In March of 2020 when COVID was shutting everything down, we all had to find new ways to connect with our customers. Immediately after the shut-down orders and limitation of gatherings, LIBA (liba.org) was scheduled to have our monthly luncheon. We had to cancel and were figuring out how to connect with our members.

We had a member suggest instead of doing our monthly luncheon, have me come to their office where they had a studio to do a Facebook live show for the members. I first thought, “Okay, this is going to be interesting. I wonder if anyone will watch.” After our first Facebook Live, he suggested we do it every week. EVERY WEEK!?! We decided to do it every week and cover local topics for business owners and feature business-owner guests weekly. This became a great way for us to connect with members during difficult times and we continued until our networking events were held in person again. Now, every LIBA luncheon is live streamed via Facebook. I cannot thank Jethro Hopkins at No Coast Business Advisors enough for his idea to continue connecting with our members in a new and different way.

Fast forward to spring of 2022, I was approached by a local radio station about doing a podcast. Really? A podcast? How in the world does this work? Meetings happened, I had discussions with the LIBA Board, and on July 1, 2022, we launched the Lincoln Business Beat Podcast. I wondered how to fill content for a weekly podcast. We divided the podcast into two “segments,” the first is on important topics and short discussions around the issues, then a “deep dive” segment where we spend a greater amount of time to “dig deep” into an issue impacting businesses. From time to time, we have guests on the podcast be part of the deep dive issue or have guests who are there for the entire time discussing different issues. Over the first year of the podcast, we have reached more than double the number of unique users than we have LIBA members. Thanks to Ami Graham at Broadcast House for the idea and Mark Vail, my co-host, for helping LIBA grow our reach and discuss important issues for business owners.

Earlier this year, I was approached about doing a live weekly radio show to talk about LIBA and local business. Really? A LIVE radio show? How in the world will this work? After several discussions, and approval from the LIBA Board, in June we launched the LIBA Business Hour on 93.7 The Ticket. Talk about going into something blind! We are only a few months into the show, but it is a great way for LIBA to add value to our members and be able to promote our organization with a new audience. During the show I interview two different business owners during separate segments and have time to discuss ways to get involved in LIBA and our upcoming LIBA events. A win-win for both LIBA and our members. Thanks to DP and Rebecca at 93.7 The Ticket for inviting LIBA to do a weekly radio show to promote LIBA and our members. The entire crew at 93.7 The Ticket has been great helping me navigate live radio!

As a business owner, I hope you will consider being open to new ideas and be willing to take creative chances, pushing your boundaries to help grow your business. As you recall, my predecessor at LIBA was a wildly popular (and sometimes controversial) radio show host. When I interviewed with LIBA, I said I never wanted to have a radio show. Now, I am eating those words by being open to new ideas and willing to change to help promote our organization and members, communicating with members and most importantly, adding value to our members. I love finding new ways to share information with members and prospective members while telling our story and how we add value to our members. We must change with the times and be open to trying new things.