The Blueprint: Powered by K Marketing Co

Every business owner had to start somewhere, and that’s what this new series is all about! In each “From Dreaming to Doing” episode, Megan will be joined by a local entrepreneur to talk about their experience growing their business, the challenges they faced and how they overcame them. In this series debut, Megan is joined by Sarah Bedsaul, Owner and CEO of Zephyr Strategic Services in York, PA.Sit down with Megan and Sarah as they dive into leaving corporate America, squashing imposter syndrome, with a healthy dose of HR wisdom as well. If you’re looking for advice, experience, “been there, done that” moments, or just need to know that you’re not alone in your experience: this is the podcast for you!Learn more about Zephyr Strategic Services at zephyrstrategicservices.comLearn more about K Marketing Co. at kmarketingco.com0:00 Introduction to the Entrepreneur’s Journey Series1:05 Meet Sarah Bedsaul1:52 What is Fractional HR?5:25 Building Structure For Employees9:06 Hazards of AI Usage in Business11:33 What Made You Decide to Start Your Business?15:50 The Struggles of Starting Out as an Entrepreneur17:15 Understanding The Employee Experience19:17 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome20:37 Bearing the Weight of Generating Revenue for Payroll22:01 Did You Always See Yourself as an Entrepreneur?23:14 What Was Your Biggest Fear Starting Your Business? (And Was It True?)27:51 Different Generations in the Workplace32:24 Embracing Societal Change33:45 Sarah’s Soup Theory for Belonging36:30 Supplementing Your Weaknesses as an Entrepreneur42:26 Have You Ever Considered Quitting? What Kept You Going?44:55 Focusing Your Energy in the Right Places46:18 Overcoming Burnout as an Entrepreneur47:28 What Do New Entrepreneurs Not Prioritize That They Really Should?49:20 Understanding Your Place In Your Industry & Embracing “Competitors”50:46 Evolving and Changing Your Business Over Time52:22 How Has Being a Business Owner Changed You Personally?57:42 What is One Thing About Your Journey You Wouldn’t Change For The World?58:41 Advice For New Business Owners1:02:16 Conclusion

Morale can make or break an office environment. When your employees are happy, productivity is high and motivation is strong. But when your employees are unhappy, it can cause projects to lag and satisfaction to drop. In this week’s episode of The Blueprint, Megan is joined by Aubrey Montgomery to dive into how she keeps morale high in her office. Listen in to learn strategies to show appreciation for your employees from expressing gratitude to selecting meaningful gifts. If your office is in need of a morale boost, this episode is a great place to start!Timestamps:0:00 Introduction0:38 Meet Aubrey Montgomery2:04 What Does Morale Really Mean in Business?2:54 What Actually Happens When Morale is Low?5:11 How Do You Harness High Morale?9:17 How Does Leadership Affect Morale?12:07 How Can Leaders Model The Energy They Want in the Office?18:12 Are Big Gestures Or Small Actions More Significant?20:59 Employee Appreciation on a Budget24:19 What Made You Feel Appreciated as an Employee?26:05 How Do You Build Appreciation Into Your Office Culture?27:43 Simple Ways to Show Appreciation For Your Employees Today28:49 Conclusion

What really keeps customers coming back to a business? It’s not just great service… It’s great relationships. This week on The Blueprint: Powered by K Marketing Co, Megan sits down with returning guest and local entrepreneur Chuck Honabach to talk about the heart of any successful business: genuine customer relationships. Through his experience in working in a variety of industries, Chuck has learned that the strongest businesses are built on more than transactions, they’re built on trust, care, and connection. He shares real stories and practical ideas for staying connected with your clients in meaningful ways. From simple gestures like commenting on social media to unexpected acts like sending get-well cards or celebrating major life moments, he explains how small, thoughtful touches can leave a lasting impact.Whether you're a new entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, you’ll walk away with fresh inspiration for strengthening the relationships that truly drive your business forward.To learn more about Chuck Honabach, visit chuckhonabachteam.comTo learn more about K Marketing Co. visit kmarketingco.comTimestamps:0:00 Introduction0:40 Meet Chuck Honabach1:18 What Does it Really Mean to Go Beyond Transactions?3:05 Going Above and Beyond For Your Clients5:06 When Did You Realize The Importance of Relationships in Business7:50 Building Relationships Over Time9:30 Difference A Client and Your Professional Network12:06 Doing The Unexpected13:35 Building Trust Early in a Relationship16:37 Relationships Turning Into Unexpected Opportunities21:15 Building Relationships as a New Entrepreneur23:55 Networking as a Parent25:55 Homework: Go Meet Someone New29:05 Making Yourself Approachable in Conversation30:30 Staying Connected After Introductions33:34 Don’t Be Intimidated by Failure34:05 Conclusion

This week on The Blueprint: Powered by K Marketing Co, Megan is joined by Kristin Chronister of the Long’s Park Amphitheater Foundation to discuss the heart behind serving the community. In this episode, Kristin shares her personal connection to the arts and dives into what "serving the community" truly looks like. They also discuss the realities of running a local non-profit, from the challenges of funding and volunteer engagement to the delicate balance between tradition and innovation. Whether you are a donor, a volunteer, or a business owner looking to get involved, join us to learn why non-profits are essential to our region.To learn more about the Long’s Park Amphitheater Foundation visit longspark.orgTo learn more about K Marketing Co. visit kmarketingco.com0:00 Introduction0:36 Meet Kristin Chronister0:56 It’s Been COLD in Lancaster, PA1:51 What Inspired You to Get Involved in Non-Profits3:04 How Does Long’s Park Amphitheater Foundation Serve the Community?3:48 Long’s Park Summer Music Series4:50 What Challenges Are Non-Profits Facing Right Now?5:55 Benefits of Volunteering7:20 Finding Your Third Space7:43 How Do Community Support and Local Partnerships Contribute to Non-Profit Success?9:26 Why Non-Profit Work Truly Matters12:53 Balancing Tradition and Innovation as a Non-Profit16:22 The Importance of Third Spaces19:23 Long’s Park Art Festival23:37 Conclusion

This week on The Blueprint: Powered by K Marketing Co, Megan is joined by Jason Konpinski from Shumaker PDT to dive deeper into the importance of collaboration. While "community over competition" is the mindset we established last week, this week we’re talking about how building partnerships is the action that takes that idea a step further.In this conversation, Jason and Megan discuss how to approach networking with collaboration in mind and how to nurture those partnerships over time, rather than just at the beginning. They explore the early signs that a connection has partnership potential and provide advice for moving from a community mindset to intentional collaboration in 2026. Whether you are a business owner or a professional looking to create impactful connections, join us to learn why partnerships are so beneficial for small business growth.To learn more about Shumaker PDT, visit shumakerpdt.comTo learn more about K Marketing Co. visit kmarketingco.com0:00 Introduction0:24 Meet Jason Konopinski1:32 How Do You Build a Connection From Casual Conversations?3:00 What Role Does Networking Play in Turning Community Into Real Growth Opportunities?4:02 How Can Businessowners and Professionals Approach Networking with Collaboration in Mind?5:17 Partners Over Transactions7:55 There’s Room For All of Us to Thrive9:00 Competition Can Be Good, But It Can Also Be Antagonistic11:35 What Makes a Partnership Successful Beyond Exchanging Referrals?23:08 What Mistakes Do People Commonly Make When They Try Turning Networking Into Partnerships?27:17 The Changing Landscape of Sales32:38 The Changing Landscape of Social Media40:34 Advice For Moving From Community Mindset to Intentional Collaboration44:26 Conclusion

This week Megan is joined by Alex Piazza, Business Relations Manager with the Lancaster Chamber to discuss the transformative power of building supportive business circles. They dive into strategies for authentic networking, how to get your employees engaged with the local community, and why "community over competition" is essential for a healthy local business ecosystem. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just finding a place to start building your community, join us to learn how collaboration strengthens our entire region.To learn more about the Lancaster Chamber and its role in building a local business community, visit lancasterchamber.comTo learn more about K Marketing Co. visit kmarketingco.com0:00 Introduction0:55 Meet Alex Piazza3:28 Why is it Important to Prioritize Community Over Competition?5:37 How Do Businesses Actively Support Each Other Through the Chamber?8:43 Finding the Value in Networking Opportunities10:13 Selecting the Right Events to Attend11:38 Why Do Some Businesses Hesitate to Get Involved With Their Community?14:20 Giving Back to The Community That Helped you Grow17:52 Getting Your Employees Engaged With The Community19:44 How Can Business Owners Network Authentically? 23:21 Networking With a Low Social Battery26:20 Advice for People Intimidated by Business Organizations29:37 Find a Place to Start Building Your Community31:22 How Does Collaboration Benefit Businesses During Challenging Economic Seasons?35:50 Don’t Be Afraid of Letting Your Employees Interact with Competitors36:55 How Can Small Businesses Contribute to Their Community?40:16 The Power of Small Businesses43:09 How to Build Meaningful Business Relationships45:23 Get Out and Explore Your Community

Thinking of setting goals for your business in the new year? This week on The Blueprint we’re diving into all things goal setting with special guest Emily Hess! Whether you’re a new business owner setting goals for the first time or a seasoned entrepreneur who feels like their tank is too empty for new goals, this episode is for you!Learn more about Emily and Markit’s services at www.makeyourmarkit.comLearn more about K Marketing Co at www.kmarketingco.com0:00 Welcome to The Blueprint Season 20:38 Meet Emily Hess1:41 Markit’s Partnership with K Marketing Co.2:18 Setting Goals in the New Year as a New Business Owner4:43 How to Set Goals When You Feel Burnt Out6:18 What are S.M.A.R.T Goals?7:17 How to Make Your Goals Specific and Achievable8:30 Make Your Goals Purposeful9:30 Using S.M.A.R.T Goals to Build Your Business12:26 How to Track Progress Towards Your Goals14:30 Common Goal Setting Mistakes16:07 Perfection is the Killer of Progress17:32 S.M.A.R.T. Goals Should be Income Producing Activities19:20 Don’t Set Goals That Are Too Broad21:43 Look at the Costs of Your Goals24:35 Balancing Ambition with Realistic Expectations25:50 Learning From Your Mistakes30:04 Flexibility is Part of the Process32:24 Looking Ahead to The Blueprint in 2026

Megan sits down with local attorney and business owner Eric Stark to discuss putting the right people in the right seats in order to create a stronger team. From identifying strengths to encouraging a positive workplace culture, this episode is full of insight on building the best team for your business. The Blueprint: Powered by K Marketing Co will return with an all-new season in January 2026!Learn more about Stark Law Group at www.starklawllc.comLearn more about K Marketing Co. at www.kmarketingco.com0:00 Introduction1:36 Getting the Right People in the Right Roles5:12 Reassigning Employee Roles8:45 Small Business Employees Need to be Flexible11:56 Employees Want Purpose12:45 Determining if Someone is the Right Fit14:30 Curating a Strong Workplace Culture16:36 Setting Workplace Expectations19:20 Understanding Different Work-Life Balances23:40 What Does a Healthy Workplace Culture Look Like?30:25 Differences Between Owner and Employee Experiences33:01 Identifying the Right Person35:10 Building a Strong Foundation Together42:35 Conclusion

In this continuation of last week’s episode, Megan and Chuck dive into identifying where you need balance in your life, finding effective methods to maintain balance without sacrificing productivity, and surrounding yourself with the right people to support you when you need it. If you’ve been feeling off-balance lately, this conversation will remind you that you’re not alone, and there are ways to rebalance the scales.To learn more about Chuck Honabach, visit his website: chuckhonabachteam.com0:00 Episode 13 Recap0:51 Work-Life Balance for Different Personality Types8:12 Lead with Your Strengths & Staff Your Weaknesses10:17 Work Life Balance in the Digital Age11:22 Balance is More Than Working Hours13:05 Incremental Changes Can Make a Big Difference16:05 Getting Your Business in Order18:24 Find Incentives For Yourself21:53 Solve Problems as They Arise23:24 Maintaining Balance in Your Absence25:55 The Difference Between the Owner and Employee Experience30:35 Conclusion

If the responsibilities of being a business owner sometimes feel overwhelming, you’re not alone. It can be incredibly difficult to find the right balance between running your business and living your personal life. On this week’s episode of The Blueprint: Powered by K Marketing Co Megan is sitting down with Chuck Honabach to share some real world experiences they’ve had that have shaped their work-life balance. Hear insights about the hiring process, how to hold yourself and your staff accountable, and finding joy in the work you do.This was such a great conversation, that we’ve split it into two parts, so stay tuned for part 2 next week!To learn more about Chuck Honabach, visit his website: chuckhonabachteam.com0:00 Introduction1:00 The Experience of Owning Multiple Businesses6:41 Finding The Right Structure For Your Business8:17 Empowering Your Team to Succeed12:07 What Motivated You to Start a Business?14:07 Pushing Through Hardships as a Business Owner16:32 Your Business is Your Child18:32 Don’t Be Paralyzed by the Thought of Failure21:42 Owners Have to Wear Every Hat (at least sometimes)22:52 Audit Your Procedures24:08 Holding Yourself and Your Staff Accountable

In this week’s episode, Design & Marketing Specialists Casey and Emily sit down to discuss one of the most important concepts in marketing: “Know, Like, and Trust”. Learn more about how you can build a better connection with your audience through authentic visuals and brand personality. If you’re looking to bring some life into your brand’s content, this is a quick crash course in how to show authenticity in your digital presence.To learn more about photography with K Marketing Co, visit kmarketingco.com/photography-services0:00 Introduction1:14 What is Know, Like, and Trust?2:59 Why is Authenticity so Important in Marketing?3:53 The Difference Between Real Photos and Stock Photos5:21 Cost-Effective Recommendations for Real Imagery6:46 Maintaining Boundaries with Your Audience8:50 Should You Use AI Images for Your Brand?10:30 Tips for Capturing Authenticity11:30 Building a Connection with Your Audience12:21 Main Takeaways on Know Like and Trust

In this week’s episode, Ryan and Alicia are back to talk about how you can design your website to help you generate leads. From pop-up forms to lead magnets, they have plenty of ideas to help you get in contact with potential customers, and the technical expertise to help you design your website in a way that inspirits action. 0:00 Introduction0:30 What Does Lead Generation Mean?1:15 Designing With Lead Generation in Mind3:16 Design Tips for Lead Generation4:16 Calls to Action5:57 The First Step in Lead Generation is Getting Their Attention7:08 Lead Magnets8:40 Designing Good Landing Pages9:50 The Importance of Following Up with Leads11:10 Tracking Landing Page Performance12:28 Improving Landing Page Performance14:00 Conclusion

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this week Megan is sitting down with Teresa Richardson, Executive Director of Help the Fight, a local non-profit dedicated to assisting families going through breast cancer treatment. If you’re looking to make an impact in your community, Teresa offers a lot of great insight into alternative ways that you can support non-profits besides just writing a check. Learn more about how to pick the right cause for your business, what non-profits actually need, and how your business can make a difference.To learn more about how you can support Help the Fight, visit their website at www.helpthefight.org0:00 Introduction0:39 What is Help the Fight?4:03 Why are Partnerships Between Businesses and Non-Profits so Important?6:26 The Partnership Between Help the Fight and K Marketing Co10:50 Creative Options to Support Non-Profits15:44 Common Misconceptions About Non-Profit Partnerships17:45 Lasting Community Impacts of Non-Profit Partnerships20:53 Advice for Forming Non-Profit Partnerships21:30 How to Support Help the Fight22:40 Getting Breast Cancer Support from Help the Fight25:04 Conclusion

This week our guest host Ryan Morad sits down with K Marketing Co’s Creative Director & Wix Studio Design Expert Alicia Irwin to break down the basic pros and cons of some of the most popular website platforms. Join us for a discussion about the necessary knowledge and technical skills needed to create a website on Wix and Wordpress. If you have questions about selecting the right platform for your new website, you can reach out to us at kmarketingco.com/contactTo browse our customizable Wix Studio templates, visit kmarketingco.com/category/wix-website-templates00:00 Introduction2:34 Which Platform is Best for Big Business Scalability?3:50 Wordpress Overview7:45 Wix Overview9:41 Technical Support Differences for Wix and Wordpress11:20 Tips for Customizing Templated Sites13:04 Pros of Using Wix14:51 Drawbacks of Using Wix19:12 Conclusion

Discover what sets successful business owners apart in this episode of The Blueprint: Powered by K Marketing Co. Megan chats with Sean Rigney from Fulton Bank, who works with entrepreneurs daily, sharing insights on professionalism, networking, and communication skills that help businesses thrive. This episode is perfect for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs looking to level up their business presence.To learn more about K Marketing Co, visit our website www.kmarketingco.com

Are you intimidated by the technical jargon of search engine optimization? On this week’s episode of The Blueprint, our SEO Specialist Ryan joined us again to go over some of the basic SEO terms you’ll encounter when getting started. From what a keyword is to what it means to be on Google, we’re covering every term you need to get started on your website’s SEO.To learn more about SEO services with K Marketing Co, visit our website at kmarketingco.com/seo-services0:00 Introduction2:09 What is SEO?2:37 What is a SERP?2:59 What is Organic Traffic?6:21 What are Keywords?10:30 What is Keyword Research?11:35 What is On-Page SEO?13:04 What Does it Mean to be on Google?14:27 What is Off-Page SEO?15:29 What is Technical SEO?16:50 What are Indexing, Crawling, and Ranking?18:21 What is Search Intent?19:19 What are Long-Tail Keywords?21:10 What is Keyword Stuffing and Why is it Bad?23:13 Meta Titles, Meta Tags, Header Tags, and Alt Text26:05 What is Internal Linking?26:36 What is Domain Authority?28:19 What is a CTR (Click-Through Rate)28:46 What is a Bounce Rate?29:19 What is an Engagement Rate?29:32 What is a Conversion Rate?30:11 What is Google Search Console and What Does it Do?32:24 What is Google Analytics?32:58 Conclusion

How do you create an office environment that makes your employees excited to come into work? This week on The Blueprint, Marketing Specialist and guest host Casey sat down with Favyan Asia, CEO of Hempfield Technology to talk about building a positive work atmosphere. From selecting the right people to using humor to ease tension, they talk about what pieces you need to create a healthy work environment.Learn more about managed IT services with Hempfield Technology at hempfieldtech.com0:00 Introduction to Favyan and Hempfield Technology2:04 Cultivating Office Culture as a Leader4:10 Creating Space for Your Team’s Personality5:25 Multi-Generational Differences in the Office7:30 Bringing Humor into Your Office10:26 When the Office Becomes Too Rigid12:20 Are People More Productive in Creative Environments?15:05 Setting Boundaries to Prevent Burnout16:58 Positive Culture Contributes to Success

In this episode of The Blueprint: Powered by K Marketing Co, our video production specialist Emma joined us on the other side of the camera to talk about the basics of video production. She'll take you through the equipment you actually need to start creating video, what happens in each phase of the production process, and advice for businesses looking to get started on making their own video content. You can learn more about Video Production with K Marketing Co by visiting our website at www.kmarketingco.com/video-production0:00 Meet Our Video Production Specialist3:12 Why is Video Production so Popular These Days?4:40 What Makes Video More Powerful Than a Static Image?5:30 What Equipment do You Need to Get Started in Video Production?9:15 What Happens in the Pre-Production Phase?14:00 What Happens During the Production Phase?16:45 What Happens During the Post-Production Phase?21:50 What Advice Would You Give to Businesses Getting Started in Video Production?

“How do I network?” “Where can I find good networking events?” “Do I need to use LinkedIn for networking?” “What even IS networking?” If you’ve been asking yourself any of these questions, we promise you’re not alone. That’s why our guest this week is Liz Ackerman, Executive Director of the Northern Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce, and she’s here to get into the basics of what networking is and how you can network well. Networking can feel really intimidating when you’re just starting out, and sometimes it can feel like you’re not getting anywhere and you need to change your approach. Join Megan and Liz as they get into how you can network beyond handing out business cards.0:00 Meet Liz Ackerman3:30 Growth of the Norther Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce Through Networking6:11 The Key to Positive Networking Experiences9:56 Why You Shouldn’t “Work the Room”15:07 How Has Social Media Changed Networking?20:46 What to Do When You Feel Intimidated23:50 What to Do When You Feel Comfortable24:35 How to Keep Moving at Events26:46 New Northern Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce Office29:00 Networking in Action35:50 Finding Networking Opportunities That Work for You40:36 Should I Network with My Competitors?42:30 Easy Networking Opportunities (No Membership Required)43:42 Share the Load with Your Employees45:25 Conclusion

Social media is one of the biggest tools in your digital marketing toolbox these days. While it can be very valuable, it can also drain you. In this week’s episode, Megan is joined by Casey, one of our marketing specialists to talk about the foundations of a good social media presence.If you’re wondering what platforms to use, what content to post, and how to avoid feeling that social media burnout, this is the episode for you!1:10 Do you really need to be on every platform?3:55 The importance of choosing the right platform for your business5:30 Use social media to build your reputation8:20 Ideal platforms for different types of businesses12:59 The downsides of having too many social media accounts17:19 You’re not behind if you’re not on every trend18:53 Concluding thoughts

When people think of marketing, a lot of the time they think about colorful graphics, eye-catching photos, or words written on a page. But this week, Megan is joined by our SEO & Digital Ads Specialist Ryan to talk about some of the less visual (but very important) aspects of marketing. So if you’ve been looking to build a foundational understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) or creating your first digital ads campaign, this episode is for you!0:00-2:34 Why are non-shiny things important to your marketing?2:35-3:00 What is SEO?3:01-7:21 Why is technical SEO important?7:22-9:00 How can website structure impact your Google rankings?9:01-11:51 Why is your site speed so important?11:52-15:22 Why might images be hurting your SEO, and how can you fix it?15:23-18:41 Best practices for starting a digital advertising campaign18:42-21:15 Why is it important to properly set up conversion tracking?21:16-24:22 Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals for your digital ad campaign24:23-27:15 Audience targeting vs. audience exclusion27:16 -28:13 Are your analytics telling you the truth?28:14- 28:55 What is a UTM?28:56-31:28 Don’t try to eat an elephant all at once

Learn a little more about Megan's background in small business ownership, from growing up in a family business to starting her own marketing agency. Then, get a glimpse into what you can expect from this podcast in upcoming episodes.0:00-1:24 Welcome to The Blueprint: Powered by K Marketing Co1:25-3:59 Megan's experience as the child of entrepreneurs4:00-6:49 Megan's entrepreneurship journey6:50-9:56 What is The Blueprint?9:57-11:45 Why is it called The Blueprint?

Megan Kalbach, Founder & CEO of K Marketing Co is ready to guide you through the world of marketing, business growth, and leadership. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur or leading a team, this podcast gives you the clarity and confidence to stop spinning your wheels and start making purposeful progress.Our first official episode launches on August 7th at 9am, with new episodes dropping every Thursday morning at 9am. Come build something with us!