What Omaha/Council Bluffs Members Say About the Value of The Alternative Board®
"I felt that belonging to the TAB Board would be beneficial before I officially joined, but I was concerned about the time commitment. However, from the very first meeting I felt a sense of camaraderie that I have seldom experienced in my walk as a CEO. The group bonded very quickly and then we settled down to the task of helping each other with our everyday challenges. The ROI for me was immediate and I look forward to the brief reprieve I have each month when I have the opportunity to participate in heart-to-heart discussions with others who have walked the walk and talked the talk." Deb Bass, President, CEO, Bass & Associates, Inc.
"The Alternative Board is one of the best business tools I have found. The value of structured meetings with other business minded people has demonstrated itself time and time again. The inspiration encouragement and validation makes the monthly meeting one of my highest priorities. Along with the monthly board meeting, the one on one, hourly monthly coaching with Greg Vacek is exceptionally productive. Greg's business experience and resources consistently support my efforts to improve my company."Doug Fisher, President, Fisher Building Services, Inc.
"IDEAS! That's what I get from Greg Vacek and the other members of our Alternative Board. A good idea can make your month, a really good idea can give you a great year and a superb, barn-burning idea can build your business for life."Cella Quinn, Owner, Cella Quinn Investment Services
"TAB has brought me in touch with several outstanding business and professional leaders each of who are extremely successful in heir own field. I have found that all of us share many of the same problems and by sharing information and observations; we are able to come to better decisions for our own organizations. I strongly recommend TAB to anyone who is interested in creating an atmosphere of team efforts, resulting in a more successful business, and happier employees."Jerry Slusky, Smith, Gardner,Slusky Law, LLC
"I wanted to write and let you know how pleased I am being a member of TAB and the leadership you have given to assemble our group. Our firm has greatly benefited from my membership. There hasn’t been a meeting that I have attended that I did not walk away with something that had good tangible affects. The most noticeable is the help and direction I gained in the addition of an HR position to our organization. Through one meeting I received 3 quality leads that led to a quality hire. This saved us triple the cost of my membership. This is one of many examples of the value our Firm and I have received. Your personal one on ones have helped me to gain a baseline of where I am at and the improvements I need to make to make our firm better and me a better person. I look forward to the future."James K. Dennell, CEO, BERINGER CIACCIO DENNELL MABREYArchitecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Design and Construction Management
"As we head into a new year, I just wanted to say thanks for your efforts. Through the years, I have looked at, or been a part of several organizations that promised to help make my business better. The result of those efforts has largely been to make business better for those organizations as they separated me from my money with little or no benefit to us. As you can imagine, I was a bit of a skeptic, but I believe that finally through TAB, I really am pointed in a better direction. I really don’t need cheerleaders, or someone to help build my self esteem!? What I, and I believe most small business owners need, is someone who will offer critical and hopefully constructive opinions and advice on real world issues. My TAB board brings me that vital, critical thinking. I especially appreciate your efforts as facilitator, coach and advocate for me and my business. Like all small businesses, and in fact all businesses other than the government, we live and work in world full of reality, not theory. You and my TAB board members meet, interact and deal with those realities. It’s not easy certainly, but it is constructive, and even strangely refreshing. Thanks for being an important member of my management team!"D. Scot Morris, President, Independent Systems Inc.
"Everyone in business has moments when he or she would like to have someone else available to discuss a challenging issue. TAB answers that need. When you first join a TAB group there is some uncertainty. You are not sure you really want to share serious problems with strangers. However, after a few meetings, you realize that the open framework of the system allows a free and open exchange that is truly beneficial. When you can truly exchange and both give and receive advice from others who sincerely have your interests at heart, the true benefits of the program can be realized. It does not take too many ideas to receive a real return of investment from being a TAB member. It is a real challenge to own and operate any business successfully today. It is very nice to have that extra executive with whom to share challenging issues that appear on a regular basis."Robert I. Kully, Kully Financial Services
"I met Greg Vacek when I attended the informational meeting for TAB. At the beginning I thought that it sounded too good to be true. But after meeting with Greg, I started to see the results of meeting with him almost immediately! As a business owner my biggest challenge were prioritizing and having a sounding board. Having Greg Vacek and my TAB Board has been wise business decision. Greg has put me in touch with potential clients has provided me with resource solutions for my business and has been a great sounding board. I’ve been very happy with the attention and advice I have received from my TAB Board and would recommend TAB to any type business small or large!"Laura Castro de Cortes, Latino Banking Solutions
"Greg, as we mark the first year of our Tab group I want to take this time to let you know what a pleasure it has been for me to be apart of the Tab board. I am extremely pleased with the invaluable day to day business issues, and solutions that we have discussed in the monthly meetings. It has steered my business in a positive direction. I have seen immediate results. I look forward to our second year of problem solving and most importantly developing friendships with all our successful business associates. I also want to tell you how much I have enjoyed our one on one session. Your business experience is inspiring, and your advice you give is priceless. I look forward to working with you on developing T.H. Contracting’s Strategic business plan."Ted J Horacek, President, T.H. Contracting, Inc.
"I would like to take this opportunity to say that during my time of being a member of the Alternative Board in Omaha with Greg Vacek, it has been a profitable venture for Sunshine Stitches and myself. I have learned successful tools and managing tips that can be built on for our future success. The Alternative Board is valuable time spent for any small business who is seeking to work on their business and I would recommend it to any business owner. Thank you for helping our business grow and for the great coaching sessions."Monica Morrison, President, Sunshine Stitches.
"One of the biggest benefits of my participation with TAB has been the increased confidence I have gained as a result of the interaction with the board members. Sharing problems, resources, failures and solutions with business-owners from varying fields has provided a wealth of new ideas, developed resources that might not otherwise have been open to me and helped me to refine my company’s direction. I benefit from the shared experience of the group tremendously; it is the interaction of the group, the brainstorming and trouble-shooting that creates a dynamic shared mentoring that gives me a greater confidence in my decisions." Leslie L. Vaughn, President, EMS Billing Services, Inc.
"Change perspective. Improve business. Enjoy life. That is the motto of the Alternative Board. By far my membership to TAB has been the biggest differentiator in my company’s growth. When we started our company in 2004 I had a sales/sales management background. Being the President/CEO of our upstart business was to be learned on the job. Our TAB members have helped guide our company to triple digit growth each and every year we have belonged. No hidden agendas. No networking for sales leads. TAB has been solid advice for my business and my life."Terry Wieczorek, CEO, DocuLynx, Inc.
"At times, being the owner of a business and responsible to a number of employees is a lonely position to be in. TAB has provided a forum to both associate with and learn from other business owners in this area. It is amazing that we all face many of the same issues or have faced them in the past. The group provides a forum to vent and then develop solutions to the many issues we face."Kermit Engh, President, Fashion Cleaners/Omaha Lace
"TAB is an organization that facilitates group monthly meetings of area business leaders (CEO, Presidents, GMs, professional firm managing partners), etc. to discuss business challenges as well as learn from others successes in a completely confidential environment. It has proved a good way for me to address business issues I can’t discuss with my own team. Plus it's a great environment to get connected into the business community here in Omaha. Greg Vacek who facilitates our TAB group is a good guy and very business savvy. His guidance ensures the meetings are engaging and that each member has an opportunity to actively participate and have their issues addressed, and often resolved at our meetings. All in all, TAB offers a unique opportunity for business leaders. TAB is truly like having your very own Board of Directors dedicated to your personal and professional success."
Durand (Randy) Achée, President/CEO, H&A Media Group
"When I first joined TAB, I was fairly new to running my own business and felt that having the opportunity to obtain objective feedback on issues within my business would be very worthwhile. Now, 4 years later, I can honestly say that my TAB group has unfailingly provided that and much more. It has caused me to look beyond the immediate concerns of today, and think more long-term about my business. It has been the catalyst to creating an atmosphere in my business where we take time to strategically plan – and then execute that plan. My facilitator, Greg Vacek, has proven to be an invaluable resource of information and motivation. To any small business owner out there considering TAB, I would strongly urge you to give it a try. It has become an integral part of my management and decision-making process."Dan Rutledge, President/CEO, Rutledge Integrated Marketing
"TAB has helped me grow as a leader by giving me access to a diverse group of business executives to advise me about major business challenges. It pushes me to look beyond the day-to-day minutia of working “in” my business to the bigger picture of working “on” my business."Todd Clarke, President, CLS Investments