Happy Hour Hustle

At 8THIRTYFOUR, we are lucky to have an incredible network of freelancers and contractors we work with to get the job done. But how do you best work with someone who isn't on your staff full-time? 

Maddie sat down with Jenna Brooks, a freelancer and Graphic Design BA from Calvin University, to talk about how she manages those relationships, her client's expectations and what advice she has for anybody who wants to work with a freelancer in the future. 

As a woman-owned business, we put a lot of stake in supporting other women as they work to grow their careers. This week on Happy Hour Hustle, we sit down with Shannon Burkel and Kaitlyn Olson of Axios HR to talk about women in leadership, the importance of mentorship, and so so much more.

Small businesses already deal with enough, and now this. The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) forces small businesses to provide their personal information to the federal government or face fines and even imprisonment if they don't. 

We've written about it before, but there is still a lot at stake.

That's why Kim brought in Kelli Saunders, Vice President of Policy and Engagement for the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM). They are one of several groups across the country fighting to put an end to the CTA. Kim and Kelli touch on what the law means for small businesses, why it's so detrimental and what we all can do to help.

It's no secret that the local news world has been changing, from how journalists connect with the community to how they combat misinformation online (which is no easy task).

Maddie and Alayna are once again joined by Lauren Kummer, a reporter and anchor at FOX 17, to talk about how her station and other local reporters are working through the changing social media landscape, building relationships with viewers, and much more.

Happy Olympics, Hustlers! This week we got the chance to talk to real-life Olympian, Ben Jefferies, and his coach, Scott Barnes. We asked them about what it takes to get to that level, what they are looking forward to the most, and advice for anybody else who wants to compete on the world's largest stage.

Maddie and Alayna sit down with Lauren Kummer, a reporter and anchor at FOX 17 in West Michigan, to talk about all the do's, don'ts and the definitely don'ts of pitching.

Lauren gives advice to PR pros on how they can best grab the attention of a TV journalist. They also discuss the importance of relationships when dealing with reporters. 

Kim and Maddie sit down with Renee Bauer, author of She Who Wins and owner of Happy Even After Family Law. They talk about leadership, strength and what it takes to ditch your inner 'good girl.'

Are you up to date with Google's latest rollout? How is your business using AI? Did you hear what LinkedIn is doing now? 

The digital team at 8THIRTYFOUR walks through the latest in the Digital Marketing space. 

Big or small, every company faces a crisis at some point. How you handle it could mean the difference between irreparable reputation damage and moving forward.

Kim and Maddie talk about what it takes to manage a crisis, who's done it well and the importance of making a plan.

We just could not get enough of our conversation Aly Zuiderveen and Chelsea Sinke, known by their usernames @helloalymay and @mygrandrapidslife.

Hear what these Grand Rapids influencers had to say about their red and green flags, and where they think the influencer marketing industry is headed.