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

Send us Fan MailIn 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] Support the show