Rural Run Down Podcast

Maggie Mae is a born and raised farm kid from Beresford, South Dakota, who grew up and fell in love with photography. She loves to travel and capture the special moments for her clients, whether that is an engagement, wedding, senior session, or photos for rural + local businesses.

Life brought her back to Beresford where she lives with her husband, daughter, and two kitties, Eve and Opal.

We love Maggie's honesty, energy, and zest for life, connection, and building a business. We talk about the importance of finding a community when you work for yourself, what has changed since she started, and tips for businesses who want to book a photographer for branding/website photos.

Follow Maggie HERE:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggiemaeimages/
Website: https://www.maggiemaeimages.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maggiemaeimages

Vanessa Torke of Nessa's Naturals joins us to share about her journey + building her business. What Vanessa has built and cultivated is so cool! She went from making products for family and friends to pop-up shops and vendor shows to bringing her products online and eventually to a brick and mortar in Marshall, Minnesota.

She is feisty, charismatic, energetic, and magnetic! We loved her philosophy on self-care, "You look good, you feel good" mentality, and YOU can feel the passion she has for her customers and for the integrity of her products.

Not to mention - she was rocking a cute PJ top under a blazer the whole time AND we didn't know until she told us. CLEVER.

Follow Vanessa and Nessa's Naturals HERE:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NessasNaturals
Instagram: @naturalness
Website: https://nessasnaturals.com/

Have a question or topic you want us to cover? Send us a DM on Instagram @ruralrundown

Rural Run Down Podcast with Brenna (@brennaramsden) and Rachel Aeikens (@rachelaeikens)
Rural Run Down Website: www.ruralrundown.com
b.Creative: www.bcreativebybrenna.com
December Day Creative: @decemberdaycreative

Episode 15: Showing up on Social Media - Adam Krause of K&K Farms, INC

South Dakota Pork producer, fellow SDSU Alum, and host of his very own cooking show, Adam Krause joined us for a conversation about family businesses, the pork industry as a whole, and showing up on social media.

Not only is Adam a farmer and family man to his wife Taylor and their son Hayes, he also gives back to his community by serving on many local executive boards. And if you haven't caught an episode of his Krause Cooking Show, you're really missing out.

Smart Moves:
- Working with family can be stressful, but toddlers ease the tension when needed.
- Start where you are, with what you are comfortable with, but share your story. Ask for help on social media if needed.
- We are Agriculturists, and business owners, you have to own that.
- There are lots of snack options in Downtown Brookings, but apparently, not everyone knows that.

What. A. Chat!

We totally loved this conversation with Adam and gained a lot of insight into contract growers and the pork industry. The thing we love about Adam the most is how he shares his day-to-day life on the farm and gets others involved. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did!

Follow Adam for more here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adam.krause2
Instagram: @akrause78
Snapchat: @akrause78
TikTok: @akrause78

Have a question or topic you want us to cover? Send us a DM on Instagram @ruralrundown
Rural Run Down Podcast with Brenna (@brennaramsden) and Rachel Aeikens (@rachelaeikens)

Rural Run Down Website: ruralrundownpodcast.buzzsprout.com
b.Creative: www.bcreativebybrenna.com
December Day Creative: @decemberdaycreative

Rachel Clark-Kennedy lives in rural South Dakota by way of Texas. Recently named one of Forth Worth's 40 Under 40, serious western fashion inspiration, and a job to be envious of, Rachel shares with us her role as Product Design & Development at Justin Boots. 

Big Takeaways:
- You never know who you are going to impress. Be nice to everyone, especially the janitor
- Apply for that job, it might lead you to your dream opportunity
- Love will take you crazy places - even the South Dakota tundra

Connect with Rachel Clark-Kennedy 
Instagram: @rachelcheyenne_
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelclark1/

Rural Run Down Podcast with Brenna (@brennaramsden) and Rachel Aeikens (@rachelaeikens)

Rural Run Down Website: www.ruralrundown.com

b.Creative: www.bcreativebybrenna.com
December Day Creative: @decemberdaycreative

Episode 13: Niche Businesses & Marketing with Three Bears Honey

-Smart Moves:
-Building on family business, keeping the legacy
-Marketing Trends in Farmer's Markets (How does this compare to the agency world)
-Sharing your unique story with the world (How to attract and keep attention)

Follow Three Bears Honey for more here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThreeBearsHoneyCo
Website: https://threebearshoney.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/threebearshoneyco/

Episode 12: Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Sometimes we get so tied up in the meaning of a word, the mindset we're in, or the feelings we *think* we have about business or life in general.

This is a short episode with Brenna & Rachel discussing our current thoughts.

Have a question or topic you want us to cover? Send us a DM on Instagram @ruralrundownRural Run Down Podcast with Brenna (@brennaramsden) and Rachel Aeikens (@rachelaeikens)
Rural Run Down Website: www.ruralrundown.com
b.Creative: www.bcreativebybrenna.com
December Day Creative: @decemberdaycreative

Episode 11: Setting Your Business Apart - Amanda Hillbrands, Hillbrands Cattle Co

-Smart Moves: How to Build a Business & Market a Cattle Company (And do it differently)
-Marketing Trends in the Show Cattle/Online Auctions Industry (Where we are now, where we are going)
-Community Involvement: What this can look like + Why it Matters
-DIY or Contract it Out (Both Work)

Holy cats!

Amanda brought the fire to this interview and shared some really awesome examples of how being innovative, resilient + creative can pay off big time for a rural ag business. We could ask her questions forever! Maybe a part 2 "After Hours" episode is to come.

Follow Amanda and Hillbrands Cattle Co for more here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hilbcattle
Website: https://www.hilbcattleco.com/
Instagram: @AmandaHilbrands

Have a question or topic you want us to cover? Send us a DM on Instagram @ruralrundown
Rural Run Down Podcast with Brenna (@brennaramsden) and Rachel Aeikens (@rachelaeikens)

Rural Run Down Website: ruralrundownpodcast.buzzsprout.com
b.Creative: www.bcreativebybrenna.com
December Day Creative: @decemberdaycreative

We sat down (via Zoom) with Kacee Bohle of The Corn Belt Cadence.

She dishes the dirt on:
-Being a mentor & finding mentors
-Tips for connecting in the ag industry
-Networking (how to get the most out of this)
-Seeing a need and delivering on it
Kacee is a true connector + dynamic individual.

You can find out more from her at:
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cornbeltcadence
Corn Belt Cadence: https://cornbeltcadence.com/
Contact Kacee at: [email protected]

Have a question or topic you want us to cover? Send us a DM on Instagram @ruralrundown
Rural Run Down Podcast with Brenna (@brennaramsden) and Rachel Aeikens (@rachelaeikens)
Rural Run Down Website: ruralrundownpodcast.buzzsprout.com
b.Creative: www.bcreativebybrenna.com
December Day Creative: @decemberdaycreative

Episode 9: Branding Your Social Media

This episode breaks down brand voice and how to use it for your social media platforms! We go over:
-What does "brand voice" really mean?
-Tips on how to stay consistent/create consistency
-The visual aspect of your brand voice

Discover The Brand Book - a guide for you to dig deep into your business and lay the foundation of your brand. Get yours in a hard copy or digital download from the b.Creative Shop: https://www.bcreativebybrenna.com/shop

Have a question or topic you want us to cover? Send us a DM on Instagram @ruralrundownRural Run Down Podcast with Brenna (@brennaramsden) and Rachel Aeikens (@rachelaeikens)
Rural Run Down Website
b.Creative: www.bcreativebybrenna.com
December Day Creative: @decemberdaycreative

Episode 8: DIY Brand Q&A with Brenna

So you wanna make a brand?
But maybe you are thinking...
What is branding? Where should I start? Do I DIY?

Rachel asks our brand expert, Brenna, all of these questions and more. Let's dig in.

A few topics we touch on:
-Why do you want a brand?
-Who are you serving with this brand?
-What makes your business different?
-Should you stay away from "branding" trends?
-How can my brand stand the test of time?
-What are some branding mistakes you see businesses make?

Want more from Brenna?
Get access to The Brand Book (This is what we reference in the podcast). The Brand Book will walk you through the steps to building a foundation in your brand, identifying your ideal and target audiences, and even give you the beginning to a social media strategy.
Get your copy here: https://www.bcreativebybrenna.com/shop/thebrandbook-hardcopy

Have a question or topic you want us to cover? Send us a DM on Instagram @ruralrundown
Rural Run Down Podcast with Brenna (@brennaramsden) and Rachel Aeikens (@rachelaeikens)
Rural Run Down Website: ruralrundown.buzzsprout.com
b.Creative: www.bcreativebybrenna.com
December Day Creative: @decemberdaycreative