The GoGedders Podcast

The presidential election is less than fifty days away, and our country is more divided than ever. On this week’s podcast, John Burke, President of Trek Bicycle, comes on to discuss eye-opening facts that neither candidate is talking about. 

His new book, The Presidential Playbook, presents sixteen nonpartisan solutions to complex problems The United States is facing right now. Today, we’ll go over some of those solutions and discuss with JB firsthand. 

As we all know, there’s a lot of uncertainty in the financial markets right now, and that raises a lot of questions. Is another stimulus package coming? How can the markets be at an all time high despite businesses struggling and unemployment staying at more than double the typical rate? And, of course: How will the November election affect the financial climate? 

Like many small business owners, I had several questions of my own. What’s the right way to approach the initial process surrounding PPP loans? Will there be loan forgiveness, and is there going to be another wave? 

Luckily for us, Jim Popp, CEO of Johnson Financial, came on our most recent episode of the GoGedders podcast to answer the questions above and offer expertise on more financial topics. You’ll learn a lot about what’s happening behind the scenes of the financial industry during COVID, and the info Jim provides is useful for just about anyone.

Looking past everything we’ve all  seen and read in the news, Richie talks to three residents and community leaders of Kenosha about what really happened there, the reactions of the local community and what they’re doing to rebuild Kenosha.

We’re joined by Richie’s good college friend and Kenosha resident Justin Whitehead (Tiger), Nicole Thomsen, Director of 1Hope, and Pastor Roy Peeples. 

A lot of us are struggling with mental health especially with all that is going on right now and all the uncertainty it brings.

For entrepreneurs (and a lot of creatives) it’s especially bad, there was a study done by Michael Freeman in 2015 that came out with the following results. Founders are:

2x more likely to suffer from depression

6x more likely to suffer from ADHD

3x more likely to suffer from substance abuse

10x more likely to suffer from bi-polar disorder

2x more likely to have psychiatric hospitalization

2x more likely to have suicidal thoughts

And when you look into what running a business is it makes a lot of sense. It’s difficult and it’s stressful with high rates of failure and a lot of uncertainty and rejection to deal with along the way. That said it is very rewarding and I wouldn’t change it. We just need to do a much better job taking care of ourselves.

As a lot of you know I had a bad panic attack about 3 years ago that has caused a bunch of lingering anxiety issues that I never had to deal with before. It’s been difficult but forced me to make positive changes for the better.

In this talk I go deep into my story as well as Chuck Swoboda’s (Former CEO of Cree Lighting) story who went through something even more extreme, talk about the relationship with entrepreneurship and anxiety and what we can do to make it better.

For anyone dealing with mental health issues please watch and if you know someone who could benefit pass this along.

Should we go back to school? What legalities do schools need to deal with? What’s it like being an “at-risk” parent with two kids? What’s in been like being an MPS teacher with all the uncertainty? What’s in been like running programs for the Boys and Girls Club and having to adapt? 
With all the uncertainty going on right now I was lucky to be joined by Alana Leffer from Below Vetter, Alyssa Molinski (MPS), Andre Douglass (Boys & Girls Club) and Dena Cerreyn. 

WebsterX (Sam Ahmed), Mag (Enrique Rodriguez), and a number of others put together the first Black is Beautiful Ride on June 20th. There, over 1,000 riders rolled 16 miles through Milwaukee raising over $10,000 to be split between Walnut Way Conservation Corp. and Leaders Igniting Transformation (LIT).

As they get ready for Black is Beautiful Vol. 2 this Sunday, they come on The GoGedders Podcast to talk about how the ride started, the protests, equality, the Milwaukee music scene and more.

Right now, DJ Shawna is living at the center of the universe. Having been selected to enter the NBA Bubble, DJ Shawna is just one of four DJs in the resort. DJ Shawna told us about the process to get into the Bubble, what it’s like now that she’s there, and the equality movement happening now.

Our military veterans give us so much, selflessly volunteering their precious time, energy, and strength to serve our country. Yet, when they return home from service, they’re often left feeling underappreciated and have to face difficult hardships. Reassimilating into normal life can be tough — whether it’s finding a fulfilling career, coping with PTSD, or just readjusting their state of mind, veterans and their families often feel like they’re going about it alone.

That’s where Operation Finally Home (OFH) comes in. Operation Finally Home is a program that provides custom-built homes for veterans and their families, giving that home to them mortgage-free. The program was specifically created for veterans who had their time in service cut short because of injury. This uplifting gift to our heroes and their families is a fantastic way to show that they’re truly cared for when they return home.

What’s it like to get COVID? Can you get reinfected? How is the virus mutating? Should Schools re-open? Do masks really work? Are outdoor bars OK? Do we need more testing capacity? Would herd immunity work?

With all the questions and information out there right now we are lucky to have infectious disease expert Dr Mary Beth Graham join the podcast.

Danika Tramburg and host Richie Burke break down their first hand experiences with COVID and they aren’t what they expected.

Tune in to learn more about the virus and where we go from here

Should your brand be podcasting? When most people think of podcasting, they see a form of entertainment and don’t immediately see a tool that can be used for business. But Richie Burke, Founder and CEO of GoGeddit Marketing and Media, has embraced audio as the next big consumable medium, building successful marketing strategies with podcasting as the cornerstone. 

This is a recording form ERC Midwest’s “Working Without Waste” podcast. 

Waking up at 3 A.M. every morning, Paul Neuberger is a connection-making, cold-calling machine. He owns four businesses, is the president of a 5th, and is an international speaker. In this podcast Neuberger shares essential information on how to make cold calls and add value to your customers.

The Source Magazine is known by many as “The Hip Hop Bible”, but not many know how this iconic magazine actually started and the man behind it. 
Dave Mays started out by DJing hip hop music on a Harvard radio station that mainly played classical music. He developed a following of listeners and started The Source as a single page newsletter to his mailing list of 1,000. 
How did he end up turning this into a global publication that had a readership of 9 million and overtook Rolling Stone as the #1 music genre magazine in the world? On this episode we dive in. 

Alderman Khalif Rainey says, “Hip-hop brings a voice to the voiceless.” While protests continue around the country, Dave Mays, founder of The Source magazine, and alderman Khalif Rainey talk about how racism, the protests, and hip-hop are all closely connected.

With the backdrop of George Floyd’s murder, the subsequent protests, and push for social change, Richie talks with DJ Hines, Khalif El-Amin, and Greg Marshall about race in America and the need for change.

On this episode, we’ll cover a lot of ground, talking about a wide range of important issues involving race in our city and beyond. Our guests touch on what needs to change in the Milwaukee business community (and the community at large), the moment they realized what race really is, speaking with their kids about race, and much more.

What a crazy week in the podcasting world. Between Joe Rogan signing an exclusive nine-figure deal with Spotify and all of the Call Her Daddy drama going on, it’s certainly been eventful. On this episode, we talk about the growth of the podcasting platform and break down what these new developments mean for the industry. 

In the most personal pandemic-related episode to date, Milwaukee Judge Derek Mosley talks about what it was really like to have COVID-19. From spending over a week in the ICU to experiencing complications associated with his kidney transplant a few years earlier, Judge Mosley gives a rare firsthand account of what it was like to be a Milwaukeean with the virus.

Just two days after the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the safer-at-home order, we talked to five Wisconsin political and business leaders about the decision and the path forward for Wisconsin.

This episode’s featured guests are: 

• Ryan Murray, Partner at The Firm Consulting and former Chief of Staff for Governor Scott Walker
• Waukesha Alderman Aaron Perry
• Creator of “As Goes Wisconsin” Kristin Brey
• Army Veteran and Founder of Green Up Solutions Andy Weins
• Emily Siegrist, US National Guard Veteran, former nurse, candidate for WI State Assembly

Just a day after the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the state’s safer-at-home order, we talked to Darren Horndasch, CEO of Wisconsin Vision, Bryan Gerondale, CEO of Chiropractic Company and Ted Balistreri, co-owner of Sendik’s, about the ruling and how their companies have adapted to COVID-19.

From hiring 200 new grocery store employees to figuring out how to safely conduct eye exams, we discuss the tough decisions these employers have made over the last several weeks.

As a global company, Husco had to adapt and move quickly since COVID-19 hit. In this episode, we’ll go over their initial reaction to the pandemic, switching to mask production, the government’s response, adjustments in the global supply chain, and how they’re rethinking business moving forward. 

In addition to his CEO duties, Austin Ramirez is significantly involved in the Milwaukee community. He and his family spearheaded the development of Saint Augustine Preparatory Academy, and now serve as the school’s main supporters. Austin is also on a number of other boards throughout the city, so we touch on the state of business and how the city of Milwaukee can continue adapting to COVID and rebuild from here on out.

Wisconsin’s hemp industry is booming, and for good reason. We’ve got great farming roots, so it’s only natural that our economy’s structure should follow, right? Well, not always. 

Recently, we teamed up with our friends at First Federal Bank to launch the Keeping It Local Podcast. It’s a show that connects listeners with local businesses, nonprofits, and community members who have unique and inspirational stories tied in with First Federal Bank’s community bank difference.

In this episode, we go over the difference between help and marijuana, highlight two hemp business owners and the uphill battles they’ve pushed through, how others are making businesses from hemp, the benefits of CBD, and more.

Nearing the two month mark since COVID-19 first transformed our world in the U.S., we check in with Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld with the Medical College of Wisconsin and six other Milwaukee area leaders to hear how they continue to adapt to COVID-19. 

CEO of Kessler’s Diamonds, Joe Gehrke, discusses how Kessler’s is transitioning to online sales. Christian Vega, co-owner of Screaming Tuna, talks about how they’ve gotten support from the community since this started. Others discuss how their businesses continue to deal with COVID-19 day-by-day. 

In live interviews from a Milwaukee Rotary Club meeting, Richie talks to six business leaders from various industries about their response to COVID-19. Taking listener questions, they discuss the government’s response to COVID-19 and what comes next. 

The show begins with a conversation with Jim Barry, President of The Barry Company about the state of commercial real estate. Then, Richie talks to Todd Bentley, President of Bentley World Packaging, putting this pandemic in perspective, considering the history of the company that’s been family owned since 1848. Next up is Mark Kannenberg, President of RBP Chemical Technology, to talk about chemical sales during these times. 

He’s followed by Darren Miller, President of JM Construction, who discusses how their projects are proceeding despite COVID-19. Michael Sheppard, Managing Director of IronwoodDrive Financial Group, joined the show, letting us in on what it’s like to make financial decisions right now. Finally, Julie Tolan, EVP and Owner of Lauber Business Partners talks leadership and consulting virtually and how her company has adapted.

It’s a full show, packed with interesting experiences that Milwaukee business leaders have had in these unprecedented times.

When most people and brands think of monetizing a podcast, they think of advertising revenue and sponsorships. This can be a great way to monetize if you’re in the top 1% of podcasts, but for the rest of us — not so much. 

That said, as a company, monetizing a podcast is not too difficult. There’s a slew of options to go about it, and it all depends on your business model. As a small business ourselves, we’ve tracked over $650k in revenue from the podcast to date — with less than $6k of that coming from ads and sponsorships. 

In this episode, I break down the reality of podcast advertising and suggest some tactics you can implement right away to start monetizing your podcast (even if you’re not Joe Rogan).

Last week was a crazy week for our city and state alike. As Milwaukee continues to respond to the increasingly impactful COVID-19, we bring you the third installment of our series of episodes speaking with leaders who are actively grappling with the virus and its impact.

In this episode, we begin with a conversation with Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, first talking about the April election, then Wisconsin’s response to COVID-19 as a whole.

Next, we talk to Dr. David Morgolis of the Wisconsin Medical College about the virus itself, its spread, and how his team is handling the virus. 

Finally, we’ll move into conversations with Tami Garrison of Molson Coors, Peggy Williams-Smith of Visit Milwaukee, Omar Shaikh of Carnevor, Jeff Sherman of OnMilwaukee, and more about how they and their organizations are actively dealing with COVID-19.

We continued the conversation we started last week by having nine more business owners and local leaders on the podcast to talk about COVID-19 and their continued transition in these isolated times.

This week’s episode is special. It kicks off with Senior Vice President of The Bucks and Chair of the 2020 DNC, Alex Lasry, who talks candidly about the Bucks and the DNC, their reactions to the news of being postponed, and what’s next.

We also heard from local business leaders Kira Lafond, Denise Thomas, Khalif El-Amin, and Mike and Monica Jurken on how they have adapted, what it has been like going through COVID-19, and what the future looks like. 

We close the episode out hearing from President of Marquette University Dr. Mike Lovell. It was interesting getting his perspective on what went on at Marquette behind the scenes, the abrupt end to the Big East Tournament, moving classes online, and more. 

Many of us have passions that started when we were young. However, not many of us have the opportunity to test our hobbies out in a potential money-making scenario. David Hackbarth got his crack at just 10 years old working for his brother’s business, and since then, he’s gone on to DJ over 1300 weddings.

On this episode of The GoGedders Podcast, you’ll hear how David started and grew his own business, take a peek behind the curtain of the wedding industry, and hear a few stories about the unexpected things that can happen when you’re out on a gig.

As COVID continues to progress across the country, we wanted to know how local businesses were handling the constantly changing world around them. On this episode, we’ll talk to a number of local leaders from diverse companies who are impacted by the outbreak. 

We’ll cover how business models have shifted — in some cases majorly, and into completely different industries — and what companies are doing to keep employees and customers safe. You’ll also learn steps essential businesses are taking to stop the spread of the virus, and hear about many unexpected silver linings.