Episode 45: Cecily Hastings "Inside Publications" is a Grassroots Growth Success Story.

Bite Sized Finance

Join me, Kelly Brothers, as I chat with Cecily Hastings of "Inside Publications" and "Inside Sacramento" and explore her inspiring journey from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to becoming a prominent publisher in Sacramento. Cecily recounts her upbringing in a vibrant neighborhood and her multidisciplinary design education from the University of Michigan. Moving from a career in commercial interior design and office furniture sales in the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, she shares the challenges of making new friends before social media and her deep involvement in local community and city government, including founding a neighborhood association to address issues at McKinley Park. Listen as Cecily discusses her transition from a design-focused professional to a community newspaper publisher in East Sacramento. Initially hired to write articles with no prior experience, Cecily's innovative business model provided free newspapers to every household and tailored a simple advertising system for small businesses. Utilizing guerrilla marketing strategies, she effectively connected local businesses with their immediate community, overcoming the challenge of Sacramento's dispersed commercial areas. This approach led to the successful establishment and growth of Inside Sacramento, which continues to thrive today. We also explore the evolution of Inside Sacramento's content focus and Cecily's dedication to advocacy and community journalism. Shifting from highlighting arts and small businesses to addressing the deteriorating state of Sacramento's budgets post-Great Recession, Cecily founded the nonprofit Friends of East Sacramento to restore local landmarks. Her publication now addresses pressing issues such as homelessness and accountability in nonprofit funding. Cecily's strategy of hiring community-engaged individuals underscores the importance of grassroots journalism and proactive citizenship, serving as an inspiring model for community-based advocacy. You can reach Cecily at [email protected] For more information on what we provide at CAPTRUST visit www.captrust.com. You can contact me, Kelly Brothers, through the show at: [email protected] To reach me at CAPTRUST visit www.captrust.com/locations/sacramento-ca/ Episode Chapter Summaries (00:00) Business Growth and Community Involvement Cecily Hastings shares her journey from Michigan to becoming a successful publisher in Sacramento, emphasizing community engagement and volunteer work. (09:44) Expanding Community Newspaper Through Strategic Advertisements Cecily Hastings' journey from design professional to community newspaper publisher, innovative business model, successful establishment and growth of Inside Sacramento. (27:38) Local Newspaper Expansion Strategies Nature's journey of building a local publication business with a delayed website, part-time employees, cautious expansion, and proving skeptics wrong. (35:40) Advocacy and Community Journalism Cecily Hastings' publication, Inside Sacramento, shifted focus to advocacy for local communities, addressing homelessness and lack of nonprofit accountability. (46:05) Community Advocacy and Grassroots Journalism Community-based journalism emphasizes community involvement, grassroots mindset, and proactive citizenship for impactful reporting.