Jerry Johnson, Orange Beach City Council Place 3

07/15/2025

06/30/2025

First Impressions Matter

The summer season always reminds me of new life—everything is growing, families are outside, and the visual changes around us can’t be ignored. It’s a fitting metaphor for leadership: What people see first often determines whether they come closer.

Excellence starts with what people see.

Whether you’re leading a family, business, or nonprofit, first impressions matter. At Big Oak Ranch, we say the “outer wall” of our organization is our grounds: the trimmed hedges, clean woodlines, cut grass, and planted flowers. Why? Because vision begins as a picture. It’s what others notice long before they know what we value.

This outer excellence is not optics—it’s first a standard, and then an invitation.

It invites people to move closer. To explore. Please don't worry. To consider partnering. It creates confidence in the fact that something special is happening here. It makes a willingness within people to move from the outer wall to the inner wall.

But here’s the key: The inner wall must match the outer wall. If the outer wall draws attention, the inner wall builds trust. That’s where excellence has to continue—within our values, our ethics, our stewardship. It’s where our authentic culture is defined and refined.

Our values cannot be mere slogans on a wall to be read, but instead, they must be daily standards to be lived by. And when we live them consistently, our outer and inner walls align—and that’s when vision comes to life.

As we walk through this summer season, let’s ask ourselves:
What does the “outer wall” of my leadership say?
Do my habits match the invitation I’m extending?
Do I choose excellence—visibly and quietly—every day?
Let’s build a culture where excellence is visible, authentic, and deeply rooted.

Brodie Croyle
Big Oak Ranch

02/08/2024

Go Lady Makos!!! 4 in 2024!

DAPHNE, Ala. (WKRG) — The high school baseball and softball seasons are set to begin next week. Several teams in Baldwin County took the podium at Media Day on Tuesday, hosted by the United States …

03/07/2023

A beautiful evening at the new Lady Mako Softball Stadium in Orange Beach.