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This podcast was born from a belief that meaningful growth doesn’t happen overnight. The things that really matter—in life, business, art, relationships—often take time, patience, and unseen investment. And yet, we live in a culture that constantly pulls us toward immediacy: fast food, AI, and overnight success stories.
But the reality is:
Anything truly worth building usually takes time. Success doesn't arrive in an instant.
We take the time to ask our amazing guests, what are the things that are worth putting in the time and investing in, even if we don’t see results for a long time?
3. Marcell - Main - Audio
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Speaker: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Bamboo Method, investing in the unseen. They say good things come to those who wait. But in today's convenience driven world, we live in a culture that constantly pulls us towards immediacy. With fast food, two day shipping and overnight success stories, it seems more difficult than ever to stick it out and wait.
But the reality is that anything worth building usually takes. Time success doesn't come in an instant, so we're here to ask what are the things worth putting in the time and investing in, even if we don't see the results for a long time? Today's guest is Marcel Bruski, hailing from the small town of Eka, Montana.
Marcel was 11% of her graduating class for those of you doing the math at home. She was one of nine. After studying business and communications at Rocky Mountain College, she stepped into the Billings Chamber of Commerce. And then in 2018, moved to biggest guy economic development. In her current role at BSed, [00:01:00] she leads across business development and communications as the senior director of engagement.
In other words, when businesses need to get started, grow, finance, recruit, relocate, or even exit or sell, is one of those connectors who helps make the next step possible. Marcel, thanks for being here.
Speaker 2: Yeah,
Speaker 3: thanks
Speaker 2: for having me. So great to have you, Marcel, and um, we're excited to chat a little bit more.
I'm curious on a personal level, what are things or something that you've invested in? It took a lot of time to see any fruit of fruit from, and maybe you're seeing that fruit now, or you're still investing and haven't seen it yet, but what is that for you?
Speaker 3: Yeah. When we were talking earlier o offline, when we first talked about this, you mentioned the seed, right?
That sometimes like this one, bamboo doesn't like it'll be in the ground for a while before anything even happens. Exactly. And I think for me, just with the upbringing I had, it was really, I'm thankful for growing up, like I said, in a small town, you know, my parents really ingrained in us, not with word, not with words, [00:02:00] but with how they treated us, like the responsibility they gave us, right?
Like I was checking cows at like, I don't, I'm not even kidding you, like 5, 6, 7 on a little four wheeler. I'm out like checking heifers in a corral. And my dad's like, don't go above Gear three. I'll hear you and it's a A five, but I think of that now. I'm like, some people, they've never sent their kid to do that.
Right. But I just knew having that responsibility, I'm like, okay, I have to be safe. You know, like there was a trust and a responsibility given and I didn't take that lightly, even at a really young age.
Speaker 4: Yeah. And
Speaker 3: I think that went through a lot of my life and where it really came into play. I think to get to your question of what has that been, it's been.
Actions, you know, since I was young, you know, maybe even elementary school, junior high, high school, of just behaviors and like what you value as a human and how you react to situations and how you carry yourself as a person and what you do. And I, I did this program this past year called Leadership Montana.[00:03:00]
Loved it, changed my life. You start with like 45 to 50 people you don't know in September. And you go through this leadership programming and, and it's emotional. It's, it's good. You're learning about the community, you're building these relationships. You're learning how to do coalition building, all of these things, but you're also learning about yourself and you're interacting with these people and throughout that class time.
So then you end in May. We had to write on these little blue cards. And anyone listening that that's been through Leadership Montana, they'll get it. You had to write something about your cla, each of your classmates. Right. So I had 47, and then at the end of the session, you get to go with your home team, which is like a group you've been with the whole time.
Like it's like three or four people and you get this wooden box with all of these little blue cards in them. Wow. And I'd been pretty good the whole session. Like I didn't really like. Some people, because it is right, like there's tears, there's laughter from, you know, tears from laughter, tears from sharing sad things, or just life [00:04:00] experiences.
And when I was like sitting there reading my cards with my home team, like, and it, it's like all of us are like this, right? You're in your home team. Tears are like running down my face, just like running down my face because I was reading on all these cards and what people had written. Are all these things that I like, these three like main themes that I'm like, that's always what I've wanted.
Like those are my values as a human. That when someone sees me or interacts with me, that I hope that that's like their experience with me or that like to me, those three words. I mean, a lot to me is like who I am as a human. It reminds, you know, like it goes back to my roots of eCOA.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 3: And so for people that I've only known for nine months Right.
To like write all those things down. I've never said those words to them. Sure. Or done any of that. Yeah. I think that was a big moment for me when we're talking about what have I planted. Right. And I think in that moment it was like the seed just cracked open. I feel like because of that I'm [00:05:00] like, I can just be authentically me in these settings.
I don't have to just be in this like corporate box as a person and not really have my personality and really have my like authentic. Not that I've not been authentic, but I just feel like it was validating to me where I'm like, oh, I do bring a lot of value. And so I think for me, those just having my classmates share that about me and these people that I.
Do anything for like really strong relationships. I so trust them and inspired by them and for them to like write that about me.
Speaker 2: Absolutely. Tears. Yeah.
Speaker 3: Blooded my face. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah. I mean, what a powerful thing to be known like that and seen.
Speaker 3: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2: And I mean, it's easy as a human being to feel like you have to put on some, like, I, I need to be what you want me to be.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: And that tension of like. Do you like who I actually am? Mm-hmm. And to have them put that down. Yeah. Well, absolutely. That's a powerful thing in such a what would I guess be like, I would think that's a, a short time to get to know some, you know, like nine months and Yeah. Not
Speaker 3: long at all, right? Yeah.
But you get to know these people. Like our WhatsApp chat [00:06:00] literally is blowing up every single day.
Speaker 4: That's cool.
Speaker 3: You know, and like you share things with these people that you've never shared with anyone else in your life. And I think Leadership Montana creates that culture of like trust and these moments.
So then, yeah. For these people that you think the world of too, right? Because you're writing the same things for them that you've noticed and observed about them. So yeah, it was a really special moment. That's
Speaker 2: cool.
Speaker 3: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2: Would you be open to sharing what those three things are?
Speaker 3: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Um, the, and it's like the themes were around like confidence, um, work ethic, hardworking and calm.
And I think, you know, I wanna handle situations in a calm manner. I, I wanna put in the work and I never want someone to think like I'm gonna ask them to do something. I'm not. Already alongside them doing and confidence. And I think, you know, those are all things that I really tie back to, like my upbringing as like how my parents raised my brother and I to be.
Speaker 2: I love that. I mean, that's some people, everyone obviously has different opinions on parenting and mm-hmm. How much, you know, freedom you [00:07:00] give and you know, what's, how, how present you are. But I love that. I mean, that's how we aim to parent mm-hmm. Is to give our kids ownership, give 'em responsibility, and, um.
Let 'em fall so they can learn to pick themselves back up mm-hmm. And learn mistakes off you. Obviously you have to do that in a safe environment. Right,
Speaker 5: right. Yeah.
Speaker 2: But, um, you, it obviously it worked really well where it translated to you that is like, I'm responsible for myself and to keep myself safe and to learn these things.
Mm-hmm. And I'm sure there were times that you Oh, you all learn. Yeah. Oh yeah. That you learned the hard way. I did a lot of 'em. And, um, and we all have to do that. And, um, you know, that, that can start at a young age. Mm-hmm. Right. Step by step. And so. That, that totally makes sense to translate that. I'm curious if someone didn't build those things, so you know, you're, how do you, how do you continue to water it?
You know what I mean? Yeah. Are you still nurturing those things? And how do you maybe recommend someone else to nurture hard work? Confidence being calm, the things that you feel like you've developed over these years?
Speaker 3: Oh my gosh. I feel like it's like an everyday thing, right? Sure. Like I'm like every day.
Yeah. Because I'm not per right. [00:08:00] I'm like, I don't do these things well every single day. And these people saw, you know, they from Leadership Montana, they saw me once a month for three days. Right. And not in December or March, because spring break and Christmas, but Sure. You're put in situations where you kind of have to really lean on those values that you have in yourself.
Whether it's like for some others, maybe, you know, they have other core values for them, or whatever we wanna call them, um, characteristics that they lean on in hard situations. And I think that where their most tested are in those hard situations where you, you kind of have to just really fall back and trust yourself and trust those things.
That confidence in yourself that you're like, no, I got it. Or you know, I do think the hard work some, like you just have to keep your head down and keep working. Mm-hmm. And it will pay off for you. Yeah. And sometimes it feels like defeating or mm-hmm. You're in situations where you're like, gosh, is this ever gonna get better?
And I think it does. Yeah. You just have to really like, take a step back and do, you know, take little steps day by day in those harder situations. But I think the hard ones really. [00:09:00] When you walk through it with those core values that you have, you just have to like walk through it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely. I think all of those speak to a level of kind of choosing the harder road, right?
You know, it'd be easier to choose a quicker path. Are there days that you're just like, I'm, I just don't, I want to go, I want to, I want the easy route. I want the quick route. I'm just gonna like do what is ever most convenient in this moment. Mm-hmm. And how do you fight that?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think there's some of those situations, right?
'cause you're like. Gosh, I don't need, like, could I do something different or could I, like, not why am I in this situation, but I think what I've tried to be reflective on, especially just with even, you know, we've had a big leadership change and, um, going through Leadership Montana, I feel like this summer was like eye-opening for me, where I'm like, okay, I can take the easy route out, but I'm like, what's life trying to teach me right now?
Because I'm like, there's something I'm gonna get from this situation. It's not great going through it [00:10:00] right now or, or whatever, right? Like it's not easy. I could just be like, yeah, I'm done, or I'm tapping out, right? But I'm like, what's life trying to teach me? Or the universe or God or whoever, like what's the opportunity here that I can learn from so that I assume at some point in my future, this will be a moment I'll look back on and have that lesson that I learned in it.
It kind of goes to the failure conversation too. Mm-hmm. Right? If you don't put yourself out there, say yes sometimes, or take the leap. What are you gonna learn from that? Yeah. Like you can take the easy route, but I think sometimes that's not where the story gets fun.
Speaker 2: Yeah. I love the, the level of like responsibility.
You know, Donald Miller, um, if you're familiar, he's written a lot of books on business. He's got a book called Hero on a Mission. He just talks about the idea that, um, basically you have to, if you want something in life, you gotta go get it. You're responsible.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 2: And the idea like life is not gonna coddle you.
Sure isn't. Dang it. Right. And um, and I think that's, you know, you grew up in this [00:11:00] ranching lifestyle that's like, it's not coddling at all, but it taught you that that thing that like, life is not gonna coddle you. Mm-hmm. And if, if something needs to be done,
Speaker 3: do it.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Do it. Who's gonna do it?
Speaker 5: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2: And if I don't do it, then it's not gonna get done.
Speaker 3: Right.
Speaker 2: And, um, obviously there's a tension there. Um, but I think what a cool value that was built in you of that. Responsibility, the hard work to be like, I'm gonna go get stuff done. 'cause life's not gonna just hand it to me.
Speaker 3: No. And I think growing up in an agriculture community and and environment, right?
And Eastern Montana's dry, right? Like, it's not like there's irrigation happening or things like that. So you're like just praying to God that it's gonna rain and not hail and it's not gonna snow too much and be too cold. Right. And I think some people are like, why would you do that? Like, why do people do that?
Lifestyle, like when you could do other things and I think when you're in it, like why wouldn't you? Yeah. Right. Like you get to be you, you're feeding the country or feeding the state and
Speaker 4: mm-hmm.
Speaker 3: Around animals all of the time. And I think it teaches you a lot of lessons and [00:12:00] gives you a very different perspective of.
You know, I think there's things that happen in like a corporate, right? Mm-hmm. Corporate environment. But I think the perspective sometimes I'm like, is this really a big deal or is this something we really need to
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 3: You know, and I think I have that perspective. I think a lot of people have it based on a lot of experiences they've had.
Yeah. But I think, you know, what's your experience to scale? Like what's really worth getting worked up over or what's maybe something we can just move on from?
Speaker 2: Yeah, totally. Well, I'm sure there was, um. That's probably where your confidence comes from too, is the fact that you accomplished like what? Acra, like a lot of kids.
What'd you say? How old were you when you drove the four wheeler out? Oh gosh. Was six or seven. Oh, is that you say 5, 6, 7. Yeah. What a cool thing for a young kid to experience that trust. Mm-hmm. To go accomplish something like that. Yep. And naturally I think that's gonna build
Speaker 3: mm-hmm.
Speaker 2: Confidence and capability to go do hard things.
Speaker 3: And I adore my parents and I, both of them. Yeah. Were very supportive. My dad very, you know.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: I'm the oldest kid. I'm the girl. The same for [00:13:00] my brother, but I think that, um, you know, we're proud of you and just giving us those responsibility things and not thinking anything of it.
Speaker 6: Mm-hmm. You're like,
Speaker 3: yeah, you got it.
What do you mean? Right. Like, and then it translated into driving like bigger equipment and, and doing some of that too, where it's like, you got it. Figure it out. I'm like, got it. Okay.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Figuring it out. Yeah. Yep. Good. Great.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Oh man. I'm sure that's really translated a lot in life and what a cool thing to have.
Yeah. Awesome. Well, let's translate or transition into the next question.
Speaker 5: Yeah.
Speaker 2: In the business world, what have you had to continue to nurture and be patient with knowing eventually there's gonna be results?
Speaker 3: I, yeah. This one, I think it's relationships with people. Yeah. And I think you never know when that's gonna be fruitful and in what way?
But I think especially I, I'm sure it's everywhere, but in Billings in Montana, it's, you never know who's gonna come back around and be in your life again in some point. Um, or how are you gonna impact them or how are they gonna impact you? And so I think I've [00:14:00] been very lucky to build my network, as we say.
I feel like there should be a better word 'cause I see a lot of these people as friends more than just acquaintances, but, you know, building this network. So when maybe you do need something, you have someone to call, right? I have different mentors or role models or, or men, yeah. Mentors I've done through the Billings, chambers Next Gen program over the years.
Um, or just different things, and I can call them when I have like, you know, a certain, it's like your social network map that like Gallup has, right? It's like who do you call when you need this thing, you know? And having those people in your life. You really respect and have a strong relationship with, but they're always happy in there to answer your call.
Or you, I would do the same for them too. Right? Like, what do you need? I've got you. Whatever you need. So I think really building and cultivating relationships. Yeah. Professionally.
Speaker 2: So how, how do you build that? I think you have, you kind of hold like a pretty, um, influential role. Like you're kind of, you're connected already in that role.
It didn't start that way. No. But you are now. How do you get to [00:15:00] that point? Um, everyone's busy. You know what I mean? Mm-hmm. There's kind of this feeling that I know I can get where it's like they don't want me to bother them. How do you start to build networking, reach out to people when the world is so busy, no one likes cold calls, no one likes to give up their time for something that's not valuable.
How do you start to. How do you do that? Well,
Speaker 3: yeah, and I didn't have it. I still think it's like growing, right? Like I, but it, it's starting somewhere and I think it's being at things or it's, you know, it's going and seeking someone. You can sit and talk to the people you know, or your coworkers the whole time.
But why don't you go talk and just say, like, check in with someone and be like, Hey, how are you? And I. The more interactions like that that you have, the more you're getting out of people, right? Like you're, you're learning about their family. Are they married? Do they have kids? What do they do for fun?
Where are they from? But I think it's being present at things, but also it's not coming in with an agenda. Mm-hmm. Or like, I need this from this person for a long time. Yeah. It's like you're just, Hey, how are you? What's going on in your world? Mm-hmm. Like, where have you been traveling to? Or what, you know, how are your [00:16:00] kids.
It's, it doesn't even need to be about work. Yeah. It's like just being authentically wanting to learn about them and connect with them. Yeah. Like I was in Big Sky this past week and we had some of our billings crew up there, but others from across the state, and it's just getting to even have some time with some of those people that I wouldn't normally.
Right. And I, and learning about them and their families, I learned so much about even some of our Billings, Montana ambassadors, chapter members, and I'm like, I would've had no idea had I not just. Yeah. And at this thing with you, and we're just sitting next to each other having a conversation.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: So,
Speaker 2: yeah.
Yeah. You, it's about prioritizing connection
Speaker 3: mm-hmm.
Speaker 2: Over anything else. You're not trying to get anything out of them.
Speaker 3: No. Sometimes, honestly, I'm like, what can I do for you? Sure. Like, I don't need, you know, I hope I don't, I am not like needy, needy, needy of anything, but I'm like, what? What can I do for you too?
Speaker 2: Absolutely. Well, I, I know that's felt, I mean, I, we always, we always feel that here. Is it, it feels like you, you're not grabbed and getting so
Speaker 3: Well sometimes. I've been a little more needy of way lately 'cause I'm like figuring out some technical [00:17:00] podcast stuff and he's been great, but, oh gosh. Yeah. But I, I, he, that's the
Speaker 2: dynamic of the relationship.
Speaker 3: Yeah. But I really do enjoy like helping if someone does need something and if I can help, like I love that. Not because it's me. I just am like, oh great, here's your solution, or here's someone you should connect with and talk to. Absolutely.
Speaker 2: I love that. Is there, do you keep any sort of consistent structure to in your networking or, I mean besides, obviously you have the podcast, that's a consistent structure that you're always
Speaker 3: podcast is consistent.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Um, I think, you know, it's, it ebbs and flows with life and I think too, I don't have kids right now, so I can go to some of these different weird timed things evenings or conferences and things like that. Not that I couldn't, if I had kids. I think I'm just at a different stage in my life and that's okay.
Where I can do some of those things and I know other people they do it too, right. But I don't have some of those so I can be out doing a little bit more. Um, but I, yeah, I don't really have a consistent, you know, it's like if I [00:18:00] see someone out and about, I'm like, oh, hey, we should get coffee or something.
And it inevitably, like, I'll see someone, they'll be like, Hey, we should get together. And I'm like, okay, here are the dates, what works? And then I'll schedule it like I'm sending the calendar invite, right? Sure. I could leave it on them, but they might not be the friend or the connection that's like the type A, I need it on my calendar person, and so I am that person.
I need it on my calendar, and so I'll follow up and do that. So I think just putting in that effort, right? Mm-hmm. Or if you haven't seen someone in a while and maybe you see a post on LinkedIn, like reach out and connect. You know, if they're in your market like, Hey, you wanna get lunch, you wanna grab coffee?
Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. I love that.
Speaker 3: So not a consistent format, just being kind of present.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: At things.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's fair.
Speaker 3: Which sometimes is exhausting, right? Sure. I did go through a phase where I'm like, I'm so over, like I need a break.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 3: But I feel like energized again to be like, yeah, I wanna go to that and I wanna see this person and connect with them here.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Do, is there any way that you like decipher the balance? Because I mean, there's always more Yeah. That you can be doing, [00:19:00] more people you can be meeting with. Yeah. Uh, how do you, how do you keep yourself from just going, going, going and getting burn, getting burnt out?
Speaker 3: Um, Austin's good for me in that way.
Yeah. Or he'll be like, Marcel, you're gonna get to the point that you get to and then you're exhausted. And then, so I think for him, he's a good, like, Hey, do we need to be at that? Or do you, you know, he's like, my good. Um. Gosh, he rain. That doesn't rain me. He just is like a good mirror sometimes for me.
Yeah. Like
Speaker 4: absolutely
Speaker 3: because he cares about my wellbeing. So he'll be like, hide like maybe we don't do this thing. Like do we really need to go to that? And I mean, he's busy too, right? So we're both really busy. But I think sometimes it's to the point where if we haven't seen each other in a while, 'cause we're both like running in different directions that like were those, uh, mirrors for each other.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Him more for me. 'cause I'm the one that gets a little out of hand. Sure. And, and like going. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yes. That's fair. So my final question, thinking about the nurturing and the professional side of things
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 2: And the networking and everything [00:20:00] we've talked about up to this point, what's the fruit, what's the outcome?
And not just in your life, but we think about professional fruit. How has. The networking and everything that you've been pouring into nurturing over the years, how has that benefited, benefited Big Sky economic development?
Speaker 3: I think, I don't know, like even the podcast, we've told 112 people stories so far on it that, that are like out and open that I'm like, billings.
I think what makes Montana and if, I think if when you ask it a lot, like we, we talked about it at our conference just this week. What makes Montana, Montana, right? Mm-hmm. It's the people and I think getting to share their stories. I think our business advising team, they're helping businesses. You know, maybe people start their own companies on a daily basis, like they're doing all of these things.
So, you know, making all those little impacts that then makes a big impact for the county, the state, that type of thing. Absolutely. Yeah. And economic development, all the work we do, it is [00:21:00] not quick. Uh, sometimes, right? Like you have little wins, right? And it's cool and great, but like there's been projects that maybe have, they're still sitting on a shelf because something big happened and it blocked it and it just hasn't.
Speaker 6: Yeah. So
Speaker 3: there, you know, our aspects of it are getting done right in the community, and I think economic development's a long game and it's not ever gonna be done because you're always gonna continue to need. Better infrastructure, new site development. Look at the eBird. I think the growth you're seeing between downtown Billings and Metro Park is exciting and it's not happening fast.
Right? And maybe we're, we're part of that in a way of, maybe we're doing a tax abatement or brownfield's assessment or like there's a new vet clinic and they, they use the SBA 5 0 4 loan, but. That's gonna change One little project, one building by one building that's gonna change that whole corridor.
Yeah. Again, right. Because probably when it was built, it was cool. It was industrial, it was, it was the hot ticket item.
Speaker 4: Yep.
Speaker 3: And then over time, that fades. Right. But then you redevelop it. So I think economic development, it's like a constant, [00:22:00] constant. And like when we're talking about quality of life, you know, what's our role in helping maybe.
Support or, or do something with trail systems or different things within the community, bringing in different projects, being a partner. So economic development's definitely a long game. Absolutely. I think in the scope of it. But it, it's exciting, right? 'cause you're seeing different things come and happen and people connecting and doing different things.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. I'm, so, I'm, I'm curious about like the, the thread between, because you talked about like the how relationships, that's what you're nurturing. And I'm curious, the, so you've been really, uh, nurturing those relationships and usually like just connecting and that's such a big piece to what Big Sky Economic Development is about, right?
Is the people, it's about Billings, it's about who the business owners are. Business owners are in nurturing that. What have you seen as the fruit
Speaker 3: for Big Sky? I think like. It's that investment in like when they invest in us as a member investor, right? Like that's just the way of the world. Like some people in bigger [00:23:00] communities, they do pay to play.
So their investment ask is a lot bigger. We, even with our board, we've got a bigger board 'cause we have two boards that meet us one. But like even them getting to meet each other, like what has come of that and different projects and relationships like, it's like we're bringing people together and I never think that.
Like that's always fruitful. Mm-hmm. Like even if it's just for a meeting or if it's for an event that we're leading. Right. Or we're organizing pulling together. So we're helping people get connected. We're always trying to do like some type of education. I think through our programmings of trainings with our small businesses or our annual meeting is really.
Bring people together and then give some updates on maybe like this year we're doing some regional updates on agriculture and energy, but I think it's cultivating people and bringing them together is our like facilitating that and then letting them take it and run with it and seeing what happens. And I think you see that even at a project level, right?
Of. You're bringing a project to the table and saying like, Hey, they wanna expand into the market, or they're [00:24:00] coming, you know, they need a lot of things. So then you bring these businesses, right. Our member investors and people to the table to learn a little bit. So then they know when the RFP if it's or is going out or they, they know when they can start bidding on some of those things too.
From like a project perspective.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 3: And then they can look back and say, and it's fun 'cause I was connecting with someone that's, they've been the lead on. The vet school and it's like now his kids can say, my dad built that. Right. Yeah. Like my dad's company constructed that.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 3: And that's cool, right?
Like that's giving like your next generation seeing the impact of that. Mm-hmm. And they're proud of it and they should be.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. That's cool. I think, uh, I think yeah, just that idea of all these connections and what that can bring about and, and I think really like a key word that comes to mind for me as well as trust.
Speaker 4: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2: Um, that I think you're just sowing these seeds of trust over time, continually. Um, because it, [00:25:00] I think it'd be easy to make big sky economic development being about economy, being about buildings, businesses, infrastructure, all these things that you just mentioned. It could just be about that. It could be about making more money.
Speaker 6: Mm-hmm. It
Speaker 2: could be about the projects, it could be about the businesses. Right. I feel like you continue to bring it back too. It's about the people and the businesses. You can't do it
Speaker 3: without, the people
Speaker 2: can't do it without the people. Yeah. Um, but in, in the busyness of all that, and sometimes in our humanness of all that, it can be easy to lose sight of that.
Right?
Speaker 5: Yep. Oh
Speaker 2: yeah. And over time you can sniff that out.
Speaker 5: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2: And I think it's evident that, um, your sowing of those seeds of connection and relationship and networking has, I, I think, sowed a lot of seeds of trust. Thank you. Yeah. That means a lot's
Speaker 5: a yeah.
Speaker 2: And, um, it's, and, and I, again, I think that's a big deal for you, but obviously a big deal for a big sky economic development.
People trust when Marcel is, is working. People trust it. Yeah, that's good. There's no underlying agenda. No. And at the end of the day, I think, you know, it's like we know [00:26:00] Marcel's, it's for the better of the city for the better. We can trust those bigger agendas. Mm-hmm When bigger decisions need to be made.
'cause we know at the bottom, at the seed, at the roots is care for people.
Speaker: Mm-hmm. Hey everyone Wade here Before we get to the final question. If you like the show so far and wanna hear more, you can support the Bamboo method on Patreon. There you can listen to the full director's cut of this conversation and help make this show possible.
If you were to explain economic development to a 14-year-old, how would how you describe it? Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3: If I don't work in economic development, I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a community the same. It's like a big ecosystem that feeds into each other, right? 'cause you. Education, you're building your future workforce for these companies that are doing things, but you can't do any of that if you don't have simple things like roads, water, infrastructure, and all of those things.
And I think what economic development does is they can bring all those people to the table to get a project done or something going. Within the community [00:27:00] that you might not even think of. So economic development's definitely a long game. Absolutely. I think in the scope of it. But it, it's exciting, right?
'cause you're seeing different things come and happen and people connecting and doing different things.
Speaker 2: To get to our final question, what are you nurturing that you wish you weren't? What do you need to throw away? What do you need to give up?
Speaker 3: Yeah. This one, I was sitting with Austin last night and I was like, he's like, what do you need to throw away? And I think he suggested something to me and I was like, uh, what?
Um, but I think, you know, as much as I talk about like I, you know, all these things and people in relationships matter. There are moments that aren't easy either, right? And I think something that stuck out to me recently, and maybe my answer to this question in a couple weeks would be different, but today I think that sometimes like.
And I've really tried to lean into it all summer, and I'm not perfect at it yet, but it's like I learned, listen to this podcast with Mel [00:28:00] Robbins and her, let them theory. Mm-hmm. Let them let me. And I think sometimes there are just things that I'm like, I know what my role was in this. Mm-hmm. And why I had a role in it.
And sometimes that's not everybody does know all of those details. Right. And, and they'll maybe come to light later, but I can't control that.
Speaker 4: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 3: And I've just gotta. Let them and let me then go and do that. Right. And I think that's been something that I could throw away a little bit and focus a little bit more on.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: The desire to have everyone know every detail. Mm-hmm. And understand every aspect for a bit of, would you say justification?
Speaker 3: I think that, or just like, and I think too it, you know, maybe some of it comes back to trust too, but it's like you gotta trust everyone to do their thing, right? Yeah. Like, you're in a spot, whether it's personally or professionally, like in a spot for a reason.
Like trust it until you can't, and you can't, sometimes you just can't change everyone's opinions if they have certain things on [00:29:00] it, and you just gotta let it go and let them have that thought.
Speaker 2: Sure. And learning too. Operate in your world and the things you can control, right?
Speaker 3: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2: So many things outside of our control,
Speaker 3: right?
Speaker 2: And we can't control what other people think or feel.
Speaker 3: No. Or even project stuff too, right? Like economic development. I'm like, we're, someone told me once, you can't be a silver bullet for everybody. Mm-hmm. On all of these big, big issues. And I think that's where it's like the, we have to trust that there are other people too at the table in these spaces doing some of that work too.
Because again, it comes back to not one. Entity or person can fix and do all of that. Right. You gotta scale back a little and rely on some of those people too.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Which, which brings up an interesting dynamic that the potential downside of the environment that you grew up in is also potentially the mindset that you are like, I gotta get it done.
Mm-hmm. It needs to be fixed, so. Tap me in, I'm gonna fi, but some things can't be just fixed or bulldozed through. Right. [00:30:00] Some things are beyond that. So how do you, how do you ride that tension of like being, I'm, I'm a go-getter, I'm gonna get things done, I'm gonna take responsibility, but also holding loosely the things that are outside of your control and you own capacity.
You're still human. You're one person.
Speaker 3: That's a, um, I don't think I am perfect at that. Sure. And I don't think I, anyone ever would be sure. I definitely will not be. I think I'm getting better the older I've gotten. Yeah. I think something that helps that just internally is like using your team right. And delegating.
Can you work with your team and give them those opportunities to come in? And ta be tapped in and use their thoughts and their problem solving skills. 'cause they might do it a different way. And it's way better than what I do, which I think, like I have a, our marketing manager, she's amazing. I look at the graphics she makes and versus what I used to do and I'm like, wow, you're like so good and dynamic.
Like,
Speaker 2: yeah,
Speaker 3: glad you're leading this for us. Sure.
Speaker 2: You
Speaker 3: know? Absolutely.
Speaker 2: So seeing the other people and realizing it's with a team dynamic Yeah. Is huge. And it's fun. Can't do it on your own. Absolute. It's with the
Speaker 3: team. Like I think that's something I feel really good about right now is, is that.
Speaker 2: I love it [00:31:00] if people, if any businesses would like to engage with.
Big Sky economic development in some way. Yeah. Or if someone wants to listen to the Vault podcast. Yeah. What do they find?
Speaker 3: So big Sky's just big sky economic development.org. Uh, we're on Facebook as Big Sky. We have our Instagram's life at B Set. It's more highlighting the team, um, from like a cultural retention kind of standpoint.
So that one's a more fun account. But, um. The vault. It's just, you can listen to it anywhere at the vault at 2 0 1 North Broadway on any platform that you listen to a podcast, whether it's Apple, Spotify, YouTube, any of that.
Speaker 2: Alright. Yeah. Awesome. Well, thank you so much for being here today. Yeah. Thanks for having me today.
It's great to have you. Yeah, yeah, thanks.
Speaker: Thanks for listening to the Bamboo Method, investing in the unseen. Remember, anything worth building usually takes time. And here's a sneak peek from the next
Speaker 7: episode. Number one is my faith. Number two is my F, my health is me. But that's [00:32:00] not like, oh, I went and got my nails Did like, you know what I mean?
Like, sorry, I'm not trying to bash on, I guess I kind of did. Um, but it, it's really like I need to take care of myself, but not for the purpose of, like, it all ends with me. It's not for the purpose of. For selfish reasons. It's so I can give more. You know, the whole analogy of you can't give from a, an empty cup,
Speaker 2: right?
I love the analogy of when you're flying, if the oxygen mask comes down, they say yes, puts yours on first, right?
Speaker 7: Like hypoxia is a real thing where you know, you lose oxygen to the brain and you get delirious, and then you become unfunctional. 'cause you do nobody any good. If you have blacked out from a lack of oxygen, now you've become a liability.