south-dakota
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Scott Lawrence Conducted an Ad Agency Like a Band - Then Made Room for the Next Player
A former band director spent four decades turning rehearsal-room lessons into an agency philosophy. His final act as CEO was the least theatrical one: preparing other people to lead.
The Gift Shop That Funds a Mountain
For nearly a century, a small South Dakota nonprofit has turned souvenirs, memberships and private gifts into the invisible infrastructure of Mount Rushmore - from ranger talks to a $17 million parking garage.
The Agency That Left Its Office but Kept Its Address
TDG went all-virtual in 2020 without drifting away from Deadwood. Its best work explains why: local knowledge, open technology, and campaigns measured in visits, clicks, and useful things left behind.
Ray Hespen Built a Software Company Around the Repair Nobody Could See
A mining engineer from Wyoming found his startup idea in a renter’s ignored repair request. A decade later, Ray Hespen is turning property maintenance from a trail of phone calls into a measurable operating system.