14_How Excellence, Passion, and Diversification Can Help You Survive Hard Times with Kevin Reichard.

This week, Quint talks to Kevin Reichard, the publisher of August Publications, which does several sports, business, and active living websites. They are probably best known for publishing Ballpark Digest. Kevin unfolds the story of his wildly unpredictable career, the lessons he learned, and how some risky decisions he made paid off. (Luckily, he didn’t realize they were big risks at the time.) He showcases how every experience you have sets you up for the next chapter, as long as you make a point to learn from it.

This was a tumultuous year for baseball. The year 2020 was supposed to be a banner year for new ballparks, and they were excited to be covering it. While they missed out on that and on the award season, Ballpark Digest reports that visitors are up 26 percent (even with no games being played this year). The fact that they are a trusted brand, provide good (and diverse) products, and are known for excellence in their practices has allowed them not just to survive but to thrive. When times are hard, a history of excellence helps you manage change and weather storms.

Kevin also talks about how important it is to find your passion. While he didn’t grow up as a “baseball kid,” he got into it as a way to pass the time while he was traveling for his job. But it’s one of his breakout projects at August Publications that reflects his true passion: YellowstoneInsider.com. This site and the Yellowstone Insider for Families book helps visitors plan to have the best experience at Yellowstone National Park. It’s a great example of something that doesn’t seem to “fit” with the rest of his product offerings, but because he is passionate about Yellowstone (and the service journalism it provides), it has been very successful.