047 – Tyler J. McCall on Business Strategies to Help Deal with COVID-19 / Coronavirus

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On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, as a pandemic.

Needless to say, this announcement sent a shockwave around the world, leaving many of us wondering what’s going to happen next, especially when it comes to our business.

Here at Making It in Asheville, both Tony and I (this is Sarah by the way) began deeply pondering how this might affect our own business and local Ashvelile community. We started asking ourselves things like, “What tools can we use during this time? What new skills can we learn? How can we continue talking with local businesses, customers, and friends?”

Then we noticed that Tyler was offering a community for online business owners to come together and ask questions related to coronavirus and how it impacts there business. And we knew we had to know more.

Whether you’re a purely online company or a brick and mortar store that relies on foot traffic, you’re likely thinking about what’s going to happen to your business over the next coming weeks and months. We hope that this episode gives you some new and productive ideas to reconnect with your online audience.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in the Episode

  • The number one thing Tyler says NOT to do during this time period
  • The five main social media platforms Tyler recommends to most businesses and ideas for the type of content you can be sharing right now
  • A game-changing switch you can make on Instagram to increase engagement and gain more followers
  • Ideas on how your business can go digital, even if it has traditionally been brick and mortar
  • How you can use Facebook groups to reconnect with your audience
  • Why finding your niche is important (especially in a time like this)

P.S. We recently put together a list of resources for small businesses in Asheville to help during these uncertain times. Read Coronavirus: Resources for Small Businesses in Asheville (and Beyond).

Show Notes

Tyler J. McCall helps online business grow their business using Instagram. Learn more at www.tylerjmccall.com

Tools & Resources

Places

  • White Duck Taco
  • Smoky Park Supper Clube
  • Pescados Burritos
  • West Asheville Yoga

Miscellaneous

Music by Commonwealth Choir

Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.

We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, like, review, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast

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042 – Gareth Higgins on Telling More Meaningful Stories and Building a Better Community

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I truly believe that your place in the community is as valuable as anybody else’s. Your gift is really important and we can’t function without everyone being invited to the table to do what they came here to do.

– Gareth Higgins

In this episode, we interview Gareth Higgins, a storyteller, writer, and founder of the Movies & Meaning festival (among many other projects).

Unlike most of our other podcast interviews, this episode focuses more closely on universal themes such as human connection, loneliness, and community. It extends beyond what it means to be a better entrepreneur to what it means to be a better human being.

But, as you’ll hear, the two overlap nicely.

We stumbled upon Gareth through the Movie & Meaning festival website. Little did we know that this Irish-born man would have so much to say about life and how to live it in the best way possible. Gareth is deeply empathetic, spiritual, and joyful —qualities that we think you’ll enjoy experiencing while listening to this episode.

Here’s What You’ll Learn

  • What inspired Gareth to become a “storyteller” and why he fell in love with cinema
  • How the meaning of stories can change based on how someone tells the story
  • How you might examine your own life and tell better stories about yourself
  • Gareth’s take on the antidote for loneliness
  • How to build a better community, both in the world and right here in Asheville
  • And a simple, but meaningful, challenge help you get to know your neighbors

 

Show Notes

Gareth Higgins was born in Belfast in 1975, grew up during the Northern Ireland Troubles and now lives in Asheville, NC. He writes and speaks about our connection to the earth, storytelling, the power of dreams, peace and making justice, and how to take life seriously without believing your own propaganda.

He founded the Wild Goose, New Story, and Movies & Meaning festivals (happening the weekend of Feb 24th in downtown Asheville). He also leads retreats in North America and Ireland and edits The Porch Magazine. Connect with him and his work at GarethHiggins.net (click here to visit his website).

Check out the show notes below where we list the various movies, books, places, concepts, events, and more mentioned during the episode.

Asheville Places & Events

Movies

People

Books & Reads

Concepts

Music by Commonwealth Choir

Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.

We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, like, review, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast

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