Exclusive Interview with OUTdrive Host, Cliff Callis

Every week, Cliff teams up with a business leader with a unique perspective revolving around marketing to rural America to bring you OUTdrive, our weekly podcast. If you aren’t familiar with the show, we encourage you to check it out on our website or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts. If you are familiar with OUTdrive, you know Cliff asks our guests questions to uncover key insights we can all use to further advance our efforts marketing to rural America.

This week, we have turned the table! We caught up with Cliff and asked him some key questions about the podcast and his thoughts and perspective on marketing to rural America.

Here’s what we learned:

What do you enjoy most about the OUTdrive podcast?

“Honestly, I feel like I’ve been preparing for this podcast my whole life. I’ve always lived in rural America and I’ve worked with so many different clients operating in rural America over the years. I really like to talk to people and I’m always interested in their lives and businesses. It’s really nice to be in a position to fulfill something I never really thought would happen.”

Has the experience of creating and launching the OUTdrive podcast been rewarding?

“I’m personally excited about how the show has taken off. We put a lot of resources into studying, analyzing and preparing to launch the show. I’m really proud of our team and how dedicated and disciplined we’ve been as we’re closing in on a year of dedicated and disciplined podcast production. It makes me feel really good that we’re able to deliver a quality product every week. We’ve had some really good feedback on the podcast and our listeners and subscribers are continuing to grow. To me, that is very gratifying.”

What does rural America mean to you?

“To me, rural America is my drive home in the afternoon. It’s quiet, peaceful mornings, listening to animals and birds as the sun comes up. It’s being able to admire the amazing world God gave us. Even though some bigger cities, like Kansas City for example, have lots of people and activities, I still consider them part of rural America because the people are the same and the rural American values are still there.”

About Cliff:

As founder and President of the agency, Cliff offers clients more than 30 years of experience and expertise in marketing, advertising and public relations. Cliff is a graduate and former Trustee of Missouri Valley College, where he studied business, economics and communications and competed in intercollegiate tennis. Cliff grew up in the retail business, working alongside his father and brother, where he first learned about the customer experience. He has been integral in leading the agency through the digital revolution.

Today, Cliff focuses his efforts on client, employee and public relations, business development and working with clients to develop strategies to help grow their business. He is also President of the Board of Directors of the Center for Human Services, a nationally acclaimed not-for-profit organization which serves those with disabilities. Cliff and his family reside outside Sedalia, Missouri, where he enjoys outdoor sports, travel and the inspiration of life’s experiences.

Be an OUTdrive Guest

If you’re interested in being an OUTdrive guest, or if you know someone who would be a great fit for the show, please reach out to Megan at mhartman@ecallis.com. Until then—keep on driving!