Shooting the Shift Fri, 20 Mar 2026 10:37:23 -0400 http://shift-ology.com en-us © 2026 Shift•ology Communication | All rights reserved. yes 06681fd1-c566-5364-a344-f8cd4d939ed4 Shift•ology Communication episodic false Shift•ology's team of communication professionals takes time to reflect, share and provide insights that help you Reach more, Convince more and Win more. 

We feature casual and fun conversations, tips and topics surrounding the science of communication.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) public relations, marketing, communication, virtual, digital, design, branding, Shift•ology Communication https://storage.buzzsprout.com/mgs95dnbwxfu3s2ttpak3azsgrrj?.jpg Shooting the Shift http://shift-ology.com Dan Toland & the Shift•ology Team E17 - 20 Years of "In Ohio Country Today" E17 - 20 Years of "In Ohio Country Today" The “In Ohio Country Today” television program has been sharing the stories of Ohio agriculture and farm families for 20 years. The veteran farm broadcasters delivering those stories, however, have been doing it much longer. In this episode of Shooting the Shift, Dan Wilson, Alan Davis and Gary Jackson draw on over 100 combined years of experience and hall of fame careers to share how “In Ohio Country Today” started and has grown; the changes they’ve experienced; and the memories they’ve carried with them along the way. 

Guests:

  • Dan Wilson, Host/Producer, "In Ohio Country Today"
  • Alan Davis, Co-Host, "In Ohio Country Today"
  • Gary Jackson, Veteran Ag Reporter and Co-Host, "In Ohio Country Today"

Episode Links:

]]> The “In Ohio Country Today” television program has been sharing the stories of Ohio agriculture and farm families for 20 years. The veteran farm broadcasters delivering those stories, however, have been doing it much longer. In this episode of Shooting the Shift, Dan Wilson, Alan Davis and Gary Jackson draw on over 100 combined years of experience and hall of fame careers to share how “In Ohio Country Today” started and has grown; the changes they’ve experienced; and the memories they’ve carried with them along the way. 

Guests:

  • Dan Wilson, Host/Producer, "In Ohio Country Today"
  • Alan Davis, Co-Host, "In Ohio Country Today"
  • Gary Jackson, Veteran Ag Reporter and Co-Host, "In Ohio Country Today"

Episode Links:

]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-17483286 Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0400 1555 17 full false E16 - Long Live Real Journalism E16 - Long Live Real Journalism Meat hooks? Razor Blades? Tape? No…we’re not talking with a butcher, but rather a highly-experienced, well-trained and trusted journalist who has been covering the State of Ohio via radio, print, television and internet for decades. 

In this episode of Shooting the Shift, Jo Ingles gives us a history lesson of the journalism profession, and shares what it’s like to be a real journalist these days in an era of fake news and self-appointed experts.

Guest:

  • Jo Ingles, Sr. Reporter/Producer, Ohio Public Radio & Television

Episode Links


]]> Meat hooks? Razor Blades? Tape? No…we’re not talking with a butcher, but rather a highly-experienced, well-trained and trusted journalist who has been covering the State of Ohio via radio, print, television and internet for decades. 

In this episode of Shooting the Shift, Jo Ingles gives us a history lesson of the journalism profession, and shares what it’s like to be a real journalist these days in an era of fake news and self-appointed experts.

Guest:

  • Jo Ingles, Sr. Reporter/Producer, Ohio Public Radio & Television

Episode Links


]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-17307741 Tue, 10 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0400 2464 16 full false E15 - We're Sustainable, and We're Going to (Im)prove It! E15 - We're Sustainable, and We're Going to (Im)prove It! "Sustainability" often means different things to different people. And it’s no secret there’s increased consumer preference and demand for food produced from sustainable sources. 

But what exactly does that mean? Who defines that? And how does a company, let alone individual farmers, establish a system for accurately tracking, measuring and proving their efforts truly making a difference? 

In this episode, a director of sustainability for a milling company in Michigan tells us communication and science is at the heart of it all. 

Guest:

  • Lisa Woodke, Sustainability Director, Star of the West Milling Company

Episode Links:

]]> "Sustainability" often means different things to different people. And it’s no secret there’s increased consumer preference and demand for food produced from sustainable sources. 

But what exactly does that mean? Who defines that? And how does a company, let alone individual farmers, establish a system for accurately tracking, measuring and proving their efforts truly making a difference? 

In this episode, a director of sustainability for a milling company in Michigan tells us communication and science is at the heart of it all. 

Guest:

  • Lisa Woodke, Sustainability Director, Star of the West Milling Company

Episode Links:

]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-17151237 Tue, 13 May 2025 10:00:00 -0400 1697 15 full false E14 - That One Time, at Re-Brand Camp... E14 - That One Time, at Re-Brand Camp... If life is like a box of chocolates, and you never know what you’re going to get, your brand is more like an ice cream sundae. If it’s built right, you know your customers are going to get a consistently wonderful experience with a shining cherry on top every time. 

A few years back, we were approached by the organizers of a long-lived summer camp looking for a bit of marketing help. But our recommendation for an all-out rebranding was a bit more than they expected. 

In this episode, we reconnect with our friends from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to recount the challenges, insights, ah-ha's and oohs and ahhs that happen when clients and agency have a full understanding and trust in the science and creativity involved in branding.

Guests:

  • Jeremy Scherf, Central Region Manager, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry
  • Marin Smith,  Vice President of Client Services and Creative, Shift•ology Communication

Episode Links:

]]> If life is like a box of chocolates, and you never know what you’re going to get, your brand is more like an ice cream sundae. If it’s built right, you know your customers are going to get a consistently wonderful experience with a shining cherry on top every time. 

A few years back, we were approached by the organizers of a long-lived summer camp looking for a bit of marketing help. But our recommendation for an all-out rebranding was a bit more than they expected. 

In this episode, we reconnect with our friends from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to recount the challenges, insights, ah-ha's and oohs and ahhs that happen when clients and agency have a full understanding and trust in the science and creativity involved in branding.

Guests:

  • Jeremy Scherf, Central Region Manager, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry
  • Marin Smith,  Vice President of Client Services and Creative, Shift•ology Communication

Episode Links:

]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-16655497 Thu, 03 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0400 2076 14 full false E13 - The Value of Knowing Your WHY E13 - The Value of Knowing Your WHY “People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it.”  -- The famous phrase from Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” TED talk has had individuals and businesses trying to discover and articulate their WHYs for over a decade. While simple in theory, it’s a bit more complicated in practice. 

Dr. Gary Sanchez, aka “Dr. Why," has discovered and uncovered 9 WHYs that drive each and every one of us. He’s tidied it all up into his brilliant WHY Operating System and a simple and super-effective discovery tool that has helped hundreds of thousands of people accurately identify and articulate not just our WHYs but also the HOWs and WHATs that fuel our passions and purposes. 

Dr. Why joins us to talk about the transformational and powerful experience of understanding our WHYs,  and the drastic impact it has on not only how we work as a team, but in our personal relationships as well. 

Guest:

  • Dr. Gary Sanchez, WHY Institute CEO &Founder

Episode Links:


]]> “People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it.”  -- The famous phrase from Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” TED talk has had individuals and businesses trying to discover and articulate their WHYs for over a decade. While simple in theory, it’s a bit more complicated in practice. 

Dr. Gary Sanchez, aka “Dr. Why," has discovered and uncovered 9 WHYs that drive each and every one of us. He’s tidied it all up into his brilliant WHY Operating System and a simple and super-effective discovery tool that has helped hundreds of thousands of people accurately identify and articulate not just our WHYs but also the HOWs and WHATs that fuel our passions and purposes. 

Dr. Why joins us to talk about the transformational and powerful experience of understanding our WHYs,  and the drastic impact it has on not only how we work as a team, but in our personal relationships as well. 

Guest:

  • Dr. Gary Sanchez, WHY Institute CEO &Founder

Episode Links:


]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-16646738 Tue, 18 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0500 2127 13 full false E12 | There's a Turkey in the White House! E12 | There's a Turkey in the White House! The election has come and gone, and while there’s a lame duck currently in the Oval Office, there will soon be a turkey at the White House. No, we’re not talking about the next President of the United States, but rather the time-honored tradition of pardoning an actual live feathered gobbler from being a Thanksgiving meal at the residence of our nation’s leader. But where do these turkeys come from? How do they get chosen? And what all is involved in the adventure and media frenzy it takes to get them there? We’re going to learn all that and more on this episode of Shooting the Shift.

Guests:

  • Gary Cooper, COO, Cooper Farms
  • Cole Cooper, Cooper Farms
  • Cassie Jo Arend, Agriculture Account Manage, Shift•ology Communication

Episode Links:


]]> The election has come and gone, and while there’s a lame duck currently in the Oval Office, there will soon be a turkey at the White House. No, we’re not talking about the next President of the United States, but rather the time-honored tradition of pardoning an actual live feathered gobbler from being a Thanksgiving meal at the residence of our nation’s leader. But where do these turkeys come from? How do they get chosen? And what all is involved in the adventure and media frenzy it takes to get them there? We’re going to learn all that and more on this episode of Shooting the Shift.

Guests:

  • Gary Cooper, COO, Cooper Farms
  • Cole Cooper, Cooper Farms
  • Cassie Jo Arend, Agriculture Account Manage, Shift•ology Communication

Episode Links:


]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-16128539 Mon, 18 Nov 2024 14:00:00 -0500 1601 12 full false E11 | Leading the Leaders E11 | Leading the Leaders Executives and business owners and the concept of leadership naturally go hand-in-hand. But while these leaders are busy leading, who is leading them? And how do they know if their leadership style is effective and sustainable?

Our own leader, Melanie Wilt, sits down with her executive coach, Ken Jacobs, to talk leadership traits, strategies and habits he incorporates to help leaders reach their full potential on this episode of Shooting the Shift.

Guest: Ken Jacobs, Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching

Episode Links:

]]> Executives and business owners and the concept of leadership naturally go hand-in-hand. But while these leaders are busy leading, who is leading them? And how do they know if their leadership style is effective and sustainable?

Our own leader, Melanie Wilt, sits down with her executive coach, Ken Jacobs, to talk leadership traits, strategies and habits he incorporates to help leaders reach their full potential on this episode of Shooting the Shift.

Guest: Ken Jacobs, Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching

Episode Links:

]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-15822692 Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:00:00 -0400 1912 11 full false E10 | Creating Trophy-Worthy Virtual Events E10 | Creating Trophy-Worthy Virtual Events There’s a lot of work that goes into planning, setting up and managing a live virtual event for large audiences. But it takes a unique blend of factors to pull off a trophy-worthy performance. In this episode, Dan Toland connects with two of our partners who recently received national acclaim for their outstanding LIVE Virtual Farm Trips. Pop some champagne and get ready to take some notes as they share secrets to their success on “Shooting the Shift.”

Guests:
• Krista McCoon, San Joaquin County AgVenture Coordinator
• Brooke Williams, Director of Communications, American Dairy Association Indiana

Episode Links:
• View ADAI's Award-Winning Virtual Farm Trip
• View San Joaquin AgVenture's Award-Winning series of trips to a Blueberry and Apple Farm
• Learn more about partnering with Virtual Farm Trips
• Blog -- From Experiments to Accolades: LIVE Virtual Farm Trips become award-winning staples for agriculture education



]]> There’s a lot of work that goes into planning, setting up and managing a live virtual event for large audiences. But it takes a unique blend of factors to pull off a trophy-worthy performance. In this episode, Dan Toland connects with two of our partners who recently received national acclaim for their outstanding LIVE Virtual Farm Trips. Pop some champagne and get ready to take some notes as they share secrets to their success on “Shooting the Shift.”

Guests:
• Krista McCoon, San Joaquin County AgVenture Coordinator
• Brooke Williams, Director of Communications, American Dairy Association Indiana

Episode Links:
• View ADAI's Award-Winning Virtual Farm Trip
• View San Joaquin AgVenture's Award-Winning series of trips to a Blueberry and Apple Farm
• Learn more about partnering with Virtual Farm Trips
• Blog -- From Experiments to Accolades: LIVE Virtual Farm Trips become award-winning staples for agriculture education



]]> https://shift-ology.com/podcast/ Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-15500218 Tue, 30 Jul 2024 11:00:00 -0400 2391 virtual, field trips, farms, live, farmers, indiana, dairy, san joaquin, california, apple, blueberry, production, awards, agriculture, education, classroom, students, shiftology, communication, marketing, public relations 10 full false E9 | The Intersection of Communication & The Law E9 | The Intersection of Communication & The Law Lawyers are our friends, right? Well for us at least, communication and the law are very complementary professions. Both require strong arguments and a certain degree of influence. On this episode of Shooting the Shift, Melanie Wilt is joined at the intersection of communication and the law by her good friend, who just happens to be an ag lawyer and director of a collegiate law center, to talk trends and issues in agriculture that communicators need to be aware of as they work on behalf of clients, the role of lawyers when representing farmers, and maybe a little bit of friendly politics from both sides of the aisle.

Guest:
• Jenifer Zwagerman, Ag Law Director, Drake University

Episode Links:
• Learn more about Jennifer Zwagerman
• Learn more about the Drake Agricultural Law Center
• Blog post: The Intersection of Communication and the Law

]]> Lawyers are our friends, right? Well for us at least, communication and the law are very complementary professions. Both require strong arguments and a certain degree of influence. On this episode of Shooting the Shift, Melanie Wilt is joined at the intersection of communication and the law by her good friend, who just happens to be an ag lawyer and director of a collegiate law center, to talk trends and issues in agriculture that communicators need to be aware of as they work on behalf of clients, the role of lawyers when representing farmers, and maybe a little bit of friendly politics from both sides of the aisle.

Guest:
• Jenifer Zwagerman, Ag Law Director, Drake University

Episode Links:
• Learn more about Jennifer Zwagerman
• Learn more about the Drake Agricultural Law Center
• Blog post: The Intersection of Communication and the Law

]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-15263716 Mon, 17 Jun 2024 12:00:00 -0400 2491 agriculture, communication, law, lawyers, trends, issues, marketing, public relations, Drake University, Jennifer Zwagerman, Melanie Wilt, Shift•ology Communication, 9 full false E8 | Personal Branding 101 E8 | Personal Branding 101 Personal branding is essential for today’s working professional, especially in a Public Relations setting, but what does a personal brand encompass? And how do you create and maintain a positive personal brand? We discuss the importance of personal branding for aspiring public relations professionals and share insights and tips for crafting a strong personal brand and navigating social media etiquette in this episode of Shooting the Shift.

Guests:

  • Emily Bennett, Account Manager, Shift•ology Communication
  • Lydia Henry, Content Coordinator, Shift•ology Communication

Episode Links:


]]> Personal branding is essential for today’s working professional, especially in a Public Relations setting, but what does a personal brand encompass? And how do you create and maintain a positive personal brand? We discuss the importance of personal branding for aspiring public relations professionals and share insights and tips for crafting a strong personal brand and navigating social media etiquette in this episode of Shooting the Shift.

Guests:

  • Emily Bennett, Account Manager, Shift•ology Communication
  • Lydia Henry, Content Coordinator, Shift•ology Communication

Episode Links:


]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-15103414 Mon, 20 May 2024 15:00:00 -0400 1174 marketing, public relations, branding, personal brand, social media, students, college, high school, tips, insights, shift•ology communication, professionals, 8 full false E7 | The Pros of Pro Bono E7 | The Pros of Pro Bono “Pro Bono”...it’s a funny sounding phrase that does get used now and again in the professional world. But what exactly does it mean? And what’s so “pro” about it? We define and discuss the nuances of pro bono work and the benefits it can have for client, agency and the community in this episode of Shooting the Shift, featuring Eddie Bell of the Springfield, Ohio Rotary Club, the host of an annual gourmet food truck competition that has become Springfield’s “Must Taste Event of the Summer.”

Episode Links:

]]> “Pro Bono”...it’s a funny sounding phrase that does get used now and again in the professional world. But what exactly does it mean? And what’s so “pro” about it? We define and discuss the nuances of pro bono work and the benefits it can have for client, agency and the community in this episode of Shooting the Shift, featuring Eddie Bell of the Springfield, Ohio Rotary Club, the host of an annual gourmet food truck competition that has become Springfield’s “Must Taste Event of the Summer.”

Episode Links:

]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-14976172 Mon, 29 Apr 2024 12:00:00 -0400 1441 pro bono, public relations, communication, marketing, shift•ology communication, springfield rotary, food truck, benefits 7 full false E6 | The Next Generation of Communication E6 | The Next Generation of Communication Rapid changes in communication technology have drastically changed the way we all work, especially those of us who work in communication. In a world where the next big things emerge faster than courses can be prepared to teach them, how are colleges working to equip the next generation of communication professionals? In this episode of Shooting the Shift, Melanie Wilt connects with a communications professor to learn how academia keeps pace with the trends reshaping the industry, and what has to be done to ensure students have the proper hard skills and soft skills needed to succeed in this ever-changing field.

Episode Links:


]]> Rapid changes in communication technology have drastically changed the way we all work, especially those of us who work in communication. In a world where the next big things emerge faster than courses can be prepared to teach them, how are colleges working to equip the next generation of communication professionals? In this episode of Shooting the Shift, Melanie Wilt connects with a communications professor to learn how academia keeps pace with the trends reshaping the industry, and what has to be done to ensure students have the proper hard skills and soft skills needed to succeed in this ever-changing field.

Episode Links:


]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-14683466 Wed, 13 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0400 2250 6 full false E5 | Where are they now? E5 | Where are they now? A web management specialist, a preacher and a parks and recreation director all walk into a bar… It’s not really a joke, but there’s plenty of fun when they all get together! We’re reuniting with three of our past employees to learn what they’re up to, how Shift•ology impacted their careers, and to reminisce about the old days. That’s all ahead in this episode of Shooting the Shift.

Episode Links

]]> A web management specialist, a preacher and a parks and recreation director all walk into a bar… It’s not really a joke, but there’s plenty of fun when they all get together! We’re reuniting with three of our past employees to learn what they’re up to, how Shift•ology impacted their careers, and to reminisce about the old days. That’s all ahead in this episode of Shooting the Shift.

Episode Links

]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-14272193 Mon, 08 Jan 2024 14:00:00 -0500 2451 5 full false E4 | Communicating around the Christmas Tree E4 | Communicating around the Christmas Tree With Christmas spirit in the air, now’s a good time to make sure your gifts and greetings are grammatically on-point; that your communication efforts don’t fall asleep while you’re away; and hear how Christmas tree farmers spread Christmas cheer throughout the year. That’s all on this holiday episode of “Shooting the Shift.”

Guests:

  • Shift•ology Account Manager Emily Bennett
  • Shift•ology Agriculture Account Manager Cassie Jo Arend
  • Ohio Christmas tree farmer Jeff Reese

Episode Links:

]]> With Christmas spirit in the air, now’s a good time to make sure your gifts and greetings are grammatically on-point; that your communication efforts don’t fall asleep while you’re away; and hear how Christmas tree farmers spread Christmas cheer throughout the year. That’s all on this holiday episode of “Shooting the Shift.”

Guests:

  • Shift•ology Account Manager Emily Bennett
  • Shift•ology Agriculture Account Manager Cassie Jo Arend
  • Ohio Christmas tree farmer Jeff Reese

Episode Links:

]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-14065289 Thu, 30 Nov 2023 13:00:00 -0500 1753 4 full false E3 | Holy Cow! E3 | Holy Cow! What goes through the brains of those who host over 40,000 students on a visit to a dairy farm at one time? For our guests today, it appears to be nothing more than a casual one-on-one stroll through the parlor, but there’s a lot happening behind the scenes.

We're going to learn how (and why) a very small team from Syracuse, NY has come to entertain and engage a very large live virtual audience from across the country, and what they do to keep it fresh and relevant on today's episode of "Shooting the Shift”.

Guests

  • Emma Andrew-Swarthout, Director of Dairy Industry Image, American Dairy Association North East
  • Kelsey O'Shea, Industry Relations Specialist, American Dairy Association North East

Episode Links


]]> What goes through the brains of those who host over 40,000 students on a visit to a dairy farm at one time? For our guests today, it appears to be nothing more than a casual one-on-one stroll through the parlor, but there’s a lot happening behind the scenes.

We're going to learn how (and why) a very small team from Syracuse, NY has come to entertain and engage a very large live virtual audience from across the country, and what they do to keep it fresh and relevant on today's episode of "Shooting the Shift”.

Guests

  • Emma Andrew-Swarthout, Director of Dairy Industry Image, American Dairy Association North East
  • Kelsey O'Shea, Industry Relations Specialist, American Dairy Association North East

Episode Links


]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-13919156 Mon, 06 Nov 2023 12:00:00 -0500 2108 3 full false E2 | WTH is a VFT? with Alex Miller E2 | WTH is a VFT? with Alex Miller What the heck is a Virtual Farm Trip? Whether you call them virtual farm tours, virtual field trips or something else…Why would you want to host one? And what needs to be considered when planning to do so?

We’re Shooting the Shift with Digital Engagement Manager Alex Miller to break down the basics of Virtual Farm Trips on today’s episode of “Shooting the Shift”.

Episode Links


]]> What the heck is a Virtual Farm Trip? Whether you call them virtual farm tours, virtual field trips or something else…Why would you want to host one? And what needs to be considered when planning to do so?

We’re Shooting the Shift with Digital Engagement Manager Alex Miller to break down the basics of Virtual Farm Trips on today’s episode of “Shooting the Shift”.

Episode Links


]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-13466049 Tue, 03 Oct 2023 16:00:00 -0400 1655 2 full false E1 | Shift•ology 101 with Melanie Wilt E1 | Shift•ology 101 with Melanie Wilt What happens when a farm girl with a lifelong passion for biology, science and communication decides to step out of the comfort of being employed by others to start her own agency, during an economic recession nonetheless? 

We’re Shooting the Shift with the boss of Shift•ology Communication, Melanie Wilt, to learn the story behind her business; the unique philosophy that guides the company’s work, and what it’s taken for her to make it work for 15 years and beyond. That’s all ahead in today’s episode of Shooting the Shift.

Episode Links


]]> What happens when a farm girl with a lifelong passion for biology, science and communication decides to step out of the comfort of being employed by others to start her own agency, during an economic recession nonetheless? 

We’re Shooting the Shift with the boss of Shift•ology Communication, Melanie Wilt, to learn the story behind her business; the unique philosophy that guides the company’s work, and what it’s taken for her to make it work for 15 years and beyond. That’s all ahead in today’s episode of Shooting the Shift.

Episode Links


]]> Shift•ology Communication Buzzsprout-13457892 Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:00:00 -0400 1746 1 full false