ALBUQUERQUE -  KOB is hosting an online virtual event for business owners and leaders to provide insights and thoughts to help businesses succeed during and after the pandemic. The free event will run from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Wednesday, December 9. Inspire features a panel of business owners and thought leaders to share their best practices.

“2020 has definitely been the toughest year for most business owners in modern history,” said Michelle Donaldson, General Manager. “Our newsroom has been inspired by the creative thinking and the positivity of so many business leaders as they’ve had to totally reinvent the way they do business. We created this event to inspire all business leaders and give them practical advice as they start planning for the new year.”

The panelists include:

• John Haas, Managing Partner, M’tucci’s Restaurants - At a time when most restaurants were focused on reopening their dining rooms, John took a different approach.  He didn’t race to do that – instead creating take-home meals for families looking to enjoy quality Italian dinners without all the prep. He launched an entire division of M’tucci’s Restaurants during the pandemic – M’tucci’s @ Home, which has kept the company in the black.
• Andrea Hanson & Kate Barone Dimock, Shareholders, Dekker/Perich/Sabatini - Andrea and Kate will give practical advice on how to evaluate the physical workspace with COVID safety in mind. Their take-away guide walks people through the evaluation process and includes ventilation, traffic patterns, access/egress among other suggestions.
• Paola Huffmon, Owner, Old Barrel Tea Company - When COVID hit, she recognized the company’s vulnerability and used the downtime to retool the production facility to produce greater quantities and more varieties. The company launched an online store with a marketing goal of having the experience match the personal experience of visiting the stores. She also launched a Tea Club that keeps customers coming back to experience new flavors and products. 
• Michelle Martin, Owner, Circle Round Boutique – She opened the boutique on March 1 and two weeks later, COVID shut her down. Michelle had to pivot right out of the gate. She launched an online store first. Lacking a significant marketing plan or budget, she turned to grassroots efforts to promote her online store.
• Dr. Steven Walsh, University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management, Innovation Group - Steve will speak about an opportunity for business owners to apply for a program that places students with businesses, helping them develop plans to better adapt and respond to the marketplace changes driven by COVID. 
• Kurt Christopher, General Manager of Digital, Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. – He will give information and tools for businesses to communicate directly with consumers about COVID safe practices.

For more information and to register, go to the registration page.