Join us at Hub & Spoke Diner for a discussion about marketing and your business!
Our very own Doug Burton will present.
Coffee will be provided, breakfast is available at your expense.
UIBC Breakfast
Wednesday February 19, 2025
Hub and Spoke Diner
8:00AM
Building your team (not company employees)to help you succeed
Your Banker – First Utah Bank
How they can help you be successful.
Steve Frantz
Kent Dehart
Paul Fotheringham
Come with your question about what you want and need from your banker.
Get tickets now for UIBC’s Annual Holiday Party & Fundraiser on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at 7:00 PM at Cactus & Tropicals in Salt Lake.
Come mix and mingle with some of Utah’s best LOCAL business owners for an evening of great food, drink, and conversation. We’ll celebrate all we’ve accomplished in educating, mentoring, and advocating for small businesses in 2023 and share UIBC’s vision and plans for the new year.
Our popular silent auction is back this year and will include services and products from many member businesses, including Paletti Style Studio, Tailor Cooperative, Workshop SLC, and more. Silent auction winners will be announced at 9:00 pm.
Thanks to our generous venue, Cactus & Tropicals, for hosting this event.
Tickets are just $50 presale and $60 at the door. RSVP now and get your tickets!
Where: Cactus & Tropicals, 2735 S 2000 E, Salt Lake City
When: Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
We’re back at Tea Zaanti for Unwind again this September! Join us September 7th from 5:30pm to 7:00pm at Tea Zaanti, Utah’s only tea & wine café.
Your RSVP helps us know how many people to expect! Click HERE to save your spot and get email reminders.
What is Unwind?
Unwind is UIBC’s monthly after-work social event exclusively for business owners. Some networking events are just casually exchanging business cards and making small talk. We host Unwind so it can be something different. Come make genuine connections, and even get some advice or help. This is the place where local business owners meetup and relate across industries and experience. It’s really something else. This event happens on the first Thursday of every month. There is no cover charge for Unwind.
Healthy and consistent cash flow is the fuel that powers every business. It is as essential as oxygen. How is your business cash flow? Do you have cash flow necessary to meet today’s needs? What about next month or next year? Do you use cash flow efficiently? What can you do to increase cash flow and use it grow your business?
Join Vest Pocket on September 21st for our next lunchtime educational event when Diana Sasser, business finance expert, and Ashton Ferrin, CPA, provide a practical overview of this very important topic that is essential to the success of every business. [This event is a precursor to Vest Pocket’s upcoming October 25th in-depth class about cash flow management.]
Location: Church & State Business Incubator, 370 South 300 East, Salt Lake City
Time: 12:00 Noon to 1:30 PM
Admission is FREE for Vest Pocket members or $20 for non-members.
Seating is limited so click here to register now.
This event is sponsored by the National Development Council.
Diana L. Sasser
Diana Sasser is a Loan Officer for the National Development Council’s Grow America Fund (GAF), in charge of the Pacific Northwest, Utah’s Wasatch Front and Northern California areas. GAF is the small business lending arm for NDC, partnering with local communities to establish place-based small business lending programs. Diana underwrites borrowers and provides technical assistance to small businesses when needed. Diana has been a loan officer with GAF for over four years and has met with many businesses and organizations in those areas. Prior to joining GAF, Diana worked at the local government level promoting economic development and redevelopment for the cities of Stockton and Sacramento, CA. She holds a BS Degree from California State University, Sacramento.
Ashton Ferrin
Ashton Ferrin is a CPA with a diverse background in public accounting. He is the founder of the Big Mountain CPA firm based in Park City, Utah. Ashton specializes in individual and business tax and accounting services. He has deep experience in a variety of areas, ranging from basic bookkeeping transactions to complex business financial, tax, and cash flow analysis and government compliance. Ashton has an MBA from Westminster College and is the immediate past president of the Mountain Chapter of the Utah Association of CPAs. He enjoys spending time with his family and making the mountains his home in every possible way.
Healthy and consistent cash flow is the fuel that powers every business. It is as essential as oxygen. How is your business cash flow? Do you have cash flow necessary to meet today’s needs? What about next month or next year? Do you use cash flow efficiently? What can you do to increase cash flow and use it grow your business?
Join Vest Pocket on October 25th for a special mid-day event when Sheldon Bartel, business finance expert, and Ashton Ferrin, CPA, provide an in-depth class on this very important topic that is essential to the success of every business. Each attendee will receive a complimentary coursebook of practical materials.
Location: Public Safety Building Classroom, 475 S. 300 E., SLC
Time: 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Admission is FREE and includes lunch courtesy of the National Development Council.
Seating is limited so click below to register now.
This short class teaches small business owners the importance of financial statements and how they can be used to make better business decisions and manage cash flow. The connection between bookkeeping transactions and financial statements is made using QuickBooks software. Participants learn how third parties, including lenders, evaluate financial statements to make lending decisions. Specific topics include:
Sheldon Bartel
Sheldon Bartel, CEcD & EDFP, serves as Small Business Loan Officer for the National Development Council’s “Grow America Fund.” He is based in Sheridan, WY and is responsible for serving the Salt Lake City area. Sheldon received his BA in Economics and Finance from Houston Baptist University and his MS in Agricultural Economics – Design, Management and Appraisal of Development Projects from New Mexico State University. Prior to joining the National Development Council’s Grow America Program in July 2011, he owned and managed a hospitality business, worked as an accountant in commercial real estate development, taught basic business skills to immigrants, served as an executive in the non-profit sector of the economic development industry for 14 years, and headed up the lending department for one of the nation’s largest micro-lenders. Sheldon has deep experience in processing and closing various types of business loans, including SBA 7a, 504 and Microloan, USDA Intermediary Relending, and other loans. He teaches economic development finance and small business credit analysis courses for the National Development Council as well as for the International Economic Development Council.
Ashton Ferrin
Ashton Ferrin is a CPA with a diverse background in public accounting. He is the founder of the Big Mountain CPA firm based in Park City, Utah. Ashton specializes in individual and business tax and accounting services. He has deep experience in a variety of areas, ranging from basic bookkeeping transactions to complex business financial, tax, and cash flow analysis and government compliance. Ashton has an MBA from Westminster College and is the immediate past president of the Mountain Chapter of the Utah Association of CPAs. He enjoys spending time with his family and making the mountains his home in every possible way.
Local business owners gathered for an evening of food, drink, and conversation at this year’s Vest Pocket / Local First Summer Social on August 25th. The event took place in the courtyard of The King’s English Bookshop at 15th and 15th in Salt Lake. Food was supplied by Tony Caputo’s and Mazza, with wine and beer from Vine Lore (a local fine wine & craft spirits brokerage) and Kid Curry Vodka.
Vest Pocket board member Doug Burton emceed the event. Speakers included former Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, Salt Lake City Economic Development Director Lara Fritts, Local First Board Co-Chair Betsy Burton, and Vest Pocket Treasurer John Lair. Vest Pocket board member Rebecca Yates awarded raffle prizes (proceeds benefitting Vest Pocket and Local First).
Are you getting the best possible results from your social media marketing efforts? If you’re not sure or just want to learn how to best invest time and resources in social media, join Vest Pocket for our April 20th lunchtime event, Decoding Social Media For Small Business.
The event will feature social media experts Brian Seethaler, a professional sales, marketing, and business development executive, and Jesse Stay, author of 9 books on social media marketing and development, including Google+ Marketing For Dummies and Facebook All In One For Dummies.
This event will begin at 12:00pm with lunch from Even Stevens (included with admission) and will conclude at 1:30pm.
This event is FREE for Vest Pocket members or $20 for non-members.
Click here if you’d like to become a Vest Pocket member now
Decoding Social Media For Small Business will be held at the Church and State Business Incubator at 370 South 300 East in Salt Lake City.
Seating is limited. Click here to register.
• • •
Brian Seethaler
Brian is a professional sales, marketing and business development executive with 16 years of experience developing companies and brands in startup and existing environments. He is a successful team builder and executive manager of measurable, scalable, and profitable marketing and business building programs with financial, retail, B2B, B2C, and agency experience that is regional, national, and international in scope. Brian has built and executed successful marketing programs for companies ranging in size from startup to multi-million dollar sales and revenue funnels, including the use of significant digital and social marketing channels.
Brian offers strategic thinking and creative talents, proven digital marketing processes and techniques, and deep technical and implementation abilities in Salesforce, WordPress, Adobe Creative Suite Exact Target, AEM, Eloqua, HTML, CSS and various other CRM, digital, social, and marketing automation platforms.
As an expert in developing systems to create MQLs (marketing qualified leads) and convert them to SQLs (sales qualified leads) that contribute to the client’s bottom line, Brian has worked for companies and organization including Cisco Systems, Goldman Sachs, State of Utah, intelliBED, Community Foundation of Utah, University of Utah, Paradigm Life Insurance, The Habit Burger Grill, Elephant Bar, and TAB Bank.
Jesse Stay
Jesse has been a pioneer in the space of social media marketing since before it was called “social media marketing.” Originally a software developer, Jesse built a tool called SocialToo.com which helped brands like Pepsi, Brittany Spears, and MC Hammer grow their social media presence, and before he knew it, brands were coming to him for help to grow their presence in new, disruptive ways. The tool was featured on numerous tech blogs and in mainstream news sites including The New York Times, Techcrunch, and Mashable.
Jesse was critically involved in launching most of the LDS Church’s social media programs. He helped the LDS Church launch the award-winning “I’m a Mormon” marketing campaign, which achieved global reach and millions of views and followers. Jesse also established the social media advertising techniques and strategies employed at Deseret Digital Media, amassing over 20 million fans across their news properties in just 6 months, and he was featured by AdWeek for his success.
Jesse has written 9 books on social media marketing and development, including Google+ Marketing For Dummies and Facebook All In One For Dummies.
• • •
Click here to register now for Decoding Social Media For Small Business.
What do most successful entrepreneurs have in common? They’ve benefited from the advice and guidance of a great business mentor.
If you’re looking to take your business to the next level, register now for our special lunch event:
How to Find a Business Mentor (and Why You Need One!)
Wednesday, March 16th, from 12:00 noon to 1:30pm
Church & State, 370 South 300 East, Salt Lake City
Vest Pocket’s Scott Pynes will moderate the event, which will begin with an overview of mentoring and will include guidance on how to identify the ideal mentor who understands your industry and can truly help you to succeed.
You’ll hear from firsthand about the many mentoring resources available from guest speakers, Bryce Hansen, Interim Director & Assistant Director with the Salt Lake Small Business Development Center, and Ron Baron, president of SCORE (Salt Lake Chapter), the nation’s largest, network of free, expert business mentors.
We’ll also unveil details of Vest Pocket’s new Mentoring Roundtable program.
Cost: $20 for non-members, free for Vest Pocket Members!
Includes lunch from Even Stevens!
Seating is limited so click here to RSVP now and save your spot.
Scott Pynes
Scott Pynes started his career at Arthur Anderson in their consulting division. In 1986 he formed a business application software company – Interactive Systems, Inc. which was later renamed to Assist Cornerstone Technologies. The company grew to employ nearly 200 people before it was sold in 2000 to a New York Stock Exchange company. In 2002 he purchased Cactus & Tropicals from its founder – Lorraine Miller. Since then he has expanded the business significantly by opening a second retail location and aggressively growing the commercial side of the business. Cactus & Tropicals currently employs about 100 people. Its retail locations specialize in providing indoor and outdoor plants for homes and businesses as well as creative gifts and garden accessories. Scott enjoys spending time with his wife and two children and when weather permits road biking up the various canyons around the Salt Lake Valley.
Over the last decade, Bryce has worked with over 350 entrepreneurs and companies, providing advisory support in business planning and strategy, fundraising guidance and financial analysis. He is the interim director for the Salt Lake region SBDC (Small Business Development Center) and leads the Utah SBDC team’s effort in organizing the annual Utah Crowdfunding Conference and Crowdfund Hero Competition.
Ron Baron reflects back on more than 30 years of senior-level national corporate leadership as President, V.P. Marketing, V.P. Sales & Marketing, and V.P. Operations and will help you understand how to use your wisdom instead of your intellect. (It’s not about working harder; it’s about working LESS . . . and he’ll prove it!)
Ron Baron is a highly acclaimed and dynamic public speaker, successful entrepreneur, and business leader and does extensive consulting and executive/leadership mentoring. An active volunteer for national non-profits that forward growth and rapid goal
achievement, Ron is currently President of SCORE Salt Lake Chapter which offers free business counseling by 40 volunteer mentors with a wide array of skill sets. He conducts personal and professional seminars for prominent individual and business clients and has become well known to many return audiences.
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Seating is limited so click here to RSVP now and save your spot.
Owners and managers of small businesses know how challenging it is to offer health insurance for employees. Avenue H is Utah’s small business health insurance marketplace that offers some flexible and affordable health insurance options. Vest Pocket Business Coalition invites you to learn more about the responsibilities of the Affordable Care Act and how Avenue H might be an option for your business on Wednesday, February 17th at 8:30AM at Church and State, 370 South 300 East, SLC
Cole Hansen from the State of Utah and Alex W. Meade from Miller Insurance Group will lead the discussion — and you’re invited to participate with your questions following the main presentation.
A continental breakfast will be served.
The cost is just $10.00 for Vest Pocket members and $15.00 for non-members
Seating is limited and registration is required. Click here to register.
Speaker Bios:
Cole Hansen serves as a New Business Developer for the Office of Consumer Health Services within the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. He is responsible for assisting in developing new ways to work with Utah’s broker and small business communities, in an effort to educate them on the benefits and advantages of Avenue H. He will be speaking about the AvenueH Program and how it can help small businesses attract and retain good employees.
Alex W. Meade has been an insurance broker for 14+ years working in many areas but with a strong interest in health insurance. He is a member of the National Alliance of Insurance Agents, and the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors. He will talk thru the different ways that health insurance is available, how he has seen AvenueH work for employers and will answer questions about health insurance in general.
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