What did the scholarship allow you to do that you otherwise wouldn’t have done?
If it weren’t for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, I would never have attended Butler, a decision that has expanded my horizons beyond belief. Within my first two months at Butler, I had lined up a dream internship thanks to a speaker who visited campus. This led me to live in Washington, DC, this past summer and has opened up an immense number of doors and connections.

What do you love about Indiana?
After spending a summer in DC, I realized just how special the Hoosier state is to me. I love the colorful sunsets, the small towns, and the focus on family first. Indiana is my home, and I plan to keep it that way. I couldn’t be more proud or excited for this little “fly-over” state’s future because if you live here, you know just how special it truly is. I am proud to be a Hoosier, not because of the 500, or our small-town rankings, but because of the millions of Hoosiers across the state who work tirelessly to make Indiana the best place to live. Nothing beats Hoosier hospitality.

What’s a change you’d like to see in your community/our state?
I think there’s a misconception that your dreams have to be limited depending on where you live. Indiana is quite literally at the center of our country; there is a reason we are called the Crossroads of America. So often, I see dreams dwindle as “reality” sets in. I hope that as our state grows and our small towns continue to develop, we will collectively encourage young entrepreneurs and go-getters to pursue their dreams. Innovation and creativity are the backbone of progress, and we should encourage all ages to be ambitious and take a chance. By fostering a mindset of innovation, we can keep our future generations here in Indiana and create better communities for all. 

As the Principal of Babble Media, can you share the inspiration behind founding the company and your vision for its role in the digital media landscape?
Babble Media was founded as a way for my partner in life and business, Emily Brown, and I to merge our passion for storytelling and civics with our skills in videography, design, and content production. Since February 2022, we have been providing a range of clients with content creation services and have produced Emmy and Telly Award-winning content.  Babble has become our passion and life goal as our professional careers have continued through internships and other opportunities. 

Babble Media is a creative agency targeted to industry experts and political leaders. I’ve previously worked on Senator Todd Young’s reelection campaign and his DC office, producing content seen by hundreds of thousands of Indiana residents. This time, working hands-on in government, solidified Babble’s goal and market. We want to revolutionize the digital media landscape for political campaigns and help invigorate strong leaders through content. 

What sets us apart is our focus on short-form video content. Short-form content is the present and the future of digital. Traditional political advertisers aren’t providing digital content in short-form or vertical packages. We will break down that wall and revolutionize the political advertising industry by providing traditional and modern advertising services that are optimized for all platforms.

What is Babble Media’s mission? 
Babble Media aims to create content for the nation’s leading change makers. We want to prove that it does not take a DC address to get the job done and that Hoosier Hospitality, combined with top-tier digital content, can create a nationally recognized company right here in the heart of Indiana. Our priority is to get strong leaders who care about kitchen-table issues and a bright future elected across the country. We will achieve this with award-winning digital content.

What inspired you to start a business while still in college?
I actually started my first company during my junior year of high school, and as I headed to college, this was the logical next step. I have always believed that hands-on experience is the greatest form of learning. Through the creation of Babble Media, I have been able to practice my craft everyday, apply my skill set, and get a head start on my professional journey.

How did you balance the demands of running a business and your academic responsibilities?
It is not easy to balance a business, school, and internships. Normally it means sacrificing some traditional college experiences. I’ve been working on weekends, staying up late to meet deadlines, and gradually shifting my focus from campus extracurriculars to Babble over the last three years. I would not trade this decision for anything. I know that this is what I want to do upon graduation, and getting an extra two years of connections, experience, and clientele is an invaluable head start. Without the last nearly two years of business experience, I would not be secure enough to go into Babble full-time upon graduation.

Where do you see Babble Media in 10 years? 
In 10 years, I see Babble Media as one of the country’s top political creative firms. Although we plan on keeping our roots right here in Indiana, there will be a network of creators across the country under the Babble name. These creators will craft content for gubernatorial, senate, congressional, and presidential candidates. We will have scaled from a strictly digital content business into commercial production and full-service digital advertisers. We aim to keep a small, skilled team focusing on consistently high-quality content that drives results.

First posted 2/5/2024