Hey there, this is Nate Sprehe, CEO at Almanac. We’re a branding and digital agency in St. Louis working with purpose-driven organizations. And we’ve got a new podcast called Heart Move Magic.

This podcast is an experiment on what it takes to create change. It started with an idea we had about how we could support and inspire the people we meet who are working so hard to make meaningful change in our society. (We see you and we know you are special!) But as much as it is for you, it’s also for us! We’re inspired by you and drawn to understand where all that courage and conviction comes from.

Ideas are the easy part...and much too often they stay that way—just an idea. We’re much more interested in exploring that moment in time–that decision, where you say, “yeah, let’s do this thing!” AND THEN ACTUALLY DO IT!

So, this podcast is for you...but it’s also about you. I’m going to be talking with some of my favorite people who have proven that they have what it takes to create a vision, and stick with that vision until it becomes reality. We’ll hear from people working to change large organizations, people tackling big societal problems like education, and people who simply look at the world in a different way...who see opportunities where others see roadblocks. 

This podcast has been a ton of fun for me. I hope you pick up ideas and concepts that are meaningful and help you keep going out there. And like I said, this is an experiment. We’ve never done anything like this before...We’re starting with 8 episodes and if you like them and want more, we’ll keep going. So let us know what you think. Whose story would you like to hear? What topic should we explore? Do I ask too many questions (ha)? We want it all. Send us an email at podcast@brandalmanac.com. 

Our first three episodes drop on May 15th, so please subscribe on Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also get up-to-date on our website by visiting brandalmanac.com/podcast.

I’m looking forward to sharing these people and their stories with you. Thanks for listening!

Heart Move Magin - Trailer

Ah, podcast number one. I’m really excited to kick this show off with an interview with Leslie Peters, who is one of my favorite people! She’s a speaker, author and guide who connects with people on the edge of growth. What does that mean? Basically, she works with leaders and teams during times of change. Perfect, right? 

Almanac and Leslie have worked together on a few projects over the years, and she’s not only gotten to know our company really well, but I would say she’s influenced the type of company we’ve become. She helped us map our core values a couple years ago, which has been transformational for us. And she also introduced us to the Cynefin framework--a system of problem-solving that helped us get comfortable with the kind of messy, unpredictable, human work that we love doing at Almanac. And, guess what, we’re going to talk about Cynefin today, because I think you will see your work in it, and it will give you several a - ha moments, just like it did for us.

Leslie's website: https://www.elementspartnership.com. 
Leslie's book, 'Finding Time to Lead' on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Time-Lead-Practices-Outrageous-ebook/dp/B01N5F24RU

Episode 1 - Leslie Peters

Today I’ll be talking with Eric Scroggings, Founder and CEO of The Opportunity Trust, an organization working to ensure everyone who calls St. Louis home is prepared to thrive. As we all know, the world’s economy and job markets are changing, and like many cities who were at the top of their game during the height of the industrial era, St. Louis struggles to keep up. Eric and his team have big plans to address the issues holding us back and to amplify the bright spots. (And their are some bright spots!) So where are they starting? One of the thorniest and most important issues of all: St. Louis’ public education system.

As you’ll hear, Eric is uniquely qualified to lead this charge. He’s the first in his family to go to college; attending Washington University in St. Louis opened his eyes to the opportunities that come along with a world class education. After graduation, he joined Teach for America and went to work in the New York Public School System. His time in New York  schools was transformative and heartbreaking and also eerily similar to the things he sees in St. Louis education today. Eric’s got a long career in education and has come back home at an exciting time in St. Louis. 

My conversations with Eric are always deep and interesting and I’m struck by how strategic every single one of his decisions is. You can learn more on the Opportunity Trust website: https://theopportunitytrust.org/ I hope you enjoy!

Episode 2 - Eric Scroggins

Next up on the podcast, my interview with St. Louis—soon to be Portland—based photographer, Jay Fram. I’ve known Jay for more than a decade—as friends, studio mates and collaborators. Jay’s ability to craft evocative, honest portraits of real people and places has made him a favorite for our team and our clients.

I wanted to talk with Jay because of all the photographers we’ve worked with, he has an uncanny ability to coax people out of their shells. Capturing people as they are is the best way I know to foster empathy and connection and THAT’s what we strive for in all of our work at Almanac. Jay’s images have been a key ingredient in some of the most successful brands we’ve created over the years. 

Jay is interesting (born in Puerto Rico, grew up on a fish farm in Oklahoma, for Pete’s sake!) full of humor and a fierce advocate for the storytelling strength of one great image. I think you’ll really enjoy hearing his perspective about where to put your resources when you need to connect with the right people. 

You can visit Jay's website: https://www.jayfram.com or follow him on Instagram @jayfram. To see Print Magazine's review of our work together for Places for People, visit: https://www.printmag.com/branding/award-winning-rebrand-places-for-people/

Episode 3 - Jay Fram

Making change is hard. Heart Move Magic, is a podcast by Almanac for mission-driven marketers doing challenging work. Episodes feature conversations with leaders, doers and all around change-makers on what they believe and how they make a difference. Almanac is a branding and digital agency based in St. Louis that works with purpose-driven organizations.