About
Jason Duff is the Founder of Small Nation. He leads the Small Nation team in developing…
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Jason Duff reposted thisJason Duff reposted this🎙 Video marketing expert Ethan Dewhurst joins episode 109 of the Small Nation Podcast! In this episode entrepreneur, content creator, and marketer Ethan Dewhurst talks about using storytelling, social media, and content to help small businesses build awareness, social proof, and revenue. Ethan shares lessons from his path from Champion City Media in Springfield, Ohio, to ventures like Vohnt, Inc., the DewBricks LEGO channel, and Dewz Crew, and how businesses and communities can use content to reach new audiences. Check out the preview below and click here to listen: https://lnkd.in/gA_ppCbi You can also find the Small Nation Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. 👀 Watch at: https://lnkd.in/g4dE7sjD The Small Nation Podcast is brought to you by CoverLink Insurance.
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Jason Duff shared thisI’ve always loved speaking. It’s an opportunity to connect, inspire change and gain audience feedback and reactions. It’s a unique energy bonding with a live group of people.Jason Duff shared this🎤 SMALL TOWNS. BIG IDEAS. REAL RESULTS. Looking for a speaker who can help your audience see new possibilities—and take action? Small Nation Founder & CEO Jason Duff brings lessons from building businesses and revitalizing downtown Bellefontaine to the stage, sharing stories, practical strategies and fresh perspectives on what’s possible in your community. His keynote presentations and thought leadership explore: 🏘️ Downtown Revitalization: Turning vacant buildings into opportunities for entrepreneurs, investment and community pride. 💡 Entrepreneurship & Small Business Success: Helping local businesses launch, grow and become destinations. 🚗 Tourism & Destination Development: Giving people a reason to stop—and enough reasons to stay. 🤝 Economic & Community Development: Building places where people want to live, work, visit and invest. 🏛️ Preservation & Innovation: Protecting what makes a community special while making room for new ideas. 📍 Placemaking, Branding & Signage: How small details and memorable experiences can create a big impact. From chambers and tourism organizations to municipal leaders, economic development groups and entrepreneurs, Jason challenges audiences to think bigger about small towns—and gives them ideas they can bring home. Planning your next conference, leadership gathering or community event? Let’s talk. 👉 Explore Small Nation’s speaking and event opportunities. Contact us to share more about your event today. www.smallnation.com #SmallNationStrong #KeynoteSpeaker #DowntownRevitalization #Entrepreneurship #CommunityDevelopment
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Jason Duff reposted thisJason Duff reposted this🎙 Episode 108 of the Small Nation Podcast welcomes regional leaders from the U.S. Small Business Administration. In this episode, Jason Duff is joined by Regional Administrator Brad Zaun, State Director Terry A. Bolden, and business advocate Andrew Coffield, for a conversation on entrepreneurship, small-business resources, and community revitalization. The discussion explores what it takes to build strong entrepreneurial communities, the resources available through the SBA, and practical lessons on leadership, disaster recovery, government contracting, relationship building, and asking for help. Check out the preview below and click here to listen: https://lnkd.in/gGpUnVXk You can also find the Small Nation Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. 👀 Watch at: https://lnkd.in/gm6J_rXQ The Small Nation Podcast is brought to you by CoverLink Insurance.
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Jason Duff shared thisRural communities are not short on ideas or talent. Sometimes we just need to think differently about how we unlock them. Today, I had the privilege being a keynote at the Rural Development Summit at Marietta College. Big thanks to President Kathleen Poorman Dougherty for the warm welcome and to Michelle Jeitler and the Center for Appalachian Innovation team for pulling together such a thoughtful mix of voices. I enjoyed hearing from Brandon Dennison of Marshall University and connecting with leaders across business, education, and government, including Candidate for Lt. Gov David Pepper and State Rep Brian Stewart. The future of rural America is something that won’t be built by one person or policy but by all of us. Entrepreneurs, educators, public leaders, and community folks working together and rolling up our sleeves. Thank you again for including Small Nation in this important conversation.
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Jason Duff shared thisI had a great day with the Rossford team! Today we hosted members of City Council, Village Administrator Allyson Murray, Rossford Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Beth Jensen, and a vibrant group of building and business owners for a tour and conversation in Downtown Bellefontaine. Rossford has such a cool story. Founded along the Maumee River as a glass-making town, its Libbey-Owens-Ford glass helped shape America — including the windows of the Empire State Building! Even the name “Rossford” comes from founder Edward Ford and his wife Caroline Ross. We loved the energy, questions and ideas this group brought with them. There’s a lot to build on when a community has great history, great people and leaders excited about its future. We’re excited to be working alongside Rossford and can’t wait to see what’s next!
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Jason Duff shared thisWe did a thing today… and it’s already making a BIG splash in Downtown Bellefontaine. An authentic British phone booth has officially landed on Main Street — but we gave this piece of history a little Bellefontaine twist. We painted it PINK! Beautifully restored and finished by Lima Powder Coating, this bright, cheerful piece of British history is ready for a whole new life in Downtown Bellefontaine. Because placemaking isn’t just about how a place looks — it’s about how a place makes you feel. It’s the surprise. The unexpected. The thing that makes you stop, smile, take a picture and create a memory. We can’t wait to decorate it, have fun with it and watch it become part of thousands of Downtown Bellefontaine memories.
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Jason Duff shared thisToday was one of those days that reminded me why I love this work so much. We officially celebrated the opening of Bloom & Buzz Alley in Downtown Bellefontaine—and seeing this little idea come to life was pretty special. A huge thank you to Kristie Herlong of Dorcey’s Flowers for the beautiful flower bar, Erika Davis of Nate’s Nectar for the delicious honey-inspired treats, and all of the placemaking friends who traveled from around Ohio to celebrate with us. And especially to our incredibly talented muralist, Jaden Starry of Starry Studios in Troy. Nearly 30 days and 130 hours of painting, creativity and patience went into transforming this alley into something truly special. This is what placemaking is all about—taking an overlooked space, adding a little creativity and giving people another reason to stop, smile and experience our downtown. Come for the flowers. Stay for the buzz.
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Jason Duff shared thisSmall Nation was proud to help host the Greater Ohio Policy Center’s Legacy Cities Quarterly Roundtable, bringing together leaders from many of Ohio’s legacy communities to share ideas, challenges and what’s working back home. We loved the opportunity to share the Bellefontaine and Logan County story alongside Bellefontaine Mayor Dave Crissman, Safety Service Director Wes Dodds, and Logan County Chamber CEO Ben Vollrath — and even more, to learn from leaders doing incredible work across Ohio. A huge thank you to Alison D. Goebel and Aaron Clapper with the Greater Ohio Policy Center for continuing to bring communities together to learn, connect and collaborate. And special thanks to Aaron Montz and American Structurepoint sponsoring today’s lunch and helping make the gathering possible! There’s a lot of power in getting great people in the same room, sharing ideas and realizing we’re all working toward the same goal: stronger, more vibrant communities across Ohio.
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Jason Duff reposted thisJason Duff reposted thisGreat time today in Bellefontaine participating in the Greater Ohio Policy Center Legacy Cities Quarterly Roundtable. Always great to hear updates from many of Ohio’s small, but mighty cities and their leaders. Loved the deep dive on Bellefontaine and Logan County provided by Jason Duff with Small Nation and Chamber CEO Ben Vollrath. Huge thank you to Alison D. Goebel and Aaron Clapper for putting these vital roundtables together. I really appreciate you continuing to include me as a former mayor of one of Ohio’s legacy cities. We’re only stronger when we work together to elevate our communities
Jason Duff replied to a comment
1d
Holly Mattei , thanks for sharing and the kind words Holly! Drew, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much for participating in the day and don’t hesitate to reach out. You have an awesome University.
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Jason Duff liked thisJason Duff liked this🎙 Video marketing expert Ethan Dewhurst joins episode 109 of the Small Nation Podcast! In this episode entrepreneur, content creator, and marketer Ethan Dewhurst talks about using storytelling, social media, and content to help small businesses build awareness, social proof, and revenue. Ethan shares lessons from his path from Champion City Media in Springfield, Ohio, to ventures like Vohnt, Inc., the DewBricks LEGO channel, and Dewz Crew, and how businesses and communities can use content to reach new audiences. Check out the preview below and click here to listen: https://lnkd.in/gA_ppCbi You can also find the Small Nation Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. 👀 Watch at: https://lnkd.in/g4dE7sjD The Small Nation Podcast is brought to you by CoverLink Insurance.
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Jason Duff liked thisI'm excited to share some big news! 8 years ago I purchased the greatest RV company in the world: Harvest Hosts. I made a promise to the founders, Don and Kim, that I would take care of their baby and grow it with love. We grew our team from one to 74 fantastic employees who are the most caring and competent people I know. Those team members then grew the host network from 600 locations to over 11,000 of the most incredible overnight experiences in the US, Canada, and the UK. In turn, membership grew from 6,000 to over 300,000 RVers who are out living their best lives while supporting wonderful small businesses along the way. Our members have spent well over $100 million dollars with our hosts, keeping communities thriving for travelers to enjoy. And our work is not done yet! We are excited to announce that we have found a new long-term owner to continue driving our mission forward: Choice Hotels International will acquire the entire Harvest Hosts family of brands. With over 7,500 hotels in 49 countries and territories, Choice Hotels understands travel. Even better: approximately two million Choice Privileges members have participated in RV travel in the past 12 months. That shared audience gives us an exciting opportunity to introduce more RVers to Harvest Hosts and the incredible small businesses in our network. What isn’t changing is our mission and our dedication to our hosts, members, and employees. Harvest Hosts will become a wholly owned business within the Choice Hotels portfolio while continuing to operate as a standalone business, preserving our brand, product experience, leadership, and direct member and host relationships. Our team remains in place to continue doing what we love and what we are best at. And most importantly, the experience that makes Harvest Hosts special, connecting RVers with unique places to stay while supporting the small businesses that welcome them, will remain at the heart of what we do. With Choice Hotels, we share a love of the open road and the communities that make every journey memorable. Working together gives us an incredible opportunity to bring that experience to more people and accelerate our mission of creating millions of happier campers and communities. I’m extremely excited for this next chapter! Thank you to all of our wonderful hosts, members, employees and communities who have gotten us here! - JoelJason Duff liked thisChoice Hotels International is excited to announce we are acquiring Harvest Hosts, a community-oriented RV travel membership company that connects RVers with unique overnight experiences at thousands of unique host locations across North America — including wineries, farms, golf clubs and other attractions. This acquisition expands Choice’s long-standing focus on serving value-minded travelers into the dynamic outdoor travel market and brings together Choice Hotels’ scale, commercial capabilities and loyalty reach with Harvest Hosts’ distinctive platform and passionate community to uncover even more stay opportunities for both companies’ guests. We’re excited to welcome Harvest Hosts to the Choice Hotels family and look forward to growing together. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eY6Aquts #ChoiceHotels #HarvestHosts #RVtravel #RVlife
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Jason Duff liked thisIt’s not every day you get to celebrate with a family owned business and a few hundred associates opening a 512,000 square foot facility! Welcome to Findlay Sheetz!Jason Duff liked thisCongratulations to Sheetz as you prepare to go live with your new $169 million, 512,000-square-foot food production and distribution facility in Findlay! This is a huge win for our community. This investment is not only a significant job creator but also provided opportunities for local companies to contribute to the construction project, expands the infrastructure footprint on the north side of town for future projects, and brings to Findlay a family-owned company committed to supporting the local community. You can feel the excitement from Sheetz employees as they prepare for full operation - and what an incredible facility! We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and celebration. Welcome to Findlay! Check out our story in the comments. Regional Growth Partnership JobsOhio Christina Muryn Ohio Department of Development #EconomicDevelopment #InvestInFindlay #SiteSelection #FindlayFormula
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Jason Duff liked thisJason Duff liked thisCongrats to Sheryl Queen and Queen Exhibits on the expansion project and continued growth! Thank you for being a part of the Piqua business community! https://lnkd.in/gKXdvgP3Queen Exhibits to build new headquarters in Piqua following growth in trade show industryQueen Exhibits to build new headquarters in Piqua following growth in trade show industry
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Jason Duff liked thisRural communities are not short on ideas or talent. Sometimes we just need to think differently about how we unlock them. Today, I had the privilege being a keynote at the Rural Development Summit at Marietta College. Big thanks to President Kathleen Poorman Dougherty for the warm welcome and to Michelle Jeitler and the Center for Appalachian Innovation team for pulling together such a thoughtful mix of voices. I enjoyed hearing from Brandon Dennison of Marshall University and connecting with leaders across business, education, and government, including Candidate for Lt. Gov David Pepper and State Rep Brian Stewart. The future of rural America is something that won’t be built by one person or policy but by all of us. Entrepreneurs, educators, public leaders, and community folks working together and rolling up our sleeves. Thank you again for including Small Nation in this important conversation.
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Jason Duff liked thisJason Duff liked this🤝 Finding the right job—and the right employee—shouldn’t be so difficult. Job seekers are looking for great local opportunities, while employers are working harder than ever to find dependable, qualified people to join their teams. Hometown Opportunity helps bring the two together in one place. Whether you’re searching for your next career move or trying to fill an important position, Hometown Opportunity provides a one-stop resource to connect local talent with local businesses. We’re proud to help Hometown Opportunity spread that message through their COMSTOR Outdoor billboard campaign and remind people that great opportunities may be closer to home than they think! Local jobs. Local talent. One Hometown Opportunity. #COMSTOROutdoor #HometownOpportunity #NowHiring #JobSearch #WorkLocal #LocalJobs #BillboardAdvertising #OutdoorAdvertising
Experience & Education
Publications
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Developing Your Brand: How Often Should You Monitor Your Competition?
Forbes
See publicationUnderstanding what your competitors are doing can help your business, especially as you're getting your footing: They may have approaches that gain traction well with their audience that you can also use, or have specific sales or other events that could impact what you're planning to do. But at the same time, your team's time is limited, and you don't want to end up simply following the crowd rather than pursuing your own goals and ideals.
So how much time should businesses spend…Understanding what your competitors are doing can help your business, especially as you're getting your footing: They may have approaches that gain traction well with their audience that you can also use, or have specific sales or other events that could impact what you're planning to do. But at the same time, your team's time is limited, and you don't want to end up simply following the crowd rather than pursuing your own goals and ideals.
So how much time should businesses spend focusing on expanding their company's brand versus monitoring the competition?
Projects
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Main Street Marketplace - Historic Downtown Restoration
- Present
In 2012, the COMSTOR team purchased the Centre City Mall in Downtown Bellefontaine. The mall consisted of 14 tenant spaces and approximately 22,000 sq. fteet of rentable space. A complete renovation of the building facde, interior, and basement took place in the summer of 2012. Currently, the property is 90% occupied and is a cornerstone for renewed energy in the downtown revitalization movement.
Other creatorsSee project
Honors & Awards
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2019 Young Preservationist of the Year
Heritage Ohio
Heritage Ohio, Ohio’s official historic preservation and Main Street organization, is pleased to announce that Jason Duff has been selected as 2019 Young Preservationist of the Year. This award is presented to an individual under the age of 40 who has shown outstanding leadership in revitalizing and preserving communities in Ohio.
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2011 Empact 100 Award Winner
Empact & The White House
The Empact Awards is the Top 100 list of the top entreprenuers in the US age 30 and under with revenues over $100,000. Jason Duff was recognized at the White House in 2011. Learn more at: http://www.empact100.com/
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Ohio Northern University Outsanding Young Alumni Award
Ohio Northern University
Jason Duff was recognized at the 2009 William Robinson Outstanding Young Alumni Award for his work and service to the University.
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