The Story Behind the "M"

The "M" is 620 feet above the Missoula Valley floor. It is 125' feet long and 100' feet wide. University of Montana forestry students cut the switchbacks into the side of the hill in the early 1900's. The first "M" was assembled out of whitewashed rocks in 1909, and given a fresh coat of paint by freshmen every year, until 1968, when all those rocks were cemented together with concrete.

Photo by Nelson Kenter, kenterphotography.com

Archive for the ‘Tips for Launching’ Category

Businesses That Could Be Successful in Missoula, Montana

There is no denying that starting a business is both exciting and frightening.... more

Customers For Life Are Often Made, Rather Than Found

By MARK RIFFEY - On their worst day, what can you do to make your customer's situation better, less frustrating, and memorable in a positive way?... more

Accountability Starts With You

By MARK RIFFEY - Are you holding your team members accountable for their work based on key performance indicators (KPIs), key process areas (KPAs), and/or key result areas (KRAs)?... more

Does Your Business Need a Virtual Phone Service?

Even with the rise of the internet, chat services and email, plenty of people still prefer to talk to an actual human being over the telephone.... more

5 Small Business Mistakes to Avoid

Here are five mistakes that all small business owners can avoid to take themselves to success and prosperity.... more

How to Grow Your Small Business on a Budget

A small business cannot afford to stand still as it has to grow and evolve constantly in order to be competitive in the ever-changing market.... more

Thinking About Your Thinking

By MARK RIFFEY - What else can go wrong? What'd we assume? How would others think about this?... more

Determining if Your Services Are Underpaid

There’s nothing worse than not feeling appreciated, especially in the workplace. It’s a problem many suffer from in today’s competitive –– aka capitalist –– world.... more

How To Start A Local Business

Setting up a local business is always an exhilarating experience especially if it is your first time.... more

How to Change Your Life and Start an Online Business

If you need a change of pace, this is the perfect time to begin standing on your own two feet and launch your very own online business.... more

Start a Business in Montana

The success of any venture largely depends on careful planning.... more

Liz Marchi: Life Interrupted

By LIZ MARCHI - As I age, I have found it very valuable to look at life’s circumstances as opportunities to learn more about this amazing journey we call life.... more

How to Start a Fashion Business As a Stay at Home Mum

If you’re a stay at home mum looking to start an online fashion business, you will know better than anyone else the value of time. ... more

Marketing Tips for Local Small Businesses

One of the biggest challenges small businesses face is developing a good marketing strategy. Here are some marketing tips for small business owners.... more

How Multilingualism Helps Improve Businesses

Here's a few ways for you and your business to become bilingual:... more

Liz Marchi: Picking Raspberries

By LIZ MARCHI - The greatest reward for me in my modicum of new found patience is picking raspberries... more

4 Reasons to Use Social Media in Your Business

By EMILY JOHN - If you haven’t yet started your business’s social media page, here are some reasons why you shouldn’t delay any longer.... more

The Dangers of Using Your Personal Credit Card for Business

3 Reasons to Stop Using Personal Credit Cards for Business Purchases.... more

Liz Marchi: Summer on the Ranch

By LIZ MARCHI - Life is good. Summer in Montana…like nothing else. ... more

All You Need to Know About Investors From Asia

Working with investors from the East can have a lot of benefits for startups. ... more

Learning From Our History: Keeping Missoula Workplaces Safe

As local business owners and employees, there are things we can all do to continue making Missoula safe for all workers.... more

Make Montana Home

By LIZ MARCHI - I Made Montana Home and it’s made my life enormously rich in the things that are meaningful.  Find your meaning in Montana.... more

Death Over Dinner

By LIZ MARCHI - Death over dinner is a nonprofit with a goal of getting us to have the most important conversation we are not having, how we want to die.... more

Liz Marchi: 2018

By LIZ MARCHI - The best laugh I got from New Year’s greeting yesterday was Happy 2018, may you look 20 and feel 18.... more

Liz Marchi: The Times of Our Lives

By LIZ MARCHI - My kids get very annoyed at the time I spend on Facebook but I love being visually reminded of what I was doing 8 years ago because I DON’T REMEMBER.... more

Liz Marchi: Birthdays, Vacation and Tornadoes

By LIZ MARCHI -I will be looking for the fog to lift and the sun to warm my little Polson, Montana. May we all have that experience as our year unfolds.... more

Liz Marchi: Riding it Over the Top

By LIZ MARCHI -Riding it Over the Top for me, well this photo says it all! Happy Monday snow day in Montana!... more

Liz Marchi: 2017–It’s Here!

By LIZ MARCHI - In gratitude, I begin a New Year so thankful for the journey traveled and the road ahead. May your 2017 be rich in friends, family, health and happiness.... more

Liz Marchi: Home

By LIZ MARCHI - I don’t know if it’s the holidays, winter or age, but of late “there is no place like home.”... more

Liz Marchi: Getting Over It

By LIZ MARCHI - Aging lesson number 789, getting over it takes longer. Give yourself some space.... more

Liz Marchi: Family, Seasons and Change

By LIZ MARCHI - My husband, turned 70 a few weeks ago, at what may have been one of my top 10 parties ever.... more

Liz Marchi: Adolescence and Aging

By LIZ MARCHI - This I believe: we must keep our minds, bodies and our social connections growing even when it’s hard. That’s foundational to a life in full.... more

Liz Marchi: Comb Over

By LIZ MARCHI - I have spent the last 10 days doing something I don’t do much of, revisiting a place in time. The occasion: my 40th College Reunion.... more

Liz Marchi: Voting, Travel, Air and Water

By LIZ MARCHI - I have known for a long time that my idea of being rich is living on this beautiful piece of earth called Montana, on a ranch with clean air and a river that runs clear.... more

Liz Marchi: Home Again

By LIZ MARCHI - I just returned, from what has been annual pilgrimage, from a week in the Deep South with my Mom and Dad. As I age, I cherish my amazing family all across the country and cultures.... more

Who Can Help You?

By MARK RIFFEY - This past week seems to have been a perfect storm of paths crossing about getting help from coaches, mentors and teachers.... more

Bows, Bunnies and Baby Cows

By LIZ MARCHI - A recent visit by friends reminded me of the importance of Easter traditions and rituals in the south. We love our homes cozy and well decorated, we love our food.... more

Are You Doing the Important Work?

By MARK RIFFEY - What are you not getting done? Why aren’t you getting those things done? Does important work often go undone? If so, is that work truly important?... more

Five Business Myths To Ignore

By MARK RIFFEY - Focusing on these myths will do nothing but delay the success of your business. Shut them out.... more

Employers: REGISTER NOW for Western Montana’s Largest Career Fair

Skills and talent available! Employers - Register Now for Western Montana’s Largest Career Fair, Thursday, April 28 from 3:00-6:00 p.m.... more

What Can’t Change that Must Change?

By MARK RIFFEY - What Can’t Change that Must Change? If you doubled the size of your sales team, would your sales double?... more

The Sales Prevention Department

By MARK RIFFEY - Is a part of your process killing sales and running off clients? If you have a 'sales prevention department' here's how you can get rid of it!... more

What The Supreme Court And Your Business Share

By MARK RIFFEY - Events like this can have a critical, if not fatal impact on your business. Could your business survive your death or permanent disability?... more

Liz Marchi: Reflection

By LIZ MARCHI - One of the joys of aging for me has been time for reflection, the time to find a “neutral zone” and really think and reflect.... more

Is It Done Yet?

By MARK RIFFEY - The earlier the customer sees your work, the earlier you'll find out if you're on track.... more

Why Do Startups Fight City Hall?

By MARK RIFFEY - To a startup, city hall is often the next obstacle in line.... more

Start Your Marketing Calendar

By MARK RIFFEY - Are you marketing with intent or by accident? Choose intent.... more

Hiring Entry Level People and (Gasp) Millennials

By MARK RIFFEY - I know a number of 20-somethings who are looking for jobs. Some like to categorize “millennials” as a generation of slackers with no work ethic and no motivation.... more

Liz Marchi: Sleep

By LIZ MARCHI - I am grateful every morning that my alarm doesn’t go off at 4:00am as it did for the better part of 20 years.... more

Train Them To Make It Easy To Buy

By MARK RIFFEY - Word of mouth business and referrals come from handling problems gracefully.... more