Shooting the Shift

The “In Ohio Country Today” television program has been sharing the stories of Ohio agriculture and farm families for 20 years. The veteran farm broadcasters delivering those stories, however, have been doing it much longer. In this episode of Shooting the Shift, Dan Wilson, Alan Davis and Gary Jackson draw on over 100 combined years of experience and hall of fame careers to share how “In Ohio Cou...

Meat hooks? Razor Blades? Tape? No…we’re not talking with a butcher, but rather a highly-experienced, well-trained and trusted journalist who has been covering the State of Ohio via radio, print, television and internet for decades.  In this episode of Shooting the Shift, Jo Ingles gives us a history lesson of the journalism profession, and shares what it’s like to be a real journalist these days...

"Sustainability" often means different things to different people. And it’s no secret there’s increased consumer preference and demand for food produced from sustainable sources.  But what exactly does that mean? Who defines that? And how does a company, let alone individual farmers, establish a system for accurately tracking, measuring and proving their efforts truly making a difference...

If life is like a box of chocolates, and you never know what you’re going to get, your brand is more like an ice cream sundae. If it’s built right, you know your customers are going to get a consistently wonderful experience with a shining cherry on top every time.  A few years back, we were approached by the organizers of a long-lived summer camp looking for a bit of marketing help. But our recom...

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it.”  -- The famous phrase from Simon Sinek’s “ Start with Why ” TED talk has had individuals and businesses trying to discover and articulate their WHYs for over a decade. While simple in theory, it’s a bit more complicated in practice.  Dr. Gary Sanchez , aka “Dr. Why," has discovered and uncovered 9 WHYs that drive each and every one of us...

The election has come and gone, and while there’s a lame duck currently in the Oval Office, there will soon be a turkey at the White House. No, we’re not talking about the next President of the United States, but rather the time-honored tradition of pardoning an actual live feathered gobbler from being a Thanksgiving meal at the residence of our nation’s leader. But where do these turkeys come fro...

Executives and business owners and the concept of leadership naturally go hand-in-hand. But while these leaders are busy leading, who is leading them? And how do they know if their leadership style is effective and sustainable? Our own leader, Melanie Wilt, sits down with her executive coach, Ken Jacobs, to talk leadership traits, strategies and habits he incorporates to help leaders reach their f...

There’s a lot of work that goes into planning, setting up and managing a live virtual event for large audiences. But it takes a unique blend of factors to pull off a trophy-worthy performance. In this episode, Dan Toland connects with two of our partners who recently received national acclaim for their outstanding LIVE Virtual Farm Trips . Pop some champagne and get ready to take some notes as the...

Lawyers are our friends, right? Well for us at least, communication and the law are very complementary professions. Both require strong arguments and a certain degree of influence. On this episode of Shooting the Shift, Melanie Wilt is joined at the intersection of communication and the law by her good friend, who just happens to be an ag lawyer and director of a collegiate law center, to talk tre...

Personal branding is essential for today’s working professional, especially in a Public Relations setting, but what does a personal brand encompass? And how do you create and maintain a positive personal brand? We discuss the importance of personal branding for aspiring public relations professionals and share insights and tips for crafting a strong personal brand and navigating social media etiqu...

“Pro Bono”...it’s a funny sounding phrase that does get used now and again in the professional world. But what exactly does it mean? And what’s so “pro” about it? We define and discuss the nuances of pro bono work and the benefits it can have for client, agency and the community in this episode of Shooting the Shift, featuring Eddie Bell of the Springfield, Ohio Rotary Club, the host of an annual...

Rapid changes in communication technology have drastically changed the way we all work, especially those of us who work in communication. In a world where the next big things emerge faster than courses can be prepared to teach them, how are colleges working to equip the next generation of communication professionals? In this episode of Shooting the Shift, Melanie Wilt connects with a communication...

A web management specialist, a preacher and a parks and recreation director all walk into a bar… It’s not really a joke, but there’s plenty of fun when they all get together! We’re reuniting with three of our past employees to learn what they’re up to, how Shift•ology impacted their careers, and to reminisce about the old days. That’s all ahead in this episode of Shooting the Shift. Episode Links...

With Christmas spirit in the air, now’s a good time to make sure your gifts and greetings are grammatically on-point; that your communication efforts don’t fall asleep while you’re away; and hear how Christmas tree farmers spread Christmas cheer throughout the year. That’s all on this holiday episode of “Shooting the Shift.” Guests: Shift•ology Account Manager Emily Bennett Shift•ology Agriculture...

What goes through the brains of those who host over 40,000 students on a visit to a dairy farm at one time? For our guests today, it appears to be nothing more than a casual one-on-one stroll through the parlor, but there’s a lot happening behind the scenes. We're going to learn how (and why) a very small team from Syracuse, NY has come to entertain and engage a very large live virtual audien...

What the heck is a Virtual Farm Trip? Whether you call them virtual farm tours, virtual field trips or something else…Why would you want to host one? And what needs to be considered when planning to do so? We’re Shooting the Shift with Digital Engagement Manager Alex Miller to break down the basics of Virtual Farm Trips on today’s episode of “Shooting the Shift”. Episode Links VirtualFarmTrips.com...

What happens when a farm girl with a lifelong passion for biology, science and communication decides to step out of the comfort of being employed by others to start her own agency, during an economic recession nonetheless?  We’re Shooting the Shift with the boss of Shift•ology Communication, Melanie Wilt, to learn the story behind her business; the unique philosophy that guides the company’s work,...