Happy Hour Hustle

It's no secret that the local news world has been changing, from how journalists connect with the community to how they combat misinformation online (which is no easy task). Maddie and Alayna are once again joined by Lauren Kummer, a reporter and anchor at FOX 17, to talk about how her station and other local reporters are working through the changing social media landscape, building relationships with viewers, and much more.

Happy Olympics, Hustlers! This week we got the chance to talk to real-life Olympian, Ben Jefferies, and his coach, Scott Barnes. We asked them about what it takes to get to that level, what they are looking forward to the most, and advice for anybody else who wants to compete on the world's largest stage.

Maddie and Alayna sit down with Lauren Kummer, a reporter and anchor at FOX 17 in West Michigan, to talk about all the do's, don'ts and the definitely don'ts of pitching. Lauren gives advice to PR pros on how they can best grab the attention of a TV journalist. They also discuss the importance of relationships when dealing with reporters.   

Kim and Maddie sit down with Renee Bauer, author of She Who Wins and owner of Happy Even After Family Law. They talk about leadership, strength and what it takes to ditch your inner 'good girl.'

Are you up to date with Google's latest rollout? How is your business using AI? Did you hear what LinkedIn is doing now?  The digital team at 8THIRTYFOUR walks through the latest in the Digital Marketing space. 

Big or small, every company faces a crisis at some point. How you handle it could mean the difference between irreparable reputation damage and moving forward. Kim and Maddie talk about what it takes to manage a crisis, who's done it well and the importance of making a plan.

We just could not get enough of our conversation Aly Zuiderveen and Chelsea Sinke, known by their usernames @helloalymay and @mygrandrapidslife. Hear what these Grand Rapids influencers had to say about their red and green flags, and where they think the influencer marketing industry is headed.

Is anything moving faster than the influencer world? Probably not.  We sat down with Aly Zuiderveen and Chelsea Sinke, known by their usernames @helloalymay and @mygrandrapidslife, for a look behind the curtains. Hear what they had to say about what marketers are doing right, what they're doing wrong, and much more in Part 1 of our deep dive into Influencer Marketing.

Here at 8THIRTYFOUR, we are all about supporting other small businesses. Because let's face it, we're badass. Ahead of Small Business Saturday, we talked to two small business owners here in Michigan (who happen to also be our incredible clients). Amy Sparks, president of Goldie, and Kelly Stroburg, publisher of nearlywed, share their stories of how they got started, and what it's like to be a small business owner. 

Burnout has become a bit of a buzzword since the pandemic, but what is it really? Why do more women experience it? What can we do to overcome it?  Dr. Dominique Pritchett, a nationally recognized mental wellness strategist and keynote speaker at this year's Inforum Capstone Dinner, joined us to talk about how to break the cycle. 

Federal employees are not the only ones hurt by a government shutdown. Small businesses and government contractors are also forced to reevaluate when our lawmakers can't agree on a budget. Kim talks with Sue Tellier, the CEO of JetCo Federal, about how the looming shutdown is already impacting small businesses and what we can do about it.

It's a core belief here at 8THIRTYFOUR... the future is female. And women are definitely having a moment.  From our changing representation in the media to female stars taking over the world (looking at you Taylor), we're talking about the power of women and the power of female rage. If you want to read more, make sure to check out our blog.

If you didn't already know, the 8THIRTYFOUR team loves a good drink... and patio... and rooftop... aaand the list goes on. In this episode, Derek, Emma, and Savannah sit down to chat about their favorite places to crack open a cold one and enjoy all the summer vibes. So, what do you say? Grab a drink and join us!   If you want more recommendations, check out our blog on the Best Grand Rapids Dive Bars.

When people mention SEO do you find your brain empty? We can help with that.    Emma sits down with Rowan, one of 8THIRTYFOUR's Account Managers and Knower of All Things, to discuss the basics of SEO... and a little bit more. From site ranking to keywords, we're covering all the bases.   If you're still looking for more SEO knowledge after this episode, check out some of our blogs & recommended resources: SEO Doesn't Happen Overnight SEO for Dummies Beginner’s Guide to SEO Moz SEO Guides Moz Whiteboard Friday  

Remember when we had to remind people not to eat Tide Pods? What about Chris Pine's iconic stare during the Don't Worry Darling press tour?   Well, lucky for you, the 8THIRTYFOUR team sat down to chat about all things social media trends, our favorites, plus some random tangents along the way. If you're looking for more social media insights & tips, check out these blogs: 2023 Social Media Trends Social Media Design Trends Creating a Social Style Guide 2023 Social Media Image Sizes 7 Tips for Setting Up a Social Media Campaign How to Conduct a Social Media Audit

You shouldn't wait for a crisis to happen before you have a crisis communications plan. That's why we're here to chat through every step. Simplified, it's all about OAF. Own it, apologize, fix it. Obviously, there are other details, but we'll let you listen in for the extra advice.    Need some reading material on the subject? We've got that covered too: The Evolution of Crisis Communications Presidential PR Blunders Brands Behaving Badly Earning Trust Back After Your Brand F*cks Up

We're talking about one of our favorite things — PR. The relationship between a journalist and a PR pro is an important one, so the team is breaking down what it means to be authentic, why pitching is hard work, and some of our favorite journalist stories. So, want to make the media love you? Get listening.   And, as we promised, you can find some PR blogs below: Back to Basics: Authenticity in Pitching Our PR Lifelines (Must-Haves) PR Professionals Need to Demand More The Rise of Affiliate Marketing

Kim sits down with Emma and Amberly to talk all about anti-resolutions for 2023. Plus, there's some margarita and chicken sandwich talk too — We love to keep you guessing.   If you love this episode and want more of our insights on why resolutions aren't the move, check out our blog.

We have a lot to say... especially about women-owned businesses. Kim chats with Jeffrey, 8THIRTYFOUR's Lead Graphic Designer, about what working for a women-owned business really looks like. So, grab a drink and get listening. 

Move over, Happy Hour Hustle listeners. Our Gen Z team members are front and center in this episode. Kim chats with Emma and Amberly about internship takeaways, the "real world", and Gen Z lingo. We're pretty sure you'll vibe with this one.    Want more 8THIRTYFOUR? Check out our blogs. You know you want to.