Riffing on Hyper-Local Events

Every Friday, for years, we change up our business newscast and riff with Jeff Pitts the managing editor of Cityview Magazine about "Stuff the DO" in the Greater Des Moines Metro. Six days a week we do the serious business news and long-form interviews but on Friday it's all fun.  We were asked the other day why we don't do more local business news stories and the answer is because our podcast is...well...global. The other day I posted up a business interview and within thirty seconds it had been opened in Germany and in Finland. Sure the United States and Canada are our biggest areas but it is interesting how connected we all are, on a global level. (Yep, that's Jeff...in 2017 yet!)

Years ago, when we were on local radio, our focus had to be on local business news. I remember reaching out to the Des Moines Register and the Business Record and asking them if they wanted to join up and do a daily business news hour. We would use some of their stories and their talent to report. Both newspapers turned us down. I guess they didn't see the value or, perhaps, thought it would be some sort of competition. So we did it ourselves...still do.  Anyway, and just for fun, here's Jeff and I riffing on those "Hyper-Local" things. Enjoy we'll get back to the serious stuff on Sunday.

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on Google Play, PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

 

Blue Tomato Moves to Prime Land & Sea

Sara Hill and Chef David Baruthio have announced the re-location of the Blue Tomato Kitchen menu as an addition to the newly remodeled Prime Land & Sea at 1261 8^th Street in West Des Moines. The menu move will allow Prime Land & Sea to be open for lunch starting on November 1^st as well as increase the menu offerings of pasta, pizza and sandwiches to go along with the existing steak and seafood fare.

“There is going to be some major re-development at the corner of 63^rd and Grand in West Des Moines and our lease would not have been renewed,” said Chef Baruthio. “We have wanted to expand our hours and offer lunch at Prime as well as increase our menu choices so this was not a difficult decision.  With this move our Blue Tomato customers will now have a full bar, an expanded wine list and we are making our own fresh mozzarella cheese on site. We will be offering more selection, more parking, more unique meals in a superior family friendly location. The Blue Tomato isn’t really going away and in 2017 we hope to revive that counter concept in yet another location.”

Baruthio says the price point for lunch and new dinner offerings will be very approachable and match those of the Blue Tomato Kitchen. And, because of the extensive remodeling of Prime there is a larger kitchen and equipment that will improve things like the pizza crust and other offerings. Following dinner on Saturday the 29^th the Blue Tomato staff will begin to move familiar décor to Prime on 8^th Street and be ready to serve lunch on Tuesday, November 1^st at 11am.

The Business News Hour - The Friday Wrap

We are the fuel that powers Insight on Business the News Hour. It's the only daily, hour-long business news broadcast in the Midwest. (No, really...we checked.) It airs Monday - Friday starting at 5:05PM on AM-940, FM-104.5 and (if you are really cool) in HD at 103.3 HD2. While we don't record and save the news and markets (that could get old....) we do save the long-form business interviews. 

So, in case you missed it...here's who we talked to this past week. If you would like to hear the interview click on the highlighted name or the media player.  Thanks for listening!

Just saying you want to start a business isn't enough.  Today we learn the Who, What and When of a business startup through the help of Thomas Kutz and Sam Kreamer of the Kreamer Law Firm. Lots of great information here that you need to know before you startup that startup. 

There is a program designed to assist children in the nation and here in Central Iowa. It's called Court Appointed Special Advocate or CASA of Iowa and here to explain what it is and how you might help is Jean M. Baker an author and advocate for children. Learn more...now.

Our guests are from Iowa Works of Central Iowa, Edgar Ortiz and Vonni Stewart are in to share with us what Iowa Works does for businesses and for individuals seeking employment or employment skills. We also talk about the event coming up on the 13th in conjunction with the Iowa Wild. Listen in...

It's coming to the Des Moines Metro on April 22 & 23 and to learn more about the Young Entrepreneur Convention we make welcome founder Brandon Adams. What to expect and the "young" does not have an age attached to it...Listen up...Brandon is "stoked".

Just over a year ago Michelle Hanson joined the ReMax Real Estate Concepts Team and said it was the best decision she's made in a very long time. We talk about selling real estate, the drive and ambition it takes to be successful and working alongside her Father-In-Law Lance Hanson. We also squeeze in some conversation about the current housing market in Des Moines. 

In addition to our special guests each Monday we feature our Networking/Social Media Contributor Laura Kinnard with networking picks and social media tips for business and each Friday we end with our Friday Fun Contributor Sheryl Tessier from Eat, Play, Love Des Moines and her top picks of "Stuff to DO in the Metro".

Thanks for reading and catch you tonight at 5:05 for the Business News Hour...

The Business News Hour - The Friday Wrap

Each weekday starting at 5:05PM Insight on Business the News Hour brings you the business news headlines of the nation, region and the Greater Des Moines Metro. It's the only daily, hour-long business broadcast in the Midwest and can be heard on AM-940, FM-104.5 and if you've got HD you can find us at 103.3 HD2.

Along with the news and the Market Report we conduct long-form business interviews with a wide range of guests and those we also podcast. The interviews are available on our Podcast Page and on iTunes for download.  Here's the Friday Wrap on our conversations you can listen by clicking the player or the name of each guest. 

Business Law: When families of business owners get together, whether for holidays or family celebrations, sometimes discussion turns to the future ownership o the business. Here Sam Kreamer of the Kreamer Law Firm of West Des Moines talks about various considerations important to the transfer of a family business within the family. 

There is now a place in the Des Moines Metro that offers a total spectrum of care for the elderly. Those of you with aging parents, grandparents or a spouse with frailty or memory issues you must listen to this interview with Dr. Robert McKinney the Primary Care Physician from the new Immanuel Pathways PACE Program. It will change your life.

The book is "Letting Go the (Sometimes) Messy Art of Relinquishment"with its author Jean M. Baker. We talk about what keeps people from "letting go" what some might want to "let go" and more. Join us for this discussion. 

This is a great story about food and diversity. Lutheran Services in Iowa has a program called Global Greens which matches up refugees coming to the Des Moines Metro to garden plots that, in turn, produce food for consumption and for sales at Farmer's Markets. It's business at it's most "grass roots" level. Meet Hilary Burbank.

Could Phil Wever be the "Most Interesting Man in the Metro"? Good question. Phil is a professional photographer, has survived a recent heart attack, is an avid bicycler and...drives for Uber in his spare time. It's a fun, wide ranging human interest conversation. Enjoy!

We're talking about the business of bicycles. While cycling has been rather flat nationwide here in the Greater Des Moines Metro the business is booming. We answer why that might be in our conversation with Forrest Ridgway of Bike World. Listen in.

The National Association of Women Business Owners - Iowa Chapter is holding their Women Mean Business event which is designed to bolster women in the business world. We visit with Kristin Hall the president of NAWBO about that and more.

There you have it!  The Friday Wrap.  Today we'll visit about "Stuff to DO in the Metro" with Sheryl Tessier of Eat, Play, Love Des Moines and our Friday Wrap on the Business News.

Monday our regular contributor Laura Kinnard is in with a look at Networking Events in the Metro and a Social Media Tip and we'll hear from Ned Flynn from Merit Resources and some exciting news from the INS Family of Companies. 

Listen daily at 5:05 and thanks in advance! 

 

 

So What Does This Tell Us?

This morning I made two telephone calls to well known businesses in the Des Moines Metro. I was not selling anything I was, actually, seeking to buy.

The first call was answered by a human (within three rings) who not only sounded pleased that the phone rang but also gave me her name.  I asked for the CEO, whom I know well, and Stephanie said, "I'm sorry but she is not in. Would you like me to send you to her voice mail or may I take a personal message?"

What?  A PERSONAL MESSAGE from a person...like written down maybe even on PAPER and HANDED to my friend?  Think I'll get a call back? (I will...)

The other call was to a business, that I also know well. The connection took over thirty-five seconds to complete.  I know because I called back just to time it. When the call was answered I was told that "everybody was busy" and that I should leave a message.  No directory, no option...just "General Voice Mail Hell".

My only other option was to fill out the very generic online form (which I've done before) and have my message go to "General E-Mail Hell". I know that because the last time I did this I received no call back.

So...what does these two brands say to you?

No, I ain't calling back number two.

 

 

Wait! What?

"Free? Did he say, free? Nah, what's the hook?"

There isn't one. Over a year ago our ad agency, frustrated that the broadcast media in the Des Moines Metro ignored much of the business news being generated by small to mid-size businesses, decided to try something.

If no one was going to spend the time broadcasting the business news of the nation, region and the Des Moines Metro...well...we would step up and do it. So we kicked off Insight on Business the News Hour with the Des Moines Radio Group. We purchased the time, we own the hour. Each day, Monday - Friday from 5PM to 6PM on 1350-KRNT we talk about the business news of the day and provide business an opportunity to come to the station and talk about...their business.

For...free.

It's "Non-Toxic Talk Radio" there isn't any "gotcha" moments. Our goal is to help drive the business of business.

We're able to do this because we've got some great partners as sponsors who believe in live, local broadcasting about...business the engine that moves our Metro.

And, it doesn't stop there. We made the decision to put up a podcast of each business interview so that those businesses who come and share their story can extend their reach beyond the eight to twelve minutes we broadcast live. To date there have been close to 30,000 downloads of those business interviews. The cost? Free.

Then we take that interview, photos and video and share it with thousands of our friends on social media...for, you guessed it...free.

So how about your business? I'd invite you to give me a call directly and let's talk about the Business News Hour and having you set a date to talk...business. My direct line is 515-331-3207.

Thanks for reading....

The Iowa State Fair and Public Relations

OK, it wasn't as bad a flop as the roll-out of the Affordable Health Care website but still...  Last week our friends on the Iowa State Fair Board had cow-pies in their face.  The Board, aware of reports that other states that were missing out on thousands of revenue dollars due to either under-reporting of sales or skimming, determined that fair-goers should by fifty-cent tickets for food and drink. 

Yep, fifty-cent tickets.  Can you imagine how many tickets, at fifty-cents each, you would have to lug around just to buy a bucket of cookies or two rounds of cheese curds? 

Well, the public and the vendors screamed and within a day of posting the new rules the Fair Board decided they had enough and cranked out a press release that was heavy on "Oops" and very light on details.

When we made contact with their media office we were told, "The press release is all we are saying."  In other words, "We don't know exactly what to say and hope all of this blows over...quickly."

Cashless at the Iowa State Fair really isn't a bad idea. But, fifty-cent tickets is. We think it might be a wise investment to launch a "debit-card" system.  When you buy advance tickets you get a card (Maybe even pre-loaded with five bucks? Thinking PR) that you can load remotely or at the fairgrounds. 

The drawbacks of the cashless system are hardware and public relations.  And...judging by the poor PR that went into this decision it might be awhile before the Iowa State Fair should even consider...hardware.

Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications is the fuel that powers Insight on Business the News Hour where this story was first aired. 

This Week on The News Hour

Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie and a new week.  Each day Monday - Friday starting at 5PM on 1350-KRNT, Des Moines (click here for the Podcast Page) we not only bring you the business news but also interesting interviews with business leaders, start-ups, entrepreneurs, non-profit executives and news-makers.  Here is the line up for this week:

Monday - We welcome Becky McCray to the studio to talk about rural economic development and later in the hour Brianne Sanchez-Young about a new professional non-profit program.

Tuesday - From Indianola we make welcome Jason White from the Warren County Economic Development Corporation to talk...economic development and more. Then we'll visit with Katie Roth of Portico Staffing what is it and what do they do for business?

Wednesday - Ernest Phillips of TUG Consulting will be our guest.  We're intrigued by what it is he does. Then in the second half hour Adam Obrecht will visit with us about building wealth.

Thursday - We're going to do some in depth work with Amy Fredrichs from The Principal.  What's going on in the US with small business owners and more. Then from the Grimes Chamber we welcome Brian Buethe to talk up Grimes Development.

Friday - Our friend Darcy Maulsby will visit us and we'll have a conversation about rural economic development and more.  We end the week with our friend Lindsey Smith of Exhibit Smith and talk...museums.

Insight on Business the News Hour is made possible through the support of Mr. B Clothing of Clive, The Fireplace SuperStore of Urbandale, The Warren County Economic Development Corporation of Indianola, The Kreamer Law firm of West Des Moines, ReMax Real Estate Concepts of Des Moines, Westside Auto Pros of Clive,  West Bank of Des Moines, Merit Resources of Des Moines, the Iowa Computer Club of Des Moines and The Rick Davis Team of Des Moines.

The News Hour is a production of our advertising agency, Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications and you can join us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour and here is our Facebook Page for photos, videos and more.  Thanks for reading.

WOW...Stunning and Thank You!

Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie celebrates nine weeks of broadcasting on 1350-KRNT. Nine weeks ago we began doing what nobody else in the Des Moines Metro thought was important...giving voice to business with an hour-long, local and live broadcast that features the business stories of the day, economic development items and interviews with news-makers, business people, start-ups and more.  The response has been wonderful and we are grateful.

And, because we know you can't always listen on "our time" (5PM to 6PM) we've created a podcast page where you can download the broadcast interviews from your desktop to your mobile device.

And, here is the link to the Mobile site.  During these nine weeks over 13,000 of you have come by to download a broadcast.  Thank you!

Yes, we stripped out the news portions so you can enjoy the insight of our wide and varied guests.  For example, just this week we've hosted:

Greg Edwards - Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau;

Tom Swartwood - From Drake University on start-ups and entrepreneurs;

John Hale - From the Hale Group on direct care givers in Iowa;

Steve Wilkie-Shapiro - About the economic impact of rehabbing buildings;

Gordon Fischer - From the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation;

Chuck Kuba - From Iowa Diamond with an entertaining interview;

Ralph Rosenberg - From the Iowa Environmental Council about water;

Brent Isenberger - Small business owner and business photographer.

And today (Friday, November 1) we'll be visiting with Steve Mathews from the Radio Garage adn Chaden Halfhill from Silent Rivers.

As you can see, we burn through plenty of people each week.  If you've got a story for us or know of a unique business let us know.  Our news email is [email protected] And, thank you for listening!

Insight on Business the News Hour is made possible through the support of Mr. B Clothing of Clive, The Fireplace SuperStore of Urbandale, The Warren County Economic Development Corporation of Indianola, The Kreamer Law firm of West Des Moines, ReMax Real Estate Concepts of Des Moines, Westside Auto Pros of Clive,  West Bank of Des Moines, Merit Resources of Des Moines, the Iowa Computer Club of Des Moines and The Rick Davis Team of Des Moines.

If you want to follow us on Twitter it's @IoB_NewsHour before, during and after the broadcast and here is our Facebook Page for the photos, videos and back-story of the News Hour.

This Week on the News Hour

Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie: Each day, along with the business news of the Des Moines Metro and some marketing tips we bring you interesting interviews with news-makers, business people and entrepreneurs during the only hour-long business broadcast in the region.  We're local and live Monday - Friday on 1350-KRNT starting at 5PM Central.  Here's the guest list for this week:

Monday - We're talking about the economic development impact that visitors to the Metro create with Greg Edwards of the Convention and Visitors Bureau.  Then we're talking start-ups and female entrepreneurs and more with Tom Swartwood of Drake University.

Tuesday - We welcome John Hale to the studio to talk about aging resources in Iowa and the work he does to fix some nasty issues.  We then switch gears and visit with Stephen Wilkie-Shapiro about the rehabilitation of some historic homes and buildings and the economic impact that has on the community.

Wednesday - Gordon Fisher is the Vice President of the Des Moines Community Foundation we'll talk about its mission and what you need to know about this great charity. Then in the second half-hour we welcome Chuck Kuba of Iowa Diamond.  He's got an interesting business model and we wanted to learn more.

Thursday - Our friend Ralph Rosenberg of the Iowa Environmental Council comes to the studio to talk about Iowa issues and what they mean to the economy and his work in addressing those issues. 

Friday - We lighten the load on Friday with Steve Mathews from the Radio Garage of Urbandale.  We're talking about a business that has grown and where they have lots of "fun".  In the second half-hour we make welcome our friend Chaden Halfhill from Silent Rivers a design and build company that rocks.

Those guests and the business news of the Des Moines Metro, daily, at 5PM on 1350-KRNT. And, because we know you can't always listen on "our time" we've created a podcast page where you can download the news interviews via desktop, laptop or mobile.

Insight on Business the News Hour is made possible through the support of Mr. B Clothing of Clive, The Fireplace SuperStore of Urbandale, The Warren County Economic Development Corporation of Indianola, The Kreamer Law firm of West Des Moines, ReMax Real Estate Concepts of Des Moines, Westside Auto Pros of Clive,  West Bank of Des Moines, Merit Resources of Des Moines, the Iowa Computer Club of Des Moines and The Rick Davis Team of Des Moines.

If you want to follow us on Twitter it's @IoB_NewsHour before, during and after the broadcast and here is our Facebook Page for the photos, videos and back-story of the News Hour.