1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,080 Speaker 1: Hey, it's Adam West. This is the CEOs you should know, 2 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: and today we're thrilled to welcome Christy Peele, Founder and 3 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: CEO of Media Minefield. Christy's an Emmy Award winning former 4 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: TV reporter who turned her passion for storytelling into a 5 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 1: thriving business redefining public relations. Under her leadership, Media Minefield 6 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,959 Speaker 1: has grown into a nationally recognized firm helping brands and 7 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: leaders share their stories in an authentic and impactful way. 8 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: Christy's journey from the newsroom to the boardroom is nothing 9 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: short of inspiring, and today will dive into how she 10 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: built her success and what's next for her and her company. 11 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: Welcome Christy, Thank you. 12 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 2: It's wonderful to be here and I've. 13 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: Never had anything like that before. So get a taste 14 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: of kind of what you do right in that world 15 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: of PR. Tell me a little bit about what do 16 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: you do. What is your company? What does Media Mindfield do? 17 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 2: Sure. 18 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 3: Media Minefield handles brands and storytelling for our clients. So 19 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 3: that's everything from getting our client's press, positive press, training 20 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 3: and teaching people how to get out of crisis planning 21 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 3: in advance. We also handle a lot of social media 22 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 3: for executives, specifically leaders and also brands as well, So 23 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 3: we do you know, PRS one of these giant umbrellas 24 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 3: we're Depending upon who you talk to, they think of it. 25 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 2: As something different. 26 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 3: We're a little bit unique and that we are very 27 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 3: specific to the services that we provide. But we're industry agnostic, ah, 28 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 3: which makes us unusual because we represent clients from large 29 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 3: billion dollar brands to some nonprofits, but primarily our clients 30 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 3: are national but have a touch point here in the 31 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 3: Twin Cities. 32 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: I was thinking about this a little bit, like you said, crisis, 33 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: and I didn't know if I should ask you about that, 34 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,680 Speaker 1: because yeah, probably some there's some crisis situations. Also, kind 35 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: of your job is to be out there but also 36 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: be invisible in a way, right one hundred percent. 37 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 3: We are not spokespeople on behalf of our clients. We 38 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 3: believe deeply in authenticity, So when our client goes through 39 00:01:57,840 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 3: a crisis, we want to make sure that the appropriate 40 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 3: spokesperson within that company is out there handling it. We're 41 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 3: behind the scenes making sure that everything that is out 42 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 3: there publicly is authentic, it is true, and that we 43 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 3: are able to help our clients and their company navigate 44 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 3: to have the minimum amount of damage, But that's an 45 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 3: active crisis. We prefer to be working with companies proactively, 46 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 3: meaning that they have a crisis plan, that their train, 47 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 3: that they're ready to go, because in the land of 48 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 3: deep fake good thoughts AI, a crisis can happen and 49 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 3: spread faster than you can click refresh on your. 50 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: Computer without being specific. Is there anything you can talk 51 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:42,239 Speaker 1: about where you've had to come in at the eleventh 52 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: hour and save whatever? 53 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 3: It's happened a few times and I can't talk about 54 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 3: the ones that you may have known about. It is 55 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 3: fun for us to talk about. 56 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 2: Ones that we're not involved with. 57 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 3: So, for example, the atmosphere crisis with the CEO and 58 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 3: the head of HR being busted at the Coldplay concert. 59 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 3: I did some national interviews about that, and we've talked 60 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 3: about what they should and shouldn't have done to get 61 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 3: through that crisis. But that I think is the most 62 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 3: high profile one that happened in twenty twenty five. That 63 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 3: showcased what can go wrong when there isn't a plan 64 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 3: in place, and when the leaders decide to get away 65 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 3: from social media instead of lean into the opportunity that 66 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 3: is social media. 67 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: Good example, that's great. You started your career as an 68 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,799 Speaker 1: Emmy Award winning TV reporter and then you founded Media Minefield. 69 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: What was the moment where you said, this is what 70 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: I should do, this is why I'm here. 71 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 3: Throughout my television news career, I felt so fortunate to 72 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 3: be able to have a front row seat for some 73 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 3: incredible national, global events and topics and to be in 74 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 3: the room when it happened. And a few times, however, 75 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 3: as I became a mother, there were times in the 76 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 3: back of my head where I was thinking, hmm. 77 00:03:58,040 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 2: Does this career still serve me? 78 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 3: But to be frank with you, I was very nervous that, gosh, 79 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 3: what would I do then if I don't do this, 80 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 3: this thing that I've dreamt about and thought about and 81 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 3: moved across the country to do and made so many 82 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 3: seconds to kids, little kid, yeah for people who are 83 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 3: you know, been around the Twin Cities a bit. 84 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 2: I was watching Cindy. 85 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 3: Bricado at Channel five and I want to be just 86 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 3: like Cindy. 87 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 2: And then when I at the. 88 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: Fair too, right, it was always my dream, right. 89 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 3: Sign the you know, meet people and sign the autographs 90 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 3: and all of that, And then it happened but it 91 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 3: no longer was serving me. However, I wasn't brave enough 92 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 3: to step away. I was laid off in late two 93 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 3: thousand and eight. There were twenty of us, the whole 94 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 3: investigative unit and special special department. We all kind of 95 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 3: went away. And it was the best thing that could 96 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 3: have happened because it forced me, in my mid thirties 97 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 3: to think, hmm, what would be best for my skills, 98 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 3: my passion, my background, my gifts, and my family. At 99 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 3: this point in my life, and after about a year 100 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 3: and a half of soul searching and volunteering and doing 101 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 3: a lot of informational interviews, I was taking a class 102 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 3: at my church and the concept of the class was 103 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 3: how to help people with your background and your passion. 104 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 3: And they asked a question that I think has a 105 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,359 Speaker 3: lot of value, which is what do you know so 106 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 3: well you could teach someone else? And for me it 107 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 3: was news. And I also still to this day fundamental, 108 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 3: fundamentally believe that public relations ended industry should be disrupted 109 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 3: and is oftentimes ineffective and expensive without a lot of 110 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 3: ROI and that was the place at which I started 111 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 3: the company. 112 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 2: How could we do this better? How could I. 113 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 3: Have a different kind of solution that could serve businesses 114 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:45,039 Speaker 3: and people and integrate storytelling. And when it started in 115 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 3: twenty ten to now, you know, more than fifteen years later. 116 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 2: In many ways, it's a. 117 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 3: Renaissance of what was because of AI, earned media, press coverage, 118 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 3: authentic information, the kind of content that you can't buy, 119 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 3: all of those things that were really true how I 120 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 3: was coming up through journalism is back, and I'm thrilled 121 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 3: not just for my company and the people we work with, 122 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 3: but I'm thrilled for the industry, the economy because we're 123 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 3: back to what's true. Let's prove it, let's talk about it, 124 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 3: and let's get journalists involved, and let's make sure that 125 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 3: we have authentic storytelling. So I'm excited about the future 126 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 3: and where we're going with AI, specifically in my industry. 127 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 1: Interesting, how does the AI benefit you? 128 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 3: So whenever someone goes to chat, GPT or you name 129 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 3: your favorite name, your favorite search, Yeah, it's selecting what 130 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:46,720 Speaker 3: is coming up in the results, and it likes trusted, 131 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 3: credible sources. Media that we've heard of, website content from 132 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:58,479 Speaker 3: company's website, thought leadership articles, LinkedIn social media content, those 133 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:03,040 Speaker 3: things that can't be purchas are trending and show up 134 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 3: really well. They also, these AI search engines really want 135 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 3: aligned messages and it is offering information from recent topics. So, 136 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 3: for example, there were a few years ago you could 137 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 3: put out a news interview or you could do a 138 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 3: podcast and it could sit there for six months and 139 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 3: Google would be fine with that. Well, that isn't how 140 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 3: these large language models are working. And generative AI is 141 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 3: looking for what have you done for me lately, which 142 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 3: means that the drum beat of messaging needs to be 143 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 3: regular and it needs to be accurate and that benefits 144 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 3: pr in a way that companies can no longer ignore. 145 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 1: Yeah. Interesting, So to take me back to when you 146 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: first started it started the medium minefield. What was one 147 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: of the biggest challenges. 148 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 2: You faced myself? It was myself. 149 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 3: I am an English major, I train journalist, good writer, 150 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 3: I bet good writer. I just wrote a book, so yeah, 151 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:06,119 Speaker 3: I think I'm I'm a decent, decent writer. The book 152 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 3: Flip Your Script. It's all about how to use social 153 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 3: media for good. Okay, So for me it was gosh, 154 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 3: I do I know how to do a business? 155 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 2: Run a business? 156 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 3: I love learning and I love business. I always have 157 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 3: and I had to identify as an entrepreneur in my 158 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 3: brain before. 159 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 2: I could show up in room. 160 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 3: So for the first year it was me by myself 161 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 3: just figuring that out. And then we started to grow 162 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 3: and become and make a name for ourselves and become 163 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 3: more broadly known nationally. 164 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: What specifically did you do though to sort of say 165 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 1: get over yourself, but I mean get out of your 166 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 1: own way, you know, put myself. 167 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 3: In peer groups and other people who I trusted and 168 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 3: respected and were business leaders would say, hey, Christy, you're 169 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 3: onto something. Also the work our results speak for themselves. 170 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,560 Speaker 3: And then I went back to school and I did 171 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 3: get a master's from Pepperdine and Management and leaders. I'm 172 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 3: passionate about digital leadership, which is what we've talked about 173 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 3: when it comes to executives and leaders showing up online 174 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 3: as leaders because the modern day executive needs to be 175 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 3: as comfortable digitally communicating as a nineteen eighty four executive 176 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 3: needed to be at a three martini lunch. 177 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: Media Mindfield takes a story driven strategic approach to be 178 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:25,199 Speaker 1: a PR, blending earned media executive, thought leadership and social 179 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,839 Speaker 1: media strategies. How did you develop that and what sets 180 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: it apart from sort of traditional PR. 181 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 3: Sure when we started it was specifically earned media. It 182 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 3: was get our client's positive press and get them regular 183 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 3: ongoing press. Then I was walking around an airport. I 184 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 3: had just come from meeting some business leaders in Miami, 185 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 3: and I was listening to a podcast and I heard 186 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 3: a stat from Forbes that equated the CEO's online presence 187 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,680 Speaker 3: to the valuation of the company, and this sort of 188 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:56,320 Speaker 3: light bulb moment went on for me. We just talked 189 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 3: about the atmosphere situation, and that's the negative side of that. 190 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 3: A positive side of that. When CEOs and leader leadership 191 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 3: teams are positive, they're showing up, they're leading their with information. 192 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 3: They're vulnerable that can positively help a company. So when 193 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 3: that light bulb moment went on for me, I was like, 194 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 3: you know what, social media is an effective tool to 195 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 3: share a message and to increase reach of any kind 196 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 3: of message in any kind of leader. However, people who 197 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:30,839 Speaker 3: don't have the comfort level with social media and don't 198 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 3: have the time and don't know where to begin. Their 199 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 3: CEOs their leadership teams, they're people that are working on 200 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 3: the business. So that was when we call it positive 201 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 3: online presence. Or pop the service that we trademarked probably 202 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,439 Speaker 3: eight years ago when that started, so we were really. 203 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 2: Early to the game. 204 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 3: So when we blend thought, leadership, news articles, interviews, all 205 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 3: of these strategies together, it is fantastic for business outcomes. 206 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 3: But AI results love it, and that all has kind 207 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 3: of come into this magical place for us. 208 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: Some of the things you mentioned there specifically, like vulnerability, 209 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 1: thinking about relationships, like interpersonal relationships or when you're married 210 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:13,079 Speaker 1: or whatever that's you know, it's kind of the same 211 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: in a way. People want to feel connected to. 212 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 3: You, and the concept of building trust digitally is really 213 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 3: difficult for people to understand. I travel around the country 214 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 3: and speak about this specific thing, and when I'm talking 215 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:33,680 Speaker 3: to CEOs older than me, oftentimes male, they get really 216 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 3: uncomfortable with the concept of vulnerability or letting their personal 217 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 3: side of their family out on social media and have 218 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:44,319 Speaker 3: kind of a mindset of well, it's no one's business. 219 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 3: If I just put my head down and do my work, 220 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 3: we're going to do well. That's fine. But millennials and 221 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 3: Gen Z that's not good enough for them. And for 222 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:57,559 Speaker 3: most businesses, that's who buyers are. That's who the next 223 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 3: group of leaders are. That's who the who the employees are. 224 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 3: So it's really important to be able to navigate through 225 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 3: the different digital platforms and the landscape. That is important 226 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,959 Speaker 3: right now and for me personally, Adam. A year ago 227 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 3: in January, my son was diagnosed with cancer, my teenage son. 228 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 3: And my team said Christy, you need to share this 229 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 3: online and again I teach about it. I was about 230 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 3: done writing a book about it, and yet it was 231 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 3: so uncomfortable to do, and so it took me some 232 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 3: time to figure out how to do it. And I 233 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 3: realized that if you can show up online, which is 234 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 3: what I talk about all the time, with the purpose 235 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 3: of helping others, it doesn't feel too vulnerable, it doesn't 236 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 3: feel too much information, and it doesn't feel braggy, which 237 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 3: is a lot of people, especially in the Midwest, get 238 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 3: worried about it. Ye World Cancer Day in February, I 239 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 3: shared my son's diagnosis with the message of how to 240 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 3: help and even as simple as to give blood and 241 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,319 Speaker 3: to donate to kids at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis who 242 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 3: are who we had seen who don't have the resources 243 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 3: and connections to get through it in a way that 244 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 3: doesn't completely bankrupt or disrupt their family. So we just 245 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:17,320 Speaker 3: realized that we could help. He was diagnosed cancer free. 246 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 3: It's great, yep, it's about to start college. He's going 247 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 3: to play college football, and we couldn't be more thrilled, 248 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 3: not just for him, but also we have an opportunity 249 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 3: to help. All the proceeds from my book go to 250 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 3: Children's Hospital in Minnesota, and we're doing a lot to help. 251 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 3: We started a fund there. We had a blood drive 252 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 3: for my fiftieth birthday. 253 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 2: And so I just. 254 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 3: Believe that social media specifically, the larger the audience, the 255 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 3: larger the impact, and leaders have a responsibility to make 256 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 3: a large impact, and social media gives us the opportunity 257 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 3: to do that in new and large ways. 258 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: That is so awesome. Thank you for sharing that. Wow. 259 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: We talked about the CEOs maybe not embracing the vulnerability 260 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 1: or social media. What is some other mistakes that they make. 261 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 3: They only show up when it benefits them, meaning marketing 262 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 3: came in and said, hey we're launching a new product 263 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 3: or hey we're starting a new location. 264 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 2: Can I use your social media? Sure? 265 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 3: So they appear as sort of a vanilla version that 266 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 3: is soulless, that is just a mouthpiece for a company, 267 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 3: and not only is it a mistake, but they're missing 268 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 3: an opportunity because we've tested this out. And if you 269 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 3: put the same message from a leader of a company, 270 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 3: or you put the message out from the brand, most 271 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 3: of the time the leader, their message is going to 272 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 3: have bigger reach and more engagement. And most marketing departments 273 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 3: are focusing all of their energy on the brand. 274 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. 275 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 3: I mean you see it here with radio, like you 276 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 3: put something out or the company puts something out, like 277 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 3: you have followers, you have people who are interested in 278 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 3: what you're saying. And it's the same concept that applies 279 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 3: to leaders and CEOs. 280 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: Do you think they just don't have the confidence sometimes 281 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: to believe that what they say matters. I mean, I 282 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: think that's true for me or for a lot of 283 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: people I know. Anyway. 284 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 3: I think the hardest story to tell is your own. 285 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 3: We live it, so it doesn't feel that interesting to 286 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 3: us and it doesn't feel that important. And yet someone 287 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 3: who wants to have your job, who's ten twenty years 288 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 3: younger than you, would love to have some insight about 289 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 3: your career, about how you got to where you are 290 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 3: and your network and the amount of people who can 291 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 3: benefit from what happens from your perspective here. Most people 292 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 3: don't get to sit in the seat and look at 293 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 3: you and walk through these hallways. And to give people 294 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 3: a little bit of insight into that is an excellent 295 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 3: way just to be authentic, to be yourself, but to 296 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 3: invite them in, and that is a way to build 297 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 3: trust digitally. 298 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: A CEO, what's a leadership lesson that you learn the 299 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 1: hard way? How's it shaped what you're doing now? 300 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 3: This perhaps applies to all genders. I think as a woman, 301 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 3: I have struggled, and I've talked with other women as 302 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 3: well who struggle with wanting to be liked. And when 303 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 3: you take the corner office using an old fashioned term, 304 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 3: people aren't going to like you. And making decisions for 305 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 3: dozens and dozens of people that may negatively impact one 306 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 3: or two is difficult. And it took me quite a 307 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 3: long time to understand how to navigate that well and 308 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 3: to understand that the best gift I can give the 309 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 3: company is to be healthy myself and to have a 310 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 3: healthy company and make decisions. Now, I think what has 311 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 3: helped me navigate that a bit is that I believe 312 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 3: in communication deeply and sharing messages, being honest. 313 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 2: Those types of things I think can. 314 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 3: Help all of that. But making difficult decisions is something 315 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 3: that emerging leaders should practice more often, and having the 316 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 3: difficult conversations and saying the words that need to be said. 317 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 3: You're actually helping people, You're not hurting them. So we 318 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 3: have to sort of get over ourselves and make sure 319 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 3: that we can communicate authentically, vulnerably and help other people, 320 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 3: which means sometimes delivering messages that other people don't want 321 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 3: to hear. 322 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: How do you How do you lead a team? And 323 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:18,200 Speaker 1: how many people work for you? 324 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 2: Thirty five? 325 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 1: Wow, that's pretty significant. How do you so? What's your 326 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,159 Speaker 1: strategy for leadership? Do you think about it to you? 327 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,160 Speaker 1: Is it all written out somewhere? Do you have a philosophy? 328 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 2: I think about it all the time. 329 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 3: I believe that I have a responsibility to everyone who 330 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 3: works at the company and their families. And I remember 331 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,679 Speaker 3: the first time, many years ago, when I met the 332 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 3: baby of an employee and it hit me like a 333 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 3: ton of bricks, like, oh my gosh, I have to 334 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 3: do a good job, not just for me and not 335 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 3: just for this woman, but she's got a family that 336 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 3: depends on us us doing well, So for me. The 337 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 3: philosophy is to be myself. I think it's important that 338 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 3: I know myself really well, and I spent a lot 339 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 3: of time doing work, especially when I got my masters, 340 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:05,159 Speaker 3: but also to be honest and to be innovative. My 341 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:10,199 Speaker 3: leadership philosophy is if leaders could be themselves and know 342 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:14,199 Speaker 3: themselves well and communicate and make decisions from that place, 343 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 3: meaning they know their weaknesses, they know their strengths, they 344 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 3: know when it's time to bring someone else in, they 345 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:22,479 Speaker 3: know and to ask for help. Most companies would benefit greatly. 346 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:24,959 Speaker 3: I think there's still so many people who lead from 347 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 3: a place of I should lead like this person. When 348 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 3: to read this book, and I will lead like this person, 349 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:34,439 Speaker 3: and that's dangerous. All of us have these different stories 350 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 3: that have happened to us in context and experiences and 351 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 3: people we know that bring us to the point where 352 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 3: we can make great leaders from who we are and 353 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 3: what we believe. 354 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, because you can kind of feel that fakeness, right. 355 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, you for sure you can. And I think back 356 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 3: to social media. That's why most of us are frustrated 357 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:56,640 Speaker 3: with social media feeds that feel so fake and disingenuine, 358 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,640 Speaker 3: and we want to be around people who are who 359 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,679 Speaker 3: they are, and we want to fill our. 360 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:06,880 Speaker 2: Feeds with people who are authentic. So it's the same concept. 361 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: And how have you stuck to your core value? What 362 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: are your core values? I guess, and how have you 363 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,120 Speaker 1: stuck to them? Over the time of Media Minefield. 364 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:19,439 Speaker 3: Sure, Media Minefield has had core values. I can go 365 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 3: through them. They're probably a little bit dull for people 366 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 3: that aren't in the industry, but they spell out minor. 367 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 3: So we have core values. We also have specific behaviors 368 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 3: that connect to the core values, and we talk about 369 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 3: our core values all the time. For example, we are 370 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 3: encouraging all of the miners, the people who work at 371 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 3: the company, to be looking for core value behavior in 372 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:43,720 Speaker 3: their co workers and then they fill out a form 373 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 3: that highlights which specific behavior the other person highlighted. And 374 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 3: we recognize people every week every Monday morning, we have 375 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 3: a zoom call for thirty minutes we recognize, you know, 376 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 3: people who got core value nominations. And then at the 377 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:01,680 Speaker 3: end of the year we give out an all expenses 378 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 3: paid trip for two and we also give one hundred 379 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,880 Speaker 3: dollars bill to someone who made a nomination. So over 380 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,479 Speaker 3: the course of the year we have hundreds and hundreds 381 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 3: of Core Value nominations and for me personally, I read 382 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,359 Speaker 3: every single one. It's fun to see what's happening in 383 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,160 Speaker 3: the company. And again, my philosophy you asked a bit 384 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 3: is to show up and look for the good. Yeah, 385 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 3: and that's what. Focusing people on what's going on well 386 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:33,440 Speaker 3: around them and looking for the best in other people. Boy, 387 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:34,640 Speaker 3: that will change a culture. 388 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 1: That's awesome. It's funny. Before you said vacation, I thought, well, 389 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 1: what do they went like a vacation or a watch 390 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: or something that's pretty good? That's awesome. If you could 391 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 1: give one piece of advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those 392 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 1: looking to disrupt an industry, what would you tell them? 393 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 3: Be brave and surround yourself with people who make you 394 00:20:54,920 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 3: better and do stuff you're passionate about. I'm always frustrated 395 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 3: when I hear people going to college to get an 396 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 3: entrepreneurship degree and the goal is to make a lot 397 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:10,680 Speaker 3: of money. That can't be the reason that you wake 398 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 3: up every day and do the work. It's hard your 399 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 3: own as an entrepreneur. Your livelihood is on the line, 400 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 3: your house often is on the line, your own kids' 401 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 3: futures are wrapped up in the business, and so it 402 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 3: better be more than just to make money. It better 403 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 3: be something that you really deeply believe in and are 404 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 3: willing to stay up late at night to work on 405 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:35,360 Speaker 3: and think about and cancel a vacation. I mean, it's 406 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 3: the things that you would do because you love it 407 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:39,679 Speaker 3: and you believe in it, not because you want to 408 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:40,440 Speaker 3: get rich quick. 409 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: I once in a while will because I have some 410 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: stuff that I do a lot of people don't know 411 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,360 Speaker 1: about it. But I'll just need to take a break. 412 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: I'll watch videos or something. What's your productivity hack to 413 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:54,360 Speaker 1: just stay on task, to get it done, to keep 414 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:55,119 Speaker 1: everybody happy. 415 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 2: Can't keep everybody happy. 416 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 1: Well, but show them that you're working you And yeah, 417 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: I'm sure have a list of things you do every day. 418 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 2: For me, I am a writer. I mean I'm a writer. 419 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 3: So I have NOE pads everywhere and I write things 420 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 3: down and I'm always thinking about, Okay, I made this decision, 421 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:19,360 Speaker 3: who does it impact And how can I tell them? 422 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 3: And is it a thing that I can tell them 423 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 3: next week? Do I tell them right now? 424 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:24,399 Speaker 2: Is it an email? Is it a slack? Is it 425 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:24,919 Speaker 2: a text? 426 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 3: So for me, it's not about waiting until a one 427 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,679 Speaker 3: on one conversation with someone. It's if this impacts them, 428 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 3: I better get to it right away, which for me, 429 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 3: I always tease my team that I have like notebook, 430 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 3: like little sticky notes in my brain and yeah, it's 431 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 3: going to stick up there until I get rid of 432 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 3: it and pass it off. And then once it's off, 433 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:43,960 Speaker 3: it's out of my brain. So I'm constantly writing stuff 434 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 3: down and then crossing it off and moving on to 435 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 3: the next thing. 436 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 1: Good for you to be able to recognize it. I 437 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:50,679 Speaker 1: think I had a lot of people have stuff and 438 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:52,719 Speaker 1: they can't figure out how to organize it in their 439 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:54,920 Speaker 1: mind right to be able to and find that right 440 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 1: time or to say, hey, I got to communicate this now. 441 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:01,959 Speaker 1: You know, it's easy to wait on it right. If 442 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: you were running media minefield, what would you be doing. 443 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 3: I would just sit in a room filled with plants 444 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,680 Speaker 3: and read books, which is not a job, and that's 445 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:15,359 Speaker 3: I could probably do it for a couple hours and 446 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 3: be sick and tired of it. I love what I do, 447 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 3: and I think about this, as I mentioned, I turned fifty, 448 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 3: and I think what else could I do? 449 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: Man? 450 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,159 Speaker 3: I love what I'm doing and I love helping the 451 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,840 Speaker 3: next generation. And I do quite a bit of work 452 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:31,479 Speaker 3: with young you know, college age, high school kind of 453 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:36,159 Speaker 3: women specifically, and at Bethel University specifically, we started a 454 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 3: program there to help young women and just give them 455 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 3: access to leaders of all genders and all races. Just 456 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,120 Speaker 3: to understand. You know, you go to college for whatever 457 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 3: the thing you're going to college for. Man, you can 458 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:52,440 Speaker 3: be an accountant in about a billion places. So who 459 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 3: do you want to be surrounded with and what do 460 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:56,119 Speaker 3: you want your day to day to be like? So 461 00:23:56,840 --> 00:24:00,399 Speaker 3: for me, I love having a variety things to do, 462 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 3: or I would get bored. 463 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 2: So what would I do? I don't know. I love 464 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 2: what I'm doing right now. 465 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: Right. You mentioned books, what's a Is there a book 466 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 1: that you would recommend or a podcast if only. 467 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 2: We had more time? 468 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know a couple of books that I think 469 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:21,199 Speaker 3: everybody should read. The Alchemist is a book that I 470 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 3: give away all the time. I think it's a really 471 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:27,119 Speaker 3: important book and one that I just read that I 472 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 3: can't believe I haven't read before. It's called Legacy by 473 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:34,439 Speaker 3: James Kerr and it's about the All Blacks, the rugby 474 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:38,159 Speaker 3: team in New Zealand, and I think It's maybe the 475 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 3: best book about business and leadership I've ever read. Why 476 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 3: it's relatable, it's also speaks to the challenge that is 477 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 3: leading people and being part of a team, and being 478 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 3: part of a healthy team is a we mindset, and 479 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:58,120 Speaker 3: I think there's so many lessons that we can learn 480 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:01,480 Speaker 3: from sports, and we can learn from really quality teams 481 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 3: and coaches who have to encourage people to do a 482 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:08,159 Speaker 3: little bit more tomorrow. And I know we lost, but 483 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:09,920 Speaker 3: we've got to get out there and got to get 484 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 3: after it, and we have to want what's best for 485 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:15,679 Speaker 3: the team more than what's best for ourselves. And that 486 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 3: is a hard thing for a team to understand and 487 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 3: for a leader to coach and to know that. Gosh, 488 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 3: I want what's best for every single person on my team, 489 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 3: and sometimes that takes them elsewhere, and sometimes that takes 490 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:33,160 Speaker 3: them on a really long career with us. But for 491 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 3: me reading that book, it sort of all came together. 492 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 3: And I've heard other people say that it's one of 493 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 3: the best books they've ever read. And also if you 494 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,359 Speaker 3: listen to the audiobook. I have the actual book because 495 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 3: I'm little old school, and I listened to the audio 496 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:50,679 Speaker 3: and they do quite a bit of it, like the 497 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:54,239 Speaker 3: New Zealand, like the native language could do some of that, 498 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:58,200 Speaker 3: which is just a very tribal cool thing that brings 499 00:25:58,240 --> 00:25:59,679 Speaker 3: out a little bit of something deeper. 500 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 1: Oka, are you guys hiring right now? We're always hiring, 501 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,159 Speaker 1: always hiring. If somebody's in college or about to go 502 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:08,680 Speaker 1: to college, or somebody's listening, who had knows somebody who's 503 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 1: about to go to college or in college? What sort 504 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 1: of what sort of classes should they be pursuing for 505 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:16,920 Speaker 1: a PR or to go into PR, or what skill 506 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:20,119 Speaker 1: set do you do you look for? Or is what 507 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:21,920 Speaker 1: skill set to people have in the industry. 508 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 3: Writing is so critical and even in the realm of AI, boy, 509 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 3: if you can't write without the help of chat ept, 510 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,639 Speaker 3: you might want to think about a different a different industry. 511 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 3: Writing is just critically important. Certainly the tools help, but 512 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:40,640 Speaker 3: writing is important. Being able to clearly communicate what you're 513 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 3: thinking and your emotions and connect with someone else. That 514 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:50,680 Speaker 3: is timeless and so important. Also, business, every PR company 515 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 3: out there operates as a business, and so it's really 516 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:57,680 Speaker 3: important for folks to understand sort of even the basics 517 00:26:57,720 --> 00:26:59,880 Speaker 3: of how a business works and how a business runs, 518 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 3: and most of the clients are in some kind of 519 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 3: business atmosphere. 520 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:04,880 Speaker 2: So it's really important. 521 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:09,919 Speaker 3: However, there are PR teams operating inside of some of 522 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 3: the medtech huge companies in town. So if you're passionate 523 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:18,359 Speaker 3: about science and PR, boy put them together in your 524 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:22,919 Speaker 3: college education, get some informational interviews and go over to 525 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 3: one of these giant hospitals or medtech companies and make 526 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:28,640 Speaker 3: a case for yourself and make a name for yourself 527 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:31,040 Speaker 3: and tell the stories of the innovation happening in the 528 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 3: Twin Cities. 529 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:34,439 Speaker 1: Lastly, if I have a company or I don't know, 530 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 1: maybe myself need some PR for how do we get 531 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:37,439 Speaker 1: ahold of. 532 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:41,119 Speaker 3: You media minefields all over social media. Christypeel dot com 533 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,159 Speaker 3: is the website where you can connect with me and 534 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:45,920 Speaker 3: I'm all over the socials as well. 535 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:48,960 Speaker 1: Christy Peel, CEO Medium Minefield, thank you so much for 536 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:49,400 Speaker 1: being here. 537 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 2: Thank you for the opportunity