The Growing Small Towns Show Rebecca Undem

We are so excited to start a new kind of episode here on the Growing Small Towns show where we check in with some of our favorite past guests to find out what’s happened since we last had them on the show—which for some of our guests is a whole heckuva lot. 
 
Brodie Mueller is the owner of The Market on the Plaza, among being a part of MANY other amazing things in his small town of Aberdeen, SD. This episode is part status check, part business convo, and part therapy sesh (as all the best conversations are.) 
 
About Brodie
Brodie Mueller, owner of Market on the Plaza, has lived in Aberdeen for nearly a decade. He has a Masters Degree in social work and has been involved in community building both downtown and city-wide through different groups and projects. The brewery is involved with various community projects and fundraisers throughout the year, gaining a reputation as a business that supports the community. As a fellow downtown business owner, Brodie is committed to making downtown better by supporting new ventures and The Market on the Plaza is a shining example of bringing new and innovative services to the neighborhood.

 
In this episode, we cover:
What he’s learned about business going on year three with The Market on the Plaza How he creates buy-in and fosters loyalty among his team Why he prefers partnership and how to find partnership even if you don’t have one in your business How to create novelty in a business that also needs constancy The importance of building relationships as a business owner in a small town, and the Brodie Method for getting it done.  Links + Resources Mentioned
Brodie’s past episodes: Episode 82 and Episode 72
The Market on the Plaza website: https://themarketontheplaza.com/
SD SportScene Podcast
Shrink Rap the Podcast
Minnesota Youth Ultimate Podcast
The Energy Bus
 
Subscribe + Review
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Growing Small Towns Show! If the information in our conversations and interviews has helped you in your small town, head out to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify, subscribe to the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver relevant, helpful content, but it will also help us reach even more small-town trailblazers just like you!

We are here with the longest episode in the history of Growing Small Towns because we just couldn’t stop talking to our next guest. Ben Muldrow caught Rebecca’s eye on Facebook, and he happens to have worked with Friend of the Pod Jeff Siegler. This is a long conversation but it’s so good - around every corner is yet another amazing concept or idea and we know you’ll love it as much as we did. 
 
About Ben:  
Ben Muldrow is a place branding and economic development expert who has spent the last 21 years assisting communities develop identities that attract investors and encourage private and public organizations to commit to community development projects that lead to economic vitality, environmental stewardship and social advancement.
 
As a partner at Arnett Muldrow & Associates and founding contributor at Proud Places, Ben has designed creative branding and marketing systems in over 800 communities across 40 states and 5 countries, making him a true global leader in place branding and cementing his ability to combine strategic planning, brand development, interactive marketing, public relations, and social media capabilities to preserve and promote the power of place. 
 
In the Main Street world, Ben is known as a true innovator. Not only has been introduced the main street world to branding, he has introduced the ideas of Micro-retail incubation, Public Arts Master Plans, the Five Audiences of Main Street, and most recently he has created a template adopted across the country to communicate the effectiveness of our local programs. Ben has spoken at 15 National Main Street Conferences, Keynoted numerous State and Regional Main Street Conferences, and has spoken to over 250,000 people about the importance of America’s downtowns. 
 
In this episode, we cover:
Why the first thing he looks for in the communities he serves is passion The power of the “first slow clapper” What to do about the wet blankets - and how they can be an indicator of when you’ve arrived Gender roles and economic development Investing in schools vs. invitations Links and Resources Mentioned:
Arnett Muldrow website: http://arnettmuldrow.com/
Your City is Sick: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/your-city-is-sick-jeff-siegler/1143949924

This episode is for, well, the dreamers. The people who believe big things are possible, even (especially!) in a small town. 
 
In this episode, we cover ten mindset reminders to help: 
Bolster you, our small-town dreamer Help you navigate difficult situations Provide some inspiration and hope And, really, just encourage you to keep those big dreams coming  
Links + Resources Mentioned
Nome Schoolhouse Episode
 
Get In Touch
Have an idea for a future episode/guest, have feedback or a question, or just want to chat? Email us at hello@growingsmalltowns.org
 
Subscribe + Review
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Growing Small Towns Show! If the information in our conversations and interviews has helped you in your small town, head out to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify, subscribe to the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver relevant, helpful content, but it will also help us reach even more small-town trailblazers just like you!

We live almost in two worlds now: the real one that we move around in physically, and the one online. The internet can be an amazing and helpful thing, but it can also be incredibly problematic. How do we navigate that balance and make sure that how we show up in the real world is not overly influenced by the engineered spaces we encounter online? It’s a meaty topic, and we have an extra-long episode to talk about it! 
 
About Chris:
My name is Chris Burgess. I am a writer, editor, musician, teacher, songwriter, audio producer and a storyteller. I am also a former Navy Radioman holding a BA in Political Science, an MA in Medieval Studies, and an MA and PhD in English Literature with a focus on narrative emotion and rhetoric. I developed a deep appreciation for the relationship between leadership, storytelling, emotion and the art of persuasion through my academic studies. My tenure as the Campus Chief Steward for the graduate student union COGS/UE Local 896 at the University of Iowa provided real-world experience for these leadership skills. Upon completing my PhD in 2015, I explored the art of persuasion in the digital age, serving as an adjunct professor of English for six years. As a professor, I developed and taught a curriculum emphasizing persuasion, storytelling, critical thinking and digital and information literacy.
 
In this episode, we cover:
The sense of groundedness that exists in the Midwest and how we could replicate that elsewhere Why authenticity is the most important part of storytelling What digital literacy looks like in an age where the algorithm is designed to divide us The antidote to division and bridge language vs. chasm language What a Doom Loop is and how to react to people who are stuck in one Links and Resources Mentioned:
https://unlockingpersuasion.com
https://dirtroadradio.com
https://www.facebook.com/dirtroadradiostreaming

We love when we find people who support small towns doing big things in ways we’ve never seen before, and this episode features two people and a business that is doing just that. Jasmin and Cassidy are two sisters behind an organization called Realizing Rural that offers important services like grant-writing, project management, graphic design, and marketing to small towns and the organizations in them who may not have the staff to support those tasks but who need them to grow. 
 
About Jasmin and Cassidy:  
Jasmin Fosheim and Cassidy Blade are sisters living in rural South Dakota. Both balancing new families and serving their community in various capacities, Jasmin and Cassidy are passionate about the advantages of rural life. This passion and belief that rural is an asset, not a detriment, led them to create Realizing Rural. Since 2020, Realizing Rural has provided grant writing, project management, marketing, and consulting services for rural businesses, organizations, and communities in North Dakota, South Dakota, and beyond with the mission of shifting the rural narrative from surviving to thriving.
 
“We grew up running barefoot along the gravel roads of the Black Hills, chasing butterflies with nets and gathering wildflower bouquets. Our most formative childhood memories were built around fishing poles and fire pits, curled up in camping chairs and tucked into hammocks, making s'mores and reading books, all surrounded by those we loved most. It was in those moments that our love for rural was sparked. And it was in those fields and streams and tents and trails that we gained the curiosity that carries us, the compassion that comprises us, and the love that leads us. It was in those moments, years before the creation of our business, that we began realizing rural.”
 
In this episode, we cover:
What Realizing Rural does and how they help Why grant money isn’t really “free money” and why alignment with the funding or the project is so important  Why communities shouldn’t hesitate or beat themselves up if they need help with grant writing or project management Their journey with imposter syndrome The difference between doing things you’re good at vs. things you love Links and Resources Mentioned:
Realizing Rural website: www.realizingrural.com
Realizing Rural Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realizingrural
Article on Time Management Quadrant: https://lindsay-jopson.medium.com/a-powerful-tool-to-show-us-where-to-spend-our-time-a8e564656bdf

We are so excited for another crossover episode with one of our most favorite people: small-town nonprofit expert and fun-haver Patrick Kirby. Hosted by Patrick, this episode is all about how to shift mindsets and rethink rural giving for small-town nonprofits. 
 
In this episode, we cover:
How the Rural Bus Tour works and… Why you need one of your own Why nonprofits are so important for small towns The thorny problem of self-limitation in the nonprofit world, both financially and… In the way that nonprofits think about the future  
Links and Resources Mentioned:
Uncharitable Movie: https://uncharitablemovie.com/
Do Good Better Consulting Podcast: https://www.dogoodbetterconsulting.com/dogoodbetterpodcast