Maianne Preble

1352 Ithilien, Excelsior, MN 55331 Tel: 952-261-4771

Mlpreble1@gmail.com

Engaging the Underachiever Start-up Business Consultant

Existing Conditions: Private client was exploring a new business venture. Client had a general vision for the final deliverable, and marketable product, but lacked the organization to determine how the various thoughts, actions, and information would be combined to create the actual product and how to market the product itself. Responsibilities and Actions: Worked with client over the course of a week to determine what thoughts were percolating, analyze each thought to draw connections between seemingly disparate ideas and to resolve conflict between truly disparate ideas. Created business operations matrix to guide company decision-making and future product development. Brainstormed potential clients, marketing avenues, and local and state-wide stakeholders for client to pursue in the future as products develop. Outcome: Client is now able to evaluate all ideas based on the established matrix. Matrix is also used as an outline for all ideas to work through to become actual products. Client can clearly understand company’s overall vision.

Deliverables

General Manager Director of Global Media and Marketing

Existing Conditions: Established Bed and Breakfast located within the historic district of Savannah, Georgia. Ranked consistently within or near the top 5 Bed and Breakfasts within the historic district on all major third party review websites: TripAdvisor.com, BedandBreakfast.com, Yelp.com. Reviews frequently comment on high level of customer service, staff attentiveness, broad knowledge of quality local attractions, restaurants, and historic resources. Bed and Breakfast had a well-established presence on major Bed and Breakfast directories and large word-of-mouth network. No social media presence. Established newsletter had adequate open rate. Ownership wished to maintain levels of service while exploring affordable marketing options that would demonstrate staff’s abilities and knowledge as well as promote the city of Savannah as a destination. Marketing goals were both short term and long term. Short term – target past guests to stay again, and tell their friends and families. Long term – demonstrate staff’s command of knowledge about the area, promote location of Bed and Breakfast as desirable to potential guests (near many prime attractions/resources), and build relationships with potential guests to position Bed and Breakfast to capitalize on economic market improvements. Responsibilities and Actions: Brainstormed extensive marketing plan. Spearheaded implementation of plan based on feasibility, time constraints, and cost. Establishing social media presence was key element of marketing plan. Designed, implemented, and maintained social medial presence including: Blog, Facebook, updated Constant Contact newsletter, and Twitter. Built, extended, and maintained beneficial relationships with local businesses and organizations. Partnered with innkeeper to manage guest services, concierge services, and business operations. Marketed neighborhood resources and attractions to future guests via telephone and email sales. Outcome: Established social media has generated constantly increasing readership and following. As of December 2011, Facebook page had 156 likes (Fans), with a total potential reach of 33,259 (Friends of Fans). Retooled newsletter exceeds industry standard open and click rates. Increased exposure of Bed and Breakfast due to new promotions (teacher discount) and participation in community events (holiday tour). Bed and Breakfast continues to rank in top 5 on third party review sites.

Deliverables

• Retooled established Constant Contact monthly newsletter in March 2011.

• Increased overall number of emails sent. • New monthly newsletter was designed to

remind past guests of quality of their stay and inform them of upcoming events.

• Links within newsletter directed readers to other pages associated with the Bed and Breakfast. o Facebook o Blog o Main website / booking engine

• Ranked above industry average open/click rate every month since relaunch.

• Established Wordpress blog November 2010. • Weekly update schedule implemented. • Industry educational “Q&A” entries. • Monthly recipes tie into monthly newsletter. • 6,730 all-time views (as of Dec. 18, 2011)

Irvington Plaza Redevelopment Initiative Proposal

Existing Conditions: Neighborhood identified a 4-acre commercial site as being “blighted” and inconsistent with overall feel of the surrounding neighborhood. Site owner had conceded to neighborhood that improvements to the site would be considered if it could be demonstrated that they would be cost effective and possibly result in higher rent potential. Was contracted with Ball State University Historic Preservation Studio class to develop four potential redevelopment proposals that integrated identified needs of the neighborhood and reconnected the site to the overall character of the neighborhood. Responsibilities and Actions: Assessed existing conditions of site to identify any potential historic resources and character defining features. Evaluated Neighborhood’s needs and expressed goals for amenities, services, and housing stock. Addressed how local zoning ordinances would impact redevelopment including: building height/massing, parking requirements, public transportation, and public utilities and safety services. Facilitated ongoing discussion amongst area residents regarding site redevelopment by presenting proposal at a public meeting. Meeting attendees included residents, local officials, and press.

Outcome: Redevelopment proposal and associated presentation helped to establish a dialog amongst area residents about their collective goals and vision for the site. During presentation, a discussion about the quality of the grocery store and it’s stocked products began. Upon our urging, neighborhood took their concerns to the store, requesting that desired products be carried, and encouraged other residents to shop at the local store to demonstrate that desired products could be profitable and drive additional business to the store. Overall site has not changed, but dialog continues amongst residents, local officials, and site owner regarding future potential of the site.

Deliverables

Design Thinking and Problem Solving – Station Restructuring Existing Conditions: Established college radio station wished to generate additional revenue from sponsorships. Existing and potential sponsors required radio station to demonstrate growth of the audience to warrant additional advertising costs. Station was stuck going in circles arguing that they needed additional money to cover promotions to generate new listeners. As a college station, student turnover and graduation rates presented an additional challenge to audience retention. In an effort to attract more listeners, station suffered with a self-created identity crisis – playing a little of everything to try to attract everyone. Responsibilities and Actions: Evaluated existing conditions of WCRD including mission, facilities, staff, student training opportunities, and programming, to answer station’s question: “How do we increase listenership so we can earn more money.” Determined station’s need to be an overall direction and programming specialization, not “listeners.” Existing wide variety of programming was alienating potential listeners who felt the station was to varied to know when their desired content would be broadcasted. Retooled staffing procedures, student training opportunities, and programming to realign WCRD’s actions with its existing mission statement. Provided WCRD with recommendations for implementing changes to improve quality of station, promote University’s “Immersive Education” drive, and increase listenership through changing format, management, and training opportunities prior to the start of the 2010-2011 academic year. Outcome: WCRD changed its format on October 10, 2010, focusing on Top 40 Pop and college rock. The limited format focus has generated additional listeners and interest in the station. Station is the second largest student activity at Ball State University, and operates as an “applied learning” laboratory for students in conjunction with University’s “Immersive Education” drive.

Union Literary Institute Preservation Society Historic Resource Consultant – Ball State University Center for Historic Preservation

Existing Conditions: Local Preservation Society owned a locally significant former school house. School house had undergone extreme alterations since its closure, primarily due to the incompatible reuse as a farm outbuilding for grain and corn storage. Architectural and photographic evidence suggested the building originally was two stories in height. Preservation Society wished to better understand the history of the building and the events that occurred within the property. If it could be demonstrated that the property was historic within the context of a national movement (integrated education before the end of the Civil War, and possible Underground Railroad activity), Preservation Society felt funds could be generated through donations and grants for the eventual restoration and interpretation of the site as a museum to discuss the significance of the property and the surrounding community. Responsibilities and Actions: Consultant team assessed existing building. Team researched the history of the property and associated history of education in the region and across the nation to determine the property’s overall significance. Created a construction timeline, depicting the approximate age and order of construction of the entire property, including additions and alterations. Identified architectural elements that were character defining for restoration plan. Created a priority list of immediate, secondary, and long-range actions for Preservation Society to take to stabilize and restore the property for use as museum. Given property’s overall condition, interpretation plans were also developed, including: interpreting the site as ruins, enclosing the property in a larger museum, and contemporary “outline” reconstruction and total reconstruction of the missing second story. Outcome: Preservation Society was presented with multiple copies of a Historic Structures Report of the property. Copies of the report were used as a fundraising event for the eventual restoration of the property. Preservation Society was able to assess all interpretation options in detail, and has selected to move forward with the stabilization of the remaining portions of the building, planning for an eventual total reconstruction of the second story. Plans for the associated museum or interpretation center are still being developed by the Preservation Society, but information to include in the final product is guided by the report created.

Thiebaud House Agricultural Museum

Historic Resource Consultant – Ball State University Center for Historic Preservation Existing Conditions: County Historical Society received a historic farmstead property located outside of the downtown area from Dow Corning for the purpose of turning the property into an agricultural museum. Historical Society knew little about the property and its construction, but felt it could be significant. Prior to constructing the agricultural museum and moving a recently purchased hay press barn to the site, assessment of the existing farmhouse and surrounding grounds was required, as to identify significant elements, character defining features, and potential subterranean resources. Historical Society also wished to create a guiding restoration timeline and cost estimate to help guide future capital campaigns for the property’s restoration as an element of the agricultural museum. Responsibilities and Actions: Consultant team assessed existing farmhouse and surrounding property condition. Team researched the history of the property and associated farming trends to determine the property’s overall significance. Created a construction timeline, depicting the approximate age and order of construction of the entire house, including additions and alterations. Identified architectural elements that were character defining for restoration plan. Created a priority list of immediate, secondary, and long-range actions for historical society to take to stabilize and restore the property for use in the agricultural museum. Outcome: Historical Society was presented with multiple copies of a Historic Structures Report of the property. Report was used to guide ongoing actions at the site for the eventual restoration of the property. Report was also used as a key piece of supporting material for multiple grants that the Historical Society has received since 2010 including: $5,000 from the Community Foundation of Switzerland County, $78,273 Matching Grant from the Jeffris Family Foundation, and $90,000 from the Paul Ogle Foundation, These grants became the base for a major capital campaign which raised $252,846 including $12,573 in individual donations.