Ever Onward Podcast

Family, Creativity, and Hustle: Lessons from Entrepreneur Matthew Rabe | Ever Onward - Ep. 45

• Ahlquist. • Season 1 • Episode 45

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In this episode we're joined by Matthew Rabe, the dynamic founder of The Brothers Rabe (TBR) for an engaging discussion about his entrepreneurial journey, social media expertise, and the balancing act of being a young entrepreneur and a father. Matthew is also Tommy's son-in-law.

In this episode, Matthew shares heartwarming stories and reflections on the importance of prioritizing family amidst hectic professional demands. This conversation is rich with insights on how community leaders maintain positivity and energy, even after a long day. Through personal anecdotes, we emphasize the significance of intentional communication and keeping our children's future well-being at the forefront. Throughout the episode we celebrate the enduring impact of family legacy and creativity on entrepreneurial spirit.

Another key element to this episode is discussing how early exposure to creative outlets shapes innovative mindsets. We dive into the power of storytelling in branding, using real-world examples to highlight its role in building genuine connections with audiences. As we wrap up, there's a heartfelt tribute to family, gratitude, and the unexpected joys that new family members bring into our lives, all the while celebrating shared passions, like a love for the Dodgers.

Listen and enjoy!
Learn more about The Brothers Rabe here: https://www.thebrothersrabe.com/

For our Ahlquist Update: Amazon makes a bold return to the 5 day in-office workweek, and we're unpacking it all with MarK Cleverley's latest Ahlquist update. With a surprising 90% of Amazon employees reportedly backing this change, we discuss the potential productivity boosts and the CEO's no-nonsense message to those who disagree. 

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Speaker 1:

Today on our Ever Onward podcast, we have Matthew Rabe, founder of the Brothers Rabe. It's going to be a great conversation with Matthew to talk about marketing, social media marketing, being a young entrepreneur and father. Before Matthew, we will hear from Mark Cleverley for our AllQuiz update Marcus Cleverley.

Speaker 2:

What's up, dude?

Speaker 1:

Slurred your name.

Speaker 2:

Slurred your name, Cleverley.

Speaker 1:

I might need a power energy Mark is cleverly Yep. A lot going on, buddy, a lot going on.

Speaker 2:

A ton going on man. We don't even sleep anymore, do we?

Speaker 1:

I don't know. I used to say sleep's overrated for years, and then I had a heart attack.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

It's tough to say that anymore, so I don't know.

Speaker 2:

Sleep when you're dead.

Speaker 1:

Sleep when you're dead. Hey, some big news, one that we wanted to talk about in our update. This week, amazon sent out a little communication to their employees. Yeah, tell us about that.

Speaker 2:

CEO came out this last week with basically defending so what they've done is it's a five-day week, now, right, where you're in the office, you're working. It's not this hybrid model three days a week, it's five days a week. He came out and defended it and he said in the article Matthew's got it pulled up for us, but in the article it says nine out of ten employees agree with him, which is stunning, right? I mean, 90% of his workforce is saying, yeah, we want to be back in the office five days a week. And he came out and said and if you don't agree with it, go find another job, because there's other companies that will hire you. It's pretty bold, pretty bold as we move forward. We've kind of seen that here, though.

Speaker 1:

I think we've been ahead of the curve after COVID. We have you know how many people we talk around the country and they'd say you're back. You know everyone's back to work and it still comes up and frankly, it's kind of shocking to us when we talk to other parts of the country. You haven't been back to work, but talk a little bit more about that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, we haven't seen it like the national headlines have said. Right, We've been back to work for the most part pretty quickly after COVID, but all it takes is, like an Amazon right, For the national news to now say, oh well, maybe we need maybe everybody needs to get back to work because productivity is we've always said it for the last four or five years Productivity is not the same when you're not in the office because you're out babysitting your kid or you're getting groceries, or you're on your paddleboard or whatever it is and you're not paying attention to work, and then the other side of that is just the collaboration that happens.

Speaker 1:

You're in a work setting where you're around your colleagues and you're able to sit and collaborate and brainstorm and you're talking business. It's an essential element of business.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and in that article that Amazon posted, they even had employees say we are so excited because we can collaborate with everybody now and it's really clunky over a Zoom call or a Teams meeting. We all need to be together in the same room. So it was a really interesting. It was. For us as office guys it was awesome. It was like okay, we've been trying to preach this for many years now.

Speaker 1:

And it's not just us preaching it. All of the tenants that we have and companies that work with us, and our tenants the billions they've all been saying the same thing for yeah, for a month. So it's nice to see the national narrative follow what we know to be true here locally absolutely it was awesome, buddy thanks okay, you bet.

Speaker 2:

Thanks man.

Speaker 1:

Maddie Rabe, it's about time you come on this thing. You're always on the other side of the TV looking stuff up, but today we're just really happy to have Matthew Rabe, founder of the Brothers Rabe, can't wait to talk a little bit about that. What's your official title Do? You guys have official titles or is that kind of like old school?

Speaker 3:

We've been playing with a little bit, because with Christopher and I both were owners, founders, but then multiple hats.

Speaker 1:

So talk. I don't even know where to start with you, because you're my son-in-law, so let's start there.

Speaker 3:

It's a strong start. Let's get personal.

Speaker 1:

My second child, the Brooklyn, is a great kid. Oh, she's awesome.

Speaker 3:

The best.

Speaker 1:

She'll listen to this. So she's, she really is the best, she's just an amazing kid. And so she goes away to college and she calls me and says hey dad, I'm bringing home this kid to meet you guys. And that was the first time. How many years ago was that? That was a long time ago.

Speaker 3:

Seven years, Seven years ago. So we dated for a little while too. So eight plus, I guess, Eight plus yeah.

Speaker 1:

And I'll never forget. It wasn't intentional, matthew, but we went on a snowmobile trip and got stuck.

Speaker 3:

I think it was my first time on a snowmobile. It was your first time on a snowmobile.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and we're up on West Mountain.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

And I promise you it wasn't intentional, but we got stuck really good Remember.

Speaker 3:

It's super deep and it literally there might be a little back and forth today, but not to say anything. Anyways, as soon as it happened, it was like you hop off and you're oh, we're screwed, we're done. This is going to be a long day and I had never been on a snowmobile before. So I'm sitting there just thinking is it that bad, or are we? And you're like no, it's bad. Remember we went?

Speaker 1:

off the trail and we were just buried. But it took us a couple hours to get out and I spent time just getting to know you and laying in the snow and trying to catch my breath again as we dug out, remember, the storm was rolling in. Oh yeah, anyway, that's. It was really good because at the end of that I remember going back and Shanna saying one, are you okay? I can't believe you did this to him on his first time here and I'm like it wasn't intentional. But then secondly, just going hey, this guy's gonna be okay and it's been so fun since then it sure has been fun to watch a lot.

Speaker 3:

It's a lot of great things and it's been cool because it's been like working together, yeah, on lot of things, but also obviously then after work sometimes you stop by and see the kids.

Speaker 1:

That's super fun too, Last night I was on the way home and I just had to go see him. So you have three little kids Cash, who's four, jack, that's two, and Poppy, who's two months, brand new yep, and oh my goodness.

Speaker 3:

They're the best.

Speaker 1:

What's weird about being a grandpa is your whole life before you're a grandparent everyone wants to show you pictures of their kids and they talk like nonstop about their grandkids and you sometimes just roll your eyes and go, hey, you know, I get it, whatever. And now that they're the thing, it's just the thing. It is the most wonderful experience you can have in life and they're so awesome.

Speaker 3:

They're the best it's. It's so hard. I always tell people like everything that I heard about like being a father and having kids is like true, like everything is true. Seeing them as little kids, the first time they take the step, the first time that they do anything, and you're just like mind blown. And now it's like real time, with, now, multiple kids, seeing them at multiple different stages, it's just like the best thing in the whole world.

Speaker 1:

I'm going to bounce around with you because I did make a list of things. There's a lot I really want you to talk about on this podcast because of the people that listen to it. But let's stay there, because one of the things that you don't I didn't have perspective when I went through it Because I was in medical. I was an undergraduate when I had my first kid, and then medical school Well, no medical school with our first kid like in the heart of it, with Thomas, and then your wife, brooklyn, was born when I was in residency down at the University of Arizona, and then our last two were here in Boise.

Speaker 1:

But when you're going through it, sometimes it's all a blur because you're just trying to figure out your professional life, you're trying to figure out work-life balance and you have kids and you don't. You don't like, you just do your best, right, you don't? It doesn't come with a book, so you're just like, hey, I'm just going to do my best. On the other side of it Now is the grandpa watching it happen and watch you at your professional life. First question is what advice did you get or do you give people, because you're busy right now? A?

Speaker 3:

little bit.

Speaker 1:

It's. I know how hard you're grinding with your business and we'll get into your business soon, but how do you prepare and think about your days and your kids and your family and try to prioritize those things.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I also appreciate the softball questions because, hey, anyways, no, I know how it is on both sides trying to prep for these, but no, and also, that being said, I have gotten the front row seat to every podcast that you've ever produced I guess that we've ever produced with you.

Speaker 3:

And so why I say that? Is because every answer, every version of every answer that I've heard from that is part of how I formulated my own answer, and so being able to have a front row seat with some of the most incredible leaders and people in our community has helped me shape who I am, and so, as part of that, prioritizing my family, what is important to me is the number one thing. At the end of the day, I make sure, in between meetings, when I'm calling, I'm texting, I'm checking in with Brooklyn, my wife and I do the best I can to balance it all, but, like other people, other business leaders or people that are dealing with it every day and trying to figure out how to work through it every day, it's tough, and so it's just trying to learn how to be intentional about family and also letting them know what I'm doing, so that it's not always a surprise.

Speaker 1:

Communication big deal. Let me ask you a specific because one of the things I'm going to ask you, some things that I know you are particularly good at because I've watched you One of the things that's hard for everyone listening today good at because I've watched you One of the things that's hard for everyone listening today is we have this bucket of energy and compassion and empathy and we all want to be good people. We start out every morning thinking, okay, I'm going to go at it, I'm going to use my energy and my drive and really make a difference at my company and the world and with my family. But that bucket sometimes is just empty. Like you, you, for whatever reason and it might be good things, it might be bad things but you just expand, or that's not the right word. I told you today you're going to expel, or you use all that energy and it's gone and your bucket's empty.

Speaker 1:

What I appreciate about you is no matter. In fact, last night when you got home it was late and you walk in. It seems like it's never empty. So what advice do you have? Because this is for me too. When it's empty for me sometimes I walk in and go oh man, I'm done and you always come with that high energy for your kids and they love that about you. How do you do it?

Speaker 3:

Definitely not perfect at it, right, I think there definitely are days where it's not that, but for the most part, yeah, I think I've always been a happy, positive person.

Speaker 3:

And when I come home and I see the kids number one that's my goal at the end of the day is to make it home before bedtime and like when I get home, I'm like how do I maximize that time?

Speaker 3:

And they light me up, they fill me with joy and like I'm doing everything that I do for them, like literally every day when I'm working and I'm thinking about them constantly is like my kids. How do I help them in the future with what I'm doing right now? And so that's whether that's a job I'm working on and that I enjoy or not. Everything is ultimately going to go back to the future and what's next, and so I just I try to be very present in the moment and be very positive and optimistic, I think, just with who I am and who I and how I was raised by my mom very positive person, no matter what happens in life. It's you just get hit and you keep going, and it's it's part of that, that positivity of just looking for the good in everything and trying to no matter what's going on in life, looking for the good.

Speaker 1:

Hey, listen, that's cliche for a lot of people, but I tell people this all the time. So when I ran for governor, you went with me for a year and a half everywhere. That was like you were just graduating from college. I'm like, hey, I'm going to go do this crazy thing. And we were on the road together for a long time. Then, after that, you immediately and what I loved is you graduated with your intentions and your degree on marketing, figuring this out and you started your own company right after with your brother, christopher, and we'll get into that.

Speaker 1:

And then starting a business is hard, Like it's not for the faint of heart. So you're starting in this new business and then just the things in life that happen, family things, just the thing In all of my years knowing you, I've never heard you complain. That is not hyperbole. And I just sometimes I look at Shannon, just like that guy's got at some point he's going to complain, because we all complain. How do you do it? I know it's cliche to say, hey, I just look at the positive, but truly you're one of those guys that just somehow I'm going to find the glass half full. I'm going to look for the silver lining, I'm going to look for a lesson to learn here and I'm going to show gratitude and get through it. I am not that way, matthew.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, and it's funny because, like in some aspects, I've seen you, like you've seen, I've seen it from you on both angles, and I'm not trying to flip this back on you, but I'm just saying, like you, I've heard you say that about me and then say that I've heard that once or twice and what I'm getting to is that it truly is like a solution oriented mindset. There's only what are the options? And so every interaction, every experience, whatever I'm going through, whatever happens, whether I'm in control or not just every single scenario is like what's the solution, or is this an opportunity that's been presented that I can capitalize on, or how do I make this better? And really, that's all where it roots from for me. And so that's why I bring up you, because I'm like I've heard you say that about other things, but when we talk about certain things, you're like I'm not good at it and I'm like but you're really good at solutions and opportunities.

Speaker 1:

I'm good at solutions, but I think the positive energy and that's what I wanted to. However, you can share that. What you just said. So what you said, I heard you say was I look for opportunity in everything. I now I'm getting better with you because I'll watch you go through hard things and almost as you're going through, I can now see you process quickly. Okay, I'm not going to be acted on. I'm going to act on this thing and you choose the positive. You choose to be grateful, you choose to say we're going to get through it really quickly.

Speaker 1:

I think a lot of us eventually get there after we gripe for a while Like this sucks, this is horrible, why is this happening? And then it's okay, let's find a way through it. What I admire about it is all of that is wasted energy really Most of the time, no matter what comes at us, whether it's a health issue, whether it's an employment issue, a relationship issue or whatever. Most of the time I know it's part of human life to process, but the sooner you can get to a growth mindset and say, hey, this is my, this is the set of facts and I'm going to make the best of it and move on. You're just dang good at it and it's so infectious, and a lot of times I'll catch myself with you going yeah, you're right, why, why am I? Why am I not just looking at this as a positive? It's really cool.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, it's like I said, it's hard not to talk about people like my mom in life. I just I think some of it is inherent where I just was probably born with just being a happy, positive kid and looking for fun in things, trying to enjoy things and looking for that, for the opportunity to either make people smile or help myself be positive through that and be like, hey, what am I going to do here? I guess I just laugh through it, let's joke through it, or it's a hard thing to analyze how I've done that.

Speaker 1:

But yeah, and you probably can't, but it's really cool and I think for our listeners we all. I think the other thing is sometimes in life we think that, oh, someone is not experiencing those struggles or trials or problems or issues, and I think most people do, yeah. And then I think you find good examples of people that approach it differently and I think there's a lot to learn from that and go, hey, this is a different way of doing it. That's awesome. I do want to. You've mentioned your mom, huge role model in your life, positive person, just no matter what happens, just smile through it and figure it out. She's a wonderful lady with great energy. Your grandparents still alive? I want to bring up them because grandpa season ticket holder to the Dodgers, that's right. How old is he now? Eighty, eighty-six, probably, eighty-six years old. He's got to be on cloud nine right now.

Speaker 3:

Oh yeah, dodgers World Series, let's go. He is both my grandparents now, actually, since they're, yeah, getting a little older, but they are. They watch every Dodger game. They are, they wear head to toe Every year Dodger. Yeah, they're full-blown Dodger fans.

Speaker 1:

And when they played Boston. We were able to take your grandpa because his health was good enough to go and we sat on the first row out in the outfield. But it was amazing.

Speaker 3:

Oh, it was incredible, yeah, going from sitting on the couch to being at the game. I mean, my grandpa hadn't done that in forever, so it was one of those times. It was just surreal.

Speaker 1:

It was like a movie, but yeah, just seeing my grandpa light up and just saying you and I may be there Friday in LA.

Speaker 3:

We absolutely. This is what it sounds like. It was a great text to receive from you. I was like, hey, let's do it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's funny. I love baseball during the regular season but I just don't watch it as much. And then when the playoffs come, it's unbelievable. And when I saw it was going to be dodgers and yankees like last week, I'm like we're there, yeah, so it'll be super fun. What is your grandpa going back to? Your grandpa and your grandparents and legacy and family and history. What does it mean to you?

Speaker 3:

because I know it means a lot yeah, it does definitely, and I think this and I think this is another thing, like that word legacy you've said that continually again, whether it be podcast episodes or where we're hanging out at the house that has really been something for me that I've been trying to be again super intentional about, knowing that I have very important people in my life that are getting older and that may not last forever, important people in my life that you know are getting older and that may not last forever.

Speaker 3:

It's how do I do things to help continue their spirit, continue what they've done, or take things that that they've done and make sure that gets carried on to my kids, again that I'm in that my thirties now, so I'm definitely thinking about just how to make sure that those core things that I found so important from them make sure to carry on.

Speaker 3:

My grandpa served in the military, he was in the Navy, he worked a long time for the city of Los Angeles. He did a variety of different things throughout his life that he felt were big accomplishments and, at the end of the day, though certain routines that he has, the way that he carries himself, every single human that I've met that he has interacted with over his life, loves him, just loves stories from him, loves the experiences that he's shared, and he's definitely is one of my heroes, where I'm saying it's not that I want to be able to create that for myself, if you will, but I want to be able to learn from that and then see again how I can carry that on and be a little bit like him. So that's just a part of the legacy, I think, for me, that is, I hope that I can do things that one of my grandparents or whoever that I look up to, I would be proud of, but then also carry something from them on.

Speaker 1:

I'm going to add to that because I think you, just you think of legacy, the word, and think of heritage, and isn't? Life goes by so quick and I just I just can't even believe sometimes how it just goes really fast and if you can look to the past, at the heritage that you've been blessed with, take from that what you want and and move that forward. It's one of the probably the best parts of this experience we have called life and can be so rich and rewarding if we, if we we've had some great guests on here that have talked about that just how important those family we've had a lot lately, I think with cory jackson talking about john and I have to see john the next day and you look at we got McElvain's we got, the Scott family we got literally you go down the list and I love the people when people just embrace it and say I want to pay tribute and honor and be like them and carry on that legacy.

Speaker 1:

It's beautiful and I know it's a big part of what you do. Let's shift to business a little bit. I think there's a lot of great things. So first of all, just generically, I know you're super entrepreneurial.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Like super entrepreneurial you always have been. I don't know where that came from, but you came up with this spirit of hey, I'm going to figure this out on my own and I'm going to do this. Was it just part of what you wanted to do?

Speaker 3:

I think so. Yeah, it's interesting. Yeah, looking back to connect the dots type of mentality with how that's been for me, but yeah, there's always been with that opportunity mindset. Obviously most entrepreneurs or people that are starting businesses it's where's the opportunity. I definitely my dad had started an agency forever ago and 20 plus years ago and he always had his own business and I think that was a starting place for me. But then also, just again, seeing other people do it and there were so many opportunities that I saw from other people that I was like why isn't that being done? Even shows like Shark Tank, it would help your mind just get going and saying what else is out there.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, when I was first meeting Brooklyn when I was living in Salt Lake, that was really, I think, where also my mind opened up a little bit, because it is and was a very entrepreneurial-based place. It seemed like every single person had the next best idea and that for me was really great exposure to be in a place where everyone was trying to do something, whether it worked or not. And yeah, there's a variety of different ideas, types of businesses and things like that. Everything from screen repair for iPhones mobile delivery I tried to do I don't know, bow tie businesses and started an airline. One time I tried to do that with some friends. It was wild there, like anything you could think of. It was just like I can do anything, so why don't I just pick what I want to do and then go after it? It was like how can I just make things right and how can I create things and do things and then figure out?

Speaker 1:

Back up a little bit. Yeah, Because creativity, like creating something or being part of something I know that's part of what makes you makes, Matthew. So where does that come from and how do you cultivate that?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, again, I think I had a strong foundation with my parents, Definitely learned a lot from both sides and just being exposed to creativity. It was from along, from the start. My mom loved art and she was an art major and I remember going to musicals and plays and things like that, and then I'd go home and my dad was editing a trailer for a movie or things like that. So early exposure to creativity and how that could be expressed in multiple different ways. And then from there, I mean it was me jumping into it. I mean I went to a performing arts school growing up and so singing and dancing and mandatory violin classes, piano, all sorts of different ways to express myself through creativity, and then obviously, over time it's okay, maybe I don't want to play the piano or I don't love it, but I'll try to draw or I'll try to paint. I think that path really took me to where I am now, where I'm good at some things and I look.

Speaker 1:

So you had a lot of exposure and exposure and the focus that you were taught was the yin and yang of your brain. Right, You've got the hardwired kind of business math. This is the way it's going to be, but art plays such an important role, creativity and just art. I worry about that a little bit, right, Because in the world we live in now a lot of art programs, exposure for, especially if kids don't grow up in a situation where they can afford it and they're not exposed to some of these things and the art part of life that develops the creative part of us.

Speaker 1:

It's most business owners and leaders that I've known my whole life. They have both things they really do. Somewhere along the line they really appreciated art and creativity and vision and that's where it's kind of that part of their brain. And then the other side of it is the practical nuts and bolts of this is how I'm profitable, this is how I run it. But you can't. You need both, right, and if you don't have both, it's so I just I've seen that in you and I think lessons then for my grandkids are that's probably going to be a formula for exposing them to things and letting them appreciate the arts and music and dancing and those sort of things, and I know that's already started. They're pretty dang good at it already absolutely yeah, no you just went to imagine dragons concert I sure

Speaker 3:

did yeah it was epic it was. It was funny actually to talk about it just a little bit. It was cash's first concert. He's four years old.

Speaker 1:

He sings every single word every single word, because on sunday dinners at our house he's it's time for the concert. He makes his tickets right, so you have to have a ticket to get into my den, and then he uses a branding iron as his microphone. Yeah, and we blare, imagine dragons, and he knows every word there.

Speaker 3:

So does jack, who's two, but so he is a fan yeah, to set this up 100%, just super diehard Imagine Dragons guy. But it was incredible because never been to a concert. We the whole drive down there, it's what even is a concert and what's gonna happen, and just curious, right. But that first, that first song plays. Actually sorry, there was an opener and so openers playing as we're walking in and he just wiggling man, he just how do I just feeling it, just feeling music, the ground thumping and the bass playing. He just was alive and that was so fun to watch. And then, yeah, the first song for the imagine dragons plays and he's just sitting there's eyes wide, wide open and he lights up and I turn over to him and say what do you think? And I was like this is awesome, he's just alive. So, yeah, music is a huge part of that for him. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

And I love it. I just love the fact that it is a part of it. It should be for all of our kids and programs and school and whatever. But that's great. So, going back now to entrepreneurial, you start your own business. Talk about what it takes to start. So the brothers Rabe, you and Christopher, your brother, very creative guy you guys have been partners now and been in business for gosh, it's got to be.

Speaker 3:

So the fun thing about the timelines between me and you is that we started at the same time. So you started BVA at the August of 2018 after our campaign, the election, and so then we started at the same time. So you started BVA at the August of 2018 after our campaign, the election, and so then we started August of 2018. So we're right along the same time frames with the companies. But that's also where TBR, the Brothers Rabe, started was on the end of that campaign.

Speaker 3:

Obviously, I was on the road with you for a year and a half or so Towards the end of that campaign. There was a lot of those bigger events. We had Mitt Romney come up a couple times. There was a variety of different events there that I, as a one-man guy who was doing it all for a long time with you in the truck, I just needed some support and I knew that my brother, christopher, could help me with that because he had a video background and had worked with my dad in LA, and because he had a video background and had worked with my dad in LA, and so he definitely could help me with some of the bigger projects. So it was a natural progression for us to give him a call and say, hey, can you get up here, and I need you to come up here. And then he ended up touring with us in the truck for the last couple weeks of the campaign and on the tail end of the campaign but also not knowing how that was going to go. We had met so many business owners, so many people across the state of Idaho Because of that campaign.

Speaker 3:

They were saying, hey, you're doing some cool stuff with Tommy, can you help my business? And it was that natural progression of, yeah, I just got to start a business first and, yeah, we can help you and show up on a shoot. But yeah, it was really naturally born out of us working together. And then, with you starting BVA, obviously we or maybe not obviously, but we were able to help with you gave us the opportunity to help with showcasing BVA and the developments that you guys are doing there. And that was a huge thing for us because you could have gone anywhere but you chose to stick to us Talk about, because now the business is taking off.

Speaker 1:

We see it. You're growing like crazy. You're helping all these other big companies way bigger than us, and one of the things you're really good at is branding vision. You think of your own brand, think of how you branded BVA and then our recent rebrand. Talk about how important a brand is to a company and the role of a marketing agency in rebranding. I think you just maybe talk about it with American, but just were part of another huge rebrand with one of your, with one of your clients. Talk about branding.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, so brand is everything.

Speaker 3:

It starts with how you present, how you're presenting that to the public, to your audience, and branding is everything.

Speaker 3:

Everything trickles down from that Knowing who the brand is, what they represent, why they represent it. It all feeds into everything, from the colors and fonts to the videos and the things that you'll create from there the website, all the things that come along with that, that you'll create from there, the website, all the things that come along with that. But, yeah, it's been incredible to see that in real time for us, where you take an existing brand, whether that be a year or two old, or 37, 38 years old, like we just did with American Construction Supply and saying what does the future look like and how can we present that properly and does that match with your business goals, so that we can help you present that publicly to the brands? Branding is everything and being able to tell that story properly as well is a huge part of that, and everything with Allquist has been that progression of storytelling where you take a brand and say how do we put that out to the public properly and represent the brand and what it stands for, what?

Speaker 1:

I love about what you do and you're really good at it is it starts with an authentic storytelling. Okay, what is what makes up this thing? Right? So think of American construction supply. They won't care if we talk about them. They just rebranded. I saw the video last night and it was incredible. But you look at their brand and again, 37 year old company that just did their first rebrand in 37 years and the care and details that went into. Okay, how do we do this to really set the company for the future, pay tribute to the past and build on that? Right, it's a process that's super important, whether you're starting or rebranding, and getting to the bottom of that is really why you need a firm that helps you do it, Because some of it's not intuitive.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, absolutely. The cool thing about us, too, is that we've really found an opportunity where we've. There are people in companies all the time that have great ideas and have an idea of where they want to go with something, but they don't have all the right pieces, and I think that's a lot of times where we fit in is where there's whether it be Allquist or American or anybody else that we've worked with they say I think this is where we want to go, but can you help us get there? And again, 37 years with American Construction Supply was they had a lot of ideas of what they did and didn't like, and so from there it's again what's the natural progression?

Speaker 3:

How can we showcase this in a better or different light that truly represents the future of the brand but also still nods on that heritage or the history of the brand enough to be able to represent that properly. Customers aren't confused, things like that but it really empowers the brand as a whole to take it to that next level. And we've filled that need differently for different brands, but being able to be a solution wherever that makes sense for the brand is really I think the best. Where we've found where we fit in most is let's listen and then act. And yeah, so with both those examples it's been trying to take the base of what they know and what they love about their brand and then where they see the opportunity to turn that into something even better, and then we can help creatively put that together with the future of that brand.

Speaker 1:

That's incredible. I can't wait for everyone to see it, because the little video you showed just gave me chills last night. It was amazing. So branding really important. And then just marketing. I think the more time I spend with you, you've been patient with me.

Speaker 1:

But there is this new for lack of better term social media marketing, traditional marketing I actually think in the year 2024, they are not a thing anymore. It used to be. Are you doing social media marketing? And now we're way past that. We're to the point where it's all marketing. It's consistency across all platforms telling your story, telling you who you are, whether it's the first search someone does on a website, or the first time someone sees your logo, or the first time sees someone gets an email. It's creating that consistency. And then I think what you guys are experts at and this is what we've had the advantage of being part of for a long time is video production. Right. Content is king, right. How do you create video content? That that, that data and study shows just way more powerful than fixed content. So talk a little bit about that.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, absolutely so. Being able to showcase the brand properly, right, all those, um different mediums of marketing is from billboards to social media. They all have a purpose. You know every single one of them has a purpose, and being able to find the best way to showcase your brand and all those is, you know, we do look for cohesiveness and we do look for making sure that the brand story is being brought to every single medium that it can be. And when somebody shows up on your social media page for the first time, what do they see? What do they feel? What's there? And so, when we look at how that applies to the different marketing outlets, if you will, yeah, finding what makes the most sense for your brand and saying that each of those should be important and it should be displayed the proper way that you want that brand to be.

Speaker 3:

When it comes to video production, yeah, that definitely is our core service. That is what we are best at, I'd say, if you will, an authentic story is. Nothing can beat that, and typically the videos that we've done with you and others is mainly candid, very real stories. Let's sit down, let's have an interview, let's talk about what's actually going on or what, whether that's a tenant for a building or that's a customer at a restaurant or whatever that may be. It's what's the authentic story there and sometimes, a lot of times, businesses they don't. They don't really they don't see that story yet they don't understand how that can be shared or how that story can be told.

Speaker 3:

And looking at video, like you said, is definitely one of those. They say content is king and video content is like the emperor. It's like it is the thing that will drive that that business the most results. Because being able to tell that authentic, true story, even with his own podcast, being able to have a video version, cut clips from that and be able to showcase that story, is a huge opportunity for any business to be able to showcase authentically. And these are real conversations, these are real people that we have on the podcast.

Speaker 1:

I. That was beautiful, I think, for anyone that's starting a business or has a business. I think that was incredible advice, and especially how I've watched you use content for reach. A couple of quick stories One I had a guy stop me last summer and didn't know him and grabbed me and he said, introduced himself to me and he's hey, I want you to tell me about your branding and your marketing and your awareness. He said I've looked into it but he's like it's insane how good it is. And I told him about the brother's rave and I said, hey, here's how you contact them. But that that just goes to show what an impact it can make, because I think if you do have cohesive, authentic presentation of branding and rebranding, it can make a big difference.

Speaker 1:

Second thing is I think this comes up to me all the time the podcast. We're here together. We've had several versions of this. Hopefully this will be our last version because we've changed a lot. But I go back to the first years with Kevin Miller and then we went with Troy McClain and then Bill Whitaker and just had different co-hosts. Frankly, that production was just a little hard. It was just hard to coordinate everyone's schedule and guests and everything else.

Speaker 1:

So this is our new format and I really like it, but it's so efficient it's the best way to create content because it's authentic, it's real, you're talking to people, it's video, it's it's audio, it's your mastermind. So people always say you're so busy, how do you do this? And I'm like it's super efficient. It's really pretty efficient. And so for people that are looking for other ways to get content, talk about podcasts, because I know you do podcasts for a bunch of different people.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, efficiency is definitely the name of the game, especially for a business owner, a CEO who wants to create more content but doesn't always have that opportunity where we say, okay, come in for an hour, have an episode and then from there we'll create multiple pieces of content. Where it really starts is basically having pillar pieces of content or sorry, a pillar piece of content that from there you make micro pieces of content. We're taking a long form video and basically chopping that up into multiple different micro pieces of content, and those are used all over. So all the social platforms, website, things like that. So being able to have an efficient way where you can create lots of content is definitely the opportunity Because, again, when it comes to marketing, digital marketing, social media alone everybody is your competition.

Speaker 3:

These days, on social media, you almost can't create enough content, because when you think about how many things when you're sitting on social media, how many things you scroll past, how many things you miss, if you will, that's your competition right there. And so being able to create more and high volume of quality pieces of content consistently over time, that's really the recipe where you can start to create. Look for ways of how do you do that. So it's really okay. Let's take a pillar piece of content and then ways to break that down into micro pieces of content. Another example of that we talked about podcast production, event production. It's hey, let's have an after movie or a brand video from that event. Let's create multiple other pieces from that event of different ways that you can showcase that, not just a singular video.

Speaker 1:

Well and selfishly. We just had our fifth annual Inspire Excellence Awards Unbelievable stories. So the whole reason we have that nonprofit is we raise funds for scholarships but we also get to tell incredible stories of unsung heroes in Idaho, and this year's was just fantastic. But I want to hit your point. The event was so good and I had so many people say that was the most incredible event I've ever been at. But if we wouldn't have had the post-production content that now gets shared, so those stories get out there I can't imagine doing it any other way, because part of the power of these stories and these individuals is not just getting the award and telling it once, but it's now letting them share their stories that were created from the event on there. It's this ripple effect that happens and it's so impactful if done right 100%.

Speaker 3:

Just to talk about Inspire Actions for a second. Yeah, the stories continue to surprise us, but then everyone that gets to listen to them, looking at our community of Idaho and not knowing or not being super aware of some of those incredible impactful stories of nonprofits or people just doing good is mind blowing, and it's every year. It's just that consistent reminder of wow, we live in a great place. But also look at what the good that they're doing in the world. It truly is cheesy. It really does inspire you. You're like that's happening right here. So Inspire Excellence is incredible, but then, yeah, with how those nonprofits are able to then use that piece of content is a huge deal as well. And being able to again, everybody wants content these days. Everybody wants content, everyone wants video content and so being able to look for those ways to again, how do we maximize this? How do we get the most out of this? So, exposure-wise and effectiveness, that you're telling a story consistently over time, like that is a huge deal.

Speaker 1:

While we were talking, I was thinking back to many years ago when I was young and I had a couple other businesses and I remember meeting with an old school marketing guy in downtown Boise and I'll never forget he came in and sat down. He was a great guy, by the way. But he sat down and he said let me tell you about marketing. He says 50% of it works. You just never know which 50%. And so that's how you think, because when you're running a business and resources are precious and you're trying to decide, okay, where am I going to put resources Right, and you can't be wrong because you're like well, if I invest in this.

Speaker 1:

But I think, as I get older and now watching marketing change the way it has, I would say it's all important, like it all, if done right and it interweaves together and everything harmonizes together, how do I know what deal I get? It all goes back to branding. You're going to, you're going to have branding, who you are telling your story, and then you're going to have targeted marketing. But they're both important, so it's not just 50% is working.

Speaker 1:

The whole thing works and you're in. You need them both, and I think that's what I would tell any young entrepreneur today is you better spend time, effort and energy on brand and continuing that brand and you better figure out how to micro target your customers. You better do both because you're going to need both.

Speaker 3:

Absolutely. One of my favorite examples of this was a guy that I'd follow a lot. A lot of people do. His name is Gary Vaynerchuk and he has very he's been a big voice for the social media community, runs a big agency and things like that. But one of the things that he said that I I got to hear probably I don't know seven, eight years ago. That really made a big impact on me.

Speaker 3:

When talking about social media specifically, he said one way to look at this is what is the ROI of your mother. And he stopped on there and it's an epic stage moment. You'll have to check it out. But he said he goes on to talk about how how do you measure all the things that your mom's done for you? But he goes on to talk about how do you measure all the things that your mom's done for you? And that same example of being able to look at how has social media impacted my brand. There is definitely data, analytics, reporting all that, and then there's that kind of intangible, if you will, that truly makes an impact the single clip, the single interaction, if you will, that they've had online with your brand and how that's made an imprint on somebody. That's why every time I sit down and I'll go through numbers with a business owner and say I'm absolutely happy to talk about numbers, no problem. I want to show you how we've shown actual results and what does the data show Absolutely. But then it's also that question of how has it impacted your business? What have you seen from it?

Speaker 3:

I take an example from the Alquist with tenant testimonial videos. You know that's one of those things that we did with. We started with Mark and Holt and those guys a few years back, where it was. We're not looking at video views for tenant testimonials. We're looking at when Mark and Holt sit down with a potential tenant. Can you show that video to them or send that to them, text it to them? Whatever it may be that interaction, does that help impact the deal when you have another brand showcasing what their experience has been like working with Alquist? Right, and that's a really strong example of, just again, we're not looking for viral sensation. We're not looking for that. We're looking for things to impact, to help a potential tenant.

Speaker 1:

And in a world that is competitive that's capitalism, that's America you want to have every advantage you can. So, if you can authentically tell your story, have the pieces of media and marketing ready to go and dominate in those situations in comparison to your competitors. That's how you're successful 100%.

Speaker 3:

And that's also one of the, I think, unique things where obviously we've done a lot commercial real estate, hvac companies, construction-based companies where a lot of times, initially, that conversation is again hey, we haven't done this for 20 years, so we don't need to be doing it for another 20 years. And then the initial response to that is if your competition is doing it, then you're probably already behind. And that's where you start to look at what does that look like over the next few years? And that's where it's like if your brand isn't utilizing social media today, you're definitely behind. It is 2024. Facebook's been around for 12, 15 years. You're behind.

Speaker 1:

So I love it. This went by really fast. Sure, it is great, hey, most importantly, do you know how much I love my daughter? Oh, she is. She's a dream. I don't know what it was, but when she had the boys it was unbelievably cool. But when she just had her little girl and I, watching her hold her little girl in her arms, was just like oh, my word. It was a pinnacle for me of life. But what I wanted to say is you never know who your daughter, that you love more than life, is going to marry. And boy, we got lucky. You're the best. Thank you for all you do, for your friendship, for the way you've influenced our business and, most importantly, for the dad and husband you are to my grandkids and my daughter.

Speaker 3:

Love you, buddy I love you too and thank you I. We don't get opportunities to sit down like this a lot in talking this way, but it's been awesome and I feel grateful to my wife sorry, your daughter. She is the absolute best and I am grateful and blessed. That's how I'm able to do any of this is that she takes care of the back of the ranch, so we love you, buddy.

Speaker 1:

Go Dodgers, it's gonna be fun. Let's do it. Thanks, everybody.