Chris Holloway has always thrown parties, listen to the progression in Episode 286

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24d ago 1:08:06

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In this episode, Rich sits down with Chris Holloway, the founder of the Midwest Overland & Off-Road Expo (MOORE) in Springfield, Missouri. Chris shares his unlikely path from ice cream truck entrepreneur and diesel tech to building one of the Midwest’s premier overland and off-road trade shows.

Highlights - From Massachusetts to Missouri: family, music roots, and early hustle - The “40 Licks” ice cream truck, party wagons, and learning business young - Tech school turnaround: graduating top of his class in diesel electronics - Grease to growth: from shop broom to youngest service manager running a dealership - First rigs, JK life, and discovering community through wheeling and camping - Throwing trail events, fundraising, and the mentor who sparked MOORE Expo - Launching MOORE: 50 vendors, 2,000 attendees, then doubling during COVID - Vendor retention, event fatigue, and why brands cycle regions - Expanding into PowerSports and the “dot…dot…dot” of overlanding (hiking, hunting, bikes, kayaks, shooting sports) - What’s next: big reinvestments and a major reimagining post-2026

Event + Contact - MOORE Expo: April 17–18, 2026 — Springfield, MO - Info/Vendors: mooreexpo.com (contact form goes to Chris) - Email: [email protected]

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