Hospitality Hotdish with Bo Bigelow

Bo Bigelow with the MN Ski Area Association joins me on the pod to talk about fish casserole, finding the nuance in legislation, and something called the 4th grade passport.

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Hello, and welcome to hospitality hat dish fresh
from the oven. I am Kate Con vice
President of Strategic partnerships here at Hospitality, Minnesota,
which is a member driven organization dedicated to
educating, supporting and advocating for Minnesota hospitality industry.
What you can expect from the Hot shore,
conversations with restaurants, hotels, resorts, campground grounds, and

(00:24):
the Allied members who support those businesses in
the state. We release a new episode every
Thursday so be on the lookout for those.
Speaking of which you can find the just
about anywhere you can download a podcast. We
even put them up on Youtube, so check
us out, and don't forget to leave a
5 star review. So that the algorithm gets
us in front of other awesome people, just
like you. With me today is Bo Big

(00:45):
with the Minnesota ski Area
Association, Bo, say hi, let the audience here
your voice? Hello. Thanks for having me.
Very happy to. Alright. So we're gonna jump
right in, Bo. What is your favorite hot
dish? Your anything with seafood.
That is not what I was expecting.
Need somebody from 1 of the coals. From

(01:06):
New England, the coastal state. I just love
seafood and
moving out here,
just getting to experience a different kind of
seafood that's out here. The fresh fresh freshwater
seafood from the reverse the salt water.
That is a really good observation, but I
would not necessarily put seafood into a hot
dish.
I've I'm sure... I mean, other than Tuna

(01:27):
casserole, which is a thing, obviously. But
it's not... It's not what you're thinking. I
I don't think. No.
I mean, any kind of any kind of
meaty fish or
can
be mixed in with pasta and it and
potato and it's just really nice. It's a
really great consistency and taste.
Now I need to go find that. I

(01:47):
need to
investigate that because that sounds really good, actually.
Is.
Alright. Thank you very much for that. I...
This is where I get all my recipes
from. I'm asked swear guy.
That's great. Alright. But, in terms of hospitality,
what is your why?
There are a couple of them,

(02:07):
I think
I think for me, the biggest 1 is
it helps develop a sense of community.
And
having grown up in a kind of in
a tourist area,
on New York, getting to see all sorts
of diversity,
in terms of, like, people I got to
work with, the get, people that came out
to visit where we lived and kinda of

(02:29):
got to be at the tourist
It just was a really the interesting way
to kind of meet people and kind of
the... Set... We were able to show off
our community and got to get understand the
sense of other people's community. So
And the other... The other big piece is
it was just something my family like, we
love taking vacations together, and we love traveling
together, we without experiencing different things.

(02:51):
So as I kinda grew up,
getting to work in the hospitality industry just
sort of became a natural fit because it
was something I have a passion for. And,
I mean, who does it love to get
to work in a field that they're passionate
about?
Absolutely correct. Is it where did you grow
up? I grew up on Eastern Island in
new York.

(03:11):
Wow. Weigh out on the tip then? Yep.
But. 20 miles,
20 miles from Mont talks a small small
little village called Saga.
Alright. I spent some time on the East
coast. I've heard of it. I've never been
there, but I've heard of it. It's gorgeous
and a lot of potato farms.
I don't think of Long island and farming

(03:31):
at all ever. That's not what I... Wow.
Alright. Well, thank you.
I'm... I need to take a minute to
process that, and I think we're gonna take
a break while I do that. Okay.
Welcome back everybody, Bo with the Minnesota Ski
Area Association. What's your favorite Minnesota Escape?

(03:55):
That's a hard 1. I mean, 1 of
the things I love about my job is
I've got members all across the state. So
as I've gotten to travel to all the
all the different parts of the state visiting
my members and getting to know them.
It's been a great opportunity, especially for a
new person to the state. I mean, my
job takes me all over. But I think
my favorite place I've been to,

(04:17):
just because it...
There's something about it is still water. I
just love going down there in the summer
and city go out sitting at 1 of
the restaurants outside along on the river on
the street, just people watching.
Just a really fun energy and a nice
way to kinda get away from downplayed the
Minneapolis area quickly. Yeah. I I am so
with you. There's so many great places in

(04:39):
the state to visit. It's hard to really
pick 1.
No. You're totally right, But,
my parents live in Aft.
And so when I was living on the
East Coast, whenever I would come home for
a a week or a long weekend, we
would always do a trip just still water
and just... You know, the antique stores and
then get left somewhere and
it's such a beautiful, adorable little town. I

(05:01):
love it. Yeah.
Hit
alright. Well, can you talk a little bit
about what you do for the Minnesota ski
area association, probably, a lot of people are,
like, what even is that?
That is true. I get that question a
lot.
So we're a member based organization and, my
job and the Association job is to represent
the interest. Of the Alpine skiing industry in

(05:22):
the state of Minnesota.
So we focus on governmental affairs,
working with the legislature policy,
the
elected officials
is a big part of the job, And
then we also worked on a lot of
risk management so that both our guest and
our employees,
are able to to enjoy

(05:43):
the sport in the safest way possible. So
we do a lot of
education and training with our members on best
practices,
helping develop,
safety protocols
for for our member members, And then another
big part of my job is I get
to talk about I get to talk about
skiing and tourism
in Minnesota on a regular basis. And I
think that's... I mean, that's the really fun

(06:05):
part of my job is, I mean, I
get to talk about
what I love every day. So...
So it... It's a lot of advocacy work.
It's a lot of
reading policy,
reading in both. Govern, like, legislation and insurance
policy.
It's not everyone's cup of tea, but it's
something I I love reading reading that kind

(06:26):
of stuff and helping
then helping
educate our members on what laws have changed
and how they can kind of
manage those changes within their business.
And the ski industry is kind of a
challenge because our
most laws
typically start on January first, which is in
the middle of our season. And it's 1

(06:47):
of our busiest into the year. So it
we try and kind of
understand what the changes are gonna need to
be beforehand earlier
Kind of on our onboarding process in October
and November. So sometimes we're a little... We're
ahead of, like, where state agencies might be
on their marketing materials or having information available.

(07:07):
So we end up having to create a
lot of that on our own and working...
We work in tandem with the agencies to
make sure what we're doing is in line
with what they're gonna be recommending, but it
it can be a little challenging, especially this
year with some of the some of the
changes coming
that were passed by the Minnesota legislature.
Yes. You know, it's... I was just thinking

(07:28):
it's no wonder that you and Jill get
along so well. Shout out to Jill Sims,
are... She been a fair person.
Yeah. Here at h. You guys have the
same hobby reading legislation.
We do. I don't I don't have many
people who are like,
Yeah. Can't wait to sink my teeth into
that bill.
People that work in governmental affairs do.

(07:51):
Yeah. I love it. But it's so cool
that you get to to marry the 2
parts of,
the things that you love into a job
that you get to, like, pay attention to
to these legislative things and and keep people
safe and make sure that your members
are compliant always. And you're right, the...
Minnesota does not always give a lot of
runway. Like, when Ess passed

(08:11):
late last year, the the start date was
January 1. And I think we have, like,
4, maybe 6 weeks
to be compliant if that, it was the
ballpark.
It was stressful.
It was. And it it was
and it and no... And this isn't to...
Anything against the agencies because the legislation wasn't

(08:34):
passed... They didn't have a lot of time
to implement it. Right. But it... There was
a lot of like, a lot of the
associations we're putting... We're really helping the agencies
develop the guidelines
because our members, we were trying to educate
our members because we...
We didn't want anybody come January 1 to
be in violation

(08:54):
because there's some... There were some fairly steep
penalties.
Yes.
And I think... I mean,
all,
so many of our... Many of the hospitality
businesses in Minnesota, they're all small family... Many
of them... Their small family businesses and everybody
wants to do with right by their employees.
And they want... Happy boys because happy employees

(09:14):
make for good guest experience and everything else
that goes along with hospitality.
But when we're adding this additional level stress
where there's quick turnaround time,
made or changes
we earn sick and save time and then
starting with the new fab, we medical leave
coming
next year and everything... And some of the

(09:35):
changes that we're facing this year with with
minimum wage changes and and the the the
fee bill,
it gets very challenging. And
the agencies are great to work with because
They they they do understand the challenges. And
sometimes,
legislators,
they see they they see the end goal.

(09:57):
And they they get what they want, they
want out of the bill. But they don't
understand that that 1 size fits all isn't
really
necessarily the answer and it's a lot more
nuanced. And sometimes nuance, the nuances are what
can be the most challenging thing at the
legislature because
there's a time crunch
in terms of people's availability,

(10:19):
plus we have a deadline of how many
of when the session has to end. So
it can definitely be a very it can
definitely be challenging.
Yeah. You know, it's funny. We were just
junk fees is the the bill that you
just referenced. Yep. And that's a Nickname. Nobody
here thinks that it's actually Josh That is
being tacked on. That's its nickname in the

(10:39):
legislature, and
the it... The the way that the bill
was written there is a lot of nuance.
Like, the the attorney general doesn't necessarily read
it the same way that the legislature does,
and they don't read it the same way
that we do, and we don't read it
this... Like, it's just there's a lot of
room for clarity, I think. Chris. And

(11:00):
that's not
that's not great when a bill is written
and it
it's such an it such a... A wide
reaching bill is written in a way that
there's so much confusion.
I mean, I've been having a lot of
conversations with people
different agencies, and I was on a call
in
2 people at 2 different agencies had 2

(11:23):
completely different
interpretations
and everybody on the call was just like.
Mh.
We really do... We all know what the
intent of the bill and everybody's like, with
the intent, but it's, like, yeah. That... That's
great. That's what the intent was, but this
is what you actually wrote. And this is
what you've actually passed.
So that's what we have to work off.

(11:45):
Yeah. And whether or not it's gonna involve
having the legislature come back in January. When
they come back into session and do a
technical fix.
But the challenge is, the law goes into
effect January first, the legislature doesn't come back
or until after that. So there's a winter.
And there's there's there's enforcement action, and there
can be in some of the way that

(12:06):
the enforcement action exists
it's very easy to report a business. And
for a very minor
mission
and.
Now a sudden, you have an enforcement action
by the attorney general's office
on a bill that nobody
nobody's a hundred percent
clear on what piece is supposed to be

(12:27):
1.
Yep. Hundred percent correct. So so given all
of that, my next question is really... Dumb,
what keeps you up at night?
Well,
there are a few things.
Weather?
Is definitely what the navigate Right?
Obviously, we're coming off a very abnormal winter.

(12:51):
In the 20 23
24
ski season, and
there were a lot of businesses that hospitality
businesses that were impacted by the by the
abnormal winter. So that that's that's the 1
that keeps seeing me out at night.
And then also,
knowing kind of keeping track of what the
legislature is doing. And then

(13:11):
once... Now that the session is over,
How do I help
educate my members and how do I help
advocate for my members so that they understand
what they're supposed to be doing? So
it's kind of... There's the 2 prongs. It's
the weather even in the summer, like, construction
season, if we... It's if it's rainy all
the time but delays our construction. So weather

(13:32):
definitely keeping me up, and then
legislation and policy
and regulations are the other piece. And
and it's all really because I just wanna
advocate the best I possibly can do for
my members and working with organizations like,
like yours hospitality, Minnesota, the Minnesota chamber of
commerce are the great organizations and we're all

(13:53):
kind of... We're all doing the same thing.
We're all advocating for our ever and what
I love about this is... And I and
I've been in this in this kind of
industry for 20 plus years is
how
in Minnesota, how many organizations are willing to
work with each other. And
we are able to identify issues that we
all are common grounds on, and then we

(14:14):
just
full charge
that issue. And we can put aside things
we might disagree on pretty easily and then
still advocate for those independently. But when there's
an issue, that we can all that impacts
all of us. I love how Minnesota 8
auto organizations are all working together.
Hundred percent agree with you. There isn't a
lot of ego that gets in the way

(14:35):
I have found. Now I've only been in
Minnesota, the last 8 months. I grew up
here, but then I spent 20 years accidentally
on the East Coast.
And so I've only been back a little
while, but I have found
what you just said to be fully true.
Not not a lot of egos get in
the way when things need to happen, people
just roll up their sleeves and help. Yep.

(14:56):
I totally agree.
I moved out here in 20 19,
and took over this position June of 20
20 during the pandemic. So
It was at a very very interesting time
today the Current an association during the pandemic.
I can't even imagine. That's incredible.
Good for you.
Anything...

(15:16):
Anything that you'd like to promote coming up?
I think... I mean, 1 of the things
that I'm most?
I get most excited by and by our...
That our organization does is we've got a
a program called our fourth grade passport.
That allows
any fourth grader
any any student who's a fourth grader it
doesn't matter where they live to ski

(15:37):
or snow board for free in the state
of Minnesota. There's a
small processing fee to get the pass. But
then from there, the...
Fourth grader gets to
ski or Snow board,
for free at the members of the... At
the Minnesota Ski Association members. And it... It's
a great way to kind of help families
get out and enjoy winter.

(15:58):
Obviously, it's 1 of our longest seasons. And
there's so much to do outside in the
winter and skiing and snow snowboarding is a
great great opportunity. It's a great way for
families to just... Go out and have some
fun ski for a little bit and then
sit sit in the cha and have a
cup of hot cocoa or cookie or brownie.
That sounds fantastic.

(16:19):
Oh my gosh. What a cool thing. I'm
jealous of the fourth graders, and I feel
bad for the third and the fifth graders
sneakers.
Well, there's a lot of... There there there
are other programs
as as kids get a little bit older
at the fifth sixth and seventh 3 that
a lot of
lot of
community
or school groups run. So there's a lot

(16:40):
of other ways for Right. Fourth grade was
just a great. It was an opportunity that
we saw as a as a kind of
lacking an opportunity, so we wanted to create
that for people.
I love that. You saw a space and
you were like we should fix that. Yeah.
That's amazing.
I love it. How how can people get
in touch with you if they need to?
They can visit our website, which is

(17:02):
ski and board m n dot com.
From there, they can... Out, our phone number's
on there or they can send me an
email or fill out 1 of our online
contact forms. But
website is probably the best way to get
in touch with me.
Fantastic.
With the Minnesota ski Area Association. Thank you
so much for joining me today. Yes. You're
great.

(17:23):
It has been. I feel like I learned
a lot. And for all of you out
there listening, we will see you next time.
Bye.