Flapjacks Make an Impact — Kicking Off Our Give-Back Initiatives

There are more than 6,000 nonprofits in the state of Idaho — each with their own donors and volunteers. According to the Idaho Nonprofit Center, these organizations create nearly 56,000 jobs in our state and approximately 380,000 volunteer positions. Nonprofits make a big impact on employment in Idaho, but they are also helping make a difference in the everyday lives of people in need.

Giving back to her community is especially important for SMHeuristics Project Manager Brennan Hussey, and she recently started some important conversations here at SMH about why it's important to give back. To gain some insight, we reached out to community leader Russ Stoddard, Founder and President of certified B Corporation Oliver Russell and author of Rise Up: How to Build a Socially Conscious Business.

We met with Russ, who gave our team some great ideas we wanted to implement immediately. For starters, SMHeuristics decided to joined United Way of Treasure Valley for their 12th annual Flapjack Feed to support local families in need of health, education, and financial stability.

Even as we build relationships with clients around the globe, we realize it is also important to build relationships in our own community. Hundreds of Boiseans seemed to agree — as attendees flooded the 12th Annual United Way of Treasure Valley Flapjack Feed.

During the event, the SMHeuristics team enjoyed a delicious breakfast — with the funds for each breakfast purchased going to families in need. (This was the nonprofit's largest Flapjack Feed yet, with attendance up 18 percent over last year and 1,532 breakfasts served!) Next, we helped assemble necessity kits (for children going back to school who may not have access to deodorant, toothbrushes, shampoo, and other personal care products). We were also able to add a personal and heartfelt note to each kit.

“This event is the beginning of our efforts to incorporate more opportunities to engage with our Boise community in a more socially mindful way,” says Brennan Hussey. “As we continue to grow as a company, we don't want to forget the community and where we started. If we want to be the company that actively participates in our local nonprofits, then the time to start incorporating those practices is now, in the first two years of a startup, rather than ten years down the road.”

Attending the Flapjack Feed was a great experience for the SMHeuristics team, and we are looking forward to supporting more nonprofits in the near future. It feels good to know that, even in a small way, we were able to help the kids in our community.

In the year to come, SMHeuristics will be increasing our level of community engagement, and we are all ready to help make a difference in the Treasure Valley. There are many people who need support, so stay tuned for more exciting happenings from SMH as we dive in!

Developing Personas to Maximize Revenue: A SWIMA Event Recap

Have you ever wondered what your customers are thinking? At SMHeuristics, we don’t just wonder. We know.

By conducting a persona study (at any level), it becomes easier to imagine what your customers are thinking, what their purchasing decisions looks like, and what their pain points are.

During the Southwestern Idaho Manufacturing Alliance’s (SWIMA’s) quarterly meeting this August, SMHeuristics co-founder Nic Kawaguchi illustrated how important this process can be for boosting sales.

In his presentation, Nic helped audience members discover ways to better understand how their customers and clients make decisions. He talked about the importance of persona research, how to engage customers when creating a persona study, and how to create your own persona theory. This information is invaluable to businesses in the manufacturing industry.

At SWIMA’s lunch and learn event the following week, Nic spoke more in depth about the persona study development process — even demonstrating to business owners how to create their own.

Here are some highlights:

• One of the most important first steps in creating a persona is making sure you ask the right questions in your interview(s).

• During the event, Nic suggested: “Every time we help our customers write out questions, we always go back and assess — is this going to achieve goals or is this out of focus?” Making sure your questions align with the goals of your persona study (without them being leading questions) is a bit tricky but a vital part of the process.

• After you’ve aligned the questions with your goals, it is important to always be on the lookout for patterns when developing a persona. As you complete the interviews and compile the data, patterns will begin to emerge, and these will be your little gold nuggets when constructing the full persona.

Outlining every detail on how to conduct a persona study would essentially be a scientific paper that few would be willing to read, Nic offered this piece of advice on tackling your persona positioning data: “Don’t get analysis paralysis. Stay focused, remember your goals, and just power through it.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be a lunch and learn if we didn’t mention the delicious spread we got to share with fellow SWIMA members — Nic ordered Hawaiian food from Rillz Manapua, which has become a favorite at the SMH office.

We’d also like to thank SWIMA for hosting SMHeuristics at these two educational events. We have enjoyed contributing to and learning from this organization as they advocate for manufacturers in our community.

If you’d like to know more about how SMHeuristics can help your business with market research and persona development, contact us.

Giving Back, Looking Forward

Did you have an opportunity to give back this holiday season? Maybe you made a donation to a local nonprofit, sponsored a family for Christmas, or served dinner at a local soup kitchen. If so, you probably experienced the joy that comes when you give from the heart, without promise of payback or reward.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” —Winston Churchill

But while most people tend to think more about giving back during the holidays, the nonprofits in our community work hard all year — and therefore need support year round. As 2019 comes to a close, we at SMHeuristics are taking a little time to reflect on a few of the organizations that are making a positive impact in our community 365 days a year, and whom we are honored to continue supporting in 2020.

United Way of Treasure Valley

In August, we discussed our give-back initiatives on the SMH blog, and shared photos of a few members of our team attending the 12th Annual United Way of Treasure Valley Flapjack Feed. The event consistently raises funds for local families in need, and we joined several hundred volunteers in assembling necessity kits for school kids lacking personal care products like deodorant, toothbrushes, shampoo, and other items.

But the Flapjack Feed is just one example of many events and programs the United Way of Treasure Valley supports. They also fund dozens of other agencies and programs within our community, such as the Idaho Foodbank’s School Pantry and the Women’s and Children’s Alliance’s Safe and Secure Shelter, among others.

Get involved: The United Way of Treasure Valley welcomes volunteers, donations, and support with their advocacy efforts. Corporate groups also do much to further the reach of this nationwide nonprofit. Contact United Way TV If your company would like to support their work.

Veteran Entrepreneur Alliance

Our reasons for supporting the Veteran Entrepreneur Alliance run deep. SMHeuristics co-founder and CEO Derik Ellis served in the US Air Force for a number of years — and knows firsthand the challenges veterans face when reentering the workforce or starting their own businesses.

The Veteran Entrepreneur Alliance provides much-needed resources and support for those seeking to integrate themselves into the business community — through skill training, professional development, and access to year-round activities and opportunities.

Get Involved: The Veteran Entrepreneur Alliance is always looking to expand their membership, so if you or someone you know is a vet who would benefit from their services, you can join here. Like many nonprofits, the VEA also relies heavily on the generosity of its donors. You can set up a recurring or one-time donation here.

Treasure Valley YMCA

Through its many adult and youth programs, the Treasure Valley YMCA focuses on “strengthening the foundations of community by developing successful youth, engaging people in healthy living, and instilling a commitment to social responsibility.”

The Y’s community collaborations, which include Make a Splash and Safe Routes to School, are far-reaching and impactful for children both across the country and in the Treasure Valley.

Get Involved: The Treasure Valley YMCA offers several opportunities for community members who want to offer their support. For starters, you can donate, volunteer, sponsor a program, attend an event, and/or be an advocate.

As we head into 2020, SMHeuristics is looking forward to the new opportunities headed our way, both professionally and in terms of how we give back to our community. We hope you’ll join us in supporting one of the above organizations or any of the other 6,000+ nonprofits that call Idaho home.

Cheers to a successful and generous new year!