Opening Bell

Banzai is a True Study in Steady
Founder and CEO Joe Davy guides consistent growth while keeping a close eye on the future
At age 7, Joe Davy thought he wanted to become a software engineer. In college, he worked as a programmer at IBM while pursuing a degree in economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Then the entrepreneurial bug bit and he never got that degree. After founding two companies in his native…

Statshot: Virtual Vocations
Remote work is here to stay. It can pay well, too.
Employers are taking note: Many workers have no desire to ever return to an office full time. A survey by PwC finds that 41% of remote workers want to remain that way. A survey by data company PeopleSmart reveals nearly a quarter of almost 800 of the most common jobs across the country can be…

He’s Living in the Upzone
Israel-born Ofer Avnery has a background in computer science. So, naturally, he became a housing developer. Avnery, who came to the United States in 2011 after selling his business-intelligence company, is now the founder and chief executive officer of Real Wave Capital. The small, Redmond-based prop-tech firm uses technology and software to identify properties in…

Pack Mentality
New VC fund targets UW research
Ken Horenstein is out to unravel the mystery behind venture-capital investing. In doing so, he seeks to shine a national spotlight on the prolific technological innovations created by researchers at the University of Washington. Horenstein’s new pre-seed and venture fund, Pack Ventures, is focused almost exclusively on budding entrepreneurs who are part of the University…

Hire Purpose
Intense employee vetting and healthy conflict rocket StrataCore to the pinnacle of the 100 Best Companies list
On the surface, Aaron Loehr has a pretty straightforward management philosophy: Hire exceptional people and “let them do their thing.” In reality, it’s nowhere near that simple. Loehr, the founder and chief executive officer of Seattle tech company StrataCore Inc., relies on an in-depth battery of cognitive and behavioral testing to assess the strengths and…

On Reflection: A Shell of an Idea
Tidal Vision rides chitosan growth wave
This story is featured in the October issue of Seattle Business magazine. Subscribe here to access the print edition. Former commercial fisherman Craig Kasberg thinks about shrimp, crab and lobster in very different ways than most people. Kasberg is the founder of Tidal Vision, a Bellingham-based company riding an explosive wave of growth based on…

Editor’s Note: A Gang of Green
Sustainable building and adaptive reuse increasingly dominate Seattles building landscape
This story is featured in the October issue of Seattle Business magazine. Subscribe here to access the print edition. Though Climate Pledge Arena generates most of the headlines, the real push to combat climate change in Seattle is nestled into neighborhoods across the city. This issue alone contains no fewer than four stories detailing the…

Statshot: The numbers behind Washington state’s charitable giving
The charitable sector in Washington state creates hope for those in need, a personal sense of satisfaction for those in a position to give and also provides a sizable boost to the state economy. Here’s a by-the-numbers look at the state’s nonprofit community. 32,084: Nonprofit organizations in Washington state 22,343: Public charities 1,515: Private foundations…

Spotlight: Inspector Gadgets
Tech-construction company HeadLight brings a level of scrutiny to projects
This story is featured in the October issue of Seattle Business magazine. Subscribe here to access the print edition. George White cofounded his construction-tech company because of his experience with potholes. You read that right. Potholes. White had recently graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in mechanical engineering when he joined a…

Editor’s Note: Against Long Odds
Crystal Allenton survived domestic abuse and homelessness to earn two college degrees.
This story is featured in the July issue of Seattle Business magazine. Subscribe here to access the print edition. Long before the pandemic, Crystal Allenton knew she needed to make some big decisions to change her life. Allenton now holds bachelors and masters degrees from WGU Washington and teaches high school English, but there was…

Editor’s Note: Return of the Restaurant
As the pandemic eases, the hard-hit restaurant sector eyes a resurgence
This story is featured in the May/June issue of Seattle magazine. Subscribe here to access the print edition. Like everyone else, MJ Munsell visits a restaurant for the food and social benefits. Unlike everyone else, shes keenly aware of the sequencing, lighting and spacing. Munsell, the chief creative officer at Seattle architecture, design strategy and…

Editor’s Note: Seeking Space
Housing patterns reflect the no-commute lockdown.
This story is featured in the March issue of Seattle magazine. Subscribe here to access the print edition. After almost a year of pandemic-induced lockdown, we recently moved from a smallish condo to a house with double the space. It became steadily apparent as the months slowly ticked off last year that the condo we…

On Reflection: Foreign Service
An unlikely alliance is pointing out how immigration reform would aid the economy.
The United States has long been schizophrenic on the issue of immigration, says Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) CEO Michael Schutzler. As each new wave of arrivals played critical roles in the nations economic growth, their presence often generated fear and disdain. Recent anger toward Muslims and Mexicans expressed at presidential candidate Donald Trumps rallies…