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Need to wrap your head around how to build community partnerships with allied or adjacent organizations and companies? In this episode we talk to Leslie Kohlmeyer, Executive Director of Show Me KC Schools about exactly that, and how everyone can win when you do it right. Plus, do you really need a marketing plan? 
Transcript:
Jeff Randolph:
Welcome to the Small Business Miracles podcast. I’m Jeff Randolph. This small business podcast is brought to you by EAG Advertising and Marketing. We’re going to talk about marketing, and we’re also here to celebrate entrepreneurs. We have marketing news and advice that business owners can use to keep moving forward and do not, repeat, do not miss our featured interview with Leslie Kohlmeyer, who is the executive director of Show Me KC Schools. We’ll talk to her about how one might approach building community partnerships right after this marketing tip.
For today’s tip, I wanted to talk to you about your marketing plan, and not just your actual marketing plan, but why have a plan? Why have a marketing plan? Do we really need a marketing plan? I mean, the quick answer of course is yes, you need a marketing plan. The criticisms of planning aren’t lost on us. Why build a plan that could just gather dust and a folder on a shelf? Or, why plan in such turbulent times when you’re not sure what you’ll be reacting to next? Or, why plan if it’s only you who will actually read the plan? “I mean, I already know what I’m going to do, right? Why should I write it down for the benefit of someone else?” Or, “Why plan when I can’t keep up with the tactics that I’m trying to do already?” Look, despite all that, the answer is still yes, you need a marketing plan. But, no matter which of those but why questions resonate with you the most, here are a few reasons for that the time, and the effort, and the expense are all very much worthwhile.
First, there’s actual value in building a marketing plan, like actual value. You could pay someone like me to write a plan for you, which gives it actual monetary value. The value that isn’t so literal is knowing the proper thought and careful planning have gone into the process. Let’s talk about some of the value that you may not be thinking of with your marketing plan. A marketing plan is a snapshot in time of what you were thinking. So, a clear snapshot of what was going on, what you were reacting to. Some of us walk into a room and we forget why we went in there in the first place, and then we stare around the room thinking it’s going to come to us. In some slow motion vision, we’re standing there in kind of a brain freeze. We don’t remember why we went into the room, but it was probably important.
Your planning process is really the opportunity to speak to future you, the same future you who wandered into the other room without any idea of why you got off the couch. Because I promise you, you won’t remember why you spent this or that in whatever marketing channel this year. You won’t remember what you were reacting to. You won’t remember why you chose this thing versus that thing. And if you have a plan, you’re on a path, you’re making a decision that is intentional and you can look back on it and future you will thank you for all of the work that you did to help get you where you are today.
You could also say that what gets measured gets accomplished, and marketing plans tend to start with marketing goals. What do we want to accomplish by win and for how much? It’s not good enough to say, “I want more customers. And so, that’s what my marketing plan is doing.” Instead, we use smart goals to be specific, and measurable, and achievable, and realistic, and timely. Planning is important. Execution is also important. Our advice, don’t skimp on either of those. Welcome back to the podcast. I am here with Leslie Kohlmeyer, the executive director of Show Me KC Schools. Leslie, welcome to the podcast.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Thanks for having us.
Jeff Randolph:
We’re very happy to have you. You’re the executive director for Show Me KC Schools. Could you just give everybody a level set and explain what is Show Me KC Schools.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Sure. We are actually in our 10th year. Happy 10th anniversary.
Jeff Randolph:
Yay. Congratulations.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Of helping families in Kansas City, Missouri understand what their school options are. So we do that in a variety of ways. But our goal is just to make sure that every family has the same information and equal access to high quality education in Kansas City, Missouri.
Jeff Randolph:
Absolutely. And, another name they may have heard along with that is the School App KC. They may have seen things around, especially if you’re in that target demographic and you have someone at home. Talk to me about that.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Sure. School App KC is a program of Show Me KC Schools. It is a common application platform. Now, we did not invent common applications, that happened in the college sector. But several orgs like ours across the country got together and brainstormed and came up with the idea to do it in the K-12 space. And actually we do it with pre-K students as well. We have 27 schools on one common app, where parents can go to one place to apply to all of those schools if they want, or two or three of those schools with one simple application platform that has under eight questions.
And then, at the end, they choose which of the schools they’d like that application submitted to. It’s just a better way. We’ve been doing School App KC for about six years. Prior to that, deadlines were all over the place. People had to show up in-person, we joke sometimes, on a Tuesday with a blood red moon and a DNA sample to apply to their school. And today, it’s just so much more streamlined and easy, so that, again, everybody has equitable access.
Jeff Randolph:
If we’re talking about the marketing concepts, it sounds like you have provided customers a better way to do things. That’s just good marketing sense right there.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Yeah, and gatekeeping. We have a lot of big bureaucracies that have these cumbersome systems that parents and families don’t understand how to navigate. We just wanted to really kick down those gates and say, “Let everybody have access.”
Jeff Randolph:
So I’ve said that that’s a good marketing concept to give customers what they want, make it easier for them. If I said, “Hey, how’s it going?” How are things?
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
I mean, there’s a lot of nuance to that question. But, I think for us it’s going really well. We can look at a system every day. As a person who runs a nonprofit, I have to ask myself, “Is what I’m doing making a difference?” And I can look at that six year pathway and say, we actually have made a difference. Even in something as small as KCPS is not a part of the app, but they have changed their deadline and their application process to be very similar to ours. And so, we have now two systems instead of 22.
Jeff Randolph:
Right.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
And those two systems work very similarly. So, again, we’ve changed a system. And so, I will say, it’s going well for us, because we’ve changed something and made it easier for all the parents in Kansas City.
Jeff Randolph:
You have no end of different groups to wrangle to make all of this happen. I mean, the schools are one thing, right? But there are all kinds of different variables here. I wanted to talk a little bit about the community relationship part of it, because you really have put a lot of focus into the community relationship part and you have built many partnerships with the community. I am looking at the website. I see things like City Year, the KC Public Library, Turn the Page KC, Junior Achievement, Operation Breakthrough. The list goes literally on and on.
A lot of business owners want to do that same thing. Nonprofits want to build community partnerships. You have been particularly successful in making all of that happen. If you were giving some advice to somebody who wanted to build that community relationship with either allied or adjacent organizations, and I’m thinking employment, “I need a steady supply of people coming in.” Or for referrals for business, any number of things. What’s the secret to success? Is there advice that you would give to somebody who wants to build that network of support and build that partnership community?
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Sure. This is a short podcast, so I’m going to-
Jeff Randolph:
That’s right. It’s a giant.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
… I’m going to a version to that.
Jeff Randolph:
It’s a giant topic.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
So, years ago, I worked in a restaurant and I was the catering sales manager. And so, we sold catering space and we did catering for events like weddings. So weddings was one of our top things.
Jeff Randolph:
Mm-hmm.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
If you think about a wedding, what does the bride do first? The bride finds a dress and a husband. She finds a venue for her event. She buys flowers. She buys a cake. There are all the things that are attached. So in that position, I just looked at all the things that are attached. And so, I went to that gown gallery and I said, “Here’s our information. Please pass this out to your brides. And if they come to us first, I’ll pass your information out.” So I just thought, “What’s the consumer of my product? Where are all their touch points?” And then, reached out to those organizations. So for School App for example, and Show Me KC Schools, the library partnership is one of the most symbiotic relationships that we have, because every parent takes their kids to the library at some point in time to check out books, to read, to hang out, to do any one of their amazing programs.
The library agreed to host the city school fair every year, and that’s also when the application launches. So that relationship is spectacular for us. So we don’t have to pay the cost for a venue. They get all of the patrons that come through, which, this year it was 650.
Jeff Randolph:
Mm-hmm.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
So, amazing number of people going through the library, again, checking out books and checking out programs that the library has to offer. So it’s very symbiotic and it just made sense.
Jeff Randolph:
I mean, that seems so obvious. It seems like it’s fairly simple. But, I mean, just getting an idea of where to start and using that concept, that framework of, “We’re going to get married. We’re going to throw a wedding.” Who’s involved? That’s a simple way to break it down. I love that.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Who are all the vendors we need to reach out to? So we just did that as our organization. We reached out to all the schools. “How can we partner?” We reached out to education adjacent organizations like PLTI, Parent Power Lab, Latinx, Reved, Black KC, all of those parent facing groups and said, “How can we work together to move the ball down the field?”
Jeff Randolph:
And, presumably, that’s beneficial for everyone involved if you’re doing it right.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Yeah.
Jeff Randolph:
A real partnership gets everyone excited, because that rising tide lifts all boats.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Yes.
Jeff Randolph:
So, man, that’s a great framework. A next question to go into, advice. Because, we’re going to open up your brain, and we’re going to dive inside, and we’re going to help share all of the wisdom that you’ve accumulated. What’s the best advice you’ve gotten? This could be business, it could be personal, whatever.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
I think it’s going to be a funny one.
Jeff Randolph:
Oh, I love it.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
You ready for this?
Jeff Randolph:
I am.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Take advice only from those who have what you want.
Jeff Randolph:
Oh, interesting.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Mm-hmm. And I do this every year. Every year as I’m getting ready to write my new budget, every year I reach out to fellow executive directors and I say, “What do you do for this?” And I’ve had executive directors reach out to me and say, “Who do you use for payroll?” Or, “How do you do your audits?” So, look at other organizations that are like yours, and if they’re successful, what are they doing to be successful and ask. Because, most likely, those EDs would love to tell you how to work smarter.
Jeff Randolph:
And make references, and referrals, and that kind of thing. That is very good advice. Good life advice. That’s good life advice.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
I think so too. I’ve definitely pounded that into my children.
Jeff Randolph:
Perfect. I think it’s a good opportunity to go into the lightning round, if that’s all right with you.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Let’s do it. I’m scared, but let’s do it.
Jeff Randolph:
We’ll review the rules of the lightning round. There’s no biting, punching, hitting. No.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Darn it. That’s when I’m out.
Jeff Randolph:
It’s very simple. It’s going to be shorter answer, sound bite answers. We’ll dive in and talk about it if there’s more to do there. There usually is. You don’t have any understanding of what these questions might be going into it. So, we’re all working from the same level playing field now. What’s the best part of your job?
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
I have amazing employees. Yeah, they’re really rock solid. And so, I would say, my employees.
Jeff Randolph:
Employees. Best part of your job. Get to see them every day.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Every day.
Jeff Randolph:
When you look at your career path and what has led you to this point, it is very interesting. I’m curious what you look back on that really prepared you for today to be the executive director of Show Me KC Schools. It could be education, it could be your work with Academy Lafayette, or your time as an MIT school access and quality fellow, your accounting career with a restaurant group, or rising through the ranks at Show Me KC Schools. What has really helped you rise to the challenge? What do you look back on and say, “Man, I’m glad I had that experience”?
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Oh, I’m going to get poetic.
Jeff Randolph:
Oh, yes.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Like a quilt or a good painting, every little thing that I had done along the way has been a part of that big picture. So just added a little flavor, added a little color, made me be in a place where I could be the executive director of Show Me KC Schools, because I had had all those little experiences that added to that end goal. And hopefully, this is not the end. But each little piece contributed to the success. And I don’t think it’s good to live with regrets, to look at every single thing, even if you’ve made a mistake or said something stupid and looked back at it and said, “That made me a better person. That made me do something different the next time.” And so, I’m thankful for whatever that experience was.
Jeff Randolph:
Because your background is all over the place.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
All over the place.
Jeff Randolph:
You have accounting, you are multifaceted, and lots of diverse experience too. So, all of that really led in. Is there anything that just would not recommend, zero stars out of five would not recommend? “This helped me in no way. This was a waste of time”?
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
No.
Jeff Randolph:
Something to learn from every experience.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Every experience. And my own child right now, or two of my children actually work in restaurants. And, I definitely think that was a big part of my personality, and my formative years, and making me who I am, making me more empathetic, more understanding, more able to put up with.
Jeff Randolph:
At the very least, it makes you a better diner in the future.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Oh, yeah. We have very strict etiquette for restaurant.
Jeff Randolph:
Let’s see. I want to go back in time a little bit for this next one. In 2013, you did a reading at Unity Temple on the Plaza in Kansas City, where you read-
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
You really had to dig things up, Jeff.
Jeff Randolph:
… We do some research here, some deep, deep research. You read The Groundhog Days of Our Lives. I actually saw that. I watched that film.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Did you laugh? I hope you laughed.
Jeff Randolph:
When we first met, I connected with you on LinkedIn and saw that clip. And, it was hilarious. Do you have any piece of wisdom, life advice from that reading that you would share today?
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Just what I said in the reading that what you… And, I think especially social media plays into this in our lives, we see all of these people who have this beautiful day, and this beautiful birthday party, and this beautiful anniversary, but we really don’t see that every day, and often, it’s an off-color joke, nobody takes pictures at a funeral.
Jeff Randolph:
Yeah.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Nobody’s capturing the worst day of their life and putting it on social media.
Jeff Randolph:
True.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
But maybe we should, so that other people have perspective that you are not as amazing as you portray yourself to be on Instagram.
Jeff Randolph:
Put yourself out there to the public, right? There’s real involved under that.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
So, that piece was just really about the real, that every parent goes through struggles and hardships, that nobody’s perfect and nobody’s winning. We’re all getting through and struggling. And, at the end, we just have our kids and our significant others to rely on to get through those hard times.
Jeff Randolph:
It was a good one. I’m glad I got to watch that. Do you have a favorite cheese?
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Oh, of course. Gouda.
Jeff Randolph:
Is it?
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Absolutely. Did you see how easy that rolled off my tongue?
Jeff Randolph:
You were ready for it. And again-
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Brie’s a close second.
Jeff Randolph:
… No previous knowledge of this.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Nope.
Jeff Randolph:
She was ready to go with it.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Gouda. I’m totally a cheese girl.
Jeff Randolph:
And we actually talked about this at an awards event one time. We were both standing over-
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Around a cheese tray, in fact.
Jeff Randolph:
… A cheese tray. And both of us going, “God, I love a blue cheese. That’s a good-”
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Absolutely. Blue cheeses have their time and place.
Jeff Randolph:
… There’s a time and a place for everything. It’s usually called college, but blue cheese is a big one. How do you celebrate a big win? Let’s imagine that something exciting happened and big win for Show Me KC schools or a personal one, whatever. How do you celebrate that?
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Again, with the patchwork and everything that happened to me becoming a part of who I am, I will give mad credit to my previous ED, Tricia Johnson, who doesn’t just celebrate the big wins, but who celebrated every little win along the way, by giving you a nice handwritten note that you had done something great, a face of flowers, a gift card to your favorite restaurant, whatever the case may be. I tried with my staff to both verbally thank them for everything that they do, or to take them out to lunch, or to say, “Hey, this is a hard day. Let’s order in or have a glass of wine.” Whatever the case may be. But, I try to celebrate not just the big but the little all throughout the year.
Jeff Randolph:
Stop, recognize, make it happen. I would to be able to do more of that, and I think so many of us get caught up in, “I don’t have time. I want to say thank you for that, or I want to show some appreciation, or to stop and celebrate my own wins, but I don’t have time for that.” It’s important to make time for that.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Yep, 100%.
Jeff Randolph:
Leslie Kohlmeyer, executive director of Show Me KC Schools, where can people find you if they want more information?
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Sure. We have offices. Do I go ahead and say this?
Jeff Randolph:
Oh, yeah. Throw it out there.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
We have offices at 2201 Lexington Avenue in the historic northeast, specifically Pendleton Heights neighborhood. You can drop by anytime and visit with us. We’re happily there to serve you and help you understand your school options in Kansas City. We also have a rotating art wall at our space. Right now, foreign Language Academy has some great kid artwork, and so that’s fun to see, if you want to stop by and see us. You can find us at www.showmekcschools.org, or www.schoolappkc.org. Both of those sites will take you to any of the programming that we do at Show Me KC Schools.
Jeff Randolph:
Keep up the good work. Leslie, thanks for being with us today.
Leslie Kohlmeyer:
Thank you for having us.
Jeff Randolph:
And that is our show. Thanks to Leslie Kohlmeyer with Show Me KC Schools and School App Kc, and thank you for listening to the Small Business Miracles Podcast. Remember to subscribe. Leave us a five star rating and review. Drop us a line on the website at eagadv.com if you have any thoughts. And until then, we’re going to be out here helping entrepreneurs with another small business miracle.