Arnie Sherman

Ben Morris discovered the utility of three-wheeled cargo trikes, or pedicabs, during a stint in San Diego. After finishing his business degree at Northeastern University in 2005, he secured a small loan, bought five pedicabs, and launched Coaster Cycles. Soon, Ben had expanded beyond Boston to other cities, and he'd begun to incorporate outdoor advertising into his bike fleet.

The ninth of 11 children, Megan Harrington grew up understanding the value of competition and how to tell a great story. In the third grade, Megan wrote a poem that included the prophetic line: “When I grow up, I want to be a Lady Griz basketball player at the University of Montana.”

Megan did attend the University of Montana to attain a communications degree, an MBA, and play for the Lady Griz. As a Lady Griz, Megan played for legendary head coach, Robin Selvig.

Montana isn't all cattle herds and fields of waving grain. This sprawling state is also full of food deserts — places without many affordable, healthy food options. The lack of access to healthy food for residents of many of the state's Indian reservations contributes to some horrible demographic statistics. The life expectancy for Native American women is 62, a full 20 years less than for non-Native women. For Montana's Native American men, it's 56. One 27-year-old woman of Blackfeet and Cherokee heritage is on a mission to improve Native people's lives through healthy diet and a return of indigenous food systems.

The agriculture landscape has changed dramatically due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Concerns about food security, health and safety measures, and product availability have continued to evolve. A dramatic shift to online purchasing has challenged the traditional standard of consumers personally selecting products.

Today on Can Do we will discuss these trends and their effects on two family-run Montana businesses.

While LifeScore COO Chris Walch is based in Bozeman, Montana, LifeScore is a fully remote company that produces its music at the iconic Abbey Roads Studio in London. LifeScore creates unique, real-time, and interactive music experiences with their adaptive AI music platforms. They start with world-class composers and musicians composing and performing sound that is organized as composable building blocks. Their proprietary technology then weaves these materials into music that suits a purpose, helping the listener have a completely unique experience.

The outdoor recreation economy is the second largest sector of Montana’s economy, generating $7.1B in annual consumer spending. 71,000 Montanans are employed in the sector, making its performance essential to the state’s full economic recovery. 

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on outdoor recreation and tourism? What response within the industry has been successful? What does 2021 look like for this essential part of the Montana economy? Learn more now on Can Do.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage our country and vaccine relief is slow in coming, sound advice is as good as gold. Montana businesses experienced an exhausting 2020, and the new year promises to be just as unpredictable. Joining me today are two guests experiencing the economic impact from two very different perspectives.

The American restaurant industry is in freefall. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 110,000 restaurants have closed nationwide. That’s one out of every six, and there are likely more to come. Those restaurants that remain open are struggling with financial sustainability, as they face an industry-wide loss of $240 billion in sales for 2020. Listen now on Can Do as we will explore this subject with two industry pros in two very different positions.

According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, more than 100,000 American businesses that have closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic will never reopen. What about the millions of family-run companies? Is their plight as sobering? The situation is less clear for this sector, which accounts for more than 57 percent of the US GNP. 

What are the biggest challenges facing family business? What pitfalls and opportunities are unique to them? And how do family businesses weather the storm of the pandemic? Learn more now on Can Do.

Most of what we know about communicating is wrong, says Tim Pollard, author, speaker and Founder/CEO of Oratium. In his books, “The Compelling Communicator” and “Mastering the Moment,” He outlines how the brain communicates information. More importantly, he details how to successfully design and execute communication in ways that people will understand.