Send us a text

Imagine floating past sunlit bluffs while otters slip through willow shadows and a guide turns river science into basketballs-per-second. That’s the unexpected magic Cody Dudgeon and Desert River Guides bring to Farmington—a city more famous for oil and gas than river tourism. We talk with Cody about building a thriving rafting culture where no one was searching for it, training teachers as guides, and crafting five-star experiences that blend geology, history, and wildlife with calm-water serenity.

The journey starts with the hard parts: weekend-only guide schools while teaching full-time, figuring out billboards and social posts that actually convert in a non-tourist town, and keeping old buses and trailers alive to make shuttles hum. Cody shares how partnerships with Three Rivers Brewing and Wines of the San Juan expanded their reach, why a family-first approach keeps 90-year-old grandparents and five-year-olds smiling on the same raft, and how consistent stewardship—like pulling 70+ tires from the San Juan and Animas—changes community behavior. We unpack the systems that matter most: training guides to read the room and the river, matching crew strengths to trip types, and translating cubic feet per second into visuals anyone can feel.

Looking ahead, Cody lays out an exciting plan for multi-day trips from Shiprock toward Four Corners, plus winery shuttles and a dream “bar boat” cataraft powered by solar-assisted electric. We get honest about last-minute bookings, no-shows, deposits, accounting routines, and the constant dance of vehicles, lunches, and put-ins. Through it all, a clear theme emerges: deliver an experience that deepens connection to place, and word of mouth will carry you farther than any ad. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves rivers or local business stories, and leave a review with your favorite moment—what part of the journey should Cody scale next?

Be sure to follow or subscribe! And, if you're a local business owner who'd like to be featured - or know someone whose story should be told - get in touch at Ken@StrategicHorizonsConsulting.com

This show is brought to you by Strategic Horizons Consulting (a division of Ken Collins Marketing).

Support the show

Send us a text

It's all about InterWest Concepts

We trace how a radio lifer (David Mills) and a systems-savvy producer (Ren Harris) built a genre-hopping Sunday show on KSJE by mixing curiosity, comfort, and live-to-tape honesty. Partnership, process, and community ties fuel a steady climb past 135K downloads while keeping the joy intact.

• origin story from bakery to broadcast
• KSJE partnership as music licensing workaround
• why a new genre each week keeps curiosity high
• planning in small bursts to beat burnout
• minimal editing for authenticity and pace
• community roots, sponsors, and local pride
• navigating Sunday-morning-friendly playlists
• vulnerability, nerves, and trusting the process
• advice for new creators: iterate and don’t quit
• goals for 10 seasons, guest hosts, and fresh themes

What happens when a radio veteran and an old-soul producer refuse to pick a lane? You get a Sunday morning staple that flips formats on purpose, blends radio’s warmth with podcast freedom, and keeps growing because curiosity is the point — not the problem.

We sit down with David and Ren of InterWest Concepts to unpack a story that zigzags from high school radio to a hometown bakery and back into broadcast — this time as a hybrid radio-podcast airing first on KSJE. They share the savvy workaround that lets them play the music they love without breaking the bank on licensing, and why their “KSJE’s Sunday Morning Wake Up Call” never repeats the same genre twice in a row. One week it’s ’70s country, the next it’s punk, then glam, then Japanese City Pop — and somehow the throughline still feels like home.

Behind the scenes, the engine is a real partnership: equal say, small-but-mighty systems, and a commitment to record like it’s live. They map five new show ideas after each session, spend ten minutes every other day seeding playlists, and only edit for hard errors. The rest stays in — the missed cues, the laughter, the unexpected pivots — because authenticity beats polish when you’re building trust. Community threads through everything: local sponsors, listener emails, and the joy of being a familiar voice on a station that knows your name. They’re honest about burnout and nerves, too, and how they keep momentum when ideas run dry (including a standing offer: pitch a fresh theme they haven’t done and earn $100 if it makes the cut).

If you love radio that feels alive, podcasting that respects your time, and music discovery that stretches your taste without snapping it, this one’s for you. Hear how a format-agnostic show crossed 135K downloads, why Sunday-morning playlists still find an edge, and what it takes to build a legacy you’d be proud to leave your grandkids. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves music rabbit holes, and leave a review with the next genre you want them to explore. Your idea might be the next opening track.

Be sure to follow or subscribe! And, if you're a local business owner who'd like to be featured - or know someone whose story should be told - get in touch at Ken@StrategicHorizonsConsulting.com

This show is brought to you by Strategic Horizons Consulting (a division of Ken Collins Marketing).

Support the show

Send us a text

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Behind the Counter, a podcast that explores the authentic stories of small businesses in the Four Corners region. Host Ken Collins introduces the show's mission to uncover the real narratives of local entrepreneurs—their grit, growth, setbacks, and creativity that don't make it into their marketing.

• Weekly conversations with business owners about their behind-the-scenes experiences
• Focus on startup stories, motivations, systems, strategies, and ongoing challenges
• Authentic discussions without polish or performance—just real people doing real work
• Content for both business owners and community members who value local enterprises
• Opportunity to learn about the people behind the businesses you frequent

If you know a business that deserves to be featured, or if that business is yours, visit strategichorizonsconsulting.com or betterbizhelp.com and find the podcast link in the main menu to get in touch.

Be sure to follow or subscribe! And, if you're a local business owner who'd like to be featured - or know someone whose story should be told - get in touch at Ken@StrategicHorizonsConsulting.com

This show is brought to you by Strategic Horizons Consulting (a division of Ken Collins Marketing).