Destination On The Left

Marsha Walden is the President and Chief Executive Officer for Destination BC. A lifelong British Columbian, Marsha’s career spans corporate leadership roles in marketing, strategy, transformation, operations, communications, and social responsibility. Marsha holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia, loves to travel, and takes full advantage of family life in our extraordinary province. In this episode of Destination on the Left, Marsha Walden, President and CEO of Destination BC, talks strategy for provincial destination marketing. She shares insights about collaboration, digital marketing, and data in the travel and tourism industry. What You Will Learn in This Episode: The work Marsha is currently doing with Destination BC How Marsha made the transition into destination marketing Marsha’s insights about collaboration, digital marketing, and data in the travel and tourism industry. What Marsha and her team are doing to cut through the noise and make Destination BC stand out How Marsha uses destination development plans to draw more tourism to the province as a whole How Marsha got the government involved in tourism Why Destination BC operates with ten-year plans How Destination BC manages a network of separate destinations Provincial Destination Marketing President and Chief Executive Officer Marsha Walden has spearheaded Destination BC’s product development efforts, content commonwealth, and tourism data hub; the lifeblood of its growth strategy. And it has enabled Destination BC to realize its vision for the future while staying highly competitive in one of North America’s densest tourism markets. Marsha has spent most of her career in different marketing disciplines and she is a lifelong resident of British Columbia, so the opportunity to combine those parts of her life was irresistible. She joins us on the latest episode of Destination on the Left to talk about Destination BC and share insights about collaboration, digital marketing, and data in the travel and tourism industry. Destination Development Plans To cut through the noise and make Destination BC standout from the crowd, Marsha’s approach is to focus on both sides of the revenue-driving equation. Destination BC puts a lot of energy and resources into building its brand and marketing it in the right ways. Marsha and her team maintain a strong digital presence so that they are constantly communicating with their target audience in the place where they spend the most time. Simultaneously, Destination BC creates remarkable experiences to ensure their communication strategy is portraying the most compelling possible product to the consumer. This is accomplished by formulating destination development plans to make each section of the destination the best it can be, and it is extremely effective. Ten-Year Plans Determining what you want to be known for as a destination requires a lot of collaboration. So, out of a necessity to grow, Destination BC has invited a lot of new parties to the table. Municipal governments, tourism businesses, industry stakeholders, and other governmental associations/organizations all need to be involved in setting the strategy. But these things take time, so Marsha and her team operate with ten-year plans which allow for realistic timelines to hit their goals. This strategy enables DMOs to take a more reactive approach to new market trends, and it provides an outline that keeps all of the collaborators on the same page. Website: https://www.destinationbc.ca/ https://www.hellobc.com/ Twitter: @DestinationBC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/destinationbritishcolumbia/ Email: Marsha.Walden@destinationbc.ca Episode Transcript We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Executive Director of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo since 2012, Kuhar manages the Zoo’s extensive animal collection and oversees the daily operations of the 183-acre facility. Since joining Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in 2008, he has also served as Curator of Primates and Small Mammals and Curator of Animals. Prior to that, Kuhar was the Research Manager at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, where he studied animal behavior for nearly five years. He previously worked as a Research Assistant at Zoo Atlanta from 2000 to 2003 and at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo from 1997 to 2000. Kuhar received his Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Akron in 1997, his Master of Science in zoology from Oklahoma State University in 2000 and his doctorate in experimental psychology from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2004. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for four years, Kuhar has served as the Board Liaison to the Animal Welfare Committee, and as a member of the Safety Committee, Animal Population Management Committee, Research and Technology Committee as well as multiple TAGS and SSPs. Kuhar also serves as an AZA Executive Leadership Development Program mentor. In this episode of Destination on the Left, Executive Director of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Dr. Christopher Kuhar, joins us to discuss his branding strategy for the zoo. He talks about leading with the mission to increase awareness of the work organizations are doing behind the scenes. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How zoos are weaving their mission into their brand story Why balance is so important How the Cleveland Zoo became apart of an award-winning special parks district How Dr. Kuhar and his team redesigned the messaging strategy What visitors want to know about your destination How Cleveland Metroparks Zoo stands out from its competitors Projects that Dr. Kuhar and his team are currently working on Rebranding the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Dr. Christopher Kuhar is the Executive Director of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, where he manages the Zoo’s animal collection and oversees the daily operations. In Dr. Kuhar’s current role, he is leading the Cleveland zoo into a new chapter with an emphasis on conservation, education, and animal welfare. On top of the massive additions to infrastructure and exhibits that have already been completed, Dr. Kuhar and his team are changing the way that they talk about themselves to the public. Traditionally, zoos have always focused their marketing budget on getting people through the front gates. But there is amazing work happening behind the scenes and Dr. Kuhar is making an effort to weave it into the brand. What are You Doing to Make the World a Better Place? For the travel industry in general, there has been a major shift as far as what people are looking for when they travel; and there is a greater concern for the environments they are stepping into. The impact visitors have on the destinations they visit and the footprints they leave behind are out in the open, so brands like the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo have capitalized on opportunities to talk about the work they are doing. In polling data from the AZA, Dr. Kuhar and his team have gathered a significant amount of information about their visitors—and they found that the desire to see destination organizations making the world a better place is near the top of the list. That is something every DMO can leverage. How Do You Show Up in the World? Many guests at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo are completely unaware of the impact Dr. Kuhar and his team are making, so that was a major driver behind the new messaging. They wanted to highlight the conservation work they have been doing for the last twenty years and lead with their mission in every advertisement and every piece of content on social media. So far, this has increased awareness from 50% to 90% and it has even increased attendance from demographics that would normally be considered outliers. How your brand shows up in the world is directly correlated to a traveler’s decision to visit your destination. So, if you want to learn more about Dr. Kuhar’s successful rebrand of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, listen to his episode here: http://bit.ly/36emhjT Twitter: @clemetzoo Website: https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo

With a talent for creating special events that blossomed while working for my dad’s car stereo shop, I got my start in marketing at Frontier Field in Rochester and I began serving as the executive director of the internationally known Lilac Festival. Later on, I headed the Canandaigua, New York Business Improvement District while also performing projects for the tourism promotion agency Visit Rochester. In 2009, I founded Break the Ice Media, with more than 20 years of experience in tourism marketing. I now host “Destination on the Left”, a highly successful tourism marketing podcast. As a business owner, I know what it takes to be successful. I founded BTI to help businesses tell their brand story through public relations, digital and traditional channels. I have the ability to uncover unique marketing opportunities and develop marketing and public relations initiatives that help clients build long-term success. In this solocast episode of Destination on the Left, we look at the highlights from the final day of our Destination on the Left Virtual Summit. What You Will Learn in This Episode: The highlights from day three of the Destination on the Left Virtual Summit Jennifer Barbee’s presentation on Building Relevancy With an ROI Plan Tiffany Gallagher’s presentation on The Evolution of Destination Marketing Funding Sarah Blackwell and Colleen Onuffer’s presentation on Evaluating Public Relations Josh Collins’ presentation on Vibrant Destinations David Holder’s presentation on Measurement Tools and Responsible Metrics Destination on the Left Virtual Summit: Day 3 The first two days of the Destination on the Left Virtual Summit were nothing short of spectacular! It was an honor listening to our ten marketing experts share their thoughts on industry trends and challenges that destination marketers are facing. If you missed either Day and want to revisit the presentations, make sure to check out our recaps of Day 1 and Day 2 on the Destination on the Left website and all major streaming platforms. In the latest solocast episode of Destination on the Left, we will be rounding out the last day of the virtual summit with a recap and final thoughts about the event. Today’s episode will include highlights from presentations by Jennifer Barbee, Tiffany Gallagher, Sarah Blackwell & Colleen Onuffer, Josh Collins, and David Holder. Learn what they had to say about: Building Relevancy With an ROI Plan: Jenifer Barbee of Destination Innovate discusses new ways for destinations to think about marketing. She explains why DMOs should design campaigns with key performance indicators (KPIs) to mine data that tells a story. The Evolution of Destination Marketing Funding: Tiffany Gallagher of Civitas Advisors discusses the development of Tourism Improvement Districts and explains how they are impacting destinations across the country. Evaluating Public Relations: Sarah Blackwell and Colleen Onuffer of Break the Ice Media explain the Barcelona Principles 100-point scoring system for the evaluation of PR campaigns. Vibrant Destinations: Josh Collins of Streetsense gave a presentation about the evolution of the experience economy. He explained how destinations can attract more visitors by building trust, leveraging data, curating their culture, and embracing marketing challenges. Measurement Tools and Responsible Metrics: David Holder of JLL discusses tools and metrics with a metaphor using three buckets. His concepts are broken up by overall destination metrics, travel activity indicators, and annual market results. If you weren’t able to take part in the amazing Destination on the Left Virtual Summit, don’t fret! You can still watch all of the presentations on our website. Just purchase an all-access pass by visiting www.destinationontheleft.com/summit and enjoy! Otherwise, keep an eye out for an upcoming announcement for our next summit in Spring 2020. We hope you can join us. Resources: Email: nicole@breaktheicemedia.com Website: www.destinationontheleft.com/summit Website: https://breaktheicemedia.com/ Twitter: @Break_TheIce Facebook: @BreakTheIceMedia

With a talent for creating special events that blossomed while working for my dad’s car stereo shop, I got my start in marketing at Frontier Field in Rochester and I began serving as the executive director of the internationally known Lilac Festival. Later on, I headed the Canandaigua, New York Business Improvement District while also performing projects for the tourism promotion agency Visit Rochester. In 2009, I founded Break the Ice Media, with more than 20 years of experience in tourism marketing. I now host “Destination on the Left”, a highly successful tourism marketing podcast. As a business owner, I know what it takes to be successful. I founded BTI to help businesses tell their brand story through public relations, digital and traditional channels. I have the ability to uncover unique marketing opportunities and develop marketing and public relations initiatives that help clients build long-term success. In this solocast episode of Destination on the Left, we look at the highlights from day two of our Destination on the Left Virtual Summit. What You Will Learn in This Episode: The highlights from day two of the Destination on the Left Virtual Summit How you can use live video and video to increase exposure and attendance at events and destinations How to improve your communication strategy through demographic research How to employ traditional branding tactics as a DMO Why DMOs can benefit from the dramatic change in Chinese travel trends How you can leverage influencer marketing to generate awareness and drive visitation at their destinations Destination on the Left Virtual Summit: Day 2 On day one of the virtual summit, we were graced with some amazing speakers. If you missed our recap of their presentations and want to revisit them, make sure to check out “Destination on the Left Virtual Summit Recap: Day 1, with Nicole Mahoney.” This episode will follow suit with a recap of day two and all of the fabulous presentations that came with it. We dive into the talking points presented by marketing gurus Reagan Burns, Susan Baier, Matt Stiker, Humphrey Ho, and Stacy Jones. We cover a wide variety of topics based on current industry trends and marketing best practices, including: Using Live Videos at Events and Tourism Destinations: Reagan Burns of Lime Creative provided valuable insights into creating live video, and explained how video can increase exposure and attendance at events and destinations. Going Beyond Demographics and Finding the Visitors’ ‘Why?’: Susan Baier of Audience Audit shares a new perspective on targeting. She explore how destinations can move beyond the typical demographic categorization of audiences and market in a way that answers the visitor’s question of “why”. What Destination Marketers Can Learn From Non-Destination Marketers: Matt Stiker of Garrand Moehlenkamp looks at destination marketing through a wide-angle lens and discusses the fundamental components of powerful branding. Changing Chinese Traveler and Travel Trends: Humphrey Ho of Hylink Digital discusses the shift from group travel to FIT (free, independent travelers) and how smaller destinations can take advantage of prospective Chinese visitors doing their own research online. Using Pop Culture to Market Your Brand: Stacy Jones of Hollywood Branded talks about how destination marketers can use celebrities and influencers to generate awareness and drive visitation at their destinations. If you weren’t able to take part in the amazing Destination on the Left Virtual Summit, don’t fret! You can still watch all of the presentations on our website. Just purchase an all-access pass by visiting www.destinationontheleft.com/summit and enjoy! Otherwise, keep an eye out for an upcoming announcement for our next summit in Spring 2020. We hope you can join us. Resources: Email: nicole@breaktheicemedia.com Website: www.destinationontheleft.com/summit Website: https://breaktheicemedia.com/ Twitter: @Break_TheIce Facebook: @BreakTheIceMedia Episode Transcript

Aileen Ramos is the Director at the Laredo Convention & Visitors Bureau in the heart of South Texas. With a decade of experience in the hospitality industry and a long career in Marketing and Sales, she leads the CVB team in promoting the best of the city she calls home. In this episode of Destination on the Left, Laredo Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Aileen Ramos discusses the unique bicultural community of her city. She explains how it ties into her marketing efforts and shares some of the projects they’ve done to reach a diverse audience. Click here to listen to the episode: What You Will Learn in This Episode: How Aileen leverages the visitor’s perspective to create powerful marketing for Laredo How CVB approaches marketing Laredo’s bicultural experiences The challenges Aileen’s organization has faced with marketing in Mexico Aileen’s strategy for celebrating Laredo’s 265 year anniversary The role of the Laredo community in CVBs marketing efforts How Aileen collaborates with her sister cities and other destinations Visit Laredo Aileen Ramos has spent most of her career in sales and marketing roles, but hospitality has always been her passion. She was initially inspired by her grandfather, who worked for a travel magazine and traversed the globe, bringing amazing destinations into the spotlight. Now, Aileen carries the torch, and she is giving Laredo the same magic touch. Aileen has made many trips to Laredo throughout her lifetime, so she brings a unique visitor’s perspective to the table for every project. A Bicultural Experience One of Laredo’s most powerful traits is its bicultural community. Laredo is a border town, so it has two distinct markets, two marketing opportunities, and two campaigns. It is a major advantage because Aileen’s team can double-dip with the marketing budget. They are targeting U.S. citizens who are seeking a “true Mexican experience,” and Mexican citizens who are looking for a taste of the states. In the form of restaurants, shopping, and events, both audiences can experience the rich culture of Laredo in totally different ways. Happy Anniversary Laredo! Founded in 1755, Laredo is older than the United States. It was a part of the Republic of Rio Grande which turns 180 years old next year, and Laredo will turn 265. It is grounds for a celebration, and Aileen has orchestrated a year-long tribute to the one-of-a-kind destination. As a salute to the rich history, Aileen decided she didn’t need to reinvent the wheel. The staples of the celebration are designed to amplify Laredo’s existing holidays and get the whole community involved! From the university to agricultural businesses, everyone is taking part. There is a collective effort to grow the city—not just for tourism, but for the residents as well. Twitter: @visitlaredotx Website: https://www.visitlaredo.com

With a talent for creating special events that blossomed while working for my dad’s car stereo shop, I got my start in marketing at Frontier Field in Rochester and I began serving as the executive director of the internationally known Lilac Festival. Later on, I headed the Canandaigua, New York Business Improvement District while also performing projects for the tourism promotion agency Visit Rochester. In 2009, I founded Break the Ice Media, with more than 20 years of experience in tourism marketing. I now host “Destination on the Left”, a highly successful tourism marketing podcast. As a business owner, I know what it takes to be successful. I founded BTI to help businesses tell their brand story through public relations, digital and traditional channels. I have the ability to uncover unique marketing opportunities and develop marketing and public relations initiatives that help clients build long-term success. In this solocast episode of Destination on the Left, we look at the highlights from day one of our Destination on the Left Virtual Summit. What You Will Learn in This Episode: The highlights from day one of the Destination on the Left Virtual Summit The latest study from JLL and the World Tourism Council Generational perceptions of the impact travel has on the environment Why destination marketing should be a shared community value How to use integrated campaigns How to use Facebook advertising for campaigns Destination on the Left Virtual Summit: Day 1 By now, you’ve probably heard all about the exciting virtual summit we held to close out 2019. Many familiar faces turned out to hear some of the show’s previous guests discuss insights, strategies, and tactics—really everything destination marketing. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback and I could not be more thrilled about the amount of value each one of you brought to the event. But if you were not able to attend, don’t worry! Over the course of the next three solocasts, I will be covering each day of the event, with a detailed analysis of the key talking points. Destination 2030: Readiness for Tourism Growth: Dan Fenton joined us to discuss a study that JLL and the World Tourism Council published. It produced a framework and 5 typologies that can be used to determine a community’s readiness for tourism growth. The Future of Travel as a Brand: Emerging Sentiments Posing Challenges: Erin Francis-Cummings’ presentation urges us to look five years into the future of our destination in regards to the green energy movement that is sweeping the globe. She focuses on examining the contrast of generations’ perceptions around the impact of travel on the environment. Becoming a Shared Community Value: Bill Geist of DMO Pros talks about elevating the importance of tourism in our communities. He explains why it should be a shared value like any other municipal services. Tracking Results From Integrated Campaigns: Julie Gilbert of Destination Niagra uses their 2019 campaigns as an example for how you can measure impressions, clicks, and even hotel bookings as a result of integrated campaigns. She also talks about leveraging this strategy with local events to create a powerful synergy. Understanding Facebook Advertising for Destination Marketing: Camille Zess and Jess Reilly of Break the Ice Media took audience members behind the scenes to see how they run successful campaigns for their clients. If you weren’t able to take part in the amazing Destination on the Left Virtual Summit, don’t fret! You can still watch all of the presentations on our website. Just purchase an all-access pass by visiting www.destinationontheleft.com/summit and enjoy! Otherwise, keep an eye out for an upcoming announcement for our next summit in Spring 2020. We hope you can join us. Resources: Email: nicole@breaktheicemedia.com Website: www.destinationontheleft.com/summit Website: https://breaktheicemedia.com/ Twitter: @Break_TheIce Facebook: @BreakTheIceMedia

Brook grew up in Norfolk, NE and moved to Casper in 2015. During her time here she has fallen in love with the people of Casper and the sense of community. Brook is the CEO at Visit Casper and her favorite part about her position is continually forming strategic partnerships with fellow community members and working together to come up with creative solutions for impossible problems. When she’s not at work you can find her out for a run, reading at the beach, or planning her next adventure. Brook is also a big fan and attendee of many of the events that go on throughout downtown, and says her favorites are the 5150 Feast and 5150 Festival, which take place every year in August. In this episode of Destination on the Left, I am joined by Brook Kaufman, CEO of Visit Casper. Brook shares her story and discusses the role of DMOs in the community. She explains the challenges Visit Casper has faced, and how her team overcame them with creativity. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Brook Kaufman’s story and her role as CEO of Visit Casper What Brook is doing to set Casper apart from other destinations “The One-and-Only” campaign and the inspiration behind it How Brook uses creativity to solve impossible problems The lessons Brook took away from Visit Casper’s role in preparing the town for an influx of visitors due to the eclipse How Brook overcame the challenge of building credibility and authority for her organization How Visit Casper collaborates with its competitors Visit Casper When Brook Kaufman joined the team at Visit Casper, she was already an accomplished entrepreneur and a strong leader. But, sometimes we stumble upon the greatest opportunities by pure chance. Brook fell into the travel and tourism industry and her career turned into a burning passion. She quickly grew into her role embedded herself in the community, taking a holistic approach to destination marketing and making every move with the big picture in mind. Now, she is tackling some of our industry’s most difficult challenges with creativity, passion, and a collaborative spirit. The One-and-Only Brook approaches destination management with greater goals than heads in beds. Everything that comes out of Visit Casper is created with the best interest of its residents and visitors at heart. It is the reason Brook and her team have spent the last four years building credibility and authority, earning them an equal seat at the table in local government. The DMO is playing a much larger role in the community, which is reflected in its work. Campaigns like “The One-and-only” are industry-recognized and best-in-class. Visit Casper’s creative work has stabilized the brand and brought consistency to all channels. Brook is doing everything in her power to help set Casper apart. You’re Only Less-Than Until You’re Not Brook says she uses creativity to solve impossible problems and creativity, which is often the best approach in our industry. When you look at her accomplishments like tackling the influx of visitors for the eclipse, it becomes apparent that we all need to have more pride in what we get to do. We are not party planners for second-rate agencies that waste taxpayers’ dollars; we are an integral part of every community. You’re only lesser-than until you’re not, so acknowledge your value! If you are interested in hearing the insights and stories from Brook’s role as CEO of Visit Casper, check out my podcast episode, The One-and-Only Casper, with Brook Kaufman. Twitter: @VisitCasper Website: www.visitcasper.com Episode Transcript We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

As the U.S. managing director for China’s largest independent advertising agency, Humphrey Ho helps American brands reach their ever-growing base of Chinese consumers. Spearheading the opening of Hylink‘s American headquarters in Santa Monica, where he resides, Ho has scaled the operation up to 40 employees and secured the company’s key spots with industry leaders like Brand USA and Hawaiian Airlines. In September of 2018, Ho successfully launched Hylink’s subsidiary, Hylink Travel, a Shorty Awards-winning agency specializing in social and digital campaigns for travel brands. Mr. Ho has been featured in various publications, with recent examples like The Drum, Digiday, AdWeek, Buzzfeed, and Ad Age. Mr. Ho was named a finalist for Digidays 2019 Future Leader award and was also tapped by Forbes magazine as one of the top 8 Asian-Americans Shaping the Travel Industry. In this episode of Destination on the Left, Humphrey Ho is back to give us a detailed look at the data and tracking methods used to target the Chinese market. He explains data-driven marketing and how it differs in each segment of the travel and tourism industry. He describes the difference between branded and performance campaigns, and how to measure their effectiveness with new tools. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How different segments in travel and tourism look at data and rationalize their performance How data-driven marketing is used with U.S. brands in the Chinese market The new ways DMOs are accessing and leveraging data to reach Chinese travelers Why DMOs are putting a lot more effort into brand love as they target China The challenges DMOs face when targeting multi-cultural audiences Hylink Radix and why you should be using it Leveraging Data to Reach the Chinese Market Back in episode #151, Humphrey Ho took us on a deep dive into the evolving Chinese travel market. He discussed the drastic shift in Chinese travel behavior, the opportunities amidst political turmoil between the U.S. and China, and the multi-destination collaborations that have successfully targeted the Chinese market. In this episode, Humphrey gives us a detailed look at the other side of the coin. He explains data-driven marketing and how it differs by segment. He describes the difference between branded and performance campaigns, and how to measure their effectiveness. Measuring Effectiveness in China For DMOs, the user demographic is changing and visibility is becoming more of a challenge in the Chinese market. When a DMO runs a campaign targeting Chinese travelers, it directly affects their partners too. As a result, DMOs are using data like traditional brand marketers to forecast all of the implications and the campaign’s overall effectiveness. DMOs have a responsibility to figure out what their brand means to the Chinese and it is more important than ever before to remain in-market. By accessing and leveraging data in new ways, DMOs are becoming more effective in doing so. Twitter: @hylinkdigital Website: https://hylinkgroup.com/ Hylink Radix? Episode Transcript We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Ben conceives and carries out the strategic direction for the overall brand positioning, messaging and marketing platforms. Ben is the brainchild of Catch Des Moines’ new the “S’s are Silent” brand campaign. In this episode of Destination on the Left, I am joined by Ben Handfelt, Director of Creative and Communications at Catch Des Moines. We discuss the tactics and strategies Ben and his team are using to increase tourism in the Greater Des Moines area. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Ben’s background in marketing and PR How Ben leveraged his experience as a transplant to create a new marketing strategy for Des Moines How Ben differentiates Iowa from other destinations The importance of intentional video content Proper use of humor in a destination marketing campaign The S’s are Silent campaign and what inspired it The effects of tourism on the community as a whole Destination Iowa Tourism is more than a collection of intermittent events that draw weekend traffic—it impacts the quality of life for every resident in the area. It is the reason why Catch Des Moines brought Ben Handfelt onto the team. Ben spearheads the destination marketing efforts in Des Moines, IA, combining a background in entertainment and corporate PR with a passion for powerful creative. Living Amongst Your Target Audience Ben was a Chicago transplant for twelve years. He knows exactly what is going through the minds of jaded city dwellers when they hear the name ‘Des Moines.’ But as an Iowa native, he also knows what brought him back in spite of everything Chicago has to offer. That was the feeling Ben strove to capture as he built new campaigns and reshaped their brand voice. The Greater Des Moines area has seen significant results from the efforts of Ben and his team. S’s are Silent In any city, quality of life directly correlates to the attraction and retention of talent. So, Ben and his team are playing the long game. They created a significant amount of humorous video content and developed Catch Des Moines' new the "S's are Silent" brand campaign in an effort to draw more visitors. The campaign has an oddly specific hook, but there has been an immense payoff in leisure travel, sales, and new residents. Ben and his team are the voice of destination Iowa and they have only begun to scratch the surface. Twitter: @Botner0104 Website: catchdesmoines.com Video: https://www.catchdesmoines.com/visitor-info/videos/ Episode Transcript We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Darienne Mobley is a personal coach, professional development trainer, motivational speaker and team building facilitator who brings a world of experience and wealth of wisdom to her clients. As an industry trailblazer, Darienne works with individuals, helping them embrace life and leadership. She also partners with organizations, leading them to greater long-term success by developing effective and dynamic teams, and giving them the tools to create a clear and impactful vision. As a passionate public speaker, Darienne is a true storyteller who connects with her audience by sharing authentic experiences and real-life solutions. Her presentations inspire, entertain, educate and elevate groups to new heights. Darienne offers keynotes, one-on-one coaching, workshops, group coaching, online programs and more. Over the past decade, Darienne has successfully collaborated with more than 100 organizations from around the country. She began her career in the tourism industry and has held the distinct honor of serving as the Director of Tourism for both Mississippi and Louisiana. Darienne taps into her specialized knowledge and vast experience to offer thoughtful guidance and leadership to current and future leaders in tourism and hospitality, as well as other industries. In this episode of Destination on the Left, I am joined by Darienne Mobley, Founder, and President of Darienne Inc. We discuss the journey of personal development through coaching and mentorship, and why it leads to sustainable happiness. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Darienne’s journey into coaching and professional speaking in the travel and tourism industry Darienne’s personal experience with mentorship and coaching What it means to achieve a “sense of flow,” and how to get there How you know it is time to leave your job The four pillars of Darienne’s process: clarity, intuition, priority, and truth Why you need to prioritize personal rocks like health and spirituality Leadership strategies for expanding roles in the travel and tourism industry What you should be thinking about as you look for a personal development coach How to use the Living Inside Out Virtual Program to start your own personal development journey at your own pace Where You Want to Be Darienne Mobley served as the Director of Tourism for both Mississippi and Louisiana, but her time in Louisiana was life-changing. There, Darienne held her position from 2004-2006, which means she was the Director of Tourism during Hurricane Katrina. There is no book on how to approach that scenario and the experience changed Darienne’s perspective on her career. At that time, she realized that she wasn’t interested in politics, finances, or budgets. Marketing was the place she wanted to be. Darienne’s affinity for marketing and personal development led to the creation of her business, which enabled her to stay passionately involved with the tourism industry in a different capacity. She did a lot of tourism consulting in the beginning and eventually managed the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association on contract for ten years. That experience resulted in the final evolution of her business–coaching, professional development, and motivational speaking was her new focus. The Effects of Coaching and Mentorship Darienne hired a coach and experienced the impact first-hand. Her coach asked a lot of difficult questions that she could not answer. It helped her realize that she was not putting herself first, a trap that many of us fall into as women leaders and entrepreneurs. Darienne was pushed to pursue her untapped potential in public speaking and instantly built momentum. She got to do what she was best at in an industry she loved. Darienne was already getting clients before her year-long personal development program was over, and she finally found a sense of flow. Darienne made that transition late in her career, but there is no deadline; there is no substitute for the feeling that you are doing what you’re supposed to be doing. Getting it Done With Grace and Ease The theme of her program is “getting it all done with grace and ease. Most of us can handle getting it all done, but we often fail to do it with kindness, compassion, and peace of mind. Grace and ease represent the “flow” part, and it is important for you to realize that life shouldn’t always be hard. If you are doing what you love with grace and ease, even the difficult parts of your day will seem easier because you are approaching them with a different frame of mind. The travel and tourism industry is Darienne’s sweet spot because that is what she knows best. She helps her clients determine if they are in the best place, and if not, how they can expand to do more of what they enjoy. Her process is built around 4 main pillars: clarity, intuition, priority, and truth. Those pillars are measured against your personal rocks to help you achieve sustainable happiness and success. When you are clear about what’s important to you and what your values are, you carry yourself differently. Coaching and mentorship is the best way to identify them. Resources: Twitter: @daremobley Website: www.darienneinc.com