August 1, 2025 • 9 mins
Bubba Startz introduces Veronica Grosek, who shares insights into her background and role within the Chamber. They discuss the Chamber's year-round responsibilities, emphasizing event preparation and its significance. Veronica highlights the transition to creating comprehensive lists and magazine publications, offering a deeper understanding of their operations. The conversation shifts to expectations for rally attendance, providing additional information on how these events come together. The episode offers listeners a glimpse into the meticulous planning and coordination that goes into successful event management, while also shedding light on the importance of community engagement.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
Welcome into a very exciting episode of thescene.
I am your host, Bubba Starts.
And with me today from the Sturgis Chamber ofCommerce is Veronica Grossig.
Veronica, welcome to the show.
Hi.
Thanks for having me.
It's my pleasure.
You're gonna be a busy girl here.
Well, you probably already are.
Yeah.
But, Sturgis is right around the corner.
(00:23):
I wanted to give the chamber a chance to talkabout some things that, you have going on,
obviously, during the week.
But we're gonna chat also about what you guysare doing over there year round to promote the
city of Sturgis.
So, without too much ado, why don't you give usa little bit of your background with the
chamber and in Sturgis, and then we'll pick itup from there.
Okay.
Sure.
(00:43):
Well, I've been here at the chamber as theexecutive director now for going on seven
years.
And this, for me, is a job that really blendsmy love of supporting the community and, you
putting on events and having music and thattype of thing and supporting businesses with
just making a living.
(01:04):
So for me, it's the best of both worlds, andnot many people can say the same thing.
But, yeah, I I come from a a background here inSturgis.
My family has a organic farm, Bear ButteGardens, just northeast of town, and, I've
kinda worked in the area and elsewhere before Icame to the chamber.
And your family are such beautiful people.
(01:24):
I I've been working, with with your parents onthe old Bicycle and Arts Music Festival way
back when.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That was a great time.
God.
It seemed just a whole lifetime ago, it feelslike, sometimes.
And, obviously, your brother plays a lot ofmusic around that area as well.
Shout out to Mike Grossick.
Yep.
So, obviously, a a huge supporter of events,music, and sports wise.
(01:52):
You talked about the organic farm.
You guys are really, really cool people, and Ilove that you've always taken it upon you as,
really, as a whole family to promote the cityof Sturgis and what it means outside of Rally.
I I think a lot of people obviously know thename because of the motorcycle rally, but,
(02:12):
really, you have this thriving community thatis always there.
It's not just a, you know, one week of the yeartown.
We have this community of artists and artisansthat are in the area that you get to promote
year round.
Yep.
Absolutely.
Yep.
As a chamber of commerce, we support the thebigger business like the Loud American, you
(02:35):
know, the new gas monkey here.
But we also do the little artisans, like youwere saying, the smaller bands.
We help them meet the community, meet thebusinesses, and grow into bigger and better
things.
So, yeah, we're really lucky to be able to workwith all types all types of business people and
support all of that.
So as executive director, what does your rallyweek look like?
(02:58):
Are you making appearances, or are you prettymuch stationed right at the welcome center and
being the welcome committee?
Yeah.
I keep a pretty low profile for sure.
Their chamber doesn't organize the rally in anofficial capacity, but we do run the official
welcome center of Sturgis.
So our main job is to just greet our guests,make sure they have all the information they
(03:18):
need.
We're putting together a comprehensive vendormap this year.
We are also putting together comprehensiveevent lists across all venues.
So that has been a big undertaking, and all ofthat will go in a visitor information booklet
that we can hand out throughout the week.
So we're just really trying to make people'slives easier, make it more organized so that
(03:38):
they can have a great time throughout Rally.
And then, of course, I love to go out and seemusic and stuff and check out check out all the
fun stuff going on too.
Well and I will speak from personal experience.
You have a digital version of thesecomprehensive lists, and that's really how I
kinda built the scene project's list ofappearances, was I was able to finally go to
one and still using the individual venues, youknow, lists as well to kinda juxtapose times
(04:05):
and different things.
But you did a great job of assembling by venuewhat they had going on each and every day of
the rally, and I've never seen anything likethat in all of my years of going to the rally
and, you know, living out there andexperiencing it that there was never one place
to go to to say, hey.
This day, this is what's happening across theboard, and, it's a huge undertaking because
(04:31):
there's just so much, especially in the eightyfifth annual this year.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
I also noticed in my years at the chamber,like, where do you where do you go as a visitor
to find the information about every venue?
How can you see every concert going on in town?
And I realized that there really isn'tanything.
So I was like, well, we're the welcome center.
(04:51):
We should do it.
So that's how that's how it came about, kind offrom personal need, trying to plan out my week
like you are and and help our guests.
Did you face any challenges, during thatprocess process of assembling this thing, like
reaching out to venues?
So, you know, was everybody pretty much onboard and thinking that this was a great thing,
or were there some that were like, No.
(05:13):
It's pretty it's pretty easy.
We have a great relationship with most of thebusinesses here town.
They're most of them are chamber members, so weinteract with them on a regular basis for
events throughout the year.
Some of them that are a little harder to getget in touch with.
I mean, we can just pull stuff off theirwebsite if we need to.
It doesn't have to be a a drawn out process.
You know?
We just we grab it when we see it.
(05:34):
We put on put it on the list, and and we justhave a great relationship with all of them.
Yeah.
The hardest part is just the initiative.
They're like, hey.
We're gonna do this.
Yeah.
It's a lot of elbow grease, a lot of just busywork, punching it all in, double checking it,
triple checking it.
And then the rally is one of those beasts of anevent that it doesn't matter how much you try
(05:55):
and prepare for it.
It changes day by day.
There's so much information and so many vendorsthat you don't know about till you get here,
and that's just its nature.
So we're continuing to update things andprovide updated information to visitors every
single day of the rally.
This is the first year that you've done thesecomprehensive lists?
Yep.
It is.
(06:15):
Yep.
So this is a real trial year, so bear with us.
We're definitely not gonna have 100%.
But, hopefully, after this year, thecampgrounds, the venues, the restaurants, the
vendors will will see it, and they'll reach outto us to make sure that we have updated
information more and more moving forward aswell.
Yeah.
Almost like the official Sturgis magazine iswhat this is becoming, it seems like.
(06:37):
Oh, we we actually do have a year roundmagazine called five seven seven eight five.
So we just published our third year of it.
And if you have a chance to check that out,it's got articles about our restaurants, our
ranchers, everything going on year round,including rally activities.
Fantastic.
Well, I had seen the publication, but I didn'trealize it was part of the chamber.
(06:59):
So how cool.
I I love these really awesome initiatives thatyou're taking.
And, really, it's it's not I mean, yes, it issomething that you do.
You are the chamber.
It is your job to promote these businesses, butI feel like you're going really above and
beyond to provide something different andsomething that's necessary.
(07:21):
So I really commend you for taking theinitiative to do it and putting the elbow
grease in to get it done.
Oh, thank you.
Yeah.
It's definitely a labor of love.
There's a there's a standard that you could beat as a chamber, but, I mean, we wanna keep
pushing that pushing that bar further andfurther and doing more and more every year to
make it a better community.
(07:42):
When you're just in such a unique positionbecause Sturgis is what it is, it's not you
know, I live in a town of a thousand people.
We have a little chamber of commerce as well,but we're never taking on something of the
likes of the Sturgis motorcycle rally, which Iguess I mean, I'm assuming the estimates for
this year's attendance have to have to bebreaching a million people this year.
(08:04):
Yeah.
I I haven't heard any official numbers from thecity offices, city hall, but I think it's gonna
be a big one.
I can say that I went down to see my brotherplay in the Tyler Bills trio last night at the
Loud American, and usually the Monday beforethe rally, there's some people it's starting to
heat up a bit, but it felt like full on rallythis year.
(08:24):
So I don't know what it's gonna be like nextweek, but I think it's gonna be big.
Well, big shout out to Tyler Bills and and hisband as well.
Huge fan.
I think we're probably gonna end up runninginto each other while I'm in Sturgis just
because we have similar taste in music.
So, Veronica, where can people find more aboutthe chamber?
(08:44):
Where can they get the list?
And, where can they stop and see you and therest of the chamber gang when they get into
Sturgis?
Sure.
Yep.
All of the information is right on the homepageof our website.
You can go to sturgisareachamber.com.
There's a link to the the comprehensive vendormap, a link to the event list, and then we have
a little adventure guide as well that kindahelps you plan out your stay if you haven't
(09:07):
been before, plus all the rest of our yearround stuff and our business directory.
And then if you want to call us or email uswith questions, you can always do that.
You can just quick Google search.
You can find that info.
And we are located on Junction Avenue, justnorth of the hospital in Sturgis.
Fantastic.
Well, Veronica, thank you for all the hard workyou've put into these lists.
(09:30):
They were a huge help to me in planning out theSCENE projects rally week.
And thank you for being part of the SCENE.
Of course.
Thank you.
It was great.
Welcome into a very exciting episode of thescene.
I am your host, Bubba Starts.
And with me today from the Sturgis Chamber ofCommerce is Veronica Grossig.
Veronica, welcome to the show.
Hi.
Thanks for having me.
It's my pleasure.
You're gonna be a busy girl here.
Well, you probably already are.
Yeah.
But, Sturgis is right around the corner.
(00:23):
I wanted to give the chamber a chance to talkabout some things that, you have going on,
obviously, during the week.
But we're gonna chat also about what you guysare doing over there year round to promote the
city of Sturgis.
So, without too much ado, why don't you give usa little bit of your background with the
chamber and in Sturgis, and then we'll pick itup from there.
Okay.
Sure.
(00:43):
Well, I've been here at the chamber as theexecutive director now for going on seven
years.
And this, for me, is a job that really blendsmy love of supporting the community and, you
putting on events and having music and thattype of thing and supporting businesses with
just making a living.
(01:04):
So for me, it's the best of both worlds, andnot many people can say the same thing.
But, yeah, I I come from a a background here inSturgis.
My family has a organic farm, Bear ButteGardens, just northeast of town, and, I've
kinda worked in the area and elsewhere before Icame to the chamber.
And your family are such beautiful people.
(01:24):
I I've been working, with with your parents onthe old Bicycle and Arts Music Festival way
back when.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That was a great time.
God.
It seemed just a whole lifetime ago, it feelslike, sometimes.
And, obviously, your brother plays a lot ofmusic around that area as well.
Shout out to Mike Grossick.
Yep.
So, obviously, a a huge supporter of events,music, and sports wise.
(01:52):
You talked about the organic farm.
You guys are really, really cool people, and Ilove that you've always taken it upon you as,
really, as a whole family to promote the cityof Sturgis and what it means outside of Rally.
I I think a lot of people obviously know thename because of the motorcycle rally, but,
(02:12):
really, you have this thriving community thatis always there.
It's not just a, you know, one week of the yeartown.
We have this community of artists and artisansthat are in the area that you get to promote
year round.
Yep.
Absolutely.
Yep.
As a chamber of commerce, we support the thebigger business like the Loud American, you
(02:35):
know, the new gas monkey here.
But we also do the little artisans, like youwere saying, the smaller bands.
We help them meet the community, meet thebusinesses, and grow into bigger and better
things.
So, yeah, we're really lucky to be able to workwith all types all types of business people and
support all of that.
So as executive director, what does your rallyweek look like?
(02:58):
Are you making appearances, or are you prettymuch stationed right at the welcome center and
being the welcome committee?
Yeah.
I keep a pretty low profile for sure.
Their chamber doesn't organize the rally in anofficial capacity, but we do run the official
welcome center of Sturgis.
So our main job is to just greet our guests,make sure they have all the information they
(03:18):
need.
We're putting together a comprehensive vendormap this year.
We are also putting together comprehensiveevent lists across all venues.
So that has been a big undertaking, and all ofthat will go in a visitor information booklet
that we can hand out throughout the week.
So we're just really trying to make people'slives easier, make it more organized so that
(03:38):
they can have a great time throughout Rally.
And then, of course, I love to go out and seemusic and stuff and check out check out all the
fun stuff going on too.
Well and I will speak from personal experience.
You have a digital version of thesecomprehensive lists, and that's really how I
kinda built the scene project's list ofappearances, was I was able to finally go to
one and still using the individual venues, youknow, lists as well to kinda juxtapose times
(04:05):
and different things.
But you did a great job of assembling by venuewhat they had going on each and every day of
the rally, and I've never seen anything likethat in all of my years of going to the rally
and, you know, living out there andexperiencing it that there was never one place
to go to to say, hey.
This day, this is what's happening across theboard, and, it's a huge undertaking because
(04:31):
there's just so much, especially in the eightyfifth annual this year.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
I also noticed in my years at the chamber,like, where do you where do you go as a visitor
to find the information about every venue?
How can you see every concert going on in town?
And I realized that there really isn'tanything.
So I was like, well, we're the welcome center.
(04:51):
We should do it.
So that's how that's how it came about, kind offrom personal need, trying to plan out my week
like you are and and help our guests.
Did you face any challenges, during thatprocess process of assembling this thing, like
reaching out to venues?
So, you know, was everybody pretty much onboard and thinking that this was a great thing,
or were there some that were like, No.
(05:13):
It's pretty it's pretty easy.
We have a great relationship with most of thebusinesses here town.
They're most of them are chamber members, so weinteract with them on a regular basis for
events throughout the year.
Some of them that are a little harder to getget in touch with.
I mean, we can just pull stuff off theirwebsite if we need to.
It doesn't have to be a a drawn out process.
You know?
We just we grab it when we see it.
(05:34):
We put on put it on the list, and and we justhave a great relationship with all of them.
Yeah.
The hardest part is just the initiative.
They're like, hey.
We're gonna do this.
Yeah.
It's a lot of elbow grease, a lot of just busywork, punching it all in, double checking it,
triple checking it.
And then the rally is one of those beasts of anevent that it doesn't matter how much you try
(05:55):
and prepare for it.
It changes day by day.
There's so much information and so many vendorsthat you don't know about till you get here,
and that's just its nature.
So we're continuing to update things andprovide updated information to visitors every
single day of the rally.
This is the first year that you've done thesecomprehensive lists?
Yep.
It is.
(06:15):
Yep.
So this is a real trial year, so bear with us.
We're definitely not gonna have 100%.
But, hopefully, after this year, thecampgrounds, the venues, the restaurants, the
vendors will will see it, and they'll reach outto us to make sure that we have updated
information more and more moving forward aswell.
Yeah.
Almost like the official Sturgis magazine iswhat this is becoming, it seems like.
(06:37):
Oh, we we actually do have a year roundmagazine called five seven seven eight five.
So we just published our third year of it.
And if you have a chance to check that out,it's got articles about our restaurants, our
ranchers, everything going on year round,including rally activities.
Fantastic.
Well, I had seen the publication, but I didn'trealize it was part of the chamber.
(06:59):
So how cool.
I I love these really awesome initiatives thatyou're taking.
And, really, it's it's not I mean, yes, it issomething that you do.
You are the chamber.
It is your job to promote these businesses, butI feel like you're going really above and
beyond to provide something different andsomething that's necessary.
(07:21):
So I really commend you for taking theinitiative to do it and putting the elbow
grease in to get it done.
Oh, thank you.
Yeah.
It's definitely a labor of love.
There's a there's a standard that you could beat as a chamber, but, I mean, we wanna keep
pushing that pushing that bar further andfurther and doing more and more every year to
make it a better community.
(07:42):
When you're just in such a unique positionbecause Sturgis is what it is, it's not you
know, I live in a town of a thousand people.
We have a little chamber of commerce as well,but we're never taking on something of the
likes of the Sturgis motorcycle rally, which Iguess I mean, I'm assuming the estimates for
this year's attendance have to have to bebreaching a million people this year.
(08:04):
Yeah.
I I haven't heard any official numbers from thecity offices, city hall, but I think it's gonna
be a big one.
I can say that I went down to see my brotherplay in the Tyler Bills trio last night at the
Loud American, and usually the Monday beforethe rally, there's some people it's starting to
heat up a bit, but it felt like full on rallythis year.
(08:24):
So I don't know what it's gonna be like nextweek, but I think it's gonna be big.
Well, big shout out to Tyler Bills and and hisband as well.
Huge fan.
I think we're probably gonna end up runninginto each other while I'm in Sturgis just
because we have similar taste in music.
So, Veronica, where can people find more aboutthe chamber?
(08:44):
Where can they get the list?
And, where can they stop and see you and therest of the chamber gang when they get into
Sturgis?
Sure.
Yep.
All of the information is right on the homepageof our website.
You can go to sturgisareachamber.com.
There's a link to the the comprehensive vendormap, a link to the event list, and then we have
a little adventure guide as well that kindahelps you plan out your stay if you haven't
(09:07):
been before, plus all the rest of our yearround stuff and our business directory.
And then if you want to call us or email uswith questions, you can always do that.
You can just quick Google search.
You can find that info.
And we are located on Junction Avenue, justnorth of the hospital in Sturgis.
Fantastic.
Well, Veronica, thank you for all the hard workyou've put into these lists.
(09:30):
They were a huge help to me in planning out theSCENE projects rally week.
And thank you for being part of the SCENE.
Of course.
Thank you.
It was great.
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