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From silly, to romantic, to child-like idealism, this conversation discusses the wide array of date night options for those who have recently fell in love, to those who are celebrating decades with the love of their life. To hear the entire conversation check out So Much More Ep. 83: Cupid’s Guide to MOA Valentine’s Fun.
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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Ep. 83: Cupid’s Guide to MOA Valentine’s Fun.
In this episode, we dive into everything you need for the perfect Valentine’s Day at Mall of America! From unique gift ideas and delicious dining options to exciting attractions and fun memories of past Valentine’s celebrations. We cover it all! Whether you’re planning a romantic date, a fun outing with friends, or a family adventure, this episode is your guide to making the day extra special at MOA.1:00 Retail fun facts about Valentine’s Day1:55 The top five gift giving categories for Valentine’s Day3:45 Great gift ideas for everyone11:20 MOA dining options for Valentine’s Day13:00 Great date ideas and experiences at MOA15:49 We’ve had more than 10,000 weddings here. Dan tells us some of the memorable ones.18:55 The Log Chute is now the Love Chute19:50 MOA is hosting a special Valentine’s Day Swing Dance Night Feb. 1420:38 Hosts and guests share their favorite love moments and Valentine’s Day memories
For great gift and Valentine’s Day ideas, visit: https://mallofamerica.com/valentinesday Guests: Sara Rogers, MOA Trend Expert and Sara Johnson, MOA Integrated Marketing DirectorHosts: Jill Renslow, Daniel JasperPresented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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John O’Sullivan, who grew up in Mankato, MN and went to St. John’s University, shares his personal and professional journey. He embarked on a 12-year overseas journey of self-discovery. During that time, he became a tour guide on a Euro Bus. During a six-week training period he got to visit many countries and learn to be a great tour guide and storyteller. To hear the entire conversation check out So Much More Ep. 82: John O’Sullivan One Minute Tours.
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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John O’Sullivan, famously known for his One Minute Tours on TikTok and other social media platforms shines during this episode. When asked for his favorite Mall of America memory, John’s eyes lit up. He immediately remembers Starship 3000, a laser-tag adventure from years ago at the Mall. His memory was it had a rotating spaceship and for his 12-year old self it was the eighth wonder of the world. To hear this story and more check out So Much More Ep. 82: John O’Sullivan One Minute Tours.
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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John O’Sullivan got his start as a tour guide as he says by being handed a microphone on a bus and starting to tell stories. He soon turned these stories into a TikTok sensation that he calls One Minute Tours. In this episode John tells us the secret to making these magical one minute videos, what makes a great tour guide and how he’s parlaying his love of storytelling into a longer format show on YouTube called The Hidden Middle.1:31: From Mankato to Australia, how John fell into the art of being a great tour guide7:55: John describes his favorite city, Berlin11:55: How and why John made his first TikTok video and turned it into a video series13:44: The trick to making a 1 minute video19:38: How does John deal with negative comments and criticism on social media22:09: John talks about his new YouTube project The Hidden Middle.23:16: What makes the best story and tour? Authenticity and staying in the moment27:50: John shares his favorite Mall of America stories and memories growing up near here.Guest: John O’Sullivan, One Minute Tours@oneminutetours www.oneminutetours.comHost: Daniel JasperPresented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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What is the secret to getting great travel deals? Our guest, Kyle Potter, executive editor for Thrifty Traveler, a service that helps travelers travel more for less, shares his advice on how to find cheap flights…hint, it’s not a certain day of the week…travel hacks and how to choose the right travel rewards credit card. After having visited more than 30 countries and logging over 100,000 miles each year, Kyle has the inside track when it comes to travel.
2:35 Tips for booking travel during peak season5:05: Is there a best day to book flights? Think best days to fly.7:20: What is Thrifty Traveler and how do their free and premium subscription services work?9:57: The silver bullet to saving on travel11:40: The beauty of Minneapolis St. Paul International airport and it’s proximity to Mall of America14:15: A Minnesota native, Kyle shares favorite memories of Mall of America17:41: Kyle shares his favorite travel destination20:52: How to navigate credit card travel rewards and choose the best one25:00: Kyle shares his favorite travel hacks Guest: Kyle Potter, Executive Editor of Thrifty Traveler@thriftytraveler www.thriftytraveler.comHosts: Daniel Jasper, Jill RenslowPresented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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Guest, Amanda Brinkman, founder of Sunshine Studios and former marketing executive at Deluxe Corporation shares her advice on finding purpose and pursuing your passion. Starting her career in the corporate world led Amanda down several paths before as she says she took a sharp right turn and ran right into her passion—helping people find their passions and superpowers. In this episode, Amanda teaches us not how to ‘find’ our passion but how to identify our purpose through our superpowers.
2:00 Amanda’s career journey from corporate world to TED talks, TV and public speaking4:22 The Small Business Revolution television show traveled across America highlighting 100 small businesses6:22 Amanda’s favorite small business story; from paralegal to dream of opening a bridal boutique9:38 Amanda’s journey to pursue her own passion. Her calling to help others11:46 Making the ‘hard right turn’ to follow your dreams is scary15:25 How do we ‘find’ our purpose.17:44 How and why did Amanda create this event called the Purpose Pursuit and what is it20:30 What are our superpowers and how do we find them?Guest: Amanda Brinkman CEO, Chief Creative Officer at Sunshine Studios@amandakbrinkman www.amandakbrinkman.comHosts: Jill Renslow, Daniel JasperPresented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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Activate is a new interactive experience at Mall of America where guests (ages 6 and older) become players in their own video games. With 13 different rooms, guests can customize their experience and work alone or in groups to solve puzzles, shoot hoops, dodge laser beams and jump, roll around and play, get silly and have fun!
2:13: What is Activate6:13: Come prepared …it’s a workout in disguise so bring tennis shoes, comfortable clothes and water!7:50: Each room is a different game. In ‘PRESS’ guests run around and match colors and patterns by pressing buttons.10:03: MEGA GRID: This room senses where you are stepping. It’s like playing Floor is Lava.14:52: Activate is for school groups, dates, bachelor and bachelorette parties, families…anyone who wants to be active and have fun!19:00: HOOPS: In this room guests answer trivia questions and shoot the basket they believe is the correct answer.20:25: LASER ROOM: This is a fan favorite! Half the room is laser blasting games and the other half guests dodge lasers amongst and bit of haze.*Activate is located on the 3rd floor, East side of Mall of America. www.playactivate.com/mallofamerica Guests: Blake Telshaw, Activate Mall of America store manager.Hosts: Dan Jasper, Chris Grap and Sara JohnsonPresented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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The MN Aurora FC soccer club supports women with enthusiasm throughout the organization. From leadership to kit designers, from coaches to players, the Aurora empowers and embraces women and all they have to offer. Andrea Yoch and MacKenzie Langdok from the MN Aurora FC share their stories in the world of women’s soccer. To hear the entire conversation check out So Much More Ep. 78: MN Aurora FC. For Community, By Community.
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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What does it take to start a brand-new soccer team in Minnesota? How do you rally everyone to create a winning formula? And what is it like to start playing soccer at age 4 and become a professional soccer player? Andrea Yoch and MacKenzie Langdok from the MN Aurora FC share their stories in the world of women’s soccer. To hear the entire conversation check out So Much More Ep. 78: MN Aurora FC. For Community, By Community.
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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Minnesota Aurora FC is a women-led, community-owned, pre-professional soccer club playing in the USL W League. The Aurora joins a long tradition and rich culture of competitive Minnesota sports. With a goal of transforming outcomes for girls, teams, women, and communities the team remains focused on core values. Guests, Andrea Yoch, co-founder and board member at MN Aurora and MacKenzie Langdok, professional soccer player and former team member at MN Aurora share their stories and journey.
1:17 Yoch’s professional journey in sports including the first MN Super Bowl in 19923:30 Wildly running to meet Brad Paisley through Nickelodeon Universe5:00 The challenge of starting a brand-new sports franchise/team7:00 Langdok shares her love of soccer from age four all the way to the professional ranks9:45 What it means to be a role model for younger athletes13:00 The real-life experience of playing in a world-class stadium with corporate sponsors14:30 As a player, fan engagement is so encouraging and motivating17:00 Funded by the community, fans can still become a shareholder of the MN Aurora21:00 How to get tickets for the upcoming season24:45 Building a cherished brand with amazing merchandise27:30 Words of advice to young, aspiring women in the world of sports
Guests: Andrea Yoch, co-founder, board member, Chair, and Investor Relations at Minnesota Aurora FC; MacKenzie Langdok, professional soccer player, former player with Minnesota Aurora FC
Hosts: Jill Renslow, Daniel Jasper
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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Happy New Year! While our So Much More crew is taking a well-deserved break for the holidays, we’re excited to take you back to where this podcastand Mall of Americabegan. Today we are resharing our second episode that ever aired, and it is an inspiring conversation with John Ghermezian. In this special episode, John dives deep into the rich history and bold vision that brought Mall of America to life.
This rebroadcast of Episode 2: The Vision Behind the Mall originally aired on July 27, 2023. Topics included the motivation behind building the most famous mall in the nation, and how the Ghermezian family vision has been steadfast over the past three decades.
So, as you kick off a year full of possibilities, remember… dreams really can come true. Enjoy this special episode replay and here’s to an incredible year ahead!
Guests: John Ghermezian, Triple Five Corporation
Hosts: Jill Renslow, Daniel Jasper
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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Our So Much More crew is taking a well-deserved break for the holidays. But we’re bringing back a fan favorite episode: Episode 28, featuring an inspiring conversation with the President and CEO of L.L. Bean, Stephen Smith, and the Mall of America store manager, Guy Booth.
Winter is just getting started, and let’s face it…Minnesota cold is no joke. So who better to learn from than the experts at L.L. Bean? Whether you are braving the elements or cozying up indoors, this episode is packed with insights, warmth, and a whole lot of winter wisdom.
Enjoy this special episode replay, and from all of us here at So Much More, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a season filled with joy!
To learn more about L.L. Bean at Mall of America visit https://mallofamerica.com/directory/llbean.
Guests: Stephen Smith, President and CEO at L.L. Bean; Guy Booth, L.L. Bean Store Manager
Hosts: Jill Renslow, Daniel Jasper
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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How long does it take to decorate the largest mall in the nation? Seventeen years ago it took more than five weeks to decorate Mall of America. The team has gotten so good at their job that, even with much more décor today, the holiday decorating crew finished the task in a record five days! Clayton Omberg and Chris Grap share the story of decorating for the holidays. To hear the entire conversation check out So Much More Ep. 75: Deck the Mall.
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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What are the hardest, and most amazing, holiday décor to put up at Mall of America? From giant toys to Enchanted Snowflakes, Clayton Omberg and Chris Grap share their stories on how they and the many helper elves decorate 5.6 million square feet of MOA for the holidays. To hear the entire conversation check out So Much More Ep. 75: Deck the Mall.
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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Ep. 75: Deck the Mall [12/18/2024]Clayton Omberg, Mall of America’s Internal Maintenance Manager, joins this episode to take us on a visual tour of Mall of America’s holiday décor. Dan, Chris and Clayton share stories of what it takes to decorate the largest Mall in America and how they did it in record time this year. Spoiler alert, 5 nights to decorate 5.2 million square feet! They share stories of their favorite décor, nerd out on how many trees, bulbs, giant toys and miles of hanging twinkling lights they install and share some of their favorite holiday traditions along the way.
2:55 How long it takes to decorate Mall of America4:40 Atrium décor description—Enchanted snowflakes, Nutcrackers + large Jack in the Box11:00 Decorating Nordstrom Court + hidden Easter Eggs on the giant bulbs13:42 Rotunda décor including 2-44’ tall tree’s with 1,200 branches16:30 10 miles of twinkling lights hang throughout. What happens when a bulb burns out?18:55 Holiday décor by the numbers23:26 The science and plan of taking the décor down and the massive storage unit24:11 Clayton, Chris and Dan share favorite holiday treats, traditions, meals and movies
To learn more about Holiday Decor at Mall of America visit https://mallofamerica.com/press-release/28114Guests: Clayton Omberg, Internal Maintenance Manager at Mall of AmericaHosts: Daniel Jasper, Chris GrapPresented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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Trinket and Garland – two of the most important elves from the North Pole – join this episode to shares stories of what it takes to be an elf. They and their fellow elves are a key part of creating holiday magic at The Candy Cane Institute at Mall of America, and for children around the world. Joining them is Mae Keapproth the head elf-wrangler. If you have questions about presents, wrapping, tinsel or the Big Man in Red himself, this episode is for you! Prepare for magic.
3:15 What it takes to wrangle the elves at Mall of America4:20 What is The Candy Cane Institute (CCI) and where do you find it?5:30 A fun description of the science found at CCI8:00 When guests meet with The Jolly Old Elf himself13:00 An explanation of the Wrap-O-Matic machine16:15 Heartwarming stories straight from the elves19:30 A tale of one particularly challenging guest25:40 Two elves and our elf wrangler give life-advice to Santa27:30 A wish for the children of the world
To learn more about The Candy Cane Institute at Mall of America visit https://mallofamerica.com/directory/candy-cane-institute
Guests: Trinket (the elf); Garland (the elf); Mae Keapproth, Entertainment Manager at Mall of AmericaHosts: Daniel Jasper
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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This episode of So Much More is a special holiday treat. But fair warning to parentsif you’ve got little ones tuning in you might want to hit pause. We visit The Santa Experience right here at Mall of America and lift the curtain on magical secrets about the man in red. From magical wishes to meaningful moments, you will want to sit back and enjoy this conversation with Santa Sam, Santa Herman, and Santa Larry.
1:00 Getting to know Santa Sam4:10 The importance of matching energy7:15 Why we should strive to lead with love8:25 A message from Santa Sam9:10 An introduction to Santa Herman11:00 As Santa Herman says in Spanish, “Feliz Navidad a todos y cada uno.”12:40 How to respond when a child asks for a live reindeer17:15 The one, the only, Santa Larry20:45 Surprising his nephews for Christmas23:30 The magic of meeting with children25:00 Santa’s wish for the children of the world
To learn more about The Santa Experience at Mall of America visit:Website: www.TheSantaExperienceMN.comInstagram: @TheSantaExperienceMN Facebook: The Santa Experience MN
Guests: Santa Sam, Santa Herman, Santa LarryHosts: Daniel Jasper
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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What’s one of the biggest stress points every holiday season? Finding the perfect gift. Well, this episode is for you. Lizzy Newsome, owner of Kappa Toys, and Hayley Matthews-Jones, owner of Minneapolis Craft Market discuss what they offer to holiday shoppers. Kappa Toys is a permanent tenant located on Level 2 South and features unique toys and plenty of play space. Minneapolis Craft Market is a seasonal pop-up at the Mall, located on Level 1, South featuring 40 artisans and opens on Black Friday and continues weekends through the holiday season. This fun conversation covers gift ideas from Nice Ice Baby to Monchhichi and from makers of 3-D printed gifts to hand-made jewelry to custom millinery.1:30 How Minneapolis Craft Market came to the Twin Cities3:55 All about Kappa Toys, a place for toys that everyone loves6:00 Best toy ideas for kids of all ages8:45 All about ‘blind boxes’ and finding the perfect ‘one’9:50 Hot gift items from Minneapolis Craft Market12:45 Walking into Minneapolis Craft Market is made to come to life16:30 Toys selected from around the world – unique and experiential19:00 The importance of celebrating small business22:15 Tips for prospective entrepreneurs
To learn more about Kappa Toys, visit https://kappatoys.com/. To learn more about Minneapolis Craft Market, visit https://www.mplscraftmarket.com/. Guests: Lizzy Newsome, owner Kappa Toys; and Hayley Matthews-Jones, owner of Minneapolis Craft MarketHosts: Jill Renslow; Dan JasperPresented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year at Mall of America as we prepare for Black Friday and the holiday season. Hosts, Dan, Jill and Chris share how we get ready! From decorating and creating a magical atmosphere to shopping tips, prepping to welcome thousands on Black Friday, planning events and best ways to refuel, park and share memories with your friends and family, this fun conversation will have you excited to experience the wonder of the holiday season with us.1:09 Hosts share their favorite thing about the MOA holiday experience2:37 Chris details plans for Santa’s arrival + Black Friday7:40 What guests can expect Black Friday weekend: KFAN live broadcasting, Bells To Go performances11:40: Tips and strategies to conquer the shortened shopping season this year14:00 Favorite ‘experiences’ at MOA: Great Big Game Show, Cocoa Melon, Activate16:40 How to earn rewards by shopping at MOA with the Insiders app20:47 Parking and navigation tips at MOA25:40 Favorite new stores, brands and categories to shop29:44 Rapid Fire holiday questions with the hosts including favorite holiday stocking stuffers + favorite holiday drinksHosts: Daniel Jasper, Jill Renslow, Chris GrapPresented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
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