There’s a great Japanese word that describes what we strive for in academia: Kaizen. Essentially, it means “change for the better or continuous improvement.” And this is no lofty goal or PR statement. It is an imperative, as expected by our accreditors and every other constituent we claim.In other words, no resting on laurels. No matter how good you think you are doing, you can always do better.Our guest this week is one of our own: Dr. Jillian Yarbough, Clinical Assistant Professor of Management as well as Assistant Director of Continuous Improvement. She spends much of her time working with College of Business faculty to monitor and track how well our students are doing in relation to our college’s learning objectives, as well as how we’re continuously improving.

It’s no small task to write a book. But Amarillo author Andrew Brandt makes it look easy.Starting first in the self-published realm, and more recently with a publisher, Andrew has won awards for his young adult thrillers, but has also branched out into adult literature as well. And as Andrew quickly learned, being an author is a lot like a home-based business. He is always in marketing mode, and can do a pop-up book signing anywhere, anytime. While COVID made it tough for him to do these, though, he used the quarantine time to cement his daily writing discipline. Now, he can churn out 1000 words a day with ease.Join us for an up close and personal conversation with one of Amarillo’s finest wordsmiths, and find out what it takes to join the ranks of author.

The way we consume media has changed drastically in the last decade, as streaming video has come to dominate our televisions. The average American household has four streaming subscriptions, and binge viewing has become the new normal. But this made it very difficult for advertisers, especially local firms, to reach out to potential customers. It was relatively easy when cable and satellite were the norm, but how can you advertise a local car dealer on Hulu or Paramount+?Turns out it can be done, too, and Jacob Buse has digital marketing solutions for local companies. Jacob is a Marketing Consultant for Sinclair Communication, which owns ABC7 here in Amarillo. He is exceptionally knowledgeable about all of the latest ways to reach customersTune in to find out how local ads in your streaming portal got there, and where digital marketing is going in the future.

“Cancer never sleeps.” That’s Ryan Parnell’s mantra as he directs one of the premier ultra-marathon bicycle races in the nation. A personal health scare more than 15 years ago motivated him to do something to raise funds for cancer survivorship. The result is 24 Hours In The Canyon, held each June in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. It has attracted as many as 900 cyclists from across the US and beyond. Today Ryan ​​is Director of Operations and Special Programs at the Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation in Amarillo. All it took was that one brush with a topic none of us wants to hear, and yet we all know someone–family, friend, or acquaintance–who has been diagnosed. This man is on a mission to help people be survivors. And you don’t have to ride a bike to be part of that solution.

The pandemic found Jason Boyett and Michele McAffrey plotting and launching a new magazine, Brick & Elm, for the Amarillo market. It’s a niche publication to be sure, but one that is much-needed. Together they have their fingers on the pulse people, places, and things of Amarillo, and have found their way onto many local coffee tables.

There is likely no more knowledgeable Amarillo historian than Wes Reeves. It just also happens that he is the Senior Media Relations Representative for the local power company. He thus knows a lot about where we’ve been, and where we are going. Listen for an electrifying episode about the past, present, and future of Amarillo.