda DiGiacomo welcomes Cepi and Lu, the executive board of Power Hub Bakersfield, a new local non-profit that helps businesses and C suite employees grow. Cepi the president tells us the story of how Power Hub Bakersfield came to be. Their inspiration behind bringing PHB to the community was that they wanted to provide business owners and C Suite professionals with the proper tools to power up their growth through networking, goal setting, financing, and accountability. This nonprofit is different from others as they provide networking, programs lead by experts, and an accountability coach. The board would like to invite any of you to their latest program sponsored by Lino’s venue on February 8th 2024. More information for their upcoming programs is on their Instagram linked down below.

LEARN MORE ABOUT POWER HUB BAKERSFIELD:

Website: https://powerhubbakersfield.org/

Instagram: powerhub_bakersfield

Kyle Jones welcomes Sarah Kuhlmann and Tarin Meadows, Co-owners of F45 Training Seven Oaks and Fit-Pantry. Sarah and Tarin tell us the story of F45 training. Their inspiration behind bringing F45 training to the community was that they wanted to provide a fun place that produces high-intensity workouts to get the heart pumping. F45 Training’s mission is to help its members conquer everyday movements and unlock their inner athlete. At F45 Training, their workouts are created by certified personal trainers to bring together all muscle groups in the body, helping them achieve exceptional strength, energy, and flexibility that leave their members feeling their best. More information on F45 Training Seven Oaks is down below. 

Sarah and Tarin established their own business known as Fit Pantry. Their mission behind their restaurant is to connect people to healthy real food with ease. They opened Fit Pantry in October of 2016 and have made it their mission ever since to serve others with well-balanced nutritious meals. You can find their locations and more information on their website below.

LEARN MORE ABOUT F45 TRAINING AND FIT PANTRY:

Websites: https://f45training.com/studio/sevenoaksca/

https://www.fitpantry.com/

Phone number: F45 Training: (661) 310-3305

Phone number: Fit Pantry: (661) 679-7684

Facebook: F45_Training_SevenOaks

Fit_Pantry

Instagram: f45_training_sevenoaks

fitpantrybakersfield

Amanda DiGiacomo welcomes Debbie Powers, executive director of Golden Empire Gleaners. Debbie tells us the story of how the local non-profit was founded and how much they have grown since then. Debbie goes over what the non-profit does for the community and how it has an impact on many lives. She discusses the process in which the non-profit receives its donations and how they create and distribute the baskets. Donations are a big part of the non-profits mission, volunteering is the other important part, Debbie discusses how the volunteers are what allows the program to run smoothly and how because of volunteers they are able to reach more people around the community. Club 85 is a monthly monetary subscription in which your donation is used to create a case of goods that is then donated to a family in need every month. We encourage you today to check out this local non-profit and be a part of the team, whether it be through volunteer work or food/monetary donation. 

Golden Empire Gleaners mission is to help alleviate hunger and provide food for those in need in the Kern County community. They accomplish this by collecting and distributing food and agricultural products that might otherwise go to waste. Through the help of their referring agencies, they are able to distribute food to needy children, senior citizens, families in crisis, people who are ill, disabled, homeless or unemployed.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GOLDEN EMPIRE GLEANERS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP MAKE AN IMPACT: 

Website: www.goldenempiregleaners.com/

Phone Number: 661-324-2767

Facebook: GoldenEmpireGleaners

Instagram: GoldenEmpireGleaners

We are welcomed today with a special recording from our Host Amanda DiGiacomo as
she tells us the story on how she came about founding Atlas Financial Solutions. Amanda goes
over a year-end business checklist for small business owners and how to close out their books.
She goes over minimum wage increases and sick leave changes for 2024. Atlas Financial
Solutions offers a variety of services that cater to small businesses, they are passionate about
giving back to their community. Small business owners face many burdens, teaming up with
AFS allows you to outsource those burdens.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ATLAS FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS:

Website: https://atlasfinancialsolutions.net/

Phone Number: 661-241-3719

Facebook: Atlas_Financial_Solutions

LinkedIn: AtlasFinancialSolutions

Instagram: atlasfinancialsolutionsca

Kyle Jones welcomes Richard Chapman, President and CEO of the Kern Economic Development Corporation. Richard educates us on what the Kern EDC corporation does and gives us an in-depth on the process of how they study and strategize the market overview of Kern County. He also gives us insight into what's going on in East Kern, he discusses how they started the East Kern Economic Alliance (EKEA) and goes over how they reach out to locals and corporations in the area to cultivate relationships and help sustainably grow their businesses.

Kern Economic Development Corporation’s mission is to cultivate and promote Kern County’s boundless opportunities for business. The Corporation (Kern EDC) is a public-private partnership that brings together private businesses, education, elected officials, and non-profit organizations for the purpose of a single goal: creating a strong and diverse economy for Kern County. Kern EDC promotes the region to businesses looking for areas to expand and works with existing local businesses to ensure they have what they need to thrive and grow here in Kern County.

LEARN MORE ABOUT KERN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: 

-Website: www.kernedc.com

-Phone Number: 661-862-5150

-Facebook: Kern_Economic_Development_Corporation

-LinkedIn: Kern_Economic_Development_Corporation

-Instagram: KernEconomic

Check out their market overview right here

Troy Burden Welcomes Eric Dhanens and Alex Vigil, partners of the strategic engineering firm known as Cornerstone. Eric Dhanens, the vice president of Cornerstone, gives us insight on the idea behind Cornerstone. He goes over the civil engineering process in our region and what kind of services they provide, from flexible and dynamic engineering to a diversifying environment that provides clean energy. He also educates us on the carbon capture process and its importance. Alex Vigil is the president of Well Done Consulting LLC and a partner of Cornerstone. Alex’s company, Well Done Consulting, works hand in hand with Cornerstone to provide clients with asset retirement, plug and abandonment, regulatory services, and so much more, all of which synergize smoothly with Cornerstone’s firm. Alex shares with us a local non-profit called Orlie’s Shoe Drive that Alex and his Wife, Nichole Vigil, co-founded in honor of Alex’s father, Orlie. Orlie’s family founded Orlie’s Shoe Drive, which focuses on providing school-age children with one of life’s basic necessities: shoes. They would like to give you the opportunity to positively impact our community by donating to their shoe drive fundraiser. More information on how you can contact and donate will be linked down below!

LEARN MORE ABOUT CORNERSTONE ENGINEERING INC.:

Website: https://cornerstoneeng.com/

Phone: 661-325-9474

LinkedIn: CornerstoneEngineeringInc

LEARN MORE ABOUT WELL DONE CONSULTING LLC.:

LinkedIn: WellDoneConsultingLLC

LEARN MORE ABOUT ORLIE'S SHOE DRIVE:

Website: www.orliesshoedrive.com/

LinkedIn: OrliesShoeDrive

Instagram: orliesshoedrive

YouTube: Orlie's_Shoe_Drive

Dave Plivelich (The Marcom Group) and John Duffield (Integra Accountancy Corporation) welcome Shannon and Kevin Lowther, managing partners of Central Pacific Valuation, as they discuss how a business is valued and the reasons why it is important to know a business’s value. Kevin and Shannon might value an interest in a business for clients who are interested in buying or selling a business as well as for gift, estate, and income tax matters. Shannon and Kevin give insight into what business valuations are by giving us a better look into all the aspects of a business valuation and breaking down the process of what a company’s truly worth.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CENTRAL PACIFIC VALUATION:

Website: https://centralpacval.com/

Phone: 661-527-9080

Instagram: centralpacvaluation

Facebook: Central_Pacific_Valuation

LinkedIn: Shannon_Lowther

Kevin_Lowther

Kyle Jones welcomes Lori Malkin, secretary and founder of the JJ’s Legacy Foundation as she invites us to the 8th annual Grillin and Brewin event on November 9th. All proceeds from the event go towards the foundation’s “Got the Dot?” program and club. Their program gives students an educational insight on organ, eye, and tissue donation and the importance of donating. The program allows the children the opportunity to earn scholarships funded through these events to further their education as advocates for organ, eye, and tissue donation.

JJ’s Legacy was founded in 2010 a year after founder Lori Malkin’s son Jeffrey John died in an automotive accident, when pronounced brain dead the doctors asked Lori if Jeffrey was an organ donor, and Lori and her husband decided to donate her son’s organs. In doing so Lori learned about how much of an impact her son’s donation had on other people's lives. The mission of JJ’s Legacy is to honor Jeffrey Johns by educating Kern County residents on the value and importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation, increasing the number of registered donors, and providing compassionate support to donor and recipient families.

LEARN MORE ABOUT JJ'S LEGACY:

Website: www.jjslegacy.org/

Phone: 661-489-4430

Instagram: jjslegacy

Facebook: JJs_Legacy

LinkedIn: Lori_Malkin

YouTube: JJ's_Legacy

Dave Plivelich and Dustin Pitcher welcome Wendy Porter, the Executive Director and Founder of the Wounded Heroes Fund, as she explains how the Wounded Heroes Fund was born 13 years ago at her kitchen table. Wendy is the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, and after seeing the way her father was treated upon his arrival home, she wanted to give back to the Veteran community. Now, Wendy runs the Wounded Heroes Fund, which helps veterans adjust to civilian life by providing a sense of home through their community center. They offer a kitchen, shower, washer/dryer, as well as a food pantry that feeds 400 to 500 people a month. Wendy’s goal is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for Veterans and ensure that all the money that is donated stays in Kern County. If you would like to learn more about how you can help the Wounded Heroes Fund, tune into this episode. 

The Wounded Heroes Fund was started in 2008 by Wendy Porter. She is the granddaughter of two WWII Veterans and the daughter of a US Army Vietnam Veteran. She grew up experiencing the effect that war had on her father and the ungrateful homecoming he received. She wanted to make sure that this did not happen to the young men and women who are currently fighting for our country. Wendy has a Master’s Degree in education and was a teacher for 9 years in Delano, California. She decided to stay home when her daughter, Chloe (14), was born. Wendy wanted to do something to give back to wounded veterans and their families, and being at home allowed that dream to come to fruition. With the help of family and friends, WHF was started.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WOUNDED HEROES FUND:

Website: https://thewoundedheroesfund.com/

Phone: 661-328-8600

Email: wendy@thewoundedheroesfund.org

Instagram: woundedheroesfund

Facebook: Wounded_Heroes_Foundation

Dave Plivelich welcomes Bryan Porter, the owner of St. John Sporting Dogs, as he discusses his passion for showing and breeding Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Bryan started showing Chessies 13 years ago, even though he had no previous experience, and quickly won 6 shows in a row! Bryan is now the President and Chairman of the Kern County Kennel Club, which will be hosting a four-day all-breed show at the Kern County Fairgrounds. The event is from March 28th to 31st, 2024, and spectators are welcome! If you have ever considered showing and breeding, tune into this episode. 

Bryan Porter is part of the Kern County Young Republicans, Active 20-30 Club, MARE, Kern County Wounded Heroes Fund, Kern County Kennel Club, and the Tulare Basin Wetlands Association. Dogs have always been an important part of his life, and 13 years ago, he started to show and breed Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Bryan has had multiple top-rated dogs in the country over the past few years. However, his current dog, Mary, has been the #1 owner-handled Chesapeake for the last two years. He is an avid hunter and spends his free time working on wildlife conservation. Bryan is the Vice President and Fundraising Chair for the Tulare Basin Wetlands Association and was also appointed to the Wildlife Commission for Kern County, representing Ward 3.  

LEARN MORE ABOUT BRYAN PORTER:

Website: https://stjohndogs.com/

Email: gopporter@aol.com

Facebook: KC_Kennel_Club