The Vault at 201 N Broadway

KaVo & MarceB,

The Vault at 201 N Broadway is the official business podcast of Big Sky Economic Development in Billings, Montana's City! We interview community leaders, small business owners, entrepreneurs, and resource partners here in Montana to share their stories, expertise, industry insights, and strategies.

Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business and your leadership.

Tangible takeaways to save you time and improve whatever it is that you’re working on.

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Episodes

“Feeling More at Home” Kevin Kooistra’s Legacy
Feb 3 2025
“Feeling More at Home” Kevin Kooistra’s Legacy
We are honored to start season 3 of The Vault, episode 79 with a very special episode featuring a special guest who is no longer with us. This episode was recorded in August of 2024 and our special guest, Kevin Kooistra passed away in December 2024. We are honored to have had this conversation with him and to share it with you. We hope that you are inspired by Kevin’s story. On this episode Kevin shares his journey to Montana from New Jersey, seeing mountains for the first time, Montana snipe hunting, and working in Yellowstone National Park. He talks about being an archaeologist and the types of items he found on digs. He shares about being a cultural anthropologist where then he was a Ethnographic Consultations working with elders in 12 western tribes. We talk about his “fever for learning” something you hear throughout the episode. We discuss the journey that led him back to Montana, starting out as the Community Historian at the Western Heritage and transition to Executive Director. Kevin talks about what they do at the Western Heritage Center and said, “What we do at the museum is make people feel more at home. We take people, give them the maps of the past to get them to the present.”Make sure to subscribe and share with a friend. To connect with The Vault click HERE To connect with Kayla click HERE To connect with Marcell HERE For additional episodes & to subscribe to our newsletter visit http://thevaultat201.com/ This episode is brought to you by Big Sky Economic Development, and the MT Small Business Development Center. "The SBDC is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA."
How to Attract and Retain Talent in Your Community with Patience Fairbrother
Jan 20 2025
How to Attract and Retain Talent in Your Community with Patience Fairbrother
Join us as we sit down with the Senior Vice President of Talent Attraction at Development Counsellors International, Patience Fairbrother to discuss attracting and retaining talent in your communities.On this episode, Patience dives into why talent moves, what factors matter to talent when looking to move or stay in a place, and what we can do to attract talent. She discusses the work DCI does and shares how to attract the workforce of the future through custom research and targeted marketing campaigns. In this episode we discuss the research DCI does annually around talent through and the report they produce called Talent Wars Report. She shares case studies and strategies for attracting and retaining talent in your community, offering creative insights into your community's unique value propositions. To connect with the DCI click HERE. Make sure to subscribe and share with a friend. To connect with The Vault click HERE To connect with Kayla click HERE To connect with Marcell HERE For additional episodes & to subscribe to our newsletter visit http://thevaultat201.com/ This episode is brought to you by Big Sky Economic Development, and the MT Small Business Development Center. "The SBDC is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA."
The Power of Colour Analysis with Kaitlyn Bolotas
Nov 25 2024
The Power of Colour Analysis with Kaitlyn Bolotas
In today’s episode, we chat with Kaitlyn Bolotas, owner of House of Colour West Billings, about the transformative power of color analysis. Kaitlyn shares the history behind this innovative approach, her journey to introducing it in the Billings area, and how discovering your best colors can boost your confidence.We explore how understanding your best colors and styles can boost your confidence and make getting dressed both effortless and enjoyable. Kaitlyn shares her passion for helping individuals embrace their uniqueness and feel truly confident through the power of color. Discover why a streamlined, stylish wardrobe is the ultimate time-saver and how to create a look that’s uniquely you!We also discuss the range of services Kaitlyn offers, from color and style analysis to closet cleanouts and advanced color consultations. Learn more and book your appointment here! Make sure to subscribe and share with a friend. To connect with The Vault click HERE To connect with Kayla click HERE To connect with Marcell HERE For additional episodes & to subscribe to our newsletter visit http://thevaultat201.com/ This episode is brought to you by Big Sky Economic Development, and the MT Small Business Development Center. "The SBDC is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA."
Catching Success Jon Wanderaas on Building Alaskan Seafood Guys
Oct 14 2024
Catching Success Jon Wanderaas on Building Alaskan Seafood Guys
Today, we are sitting down with Jon Wanderaas, Founder of Alaskan Seafood Guys, to hear about his journey from fishing in Alaska to building a thriving seafood business in Montana. Jon talks about what it was like growing up in Alaska, being part of commercial fishing crews, working on tenders, and managing a Cannery in Alaska before coming back to Montana. We dive into how he started Alaskan Seafood Guys, beginning by simply bringing seafood back from his trips to Montana from Alaska, then transforming it into a mobile seafood truck, and eventually growing it into a storefront, online store, and delivery service.In this episode, we talk about Jon’s strategy of truly understanding your customers, meeting them where they are, and adapting product offerings to fit their needs. We discuss the importance of diversifying marketing efforts, expanding product lines, and effective communication. Jon talks about their focus on delivering high-quality products at a low cost while staying customer-centric. Learn more about Alaskan Seafood Guys here: https://www.alaskanseafoodguys.com/ Make sure to subscribe and share with a friend. To connect with The Vault click HERE To connect with Kayla click HERE To connect with Marcell HERE For additional episodes & to subscribe to our newsletter visit http://thevaultat201.com/ This episode is brought to you by Big Sky Economic Development, and the MT Small Business Development Center. "The SBDC is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA."
Strategically Shaping the Future: Cultivating a Strong Downtown Core with Downtown Billings
Sep 30 2024
Strategically Shaping the Future: Cultivating a Strong Downtown Core with Downtown Billings
Today we are sitting down with Katy Schreiner and Mehmet Casey with Downtown Billings for a conversation about the Downtown Billings Association. Downtown Billings houses multiple non-profit organizations (Downtown Billings Association, Business Improvement District, Downtown Billings Partnership and Community Innovations and Spare Change for Real Change) and in this episode we dive into what each entity does at Downtown Billings.We discuss the importance of collaboration between key partners and organizations within a community and the critical role that collaboration has on the strategic development and vibrancy of the downtown core in a community. Katy and Mehmet talk about the different services they provide to their Downtown membership, they talk about the many events from parades to downtown festivals that their team puts on for the community, the Light Bike Trail and they talk about key development projects that recently finished and ones that are in the works of being constructed. Learn more about Downtown Billings here: https://downtownbillings.com/ Make sure to subscribe and share with a friend. To connect with The Vault click HERE To connect with Kayla click HERE To connect with Marcell HERE For additional episodes & to subscribe to our newsletter visit http://thevaultat201.com/ This episode is brought to you by Big Sky Economic Development, and the MT Small Business Development Center. "The SBDC is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA."