Happy Hour Hustle

For Christy Howden, building a business and building a community go hand-in-hand. She co-founded Wolverine Pickleball when the sport was just starting to be on the rise, and through grit, persistence, and a lot of hustle, she's built it into a world-class facility and a true place people want to be. In this episode, Maddie and Christy talk about what it took to get here, the roadblocks along the way, and why community has always been at the heart of what she's building.

Not every viral trend is good for your brand. Maddie sits down with Josh Mosey from Kent District Library to talk about his approach to having fun with social media, when NOT to post, and books... because we love books.

Taking care of your pets can sometimes be a full-time job, and if they need vet care, it could wipe out your entire paycheck. In this episode, Rachel Berkal, cofounder of Vetr Health, joins Maddie to talk about how her and her team are transforming the pet healthcare industry, providing at-home care, and keeping it affordable.

To AI or not to AI. Are we using it, just to say we're using it? Is it actually helping or hurting? We tackle these hard hitting questions and dig into why Kim threatened ChatGPT with bodily harm.

When lawmakers become disconnected from real community needs, it often falls to visionary business leaders to create practical solutions. That's exactly what Mark Peters, CEO of Butterball Farms, did when he established The SOURCE 20 years ago in Grand Rapids. Kim got the chance to sit down with Mark to talk about the nonprofit, which began as a manufacturer's solution to childcare challenges affecting workplace productivity. It has since evolved into a comprehensive support system connecting community organizations, government resources, and private businesses. You can read more about the creation of the nonprofit in Mark's book The SOURCE. You can also check out The Retention Trap, which challenges leaders of small and mid-sized businesses to break free from a cycle that prioritizes costly wages and benefits without addressing the deeper issues that lead to employee turnover.

When people mention SEO do you find your brain empty? We can help with that. Emma sits down with Rowan, one of 8THIRTYFOUR's Account Managers and Knower of All Things, to discuss the basics of SEO... and a little bit more. From site ranking to keywords, we're covering all the bases. If you're still looking for more SEO knowledge after this episode, check out some of our blogs & recommended resources: SEO Doesn't Happen Overnight SEO for Dummies Beginner's Guide to SEO Moz SEO Guides Moz Whiteboard Friday

You shouldn't wait for a crisis to happen before you have a crisis communications plan. That's why we're here to chat through every step. Simplified, it's all about OAF. Own it, apologize, fix it. Obviously, there are other details, but we'll let you listen in for the extra advice. Need some reading material on the subject? We've got that covered too: The Evolution of Crisis Communications Presidential PR Blunders Brands Behaving Badly Earning Trust Back After Your Brand F*cks Up

Kim sits down with Emma and Amberly to talk all about anti-resolutions for 2023. Plus, there's some margarita and chicken sandwich talk too — We love to keep you guessing. If you love this episode and want more of our insights on why resolutions aren't the move, check out our blog.