Podcast appearances and mentions of mike benson

Send us a textThis week your Host Downrigger Dale talks with Mack Days Tournament Manager Cindy Benson and her husband Mike Benson who has fished the Mack Days tourneys for many years! Cindy will give you all the details about this incredible Tournament which gets underway on March 13th and goes through May 10th on Flathead Lake in Northwest Montana. Downrigger referrs to the Mack Days Tournaments as the most unique fishing tournaments you will ever fish in and are the richest Tournaments in Montana and for Lake Trout tournaments, likely the richest in the world! Just wait until you hear Mike talk about how much money he won in Spring Mack Days just a few years ago. It is in the 5-digit range and the winner of last year's Spring Mack Days won quite a bit more than  that! How much? Click that play button above and find out. Mike will also give you great advice about how to fish for the Lake Trout, also known as Mackinaw or Macks. It's all explained in the Podcast from what lures to use, where to go on the lake and much more. So, click that play button and get to listening! Links:Click here to go to the Spring Mack Days website!Know how to identify the fish in Flathead Lake. The website above has that info or use the Fishes of Montana App. Click here to get that on Google Play. Or click here to get it for Apple. Lures that Mike talked about:LeadagatorRattle-d-ZastorGlowing JigsPaul's Jigs - Call 309-678-6160 to order.PlugIt TackleOr talk to local tackle shops in area.Campgrounds Cindy talked about.Blue BayWayfarersBig ArmFlathead Lake MapMontana Fishing RegulationsFlathead Indian Reservation Fishing Regulations (South Half of Flathead Lake)To email Cindy and Mike click here.To email Downrigger click hereRemember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

Springdale OH Nazarene Church has grown from a single congregation to a family of seven diverse congregations. Lead Pastor, Daryl Blank, Alyssa Ellis, Cody McNichols, Arnoldo Macario, Bob Huff, Mike Benson, and Laurent Muvunyi share their journey and provide actionable steps on how your church can enhance its evangelism efforts by establishing additional congregations or preaching points. https://www.snclife.org/leadership    Lifelong Learning Code: 80890 Click here to learn about Lifelong Learning   https://m25conference.com/workshops/ 

For the past few months, we've been in a series called The Main Attraction, exploring how Jesus is central in every story within the book of Mark. Last week, our pastor emeritus Mike Benson delivered a powerful message about Jesus being with us in the storm. If you missed it, you can catch up on our website or YouTube channel or wherever Podcasts are played. This week, we delve into Mark 5:1-20, the gripping story of a man possessed by a legion of demons. Stephanie Sampson, our director of D-Track 201 and leader of the Next Steps Center, reads the scripture and prays over the service, setting the stage for an impactful message. We examine the man's dire situation, tormented by demons and living among the tombs, and how Jesus' compassion and power bring about a miraculous transformation. This story highlights Jesus' ability to see value where others see none, demonstrating His power over all spirits and His infinite compassion. We then explore the different responses to Jesus' miracle, contrasting the crowd's fear and rejection with the transformed man's desire to follow Jesus and spread the good news. We are reminded of our mission to share our own transformation stories and live out the Great Commission. Join us as we reflect on how Jesus' power can break any chain and transform any life, encouraging us to share His love and message with the world.

En esta serie, profundizaremos en el libro de Marcos, donde Jesús es la atracción principal. En este mensaje, profundizamos en el poderoso mensaje de sobrevivir a las tormentas de la vida a través de la fe, como se presenta en Marcos 4:35-41. El Pastor Mike Benson 

In this series, we are taking a deep dive into the book of Mark where Jesus is the Main Attraction.  In this message, we delve into the powerful message of surviving life's storms through faith, as presented in Mark 4:35-41. Pastor Emeritus Mike Benson introduces Vince Escobedo, a dedicated member of the AVL team, who reads the scripture and shares a prayer over the message. The sermon highlights key observations about the inevitability of storms in life, even for dedicated followers of Jesus. Despite being in the boat with Jesus, the disciples faced a great storm, challenging the notion that faith exempts one from life's difficulties. Listeners are encouraged to recognize that storms can arise suddenly, but they are not alone. The presence of 'other little boats' symbolizes the support system around us. The episode emphasizes the importance of making a choice between reacting in fear or faith during turbulent times. Ultimately, the message reassures that as long as we stay on board with Jesus, we will make it through to the other side, no matter how severe the storm. Tune in for an inspiring talk on faith, resilience, and the promise of divine support amidst life's challenges.

Leftovers! Do you like em? How long do you hold on them? (1:40); How do you navigate a wildfire or flood when power and cells are out? Protecting hydro/comms lines (8:05); Leftovers (15:25); Breakfast with the Bombers with Mike Benson, Mike O'Shea, and Derek Taylor (18:15); CAA Manitoba - Everyone Deserves a Safe Place to Work: CAA Manitoba Urges Drivers to Slow Down and Move Over (26:10); Wal-Mart forcing more people back to work - Is remote work going to become a thing of the past? Should it? (33:45); Monday's cancer report points to a rise in melanoma. Why? And do we have enough dermatologists? (44:45); Winning story on leftovers (51:30).

Comic Reviews: DC Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight 1 by Jeff Parker, Michele Bandini, Alex Sinclair Titans: Beast World Tour – Metropolis by Nicole Maines, Steve Orlando, Fico Ossio; Dan Jurgens, Anthony Marques, Joe Prado, Wade Von Grawbadger, Pete Pantazis Titans: Beast World – Waller Rising by Chuck Brown, Keron Grant Marvel Marvel's Voices: Avengers by Utkarsh Amdubkar, Tadam Gyadu, Michael Bartolo, Justina Ireland, Karen Darboe, Ceci de la Cruz, Jason Concepcion, Moises Hidalgo, Bryan Valenza, Robbie Thompson, Sid Kotian, Adriano Di Benedetto, Juancho Velez Sentry 1 by Jason Loo, Luigi Zagaria, Arthur Hesli Thunderbolts 1 by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Geraldo Borges, Arthur Hesli Rocket and Groot: The Hunt for Star-Lord by Amanda Deibert, Cam Kendell Marvel Unlimited Marvel Mutts 2 by Mackenzie Cadenhead, Takeshi Miyazawa Alligator Loki s3 1 & 2 by Alyssa Wong, Bob Quinn Image Bloodrik 1 by Andrew Krahnke Creepshow Holiday Special 2023 by Daniel Kraus, Jonathan Wayshak, Adriano Lucas, James Asmus, Letizia Cadonici, Francesco Segala Our Bones Dust 1 by Ben Stenbeck, Dave Stewart Dark Horse Hellboy Winter Special: The Yule Cat 1 by Mike Mignola, Matthew Smith, Chris O'Halloran Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Phase III 1 by Daniel Jose Older, Harvey Tolibao, Michael Atiyeh Time Traveler Tales 1 by Dave Scheidt, Karl Jacobs, Kicking Shoes Boom Orcs: The Gift 1 by Christine Larsen Stuff of Nightmares: Slay Ride by R.L. Stine, Pius Bak Titan Gumaa: The Beginning of Her 1 by Jee-Hyung Lee, Nabetse Zitro Mad Cave Skeeters 1 by Kelly Williams, Bob Frantz, Kevin Cuffe OGNs Birdking Vol 2 by Daniel Freedman, Cristian Ortiz Cain by Mike Benson, Walter Hill, Beni Lobel, Jordi Escuin Llorach Matriarchs by LouAnne Brickhouse, Jennifer Rea, Renae De Liz Mayor Good Boy Goes Bad by Dave Scheidt, Miranda Harmon Additional Reviews: Squid Game: The Challenge, The Bear s1, Flash by Mark Waid Omni vol 1, Doctor Who: The Giggle, Merry Little Batman News: one more Spider-Man OGN from Mike Maihack, Tidalwave's Taylor Swift comic, Feral by Tony Fleecs, casting rumors/news for Supergirl and Maxwell Lord, Josie Campbell series coming from Boom, Chris Condon series from Oni, Peter Snejbjerg joins Ghost Machine, Mark Millar and CG Comics Countdown (05 Dec 2023): 1.      Batman 140 by Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jimenez, Tomeu Morey, Mike Hawthorne, Ivan Plascencia 2.      Birds of Prey 4 by Kelly Thompson, Leonardo Romero, Jordie Bellaire 3.      Nice Jewish Boys 2 by Neil Kleid, John Broglia, Ellie Wright 4.      Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Snow 3 by Stan Sakai, Hi-Fi 5.      Fantastic Four 14 by Ryan North, Ivan Fiorelli, Brian Reber 6.      Midlife 3 by Brian Buccellato, Stefano Simeone 7.      Transformers 3 by Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Spicer 8.      Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight 1 by Jeff Parker, Michele Bandini, Alex Sinclair 9.      Skeeters 1 by Kelly Williams, Bob Frantz, Kevin Cuffe 10.  Sacrificers 5 by Rick Remender, Max Fiumara, Dave McCaig

Ever had a Christmas adventure that turned out to be more than you bargained for? That's precisely what happened to Mike Benson, our protagonist, on his festive retreat to the Lucky Ace Motel in Atlantic City. He had intended for a quiet holiday but instead found himself tangled in a web of murder and mystery, a stark contrast to the jolly boardwalk decorations. A violent struggle in the neighboring room on Christmas Eve piqued Mike's curiosity, leading him to unearth clues involving the victim's best friend, Christopher Stevens.We'll guide you through the twists and turns of this unexpected holiday mystery that's sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Just when you thought this story had enough excitement, we introduce a shocking confession that changes everything. Lisa, the victim's ex-girlfriend, admits to the crime, citing self-defense against her abusive ex-boyfriend, Gary. Amidst the backdrop of twinkling lights and joyous melodies, we explore a chilling narrative of the darkness that lurks beneath the surface, even during the festive season. In the end, justice prevails, but the memories of the Lucky Ace Motel's Christmas Eve Murder continue to haunt. So, brace yourself as we take you on this thrilling journey into the heart of a holiday-themed mystery that is anything but merry and bright.

Could history be repeating itself in the quiet town of Yorkville? We're walking in the footsteps of detectives Liam Anderson and Jenna Martinez this week on Murder Weekly, as we unearth the chilling parallels between the recent murder of Rebecca Turner and an unsolved case from decades ago. In the frost-bitten woods, lies a mystery shrouded in fear and suspicion that has gripped the town once more. We're piecing together clues from the snowy crime scene, scrutinizing marks on Rebecca's body, and following a set of footprints that meanders away into the dense woods.Venture with us into the intricate web of Rebecca's life, filled with secrets and simmering tensions. We'll scrutinize her contentious exchanges with local businessman, Mike Benson, concerning the Yorkville Christmas Festival's budget. With rumors about Mike's gambling debts and financial struggles swirling, we question his involvement in Rebecca's death. His alibi raises eyebrows and his run-ins with Rebecca cast a long, disquieting shadow. Strap in as we dissect this puzzling case and take a deep dive into the Mystery of Rebecca Turner.

Oh, the Montana Outdoor Podcast does not disappoint! This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, your host, Downrigger Dale talks to Mike Benson and Scott Bombard about Falls Mack Days going on now through November 12h on Flathead Lake. Mike and Scott shared an unbelievable amount of information with Rigger all about how to fish Fall Mack Days to get the maximum benefit. They covered it all from trolling to jigging to casting and even fly fishing for these Flathead Monsters! And they did not stop there! They even shared what types of line, lures and baits to use. Why is this all important? Well, Scott and Mike have hauled a lot of money over the years fishing Mack Days! How much? You need to click here to listen and find out. Spoiler alert! When Rigger press Mike on how much he makes, let's just say it added up to HALF OF HIS ANNUAL INCOME!! Yes, you heard me right, HALF OF HIS ANNUAL INCOME!! There is so much information on this podcast that will help you to catch LOTS of Lake Trout on Flathead Lake that you will likely start heading for Flathead Lake while you are listening to it. No, you don't have to wait for the next Mack Days Tournament. The beauty of this tournament is you fish the tournament when you want. You don't have to sign up and start fishing the tournament on day one. Another thing you will learn from listening to the podcast is that you will realize that this tournament is a lot of fun.If you have questions for Scott or Mike after you listen to the Podcast, just click here to email Downrigger. Mike and Scott are out on the water fishing, but old Rigger knows how to get your questions to them right away. Scott also has a YouTube channel that you can go to by clicking here. There you can learn even more from Scott Bombard, just like tens of thousands of other people have! Also, click here to go to the Mack Days Website. There you can get lots more info about the tournament and about the other drawings and prize giveaways this, the most unique fishing tournament in world does. Lots of folks that fish the tournament like to camp at some of the State Campgrounds all around Flathead Lake. Fall is an awesome time of the year to camp there so click here to find a campground just right for you! We can't wait for you to listen to this podcast and then see you up on Flathead Lake for the Fall Mack Days Tournament going on now through November 12th! Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

Sign up to the free TellyCast newsletterOur guest this week  is UK based indie producer Mike Benson, who's managed that rarest of things - to find success in both unscripted and drama TV production with his shingles Chalkboard TV and Clapperboard Studios. And not only that, he's achieved this despite coming from outside the London bubble. We're chatting about Mike's career journey, how he's built his business, the current state of the TV market and of course we get to find out his Hero of the Week and who or what he's telling to Get in the Bin. In conversation with Justin Crosby.Mike's Story of the WeekBuy tickets for the TellyCast Digital Content Forum sponsored by BBC StudiosSupport the showTellyCast websiteTellyCast instaTellyCast TwitterTellyCast YouTube

Join us as Pastor Emeritus Mike Benson returns to The Grace Place to deliver a message about The God Who Can!

EPISODE NOTESSkip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is  Kelly Molson, Founder of Rubber Cheese.Download the Rubber Cheese 2022 Visitor Attraction Website Report - the first digital benchmark statistics for the attractions sector.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website rubbercheese.com/podcast.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned in this podcastCompetition ends August 31st 2023. The winner will be contacted via Twitter. Show references: https://crannog.co.uk/https://crannog.co.uk/museum-development/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-benson-22953833/If you would like to support the Scottish Crannog Centre, please donate via Just Giving page.https://justgiving.com/campaign/crannog Mike Benson is the Managing Director of the Scottish Crannog Centre. Mike spent 28 years in the steel industry before working in museums. Mike left British Steel in 2004 to become Director of Ryedale Folk Museum in North Yorkshire. He then went on to be Director of Bede's World and interim Director at The National Coal Mining Museum For England before starting work as Director in January 2018 at The Scottish Crannog Centre. Mike has a track record of leading organisations through transformational change.Mike lives in The Scottish Borders with partner Kathy and their dog Shadow. Transcriptions:  Kelly Molson: Welcome to Skip the Queue, a podcast for people working in or working with visitor attractions. I'm your host, Kelly Molson. In today's episode, I speak with Mike Benson, Managing Director of the Scottish Crannog Centre. Mike shares with us the truly unique working environment at the centre and the variety of opportunities they're able to offer young people who struggle with mainstream education.We talk about the devastating fire back in 2021, but all the positivity around building back bigger and stronger than ever. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue. Kelly Molson: All right, Mike, thank you for joining me on the podcast today. It's lovely to see you. It's been a long time since I saw you. I think last year I last saw you speak at an event. Kelly Molson: So I'm delighted that you've been able to give me a little bit of your time today to come on and chat. As ever, I've got some stupid icebreakers to start the podcast with. Right. I know that you've got a dog. What is the stupidest thing that your dog has ever done? Mike Benson: Well, she does it most days. If you don't give her treat or her, she will sit and just stare at the wall with her nose against the wall. If we go anywhere that she doesn't like, she just walks straight up to the wall and just sits and looks at the wall. Kelly Molson: Oh, like a protest. Like, I'm not happy here, protesting? Mike Benson: Yeah, absolutely. At first you feel really bad, but it's one of those protests that wears a bit thin, I'd imagine. But she keeps doing it a bit like a toddler does kind of thing. But she's getting an old dog now, so she's a bit more pronounced now. She will just sort of shift her head up a little bit, waddle over, bang her nose against the wall, and just stare at it until the situation is more to her liking, whatever it is. Kelly Molson: She's a diva. What a diva. It could be worse, though, Mike, couldn't it? Because it could be a dirty protest because some dogs do a bit.Mike Benson: No, she's more intellectual than that. She's Belgian. She's Belgian. So she's quite philosophical and intellectual. Kelly Molson: I like a style. Okay. If you were to participate in karaoke, what would be the song that you would blast out on that microphone? Mike Benson: Take the ribbon from your head, take it loose and let it fall. Hold it soft against my skin like a shadow on a wall. Kelly Molson: Oh, Mike. I did not know we're going to get a rendition. That is amazing. Mike Benson: Pre karaoke. I used to go quite a lot to Beer Colours, where there'd be a guy on an accordion and you would ask him for a request, then you would sing while he played. I don't know if you ever went to them. And that was always my song. So the guy on the accordion, wherever it was, will be playing away now. Can you play? Help me make it through the night and then I would sing it to much acclaim. I can't sing a note, to be honest, but there you go. Kelly Molson: Oh, that was quite delightful, Mike. And if I was not expecting that. Mike Benson: You moved to tears, I can tell. Kelly Molson: This will be the second time that you've moved me to tears, Mike, but for very different reasons. We'll come to that later in the podcast. Right, I want to know what is your unpopular opinion? So something that you hold dear and believe to be true but not many people agree with you on. Mike Benson: Yeah, I've just asked Kathy, my partner, that one, because I couldn't really think of something she was saying. My background was in British Steel. I spent 27 years on the shop floor there, 28 years. And she thinks, one hand, I'm very disciplined and I like everybody to get to work on time and all that boring stuff. On the other hand, I expect everybody to be creative and I don't think that's unpopular or people don't agree, but that's what she's told me that I should say. So I'm going to say that.Kelly Molson: I see you're quite contradictory in that sense. Mike Benson: Yeah, well, in everything. Kelly Molson: Let's get into our chats. There's loads that I want to cover today. You are the Managing Director of the Scottish Crannog Centre. Tell me a little bit about your background. How did you get to where you are now? Mike Benson: I think, as I said, I left school at 16, went straight into the steel works in Middlesbrough where I stayed, and it's where I always wanted to work. Very proud to work there. And my first day in work was maybe 100 lads in there and this great big guy got on the stage and said, "Welcome to Bridge Steel", kind of thing. You're following in the footsteps of giants that have built the world and all this stuff, and I still believe it. So it's it kind of did the trick. So, yeah, and I stayed there and stayed there and loved it. Towards the end of my time, I start to do an Open University degree when I was in my late 30s, just basically so because I could help the kids with the homework and stuff, I suppose. Kelly Molson: Wow. Mike Benson: I don't know anybody from my school that went to university or even to college. We all went to work. So, yeah, that was that. And then doing my stuff for the Open University start to go to get a different idea of what museums could be. Started to realise that nobody was really telling in our story very well, the steelwork story, where I lived, the locality and everything. So we set up a little group around our shift and with a couple of volunteers called Iron Owe AWE, which I thought was quite smart at the time. Kelly Molson: Very Good.Mike Benson: Yeah. And went into schools and we got funding to make films. We did fantastic film with the first strikes, really, with 400 kids all marching down the streets, demanding to only work 8 hours a day and all the rest of it, which was really great. Mike Benson: Anyway, to cut long story short, we'd been asked to go down to London. We'd won this award, which was really funny because we had a few beers on the train going down and we get to London to go to the Strand where we'd won this Roots and Wings award. Beat loads of posh museums and the guy in the door would let us in because we didn't look like museum people and there was no more. He thought we're just trying to plug in for the wine or whatever. So I turned to a phone box. There was no well, mobile phones wrote, but I didn't have one early days and to ring the lady up and say, “Your man on the door won't let us in.” We're not the right type.Kelly Molson: Amazing. So you never really fitted the traditional museum mold. Mike Benson: And it's still exactly the same fully enough. And on the back of that, on the way home, we got back early doors, and I was six till one shift. And when I got in, there was a message on the phone from the National Park. North York Moose National Park. Just asking me if I was interested in applying the director of Ridell Fort Museum, which is a rural museum in the North York moors. So I went for it, don't know why, and got the job. I don't know how. Then I had the big decision whether to leave all my friends that we'd been to each other's 18th, 21st, weddings, all the rest of it. That was a huge decision. I always remember I only ever had one good bus at British Steel. Mike Benson: All the buses were crap, but I went in to see him, guy I really trusted, and he just said, "You've got to go, there's thousands of lads here that would chuck the right arm off to do a job like that." And I went over to the museum and there you go. That's how I kind of ended up in this sector, really. Kelly Molson: That's amazing. And it literally all came from you going back to do an Open University course to help your kids. It wasn't necessarily about you and a new career and changing your part. Mike Benson: No last thing in my head. Kelly Molson: I think that's really motivating to hear because I think a lot of people think that by the time you're 30, you should have it all together. Mike Benson: I'm 60 and I can go together.Kelly Molson: 45, no clue. But do you know what I mean? I think that there's a lot of people out there that kind of by that point they think, “Well, you should have your career sorted by then. You should know what your trajectory is and what you're doing”. And it just goes to show that there's an opportunity to change your life whenever you decide to. Mike Benson: Yeah, you need look, I think you need a lot of look. I've been lucky in that sense, I think, as I say, and my plant is still going, so I would be retired now, which is a bit of a reflection on a bad decision made now, looking back. There you go. And it was a completely bloody h***, completely different world. I'd never met a vegetarian before, ever. Kelly Molson: So culturally it took you into a place that was so far from what you know.Mike Benson: Yeah, I was lucky enough to I've been doing the job about a year or so and I was lucky enough to win a Claw Fellowship, which is like a high level training thing, they send you around the world and all sorts. It's brilliant. I went and stayed with a fantastic guy, a First Nation Canadian chief on the Pacific Coast. Anyway, but I'd gone to this place and again I got to this really posh spot down in Kent near Seven Oaks and said, “I'm in the right place”. And the lady said, "I don't think so". I'd driven all the way down Milan Bretta with sidecar, so that was interesting. And we'd gone out for a meal somewhere, myself and the other Claw fellows, and we had a bit of a chord thing going on. Mike Benson: I think when I was at British Steel, where if you were a little bit skinned, if you'd gone out for a drink or for meal or whatever you would say you'd pay with your credit card and the ladder would think, “Oh, bloody Ollie skinned”. So we'd all chip in. Anyway, I goes for this meal and my fellow Claw fellows at the end of night all put the credit cards on the table and I thought, bloody h***, everybody skinned. So I ended up paying for offering to pay the bill, which I did, which then left me skinned and then I cut and done. That was just the way things were because again, you would never use your credit card. It was just like something that you very rarely would use, but in the real world, everybody uses their credit cards all the time. Kelly Molson: What a brilliant story. Mike Benson: Yeah. And another one is when I first went into the an interior deal, there was a guy there and I'd asked him to do something and he said, "No, it's not my job". And at British Steel you were kind of saying, "I'm going to give you 5 minutes to think about it, I'm going to send you home". So I give him his 5 minutes and I sent him home. And then I had a gaggle of trustees coming in about an hour later saying, "What you doing?” “Listen, I give him his 5 minutes and I sent him home". And they were like, "what?"Kelly Molson: Doesn't work like that here? Mike Benson: What planet did you come from? Kelly Molson: Wow. So you changed your life. And then you went through quite a lot of crisis learning experiences.Mike Benson: Yeah, to learn a whole new lexicon. And after so long, I thought it just be yourself. Kelly Molson: Absolutely. I think you're absolutely right, because you bring something quite magic to everywhere that you go, and I've seen that from the way that you've spoken and the way that other people have spoken about you. Right. Let's talk about the  Crannog. Let's talk about the  Crannog Centre. So you're the Managing Director of the Scottish Crannog. So you're the Managing Director of the Scottish Crannog Centre. What's a Crannog for our audience that are listening? What is a Crannog? Mike Benson: Well, I've googled it. Kelly Molson: So did I, Mike. Mike Benson: I Googled it because it is many things to many different people. I Googled it and it's an artificial island that people might have lived on. It might have been a wooden structure. So basically, particularly in Scotland and in Ireland, you'll see as you're going around the lochs, you'll see little clumps of stone in the middle of the loch or to one side with a tree in or something. And at some point that would have been an artificial island that somebody made into a dwelling. So I think if you Google it yeah, for Rose and interestingly, after the fire, it's a symbol of home, it's a symbol of community, it's a symbol of what can be achieved. The engineering was unbelievable. The joinery skills were unbelievable. The candunas, you think two and a half thousand years ago. Mike Benson: It must have been bloody freezing and everybody was sat in a cave and all this stuff. And actually there they were building these beautiful homes, places, whatever, and there could be places of prestige and what have you. But there were a home and inside there they will have been playing a seven stringed musical instrument. We've got evidence of that in the collection. They will have been trading with this is before Brexit, they were trading with Europe, which is a continent that's very near to was just over the water, that's really easy to trade with, used to be. So all that stuff, and it's become a place where everybody can contribute, everybody can learn a skill and kind of inspired by that notion, whether it's romantic or not, that everybody has a part to play. And that's how you get a flourishing community. Kelly Molson: Just for our listeners who may not have visited or you may not know what the Crannog. Just for our listeners who may not have visited or you may not know what the Crannog Centre is for. What is the Crannog Centre's purpose? Has it been created to kind of showcase? Mike Benson: Yes, it's literally on the straight level if you like. To tell the stories of the crown of dwellers, the day to day lives of what the best we can. We don't know exactly. That's the beauty of it. Half of what we say is based on certainty, the other half is based on opinion, because we can only go on the evidence that we have a number of archaeologists at work, and you get three archaeologists, you get four theories and it's like that every day and constant learning that goes on. So on that level, it's to tell a story of those kind of dwellers from two and a half thousand years ago. But also, I think, to be relevant for today, to look at sustainability, to look at the learning opportunities that people have. Mike Benson: We have a thing on the wall at work where we put on the questions that the public have asked that week. One of them was from a little girl asking how far the Christmas would get in because there isn't a chimney. Kelly Molson: Good question. Mike Benson: Yeah, the best one was but bearing in mind we employ 23 people, are you all related? Kelly Molson: Wow. Is that because it all feels like a family or is it all yeah, you all bitter like a family, maybe.Mike Benson: Yeah. But we kind of rub along and get there and we all cover each other's backsides and we work really hard or try to, but yeah. Kelly Molson: That's a nice question. Mike Benson: I'm hoping it was done in the right way.  Kelly Molson: I love that. So I can remember very vividly. It was the 16 June and I was on a webinar which was for ASVA members, and you came onto the webinar and shared the news of what had just happened. And I genuinely was so moved that I had to switch my camera off and have a little cry. It was a really difficult thing to watch you talk about. I can only imagine what you were feeling at that point. But would you be able to just take us back and explain what happened on the I think it was the morning of the 16th, wasn't it? The early hours of the 16th or the evening? Mike Benson: Yeah, it was just a couple of days before then. I'm still a bit raw and I was in two months whether to do that call, really, but I didn't realise I thought, yeah, I'll just go and tell them about a fire. But I didn't really yes, it's still quite raw when I think about it. Kelly Molson: Can imagine. Mike Benson: So at 11:00 at night when you look at the CCTV, there's a little tiny glow inside the Crannog and then by 6 minutes past it's gone. And Rich, one of the assistant directors there, drank me up hours in bed, asleep, rang up and said, "Mike, the Crannog's on fire". And I said, "Yeah, that's fine, I'll sort out in the morning", went back to sleep and he rang me back again. " "Mike, Mike, it's really on fire." And I could hear all the fire engines and everything going behind him. So of course I raced down. By the time I got there, it was gone. I think there was five fire engines, lots of police and all the rest of it. And yeah, it was quite difficult. The chair of trustees was there, he was bereft, he got there before me, obviously, lots of tears. Mike Benson: There was a couple of members of staff who'd locked themselves in the car, were crying. So basically we made a few calls, got everybody on site round about half one in the morning, I think at night, so it's still black and the lights are still flashing. I just said to everybody, "You know what, nobody's been hurt. Thank our lucky stars nobody's been hurt. We're going to do exactly what the crown of dwellers would have done. We're going to pack up our things, which froze is the collection, the precious things that they've left for us, and we're going to move". And I exaggerate this a little bit, but the reality was, on the following morning at 09:00, we sat there and we had no money, we had no plan, we didn't quite know what was going to happen. Mike Benson: By about half ten that morning, were starting to have a plan and we'd fortunately had already, through a community asset transfer, which is where a community group can make an application to local authority or to the government to buy something at a reduced price. We'd already bought the new site on the other side of the loch through community asset transfer. Kelly Molson: Amazing. Mike Benson: And by the second day, I think over 50,000 had come into the just given page. Kelly Molson: It was an incredible outpouring of community spirit, wasn't it? The support that you got was I mean, it was local, national.Mike Benson: Yeah. Yeah. People ringing in to offer volunteer time, money coming in. We had the politicians involved. We were charged by Scottish government, not straight away. After a couple of bit of time, maybe a week or so, were asked to try and come up with a plan that was realistic, that wouldn't cost too much, that would get the organisation away, it wouldn't be the full monty, but it would get us up and running. We presented that plan to Scottish government and they've agreed to support us, as have other trust foundations and everybody else. So we've started work on the new site, March. So in less than two years, we've got through planning, which anybody knows we're planning isn't easy, and even though they were sympathetic, they had their protocols to go through. Mike Benson: We raised the money, we hit January this year and were a little bit short because of everything that's gone up with inflation filled that funding gap and we're hoping to open in November. Kelly Molson: That is magic. I think what we have to remember as well is this was happening still during while the Pandemic was going on. So this was 2021 that this happened. So were still in a position of places not being fully open, still having all of that own kind of personal impact that were struggling with, as well as having something like this happen. I can see it in your eyes now. I can hear it when you're talking. The emotion about that day is still kind of with you. Kelly Molson: You hold it still there, but the way that you were able to, the very next day have a plan in place is testimony to, I think, yourself and the people that you have surrounding you and how much they love that centre that you've been able to kind of come back so quickly and make this happen. Mike Benson: Yeah, I mean, we opened four days after the fire, obviously with no crown of a bit like the Van Gogh Museum without any Van Goghs, and we didn't think we'd get many visitors, and they just powered in. Kelly Molson: Amazing. That's the power of telling great stories, Mike. People still want to come. Mike Benson: Yeah, that's all it is. Without getting my little hobby horse. Maybe it goes back to the earlier question about your opinion. I think museums still have a long way to go, really, in how they work. And it's just really simple, really. Just you're telling a good story that people want to listen to and hear, and we kind of do that best we can. Kelly Molson: Yeah, no, you really do. Mike Benson: We're a little bit wonky on the edges, but that's allowed. Kelly Molson: That's what people love. That's what people love. I think that there's such a level of authenticity about how you speak and the way that you do things. And that's, for me, what I find really engaging.  Kelly Molson: I saw you speak last year at the Scottish Tourism Alliance conference. I think it was last November. No, it really was slick, but I really enjoyed it. So Mike did a really clever thing, so he was billed as the speaker, but he actually got other people to speak for him, which I thought was genius. I'm going to use that at some point whenever I'm asked to speak. But it was great. You spoke about the Crannog Centre, but you talked about how you've harnessed potential and created this really great working environment. And you've done that by building a really diverse workforce and volunteers and people that come along and just help and support you. And I think it is such an amazing story. Kelly Molson: You have a lot of young people that come and work and volunteer at centre while they were speaking for you and sharing their experience of working there. I was just blown away by all of the amazing opportunities that you can offer them. Like, bear in mind, this is a relatively small centre that we're talking about. We're not talking about the VNA, we're not talking about the London Transport Museum here. The variety of what those youngsters can do there and what they can learn and what they can be part of is incredible. And I think you help a lot of youngsters that are struggling with mainstream education by offering them a different way of learning, a different way of being involved with things. And talk to us about how you've managed to create this incredible working environment. Mike Benson: Yeah. Again, I think I can't take any credit for it, really. It's kind of what I grew up with as well. When you went into somewhere, there was quite a diverse workforce that worked in British Steel or wherever. Part of the learning and part of your reflections are certainly within the task of what a museum is. If you want to engage with diverse audiences, you need to have a diverse workforce. People need to be able to come into that museum and see people like themselves, not just there, but actually having agency, being able to make decisions, being leaders, being able to flourish, being able to be themselves. We talk about freedom of self, that ability to really be yourself at work. Another word kind of made up is that feltness. Mike Benson: We call it feltness, where people can just come in and feel that there's something there that they can just feel there's love or hard work or graft or academic rigor or all of those things thrown into the pot. And that diversity is that you can feel it. And again, time and time again, when people come and we ask them what the feedback is, they can just feel something there that they can't quite put the finger on. So we called it feltness. Kelly Molson: It was a lovely way of defining it, but that's a really hard thing to create. Like, how do you create that? I guess it's a mixture of the people and the characters that you have working there and the things that they can do and the things that they are allowed to do, I guess the autonomy that you give them. Mike Benson: Yeah. And being aspirational and wanting to be the best that we can be. So I think that notion of creativity aligned to discipline, that unleashing of folks, we're all hemmed in nowadays by all kinds of barriers, and we're kind of shuffled along, I don't know, like, through amaze almost, and sometimes almost uncontrollably, we end up somewhere. I just think to be able to just break all that down and just start again is no bad thing. And so that's what we've tried to do with the Crannog Centre there and take that inspiration, as I said, from that notion of a community that could flourish. Everybody must be able to contribute. Kelly Molson: How have you done that? Did you set out in your mind when you went to the Crannog Centre? Did you set out and go, "This is what I want. I want to be able to offer all of these different experiences to young people who are struggling with mainstream education?" Or is this something that's just kind of happened naturally, that you've attracted people? How have you set out to kind of do it? Mike Benson: Yeah, that we set out to do it that way. So my interviewer said we would set up an apprenticeship program where we'd set up blah, blah, create a framework for success and depends what you call success, whether it's footfall, whether it's donations, people making donations, whether it's how much you sell in the shop, whatever that your success measures are. So each of the museum that have been that, we've done something similar with the apprenticeship program, with the diversity, and I think here we've managed to take all the learning of what we've done so far, if you like, and put it all into practice and it doesn't always work. And sometimes you think to yourselves, go up and much easy just to get a load of. We interviewed some folks that were getting a craft fellow funded through Hess. Mike Benson: That's somebody who's going to learn traditional skills. And the amount of young people that came to that with two degrees and a masters and a half a PhD and stuff, I just think it must be really hard to get your break into this game, into the museum world, if we can create different routes and that. I was asked by trustees, "What would make you happy in ten years time?" And I said, "For one of the apprentices to be the director."Kelly Molson: That's lovely. Mike Benson: And I think having that approach, I think and it happens in business all the time, I think the museum is still stuck around hierarchy and prestige and a certain type of knowledge and a certain type of person. But, yeah, I think that's kind of where were going with that. Kelly Molson: That's really lovely. But you are a small team, right, Mike? There's not thousands of people at this museum that help you do this. So what you've been able to achieve with the relatively small team is incredibly impressive. Who heads up the program? Is that you? Who defines what the kind of apprenticeship program looks like and the structure? Mike Benson: Yeah, I kind of keep my paws out with that, really. I'm really good at talking, a good job. I don't actually do anything. Kelly Molson: You're a leader, Mike. Mike Benson: No, honestly, I'm not good at anything. I am not good at anything. Kathy, my partner, will say I can't put a screw in the wall or anything and I'm literally no good at anything. But, yeah, I think we just create an environment and again, we get bogged down with business planning and all that all the time. I did a talk to some community groups the other day and I just used the image of a sunflower, because quite often you'll consultants who come and say, you need that business plan, it needs to be really hard. And yet a sunflower doesn't really have much of a business plan. It just follows the sun and soaks it all up and grows where it's best. And I think just sometimes you can be a bit too.Mike Benson:  All I was saying to him is than these folks in town to get stuffed if they think it's nonsense. So I think, yeah, I'm what Lenos? I always do. I think it's just as I say, create an environment. And it's really hard. It's much harder to create that environment than it will be to have a straight structure. Straight, linear. You report to him, you report to him, nothing happens until he's signed that off. So it's chaos. It's bloody chaos. Kelly Molson: But is that partly because you're not asking people to come in and fit your mold, you're almost asking them to come in and then you're flexing your mold to how they need to grow and adapt. Mike Benson: So you've got wobbling all the time. Yes, it really is. And it's not for everybody. It's really hard. So it's not for everyone, particularly those trained within the museum profession, that likes straight lines. It's really hard. Or anybody that likes to work in duchess museums in general, it's not for everyone, some folks to come and work with us, and it doesn't work for everyone because they want to see that comfort, really. It's that comfort of that straight line and somebody's going to tell me what to do. I have no clue what's happening at work half the time. Not when they say, we decided to do this. All right, this guy's turned up, he's going to do this. Smashing. Kelly Molson: But that takes a lot to be that flexible, though, doesn't it? Like you say, sometimes as humans, we kind of like a plan. We like to see the trajectory, we like to see what the next step is, and not being able to see that is uncomfortable for a lot of us. So to have an organisation that's so fluid, that's not for everybody at all, you have to be quite I think you've got to be quite a special person to be able to lead an organisation that is structured like that. Mike Benson: Hence the baggy eyes. Kelly Molson: Yes. What does the future look like for the Crannog Centre? So you've had a grant from Scottish government and it's being rebuilt on the new site, which is directly across the loch from where? Mike Benson: Twelve times bigger. We're building it as a nine edge village as well. So we're doing it the wrong way around, kind of. Instead of building the Crannog, first, we'll build a nine edge village. So what's next is we'll try and get that done. This was always project one. As I said, we needed to have something that would get us up and running. And then Project Two will be to build a proper museum. So at one end of Scotland's most powerful river lies the VNA in Dundee, and at the other end of Scotland's most powerful river, Batte, will I our new museum as well. As we go into Project Two, hopefully the deeper sense of belonging in more heft he says, “Don't quote me on that.”Mike Benson: And it will be a different type because I think the VNA will probably be one of the last of the big concrete, super duper designed museums. Not critical at all. I think as the world's moved on to a more stable models, there'd be maybe a different approach to how public buildings like that are built in the future. So that's what's coming next, if you like. Whether I'm still there to do that or not, who knows? Kelly Molson: Well, one of your apprentices will be director by then, probably, if you get your way. What does that look like in terms of time frames, though? So what are we looking at in terms of the new centre being open across on the other side of the loch? Mike Benson: So we hopefully going to do a soft opening in November. So it's all about, as I've said, home and feeling safe and being yourself. So that opening will be potentially we'll have the Mary Hills Refugee Choir there, we'll have bands there and everything else. And we may be looking at how we can have on the old site some instruments there and some instruments. And now we're sad. And they talk to each other across the loch. Kelly Molson: That's lovely. Yeah. To share the stories of the older and the new. Mike Benson: And then the log boat will probably come along with a torch and all that sort of stuff. Anyway, everybody's talking of different things. We'll pull it all together. So, soft opening in November and then we'll go larger. Kelly Molson: And you talked a little bit earlier about sustainability, is that right? I think I read this is that the centre is aiming for its new incarnation to become Scotland's most sustainable museum. Not just about carbon count, but about the kind of the craft and the skills and the sustainability of materials. Is that about how it's being built and constructed, as well as what you do there? Mike Benson: Yes. So we've got some brilliant folks on site now. So we've got Julie, Laura, Jordy, who are women carpenters who are working away Chaz again, carpenter. Jim, our Stormwall builder, and then Brian, our Thatcher, will be joining us once he's finished the job up north. And while they're there, they're sharing the plan. Is that all those skills? Oh, I forgot him. Ash. He's building our he's built the first one up. It's a hazel, six meter high hazel roundhouse. It's gorgeous. He's nearly finished that working with Nelly. Anyway, give him all the name check. So the idea being that those skills are shared across the Crannog team. So in future years. The idea is that the Iron Age village that we're building now, the buildings were only ever intended to last seven years, ish seven to ten years. Mike Benson: Then they'll go back into the earth and the caym across the road is a hill called Drummond Hill. And that's where we'll be starting to copies to grow the materials that we need to build these. So we employ Yein, the copieser and we'll have Jenny, the forest gardener. So all the materials and the timbers, the stone, the reed for the thatch the heather is all within walking distance of a crown of dweller.Kelly Molson: This seven year cycle is that what would have happened back then?Mike Benson: So yeah you entered the coppers in cycle you see I'm no expert on this, it sounds like I know what I'm talking about, I don't. However Ian the copies guy does and Jenny the forest gardener does. So within the forestry land services are taking out the large disease come in the hill opposite hopefully we'll take over some of that land where we will copy some and start to plant the materials that we need for the future. Hazel seven years then the York and everything else will take a bit longer but in years to come that'll be totally sustainable and you literally will cross the road and take a tree down and build a building out of it. Kelly Molson: That is magic, isn't it? That is really.Mike Benson: And that's what's happening now. So the timbers that are coming on site are within walking distance and the buildings that are going up is all the stone is just locally sourced, everything's just from over the road. And that requires a different skill set. Rather than just getting a timber from Norway or something from juicens, learning how to use local, local materials and making these buildings stay up and stand up and all that sort of stuff is a task in itself.Kelly Molson: For me, it's that idea of those crafts never dying as well. We don't want that guy to be the last copieser. No those skills have to be transferred in a way that they are shared with the younger generation. I'm thinking about my two year old one day how lovely would it be to come and bring her and show her the way that people used to build houses back in the day and we don't forget those things, that's what's important.Mike Benson: And the fact that you can make a living out of it. So when people come to see us they are supporting, keeping all that alive and that's part of thinking around that will take the buildings that we're building now down in seven or eight years time because that's how you'll learn to build them again. Kelly Molson: Yeah, I guess of course because then the new people can learn, they've learned their skills, can learn to go through all of that process.Mike Benson: And the apprentices that are there now learning will be the ones that are teaching. Kelly Molson: Yeah that's really cool. Mike Benson: It's an old model but it's just how it is.Kelly Molson:  And in a way you forget the simplicity of that, don't you? You just forget. Mike Benson: Yeah and then within that sustainability as well if we become the sort of organisation that people want to partner with and work alongside and also a place that people want to visit and support so you've got the skills, materials, those four elements and then we think that will create a sustainable model. Kelly Molson: What more help do you need, Mike? So you've had a grant from Scottish government, you've had a huge outpouring of support from the general public when we had the fire. Kelly Molson: You mentioned a little while ago about a funding gap. Obviously, cost of living crisis has probably affected that, the rising cost of materials, et cetera. What can we do to help you? Or is there still a live kind of go funding part that we can all go? Mike Benson: You can still go onto our website and donate and I understand how hard it is for everybody just now as well, by the way. So we are still writing little applications here, there and everywhere just to try and cover those final bits. And it's really hard because what we've tried to do, what we could have done is just close the current site, build the, you know, get the main contractors gone in and put the drains in and the car parks and all that stuff in then we could. But we tried to keep everybody employed and keep the apprenticeship going and everything else and that's been quite a challenge. Mike Benson: Obviously we haven't got a Crannog even though we're still getting we've improved our visitor figures to last year, just but it's really hard without that central point and the old site is looking tired, which is where we always intended to move. So I think if anybody did want to help us in that way, that would be great. And also just share the word, really, and just tell folks to come and visit us if they can. That's the best way to help. Just paying your seven pound to come in and see us and just be part of it and keep a little bit of that love in your heart when you leave. Kelly Molson: Oh, Mike, you're going to make me cry. This will be the first time that you've got me. We are going to share in the show notes to this episode. We're going to share all the ways that you can still support the Scottish Crannog Centre. So we'll put a link to the website, we'll put a link to the donation portals and yeah, I think you're absolutely right. I think it's all about just encouraging people to go along. Seven pounds is not a huge entrance fee to go and experience some of these things that you will never have seen anywhere else. You might learn about a craft that you might never see anywhere else. That's not a huge amount to ask for people. So please dig deep if you can and help them create something that is going to be truly transformational for generations to come. Kelly Molson: Not just for people that visit it, but for the people that go there and do these apprenticeship schemes and learn the trades and develop themselves into something that their wildest dreams couldn't have imagined. They could have achieved. Mike, thank you for sharing today. I'm so grateful of everyone that comes on to talk to me on the podcast, but your story really did touch me. I was eight months pregnant at that time, Mike. I'm not going to lie, I probably would have dropped, probably would have cried if the dog had come in here and looked at me funny. But you did break me that day and it's really lovely to hear all the positive things that have happened since then and all of the good things that are happening. Right, what about a book? Kelly Molson: We always ask our guests to come on and share a book that they love with our audience. Can be anything you like. Mike Benson: Well, because I am a museum director and an academic, I'm going to go for the Thursday Murder Club series. Kelly Molson: I knew this was not going to be a business book, Mike. Mike Benson: No, I've not planned them all. See, a book with leadership on it. I don't know if you've read any of them, but Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Abraham are just so stupid and funny and English and gentle. It's just lovely. So I've been plowing my way through all those I mean, the plots are way for thin the whole thing's nonsense, but it's just really good stuff to kind of remind you what human beings are. Kelly Molson: Yeah, a lovely good escapism as well, aren't they, those books. They are great. Well, as ever, listeners, if you want to win a copy of Mike's book, you know what to do. Go over to our Twitter account and hit the retweet button with the message, I want Mike's book. And we'll put you into the prize drawer to win a book. And that is for the last time this season, because this is the last podcast of this season, which is crazy. We've had so many guests on, so many amazing stories, so many initiatives that have been shared with us and so many learnings that I've personally taken away. Thank you all for listening. Kelly Molson: We will be back again in September after we've had a little summer break, because, let's face it, you are going to be way too busy for podcasts over the summer, visiting, having all of your guests visit. So, Mike, thank you again. It has been an absolute pleasure. I'm really glad that you came on the podcast and you didn't send somebody else to come and do the podcast.Mike Benson: I was in two minds.Kelly Molson: Brilliant. Thank you for coming on. Like we said, we're going to put all of the details on how you can still help the Crannog Centre into the show notes today. Mike, it's been a pleasure. Thank you. Mike Benson: You'll take care now.Kelly Molson: Thanks for listening to Skip the Queue. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review. It really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned. Skip The Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. You can find show notes and transcriptions from this episode and more over on our website, rubbercheese.com/podcast. 

Mike Benson joins me from New Jersey to discuss his time growing up on recreational vessels and what led him to a career on the water. He chats about his current roles in and around New York Harbor as a Boom Boat Pilot and as the Assistant Captain at Rutgers University, and we make a few pit stops to touch on salmon fishing in Alaska and sailing the ICW. He is eager to advance his career in the maritime industry, and welcomes any feedback and guidance on that. Feel free to reach out to him via email @mikebenson24@gmail.com or on Facebook to discuss any and all potential career opportunities out there. Thanks for tuning in! To support this podcast: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whereyatstudios

Hyperlocalisation in craft beer refers to the trend of breweries focusing on creating and distributing their beers within a very limited geographic area, typically within a few miles of the brewery. The idea behind this approach is to create a strong sense of community around the brewery, while also allowing the brewer to experiment with locally-sourced ingredients and flavours that are unique to that particular area.Hyperlocalisation can also be seen as a way for small breweries to compete with larger, more established breweries that have wider distribution networks. By focusing on a small geographic area, hyperlocal breweries can offer a more personal and intimate experience, and build a reputation for quality and innovation that is difficult to replicate on a larger scale.This week, we have the pleasure of speaking with Amity Brew Co, a brewery located in Sunny Bank Mills, in the northwest of Leeds, England. Amity Brew Co prides itself on its focus on community, friendship, and, of course, fantastic beer. Join Nick as he sits down with Rich and Russ from the brewery to explore the unique qualities that set brewpubs and the communities they serve apart, as well as some of the challenges they face.Nick also chats to Mike Benson from Crisp Malting Group to discuss mash efficiency and what you can do to improve yours.THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: Crisp Malting GroupAt Crisp Malt we have lived and breathed malting since 1870. With our passion and expertise, we produce and supply the finest UK malt to the brewing and distilling industry across the globe.  Visit https://crispmalt.com/our-malts/heritage to discover more!---Looking for a BRANDING, help with your MARKETING or COMMERICAL expertise?Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can help you get ahead the brewing and beer business.Follow Hop Forward on social media at:Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramLike the Hop Forward Podcast...?Leave us a review and give us some stars on Apple Music.

In the latest episode of the Hop Forward Podcast, we are thrilled to have Toby from RedWillow Brewery as our special guest. RedWillow Brewery is a small independent brewery based in Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK, that has been making exceptional beers since 2010.During our conversation, founder Toby McKenzie shares with us the story behind their renowned Heritage Porter and how they incorporate heritage malts to create unique and complex flavours.  We also dive into their approach to brewing different beer styles and how they stay true to their ethos of producing modern cask beer.We explore the importance of creativity in the brewhouse and how something has been lost in translation from the early days of the craft beer boom when people were making a wide variety of beer styles, in comparison to today where Hazy IPAs rule the roost.We also speak to Mike Benson from Crisp Malting Group at SIBA Beer X, discussing the application of their range of heritage malts.---THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: Crisp Malting GroupAt Crisp Malt we have lived and breathed malting since 1870. With our passion and expertise, we produce and supply the finest UK malt to the brewing and distilling industry across the globe.We combine traditional and modern malting techniques at our sites in England and Scotland to create an impressive range of malted and non-malted products, including several unique and exclusive barley malts; such as Chevallier Heritage Malt.The process of discovery is often a happy accident. In the case of Chevallier barley, a combination of an itchy toe, some good soil and a keen eye, turned a single ear of barley into a worldwide phenomenon and established the flavour of English beer for a century.It's with similar serendipity that our heritage malt range came about. Our friends at the John Innes Centre were searching for an old variety that could combat the disease, fusarium head blight and happened on Chevallier. Not only did it successfully resist this disease but the malt it produced made for a beer laced with a richness of flavour we hadn't encountered before in modern varieties. From just a handful of seeds, we have spent the past decade re-discovering the flavours of Chevallier and have been spurred on to uncover the stories and flavours of two more barleys that made brewing history, alongside our beloved Maris Otter.Visit https://crispmalt.com/our-malts/heritage to discover more!---Looking for a BRANDING, help with your MARKETING or COMMERICAL expertise?Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can help you get ahead the brewing and beer business.Follow Hop Forward on social media at:Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramLike the Hop Forward Podcast...?Leave us a review and give us some stars on Apple Music.

In this final message from The Grace Place Lead Pastor Mike Benson on Easter (Resurrection) Sunday after 50 years of full time ministry, we look at how the cross without the resurrection would be insufficient.  The grave is empty, and our Savior is alive and well!  Thank you Pastor for your leadership, love, and devotion to the ministry and to The Grace Place.

In this message, Pastor Mike Benson shares 10 things from his 50 years of pastoring that every pastor would love to tell their church.

In this third message of Global Impact month at The Grace Place, Pastor Mike Benson challenges us to do something great for Missions!  The takeaway is that we can be part of something great by either GIVING or GOING.

In this 4 part series marking the end Pastor Mike and Dawn Benson's 20 years of pastoring and leadership at the Grace Place, and 50 years of full time ministry, Pastor leaves us with wisdom from throughout his ministry.  In today's sermon he reminds us to never stop serving to bless God, ourselves, and others.  

In this 4 part series marking the end Pastor Mike and Dawn Benson's 20 years of pastoring and leadership at the Grace Place, and 50 years of full time ministry, Pastor leaves us with wisdom from throughout his ministry.  In today's sermon he reminds to never stop growing in multiple areas of our lives including our faith, family, and finances.

Guests include Mike Benson- West Fargo Girls Basketball Head Coach, Jory Collins- NDSU women's basketball head coach, Mason Walters- Jamestown senior forward. Watch Hot Mic with Dom Izzo weekday mornings from 9 to 11 on WDAY XTRA and streaming live at Inforum.com. Follow Hot Mic on Twitter: @HotMicWDAY InForum is proud to be a part of the Trust Project. Learn more at thetrustproject.org

In this 4 part series marking the end Pastor Mike and Dawn Benson's 20 years of pastoring and leadership at the Grace Place, and 50 years of full time ministry, Pastor leaves us with wisdom from throughout his ministry.  In today's sermon he reminds of the blessings in our lives and to others when we give.

In this 4 part series marking the end Pastor Mike and Dawn Benson's 20 years of pastoring and leadership at the Grace Place, and 50 years of full time ministry, Pastor leaves us with wisdom from throughout his ministry.  In today's sermon he discusses our vision statement at The Grace Place of being "Caring People, Caring for People".  Caring is not just our vision statement, It's in our DNA.

Mike Benson built and grew Warmup Inbox from the ground up, a product that is used by thousands of companies and was acquired by private equity for millions of dollars.Following his successful exit, Mike now searches for gaps in markets that venture capitalists won't touch and builds sustainable profitable businesses within them. Here are a few of the topics we'll discuss on this episode of Product Launch: The process of bootstrapping a SaaS company. How to know if a product is scaleable. The biggest challenges in the SaaS industry. How to find out if your product will succeed online. Early signals that a SaaS website will be succesful. How to know which search words to rank in. Resources: Dabble Ventures TransPerfect Sticky Warmup Inbox Lemlist Google Optimize NxtStep Podcast Chef Connecting with Mike Benson:LinkedInConnecting with the host: Sean Boyce on LinkedIn Sean Boyce by Email Quotables 08:24 - “I said ok can I make the product better, just like a checkbox of is this product better? And then can I make it 10 times cheaper and one thing that I didn't realize people would write in for Warmup Inbox and be like why is this so cheap is this legit? And that would be a customer support question that would come in a lot and I'm realizing that if you can actually get people to ask that question you are on to something.” 09:02 - “One of the biggest issues in SaaS right now is it's truly a race to the bottom like you might see on Twitter people saying hey you copied my idea or I can't believe there are so many copycats it's really because these products are so simple to make.” 11:54 - “If you make it a goal for someone to ask you why this is so cheap, you're clearly onto something because without probably knowing it what they're giving away is that basically, I need this and I can only find it elsewhere much more expensive so they're almost underscoring for you, there's a huge opportunity here I just need a quick sanity check before I dive in.” 21:34 - “It can't hurt to try to start a company for a couple of weeks and just see what roadblocks you run into.” Free Email CourseHow to Build a Profitable AI-Powered B2B SaaS Business for Less Than $750Notes generated by Podcast Show Notes  (podcastshownotes.ai)

God is calling us forward with personal growth, and we should always look for ways to be more like Christ. Are you in a different place than you were last year or have you become stagnant in your growth journey?

10:06 - 10:20 – Mike Benson, West Fargo Girls Basketball Head Coach   10:22 - 10:30 – FCS National championship roundup   10:34 - 10:47 – Kevin Marshall, Host of FCS Nation FCS season roundup Isaiah Ifanse transferring from Montana State   10:50 - 10:58:50 –  Kevin Marshall conversation continued Boys High School Hockey: Moorhead vs Grand Rapids @ 4 p.m.

God is calling us forward, but we will need to leave the past behind and lean in to what God has placed before us.

The Grace Place is spending Christmas at the Movies, learning Biblical truths based around classic holiday films. This week's feature is It's A Wonderful Life.  If we pause and look around we can see how blessed we really are with Jesus at the center we truly can experience a wonderful life.

Declare war on INIQUITY in your life. Sin effects everyone, but Jesus has overcome it on the cross. We can choose to honor God and walk in Victory everyday.

Declare war on the attitude of INGRATITUDE. We are called to live a life of thanksgiving. In spirt of our circumstances, there is always something to be thankful for.

"I have seen the enemy and the enemy is me." We will explore the third of our biggest enemies, society.

"I have seen the enemy and the enemy is me." We will explore the second of our biggest enemies, satan.

God has called us to be the exception, not the norm. Will you be a light in the darkness or blend in with the crowd?

Join us as we discuss Biblical parenting.

Mike Benson and Laura Hanley are two strangers forced to play a game for the enjoyment of a mysterious alien race. What is this game, exactly, and what's at stake if they lose? Join Victor as he is electro-ported a billion, billion lightyears away and covers tonight's episode...Fun and Games. Podcast ID by Tad Doyle: http://www.taddoyle.com/ Podcast artwork by Robert Fontenot: https://www.robertfontenot.com/

Rescue workers search for the camera crew trapped inside Kilauea's Pu'u O'o crater, but they're forced to abandon their efforts when an incoming storm makes conditions too hazardous. Cameramen Chris Duddy and Mike Benson struggle to survive a night inside the volcano. When daylight comes and there's still no sign of rescue, Chris makes a fateful decision — to try to save his own life and bring back help for his friend.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Please support us by supporting our sponsors!ALLBIRDS - Find your new favorite shoe at allbirds.comSHOPIFY - Try for 14 days by going to shopify.com/theoddsAUDIBLE - New members can try it for free for 30 days by going to audible.com/theoddsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us as we discuss Biblical parenting.

Join us as we discuss the importance of fulfilling the Great Commission both locally and globally.

Join us as we discuss the importance of being united for our church.

Join us as we discuss the importance of fulfilling the Great Commission both locally and globally.

The post Flowing in the Gifts-Sp. Guest Mike Benson appeared first on Vertical Life Church.

It's a nerdstravaganza as Nick and Martin bring you a hours and hours of comic book talk as Nick dives into Batman Rebirth and Mike Benson's Moon Knight, and Martin acquires every Spawn comic known to the living...and the dead. What has gotten into these two that there's so much comic talk lately? Who knows, maybe Martin is attempting to atone for his digital sins. Plus, we discuss Apple TV's Coda and Servant, Netflix's Black Crab, and so much more! As an added bonus, we have a new segment titled, "Can This Episode Last Long Enough For Martin To Win An EBay Auction Live On Air?" Enjoy!You can support this show by visiting our merch store, directly through Patreon, or by leaving us an Apple Podcasts review.

It's a nerdstravaganza as Nick and Martin bring you a hours and hours of comic book talk as Nick dives into Batman Rebirth and Mike Benson's Moon Knight, and Martin acquires every Spawn comic known to the living...and the dead. What has gotten into these two that there's so much comic talk lately? Who knows, maybe Martin is attempting to atone for his digital sins. Plus, we discuss Apple TV's Coda and Servant, Netflix's Black Crab, and so much more! As an added bonus, we have a new segment titled, "Can This Episode Last Long Enough For Martin To Win An EBay Auction Live On Air?" Enjoy!You can support this show by visiting our merch store, directly through Patreon, or by leaving us an Apple Podcasts review.

Join us in our series as we walk through the Book of Acts on a journey to get to know the person and work of the Holy Spirit more than we ever have before. Today's message comes from evangelist Mike Benson. Member of The Conquerors strength and ministry team and leader of Fire School of Evangelism. This is the livestream service for New Tribe Church, located in Mt Juliet, TN for Sunday morning, March 20th, 2022

Join us in our series as we walk through the Book of Acts on a journey to get to know the person and work of the Holy Spirit more than we ever have before. Today's message comes from evangelist Mike Benson. Member of The Conquerors strength and ministry team and leader of Fire School of Evangelism. This is the livestream service for New Tribe Church, located in Mt Juliet, TN for Sunday morning, March 20th, 2022

Mike talks with comedian, Isabella Sosa, and The 2K22 Celebrity Death Watch Draft commences with the defending champion, Mike Benson. #miketaylorlive #thunderdome --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/miketaylorlive/message

We share our best tips for packaging and branding products and how to safely ship paper flowers. We also check in with a longtime friend of the podcast, Mike Benson. As the holidays near, everyone's got shipping on their minds. How do you package your paper flowers to withstand being tossed around in the back of a truck? How do you save money on shipping costs? Just how bad are these shipping delays we keep hearing about? In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted about all this and more. Longtime friend of the podcast, Mike Benson, gave us an update on Carte Fini, including how he's handling delays in importing crepe paper and other supplies from Italy and beyond. We also shared some of our best tips for branding and packaging your products safely, as well as how to make sure your shipping costs don't eat into your profit. Listen now to get ready for all of your holiday shipping. In the meantime, here's a peek at three things you might not have thought about that we discussed in the episode. Here's what you'll learn when you listen to our conversation:► What is new and available now at Carte Fini. ► Discussion of the different weights of Italian crepe paper. ► How to charge for the handling part of shipping and handling. ► Our best tips for branding and safely packaging your products for shipping.► How to cultivate reasonable shipping expectations from customers. Create a Product That Can Ship We make delicate paper flowers, but that doesn't mean that each bloom can withstand the same amount of abuse in a shipping box. If you'll be shipping a bouquet or flower, make sure that it is as sturdy as you can make it. “I'm always trying to make it better. I'm going to try to in the coming months improve some of the ways that you can shop so that it's easier. The line has grown over the years to where I don't want people to be frustrated with trying to find the color they want, so I want to add some features.” - Mike As we shared on the podcast, that means that certain materials like fine crepe paper should be avoided. Why? As Jessie said, “You can't expect your customer to know how to fluff [a paper flower] up.” No matter how beautiful your packaging is, your client will not be impressed if they pull out a flower that looks like it wilted. Make something that can withstand being jostled. Share Tracking Numbers with Customers Some apps will automatically send out this info to clients who purchase from you. If your shopping platform doesn't do this, you should be emailing the customer with the tracking number as soon as you have it. Why? First, your customer will feel like you haven't forgotten their order. You're maintaining your relationship with them. Second, you will save yourself some work. If they email you asking about where their product is, you're going to look up the tracking number to see where it is. That's something that your client can easily and willingly do. Lastly, it shows that you held up your end of the deal, and now the package is out of your hands. This might seem like a really obvious thing to do, but when you're a creative small business owner with often varying volume of orders, it can be easy to forget little things like sharing tracking numbers. Throw an Aftermath Party You should be evaluating your sales long after they have arrived to your customers. This postmortem lets you better plan for the future. When it comes to shipping, that means keeping track of your packaging and shipping costs, as well as trying to figure out what wowed your clients. As we shared in the episode, that could mean emailing a customer to ask if your paper flower arrived, what condition it was in, if they are satisfied, etc. Obviously this should all be done in a friendly and not overbearing way. But if they liked your art enough to pay for it, they will probably be happy to share what they think. “It boils down to your aesthetics and the presentation you want to present to the customer. Are you going to be eco-friendly? Are you going to be over the top—when they open it, it's going to be the most magical and wonderful experience?” - Quynh Once you have all of the info about how things went, you can dive into the details of what needs to change. Did you charge enough to cover packaging costs? How much profit did you actually make once you added on shipping? Could you change anything in your packaging to save money or improve the experience for your clients? Ask the tough questions, and your next sale will be even better. Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider supporting us on Patreon for even more great content like this.

Everything old is new again! Denny and Drew sit down with Colin Johnston, David Griggs and Mike Benson to tslk how to revive forgotten malt varieties and why you should brew with the four "new" varieties from Crisp! Episode Links: SF Strong Beer Week Inspired "Green Death" : https://www.sfgate.com/wine/brew/article/Green-Death-malt-liquor-for-SF-... Crisp Malting - https://crispmalt.com/ The Heritage Collection : https://crispmalt.com/our-malts/heritage/ Project Freedom Ride: http://projectfreedomride.org/ Patreon Remember even a buck is good for charity: http://www.patreon.com/experimentalbrewing Experimental Brew Store: https://www.experimentalbrew.com/store Episode Contents: 00:00:00 Opening & Our Sponsors 00:02:35 Announcements & Feedback 00:16:11 The Lounge - Crisp Heritage Malts 01:02:45 Quick Tip & Something Other This episode is brought to you by: American Homebrewers Association Brewing America Country Malt Group Jaded Brewing Mecca Grade Estate Malt Wyeast Labs YCH Hops Interested in helping Denny and Drew with the IGOR program (aka help us run experiments!) - contact them at igor@experimentalbrew.com. We want more Citizen Science! In the meanwhile, subscribe via your favorite podcasting service (iTunes, etc). Like our podcast, review it - talk it up! If you have comments, feedbacks, harassments, etc, feel free to drop us a line at podcast@experimentalbrew.com. Follow us on Facebook (ExperimentalHomebrewing) or Twitter (@ExpBrewing). If you have questions you'd like answered in our Q&A segment, send an email to questions@experimntalbrew.com! Don't forget you can support the podcast on Patreon by going to http://patreon.com/experimentalbrewing This episode can be downloaded directly at https://www.experimentalbrew.com/sites/d... Podcast RSS Url: http://www.experimentalbrew.com/podcast.rss