To find success in business, you have to first figure out what your target market wants and respond to it. As society and the technology we depend on changes at breakneck speed, it can be challenging for traditional businesses to keep pace. Breathing new life into a service as timeless and constant as the library takes innovation, grit and the support of the surrounding community to pull off.

Advancing technology had the potential to make libraries obsolete, but instead brilliant leadership took advantage of new tech to reinvigorate a beloved neighborhood staple. The St. Louis County Library (SLCL) began a revitalization project to strengthen its ties to the community and keep it relevant in their eyes.

Kristen Sorth, director and CEO of SLCL, joined But Who’s Counting? hosts Dave Hartley and Missy Kelley to discuss the innovative approaches SLCL took to keep libraries on the cutting edge rather than a relic from a different time. Kristen, the recipient of the Visionary Award by St. Louis Magazine, explained how the library earned a seat at the community’s table and why she adapted libraries to meet social needs. The discussion also touched on:

• The innovative programs and partnerships that are having an enormous impact on the community
• What role technology has played in revitalizing the library
• The library’s role in advancing digital equity initiatives
• How they “stood standing” during a crisis and what that meant for the public
• A unique role the library hired and the difference it’s made for staff

“Make sure that innovation means something to someone other than you. If you spend all your time innovating something that is going to have zero impact on people, then you have wasted a ton of time and money.” – Kristen Sorth

Resources to Count On

Want more insight into the conversation? Check out these resources:

• Visit the SLCL website
• Find out more about the Tap In Center
• Learn about the Small Business Center located in the Clark Family Branch
• Keep up with all the upcoming events hosted by the library

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To better understand why your business isn’t meeting its full growth potential, you sometimes have to look from the outside in. Getting an outside perspective into your business can give you helpful insights to make decisions that accelerate growth. Venture capital firms often perform deep dives into prospective businesses during due diligence, which helps uncover a company’s strengths and weaknesses. After examining so many businesses, investors understand what separates a successful business from its competitors.

Missy Kelley and Dave Hartley, co-hosts of But Who’s Counting? were joined by Tim Spihlman, Managing Director of Lewis & Clark Ventures and Lewis & Clark Capital to discuss how business leaders can fuel growth and company value and what steps they can take to build a business investors want to partner with. The free-flowing conversation also included actionable tips to improve accountability within your workforce, identifying your biggest barriers to growth and the following:

• Traits the best leaders have in common
• The key tenants of retaining the right employees
• Where Tim sees AI’s biggest impacts on businesses
• Why it’s important to adopt an “innovation mindset”

“You have to be equal parts empathetic, strong emotional IQ, with equal parts accountability. Your employees need to know that what they do matters. They need to know that you value them and you treasure them as humans, but that doesn't mean you get a pass when you don't perform.” - Tim Spihlman

Resources to Count On

Want more insight into the conversation? Check out these additional resources:

• Connect with Tim on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Lewis & Clark Ventures
• Get to know Lewis & Clark Capital
• Check out ChatLingual, the AI customer service translator

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How does a 70-year-old PBS station evolve new approaches to public media to remain relevant and impactful even as the media landscape around it changes? Through innovative new approaches and a commitment to its community! Nine PBS is a St. Louis cornerstone with a long history of adapting to fit the changing times, and that constant evolution helped it become the most watched PBS station in the country, as a percentage of households watching.

But Who's Counting? hosts Dave Hartley and Missy Kelley chatted with Amy Shaw, President and CEO of Nine PBS, about the remarkable journey of public media in St. Louis. Amy shared the origins of Nine PBS, highlighted the pioneering St. Louis Plan and discussed the significance of her journey to becoming the first female President and CEO of the station. The conversation also covered:

• How Nine PBS built a financially-healthy not-for-profit
• Human-centered leadership approaches all businesses can learn from
• Why the station refused to downsize staff during the pandemic
• The history behind how PBS became a powerhouse of community, content and connection
• How Nine PBS found success on social media and the gap they fill

“We are not just doing things that are human and interesting and community-based, we’re also finding ways to make it sustainable at the same time.” – Amy Shaw

Resources to Count on

Check out these additional resources for more insight into the conversation:

• Celebrate Nine PBS’ 70th anniversary
• Sign up for Nine PBS Passport
• Watch the Emmy Award-winning short, Drawn In: Brave Hero, Part 2
• Learn more about Carl the Collector, premiering November 14, 2024
• Discover all the ways to support Nine PBS

Make sure to never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think by rating and reviewing. Keep up with more Anders insights by visiting our website and following us on social media:
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