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Celebrating the 1945 Cleveland Buckeyes: Lessons from Negro League Legends

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On September 19th, I had the privilege of attending Champions Reunited: A Tribute to the 1945 Negro Leagues Champion Cleveland Buckeyes and Their Legacies, hosted by the Baseball Heritage Museum at the Music Box Supper Club in Cleveland. It was an evening of remembrance, celebration, and inspiration—but one moment in particular stood out as the most impactful for me: hearing from three remarkable women, daughters of Negro Leagues greats. Elaine Joffrion-Pope (daughter of Dave Pope), Rosilyn Stearns-Brown (daughter of Turkey Stearnes), and Lydia Teasley (daughter of Ron Teasley, one of the final two surviving players to have competed in the Negro Leagues) shared an emotional roundtable that left a lasting impression. A Legacy of Resilience and Mindset What struck me most was their shared perspective on their fathers’ lives. These men lived through incredibly challenging times—two World Wars, the Spanish Flu pandemic, the Great Depression, and the constant weight of racial segregation. Y...
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Maintaining a Dynamic Website & Social Media Presence with Content Calendars

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A vibrant online presence is crucial for small businesses. A content calendar keeps your website and social media fresh, engaging, and relevant. Here’s how to plan and execute a content refresh strategy in three steps. 1. Plan with Purpose : Create a monthly content calendar aligning with business goals, seasonal trends, and customer needs. Schedule blog updates, social media posts, and promotions. Use tools like Trello or Google Sheets to track themes, deadlines, and platforms. For example, plan a holiday campaign in November to boost engagement. 2. Repurpose and Refresh : Audit existing website content to identify outdated posts. Update statistics, add customer testimonials for social proof, or turn blogs into infographics or short videos. Share these updates across social platforms like Instagram or Twitter (X), linking back to your site to drive traffic. Repurposing saves time while keeping content dynamic. 3. Incorporate Multimedia : Engage visitors with visuals. Embed short video...
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Using AI to Boost Your Small Business Marketing

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Small businesses can leverage AI to level the playing field with the mega-corporations in marketing. Beyond the well-known AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, and Perplexity—which excel at admin tasks and brainstorming—specialized tools offer powerful advantages. Jasper.ai stands out as a top-tier copywriting assistant, generating compelling ad copy, emails, and social posts with ease. For video content, Kling AI transforms text into incredible video clips, perfect for social media, saving time on production. Meanwhile, Canva’s AI-driven design features evolve daily, offering stunning layouts and graphics tailored for branding. For a bit of fun and creativity, ChatGPT’s Sora image generator lets you experiment with unique visuals to captivate your audience. The beauty of these tools lies in their ability to amplify your ideas—AI won’t replace the human spark behind a great campaign. The key is mastering prompts to unlock the desired output, turning raw concepts into polished marke...
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Using Programmatic Advertising to Target Your Perfect Customer

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I set up a call today for a new client to get to know old friends Tom Lucarelli and John Griffith at Cyrid Media who specialize in Programmatic advertising. I had forgotten how much of a game-changer this is for small businesses aiming to reach their ideal audience efficiently. They explained by leveraging data-driven automation, you can deliver tailored ads to the right people at the right time, maximizing your marketing budget. Here’s how to get started: 1. Define Your Perfect Customer Start by creating a detailed buyer persona. Identify demographics, interests, behaviors, and pain points. For example, if you run a local gym, your target might be fitness enthusiasts aged 18-45 within a 10-mile radius. 2. Choose the Right Platform To maximize your budget your media buyer should use demand-side platforms (DSPs) such as The Trade Desk. These tools allow you to buy ad space in real-time, targeting specific audiences across websites, apps, and social media. 3. Leverage Data for Precision ...
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Building Your Small Business: The Power of Email and Text Message Marketing Lists

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For years, the backbone of small business success has been a robust email list of customers and interested prospects. This list represents a direct line to your audience, fostering loyalty and driving sales. While email remains crucial, mobile text message marketing has emerged as an equally vital tool. With high open rates and instant delivery, text messaging allows businesses to connect with customers in real time. Combining both strategies creates a powerful marketing engine for local businesses. Here are five tips to build strong email and text message marketing lists: Offer Value-Driven Incentives : Encourage sign-ups by offering exclusive discounts, free resources, or insider tips. For example, a local café could provide a free coffee coupon for joining their email or text list. Use In-Store Sign-Up Opportunities : Place sign-up forms or QR codes at checkout counters or on receipts. Train staff to promote text and email subscriptions, emphasizing benefits like special offers or e...
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Turn Your Vehicle into a Mobile Billboard (or Advertise on Someone Else's!)

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Transforming your service-based business’s vehicle into a mobile billboard is a game-changer for visibility and lead generation. Over the years, I’ve designed vibrant, eye-catching vehicle wraps for clients, turning trucks and trailers into bold advertisements that demand attention on the road. The concept is simple yet powerful: colorful, well-designed wraps act as moving billboards, generating calls and quotes wherever you drive. Two standout projects include 5 Star Pressure Washing and Tee Time Turf Management . For 5 Star, we crafted a dynamic wrap with striking blues and bold text, making their truck unmissable. Tee Time’s design featured lush green imagery and an oversized golf ball, perfectly reflecting their ability to turn your lawn into a fairway. Both wraps (see attached pics) have driven significant inquiries, proving that a well-executed vehicle wrap delivers results. Want to take it to the next level? Consider a semi-trailer wrap, like the one I designed for Lynk Packagi...
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Joining a Networking Group: Boost Your Business with IRN Mentor, OH Chapter

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Starting a new chapter of the International Referral Network (IRN) in Mentor, OH with my friends  Gary Caluducan (Finanial Advisor)   and Dominic Paratto (Realtor) is an exciting venture. As the program chair, I’m eager to dive into the world of networking and harness its potential for generating leads, securing referrals, and building a robust professional network. is an exciting venture. As the program chair, I’m eager to dive into the world of networking and harness its potential for generating leads, securing referrals, and building a robust professional network. Joining a networking group like IRN offers unparalleled opportunities. It’s a structured environment where professionals connect, share resources, and foster mutually beneficial relationships. By consistently engaging with like-minded individuals, you gain access to a steady stream of high-quality leads. These connections often translate into referrals, as trust built through regular interactions encourages memb...
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