OUTdrive

Have you ever wondered what goes into producing a podcast? In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff breaks down the production cycle of our podcast from week to week. And, he answers the most frequently asked questions about creating a podcast, such as cost, technology and equipment needs, and ROI.

After producing over 85 episodes, the Callis team has become a well-oiled machine, but it wasn't always easy and it's still a lot of work to get it done every week. If you have been thinking about doing a podcast, tune in to this episode to learn how to get started.

What you'll learn:

• An overview of the OUTdrive podcast from May 2020 to today
• Why Callis started the OUTdrive podcast
• The phases of starting and producing a podcast
• Other costs associated with producing a podcast
• Coming up with topics to discuss with guests
• Assessing your listener base and calculating ROI on a podcast
• The story behind the name "OUTdrive"

When it comes to creating content, the sports world is blazing the trail. High-quality videos and graphics on social media are a huge part of a program's communication and marketing strategy, and other industries should be taking note. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff chats with Callis account executive and OUTdrive podcast manager, Ivy Reynolds, about her time working in college athletics, content creation, and effective media channels.

In her role as an account executive at Callis & Associates, Ivy works directly with clients to manage branding projects, develop marketing strategies and create content. She also manages and produces the OUTdrive podcast each week. Ivy previously served as a sports information director at Butler University in Indianapolis. She worked directly with several programs during her time with the athletic department and served as a media relations contact for the 2016 and 2021 NCAA March Madness Tournaments. An Ozark, Missouri native, Ivy earned a degree in Mass Communications from Lindenwood University and was a member of the Lions volleyball team. She then went on to earn a Master's in Sports Management at Missouri State University while playing beach volleyball for the Bears.

Tune into this episode of OUTdrive for insight on the college sports industry, podcast management, and content creation. Whether you're producing a podcast, creating social media posts, or generating website content, this episode is for you.

What you'll learn:

• Ivy's background and journey to Callis through college athletics, as an athlete and staff member
• Communications strategies Butler athletics and the sports industry as a whole use to market programs and teams
• Insight on the new policy that allows student-athletes to make money off their name and likeness and the future of influencer marketing
• The challenges from transitioning from sports communications to marketing
• Ivy shares what she enjoys about her role as an account executive and what her typical day looks like
• What goes into producing a weekly podcast and some of the challenges podcast managers face
• Ivy's advice to other young professionals who are stepping into their careers or making job changes

The Missouri Department of Agriculture announced the results of an economic contribution study that showed a contribution of nearly $94 billion to the economy and more than one in every 10 jobs is supported by agriculture. Crop production, which includes grains and oil seeds, ranked first in value of sales and Missouri soybean farmers contribute to that category. Not only are soybeans the number one exported crop in Missouri, they are also the number exported row crop in the United States. In this episode, Cliff sits down with Casey Wasser, the Chief Operating Officer at Missouri Soy, to discuss the legislation, the fuel power, and the economic impact that hinges on this little green pod.

Casey oversees the operations of the Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and Foundation for Soy Innovation. He leads the Association's policy work in addition to serving as the COO. Casey has served as the director of policy for the Missouri Soybean Association and Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council since 2016. During that time, he spearheaded the effort to facilitate repayment of the Missouri Qualified Biodiesel Producer Incentive Fund. He also worked with the Association on policies including proposed increases to farm regulations, land value assessments, and proposed taxes on disaster payments. Prior to joining the team at Missouri Soybean, Casey served as the legislative liaison for the Missouri Department of Revenue. Casey resides in his hometown of California, Missouri with his wife, Brooklyn, and two children, Boden and Calyn.

Listen in to learn how helping Missouri agriculture flourish leads to an increase in tax revenue that supports the whole state.

What you'll learn:

• Casey's current responsibilities as Chief Operating Officer and some of the legislature the Missouri Soybean Association is focused on in the 2022 session
• What Casey learned in his time as the legislative liaison for Missouri Department of Revenue that he brought to his role at Missouri Soy
• How Missouri Senator Blunt's retirement has a trickle down effect on district lines and the entire redistricting process
• The compounding issues of the supply chain disruption on farmers and rural America
• The role of Missouri Soy at the state and national levels
• How people can contact Missouri Soy and get involved by sharing their thoughts that could impact legislation
• Casey's background of growing up in California, Missouri and how it led to his career in agriculture and the lifestyle he lives today
• A report on the Missouri soybean crop yield from 2021

An ASPCA survey revealed that nearly 23 million Americans welcomed a pet during the height of the pandemic in 2020 - aptly referred to as "pandemic puppies." And, according to a study by the American Veterinary Medical Association, a majority (75%-85%) of pet owners think of their pets as family. Pair those statistics together and you have a huge market of pet owners returning to work with no one to care for their beloved pets while they are away. In today's episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with Collin Funkhouser, who turned his dog walking side gig into a booming pet care business.

Collin and his wife, Meghan, are the owners of Funky Bunch Pet Care, providing home-based pet sitting and services in rural America. The couple started pet sitting part-time to help pay for their college tuition, and in 2012 they established the Funky Bunch name. In 2020, they made it their full-time profession and now provide pet care to over 200 clients in Sedalia. Due to continued growth and demand, they recently opened a service line in Springfield. In addition to being business owners, Collin and Meghan also host the Pet Sitter Confessional, a podcast by pet sitters for pet sitters.

Before focusing solely on their small business, Collin spent time working for the Missouri Department of Conservation in Sedalia. He also has an extensive wildlife education, holding a bachelor's degree in wildlife biology from Missouri State, a master's in Natural Resource Management from Texas Tech and a PhD in quantitative biology from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Tune into this episode to learn how Collin and Meghan are doing all the right things from a marketing perspective to grow their brand and small business. With a quick visit to their social media platforms or podcast, you'll see that this couple is one funky bunch with a passion for pets.

What you'll learn:

• How Collin and his wife transitioned from using dog walking side gig to pay for college to launching Funky Bunch Pet Care and making pet care their full time job
• Collin explains how he builds trust with clients through digital platforms
• The process of booking and building trust with a client through digital marketing and the steps Collin and Meghan take when meeting pet owners for the first time.
• How Collin and Meghan started their pet sitting podcast
• The scalability of pet care and taking the steps to grow a small business
• Using search marketing and search results as part of connecting with clients, and other branding strategies Collin is seeing in the pet care industry
• Some of the challenges of the pet care industry from educating clients to dealing with pandemic puppies to living an isolated lifestyle

Everyone is just a few short days away from turning the page to 2022. Callis had another great year in 2021, in large part because their clients saw success and growth. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff is taking a drive down memory lane. Callis had a number of exciting projects and notable events this year and Cliff revisits some of the stops they've made along the way.

Tune in to this episode as Cliff reflects, month by month, on some of our top moments from 2021. And, come back after the new year as Cliff sits down with his next guest to talk marketing in rural America.

What you'll learn:

• A 2021 month-by-month recap of top projects and events
• Some of the new clients and growth Callis has seen in the last year
• Agency and business development initiatives Cliff is currently working on
• Cliff's recommendations for businesses looking to update some of their systems
• Cliff's outlook for Callis and the podcast in 2022

Often referred to as The Automotive Capital of the World and Motor City (Motown), Detroit, Michigan is home to General Motors (GM) headquarters. GM led global annual vehicle sales for 77 consecutive years from 1931 through 2007, and is still among the world's largest automakers by vehicle unit sales. It was at this multi-billion dollar company that our guest spent the first 20 years of his career immersed in the world of cars and marketing. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff sits down with automotive marketer Karl Kramer to discuss industry trends, dealership positioning, and consumer buying habits.

Karl is the Chief Marketing Officer at McCarthy Auto Group and has a demonstrated history of providing effective business results in the automotive industry. He spent the first half of his career at GM in various roles and locations, primarily as a district service manager. In his current position at McCarthy, Karl coordinates and manages marketing efforts, as well as sponsorships, promotions, and community relations, while helping manage OEM working relationships. Karl has a Bachelor's Degree in Automotive Technology, Advanced Technical Studies from Southern Illinois University. In his career and personal life, Karl is passionate about building strong personal, business, and community relationships.

Karl takes the wheel and hits the gas in this episode of OUTdrive. Tune in to hear him share marketing insight that can help businesses from Motown to Rural America.

What you'll learn:

• Karl's upbringing in Flora, Illinois and how he first got started working with cars
• Karl's career path, from his first job working as a technician, to earning his degree at Southern Illinois University, to working for General Motors (GM)
• Reflection from Karl's time at GM, one of the largest companies in the world
• How Karl ended up in Kansas City and his transition to McCarthy Auto Group after 20 years with GM
• The role of a Chief Marketing Officer and effective marketing mix strategies in the automotive industry
• Changes in consumer buying behavior in the last couple of years due to COVID-19
• The types of marketing campaigns, sponsorships, and community events that Karl finds most successful

Missouri's pig farmers really know how to bring home the bacon - literally. According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, in 2016, agriculture, forestry and related industries contributed $88.4 billion of the state's economy. Pork production alone had about a $1 billion impact on Missouri's bottom line. For this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff sat down with Don Nikodim, Executive Director of the Missouri Pork Producers Association, to dive into the meat of this industry.

In his nearly 40 years at MPPA, Don has helped expand pork promotion, education and public policy efforts in Missouri. Earlier this year, Don won the Paulson-Whitmore State Executive Award, which recognizes the outstanding leadership and commitment of state pork organization executives. Don has been connected to the pork industry his whole life. Originally from El Dorado Springs, Missouri, he grew up on a diversified farm that included a 30-head sow herd. He went on to earn a degree from the University of Missouri in Agriculture, specializing in Animal Science, Ag Economics and Education. Don had a short stint with the Poland China Swine Record Association and spent a few years teaching high school agriculture classes before starting his role at Missouri Pork in 1983.

Tune into this episode to find out what goes into making Missouri the 7th highest-pork producing state in the nation.

What you'll learn:

• Don's background growing up on a diversified farm in El Dorado Springs and how it led to pursuing a career in the pork industry
• How the pork industry plays into Missouri's main economic driver, agriculture
• The role that Missouri Pork plays in the Missouri State Fair
• The types of research Missouri Pork does to better understand the pork consumer
• The initiatives Don has been involved with over the years that had the most impact
• Don's day-to-day responsibilities as Executive Director and how it varies
• What it's like working with the people of rural America on a daily basis
• The innovation, trends, and refined production processes in the agriculture industry

Everyone starts somewhere. For those who are well into their career, that statement might take you back to your humble beginnings. For some taking the first steps in their career, like the guest in this episode, they are right in the middle of that somewhere. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff had the chance to sit down with a young man attacking the sales world armed with a sport coat and ambition.

Jack Kempton is a licensed insurance agent for Country Financial in Kansas City. Although he has only been in his current role for a few months, Jack grew up in a family business environment that helped set him up for success. Jack studied Business at the University of Missouri which led to his first job in the insurance industry at Bankers Life in Columbia. A Sedalia native, Jack frequently visits the area for work and can be seen at community events or out on the golf course.

Tune into this episode for a chance at a fresh perspective. Jack and Cliff discuss the challenges young professionals are facing today, refining sales and marketing processes and, of course, how it all ties into his rural American roots.

What you'll learn:

• What it was like for Jack growing up in a family business environment.
• Jack's current role at Country Financial and the range of services they offer to clients
• The difference between sales and marketing and assessing client needs.
• Jack's unorthodox path to the insurance industry
• What rural America means to Jack
• The current challenges Jack is facing as a young professional starting his career
• Industry insight and refining processes.
• Jack's heroes and mentors from the past and present.

Every year, Thanksgiving is a time to express your gratitude and count your blessings. This year, it has been extra special as people gather once again and families reunite after spending previous holidays apart. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff takes a break from the typical podcast conversations to give thanks - for his family, for his clients, for the lifestyle he enjoys in rural America, and so much more.

Tune in to this episode to join Cliff in gratitude, and check back in next week as he sits down with the next guest to talk marketing in rural America.

What you'll learn:

• What Cliff is thankful for this year

For many in rural America, a college degree seems unattainable due to the cost. According to a 2021 report by U.S. News, the national average student loan debt is currently $30,000. But, higher education doesn't have to mean a higher price tag. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with Mineral Area College President, Joe Gilgour, to break down the advantages of a community college education and getting the best return on investment.

Joe was named President of Mineral Area College during the summer of 2019. Prior to his role at MAC, Joe served 12 years in a number of leadership roles at State Fair Community College, including a seven-year stint as Dean of Student Services. A decorated graduate, Joe holds a bachelor's degree in Theatre and Psychology from Southwest Baptist University, a master's degree in College Student Personnel from Arkansas Tech University, and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Saint Louis University. He and his family reside in Park Hills, Missouri and can often be spotted at a campus or community event.

Tune into this episode to see how community college is a great option for anyone living in rural America.

What you'll learn:

• Joe's day-to-day responsibilities as President of Mineral Area College (MAC)
• How MAC appeals to individuals in all career paths and lifestyles
• A breakdown of the student population at MAC and why he thinks there is no "traditional" community college student
• An assessment of return on investment as it applies to education
• Trends that are currently affecting higher education, from COVID-19 to state funding to mental health in students.
• Joe's advice for someone who is looking to pursue a career path in higher education and administration
• A look at MAC athletics and the other activities available to students
• Some of the things Joe enjoys in his off campus life and what he loves about living in rural America