April 4, 2023

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Miranda Basye, director of engagement at Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

Name: Miranda Basye

Age: 28

Hometown: Brandon

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

I grew up here! Hometown proud. My parents lived in the outskirts of Sioux Falls. While I grew up mostly in small towns, my parents own and operate some small businesses in Sioux Falls.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

The people. The Sioux Falls area is abundant with generous, wholesome individuals who love their community and want to share that with others. Especially during high school and even into my college years, I always thought I wanted or needed to leave Sioux Falls to find “success” or “opportunity.” Community and business leaders in the area have shown up for me and invested in me in ways I never imagined. From college scholarships, internships, informal mentoring, leadership programs and so much more, I feel so supported, encouraged and blessed by this community, and I’m honored with the ability to pay that forward.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

Entrepreneurship and grit are in my blood, and my parents raised my sisters and I with this “can-do, find a way, make a way” attitude, and a big part of that is listening to what’s going on around you and connecting dots. With my role of director of engagement at SMGA being new to our organization, it’s a blank slate in a lot of ways. I get to incorporate these core principles of who I am and be empowered to make something out of seemingly nothing. To me, this position oozes possibility, opportunity and creativity while creating a space for all of our communities to be heard. We really have to come together with our leadership team, board members, current staff and communities we serve to make the dreams of this position a reality!

How did you get connected to your industry?

Technically, you might say my industry is economic development, but really, I see it as the people industry. In my career as a marketer, I’ve learned a lot of technical skills along the way mostly because I thought it would be cool to learn the back end of how things work, but along the way I learned my real passion and fulfillment comes from working with people and solving problems that enrich life. Economic development seems to be a great crossroads of the strategic problem-solving and rich relationship-building I crave so much!

Describe your workplace in three words.

Spunky, resourceful, idealistic.

What is something someone might be surprised to learn about you?

One of my favorite hobbies is hunting, deer hunting to be specific. I kind of have this unwritten deal worked out with my dad that I accompany him throughout waterfowl season, and he accompanies me for deer season. There’s just something so serene about being out in Mother Nature’s elements, respecting her beauty and all that’s given to us on Earth, and providing a meal field to table is incredibly humbling. Praise be to grocery stores!

What’s your favorite way to give back to your community?

We’re better when we work together. I’m in the camp that time is our most valuable asset, and I’m a serial connector. I love getting to know people and where their hearts and passions are. I feel so honored when someone trusts me to share their heart with me, and as a result, I’m notorious for saying “Oh! I know someone who might be able to help” and then sending an email or text introduction.

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

 I would really love to see a mocktail bar or similar gathering space. We have huge efforts towards supporting mental health and addiction, and I believe more inclusive spaces to enjoy a temptation-free happy hour or NA-friendly activities would unlock a whole new level of breaking the chains of alcohol’s clench on the way we socialize.

If you had $1 million to start a business, what kind of business would it be?

My husband teaches special education, coaches high school baseball and used to volunteer for South Dakota Special Olympics, and ever since we started getting more involved with the youth in our community years ago, I’ve thought about how magical it is when youth mentor other youth. Child care seems to be a widespread point of concern, so I’ve dreamed up the idea that maybe there’s some sort of way we can create a cycle of care and mentorship to support the various needs of our young people.

Care for our children doesn’t need to take the form of babysitting or adults specifically overseeing children. Maybe it’s something that somehow combines after-school care but in a mentor/mentee kind of relationship with educational and/or active programming in the summer months where mature youth are empowered to mentor/encourage younger or special needs individuals while being supported and coached by adult staff. Clearly, this isn’t flushed out yet, and my husband would have to take the lead on working directly with the kiddos, but I could totally support through operations and/or fundraising work!