Ohio Miles, Meetups, and One Glorious Basket

We rolled into Cincinnati with the kind of grounded anticipation you only get after too many red-eye emails. Michael had just powered through an eight-hour drive from Wisconsin, and I limped in at midnight after delays. Normally, we post up at the Hilton Netherland Plaza—classic older American hotel charm (French art deco style with a killer lobby bar), right in the heart of downtown. Naturally, a priority stop had to be Skyline Chili (thanks to our Miami University days for that addiction) in Over the Rhine.

After a few weeks off the road, it felt good to be back. First stop: meeting one of our newest (and largest) credit union partners just outside of Cincy. Conversations landed in that sweet spot where mission meets opportunity. The team at this credit union came prepared with questions. We heard them, and now can process the feedback to improve our solution.

Then came Clermont MHA and their “Implementation Pizza Party.” If carbs aren’t a universal celebration, I don’t know what is. The in-person collaboration had an energy we miss when working remotely—thanks to the pizza, it was as cheesy as it was genuine.

From there, we made our way to Columbus. We’re there often, but this time, instead of staying in a large corporate hotel downtown, we stayed in the German Village—pure charm. Schmidt’s Sausage Haus transported us straight to Oktoberfest with bratwurst and big beer.

The work clicked. Talks moved from ideas to alignment, and we even waded into the kind of slightly uncomfortable, but necessary, ideas that spark real change.

Driving east from Columbus, the road offers its own oddities. Case in point: a massive wicker basket that used to be Longaberger’s global headquarters. It doesn’t look real, but it is. Now we’re eyeballing it for a future Verify4 global headquarters….

We passed through small-town Ohio with its own character reel:

• Zanesville’s Y Bridge—more personality in one zigzag than some metro skylines.

• Coshocton and Dover—quiet towns with loud hearts (and more pizza).

• Akron—prospective customer visits, a possible partner, a hidden gem bourbon bar and pure good times.

• Hudson –an actual German “Bier Garten” in the town square and a delicious carnivorous Farmers Rail for a client team building meeting.

• Cleveland outskirts—home stretch energy, a national park detour, and Geauga County’s beauty on full display.

The miles told a story bigger than Verify4 or any single meeting: small towns, big hearts, and mission fulfillment at every stop.

Why these trips matter (without overstating it)

PowerPoints can’t replace the moment someone’s face changes because they get it—or the instant an idea shatters an old barrier. These trips are about human connections, not just geography. And yes, pizza helps (hint, hint).

At Verify4, our mission is connecting communities by connecting people to their data for their benefit.

If your organization could use our help, reach out at [email protected] and schedule a consultation.