The Things You Take for Granted Are Someone Else’s Greatest Win

https://youtube.com/embed/_V3BHT84tTo

Alison Mitchell walked away from 20 years as a real estate executive, packed up her life in Texas, and moved to a county where she knew almost nobody. Now she is the Director of Tourism for DeSoto County, and she is rebuilding what tourism means for the entire Mid-South region, not just the venues everyone already knows. In this episode of Southaven Business Beat, Cristan Engelke sits down with Alison to talk about what it actually felt like to start over in a new community, what she learned volunteering with Special Olympics that permanently changed how she measures success, and what is coming to DeSoto County that the whole Memphis metro needs to know about, including the return of professional hockey to Landers Center. If you do business in Southaven, Hernando, Olive Branch, Horn Lake, or anywhere in DeSoto County, this conversation matters. Tourism and local business are more connected than most people realize, and Alison is building the bridge. Follow DeSoto County Tourism on social media to stay ahead of what is coming. CHAPTERS 0:00 Coming Up 0:40 Welcome to Southaven Business Beat 0:48 Meet Alison Mitchell, DeSoto County Tourism Director 1:42 Separating Tourism From Landers and Expanding to All Five Cities 2:33 Alison’s 20-Year Career in Real Estate Executive Leadership 3:07 What Brought Her to DeSoto County 3:35 What Made the Transition Less Scary 3:59 How DeSoto County Tourism’s Social Media Exploded 5:37 Sponsor: Wisdom Integrators 6:31 The Biggest Challenge: Being the New Texas Girl in Town 7:23 Business Wisdom From 20 Years in Sales 8:46 The Mentor Who Changed Everything at $9 an Hour 9:44 Growing Up Around Economic Development 10:21 Why This Role Felt Like It Was Always Coming 10:54 Special Olympics: The Lesson That Rewired How She Works 12:34 What Is Coming to DeSoto County (New Logo, Big Campaign, and More) 13:41 Hockey Is Coming Back to Landers Center 15:37 Sports Loyalties: Texas A&M, LSU, and an OU Fan in SEC Country 17:41 Sponsor: Pure Focus Media 18:32 Life in Hernando: Dogs, Back Porches, and Stepkids 19:38 How the Chamber Network Fuels Tourism 20:59 How to Reach Alison Mitchell 21:28 Building Tourism Across All Five DeSoto County Cities 23:37 Closing: Follow DeSoto County Tourism and Subscribe Want to be a guest or sponsor on Southaven Business Beat? Email [email protected] Southaven Business Beat is produced by Pure Focus Media in partnership with the Southaven Area Chamber of Commerce, serving Southaven, DeSoto County, and the greater Memphis, Tennessee and North Mississippi business community. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Here is our gear we use on Southaven Business Beat. Canon 5RC: https://amzn.to/4cyjaar Canon 24-70mm 2.8: https://amzn.to/4sHgpcZ Canon R6: https://amzn.to/48fJo0h Canon 70-200mm 2.8: https://amzn.to/4sMctro RODE Podmic: https://amzn.to/3Od9Gtm RODE Rodecaster Pro II: https://amzn.to/4dU0QLo Godox LA200D: https://amzn.to/4exZYMz #affilatelink