Ice cream in coffee? Ice cream on waffles? Ice cream on fruit? Ice Cream for Breakfast Day is Saturday, February 1. We're celebrating early (...for practice)!

We will bring the ice cream and waffles, you bring the toppings! See you Friday, January 31 at 9:00am. Goodies in the kitchen, member networking in the  back conference room.

• What is your profession and why did you choose it?

I am a geotechnical engineering consultant. I started college intending to be an environmental engineer before figuring out that I didn’t like chemistry that much. I did a co-op with a general contractor during college and was intrigued by structural engineering and geotechnical engineering; all three are specialties of civil engineering. I became engaged during my senior year of college and we were going to Charlottesville, Virginia for my fiancé to go to medical school. A local geotechnical consultant gave me a job offer and I took it. The rest is history!

• How long have you owned your own business?

I am actually one of over a thousand owners in my company. We are an ESOP company and they wanted to keep me when my wife and I moved here in 2010. (She grew up in St. Charles.) 

• What might someone be surprised to know about you?

People always seem surprised by my age (they think I am younger than I am), that I have been married as long as I have (18 years), and when I tell them I survived a 30-foot fall down a ravine at a Boy Scout camp. (The last one probably explains a few things about my behavior!)

• Do you have a hobby, play a sport, or have any special interests?

I love soccer, watching Marquette University basketball (most of the time), reading and traveling with my family.

• What job would you be terrible at?

Anything creative or that requires risk-taking; I’m a somewhat stereotypical engineer!

• Who has impressed you most with what they’ve accomplished?

There are a lot of people that impress me with what they have achieved in life. My wife, who is an orthopedic surgeon and mother of two (okay, probably three counting me). My grandparents for not only raising my dad and his six brothers (yes, no girls), but also for pushing and enabling all of them to be first-generation college graduates. Abraham Lincoln for his continual self-learning, his humility and his leadership. In geotechnical engineering: Karl Terzaghi, Ralph Peck, Arthur Cassagrande, Lymon Reese, Michael O’Neill, Dan Brown, Jesus Gomez, Silas Nichols and probably a few others for the theories they developed, questions they asked and knowledge they shared and continue to share.

• Where is the most interesting place you have visited?

I’ll give you my top three, since picking one is too hard: the natural beauty of Alaska; the ingenuity and technical skill of ancient Rome; and the engineering, planning and hospitality of Disney World/Disneyland/Disney Cruise Line.

• Do you have any advice based on your area of expertise?

My first piece of advice is to earn an advanced degree, either an MS if you are more technically inclined or an MBA if you lean more toward running a consulting business. Undergraduate degrees are great for teaching the broad basics, but you can really improve yourself with the advanced degrees. In my experience, it was best for me to work a little while and then go back for my MS degree. That’s not the perfect answer for everyone though. My second piece of advice is to find and work with mentors, in and out of your company. You need people that are not your supervisor to help you define your career and solve career challenges along the way.

• If you could work anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

If I could convince my family to move, I would choose somewhere in New England. I grew up in Rochester, New York and miss the snow, mountains and proximity to numerous cities.

• How has working in a shared work space influenced your business?

Well, the shared work space hasn’t led to any work, but I’m not trying to bring in work in St. Louis. I am the only employee for my company that is here, and my main client is my company. So, the benefit of a shared work place for me is that I am more efficient working here than out of my home. It helps my work-life balance, too, in that when I leave here, I leave work and am more present with my family, even though there are a lot of nights I pull out my computer and do some work after my kids are in bed.

• What is your favorite restaurant from the St. Louis area?

Gulf Shores

• What is something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives?

Visit somewhere you’ve never been before and immerse yourself in the local customs and activities.

• Who’s your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?

Barenaked Ladies

• What is your profession and why did you choose it?

I am a geotechnical engineering consultant. I started college intending to be an environmental engineer before figuring out that I didn’t like chemistry that much. I did a co-op with a general contractor during college and was intrigued by structural engineering and geotechnical engineering; all three are specialties of civil engineering. I became engaged during my senior year of college and we were going to Charlottesville, Virginia for my fiancé to go to medical school. A local geotechnical consultant gave me a job offer and I took it. The rest is history!

• How long have you owned your own business?

I am actually one of over a thousand owners in my company. We are an ESOP company and they wanted to keep me when my wife and I moved here in 2010. (She grew up in St. Charles.) 

• What might someone be surprised to know about you?

People always seem surprised by my age (they think I am younger than I am), that I have been married as long as I have (18 years), and when I tell them I survived a 30-foot fall down a ravine at a Boy Scout camp. (The last one probably explains a few things about my behavior!)

• Do you have a hobby, play a sport, or have any special interests?

I love soccer, watching Marquette University basketball (most of the time), reading and traveling with my family.

• What job would you be terrible at?

Anything creative or that requires risk-taking; I’m a somewhat stereotypical engineer!

• Who has impressed you most with what they’ve accomplished?

There are a lot of people that impress me with what they have achieved in life. My wife, who is an orthopedic surgeon and mother of two (okay, probably three counting me). My grandparents for not only raising my dad and his six brothers (yes, no girls), but also for pushing and enabling all of them to be first-generation college graduates. Abraham Lincoln for his continual self-learning, his humility and his leadership. In geotechnical engineering: Karl Terzaghi, Ralph Peck, Arthur Cassagrande, Lymon Reese, Michael O’Neill, Dan Brown, Jesus Gomez, Silas Nichols and probably a few others for the theories they developed, questions they asked and knowledge they shared and continue to share.

• Where is the most interesting place you have visited?

I’ll give you my top three, since picking one is too hard: the natural beauty of Alaska; the ingenuity and technical skill of ancient Rome; and the engineering, planning and hospitality of Disney World/Disneyland/Disney Cruise Line.

• Do you have any advice based on your area of expertise?

My first piece of advice is to earn an advanced degree, either an MS if you are more technically inclined or an MBA if you lean more toward running a consulting business. Undergraduate degrees are great for teaching the broad basics, but you can really improve yourself with the advanced degrees. In my experience, it was best for me to work a little while and then go back for my MS degree. That’s not the perfect answer for everyone though. My second piece of advice is to find and work with mentors, in and out of your company. You need people that are not your supervisor to help you define your career and solve career challenges along the way.

• If you could work anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

If I could convince my family to move, I would choose somewhere in New England. I grew up in Rochester, New York and miss the snow, mountains and proximity to numerous cities.

• How has working in a shared work space influenced your business?

Well, the shared work space hasn’t led to any work, but I’m not trying to bring in work in St. Louis. I am the only employee for my company that is here, and my main client is my company. So, the benefit of a shared work place for me is that I am more efficient working here than out of my home. It helps my work-life balance, too, in that when I leave here, I leave work and am more present with my family, even though there are a lot of nights I pull out my computer and do some work after my kids are in bed.

• What is your favorite restaurant from the St. Louis area?

Gulf Shores

• What is something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives?

Visit somewhere you’ve never been before and immerse yourself in the local customs and activities.

• Who’s your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?

Barenaked Ladies

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
I was invited by Creve Coeur Workspace to write about this topic since I’m on the board of The Arya Foundation. The Arya Foundation helps families of children with disabilities purchase adaptive equipment in the greater St Louis area.

The purpose of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities.  This year’s theme is “The Right Talent, Right Now.”  So, how does that relate to us small business owners at Creve Coeur Workspace, where for many of us, the only employee is ourselves?

Even if you don’t have employees, being aware of inclusiveness issues will help with our customer relations.  October is a good time to review your company policies to ensure they convey a commitment to inclusiveness.

One of the reasons I located my business here was the accessibility.  I do have disabled clients and my old office space was a problem when it came to accessibility.  Here we have plenty of accessible parking and the front door actually has the push button set back from the entrance.  If you haven’t had to deal with a wheelchair before, you might not have noticed how great that is.  Many office building doors have the open button right at the door.  If you’re in a wheelchair, you push the button, then have to move back for the door to open, and then move forward again to go in the building.  The timing can be off, and you can actually get hit by the door trying to enter the building.  I hadn’t noticed how cool our entrance was until one of my clients took me outside to show me.  Happy client = returning customer.

Besides wheelchair accessibility, what else can we do to make our businesses more inclusive?  Many of us are using Social Media marketing tools.  It’s estimated that 20% of the population has some type of disability which limits them from seeing our messages.   
​The federal government has a toolkit of tips for making your social media more accessible.  Here’s a link for more information:  https://digital.gov/resources/improving-the-accessibility-of-social-media-in-government/#general   
Just by making our websites and social media more accessible we can increase our market reach by 20%. That’s pretty cool!
 
The Arya Foundation also hosts the Disability Awareness Convention. The next one will be held Sunday, February 23, 2020 from noon until 5 PM at the Purser Center at Logan University.  We are already signing up vendors, sponsors, and speakers. If you would like to learn more about how your business can participate, please check out our website at: https://thearyafoundation.org/dac2020
 
Thank you.
Jan Roberg
Roberg Tax Solutions

• What is your profession and why did you choose it?                                                    I do recruiting for the multifamily industry. I started out in multifamily 18 years ago because I thought leasing apartments sounded “fun”! Today, I take great pleasure in a career that not only helps my industry cohort, but also gives people a foot in the door for a job they might not have found otherwise.

 

• How long have you worked for BG Multifamily?
  

          A little over a year!

• Tell us about BG Multifamily! How many locations do they have? How long have they been in business?
  

​         BG Multifamily is a division of BG Staffing, a publicly traded company on the NYSE.             BG Multifamily began in Dallas, TX 31 years ago and currently has 50 locations                     nationwide! The STL region opened in March, 2016 as the 26th location.
 

• What might someone be surprised to know about you?                                  When I was young, I wanted to be a school counselor in worst parts of STL. I’ve always believed some people just need someone to love and believe in them, to give them the strength to overcome their circumstances.

 

• Do you have a hobby, play a sport, or have any special interests?                          I am a HUGE Blues fan and literally almost passed out when we won the Cup! I love music and theatre and have been known to drive to another city on a whim for either!

 

• What job would you be terrible at?                                                                          Anything that is smelly. I can power through just about anything, as long as it doesn’t stink!

 

• Who has impressed you most with what they’ve accomplished?                           Do the 2018-2019 Blues count? Seriously though, as I already mentioned, I am a huge cheerleader for the underdog. People that can find strength in any adversity inspire me.

• Where is the most interesting place you have visited?                                               I visited the Chacchoben Ruins in Quintana Roo this summer. It was humbling to see and touch structures that were buried underground for almost 1000 years before being discovered.

• Do you have any advice based on your area of expertise?                                       Be reliable. Plain and simple.

• If you could work anywhere in the world, where would you choose?                  I’m drawn to water, so somewhere with waves crashing in the distance would be AH-MAZING.

• Have you worked in a shared workspace before? If not, how has it influenced your job?                                                                                                                                  Creve Coeur Workspace is my first venture into shared workspaces and I cannot speak highly enough of the experience! The AMG team is fabulous at communicating with me whether I’m in the office or working remotely. It’s a huge peace of mind to know that I have professional coverage even when I’m gone!

 

• What is your favorite restaurant from the St. Louis area?                                        I love Manee Thai on Manchester and Pho Grand on South Grand. Mmm!

 

• What are you currently reading?
  

          You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero and A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami
 

• What is something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives? Travel alone. It is so liberating to step out of your comfort zone in a place you’ve never been!

 

• What is the best thing that has happened to you this year?                                     I took my kids on a trip by myself for the first time! It was great to have time with just the two of them. (this does not count for traveling alone!!)

 

• Who’s your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?                                                                                                                                           Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Avett Brothers, Counting Crows, Train, Hamilton Original Cast Recording, Rent Original Cast Recording, Pink, Andrew McMahon, Matchbox Twenty… did I mention I love music?

​      Microsoft Outlook is the most used Email Service in the Business World. If you have thousands of unread emails in your inbox, or cannot find old emails when needed, you might need to organize your Inbox! Here are some tips to help make using Microsoft Outlook an enjoyable experience for you!

1. Quick Parts
​
                Do you always type some of the same verbiage in some of your emails? Cut off the time spent of typing all of it up by using Quick Parts! While drafting an email, go to the Insert Tab > Text Section > Quick Parts. In the drop down, you have the option to insert an already saved text, or you can save text to use. To save the text, highlight the chunk you wanted saved and click Quick Parts > Save Selection. You can save the formatting that you have, and how you want the text to be pasted in the future. 

2. Folder Organization

                Your email will always have a couple standard places you commonly use – Inbox, Outbox, Drafts, and Sent Items. You can expand that list and organize it by creating more folders! On your Home Page, go the Folder Tab and click New Folder. You can create a folder that will help you organize your emails so you can reference them faster. For example, try using a To-Do folder do you have short list of emails that require a task to be done, or an Important folder to hold emails you need to reference back to. After you have these folders, you can create rules for incoming emails to be filed away, but we’ll get to that later. 

3. Clean Up
​
                Many times, we get emails that are duplicates or redundant and can clog up your inbox. While in your inbox or in a folder, you have the option to use Clean Up. There are two ways to access this function. On the Home Tab > Delete Section > Clean Up, you can find the option to clean up the current email thread you are in. If you go to the Folder Tab > Clean Up Section, you can find multiple ways to help manage your inbox with a click of a button!

4. Email Rules
​
                Did you know you could set up incoming email to be placed right into the folder you want it to go to? While viewing an email, in the Home tab, find the Move section and click Rules. Click Create Rule and then go through the prompts to complete the rule. You can have the rule set by the sender, or by the subject line. To manage your existing rules, click the same Rules drop down and click Manage Rules and Alerts.

5. Keyboard Shortcuts

                Instead of clicking through endless menus to find what you need, use Keyboard Shortcuts to complete tasks quicker in Outlook! Here are some of the most commonly used shortcuts:

New Message: Ctrl + Shift + M
Send: Alt + S
Search: Ctrl + E
New Task: Ctrl + Shift + K
 
Additionally, pressing Alt + H while on the home page will give you a little guide of different shortcuts you can select:

​ 
Using these tools and tricks can make your Outlook inbox more manageable and efficient. Have fun cleaning up those inboxes! 

• What is your profession and why did you choose it?

I am a lawyer.  I chose to become a lawyer because I wanted to help people navigate the law.  

• How long have you owned your own business?

I have owned my own practice for the past 26 years.  

• What inspired you to own your own business?

What inspired me to own my own practice was twofold.  1) I had been working a management position with GE running a $10 million business in St. Louis as the Operations manager.  A management restructure took place and they wanted me to move to Wichita KS.  My spouse had started her own CPA practice and we decided the best move was for me to be laid off and find another job in St Louis metro. 2) I began collaborating with my step brother's law practice working in Social Security Disability and eventually adding my niche practice of representing Veterans who were trying to get their service connected disabilities properly rated.  My step brother did not want an employee or partner which left me running my own practice working on some cases for him and developing my own.  
 

• What might someone be surprised to know about you?

People are always surprised to find out I like all kinds of music - especially heavy metal and rap/hip hop.  
  

• Do you have a hobby, play a sport, or have any special interests?

 I love to do indoor cycling (spinning) I have been involved with two different studios during the past 5 years.  Cyclebar in Chesterfield is where I currently attend sessions 3-4x / week.  I am usually the oldest person in the room. 
 

• What job would you be terrible at?

While I have an accounting degree from the University of Missouri St Louis, I know that my CPA spouse runs circles around me in terms of being able to do this detail, nitty gritty financial reporting work.  I would much rather prefer to work with people in helping them tell their story about their injuries and illnesses to the government to help them get the benefits they were promised.
  

• How do you think your business has impacted others?

When I look back at the 5000 to 6000 people I have been able to help with either their Veterans Benefits or their Social Security Disability at either the administrative level or the Court level I am humbled this many people put their faith in my ability to deliver the services they desired.  Robin, Tammie and I love hearing from clients who tell us "you made that so understandable" or "you really helped me (us) navigate this complicated system and put things in plain English".  
 

• Where is the most interesting place you have visited?

I would have to say the most interesting place was Bratislava in the old Yugoslavian Soviet empire.  We flew in from Dublin Ireland because Bratislava is only 35 miles from Vienna.  The airport was an old Soviet Air base.  It was everything you would think of with that term.  We had arrived on an early morning flight with a boisterous and drunk group of Brits attending World Cup Soccer.   The security authorities, while we were waiting in line to clear customs, came up to me and asked if I was with this group.  I was standing between them and my family.  I answered "no”. He said, " I did not think so”. He then led the 5 noisy (they were freely sharing their opinions of the efficiency of the Bratislavan authorities with everyone), to a room with bars and mirrored glass.  We cleared customs, took a bus to the train station observing the Soviet era cement buildings in the city, with occasional signs of western Commerce (Best Buy and Ikea) and exchanged our Euros into Crowns, as this country had not entered the EU at this point in time.  The train was very efficient but the Bratislavans who could talk minimal English almost thought it absurd when I asked for a cab to Vienna.  35 miles in Europe depending on the borders can be much more difficult to travel between.  
 

• If you could work anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

While I could not do what I currently do, Paris is my favorite city of all the places I have visited.  It is a delightful people, culture, food, wine, and accommodations. 
 

• How has working in a shared work space influenced your business?

 
Sharing the working space has had untold benefits.  Having other small business owners, and other employees from many different types of businesses has kept Robin, Tammie and I connected.  Being in a space with other lawyers, many of whom are solo or small firm practitioners has also helped.  Melissa, and her prior colleagues have reminded us of what a great receptionist is capable of, making a really great first impression. 

• What is your favorite restaurant from the St. Louis area?
  

My favorite restaurant in St Louis SugarFire BBQ.  Love BBQ. I lived in "BBQ Heaven" in Kansas City MO for several years in the early to late 80's  Back then the BBQ scene in STL was deplorable.  Since, with the coming of Pappy's Bogarts, Daly's and Sugarfire amongst others, we now get to share in great BBQ in STL.   Sugar Fire remains my favorite here, although I love Gates BBQ in KCMO. 

This June, we’re celebrating Workplace Well-being Month to introduce more healthy choices and activities into your workday! Whether you work from home or work in an office, here are some ideas to help you focus on your well-being!

• Prep Your Lunch – To decrease unhealthy snacking or ordering takeout every day for lunch, prep your lunches and pick a healthy meal to keep your body and brain healthy!
• Stay Hydrated – Drinking coffee all day can cause your body to be over-caffeinated and sluggish. Drinking water after a couple of cups of coffee in the morning can help keep your mind alert.
• Give your eyes a break – Staring at computer screens, televisions, and smartphones can cause our eyes to strain very quickly. Try decreasing the brightness on your screen or try using blue-light deflective glasses.
• Posture – Being mindful of how you are sitting at your desk can help align your back and keep less stress on your upper back, shoulders, etc. Try sitting straighter for more comfort and less strain!
• Breaks – Taking short beaks throughout the day can decrease stress and fatigue. Try going outside for some fresh air or even walking inside to get the blood flowing for a few minutes. Breaks promote creativity and refreshes your mind. Even taking a break by socializing with coworkers around you can help your mental state of mind.
• Stretch! – After sitting at your desk all day, your muscles can become very tight and tense. Try rolling your ankles, shoulders, neck, and wrists throughout the day to keep your muscles active while sitting. When doing longer stretches, like stretching out your entire arm, take deep breaths while holding the stretch to help calm your mind and your muscles – They’ll thank you later!

 

• What is your profession and why did you choose it?

I am a neuropsychologist, which is someone who studies the relationship between the brain and behavior.  I chose this field because it simply fascinated me.  When I was in school obtaining my Ph.D. in clinical psychology, I started learning more about neurology and neuropsychology and quickly decided this was the field for me.
 

• How long have you owned your own business?

 I started my private practice approximately two years ago.
 

• What inspired you to own your own business?

 Although I have been a full-time clinical faculty member at Washington University School of Medicine for nearly 15 years, I decided to start a limited private practice doing medical-legal consultation and disability evaluations about 2 years ago.  My inspiration for going into private practice was my desire to use my neuropsychological and psychological experience to assist attorneys and other representatives by providing consultation services in civil litigation. I also consult with the NFL, conducting neutral neurocognitive disability evaluations for their players benefit organization, and workers compensation evaluations for nurse case managers and physicians. I have found the mix of full-time clinical work and part-time legal/forensic consultation incredibly rewarding and intellectually challenging.
 

• What might someone be surprised to know about you?

I was born in a town of 590 people.
 

• Do you have a hobby, play a sport, or have any special interests?

I enjoy weight lifting, cycling, and most other physical activities. 
 

• What job would you be terrible at?

I would not be good at any art related field.

• Who has impressed you most with what they’ve accomplished?

 Oprah.
 

• Where is the most interesting place you have visited?

Rome.  My husband and I backpacked through Rome and other Italian cities soon after we got married and it was amazing.  The Vatican, Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, and the museums were all spectacular.
 

• Do you have any advice based on your area of expertise?

Be ready for the long haul from an education standpoint.  To become a board certified neuropsychologist, a person has to obtain a Ph.D. in clinical psychology or other related field, complete a year-long internship, a 2-year-long fellowship, and then complete a 3-tier process to obtain board certification.  If you move through this training straight out of undergrad, you will be about 30 years old before you get your first job.
 

• If you could work anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

Alaska in the summers and Hawaii in the winters.
 

• How has working in a shared work space influenced your business?

I have thoroughly enjoyed working in a shared work space.  It is nice to see others working on evenings or weekends, which are the times I am typically in this office. The convenience of having someone else manage the details such as printers, the kitchen, trash removal, etc. is essential for me, given that I also work full time somewhere else. 
 

• What is your favorite restaurant from the St. Louis area?

Probably Citizen Kane’s in Kirkwood or Favazza’s on the Hill.
 

• What is something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives?

Volunteer.
 

• Who’s your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?

That is a hard one, my musical interests vary from classic jazz to top 40. Recently, I have been having fun singing Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello songs with my daughter.