It's March 1985 in Riverside, Iowa—population roughly 1,000—and councilmember Steve Miller stands up to propose that the town should claim to be the future birthplace of a fictional space captain.
Miller had read Gene Roddenberry's book The Making of Star Trek, which mentioned Captain Kirk came from "a small town in the state of Iowa" without specifying which one. Miller figured: Why not Riverside?
That single decision—made during a routine city council meeting while discussing themes for their annual town festival—turned Riverside into a global phenomenon. Today, they host an annual Trekfest drawing thousands of visitors from around the world and have turned a throwaway line from a Star Trek book into the centerpiece of the local tourism economy.
And it almost didn't happen because nobody wanted to second the motion.
We know this story well because our own Tom Foster and Dana Hinders recently visited The Voyage Home to experience this marketing phenomenon firsthand. What they found was genuine Iowa hospitality wrapped around a brand identity so committed that you can't help but respect it. The museum tells the story of both Riverside's history and its future famous resident—and the dedication is obvious in every detail.
If that doesn't perfectly encapsulate every missed marketing opportunity in the history of professional services, we don't know what does.
When "Why Not?" Beats "Why?"
Most marketing decisions in law firms, medical practices, and professional services operate on the "don't rock the boat" principle. Everyone wants to look professional, established, and serious—which is code for "exactly like every other practice in a 50-mile radius."
Your website probably says something like "Committed to Excellence" or "Your Trusted Partner" right above a stock photo of diverse people in business attire pointing enthusiastically at a laptop.
Meanwhile, in Riverside, Iowa, a bunch of city council members said "You know what? Let's claim the future birthplace of Captain Kirk because a book mentioned Iowa and we need a better River Festival theme."
The result? Within months, Riverside had garnered global media coverage, secured decades of tourism revenue, and developed a brand identity so distinctive that William Shatner himself eventually appeared to film a reality TV show.
Your Practice Needs Its Own "Kirk Dirt"
When Riverside started fundraising for their Captain Kirk statue, they sold $3 vials of "Kirk dirt." Let that marinate for a second. They sold dirt. For three dollars. And people bought it.
Because it wasn't really about the dirt—it was about being part of something unique, quirky, and memorable.
Most practices are sitting on their own version of Kirk dirt—some unique angle, personal passion, or distinctive approach—and they're too afraid to actually use it.
The "Why Not?" Framework for Finding Your Kirk Dirt
Stop asking "Will this work?" and start asking "Why not?"
Step 1: Identify Your Secret Weapon
What do you genuinely care about outside your professional expertise? Not what you think you should care about—what actually lights you up? For Steve Miller, it was Star Trek.
Step 2: Find the Connection
How does that passion relate to what you do? Miller saw that Star Trek's exploration themes connected to Riverside's identity. You can connect your interests to your practice philosophy, your approach to client service, or your understanding of the problems you solve. For example, if you’re a family law attorney who fosters rescue dogs, maybe you position your practice around protecting what matters most—whether that's kids, pets, or family assets—and your brand around compassion backed by ferocity.
Step 3: Commit Fully
Riverside didn't half-ass their Captain Kirk claim. They changed their town slogan from "Where the Best Begins" to "Where the Trek Begins." They built a statue. They started selling dirt. They held annual festivals. They opened a volunteer-run museum dedicated to both their local history and their future famous resident. They made it a legitimate part of their identity.
You can't be "kind of" distinctive—you either commit or you don't.
The Bottom Line
As Tom and Dana discovered during their visit, what makes Riverside special isn't just the Star Trek connection—it's the genuine commitment to the bit combined with authentic Iowa hospitality. The museum volunteers are passionate about their town's unique story. The community has embraced this identity completely. And that authenticity is what makes it work.
Your practice has something equally distinctive waiting to be discovered. Some angle that's authentically you, genuinely interesting, and completely different from your competitors' carefully focus-grouped blandness.
The question isn't whether that distinctive angle exists—it's whether you're brave enough to actually use it.
