Buy Idaho: A legacy of local, Where Small Business Meets Community.
Jennifer Mauk didn’t just stumble into leading Idaho’s most iconic small-business network—she turned it into a living, breathing extension of the state itself. From Miami beaches to McCall lakes, from social work to executive leadership, Jennifer’s path is as surprising as it is Idaho. This conversation is about building smarter, buying local, and why Idahoans love Idaho.
Brought to you by Old Arms of Idaho — Ambassadors to America’s Heritage, the 24-hour gun show.
00:00 – Why Buy Idaho matters: Dylan’s sponsor shoutout + Jennifer’s Idaho story.
01:20 – From Miami to McCall: falling for mountains, lakes, and Mayberry-style life.
02:36 – Jumping in cold: Jennifer’s first Glacier-fed swim and Idaho’s safe waters.
03:19 – From social work to small business: how she became ED of Buy Idaho.
05:05 – What Buy Idaho does: helping businesses from basement startups to Micron.
07:21 – Selling your “baby”: succession planning and separating brand from founder.
09:39 – Why Idahoans love Idaho: community support that keeps locals afloat.
11:16 – Founded in 1986: Dale Peterson’s road trip to map every Idaho business.
13:10 – Fast-growth Idaho: newcomers, new ideas, and local resilience.
15:23 – Directory of pride: services + products, from chapstick to CPAs.
17:54 – D&B meets jerky: how retail buyers connect with locals at Buy Idaho events.
18:36 – DMV as a hometown hero: customer service + local sourcing at scale.
20:46 – The Capitol Show: 100 Idaho businesses inside the Statehouse Rotunda.
23:33 – Why it’s worth leaving work for one day in February.
24:21 – Sweet Lisa’s chocolate, Better Man Beard, Target jerky, and refugee hires: Idaho success stories.
28:36 – Boise Airport buyers: 17 local businesses in one room → now in every terminal store.
29:59 – Wholesale Idaho: 200 producers meet buyers; how to scale from cottage to retail.
35:18 – Why relationships still beat algorithms in Idaho’s business world.
36:43 – Stories that stick: prison industries, jerky brands, and turning strife into success.
38:51 – The power of collaboration: seasonings, jerky, and chocolate crossovers.
39:34 – Membership that works: $250 a year, open doors for any Idaho business.
40:43 – Holiday gift guide, local sourcing, and supporting community year-round.