The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth

This episode is a fun one, friends! When I tell you this girl makes me smile with just her presence, I hope you can hear that smile come through your speakers in today's episode. Allison Corbin and I crossed paths a couple years ago, and in the years since, we have partnered on several projects professionally, she's taken photos of my family, and we can have an hours-long conversation over coffee with the best of them. I truly enjoy her company, and today I'm bringing her expertise of photography to you. Allison started her career as a photographer almost 7 years ago by capturing weddings and family sessions. And as her family has grown and needs changed, Allison has pivoted into more commercial and brand photography. She loves working with these businesses and helping tell their stories through the lens of her camera. She captures moments in time of the people and the hard work involved in operating a small town business, and her photos document those daily interactions. Not only can a photographer capture a moment in time for these small businesses, but it also allows them a professional library of content they can pull from for social media, websites, pamphlets, and other print marketing materials. And in 2021, more than ever, it's important to have these assets so followers can shop you online. Listen to today's episode for the full interview, and see some of my key takeaways from my conversation with Allison below: Key Takeaways: -Behind every small business is a family. Capturing photos of these businesses is capturing families too. Owning your own business allows flexibility as family needs change. Photos tell the stories of the people behind those items, services, and events that Allison captures. And many times multiple businesses come together to work with one another, so it's fun to see the crossover that happens in small towns. Her journey to owning her own business was over several years. Allison worked in several career fields as she started her photography business. She deliberately made it a slower transition so she could make sure she and her family were comfortable as her business grew. Starting a business doesn't mean throwing caution to the wind and investing all your money up front. Everyone's business journey looks different, and just because the gurus say to "take the leap" it doesn't mean that's the path for you. Getting professional photos doesn't have to look like a standard shoulders-up photo against a generic backdrop. Help tell your story by wearing your uniform and getting photos in your environment. People do business with people. Let your customers and followers online see YOU, and the face behind the business (and these days, the face underneath the mask!) "We need to step up our game this year and be able to show other people who we really are." –Allison's take on why photography is essential for businesses in 2021 Get more from Allison If you want more tips for taking your own professional photos or if you'd like to work with her yourself(check out her head shot event if you're a local!), visit www.capturedbycorbin.com or @capturedbycorbin on Facebook and Instagram. Connect with us: Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/podcast Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook

This week at the Small-Minded Podcast by Molly Knuth Media we welcome Jordan Trumm, a small-town gal who is a social media marketer, community volunteer, farm wife, and soon-to-be mama. When Jordan and I met in 2018, we were fast friends.Her active role in our community and entrepreneurial path as a social media marketer meant our paths crossed a lot. Add in her sweet, hardworking nature and love of coffee, and she and I were a match made in heaven! With a passion for seeing businesses and communities flourish, Jordan helps her clients in a variety of industries with everything from email marketing to Instagram planning and posting to helping them connect with customers online. We discuss her top tips for marketing for brand-new businesses on social, and how that shifts for businesses who've been on social for awhile. She gives us all the goods for helping people choose YOU to do business with. In addition, we discuss how Jordan moved across nearly the whole state of Iowa once she got married, and how she handled moving to a new, smaller town and acclimating to the community she found there. She shares here tips for getting involved in the local life as well as establishing boundaries when the volunteer opportunities seem endless. This week's interview with Jordan is truly a gem. Be sure to listen to the full audio, and see below for some of my key takeaways from our conversation: Key Takeaways: -The more small businesses grow, the more your community, schools, and citizens can grow as a result. -When the City, Chamber of Commerce, and Economic Development committees work in the same direction, great things can happen for small towns. -Joining a new community as as an adult can be challenging. Diving into volunteerism can help you find like-minded people and create long-lasting business relationships and friendships. -Respect your own boundaries when it comes to serving on committees. Be selective in the groups you join and the time you commit. -Be a friend and welcome new residents to your community. Be inclusive and inviting, not just friendly. -Growing a business by word of mouth is the best kind of marketing (and organic social media and user-generated content is word of mouth too!) -Consistency is key on social media! -People connect with stories and people connect with people. They buy YOU when they choose to work with your business in a small town. Get more from Jordan If you're ready to up level your social media marketing, be sure to follow Jordan! You can find her on Facebook and Instagram at @sociallyjordan or at sociallyjordanmedia.com. Connect with us: Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/podcast Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook

Did you know that 55% of the U.S. population has listened to a podcast - 37% of whom are monthly listeners and 24% of whom are weekly listeners? 56% of monthly listeners are men and 44% are women. Most listening is done from home, on the commute, or while performing tasks. More info here. Podcasting is an up-and-coming marketing medium where you can share stories, provide education, and help your listeners on topics of your choice. But if you're here, you already know how awesome podcasts are, right? So now you're thinking "how can I get started in podcasting?" Let's dive in and discuss in this week's episode. Why Podcast? Podcasting is a great way for you to connect with your ideal customer so they can listen at their convenience and be a captive audience. This may be at their desk, on a walk, as they complete household chores, or in the car. You can choose the content, frequency and consistency of your episodes without being subject to algorithms like on social media. I also think that hearing someone's voice has an intangible affect on listeners. It creates an intimate connection and a community more quickly than reading words on a screen. This medium allows hosts and guests to be vulnerable, include pacing and vocal inflections to allow for personality, and allow greater insights into the human experience. Also, it's fun! Molly's Podcasting Quick Tips Choose a topic or subject matter that your podcast will focus on. Create a master list of episode ideas and interview guests so when you are low on creative ideas, you can pull from this brain storm session. Get your equipment. I use a Blue Yeti mic, an audio recording box to reduce background noise, Zencastr to record, Audacity to edit, and Libsyn to distribute. Choose your episode length and frequency. Have an idea of how long you want each episode to run: super short or super long? The length of a short walk or the length of a long drive? Then pick how frequently you can produce a new episode. Podcasting is time-intense, so be sure to plan for writing, recording, editing, uploading, and marketing as you conceptualize your episode releases. Marketing. How will you get people to listen and download your episodes? Consider starting a standalone Instagram account for your podcast or share out to your own social channels on podcast debut days. Also think about people in your network who you could bring on as guests so you can grow your audience. Follow for More The Podcast Lab by Jenna Kutcher Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook Follow Molly Knuth Media on Instagram and Facebook

Livestreaming. Did you just get a little anxious? Did your face turn red and your heart rate surge? This is common when I talk to small business owners about going live on their social platforms. Your first attempt may suck (mine did!), but going live have so many benefits that outweigh sharing prerecorded videos that it's something I strongly encourage you try. Pressing LIVE on your social feed is scary, but it doesn't have to be. Why Livestream? Livestreaming can be extremely beneficial to your social media accounts and give you a closer connection you desire with your audience. In a recent Forbes article, it was reported that people watch Facebook live videos 3 times longer than prerecorded videos, AND Facebook users receive 200% more notifications about live videos than about any other type of content. How about that for getting your message out? But the best part? Livestreaming is you. 100% real and unpolished (for the most part). You are coming across authentically, and people will appreciate and forgive you for any miscues that occur. Molly's LIVEstream Quick Tips Determine your livestream date and topic. This will help you commit to trying live and give you something to talk about. Choose a topic that you know well so it's easy for you to describe and discuss, and create some talking points on a sheet of paper or your Notes app to help you along the way. Design an opening and closing. Introduce who you are and what the audience should expect from today's video, and in closing ask the audience to DO something with this information: call you to order, implement this strategy, go to your website to schedule an appointment, or share this video with their friends. Set up your video in a quiet, well-lit location. In polls, live video viewers rated video quality the most important aspect of a livestream, so make sure your audience can see what you are describing and double-check that you have a strong internet connection. Also, make sure there are minimal visual distractions in the background. For sound purposes, sometimes using a microphone or earbuds is your best option, but again, reduce distracting sounds in the background as much as possible. eCamm Live: this downloadable software allows me to share my screen in a way that doesn't have the "mirror" effect like the native screen share within Facebook LIVE. Tripod: nothing is worse than a shaky camera. Invest in a tripod and camera mount for a minimal cost. Lighting: if you are planning to incorporate regular livestreams or video production, it may be time to get yourself a lighting kit to improve the quality of your final product. Large kits are perfect for larger shots, but you can also get smaller desktop versions if you plan to do mostly screen sharing videos. Get equipment for future broadcasts: I like setting up a recording space for my lives with a few extra components to make the video better for my audience.

Business owners: you've got a lot on your plate. But you don't really need me to tell you that do you. From ordering new product to filling in your inventory spreadsheets to preparing 1099s to taking down the holiday decor to getting back into the swing of things to keeping up to date on the news to writing down your goals for the new year to trying to learn the newest social media platform while creating posts and responding to DMs… Phew! Something's gotta give. So to make it simple for you, I've compiled a list of "Do this, NOT Thats" to help you keep your social media strategy S-I-M-P-L-E this month. Let's give you some best practices that you can DIY and some social media urban legends you can leave behind for 2020. Do This: Pick a topic of focus Select one thing you're going to talk about all month. Maybe you want to share who your business is or feature a specific service you offer or launch a new offer. But pick just one BIG topic. As you go through the month, make sure all your social posts tie into that BIG topic. This will create consistency for your followers, and it will help you organize and plan what to share. NOT That: Go in without a plan Don't get me wrong, it's happened to me more than once, particularly in busy seasons. But I know that when I don't have one grounding idea to get me through the month, I'm haphazard, half-assed, and I usually don't drive sales. Plus I'm feeling the immense pressure of "what do I share today?" Do This: Look at the number of comments, saves, shares and video views to determine success These are those "engagements" you've been hearing all about. It means people stop scrolling and pay attention to what you're sharing. This means you've connected with them on something on a higher level. These are harder to get, but more worthwhile in the algorithm. NOT That: Focus only on likes Likes are great, and they are low-hanging fruit, but don't equate your success with like counts. I've known small pages to have mighty loyal followers and large pages whose metrics are inflated by bots from fake accounts. If people are interacting and starting discussions with you, you are doing something right. Do This: Post at specific times and at a frequency that works for you NOT That: Go in posting streaks or post back-to-back Do This: Help your followers by providing real tips and education NOT That: Worry that you're giving up too much for free Do This: Show your Face NOT That: Make your business faceless

"This is my year!" "Here's to 2021!" "Let's do this!" On Monday, January 4, I was inspired, lit up, and ready to tackle all my big goals for the new year. Were you too? Ready to kick 2020 to the curb? Leave the election, social unrest, and coronavirus in last year? By mid-week, it was clear that flipping the calendar to the new year did NOT leave anything in the past (not that I really expected it too, but I'm always optimistic). And with the Capitol insurrection, Republican v. Democrat, and social media dumpster fire of it all, I had had enough. I deleted my Facebook app for the weekend so as to quit dwelling on it. But I couldn't shove my fingers in my ears and "la-la-la-I-can't-hear-you" to current events or to my social media client accounts. It is to say that I had to set boundaries around what I wanted to use social media for. Self-Check Do I want social media updates from friends and family so I can see their kids grow up from far away? Yes. Do I want to be called names and have people jump to conclusions about my voting records when I share a video of Joe Biden? No. Do I want to continue using social media to create friendships and help business owners meet their sales goals? Yes. Do I want to contribute to the back-and-forth, fiery rhetoric to prove a point? No. Do I see how social media can be a double-edged sword? YES. Do I believe that we can change the current tide of social media and use it for good? UNDOUBTEDLY YES. But to do that we as a collective need to take responsibility for understanding how the algorithms on these platforms work and how that can impact our decision-making and the conclusions we draw about people and events in the world around us. We need to be able to debate instead of insult. We need to know what is healthy use of social media and what's not. We need to be neighborly to our social media friends just like our friends we meet at the grocery store. So, how can we be socially responsible as we move forward? Ask yourself how YOU are showing up on social. Are you creating content, sharing happy stories, participating in community news, and uplifting others? Do you choose to share your opinion and participate in heated debate? Or do you observe and keep to yourself? Different personalities will choose to show up differently on social. But I challenge you to SHOW UP and show up with joy if you want to see a different social media newsfeed in '21. Don't click on the clickbait headlines, be intentional with the accounts you follow and engage with, and make it a point to spread some good on social. Educate yourself with unbiased, objective news sources. If you get your news from social, you have to be very careful with the source. Due to algorithms on social platforms, you will see more of the types of news you click on and less of the kind you don't click on (ie: if you only click on articles and videos from left-leaning news sources, you'll eventually only SEE left-leaning news. Which will then create a large empathy gap with other viewpoints.) This can lead to siloed echo chambers where we only hear the information we agree with and block out or discredit everything else. To combat this, read sources of news from objective news outlets like npr.org or go to http://www.instagram.com/allsides to see side-by-side headline comparisons or http://www.instagram.com/susiesaysso for American government lessons for adults. Take breaks. It's ok to mute someone who is stealing your joy and peace of mind. It's healthy to unplug and step back from the social networks. Take a beat to think about if someone's comment is worth your response before you react. And I highly encourage having important conversations around a dinner table or with a beer instead of behind a keyboard. When we interact in real life, we get cues from body language of the other parties involved, and even if it is a passionate exchange we remember that we are engaged in conversation with a real person. Which can be easy to forget behind the screen of a device. Use social media to create good things. Make art. Share recipes. Show off your kids. Make people laugh. Celebrate someone you love. If enough of us were devoted to celebrating all we love about our lives, we could influence these platforms for the good of us all. I am NOT perfect, nor do I perfectly implement the above steps at all times. BUT… I am committed to being a light here on social. I want to share education, empowering stories, and love with all of you. And to help you do that too, if you wish to participate, we are sharing our 7-day #mkmjoyfulsocial challenge this month. Click here to get a PDF with 7 days of joy-boosting ideas for your social media feeds. You don't have to be super techy, and you don't need to be a business owner. You just need to be a person who wants to see love and neighborly values when you log into Facebook. Let's flood the social networks with happy smiles and reasons we love our lives and the people in them. Let's reconnect over

NEW, NEW, NEW! Hot off the mic this week is an episode all about your burning questions! On Instagram, followers submitted the musings on their hearts and minds, and we dive into each with short segments in Episode 19 of Small-Minded. Today's episode is all your small-business social media questions to help you get your 2021 marketing started off on the right foot. A LOT of questions revolve around Instagram marketing, and in early 2021 we plan to launch another round of our signature Instagram Academy program from Molly Knuth Media. This 5-week group coaching program will help you learn the strategies for operating an Instagram account for your business, as well as give you the hottest insights and growth hacks to grow your followers. To get on the waitlist and be the first to know about our winter '21 Instagram Academy, join the waitlist here. If you'd like Molly to answer one of your burning questions about small towns or small business, send us a message on one of the social platforms linked below! We may just use it in a future mailbag episode! Hot links mentioned in the episode Carving out time in your business to strategize and plan your marketing uplevel when you feel ready go easy at first don't pressure yourself or over commit choose one platform and a manageable number of posts per week create habits checking insights making a plan taking action to implement that plan How to get more engagements on posts first, know your audience and what is important to them figure out what they most need and value from you -→ analyzing your insights helps with this Facebook: video, posts with multiple images, adding a messenger button, giveaways, or community-centric posts play well for engagement Instagram: stickers on stories, carousels, reels, calls to action What to talk about on Instagram stories anything create conversations with your followers using polls and question boxes or quizzes create a weekly series behind-the-scenes of your business you talking to the camera How to add music on Instagram Reels Business v. Creator accounts InShot app TikTok How to balance post topics for business social media accounts first, get consistent post anything you have handy in your content library then, use the pillar system - shout out to the Queen, Allie Reeves pick a big topic for the month pick a smaller topic for each week all content that week feeds into your weekly topic which supports your monthly topic Hashtags on Instagram do your research make a spreadsheet use the HishHash app Finding content ideas for social media when you have no inspiration Ask your Audience Keep a list in your Notes App Consider FAQs Follow other accounts that inspire you and save to re-imagine/repurpose for yourself answerthepublic.com How to schedule posts on Canva on Facebook on Instagram on Planoly Follow for More Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook Follow Molly Knuth Media on Instagram and Facebook

2020 doesn't have to be a lost year. For some of us it was hard, full of obstacles and ever-changing rules and challenges. And some of us had huge health battles to overcome. The closing of a chapter. Others of us can use this year as a launching point, a teachable moment to steer us in a new direction and get clear on our bigger purpose. I hope for most of you listening, 2020 will go down as the latter. Reflecting on the past 12 months is about more than numbers though, it's about being wealthy in all the other ways that one can be. business personal wellness relationships with family, friends, and self home community Today, I'll share my very basic year-end reflection process and what I'm doing to navigate 2021! Crafting a vision board: this visual representation of goals through images can be done in a physical sense (cutting and pasting pictures and quotes from books and magazines) or digitally through software like Canva. Let your mind wander as you pick out photos that speak to you or represent your goals for the new year. What I've found most helpful about vision boards is that even if I'm not actively meditating on them or even looking at the board each day, just having the photos in my immediate physical space helps me to think about these goals and bring them to life. Word of the Year: by picking a word of focus each year, it helps me come back to my intentions and big goals for the time ahead. In 2020, my word was "joy" and while each day wasn't joyful, having this word as a reminder made me more aware of creating and seeking out joy even on the darkest days of the pandemic. Breaking down big goals into smaller steps: when I put a picture of a podcast mic on my vision board in 2020, I looked at it for 6 months without achieving anything. Having the photo wasn't enough. So mid-year, I broke the big goal of launching a podcast into smaller steps for each month so that I could launch the Small-Minded Podcast in August. I got big sticky sheets of paper that I could hang on the walls of my office as a reminder of my tasks for each month. As I conquered these smaller steps, it gave me momentum to keep going and even though it took me a little longer than intended (September), those small steps added up to my ultimate goal. In 2021, I'm going to incorporate these same strategies as I plan and vision for my family, my business, and myself. Let me know what you're doing to create goals and resolutions for the new year in the comments below! Important Links from the episode: *Episode 348 of the Online Marketing Made Easy podcast with Amy Porterfield and Patrice Washington: https://www.amyporterfield.com/2020/11/348/ *Enneagram Info https://www.truity.com/blog/breaking-down-enneagram-guide-total-beginners

How many of you have paused recently to look around and say "man, what a year?" In this holiday season of 2020, we are facing some unique challenges and changes to our traditional holiday celebrations, but today on the Small-Minded Podcast, I am sharing all of the uplifting ways people in small towns are still coming together and inspiring hope. Reflections on the River Community Outreach: Resources Unite angel tree, Secret Santa meals, grocery store food pantry add-on, fundraisers and tax deductions Virtual Options: live-stream mass, Zoom music recital, recorded holiday programs for schools, virtual Santa visits Outdoor options: Reflections in the Park, nursing home decorations, storefront window decorating contest, decorating care center windows, Christmas parade, Small Business support: focus on local, spreading the word on social media, creative offers, leaving reviews, giveaways, giving back to their own communities

Business Marketing Year-End As we all say a collective goodbye to 2020 (and good riddance), there are a few things we need to do as business owners to get our marketing in line for '21. Yes, it can be as simple as flipping the calendar and utilizing the same strategies as we enter January, but here are the tips and trends I'm seeing for small business marketing in the next 12 months: Tip #1: Audit your social feeds. Look over all your social profiles and your website. Where are you seeing the most business as a result of your efforts? This is different from just your follower count. Determine which platforms have the most engaged audiences, are the best use of your time, and genuinely build know-like-trust with your potential clients. Dedicate yourself to focusing on those platforms in '21. Trend #1: Instagram and TikTok reign supreme. If we're talking about the platforms that are HOT coming out of 2020, these two are definitely it. TikTok really gained steam earlier this year going from 40 million active users at the end of 2019 to more than 100 million active users in August of 2020 (CNBC). TikTok hinges on video content, whether entertaining, educational, or downright silly. These less-than-one-minute videos are quick and succinct, and it's found a niche among people during quarantine. Songs gain popularity, challenges trend, and stars are born on this "new" app. Facebook INC took note in 2020, and added a new feature to its Instagram platform with Reels, their 15-30 second take on the short video content format. Not only are these videos popular, but accounts using Reels on Instagram are getting crazy engagement and algorithm boosts just for trying it out. My tip: don't sleep on this. Get to work creating short video clips and playing around in either TikTok or IG Reels. Tip #2: Dig into your data. My favorite part of Facebook and Instagram is the in-depth analytics you can get. Head to the "Insights" tab on Facebook or connect to Planoly on Instagram to get long-range data downloads for your accounts. In these insights, you can see how many devices you reached and how many engagements your posts yielded. You can dig into follower growth, video views, link clicks, and conversions too. By looking at this data from the big-picture aspect, you can see just HOW MUCH you have accomplished in the past year. We can get caught up in the day-to-day grind and incremental growth of social media marketing, but when we take a bird's-eye view, we have a much better picture of how we've connected with our audience in the past 12 months. Looking at YTD data also helps determine trends so we can make educated decisions going forward. See more engagement from real-life photos of you? Schedule in more of those kind of posts in the new year! Want more targeted growth among your ideal clients? Maybe take a class in Facebook Ads and set a goal to run a full-on campaign in Q1 of '21. Know your numbers and make smart choices for the next 12 months. Trend #2: "The Real Reel" We all know that social media is just a portion of the lives of people we see on the screens of our devices. In 2020 amidst the global lockdown, social media stars and influencers weren't able to flash around on yachts or private jets, and high-end fashion and luxurious photoshoots were put on hold. What emerged was a much more real look at modern life. Candid photos (albeit filtered with presets and Lightroom) were connecting with the masses. Home life hacks and true stories of balancing family and business outperformed highly photoshopped images and overproduced videos. In 2021, I expect this to continue. Share the behind-the-scenes, tell stories, and don't pressure yourself to have everything "perfect" on your social feeds. Just get out there and get posting. Tip #3: Repurpose your content. The holiday season is always busy with baking and board games, wrapping and wrangling kids, tax planning and time off work. So don't stress over creating new content all the days of December. My favorite strategy for the last two weeks of the month is repurposing posts from throughout the year into a "Best of" series. I use the Insights on my Facebook account or Planoly to determine which posts were my highest performers, and I simply copy and paste into a countdown for the days between Christmas and New Years. It's efficient, it's engaging (again), and it allows me to step away from the screen and be present with my family. Trend #3: Consistency is key. If I've learned anything in the crazy changes of 2020, it's that some things never change. And the importance of continuously showing up on social is one of those classic standbys that you can count on to help you grow on social. Whatever consistent looks like for your business, whether 2 posts per week or 1 post each day, commit to a schedule that works for you. When you are consistent, the algorithm will reward you, and your audience will build trust that you are a dependable person and business. In my December prog

This week at the Small-Minded Podcast by Molly Knuth Media we welcome Dawn Kress, wife, mom, ag-vocate, virtual educator and chaos coordinator, to the podcast. I first met Dawn in the spring of 2019 at social media conference in Iowa, then fast forward two months and I saw her again at RISE with Rachel Hollis. It was clear to me that this woman was devoted to personal development and empowering women in business, and she just radiated light and energy when she interacted with others. Over the years we've kept in touch, encouraging one another and seeing our businesses thrive in rural Iowa. So, when starting this podcast, I knew that her mission to help women live into their passions and eliminate the stressors in mind, body, and home, would be an episode we had to make happen. Through her blog and online courses, Dawn helps women take control of their lives. She walks women through decluttering their spaces, whether their minds, their homes, or their bodies, to see the benefits of a simplified approach. And in the process, she sees her students alleviating stress and adding joy all around them. In today's episode you'll hear a woman who holds a full-time job while also running a side hustle, a mom who is raising three busy girls with active schedules, a farm wife who can help in the yards at a moment's notice, a community volunteer and activist, a cancer survivor, and an empowered woman raising us all up. I'm so excited to share my friend Dawn with you in this week's episode: Join Dawn's online community and get on the list for her Body Declutter course happening in January 2021! Mental Edits VIP Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/MentalEditsVIP/ Body Declutter Wait List https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f90f0a6359e8b1b68b8961a

This week at the Small-Minded Podcast by Molly Knuth Media we welcome Janene King, founder of Empower Her Co, a community of female entrepreneurs. When I first met Janene in early 2018, it was immediately apparent that she had a gift for bringing people together in a way that made them feel comfortable, welcome, and in community with one another. With a passion for making female business owners feel like they had a seat at the conference table and a safe space to find guidance and direction, Janene founded Empower Her Co. Women in the group meet twice monthly in Eastern Iowa to receive actionable tips for moving the needle in their small businesses and collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs. With a loving heart and clear vision of how she can help women grow into their dreams, Janene has even bigger goals planned for 2021. I'm so excited and proud of her, and I can't wait to share this interview with you all at Small-Minded. Listen to this week's episode for all her business suggestions and advice, and see below for some of my key takeaways from our conversation: Key Takeaways: -There is space for everyone in small towns and small business -A group is not dependent on the leader, but the stories and inspiration that all members bring to the table -Setting up foundational components of your business is crucial: organizing your finances, packaging and pricing your services -Hiring a coach can propel you forward in your business, and many of them specialize in specific areas where you can get help -There is something special that happens when a group of women can get together around a table in spirit of growth and community -Personal growth is a continuous commitment and looks different in various seasons of life and business Work with Janene and Empower Her Co If you're ready to join a community of like-minded female business owners, head to empowerher.co to join the collective and attend a meet-up! Connect with us: Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/podcast Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook Follow our Guest, Janene King and Empower Her Co: www.empowerher.co https://www.facebook.com/EmpowerHer.Co https://www.instagram.com/EmpowerHer.Co

I admit it…I am a serial content consumer. I follow influencers, mentors, people in my same line of work, celebrities, local celebrities, to get an idea of what they're posting and how I can incorporate similar information on my own accounts. I love seeing the creative ways other people design and share information on social media, and especially as I was starting out, this strategy of follow and learn really helped me expand my knowledge base and skill set. Once I started learning, though, I needed to learn how to take this information and put it into action. Action in the form of actual posts for social media. I knew how to create short videos using simple tools like Windows Movie Maker and designing really basic graphics with Microsoft Publisher, but what I needed was a tool that could help me create graphics faster and with a more refined look. I tried programs like Adobe PhotoShop and LightRoom, but those programs were beyond my comprehension at that stage and frankly had too much power and too many tools at my disposal. So I downloaded some apps from the App Store, and played around with those until I created some graphics that I thought would work for the time being…but I still wasn't satisfied. I still lacked the ability to create consistent, convenient, branded designs for myself and my clients. Then in March 2017, my digital world was upended. Enter Canva: my end-all, be-all design tool. What is Canva? Canva is an online website that takes the stress and guess work out of graphic design. With templates for everything from greeting cards to restaurant menus to Snapchat filters and Instagram stories, everything you need for you business' in-house graphics is located at www.canva.com. It's basically an online graphic designer, but you are in charge of your own designs. Why I love it There are lots of reasons but here's a list of my top 5: I can create consistent, branded images. The paid version that I use saves my logos, fonts, and brand colors to my account, so I can save time by not having to constantly look everything up. 2. The template library is phenomenal. Gone are the days where I need to try to be a graphic designer with my teaching/ed tech degree. So many great templates are already in the site, and all I need to do is customize them to my brand to make it look like me. 3. Easily save in a variety of formats. Want to make a GIF? Canva can do that. Need a high-res PDF with crop and bleed marks? Done. Need a png with transparent background for your logo? CANVA CAN DO THAT TOO! With the press of two buttons. 4. Auto-save. All my designs are backed up every few seconds, saved to my account, and accessible from any device, anywhere. 5. Customer service. Occassionally Canva goes down. It's system is overwhelmed and you cannot access your designs. It can be a sad, frustrating day for this digital marketer who uses Canva for nearly all aspects of her business. But the silver lining is that Canva's PR/customer service department is phenomenal. They are alway a step ahead by providing updates on Twitter, and they take the time to respond to each and every comment personally. It warms my heart and makes me love them even more. 6. Constantly Adding New and Better Features. From background remover to circular text to the ability to make a TikTok, Canva is growing and adapting to the needs of their audience. I love seeing them add to their libraries and features for small business owners. Ready to Jump into Canva Creation? Check out this 15-minute Canva Crash Course from MKM or head over to our MKM Shop for a self-guided Canva workshop where I teach all my favorite tips and tricks! Biz Spotlight: Small-Minded Design Workshop from Molly Knuth Media Kick up the quality and function of your designs If you're a small business owner or community volunteer looking for ways to spread the message for your favorite business, nonprofit or school, check out the MKM Small-Minded Design: Canva Workshop for Small-Town, Small Business owners. With your purchase, you receive: 90-minute Canva training from Molly inside private Facebook Group (originally recorded live, but you can watch, pause, and return at your convenience) Instruction on making digital and print marketing assets including static posts, photo posts, videos, posters and more User tips for navigation of Canva, removing white backgrounds, and downloading images with transparent backgrounds 20-page workbook with instruction on basic design principles and step-by-steps for Canva's free version vs. Canva Pro's paid version 50+ customizable Canva templates curated by Molly that you can customize and use in your own marketing Bonus mini-trainings explaining additional tips and tricks Q&A opportunities inside the Facebook Group Confidence that you have professional-looking marketing assets at the fraction of the price Head over to mollyknuthmedia.com/shop to start designing today! Connect with us: Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/po

NEW, NEW, NEW! Hot off the mic is an episode all about your burning questions! On Instagram, followers submitted the musings on their hearts and minds, and we dive into each with short segments in Episode 12 of Small Minded. From the accounts I love to follow on social media to the origins of Facebook to amenities I'd love to see in my own town to the small businesses on my own holiday list, we cover it all in today's episode! If you'd like Molly to answer one of your burning questions about small towns or small business, send us a message on one of the social platforms linked below! We may just use it in a future mailbag episode! Links that I mention in today's episode: Resources I used to grow my business -Canva -Adobe Spark Post Starting a Podcast -Jenna Kutcher The Podcast Lab -Blue Yeti Mic -Zencastr Recording Software -Libsyn Businesses on my Christmas list -Allison Marie Designs -Dirt Road Candle Co -The Midwest Girl -Sweat Inspire Sisterhood -Decorah High Point Cabins -Local restaurants, eateries, breweries, coffee shops Covid-friendly holiday options for small towns -Shop Small Virtual Event Podcast Summary: Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/podcast Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook

Does social media marketing for your small business feel like a puzzle? Today our host Molly shares 3 important tips you can implement right away to help you maximize the effectiveness of your social media strategy. -You are the guide for your audience Marketing that resonates with audiences does more than sell a unique product or well-priced service. It positions the audience as the hero of his/her own story and gives that person the power to improve their life or current situation. You as the business owner with the product or service that will help the hero, should position yourself as the guide. You have the wisdom and advice the hero needs to take action. Think about it. Farmer's Insurance commercials feature the homeowner as hero who called insurance to rectify their accident, and the insurance agent is the guide who knew which policy/claim could help. Or those Old Spice commercials from the late '00s…the hero wasn't the deodorant stick. It was the man who could turn oysters into diamonds, rode horses shirtless, and had the ladies fawning all over him. Old Spice was just the guide/tool that helped him achieve these things. When we put our audience in the position to be the hero, they are the winner and the empowered party. We as the business or brand offer wisdom and assistance to help them reach goals, which is even more powerful for establishing trust and developing business relationships in the future. -Be a storyteller, not a salesman (or woman) Have you ever been invited to a work function, and you cringe at the thought of being seated next to *that guy* who always talks about the same things and only focuses on how great he is in each conversation? It gets old really fast, and you find yourself avoiding that person at all costs. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there's the person who always has the funniest stories. They take the most mundane topics and turn them into teachable lessons or side-splitting jokes that you love to hear more of. In your online marketing you have the opportunity to be like person #2. When sharing your products and services, don't be the one-trick-pony repeating your sales pitch in each post. Come up with creative videos, project features that span several days, interviews with team members, tutorials, and various formats that keep your audience on the edge of their seats and craving more of your content. This approach keeps your audience engaged. And while every post may not directly lead to a sale, it creates a positive reputation for your brand and keeps you top of mind when someone needs what you have to sell. -Calls to Action are key Never leave your audience hanging at the end of a post or piece of content. If you don't tell your followers the next action to take, they won't take any at all. So share with them what they can do next to feel empowered. Calls to Action (CTAs) can be as simple as "like this post if you agree!" or more complex like "Dial 555-555-5555 to get on our winter schedule!" The call to action should tie in to the topic of your post and to your overall social media strategy for the day. In Conclusion None of these concepts are uniquely mine. I learned a lot of them by reading Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller in early 2018. But as I implemented his strategies over the years, I found out their effectiveness firsthand. Less of this strategy has to do with what you do or make, and more of how you connect to the PEOPLE you do business with. People like to do business with people, people like to talk with real people, and people like to feel important and valued. Social media should not be a corkboard where you post daily updates about how awesome you are. That will offput your followers. Instead, think of social media platforms as your platform for telling stories and crafting touchpoints that help your audience relate to what you offer. Then you will have a successful social media strategy that is engaging and effective for your small-town small business. Biz Spotlight: Gravel Grading & Excavating For almost two decades, Gravel Grading & Excavating has provided a broad spectrum of residential, commercial and agricultural grading and excavating services to Cascade, Iowa, and surrounding area. From site preparation, to sewer and septic installation, to tile and drainage of farm fields, they can move the earth for you! Visit their website at www.gravelgradingx.com or follow them on Facebook to see examples of their projects and get in touch with their crew! Connect with us: Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/podcast Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook Buy Molly's favorite marketing book: Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller Follow our business spotlight, Gravel Grading & Excavating: www.gravelgradingx.com http://www.facebook.com/gravelgradingx

Do you have a website for your small business? Have you updated your website in the last 9 months? If you said no to either of those questions, today's episode is just for you! This week at the Small-Minded Podcast by Molly Knuth Media we have our second guest interview with my friend Caryssa O'Connell of Franklin + Willow, graphic and web designer from Manchester, Iowa…and it is MUST-LISTEN. In 2020, we learned the advantages of having our small businesses set-up with digital presence to facilitate communication even if we can't meet our clients and customers in-person. But sometimes we can drop the ball if our social feeds haven't been updated since last month, or worse yet, if we can't be found at all online. In today's episode of the Small-Minded Podcast, my friend Caryssa tells us why it's so important for small-town small business owners to have not just a site, but a beautiful, streamlined website for potential customers to build that know-like-trust factor they need to be able to do business with you. Key Takeaways: -Sometimes moving away from your small town for a little bit is what you need to appreciate the way of life a small town can afford you. -Starting a small business looks different for everyone. Some people see entrepreneurship in their future, but -Even small towns can be in the middle of everything and tap into resources and people from towns down the road. -Small business owners who help other small business owners have the unique, beautiful opportunity to grow community and grow THEIR communities. -It's more important than ever for small businesses to get online with a website. -Branded photos that are high-quality can make your website shine. Do not use iphone photos alone for your small biz site. Work with a brand photographer to get high-resolution, scroll-stopping images. -Copywriting (the text on your site) can also be a gamechanger in the effectiveness of your site and getting visitors to take the actions you'd like them to. If writing isn't your forte, copywriting can be hired out with experts. -Don't forget your Call-To-Actions (CTA's) guiding visitors through your site and showing them where to go next. Think about it like giving a tour of your home! For more action-packed tips and best practices for small business websites, listen to the full episode with Caryssa of Franklin and Willow! Work with Caryssa If you want to have a show-stopping online storefront for your business before the end of 2020, contact Caryssa at Franklin + Willow today. Whether you're looking for a done-in-a-day website or a longer process over the course of a few weeks, Caryssa has flexible options to help you get set up before the new year. Connect with us: Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/podcast Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook Follow our Guest, Caryssa O'Connell: https://www.facebook.com/franklinandwillow https://www.instagram.com/franklinandwillow https://franklinandwillow.com/

This week at the Small-Minded Podcast by Molly Knuth Media we have our very first guest interview with my friend Andrea Mausser of Choose Your Journey Health & Life Coaching. When I first met Andrea a couple years ago, it was in a women's online fitness group. Not only was Andrea consistently showing up by completing the daily workouts and nutrition challenges, but she was offering encouragement for other group members and suggestions to help them meet their goals. So it was a natural progression that Andrea followed her path of personal development to become a certified health & life coach in late 2019. Now Andrea helps busy moms find balance so they can be a priority in their own lives and reach their goals. She is a master of habit change to help women become more intentional in their daily lives. Listen to this week's episode for all her life lessons and advice, and see below for some of my key takeaways from our conversation: Key Takeaways: The journey is not always easy in small business ownership, but when you have enough passion, you will make it work. It's a big world, but it's a small world…especially in small towns. People in your community and beyond can connect you with people to help you grow your business and life in a small town. When one aspect of our lives gets off-balance, it can throw other aspects of our life out of whack too, so we need those grounding habits and practices to connect us back to ourselves. It's not selfish to take care of ourselves, in fact it's vital if we want our lives to flourish. Create an anchor: a physical reminder of your priorities, who you are, and where you want to go. We are not being lazy when we say "no" to certain opportunities. We can be very productive and have high energy by disengaging with things that take our energy away. Finding appreciation in even the smallest things can make our day so much better. Work with Andrea If you want to become a more confident, intentional, grateful person, follow Andrea on Facebook and Instagram, and schedule a consultation to discuss your personal goals! Connect with us: Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/podcast Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook Follow our Guest, Andrea Mausser: https://www.facebook.com/ChooseYourJouneyHealthandLifeCoach https://www.instagram.com/chooseyourjourneywithandrea/

If I asked you, "what would make your small town thrive?"…would you have an idea? Maybe you're thinking of a new event that would bring in visitors from out of town. Maybe you know how to bring in new volunteers for that committee that needs a breath of fresh air. Maybe you know of a family looking for a new town to move to. Or maybe you have dreams of a new type of business that your small town could benefit from. Many of us have dreams of how to take our small towns into the future, but we don't know exactly how to start. At the same time in many small towns, we have to overcome stigmas of failed undertakings of years gone by and feelings of "this is the way it's always been." So as creatives or movers and shakers with new ideas for our town, it can be intimidating to initiate large scale change. Today at Small-Minded Podcast, we're sharing the story of one small town in Iowa, and how the citizens in that community are embracing change and seeing positive returns as a result. Community Projects One way to People Get Strategic Biz Spotlight: Podcast Summary: Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/podcast Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook Check out our Business Spotlight http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/shop

This week at Small-Minded, we discuss our first small-town jobs, in particular working at the local café or restaurant. From learning about guest service to performing under pressure, many life lessons can be learned while running from table to table in those slip-resistant shoes of a server. In today's episode, we'll tackle some of my key takeaways from my first jobs in the restaurant industry. Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/podcast Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook Check out our Business Spotlight http://www.facebook.com/twogingerstavernandeatery http://www.instagram.com/twogingerstavernandeatery http://www.twogingerstavernandeatery.com

How do you know when it's time to hire on help at your business? For some industries, extra hands are needed right away, like if you're a building contractor, a restaurant, or a boutique. You need more people to cover your hours of operation and provide optimal customer service, so you build a team from the get-go. But in other industries, growth happens slower. If you're a solopreneur or freelancer, you may take months or even years to get to a point of needing to hire help. In this business model, it's also hard to know who and how to hire, and if you have enough work to keep someone busy part-time. So in today's episode we discuss a few options for bringing someone on board your team if you're looking to grow. Intern: student from high school or college who is looking to gain experience in a career field. Can be paid or unpaid, and you can determine which ways to bring trainee into your operation. Virtual Assistant: remote worker who specializes in helping businesses in a variety of administrative roles. He/she can help with digital files, organizing calendars, or managing systems and processes within your business. This person operates as an independent contractor separate from your business. Specialized Independent Contractor: truthfully, I had to look this up: an independent contractor is paid to achieve a result, not for hours worked. Many times these independent contractors are specialized and fulfill a specific niche your business needs to bolster: marketing, accounting, bookkeeping, etc. Part-time/Full-time Payroll: if you need someone in-house to assist you for a particular number of hours in a week, then it's time to establish a payroll. Which of these do I use within my own small business and how did I know when it was time to bring someone on board? Listen to this week's episode of the Small-Minded Podcast for more! Biz Spotlight: Forge Inc. Eastern Iowa is the quintessential Midwest way of life. Where commutes can be counted in minutes, cornfields roll into historic main streets and bustling metros, and hard work and family values are valued above all else. The people at Forge love this lifestyle, and they are here to help our communities in Eastern Iowa thrive. Forge, Inc. based in Anamosa, Iowa, is the residential and commercial real estate developer who can help you design what you're looking for in your next home or commercial space. Because they value the Midwestern way of life, they are committed to providing a high-touch, personalized experience as you work with their team to turn your next home or office dreams into reality. They provide the simple, flexible, easy building and design experience that you value alongside a team of professionals with nearly two decades in the industry. If you're looking to make Eastern Iowa the location of your next residential or commercial property, let Forge, Inc. be the ones to welcome you home. Find them on Facebook @forgeiowa. Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook @smallmindedpodcast Check out our Business Spotlight www.facebook.com/forgeinc

Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/podcast Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook Check out our Business Spotlight www.facebook.com/aquinlittleangels

Perfection. It's the quality we all strive for, even though we know it's impossible to attain. Pushing for "perfect" can be a great quality because it motivates us to do better and put forth our very best. But the quest for perfection can paralyze us into inaction, particularly if we are business owners launching something new. Join Molly from the Small-Minded Podcast as she walks listeners through the three-step process she uses to push past her own perfectionist tendencies and take imperfect actionable steps. Read the full show notes here: http://www.mollyknuthmedia.com/podcast Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook Check out our Business Spotlight www.paintedhorsesaloon.com http://www.facebook.com/paintedhorsesalooniowa http://www.instagram.com/paintedhorsesalooniowa

Also known as how a mom of 4 started a social media marketing business out of her home office while only one kid was old enough to be in school and all the lessons she learned as a result...LOL! Please don't let that intro scare you off! I open with that anecdote just to say that no matter your dream or your current situation, small towns need the idea you have and the unique skills you offer your community. My favorite thing about small towns are the variety of industries represented. From skilled trades, to remote workers in Fortune 500 companies, to factories that started from small one-stall garages, to a frozen meal delivery service, I've seen all of these unfold in recent years in Eastern Iowa. And if you've had an idea in your heart about a way you can serve your community and benefit the lives of those around you by starting your own small business, here's what I recommend you do today to get your small business off the ground: Gather your courage to take your first step.This can be the biggest hurdle you have to leap. Feeling all the fear of other people's opinions, risks you assume, debt you assume, and constant question of "will this really work?" is real. But I truly believe that at some point you get so uncomfortable where you are that it is more painful to stay stuck than to take that step to your new endeavor. Once you've decided on yourself and announced your new move, you will feel such relief and motivation to keep progressing that you'll wonder what took you so long in the first place! ...Can you tell I have experience in this area? So take my advice and start with one small step. You aren't required to write a business plan tomorrow or take out an operating line of credit, but you do need to make one move that gets your dream closer to reality. Branding yourself: develop your visual and verbal brand assets. Visual branding assets include your logo, brand colors, and type faces that make up how you want your business to be seen. When developing your logo, I highly recommend working with a professional designer who is in your budget. I always opt to look local first, but if you can't stretch your dollars Fiverr and Upwork are good options that are more cost-effective. Do not design a logo on Canva, even though I love this website. This will not make yous stand out among your industry. Use your logo and the colors and typefaces that make it everywhere from your IG grid to your outfits to your printed marketing materials. Think about what your looks convey to your audience by researching color psychology and font psychology and use it to your advantage by consistently using it where ever your business shows up to create brand recognition. Verbal: the way you speak to your audience matters. Will you keep a professional tone or do you prefer a more casual method of communication? Make sure you are consistent in the way you write and speak when it comes to your business. Reach out to others Nothing is worse than putting time, money, and faith into something that fails. Many times, we as the business owner think we have the solution to all the world's problems, but what we really need is to place ourselves in the shoes of our audience. Talk to them, survey them, and make sure that your offer is something people actually want. Ensure that your offer has validity before you get too far in your build. Talk to other business owners and mentors you look up to and see if he/she would be willing to give you some pointers.Business owners learn through experience, and you can set yourself months or years ahead of the learning curve by getting in touch with those who have walked the path before you. Ask for their advice and help. Develop your digital real estate. First, create a website. This is your owned space online,and you can do with as you please. Create an online storefront, a digital portfolio, a treasure trove of resources for your visitors, or whatever you think will most resonate with your ideal customer. Then get on the social media platforms that make sense for your region and industry to help spread the word of you and your new venture. Social is the way to share your products and services and get your ideal audience talking about you in an exponential way. So there you have it. The four things you need to do today to get your small business off the ground and living and breathing in your small town. Remember small steps can lead to big impact. Even the smallest measures of progress are still getting you a little closer to your dream. You can do this. Believe that you have the skills and abilities to make this real. Biz Spotlight: Molly Knuth Media Molly Knuth Media helps small-town small businesses share their products and services online so they can generate leads and then get back to doing what they love.Molly and her team know that being a small business owner requires you to be a trades person, bookkeeper, accountant, HR manager, IT tech, marketer, and 100 other jobs throughout your wor

This one is for my small-town small business owners, volunteers, and community organizers, and it's a topic I'm passionate about. If you have a product to sell, a service that helps somebody, or a mission that the masses need to know about, then you need to get online and share it on social media, my friend. I know that it seems like social media is a dumpster fire at this point of 2020 or that as a busy small-town soul you may not have the time to plan and implement a strategized social media approach, but I promise, people out there on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and even TikTok are looking for the unique set of skills and services you provide to your community. And if that's not enough, here are seven more reasons why your small-town small business (or school or nonprofit or City) needs to be online: Social Media allows your news/updates to spread like wildfire. With a simple press of the SHARE button, your content can be spread exponentially among your target followers. Meeting your target audience where they are at. Social media is where a large demographic of adults spend their downtime. Statistics show that the average Facebook user logs in daily. That's 365 opportunities to get in touch with your ideal customer. With social media you can meet them where they are at! It's personal. Your area of the internet is your place to celebrate how your business is unique: ie, the ranch dressing theory. There may be 100,000 other businesses who do the same thing as you do, but I bet there is only one who has your unique processes and team members in your community…and I bet people want to know more about it. Digital marketing is dynamic! Social & websites can easily and quickly be updated or adjusted to reflect new offers, a change in services, correct a typo, and more. It's versatile and flexible for your ever-changing needs in a small town. You get cold, hard facts & statistics. No more vague answers about readership or listenership. Your social media insights allow you to see exactly how many devices your posts appeared on and how many people clicked over to take action in working with you. This helps you more effectively measure your marketing ROI and budgeting for future advertising campaigns. Cost-effective. If you want to keep this low-budget, you can do so for the easy price of $0. For real. If you handle your own marketing on social and create your own content for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, you can do so at no cost. How many other marketing avenues can guarantee that price? Customer service. These days, people expect you to have a digital presence, and not only that, but a digital presence that offers customer service follow-through. Make it easy for your clients and customers to ask questions and share their thoughts about your business by having a space on social media. Want more? Listen to Episode 2 of the Small-Minded Podcast for details. And if you need free tools and resources to get your social media going, head over to mollyknuthmedia.com or @mollyknuthmedia on Facebook and Instagram for training videos, free downloads, and more! Our first small business spotlight: McAllister Electrical Services In 2002, electricians Pete and Christine McAllister knew they had a unique skill set that the town of Cascade, Iowa, and the surrounding area could greatly use. Together they created McAllister Electrical Services, providing customers with electrical wiring and servicing for agricultural, commercial and residential buildings. Ability to perform aerial jobs with their bucket truck, leading a home inspection, ordering decorative lamps and fixtures, and increasing efficiency with LED retrofitting and solar systems, are just a few of the services that set our company apart. So whether you are in the market for new construction or maintenance on an existing structure, McAllister Electrical Services has the experience and resources to get the job done right the first time and provide you with service that matters. Contact them today for your free planning and estimates at 563-852-7484 or mcallisterelectricalservices.com. Member American Builders & Contractors (ABC), Better Business Bureau (BBB) & Cascade Area Chamber of Commerce.

By definition "small-minded" means having or showing rigid opinions or a narrow outlook; petty. And though this sometimes is associated with tiny towns, I find that in these places you find creativity, volunteerism, and HEART, that make the people in these places full of love, hope, and vision for a better future. So I want to flip the script. I want small-minded to show that playing small can be a good thing. By choosing small-town life we have the ability to create change quicker. We have schools with smaller class sizes. We can see our tax dollars at work. We know our neighbors. We take food to the sick. We can walk down the street and wave to each passing car. We've "gravel traveled" and know that sometimes those destinationless car rides are just where you need to be. This is what I think it means to be small-minded. Valuing and celebrating where we came from and all that makes small living a great thing.