Posts by Callis Team

OUTdrive Episode 167 with Kelsey Miller For some people, inspiration comes from music, nature or animals. Others are inspired by the words and actions of people, like Kelsey Miller, an incoming freshman at Mizzou and the 2023 Missouri State Fair Queen. Kelsey grew up on her family farm in Jonesburg, Missouri and for years, has…

OUTdrive Episode 166 with Chris Chinn Busy people know how to get things done and our guest today is one busy woman working in agriculture. As a wife, mother, farmer and director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Chris Chinn is leading the way in the state’s largest industry. Most people would be amazed at…

OUTdrive Episode 165 with Elsie Kigar The opportunities for women working in agriculture are tremendous and the Missouri State Fair has opened the door for many over the years. This year’s fair theme is Where Traditions Grow, and one of the traditions the fair opens with each year is its queen contest. Today’s guest is…

OUTdrive Episode 164 with Annette Alden Missouri has a rich history of winemaking and in fact has been credited with helping to save the French wine industry. Today, there are nearly 130 wineries, hundreds of grape growers and thousands of jobs in this growing industry, right here in our state. To help make it grow,…

OUTdrive Episode 163 with Kari Mergen Every year at this time, our advertising agency is busy putting the finishing touches on the marketing campaign for the Missouri State Fair, one of our oldest clients. We love the fair and all the traditions that make the fair what it is, which is what inspired the theme…

OUTdrive Episode 162 with Aaron Oelger It’s almost a perfect scenario in marketing when you’re at a place where the story practically tells itself. Great brand with history and reputation. Great people with a real passion for what they do. Great products that you just can’t get enough of. Our guest today is proud to…

OUTdrive Episode 161 with Michael Wright There are a lot of cool things going on in our schools today that many people might be surprised to hear about, like robotics. Innovation is driving technology and our local high school is leading the way with a nationally recognized robotics program that gives students the opportunity to…

OUTdrive Episode 160 with Justin Hubbs It’s always interesting when business models change to meet our changing world. A great example is real estate where the online auction platform has transformed the industry. Listen in to my conversation with Justin Hubbs, a Real Estate District Manager with BigIron Realty. BigIron burst on the scene in…

OUTdrive Episode 158 with Taylor Moreland You know, sometimes we get a bad rap out here in the country that we’re behind the curve in the use of technology and innovation, but honestly, nothing could be further from the truth. Our guest today is proof of that. Taylor Moreland is the founder and owner of…

OUTdrive Episode 157 with Bub Caldwell Agriculture is the biggest industry in Missouri and its importance to feeding the world is enormous. In addition to growing crops for food and fiber, storage and distribution are vital tasks in the process. Our guest today has been producing for nearly 50 years grain bins that enable farmers…

OUTdrive Episode | Solocast Twice a year, our agency principals team up with other small agency owners around the country to catch up and help each other be better. We’ve been involved in a peer group for nearly 20 years and it’s one of the reasons we’ve been able to stay relevant and current with…

OUTdrive Episode 155 with John Smiddy I always love talking shop with other agency owners. In this intriguing episode, I interview John Smiddy, founder, president and chief strategist at LeadPlan Marketing in Michigan. He’s also the author of the book Stop Guessing Start Marketing and the host of The Marketing Fundamentals Podcast. John got his…

OUTdrive Episode 154 with Robert Harrington We believe we’ve got it pretty good out here in rural America, where we enjoy a high quality of life, with plenty of great opportunities and a safe environment in which to live, work and play. It may be the world’s best kept secret. Our guest today is a…

OUTdrive Episode 153 with Jim Marino It’s always amazing how one experience in life prepares you for the ones that follow. That’s the way it’s supposed to be, right? Our podcast guest, Jim Marino, got his start during college working for a construction, development and marketing conglomerate in Missouri. From there, he took his sales,…

OUTdrive Episode 152 with Dave Leathers Most people today recognize that digital media has revolutionized modern marketing plans. Yet, nothing replaces the look and feel of a high-end magazine. Every day, millions of people throughout rural America and the world consume content found in magazines, and then they pass them along. Today’s guest has built…