OUTdrive

Out here in the country, people take care of each other. They know their neighbors and they value the relationships they have with them. They also know that there are challenges that people face as they steer their way through life. In our community, there are many organizations that are working to help people deal with some of these challenges, whether they be financial, health related or educationally focused. One such organization is United Way of Pettis County, which brings people and resources together to serve those in need. Sometimes, it's through their own innovative programs, delivered by volunteers. Other times, it's through grantmaking that helps fund the work of other crucial organizations. In both, collaboration is key and that brings us to our guest, Rachelle Simon.

Rachelle is the Executive Director of United Way of Pettis County. She grew up in our community, ventured away to study and work in a variety of settings, including counseling, higher education, non-profit and religious ministry. Rachelle then returned to rural Missouri to share her talents and experience. Listen in as she shares her perspectives on lifelong learning, how by working together you can make a big impact and how we as people make the world work, not the other way around.

Welcome to OUTdrive and welcome to 2024! We hope each of you had a safe and happy new year's celebration, however you chose to spend it.

Today, we're taking a special drive down memory lane and revisiting some of the most impactful stories and insights we shared over the past year. We want to be up front and share with you though that we used AI technology tools to scroll through all 52 episodes to give us a starting point for today … so buckle up and let's get rolling.

Our highlights include a focus on the economic landscape in Missouri, exploring the essence of leadership, learning that though business is serious, it can also be fun, as well as the importance of connections and hearing about new technologies and ideas that are paramount to being effective.

Doing our podcast over the past three and a half years has been fun all along the way, enjoying the journey and enjoying the people we have met and gotten to know. As marketers, we must be lifelong learners to keep pace with the exciting developments in digital marketing, and our podcasts have been one way we have accomplished that.

If you missed any of our previous episodes, you can find them all on ecallis.com or by searching for the OUTdrive podcast on your favorite audio streaming platform. And, stay tuned every week as we have some really great episodes coming up.

As we wrap up today's journey, let's remember … rural America is vibrant, ever-evolving and full of surprises. 2023 was a fantastic year at OUTdrive and at Callis and we're just getting started on another new adventure. Thanks for taking the time to ride along with us today and stay tuned for more stories from the heartland about the dynamic nature of rural America marketing, where it's heaven on earth.

In marketing, there are a lot of variables, strategies and tactics that you have to consider when laying out a marketing plan. None is more important than your target audiences. Many times, there are more than one, so identifying who they are, why they should be interested, how they think, how they buy and how to reach them is critical. For a would-be entrepreneur, it can be a daunting task, especially if your business is a part-time venture.

You know, it's really cool when a person's interests and hobbies turn into a real business enterprise. It's even better when you do it with other people who share the same passion for what you're doing. Anyone can start a business today but growing a sustainable business takes vision, talent, some good fortune and a lot of hard work, and it should all start with a business plan that accurately depicts the target audiences. After that, all your decisions on products, pricing, distribution and promotion can be made with those markets in mind. Today's guest and his partners at Phantom V have done just that.

Mike Hammerly is a partner in a Missouri distillery named Phantom V. An automation specialist by trade, Mike and his four partners got together a few years ago and started to build something special. They all had the interest in making spirits but they all also had the experience and expertise to do it the right way, with a business plan and sound marketing strategy. Over the past few years, they've developed a nice niche for inventive, delicious alcoholic drinks that people love. And while they're currently only available in three states, there are people from all over the country asking for Phantom V spirits. Listen in as Mike tells the story of how they got started, how they're growing organically, how they're figuring out the challenges of distribution, marketing and growth and how they've positioned themselves for a step to the next level….and it all starts with knowing your audiences and making great products that your markets love.

Innovation and ingenuity are alive and well out here in rural America, but that's not anything new. Ever since our country was founded, entrepreneurs, inventors and capitalists have all dreamed big and created even bigger. For instance, who would have thought that 100 years ago the small community of Marshall, Missouri, would jump on the map because of the airplane? Remember, 100 years ago! Yet, just a few short years after the Wright Brothers took the first flight at Kitty Hawk, airplanes were being made there.

To hear more about this amazing story, as well as many others, step back into time at the Nicholas-Beazley Aviation Museum. If you're lucky, you'll get the guided tour from our guest today, Bryan Berlin. Bryan and his lovely bride own their families' Century Farms – over 100 years in the making – and they're both also on the Board of Directors of the impressive aviation museum on the south side of Marshall. Listen in and learn more about the museum's unique history, how small town ingenuity can overcome many challenges, how they're telling people about the museum and more.

Out here in the country, we take conservation seriously. Whether it's our farmers who manage their properties for sustainability, our hunters who meticulously nurture the land they hunt on or the fishermen who help keep our streams, rivers and lakes clean, there's an understanding in rural America that conservation is a fundamental part of life. Here in Missouri, we are lucky to have an abundance of all of those things and we are working hard and collaborating to make sure we have them for generations to come.

One person who is working hard to make that happen is Tricia Burkhardt, the Executive Director of The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation (MCHF). MCHF is an organization that is passionate about preserving, conserving, and enhancing our state's natural resources and they are dedicated to finding ways to get people outdoors so they can learn to appreciate our fish, forest and wildlife. Listen in as we discuss the foundation and their programs, how they're telling their story and how they're encouraging people to enjoy our natural resources.

We say it all the time. Marketing technology is driving innovation in rural America, as well as around the world. Every day, new media emerges that enables marketers to deliver messages in ways they've never had the opportunity to use before. Staying up to date with the new is challenging, but at Callis, we are committed to doing so. Our clients depend upon us to be ahead of the latest innovations, and we're proud to vet new technologies and lead our clients to the ones that make sense for them.

One of the ways we stay ahead of the curve is through continual learning. In this episode, Callis's Digital Services Director Kyle Meek shares his takeaways from a recent summit he participated in with other agencies from around the country. You'll hear all about the hot topic, artificial intelligence (AI) and how it's being used, along with updates on Google's latest ventures and changes, SEO and PPC trends, social media, web development, first-party data and more. Listen in and be prepared to take lots of notes.

Today is the second part of our two part series about economic development in Missouri, with our guest, Subash Alias, CEO of the Missouri Partnership. As you recall from last week's podcast, the Missouri Partnership is a public-private economic development organization that helps attract new business to Missouri.

Many people are really unaware about what economic development is and how important it is in attracting new jobs and capital investments and I'm pleased we were able to share the Missouri Partnership's role in this endeavor. One of the things we discussed in this week's conversation with Subash is how surprised people are with the diversity of our state's economy, how many high profile businesses there are here, how low our taxes and cost of living are and what a high quality of life we enjoy. They are also impressed with the technology we are utilizing across the state in every industry and particularly in animal science, plant science and agriculture in general. We also have a great discussion on the approach the Missouri Partnership is taking with marketing the state's abundant assets and amenities to prospective businesses and site selection consultants. Listen in to truly one of our best episodes to date.

Today, we're excited to premier a two part series about economic development in Missouri. We begin with our guest, Janelle Higgins, the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Missouri Partnership, a public-private economic development organization that helps attract new businesses to Missouri. If you've listened to some of our podcasts before, you know I'm a big supporter of economic development, whether that be business attraction or retention, tourism, job growth or any of the other components that contribute to economic development in rural America.

In her role, Janelle leads their team's video and visual strategy, develops and implements public relations efforts, and utilizes traditional and digital media to market and promote Missouri throughout the world. If you know much about Missouri, you know that we have an abundance of assets and amenities to talk about and we get into some of those today. We also discuss the types of businesses the partnership is trying to attract, how they're reaching them, their new marketing campaign they've just launched and much more.

All of us leading businesses and organizations today need someone we can talk to; someone to share challenges and opportunities, to question things we're doing, to inspire us from time to time and to serve as a mentor. Many of us might benefit from having several advisors. But whether it's one or many, it's always beneficial to have a sounding board, a different perspective and perhaps a coach to help us navigate the treacherous waters of running a business or organization or maybe just changing careers. Our guest today helps individuals and companies do just that.

Whitney Kinne and her husband, Shane, are the co-owners of Whitney Kinne Consulting, a Missouri-based business that helps organizations and professionals in agriculture reflect and refocus on their vision and mission in work and in life. The Kinnes use their experience and enthusiasm to lift others to new heights – to make each of us better every day.

Listen in as Whitney shares her background growing up in a family of entrepreneurs dedicated to agriculture and discusses how her business got started, how it's grown and how it's serving today's leaders and organizations.

Business is a serious business, but it can also be fun, and it should be. Life's too short to not have a good time doing what you do to earn a living. For Jonathan Hartenstein that means having fun building relationships that turn into friendships that translate to sales. You see, JR, as he is known to his many friends, is a real estate broker at the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri's heaven on earth. Through his outbound and inbound marketing efforts, JR attracts people to him who are looking to invest in property or move to the lake.

JR has been living at the lake for nearly 50 years, and he specializes in luxury homes, condos and building sites. Needless to say, JR knows the lake inside and out and he understands how to market, both his business and the properties he represents, and many are pretty darn impressive. Listen in as we discuss the multitude of opportunities that are exploding at the lake, the marketing techniques JR uses to attract new clients to his real estate business and why you might consider investing there.