Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Bader.
Hi Jessica, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Hi! I’m Jess, Licensed Social Worker, independent business owner, speaker, corporate consultant, and Director of Marketing & Public Relations for Akron’s Hottest and Fastest growing News and Entertainment Network, 330ToGO! With several irons in the fire, it’s hard to know exactly where to begin but today I want to share about my most recent endeavor with an up-and-coming local media network.
The story of 330ToGO is just about as random as the next but it does have some interesting twists and turns along the way… beginning with our start.
330ToGO was born out of an evolution of a couple of creatives who launched their partnership through volunteering at a local church. The pair showcased their talents in an effort to create a fun and engaging environment for the audience of an emerging youth basketball league presented in a LIVE setting. Their vibe quickly took fire which led to the duo carrying that same energy to an online social media presence where they discussed local food, entertainment, and news.
330ToGO had its first show in 2017, was officially founded in 2018, and in 2022 solidified itself as a premiere resource for local news and information. Presently, the 330ToGO audience has grown to more that 75,000+ loyal followers while reaching more than 1 million individuals on a monthly basis through multiple channels, the website, and social media platforms. Everyday viewers tune in to enjoy “The Morning Pour,” a “Weather Wake-Up,” “Daily Commute,” local “Top Headlines,” and much more all sponsored and supported by community partners and local small businesses.
At 330ToGO we believe that northeast Ohio is a vibrant and exciting place to call home and contains a special cast of everything that the Midwest has to offer. It is our goal that the people, programs, professionals, and stories of the area are shared by letting the camera tell the story. 330ToGO aims to make each one of these entities feel valued and known. With a neutral presentation and a little something for everyone, 330ToGO plans to continue to grow the network and expand through various offerings and shows, some of which have already taken shape. Current network offerings include “Does it Suck?” reviewing the newest and weirdest food and snack items available, “Rubber City Reviews” that features movie, television, and entertainment coverage, the “Hop_and the_Bean” highlighting the best coffee and brews available across the area and across the country, and our most recent launch “The High School Football Show” that covers all the action of Friday night lights around the 330.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Has it been a smooth road? Not quite. When starting something from scratch there are many bumps and bruises along the way. As one of our founders says, “you have to begin with the end in mind” and it is with that mantra that 330ToGO has been able to navigate the terrain and criticism that comes with growing a news and entertainment company.
Something our audience may not know is that our founders are dear friends but have dramatically different personal views. Independent, democrat, republican, corporate, creative, out in front, behind the scenes… and the list goes on. These differences presented major hurdles for the founding team to get over and certainly did not lend itself to a “smooth” start. It has taken time to gain understanding and respect for each individual belief and establish a level playing field for the network to move forward. In short, this was HARD, but it has proven to be a great gift as we have an imbedded “checks and balances” into the fabric of the company.
The staff at 330ToGO are not formally trained journalists; we are what some call citizen journalists. Because of this, we have had to develop our reporting muscle along the way. Being a citizen journalist organization comes with pros and cons. This approach allows each one of our staff to present a unique view in collecting, reporting, and disseminating news and information that they feel is relevant. To do this, we leverage what we refer to as “the mesh network” that is the people and community at large who send us in tips, info, stories, news, insights, and ideas for coverage of significant things that impacts them. We do our best, but we’ve learned that we cannot cover everything which has motivated us to get clear on what we are able to share with the public, how to share it in the best way for the community to understand, and when to share different types of information. For example, we would love to help every non-profit promote their bake sale but that’s just not feasible to do on an individual basis. 330ToGO has had to get creative and come up with weekly community boards where these types of listings and similar information can be curated for consumption without drowning out the bigger stories and happenings around the 330. It’s a tightrope but we do our best to walk it.
We often say that we let the camera tell the story and we make every effort to keep the thoughts and opinions of our staff out of the mix. We want people to develop their own takeaways based on the presenting information that we are often reporting on in real time. This is what makes us unique, but it also leaves a lot to viewer interpretation and as we all know, in most cases, people don’t necessarily agree or experience things from the same vantage point. This leads to some interesting and sometimes angry interactions in our comment sections and inbox. 330ToGO has had to learn to let the conversation and discourse develop without becoming hurtful or inappropriate. This has been a learning curve for the company, but it is something that we feel good about and will continue to evolve as our audience grows.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about 330ToGO?
330ToGO is the Hottest and Fastest growing News and Entertainment network in Northeast Ohio.
330ToGO takes local to a whole new level. Our staff are locals sharing local information that affects things happening outside of their front door and in their everyday lives. We specialize in bringing and presenting information in real-time as it is happening. From traffic updates, city happenings, information on schools and local sports, and more – we are the go-to place for current, personal, and accurate information.
The 330ToGO brand is not one individual person, it is a group of people, a team, and a community who share a passion for creative storytelling and unedited reporting. We are proud that the people of Northeast Ohio have connected with that vision and joined 330ToGO as we journey to the next adventure and beyond.
We’d love to hear about what you think about risk-taking.
In this business, as in any business, we’ve found that risk comes with the territory. When we think of “risk” we associate mostly to the core definition which includes an exposure to danger. We do this regularly through our coverage. Not only physical risk to ourselves but in doing so our team risks personal privacy and reputation with every interaction. This has proven to be one of our biggest hurdles but also has given way to open up conversations and interactions that would not otherwise have occurred.
With each passing year, 330ToGO has been dedicated to continuing a leap of faith in expansion as our coverage area and audience demand grows. This takes a focused effort to tighten finances and utilize resources at their maximum capacity. Sometimes, this means running on empty but in our view, it is worth the risk to deliver and answer the call of our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.330togo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/330togo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/330togo/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/330ToGOMoonGardenMediaNetwork
Image Credits
SHEdiditvideography
Racquel Jones Photography
