Follow up to Archrival’s ‘FLYOVER’ – Is Minnesota doing it right?

Earlier this month I was moved by the “FLYOVER” presentation Archrival co-founders Charlie Hull and Clint! Runge delivered at this year’s Nebraska Summit on Entrepreneurship. In short, they made the case that as they’ve established a successful company in Nebraska with a serious cool factor (it really does have one), it’s been tough for them…

A screenshot of the Explore Minnesota video on YouTube

Earlier this month I was moved by the “FLYOVER” presentation Archrival co-founders Charlie Hull and Clint! Runge delivered at this year’s Nebraska Summit on Entrepreneurship. In short, they made the case that as they’ve established a successful company in Nebraska with a serious cool factor (it really does have one), it’s been tough for them to recruit talent to live in a state with a national perception that doesn’t match up with their cool factor.

Near the end of their presentation, Hull asked the important question: “How do we move this forward?” In other words, who should take on this responsibility? He gave three options: state, private or a partnership between state and private. He said the best option is the third one, and he proposed that all the shareholders gather in one room to decide how to go forward.

After Hull finished, Runge gave his closing remarks by challenging attendees. “We’ve seen what’s being done at the high level [and] the state level,” Runge said. “We’ve seen what’s being done at the private level, sort of lower level. And we just start to wonder, maybe it’s on our own shoulders.

“This conversation has to start here,” Runge continued, “we’re at an entrepreneurship conference, this is the moment that we sort of think about these things, let’s build great companies, let’s use technology in a new way, let’s fight the perception, let’s make sure our friends aren’t asking us why we’re still living here. Let’s change the perception of Nebraska from being a flyover state to being a place of vibrant destination. Let’s be Nebraska Entrepreneurs.”

With those words in mind, and the examples of poor state promotional work that Runge presented, I want to call to attention two recent, well-done videos out of Minnesota. Of course, I’m biased because I’m a native Minnesota – or then again, maybe that gives me a more critical eye toward my home state – but I think both these videos do justice to the cool factor that is present up north. One was produced by the state’s tourism office, Explore Minnesota Tourism, and the other was produced by a studio in association with the Minnesota Culture Club.

My two questions for Silicon Prairie News readers:

  • Is Minnesota doing it right?
  • When will we see videos of this quality representing our state?

Explore Minnesota’s New TV Spot

By Explore Minnesota Tourism, March 23, 2011

 

Why We’re Here: Twin Cities

By Seven and Sixty Productions, January 24, 2011

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

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