rightnow

Sometimes the biggest opportunities in a small town are the needs people don’t see yet. Growth often starts with awareness before it shows up in numbers. The organizations making the biggest difference are usually solving problems quietly. This is part of a running journal. Every once in a while, a conversation reminds you that not everything important is obvious. This was one of those. The main takeaways from this: • Growth in a small town often starts with awareness • Some

Sometimes the biggest win isn’t building an audience… it’s understanding the one you already have. Marketing live events is different because attention doesn’t always equal attendance. The right strategy helps shape energy that already exists. This is part of a running journal. Some projects teach you as much as they help the client. Helping Lebanon I-44 Speedway was one of those. The main takeaways from this: • Lebanon I-44 Speedway marketing started with an audience that al

What started as a fun podcast turned into real business growth. The best content doesn’t just entertain… it builds trust, attention, and opportunities. Sometimes the smartest marketing doesn’t look like marketing at all. This is part of a running journal. Some stories are easy to miss while they’re happening. Then you look up one day and realize something bigger has been built. The main takeaways from this: • Small business podcast marketing can grow with the business • Trust

Some skills are easy to price. Others are harder to explain. In a small town, attention, trust, and connection matter more than people think. Sometimes the hardest part isn’t doing the work… it’s explaining the value of it. This is part of a running journal. A lot of this comes from trying to build something in real time while also trying to understand what the thing actually is. The main takeaways from this: • Marketing in a small town isn’t always about ads • Some valuable

Growth forces change… whether you’re ready or not. Scaling isn’t always the right move. The goal isn’t to do more… it’s to protect what’s already working. This is part of a running journal. A lot of this comes from what we’re working through right now… not something we’ve already figured out. The main takeaways from this: • Growth creates pressure to change • Scaling isn’t always the next step • The 80/20 rule shows up fast • You have to protect the core of what works • Hirin

Small businesses don’t struggle with spending money… they struggle with when to spend it. Cheap and expensive aren’t always what they seem. Most decisions come down to opportunity cost. This is part of a running journal. A lot of this comes from conversations we’re having with small business owners… and honestly, stuff I’ve worked through myself. The main takeaways from this: • Cheap vs expensive depends on the situation • Convenience isn’t always the real reason you spend mo

A few things that have been sitting with me lately: • Not everything on Google is paid • Google Business Profile is free • It shows up when people are ready • It takes less effort than Facebook • I’ve known this… and still didn’t prioritize it That last one is what keeps sticking with me. Not everything on Google is paid. I had a conversation with a friend who thought you had to spend money to show up. Ads, listings, everything. If you weren’t paying, you weren’t visible. And

It’s been coming up a lot lately. Different businesses. Different industries. Same feeling. “Something’s off.” They’re posting. They’ve got a website. They’ve tried SEO at some point. And still… it’s quiet. No real traction. No consistency. No clear reason why. the problem isn’t what you think Most people assume it’s their website. “It’s outdated.” “It doesn’t look good.” “We probably need a new one.” Sometimes that’s true. But more often… it’s not the actual problem. It’s ho

Sometimes the thing works… before you do. And that’s the uncomfortable part. PS... I typically never wear a stocking cap but it was really cold that day and this interview wasn't planned. We made the best of it though! You don’t build it first. You grow into it. There was a moment in Flour Jack conversation where it hit me. She didn’t wait to figure it all out. She just… started. Name first. Brand second. Confidence somewhere down the road. And I think that’s where most peo

This one stuck with me a little differently. Not because there was one big takeaway… But because there were a lot of small ones that kept stacking. We sat down with Jamie Johansen, and somewhere in the middle of all of it, this line hit: marketing is storytelling And I think that’s where most people get lost. What do you actually think marketing is? Be honest. Is it: posting on Facebook running ads making a flyer updating your hours Because that’s where most people start. And

Some conversations don’t feel like new information. They feel like confirmation. This was one of those. We sat down with Petty Eddie . Food content. Local spots. Posting all the time. And if you strip everything else away, the whole thing kept circling back to one idea: just keep showing up The part nobody wants to hear Everyone wants: more views more reach more customers But almost nobody wants to do the part that actually creates it. Posting every day. Not when it’s conveni

Starting isn’t the hard part… it’s what comes after. Every business runs into the same problems, just in different ways. If people don’t know you exist, none of it works. A few things that kept coming up in my head after this one: • Starting isn’t a plan, it’s figuring it out in real time • The hard part comes after you begin • Every business runs into the same problems • Attention is required, not optional • Willingness is usually the difference Starting isn’t a plan, it’s f

I thought I was building separate things. I was really learning the same lesson in different places. Attention, consistency, and community ended up becoming the business. This is part of a running journal. A lot of what I’m writing comes from trying to make sense of things after the fact. This one just happens to be mine. The main takeaways from this: • Real estate taught me attention matters first • Jacket Nation Sports proved consistency builds something real • LEBtv was th