Let’s Talk Cincy: The economic power of Black owned businesses in Greater Cincinnati

CINCY AND WHAT WE FOUND IS BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES PROVIDE $2.8 BILLION WORTH OF ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE REGION AND OVER 16,000 JOBS. SO THAT’S REALLY THAT’S A POWERFUL NUMBER. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT CINCINNATI SHOULD BE PROUD OF. PLUS, SMALL BUSINESS HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT NEEDS AND A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER MAY BE GREAT AT THAT ONE PIECE, BUT YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AROUND YOU OR BE WILLING TO LEARN. AND THIS PROGRAM REALLY DOES OFFER THAT KIND OF LEARNING THAT’S NECESSARY FROM WLWT. THIS IS THE EMMY AWARD WINNING SHOW LET’S TALK CINCY, PRESENTED BY WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP. PUT OUR FINANCIAL STRENGTH BEHIND YOU. HERE, NOW IS LET’S TALK CINCY ANCHOR CURTIS FULLER. AND WITH ME NOW IS ERIC KEARNEY. HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HERE IN CINCINNATI. AND IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. WELCOME. IT IS AN HONOR TO BE WITH THE MAYOR OF THE AIRWAVES, CURTIS FULLER. THANK YOU. HEY, WE WERE TALKING. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT YOU TO GIVE BACKGROUND ON THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER. IT IS 28 YEARS OLD NOW. BEEN DOING SOME GREAT THINGS OVER THE YEARS, BUT JUST GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON ITS PURPOSE AND ITS MISSION. ITS MISSION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO IT WAS FOUNDED BY THREE GREAT INDIVIDUALS, ARNIE MARTIN, TONY SIMS AND STEVE REECE. AND THEY CHOSE AS THEIR FIRST PRESIDENT, JIM CLINGMAN. AND OUR BUILDING IS NAMED AFTER JIM CLINGMAN, WHO WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT AND ABSOLUTELY GREAT INDIVIDUAL. THE EASY WAY TO THINK ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO IS THE WORD EARN. SO THE E IS FOR EDUCATING. SO WE PROVIDE A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT EDUCATE ENTREPRENEURS. A IS FOR ADVOCACY. SO WE ADVOCATE FOR BLACK BUSINESSES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES WE GO TO THE LEGISLATURE. WE GO TO COUNTIES, WE GO TO MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS. THE R IS FOR RESEARCH. SO WE DO RESEARCH EVERY YEAR AND WE DO SURVEYS OF OUR MEMBERS AND OUR RESEARCH. WE’VE DONE A GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH, WHICH I KNOW WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT LATER, BUT IT’S THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY, AND WE’VE CONTINUED TO DO IT WITH OUR FRIENDS OVER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI AND THE N IS FOR NETWORKING. AND SO WE DO A LOT OF NETWORKING ACTIVITIES WHERE WE TRY AND BRING BUSINESS PEOPLE TOGETHER, PEOPLE WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT STARTING A BUSINESS, PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE MATURE IN THEIR BUSINESS CYCLE AND CREATE THOSE TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES. SO EARN IS THE EASY WAY TO THINK ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO. LIKE EVERYONE, YOU PROBABLY LEARNED A LOT THROUGH THE COVID. OH YES. TIME AND HOW TO REALLY HELP BUSINESSES JUST SURVIVE. HOW ARE YOU DOING AFTER COVID NOW? YEAH. SO ONE THING THAT’S REALLY EXCITING ABOUT CINCINNATI IS WE HAVE A GREAT SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM. PEOPLE FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY COME TO CINCINNATI TO FIND OUT WHAT OUR SECRET SAUCE IS. WE’RE NOT GOING TO TELL THEM, BUT NO, THE GREAT THING IS THAT IF YOU TALK TO CHAMBER PRESIDENTS, IF YOU TALK TO THE PRESIDENT OF REDI, IF YOU TALK TO THE PRESIDENT OF UPTOWN OR THE PORT, WE ALL BASICALLY GET ALONG AND WE’RE ALL STRIVING FOR THE SAME GOAL, WHICH IS TO INCREASE THE PIE. SO THERE’S A LOT OF NEW ENTREPRENEURS OUTSIDE OF COVID. THIS IS REAL AND EXCITING TIME TO START A BUSINESS. THERE ARE MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAN EVER. SO I THINK COVID WAS A REALLY ROUGH PERIOD FOR A LOT OF OUR BUSINESSES. WE LOST ABOUT 60% OF OUR OUR BUSINESSES, BUT NOW THEY’VE REBOUNDED. AND IT’S IT’S JUST IT’S ALL BLUE SKY. IT WILL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. SO LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SURVEY. SO LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SURVEY. MOST RECENTLY DONE BECAUSE IT’S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME NUMBERS. YES. PEOPLE WILL SAY WELL OKAY I DON’T SEE THIS OR IT’S A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE FOR ME. BUT THE NUMBERS REALLY UNDERSCORE WHATEVER THE ISSUE MIGHT BE. SO LET’S TALK ABOUT THE STUDY THAT YOU DID. YEAH. SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE SAID WE WANT TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT BLACK BUSINESSES ARE DOING. AND WE DON’T WANT IT TO BE HYPOTHETICAL, AND WE NEVER WANT TO COME TO SOMEBODY AND SAY, OH, JUST DO BUSINESS WITH US BECAUSE WE’RE BLACK OR BECAUSE WE’RE A MINORITY OR BECAUSE WE’RE A VETERAN OR WHATEVER. IT MAY BE. WE WANT TO HAVE HARD NUMBERS. AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE ENGAGED THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI CENTER FOR ECONOMICS, BRAD EVANS, AND WE SAID, HEY, LISTEN, WE WANT TO DO THIS STUDY. AND THEY AGREED IT’S A FIRST OF ITS KIND. AND SO THAT WAS FOUR YEARS AGO. AND WE’VE BEEN DOING IT. WE DID ONE THIS YEAR. AND THIS YEAR’S WAS MORE COMPREHENSIVE THAN ANY ONE THAT WE’VE DONE. IT INCLUDED THE THREE NORTHERN KENTUCKY COUNTIES. IT ALSO INCLUDED HAMILTON, BUTLER, WARREN AND CLERMONT AND THEN MONTGOMERY COUNTY. AND WHAT WE FOUND IS BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES PROVIDE. $2.8 BILLION WORTH OF ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE REGION, AND OVER 16,000 JOBS. SO THAT’S REALLY THAT’S A POWERFUL NUMBER. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT CINCINNATI SHOULD BE PROUD OF. REGARDLESS OF YOUR RACE OR WHAT YOU WHETHER YOU’RE A BUSINESS OWNER OR NOT. BUT IT JUST SHOWS THAT WE’RE REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE. AND I CAN’T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW YOU SEE REALLY WORKED AND HELPED US TO DO IT. NOW, ONE OTHER THING I’D LIKE TO NOTE, CURTIS, IS NOT ONLY ARE WE DOING IT HERE, BUT WE’VE GONE AROUND AND WE’VE SAID TO OTHER PEOPLE, PLEASE DO A STUDY JUST LIKE OURS. SO OUR FRIENDS UP IN COLUMBUS ARE DOING ONE. WE’VE GOT ABOUT 4 OR 5 CHAMBERS IN FLORIDA THAT ARE DOING THEM, AND THEN THE OHIO CHAMBER AND I DON’T KNOW IF I’M SUPPOSED TO ANNOUNCE THIS OR NOT, BUT WHAT THE HECK, WE’RE BREAKING NEWS ON LET’S TALK CINCY. THEY’RE GOING TO ANNOUNCE ONE IN NOVEMBER THAT WILL BE STATEWIDE ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES. SO SO IT’S REALLY THAT DATA, I THINK WILL HELP DRIVE POLICY. IT WILL HELP SUPPORT A LOT OF THE WORK THAT PEOPLE ARE DOING HERE IN CINCINNATI. AND IT’S REALLY IT’S REALLY REVOLUTIONARY. DOES IT ADDRESS SOME CHALLENGES SMALL BUSINESSES, MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES CONFRONT ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS? NO, IT DOES NOT. BUT BUT WHAT IT SHOWS YOU IS SO FOR INSTANCE, TAKE A COMMUNITY LIKE AVONDALE AND THAT HAS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT OF $84 MILLION. FOR INSTANCE. WELL, IS THAT REALLY A RIGHT? THE RIGHT NUMBER? WELL, IT’S NOT AS BIG AS ROSELAND, FOR INSTANCE. IT’S NOT AS BIG. IT’S PROBABLY NOT EVEN A THIRD AS BIG AS CINCINNATI, DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI AND OVER-THE-RHINE. SO WE HAVE TO THINK, OH, THAT DATA TELLS US THAT MAYBE WE NEED TO SPEND SOME MORE ATTENTION ON AVONDALE, BECAUSE AVONDALE HAS HUGE ASSETS LIKE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AND THE ZOO. WHY ISN’T THAT NUMBER LARGER FOR INSTANCE? SO IT DOESN’T REALLY TALK ABOUT CHALLENGES, BUT THE DATA LEADS YOU TO CERTAIN CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHY FOR INSTANCE, BUTLER COUNTY, CERTAIN PARTS OF BUTLER COUNTY ARE DOING REALLY WELL, WHEREAS PARTS OF CLERMONT COUNTY ARE NOT. AND YOU AND YOU SAID THAT THIS IS NOW STARTING TO OCCUR, NOT ONLY THROUGHOUT THE STATE BUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, WE’RE SEEING. YES. SO WHAT I’VE BEEN DOING IS I’VE BEEN GETTING ON ZOOM AND I’VE BEEN TRYING TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND SAY, HEY, YOU GOT TO DO ONE OF THESE STUDIES AND I TELL THEM THE BENEFITS AS I SEE IT, OF DOING THESE STUDIES. AND SO I’M TRYING TO ENCOURAGE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO DO IT. EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT. WHO LED THE STUDIES AND OTHER AREAS THROUGHOUT THE STATE? UC DIDN’T DO IT THROUGHOUT THE STATE. UC DID THE COLUMBUS ONE AND A INSTITUTION CALLED BALDWIN-WALLACE DID THE ONE FOR THE STATE OF OHIO. THAT’S EXCELLENT. WE WERE STARTED BY TALKING ABOUT THE BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CHAMBER. YOU HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP ON NOVEMBER 2ND. IT IS GREAT. OKAY. I KNOW ON NOVEMBER SECOND, NOVEMBER 2ND, WE ARE HAVING OUR ANNUAL GALA AND THIS YEAR THE THEME IS BRIDGERTON. OKAY, NOW I HAD TO GET EDUCATED ON IT. RIGHT? QUEEN CHARLOTTE BRIDGERTON, ALL THIS STUFF. SO I HIT NETFLIX AND I WATCHED PART OF IT. OKAY, SO IT’S A IT’S A BRITISH MONARCHY TYPE TYPE SITUATION, RIGHT? AND SO PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. THEY’RE GOING OUT BUYING COSTUMES. SO PEOPLE SHOULD COME ON AND COME TO THE EVENT. THIS WILL BE NOVEMBER 2ND. YES. MUSIC HALL BALLROOM. YES. WHERE CAN FOLKS GET TICKETS? TICKETS? THEY CAN GO TO RACC GALA DOT COM. CLICK ON IT. BOOM. YOU’RE THERE. EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT. ALL RIGHT. IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. GREAT TO SEE YOU. THE MAYOR OF THE AIRWAVES. AND HOW CAN PEOPLE GET ACCESS TO THE TO THE INFORMATION FROM THE UC STUDY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CURTIS. SO WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO IS AND WE’RE UNIQUE IN THIS REGARD, WE WANT EVERYBODY TO USE THE DATA. WE WANT EVERYBODY TO SEE THE DATA. SO WE HAVE A WEBSITE AND IT’S A A CC ECONOMICS. SO RACC O N ECONOMICS DOT COM. AND YOU GO TO THAT WEBSITE AND YOU CAN GET THIS ENTIRE REPORT AND USE IT. AND WHAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS IF YOU’RE MAKING A BUSINESS PRESENTATION, USE THE DATA IN HERE TO HELP BOLSTER YOUR CASE. SO IF YOU’RE GOING INTO A CUSTOMER AND YOU’RE SAYING, HEY, DO BUSINESS WITH ME, IT’S PART OF YOUR POWERPOINT OR PART PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT YOUR MARKET. YOU’VE GOT DATA HERE, AND YOU HAVE HOW MANY MEMBERS. NOW WE HAVE WE’RE KNOCKING ON 700. SO YOU KNOW, WHEN I STARTED WE WERE PROBABLY ABOUT 200. NOW WE’RE NOW WE’RE KNOCKING ON 700. MY HOPE IS THAT BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE’LL BE AT 700. AND THAT WILL PUT US IN PROBABLY ABOUT THE TOP 5 OR 6 LARGEST CHAMBERS IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI AREA. THAT’S EXCELLENT. ALL RIGHT. THE SENATOR, AS I CALL HIM. IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU, ERIC. GREAT TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. CURTIS. ALL RIGHT. WE’LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. AND WITH ME NOW IS DEBORAH AND WITH ME NOW IS DEBORAH DAVIS, WHO IS THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE MINORITY BUSINESS ASSISTANCE CENTER. ALSO JASON JONES. HE IS THE TREASURY MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS SERVICES MANAGER FOR GENERAL ELECTRIC CREDIT UNION. AND FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM. THANK YOU CURTIS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. FIRST OF ALL, PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW WHAT THE MINORITY BUSINESS ASSISTANCE CENTER IS AND TELL ME HOW THAT RELATES TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER. OKAY. SO LET ME START WITH THE RELATIONSHIP. THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER IS THE HOST OF THE MINORITY BUSINESS ASSISTANCE CENTER, THE EMBARC PROGRAM, AS WE LIKE TO CALL IT, IS UNDER THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT. THE MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIVISION. SO EVERY TWO YEARS THERE IS AN RFP THAT GOES OUT AND THERE IS A PROPOSAL THAT NEEDS TO BE SUBMITTED. IT’S A COMPETITIVE COMPETITION. AND SO FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WIN THE CONTRACT WITH THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT WITH THE AND THE MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIVISION. AND JASON, TALK ABOUT HOW YOU ARE NOW COLLABORATING WITH EMBARC. YEAH, DEFINITELY. SO WITH GENERAL ELECTRIC CREDIT UNION, WE’VE BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 70 YEARS NOW, AND WITH IT, IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE’VE BEEN ASSISTING THE LOCAL GREATER CINCINNATI COMMUNITY ON THE SMALL BUSINESS AND PERSONAL SIDE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE CONSTANTLY INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT’S THROUGH OUR GCU CARES PROGRAM OR WHETHER IT’S THROUGH DIFFERENT THINGS, SUCH AS A GREAT PROGRAM LIKE WHAT DEBBIE IS REFERRING TO WITH ASSETS OVER LIABILITIES AND SO WITH THAT SPONSORSHIP, IT’S SOMETHING THAT JUST SYMBOLIZES OUR NEED AND DESIRE TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE IN, AND ALSO MAKING SURE WE’RE IMPACTING EVERYONE IN OUR GREATER CINCINNATI COMMUNITY, TOO. AND THEN SEEING THE GROWTH OF THE STUDENTS IN HER PROGRAM THROUGHOUT. IT’S A PRETTY AMAZING BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIG THINGS TOO, ESPECIALLY ON THE BANKING SIDE, IS THE FACT THAT WE WANT TO CONSTANTLY EDUCATE INDIVIDUALS FROM A LITERACY STANDPOINT, BUT THEN ALSO MAKE SURE THEY’RE ABLE TO BE BANKED RIGHT. SO WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, A SMALL BUSINESS HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT NEEDS AND A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER MAY BE GREAT AT THAT ONE PIECE, BUT YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AROUND YOU OR BE WILLING TO LEARN. AND THIS PROGRAM REALLY DOES OFFER THAT KIND OF LEARNING. THAT’S NECESSARY TO POSITION THESE SMALL BUSINESSES TO WHEN THEY WALK INTO GENERAL ELECTRIC CREDIT UNION OR ANY OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT THEY HAVE, EVERYTHING THAT’S ACTUALLY NEEDED TO REPRESENT THEMSELVES WELL, SHOW THEIR GROWTH, SHOW WHERE THEY’RE TRYING TO GO AND TELL THEIR STORY. SO IT’S A GREAT PROGRAM AND IT’S AN HONOR TO BE A PART OF IT. IN ANY SHINING WAY. YEAH, BECAUSE OVER THE YEARS, THAT’S THE ONE THING I’VE HEARD FROM, FROM SOMETIMES SMALL BUSINESS AND EVEN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THEY STRUGGLE WITH THE PAPERWORK, THEY STRUGGLE WITH THE WITH WHAT THEY MIGHT PERCEIVE AS RED TAPE. BUT THAT’S NECESSARY FOR YOU. AND THEN GOING THROUGH A PROGRAM LIKE YOURS IS THAT DO YOU HEAR THAT? SAME. YES. AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHY CURTIS, THAT I WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATING THIS PROGRAM. SO THIS HAS BEEN A WORK IN PROGRESS FOR MAYBE 3 TO 5 YEARS. I RECOGNIZED THAT BUSINESS OWNERS COME IN. THEY UNDERSTAND THE SERVICES THAT THEY OFFER. THEY UNDERSTAND THE PRODUCTS THEY PRODUCE, BUT THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS. THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. AND THEY MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THEIR EMOTIONS OR WHAT THEY THINK THE NUMBERS ARE, AND NOT WHAT THE NUMBERS ACTUALLY ARE. AND AS A RESULT OF DOING THAT, THEY MAKE BAD DECISIONS. SOMETIMES THEY END UP KEEPING PRODUCTS OR SERVICES THAT THEY SHOULD NOT KEEP BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT PROFITABLE. THEY MAKE DECISIONS TO BUY CERTAIN THINGS OR EQUIPMENT THAT THEY CANNOT AFFORD AT THIS TIME, MAYBE 18 MONTHS OR TWO, TWO YEARS LATER, THEY CAN. SO WITH THE ASSETS OVER LIABILITIES PROGRAM, WE FOCUS ON THREE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THE BALANCE SHEET, INCOME STATEMENT AND CASH FLOW STATEMENTS. WE LOOK AT WORKING CAPITAL AND WE LOOK AT THE RATIOS THAT IMPACT THE SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE COHORT. SO EACH BUSINESS OWNER USES THEIR BUSINESS AS THEIR CASE STUDY. AND WE REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE A FINANCIAL GROWTH PLAN, A THREE YEAR FINANCIAL GROWTH PLAN BEFORE THEY CAN COMPLETE THE PROGRAM. AND GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM. AND SOMETIMES IT COMES DOWN TO US HAVING TO BE VERY FRANK AND HONEST. YOU KNOW, WITH THEM TO SAY, HEY, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO REACH THIS PARTICULAR GOAL, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO DO. THIS IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO HAVE IN LINE RIGHT? BECAUSE AGAIN, IT TELLS THE STORY. RIGHT? BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE A GREAT PRODUCT, WE COULD HAVE A GREAT SERVICE THAT WE’RE OFFERING. WE COULD KNOW EVERY SINGLE DETAIL ABOUT IT. BUT IF WE CAN’T MAP THAT OUT FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE TO SHOW WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, WHERE YOU’RE GROWING TO, AND THEN THOSE PROJECTIONS ON WHERE YOU EXPECT TO GO, YOU CAN’T REALLY DO TOO MUCH THEN, BECAUSE FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, WE’RE LOOKING AT IT TO SAY, HEY, IS THIS INDIVIDUAL SOMEONE WHO FALLS IN THE REALM OF NO, OF COURSE NOT. HAVING TOO MUCH RISK, RIGHT. BUT THAT FINANCIAL PIECE IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPONENTS THAT WE USE IN MAKING THAT DECISION. RIGHT? SO IT’S THE DIFFERENT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT DEBORAH WAS JUST REFERRING TO, DIFFERENT. THINGS, SUCH AS WHAT DIFFERENT OTHER ASSETS THEY MIGHT HAVE, OTHER LIABILITIES, THEIR CREDIT, ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS FACTOR IN. BUT THAT’S A HUGE CONTROLLABLE PIECE THAT CAN BE DONE BY JUST HAVING THE RIGHT EDUCATION AND THEN BEING ABLE TO BE READY WHEN IT’S TIME TO ASK THAT QUESTION TO GET A NEW LOAN, A NEW LINE OF CREDIT. MAYBE I NEED NEW EQUIPMENT, RIGHT? MAYBE I NEED TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE ASSOCIATED WITH SOME SORT OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICE. BUT IF I CAN’T SELL IT WITH THE NUMBERS, IT’S KIND OF HARD TO GET THAT APPROVED. YOU DEVELOP SOME KIND OF RELATIONSHIP THAT GOES EVEN BEYOND THE BUSINESS, THAT MIGHT TURN INTO A PERSONAL, OH, MOST DEFINITELY. YEAH. MOST DEFINITELY. YEAH. EVERYONE THAT I WORK WITH, I MAKE IT A SPECIFIC FACT FOR ME TO TRY AND HAVE THAT PERSONAL SIDE AS WELL, WITHIN THE CONNECTION, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, A RELATIONSHIP STARTS WITH GETTING TO KNOW THE PERSON, RIGHT? YEAH, I WANT TO HELP YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS GROW AND THINGS OF THAT SORT, BUT YOU HAVE TO GET TO KNOW THE PERSON AS WELL. DURING THAT PROCESS. AND THAT’S WHERE THE RELATIONSHIP REALLY IS FORMED. THE SPONSORSHIP THAT WE’VE HAD WITH GENERAL ELECTRIC CREDIT UNION HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL. IT’S REALLY BEEN LIFE CHANGING AND A LIFESAVER FOR A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM. THE FIRST YEAR WE HAD, IT WAS 2023 AND GRIFFIN WORLDWIDE LOGISTICS WAS THE WINNER OF THAT. IT WAS A $5,000 AWARD AND THEY WERE ABLE TO TO PURCHASE A VERY VALUABLE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FOR THEIR BUSINESS TO HELP THEIR BUSINESSES GROW AND TO SUSTAIN THEIR BUSINESS. THE SECOND YEAR FOR 2024, THE 5000 AWARD WENT TO POP AND PAUL’S LUXURY MOBILE GROOMING. IT’S A PET GROOMING COMPANY, AND SHE WAS ABLE TO EXPAND HER BUSINESS AS WELL. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND WE’LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. AND FINALLY, TODAY, A TRIBUTE TO AND FINALLY, TODAY, A TRIBUTE TO FORMER WLWT NEWS ANCHOR AND NATIONAL TALK SHOW HOST, THE LATE JERRY SPRINGER. A MURAL CALLED JERRY’S MESSAGE WAS DEDICATED IN OVER-THE-RHINE. IT’S ON THE TENDER MERCIES BUILDING, A NONPROFIT THAT JERRY BELIEVED IN AND SUPPORTED. THIS MURAL ALSO IS A CREATIVE WAY OF CONTINUING JERRY’S LEGACY OF GIVING TO THIS ORGANIZATION. OH, IT’S SO NICE TO SEE THE PIECE AS YOU’RE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. IT’S A REALLY IMPACTFUL, MEANINGFUL WAY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO JERRY SPRINGER AND HIS MESSAGE OF TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND EACH OTHER IS SO POWERFUL. IT RESONATES. AND I THINK THEY DID A GREAT JOB IN PULLING IT TOGETHER SO THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE IT. IT’S A REAL PART OF THE CINCINNATI LANDSCAPE NOW. JERRY SPRINGER WAS A LONG TIME ADVOCATE FOR TENDER MERCIES. HE UNDERSTOOD THE VITAL SERVICES THEY PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY, HELPING PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE, MOST IN NEED WITHIN CINCINNATI. HE WAS REALLY TOUCHED BY THE WAY THEY LOOKED AND HELPED PEOPLE WHO WERE IN HOUSING CRISIS AND HELPED THEM FIND RESOURCES THAT THEY NEEDED TO SUCCEED. SO JERRY’S SUPPORT REALLY WAS THE REASON WHY THIS HAS COME TOGETHER TODAY, WHY WE HAVE A MURAL THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD OUR LOCAL ARTIST NAMED BRADY CORCORAN DESIGN, AND WE HAD LOCAL INDIVIDUALS, YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 14 THROUGH 24, WHO WE BROUGHT IN TO HELP MAKE THIS MURAL POSSIBLE. WONDERFUL TEACHING ARTISTS. THEY WORKED HARD ALL SUMMER AND NOW WE GET TO SEE THE FINAL PIECE BEHIND US. JERRY SPRINGER WOULD LOVE THIS SORT OF IMAGINING. WHAT IF YOU HAD A MEETING TO TALK ABOUT THIS MURAL? AND SOMEHOW WE COULD TRANSPORT JERRY DOWN AFTER HIS DEATH TO BE AT THAT MEETING? AND IF IDEAS STARTED TO, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, I THINK I THINK THERE SHOULD BE THE LIKENESS OF JERRY SPRINGER ON THE BUILDING SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY OF CINCINNATI. I THINK JERRY WOULD HAVE SAID, THAT’S KIND OF A BIT MUCH, BECAUSE IF YOU KNEW JERRY, THOUGH, HE WAS SERIOUS. A LOT OF TIMES HE REALLY DIDN’T TAKE HIMSELF VERY SERIOUSLY. AND IT’S ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE ALL LOVE SO MUCH. BUT THEN IF IDEAS STARTED TO FLY, WELL, WHAT IF WE PUT IT ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING? AND IN FACT, WHAT IF WE MADE YOUR WORDS YOUR SIGNATURE SIGN OFF THE HEART OF THE MURAL? AND IF YOU LOOK OVER AT IT, THE DOMINANT ASPECT OF IT IS TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND EACH OTHER. AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE WORDS AND IF YOU KNEW JERRY, THAT WAS HIS LIFE. HE HAD GREAT SUCCESS. BUT HE ALWAYS FELT, YES, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES. THAT’S THAT’S TOTALLY COOL. BUT WE’RE EQUALLY OBLIGED TO CARE ABOUT PEOPLE AROUND US. AND PARTICULARLY THE LEAST AMONG US, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING THE MOST. AND ONCE THAT IDEA HAPPENS, SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE SAID, BETTER YET, WHAT IF WE USE MODERN TECHNOLOGY SO YOU COULD STAND THERE, HOLD UP A CELL PHONE, FOCUS ON THE QR CODE, AND INSTANTLY DONATE ON THE SPOT. BETTER YET, WHAT IF WE GOT CURTIS COURTIS, YOUR OLD FRIEND AND YOUR COLLEAGUE AT NEWS CHANNEL FIVE TO DO THE MESSAGE THAT WOULD THEN GET PEOPLE TO PUSH THAT BUTTON AND DONATE. AND I THINK IF YOU SAID ALL OF THAT, JERRY SPRINGER WOULD HAVE SAID, THAT’S A GOOD IDEA. IT IS A GOOD IDEA. WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THE PROGRAM TODAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I’LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EDITION OF LET’S TALK CINCY. HAVE A GOOD DAY AND A BETTER DAY TOMORROW.

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