Rooted Wisconsin

Natalie Jansen is a morning show host on WIXX, former 102.9 The Hog Rock Girl, and reality tv alum from VH1's Dating Naked. In this episode, Brad and Natalie discuss her radio career, love of the industry, and it getting kicked off by being the Rock Girl, the importance of continuous self-work and mental health, parenthood, her time on Dating Naked, wild times on Milwaukee's North Avenue, serving at the EastSider, and her embarrassing story from on tour with the band Disturbed. https://www.instagram.com/natalie_onair/?hl=enAs always, a huge shoutout to our sponsors at Karouser delivering a non-alcoholic social beverage right to your door. They keep these episodes coming! Take advantage of FREE SHIPPING until Black Friday.Also, thanks to Wondersign in Green Bay for making us some cool new Wisco Roots hats. Send a dm if you want to rep the pod!

Russ Nockerts is a Pitmaster and the Owner of Steel Belly Barbecue in Algoma, Wisconsin. The decision to take his business full time stemmed from a lunchbreak phone call with his wife, halfway through his day as a welder, where she mentioned that they should talk about taking focusing more energy on Steel Belly. That "talk" ended up happening that night, with Russ giving his two weeks notice when he went back in to work. Today, they are stacking and racking the BEST briskets and barbecue in Wisconsin. In this episode we talk about those things and everything that's happened in between, the value of hard work and passion, Russ's favorite bites, and choosing 1 cheese for the rest of our days. As always, a huge shoutout to our sponsors at Karouser, delivering a non-alcoholic social beverage right to your door. They keep these episodes coming!

Dr. John Utrie is a retired urogynecologist/pelvic surgeon who suffered for decades with the debilitating effects of cluster headaches (also known as suicide headaches). Pushed to the brink of deciding if live was worth living having to deal with the excruciating pain and agitation that comes with cluster headaches, John was down to a decision, leave this life by his own hand or try something illegal after years of "walking the straight and narrow". Ultimately, after much research and deliberation, he chose the latter. Today John has become an informed advocate of the potential of psychedelic therapy, used in a clinical way, to better society.In this episode, Brad and John discuss the debilitating effects of suicide headaches, his vast knowledge around psychedelics and experience with psychedelic therapy, the societal transformation we are witnessing with the growing acceptance of the value of psychedelics, the shifting of view that comes with their use, how NONE of us are omnipotent, and how one of the benefits of psychedelic therapy for him is finding the realization that "life is worth living and you don't have to dismiss yourself by your own hand". Of course, a HUGE shoutout to our sponsor at ‪⁠ ⁨@Karouser⁩ ⁠. They keep these episodes coming. If you dig what we do, please support them!

Dan Lawrence is a successful founder, entrepreneur, and Unites States Air Force veteran. Following his honorable discharge, Dan started a successful career in the private sector, quickly leading a national lighting and electrical contractor from $11mil in sales to over $46mil in the span of six years. Feeling his value to the organization was outweighing the benefits he was receiving, Dan bet on himself and founded TLL Lighting, which ultimately became TLL Solutions, which supports brick and mortar construction projects for big box retailers. With TLL thriving, Dan has now also founded another passion project, Karouser, bringing to market a N/A lifestyle drink option for those seeking a healthier alternative to alcohol. In this episode, Dan and Brad discuss what goes into effective (and ineffective) leadership, his moving story of taking a stand against Air Force Leadership and ultimately forecasting the senseless loss of an Airman (shining a spotlight on the disparity between those leadership qualities), and his motivation to start Karouser with another thriving and lucrative business already in place. https://www.karouser.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-lawrence-71315123/As always, a HUGE shoutout to our sponsor Karouser. They keep these episodes coming! Dan is a driving force in our partnership and I'm excited to share some of his story via our platform.

Dr. Ryan Martin (aka the Anger Professor) is a leading expert on emotional wellness and anger management. He helps people master emotional challenges and harness the power of emotions—especially anger—for personal growth and success. His work focuses on delivering practical, research-backed strategies through clear, direct, and actionable advice. In his role as Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Ryan combines academic leadership with a commitment to public scholarship.In this episode, Brad and Ryan discuss anger and aggression, personality versus situation leading to them, normalizing deep communication about beliefs and the importance of cordial debate, and inverse correlation between gratitude and the willingness to share your voice and opinions, the ability to forge deep connection in working through conflict, and much more. Today, maybe more than ever, some of these topics are lessons that I believe are of the utmost importance. Recent events have cast a cloud of doubt over our ability as a society to respect people with opinions other than our own. I hope we are able to make progress on that, for the sake of our children, grandchildren, and future generations. Remember, as Paul Thorn says, "You Might Be Wrong". Preorder Ryan's new book, listen to his Ted Talk, and check out his podcast! https://alltheragescience.com/ Of course, a HUGE shoutout to our sponsor at Karouser! They keep these episodes coming. If you dig what we do, please support them!https://www.karouser.com/

Born into a Wisconsin-based cult, Shifrah Morgan (and MANY others) endured a life of abuse, trauma, and manipulation until she was able to escape. The Shawano based group, known by several names including the "Samanta Roy Institute of Science and Technology (SIST) and the "Rama Cult", has left a wake of negative impact since being founded in the early 70's by a man formerly known as Rama Behera (he has changed his name several times over the years and is now thought to go by Avraham Cohen).In this episode, Shifrah bravely details her personal story along with striking and unsettling first hand accounts of physical, mental, and sexual abuse, manipulation, and the inner workings of the cult. Children being locked in barrels, members punished by getting their heads shaved and spit on by the members, horrific sexual abuse, and punishment by cattle prod are just a few of the MANY stories that Shifrah details in our conversation. We also discuss her exit (abandoned by her biological family at 13 years old) from the cult and life afterward, including finding who she now calls her family after being banished, her military service, the death of her first husband, motherhood, business ownership, bass fishing, and more. I was, and still am, truly in awe of Shifrah's courage and strength. The poise she exhibited while sharing such personal and trauma-filled stories was nothing less than extraordinary. I see this as a testament to her amazing ability to persist and, against staggering odds, build a life she is happy to live. Shifrah's purpose for coming on the podcast was largely driven by the hope of bringing awareness to the situation. Please share this far and wide if you are as moved by her story as I was.Cult information - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samanta_Roy_Institute_of_Science_and_Technology Shifrah's TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morganshifrahShifrah's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shifrah21/ As always, HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at Karouser and Riverside Pizzeria of Green Bay. They keep these episodes coming. If you dig our stuff, please support them!https://karouser.com/https://www.riverside-pizzeria.com/

Arts Fishing Club is a Nashville-based indie-folk band known for their energetic live performances and heartfelt lyricism. Led by Christopher Kessenich (from Appleton Wisconsin), the band blends elements of rock, folk, and indie music. Their music captures a sense of adventure and camaraderie, reflecting themes of love, life, and the journey of chasing dreams. The band’s name is a tribute to Kessenich’s grandfathers and symbolizes perseverance and the joy of the journey rather than the end result—a philosophy that ties into the band’s approach to both music and life.In this episode, recorded in Northern Wisconsin at Christopher's family cabin, Brad and Christopher discuss the life of a touring musician, the evolution of Arts Fishing Club, songwriting and creativity, Bob Dylan and searching for diamonds, emotions and beliefs, and much, MUCH more. Another can't miss. As always, HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at ‪Karouser and Riverside Pizzeria of Green Bay. They keep these episodes coming. If you dig our stuff, please support them!https://karouser.com/https://www.riverside-pizzeria.com/

Sophie Herriot is a Wisconsin track and field athlete, who graduated from Arrowhead High School, moving on to pole vault at UW-Madison before transferring to Marquette last season.In this episode, Brad and Sophie discuss her passion for vaulting, having her Dad as a coach, mental and physical hurdles she has faced in being a D1 college athlete, NIL and marketing, being an influencer, the value of persistence, and much, MUCH, more! https://www.instagram.com/sophherriot/As always, HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at Karouser and Riverside Pizzeria of Green Bay. They keep these episodes coming. If you dig our stuff, please support them!https://karouser.com/https://www.riverside-pizzeria.com/

12 years into a career in healthcare, with a good portion of those spent being a critical care pediatric nurse practitioner, Carey Sharpe was burned out and ready for a change. Her fist shift, transitioning into entrepreneurship as one of two owners of The Howard in Oshkosh, was a taste of life outside of healthcare. She followed that with a project rekindling one of her first loves, music. Sharpe, a classically trained violinist, along with a carefully curated team of partners are now full steam ahead with their Vampire Rock Popera, "Bloodlove". Following successful runs at her theatre in Oshkosh, Los Angeles, and becoming the first theatrical production in history to debut at Cannes Film Festival, Bloodlove is coming to New York City in 2026.In this episode, Brad and Carey talk about creating and starring in Bloodlove, the creative roots of the show, her career in healthcare and the decision to leave it behind, music and its connection to her life, K12 education and her being instrumental in bringing the Acton Academy to Oshkosh, entrepreneurship and The Howard, and MUCH more. https://bloodloveny.com/https://www.instagram.com/careyreneemusic/?hl=enAs always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsor at Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/

Brian Johnson is the President and CEO of On Broadway, Inc. in Green Bay and an Alderman representing Green Bay's 9th District. After graduation from UW-Madison with a degree in Political Science, Brian's dream of becoming a member of Congress shifted to being an entrepreneur. After a stint in contracting, he spent 7 years as a business owner before selling and beginning work for the Green Bay Chamber. Then, in 2016, Brian became the leader of On Broadway, Inc., a position he still holds. Then, in 2018, an unsuccessful deal to bring a baseball stadium to downtown Green Bay motivated him to run for public office, ultimately winning the job of representing the constituents of the 9th District of Green Bay. In this episode Brian and Brad discussion the Green Bay Public Market coming to the Broadway District in Green Bay, his history and interest in politics, the importance of locally owned business to the identity and culture of a city, the bootstraps mentality, and his passion for bolstering community. https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianhenryjohnson/https://downtowngreenbay.com/go/on-broadway-incAs always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsor at Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/

Identifying a passion for teaching early, and following a path of serving and supporting others, Michael J. Brown has built a career on those principles (even before he was in the classroom). A dynamic individual that lights up the room, his charisma, positive energy, and genuine nature serve him well as he does it. Having the pleasure of knowing Michael for many years, I'm excited to give you a glimpse into him and his World.In this episode, Brad and Michael talk about being the youngest of 10 children, motivation and the value of persisting, thoughts around the "instant gratification nation", teaching his 49 year old Mother how to read, stops that built his career path, the power of a story and much, MUCH, more.https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-j-brown-mba-180a0323/ As always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsor at Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/

From selling drawings to classmates as a kid to his current full time income being driven by his art, Ryan Ebert has always been a creator with an entrepreneurial spirit. Following 11 years as the Art Director for Hoard's Dairyman and Hay & Forage Grower Magazine, Ryan left his "comfortable" career to focus full-time on his art business. You can find him making some of the coolest fish decoys in the country, creating and screen printing apparel with his original artwork, and helping brands create content with creative services. In this episode, Brad and Ryan talk about growing up on a Wisconsin farm and finding his love of art, dark house spearing (including its current state in Wisconsin) and how he got into making fish decoys, leaving a comfortable career for the risk and reward of entrepreneurship, bringing his art to apparel, arts in Wisconsin, following your passions, and much more!https://www.ebertphoto.com/We also discuss the (very important) current conversation of selling public lands across our country. Ryan references "BHA" in the episode, which is the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and is a great place to continue learning about this topic. I personally encourage you research the topic, develop an opinion, then make it heard. https://www.backcountryhunters.org/pod_ep_205 As always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at Forward Beverage and Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/ https://www.forwardbev.com/

Amanda Miceli is an entrepreneur, creative, fashion designer, marketer, and speaker, on a personal mission to inspire and assist people in being their most authentic selves. The founder and CEO of the BOLD Marketing Agency, Amanda has not only built an incredible brand for herself, she does it for others as well. In this episode, Amanda and Brad discuss marketing and the importance (and definition) of a BRAND and how she builds them so well, creativity and art, fashion design, being an entrepreneur, her Dennis Rodman tattoo, and MUCH more!https://www.theboldmarketingagency.com/As always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at Forward Beverage and Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/ https://www.forwardbev.com/

Tom Mosgaller is an author, experienced community builder, teacher, and leader who believes that the power of relationships is the cornerstone of strong, vibrant communities. Tom has led, taught, and coached community builders in the art of pulling together in places both big and small, urban and rural, locally, and internationally. He has celebrated successes and learned from setbacks that inspired the timeless lessons captured in the Change Framework that serves as the backbone of his book, "Pulling Together: A Handbook for Community Change". He is past president of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), and co-author of the recently published book on institutional change: Bending Granite. Tom has led and served on numerous educational, healthcare, governmental, faith-based, and agricultural boards. When Tom is not leading, teaching, and working with others, he can be found learning from the land and animals on his farm in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin.In this episode, Tom and Brad discuss his leaving the family farm (that didn't have indoor plumbing) for the seminary at 12 years old, being drafted and serving in Vietnam, his career in community building (with some GREAT stories), co-writing a book with another author whose political beliefs rest in a different place than Tom's yet they find common ground in their hopes and visions for positive change in humanity, directing change management, the four attributes of citizen leaders, and MANY other things. https://www.pulling-together.com/ As always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at Forward Beverage and Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/ https://www.forwardbev.com/

Chris Mangless is a chef and restaurant owner whose version of art is shared through food and experience, and quite the artist he is. Walking through a door opened by a high school teacher has led Chris on a path of passion and excellence in his field. From becoming the Travelling Chef in his teens to feeding a laundry list of celebrities, athletes, and high profile business folks, one thing remains consistent for Chris. Excellence. His willingness to open his own proverbial door (and tell Bon Jovi's security he was staying with his food) and his thoughtful and caring attitude (providing a World class meal for the Lumineers when they had $76 dollars to their name) is consistent whether he is feeding those "high profile" folks, or the guy next door. In this episode, Brad and Chris discuss those experiences, excellence in hospitality (and in life), his grandfather owning the first bakery in Green Bay, sharing his form of art and appreciating the art of others, being the Travelling Chef, and six-year old Chris and his sous chef Johnny charging 35 bucks a plate for brunch they prepared themselves, and MUCH MORE. https://www.threethreefive.com/https://www.instagram.com/kumquats/As always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at Forward Beverage and Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/ https://www.forwardbev.com/

Rex Meikle is the Founder of Door Born, a lifestyle and apparel brand built to capture the beauty, sophistication, and charm of the Great Lakes (and, of course, Door County). Attending UW-Stout to be a tech ed teacher (while having a football career cut short by concussions), like many, Rex thought he had his plan written. That was, until life does what it does. After a year of teaching in Kohler, he realized it wasn't his path. Now, Rex has his aim set on sharing his love of Door County, Wisconsin, and the Great Lakes, through Door Born. In this episode, Rex and Brad talk about his journey to entrepreneurship, his path (and the state of) K12 education in Wisconsin, how concussions affected his life and put an end to football for him, fly fishing for Steelhead (or Lake Run Rainbows if you're an internet grammar officer), spearfishing perch in Lake Michigan, and much more!https://www.doorborn.com/As always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at Forward Beverage and Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/ https://www.forwardbev.com/

Brandon Tschacher is one of Wisconsin's most visible leaders. He has been recognized as an “Executive to Watch” (2021) by the Milwaukee Business Journal, was named one of the “Philanthropic 5” by the United Way of Greater Milwaukee (2020), received the “National Exceptional Service Award" by the Salvation Army USA (2020), and was named a “40 Under 40” by the Milwaukee Business Journal (2018).A Nintendo 64 dropped off by his Mother-In-Law sparked an interest in collecting vintage video games. Fast forward a few years, and that ballooned into a deep dive into the modern gaming space, and eventually, Esports. Now, as the President of the Milwaukee Esports Alliance, Brandon's daily work consists of bringing vibrancy, clarity, and success to the Esports industry in Wisconsin and beyond. In this episode, Brad and Brandon discuss career goals and "what is enough", the state of the Esports industry and the nuance of it comparative to "regular" gaming, authenticity in community, social media and it's impact on society, the importance of leaders, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, and much more. https://www.mkeesports.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandontschacher/As always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at Forward Beverage and Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/ https://www.forwardbev.com/

Nate Jansky is an Instructor and Work-Based Learning coordinator with GPS Education Partners, a Wisconsin non-profit organization working in the space of work-based learning. A teacher dunking on the playground lit a spark of interest in education for Nate at a young age. Following that passion, he has built a career supporting students in the alternative education space.In this episode, Brad and Nate discuss his career as an educator and passion for teaching, alternative education, work-based learning, and youth apprentice in Wisconsin, coaching golf, and being friends for nearly 20 years!https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-jansky-21394635/https://gpsed.org/As always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at Forward Beverage and Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/ https://www.forwardbev.com/

Stephanie Grady is a 2x Emmy-winning journalist, former gold-medal-winning figure skater, and the CEO and co-founder of Influential Athlete. Her experience as a high-profile public figure, combined with her husband and co-founder Joe's decade of experience as an athletic director, uniquely positions them to help elite female student-athletes maximize NIL opportunities and build success beyond their sport.Throughout her career, Stephanie has had the privilege of working with some of the biggest names in the world. From star pro athletes like Hakeem Nicks with the NY Giants and John Kuhn of the Green Bay Packers, to celebrated actors like Adam Sandler and Heidi Klum, to influential entertainers like J Lo and Dane Cook, to world leaders like John McCain and others. Stephanie has consistently demonstrated her ability to connect with a diverse range of individuals and extract their unique insights.In this episode, Stephanie and Brad discuss the state of NIL within the NCAA landscape, NCAA vs House, supporting students athletes in preparing to take advantage of their window of opportunity, her figure skating career, leaving careers in traditional broadcasting, and MUCH more. It is a can't miss!https://influentialathlete.com/https://www.instagram.com/stephgradytv/https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephgradytv/As always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at Forward Beverage and Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/ https://www.forwardbev.com/

Jake VandenPlas is the President and Founder of Door County Farm for Vets, a not-for-profit organization passionate about the value of local and sustainable food and farming practices, veteran's mental health, growing while healing, providing education and support to veterans, and the empowerment that comes with producing, growing, and harvesting your own food. In this episode, Brad and Jake talk about "accidentally" becoming a sailor (and a farmer), military service, mental health, local farming and food, his path to DC Farm for Vets, sustainable agriculture, the connection of the food we eat to our overall health, and MUCH more. DC Farm for Vets Links:https://www.dcfarmforvets.org/https://www.facebook.com/dcfarmforvetshttps://www.instagram.com/dcfarmforvets/As always a HUGE shoutout to our sponsors at Forward Beverage and Riverside Pizza. They keep these coming. If you dig it, make sure to support them!https://riverside-pizzeria.com/ https://www.forwardbev.com/