We take care of our body, so why not our mind?
By Sarah Dieckman, Marketing Communications Manager, Goering Center
Have you ever needed a safe space to communicate the adversity you face while managing a small business? Are you able to seek new perspectives from likeminded peers? The Goering Center Roundtables offer peer-to-peer exchange in a judgment-free space and foster a community of support between business owners and executives in the Greater Cincinnati region. Jack Brendamour, Junk King CEO and Co-Owner, is one Goering Center roundtable participant, who found trusted counsel and friendship with his Roundtable.
“When you are at the top of an organization you can’t complain down. You can’t vent,” explains Jack Brendamour, Junk King CEO and Co-Owner. Following the passing of his mentor and friend, Pete Mcreary, Junk King’s original owner, Jack joined Pete’s Roundtable as his successor. In these meetings, he found respect, confidentiality, and, most importantly, acceptance.
“All Roundtable participants are deeply interested in helping others, sharing their experiences, and learning from their peers,” says Jack. Each meeting offers a unique opportunity to share and gain valuable guidance from other executives who have faced or are facing similar challenges. Everyone is open to change and is focused on growing as individuals and professionals.
“I wish that I had not waited so long to seek out this opportunity,” says Jack. “I was unaware of the significant impact that a Roundtable could have on your life. This monthly forum empowers its participants both personally and professionally by providing a safe-haven environment to engage in discussions that you may not wish to bring home with you. Once the door closes, you are free to share your thoughts, opinions, challenges, or fears with a group that can truly relate and respond to your experiences.”
When leading a family or private business, the pressures and concerns are substantial. The Goering Center Roundtables seek to alleviate those fears and help participants restore balance in their personal and professional lives. Making the space for collaborative sharing about strategic and practical business issues, within the larger context of personal and family concerns, gives company leaders the balance necessary to be fully present for their teams.
Each roundtable is individualized, prioritizing certain issues to be discussed and developing its own meeting agenda. Roundtables convene to discuss a range of issues: managing growth, growing sales, culture building, surfacing and developing top talent, pricing strategies, and structuring compensation and benefit packages. For Jack, his Roundtable became another family, advising him and standing by him as he led Junk King to find continued success throughout the Greater Cincinnati region.
“On certain days, I walk into a meeting thinking that I do not have the time to engage with my group. Yet, each time, I leave reenergized and recognizing the incredible value of the Roundtable experience.” Jack is just one of the many exceptional, evergreen individuals participating in Roundtables – always growing, learning, and moving forward together. As a final note, Jack’s Chamber-member Roundtable colleagues proceeded to select him as the recipient of the Pete Mcreary Award, an honor given to those that show tenacity and grit in the face of adversity.
To learn more about Goering Center Roundtables, visit our webpage or contact Lisa Jonas at 513-556-7403 or lisa.jonas@uc.edu.
Jack Brendamour is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-owner of Junk King Cincinnati, Dayton, & Louisville. A community-first company, Junk King assists individuals and companies remove items from their homes, yards, or businesses. Upon collection of these unwanted materials, the company donates as much as possible to local nonprofits and recycles the excess. Headquartered in Sharonville, Junk King operates a 25,000 square foot recycling center. In addition to their Cincinnati and Dayton branches, the company has expanded to Louisville and Northern Kentucky. Philanthropic and environmentally focused, the company helps clients reclaim their spaces responsibly.
Jack and his wife Julianne, a third-grade teacher, live in Loveland with their 4-year-old son and twin 1-year-old daughters. He can be reached at 513-771-5865 or jBrendamour@junk-king.com.
Junk King is a Goering Center Sponsor, and the Goering Center is sharing this content as part of its monthly newsletter, which features member and sponsor articles.
About the Goering Center for Family & Private Business
Established in 1989, the Goering Center serves more than 400 member companies, making it North America’s largest university-based educational non-profit center for family and private businesses. The Center’s mission is to nurture and educate family and private businesses to drive a vibrant economy. Affiliation with the Carl H. Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati provides access to a vast resource of business programing and expertise. Goering Center members receive real-world insights that enlighten, strengthen and prolong family and private business success. For more information on the Center, participation and membership visit goering.uc.edu.
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