Andy Johns is joined by Chris Townson, CEO of West Carolina and Upcountry Fiber, to talk about what makes a strong partnership. Chris shares candid lessons from working with telcos, electrics and municipalities—including how to evaluate opportunities, align missions, manage egos and build lasting agreements.
Hydromania may sound like a music festival in the Gorge, but it’s a free summer camp for fourth and fifth graders from Umatilla Electric Cooperative. Weston Putman shares the camp's origin story and how it is building the next generation of co-op members.
How much of the publicly-shared interactions with utility staff is trolling versus investigative reporting by concerned citizens who have a right to hold the utility accountable? We're talking to Ryan Hall about “Getting Out of the Gotcha Moments” at NWPPA’s Northwest Innovations Conference in Idaho.
How do you boost your take rates and cut churn after you've built broadband? OEC Fiber’s Erin McKnight shares her storytelling tactics, including a three-tiered marketing approach by zone and her subscriber stories series. Tune in for fresh ideas!
What You’ll Learn It’s difficult to have happy customers if you have unhappy staff. Dr. Trish Holliday and Brent Baker of NES talk about the connection between the two and how to improve both. Guest Speaker Dr. Trish Holliday and Brent Baker Show Notes Transcripts have been lightly edited for clarity and readability. Intro: A […]
What You’ll Learn We’re gearing up to celebrate the United Nations’ International Year of Cooperatives in 2025, so we’ve invited co-op cheerleader Adam Schwartz onto the podcast to help Utility Pioneers brainstorm how to tell our co-op stories in fresh, engaging ways. Guest Speaker Adam Schwartz Show Notes Transcripts have been lightly edited for clarity […]
What You’ll Learn Mountain Rural Telephone wanted to educate members about Wi-Fi, broadband and the capabilities they provide. So working with local businesses, they built a campaign around World Wi-Fi Day in June. Guest Speaker Lisa Fannin Show Notes Transcripts have been lightly edited for clarity and readability. Intro: A production of Pioneer Utility Resources. […]
Dig into the psychology of marketing with Pioneer’s Sarah Lancaster to learn how using archetypes can help your marketing create more meaningful connections with your target audiences.
With about two months to go before the Oct. 10 broadband label deadline, Dounia Chikhoune, from JSI, shares insights about on what she's seen big and small ISPs do to be ready.
SkyLine/SkyBest doesn't let the fact that they are a member-owned telephone cooperative in the North Carolina mountains stop them from fighting hard against big competitors in the search rankings. Edward Hinson shares examples of what they’ve done to move up in the rankings and why it’s worth it.
What You’ll Learn Employees at Columbia REA are allowed to bring their pets to work. CEO Scott Peters says it’s a beneficial policy as long as you “paws” to think about the guidelines first. Guest Speaker Scott Peters Show Notes Transcripts have been lightly edited for clarity and readabililty. Intro: A production of Pioneer Utility […]
What You’ll Learn Storytelling is a HUGE component of broadband marketing. But how can you make a technical subject engaging and memorable for your community? Kelly Burns, marketing manager at CTC in Minnesota, tells us how Bigfoot, its own Gig A. Byte monster, Taste of Technology events and Broadband in a Box keep people interested […]
