Life Behind the Highlight Real

Jake Luehrs is in the spotlight this week. Jake is a real estate coach and trainer, and in this episode, he opens up about the challenges he faced in his early life and career.Jake takes us through his struggles with depression and anxiety. He shares how he worked through those challenges and offers some advice for listeners going through similar experiences. "The more I pushed it away, the more intense it got."Jake believes that everyone goes through periods of depression and anxiety at some point in their lives and that letting those feelings work themselves through rather than resisting them is essential."I think the biggest challenge that people have is they feel like they need to do it on their own. And I think that that's where we get ourselves into trouble."Apart from his journey, Jake also talked about his love for sports and how it helped him become more social and make friends. And, of course, his unique story of meeting his wife in college."I try to be just as much a listener as a talker. And I think that's been a big part of my success, both personally and professionally."This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration to overcome personal challenges.Chapters: 1:18 Jake's background as a successful real estate professional12:05 What Jake learned about depression21:54 Jake's first job -- delicious. 36:30 The first date with the women who would be his wife47:15 What people saw in him that he didn't see in himself49:54 It's time to just be honest. A lot of people you think are happy, aren't. Connect with Jake: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakeluehrs/

Join us on Life Behind the Highlight Real as we sit down with Carrie Chang, a St. Paul native and CEO of the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors. Carrie's journey as an adoptee and her drive to succeed is a fascinating story of determination and resilience. She shares her childhood experiences, including her love for sports, music, and the saxophone, and her passion for reading The Wall Street Journal at age 13. Carrie also opens up about her proudest achievements as the CEO of the Minneapolis Area Realtors, including the team she's built and the impact they've made on the community. This episode is an inspiring and uplifting conversation about leadership, teamwork, and the power of perseverance.Chapters::45 What does Carrie Chang do?1:15 Carrie from South Korea to St. Paul. How did that happen?8:45 Shortcut to knowing your 9's times table9:30 Middle school hits and things change for Carrie. 10:45 Kickin' back with the Wall Street Journal at... 13?21:00 College time... why she didn't apply to the Ivy League and where she ended up going29:30 How sports intertwined in her life34:45 Her first job as a baby sitter. She loved kids...until40:30 Out of college and her first "real" job43:00 It's time to meet her husband53:45 How long she's been at the Minneapolis Area Realtors and what she's most proud ofLearn more about Carrie Chang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriejchang/

Aaron Bourdage is the owner of Northern Fire Grilling and BBQ Supply, a local barbecue shop in Minnetonka. Northern Fire Grilling and BBQ Supply offers everything you need for grilling and barbecue, including meats, seafood, rubs, over 100 sauces, grills, smokers, and heavy equipment for those serious about their grilling. Aaron was born in Duluth, Minnesota, but his family moved around a lot, including Colorado and New Mexico. His father was a Marlboro Man and a pilot and owned a classic car dealership in Farmington, New Mexico. Aaron's house was next to a dirt runway, surrounded by classic cars and airplanes. He spent his childhood riding anything with an engine. Today, Aaron will share the story of his youth, including moving out of the house at 16, moving to Minnesota at 20, touring with his band, and finally meeting the love of his life and opening the BBQ shop. This is definitely part 1 of Aaron's fun story. Chapters:2:58: Aaron was born in Duluth but ended up in Farmington, New Mexico, surrounded by cars and airplanes... cool. 6:08 A shithead in elementary school. 9:05 Why is his life like "Smokey and the Bandit."11:40 Time for some pickin' on the banjo12:38 He switched to bass for the band14:11 Mom used to take us to the gun store21:09 Why college was never in the picture22:00 Why and when did he quit high school32:50 The move back to Minnesota, and the band grows45:42 Time to figure things out after Tracy gets pregnant46:32 Evan was born, and Aaron's world changed. 47:44 How his love for BBQ started and how the shop opened49:47 How he met Missy453:11 How he takes care of his long beard1:03:28 Sarah's favorite device from Aaron's store1:05:19 Aaron's advice for anyone wanting to become an entrepreneurAaron runs Northern Fire Grilling & BBQ Supply. Reach out to them at https://northernfirebbq.com/.

Mark Neal spent close to two decades building an Ohio sports radio station from the ground up, and today he's going to share the story of how having nothing can be your biggest asset. It turns you into a creative, hungry, and hard-working scrapper. Which is how he built a young format into a powerful force in his market. Did we mention that Mark is also William and Sarah's neighbor? Oh yeah -- there are some stories to share about that, too!Coming up:1:41 His early life growing up with teachers22:23 College newspaper in the late 90s, and how he got into his first radio station25:22 His first radio show31:35 Becoming a program director and clearing house32:56 His biggest and only asset is him34:16 How he got to know Jim Tressel46:24 Not a lot of success meeting women, so it's time to try something out-of-the-box56:16 Getting married57:57 Leaving radio for his wife's job101:52 Advice for anyone wanting to get into radioKeep up with the podcast here: www.lbthr.com

We are nerding out BIG TIME with our buddy David Arbit this week. David is the Director of Research for MAR, Minneapolis Area Realtors. He's the guy that makes sense of all of the real estate numbers agents use to get you into homes. And this guy's passion for numbers goes way beyond Excel. It goes straight to getting people into their dream homes and making our cities strong. But before we get into all of that, we dive into David's life, including:6:33 The early life of David Arbit9:32 His go-to Sega game15:10 His role in the Minneapolis area Realtors Association17:21 His college days20:11 His dad owns 100 of them!23:49 How his passion for city planning began28:47 How David met his wife38:16 When he worked with a future State Representative who had a Mickey Mouse lunch box40:19 Where he learned to be so comfortable in front of a crowd42:52 David passes some love to William and Sarah's understanding of the stats43:42 David's WHY behind his passion50:11 What makes every day different for DavidFind David Arbit here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidarbit/

Ep 49: A "Compelling and Rich" Conversation with Will's Nemesis,  Matt WandzelMatt Wandzel is a real estate agent and bitter enemy of Will Huffman's. Even though Matt is a terrific human being, Will can't stand him. Why? It all comes out in this episode, along with:5:45 Growing up in Golden Valley14:08 Car accident -- no time for the emergency room30:40 Getting started in photojournalism33:48 His partnership with the Navajo Nation35:01 His contribution to the Smithsonian46:17 Rug talk. Selling rugs and an appreciation for quality rugs. 48:47 Matt's transition into real estate53:52 Matt's obsession with cycling begins1:02:01 Matt's bike shorts -- why?1:08:31 Will... are you serious? And top five restaurants.  Matt's info!Phone: 612 240 9403Website: https://www.edinarealty.com/matt-wandzel-realtor/sell-your-home

Chad Jeske has dedicated his life to helping top-performing real estate agents grow their businesses through Twin Cities Real Producers. Chad grew up in Savage, MN. A farm-kid upbringing, and the only boy of five siblings.Plus the only guest we've had on the podcast that has been shot, burned, and run over by a car -- all before the age of 12Chad will fill us in on the details, plus we'll get into:3:30 Growing up in Savage12:45 Chad got shot24:42 Getting into music management33:58 Finding a career with Cutco45:21 How he met his wife49:29 Getting engaged59:00 Getting his real estate license1:14 His top five restaurantsTo learn more about Twin Cities Real Producers, head here: https://www.realproducersmag.com/locations/twin-cities-real-producers-c1b1/

Dustin Underwood is a past client and now friend who has a story of overcoming seemingly impossible odds. Dustin grew up surrounded by alcohol and drugs in Bloomington. After being expelled from school, legal problems started to build with an eventual jail sentence before the age of 18. After 18 his drug and theft problems continued, eventually leading to more jail time between the ages of 19 and 21. Finally, a third felony sent him to prison. A year later, after scoring in the top 20% of the nation on the GED, he started getting his life together. The stress of life and a bad economy in 2007 sent him spiraling back into addiction, which sent him back to prison. Out of prison his problems continued.Until December 5th, 2011. A day that may have sent him to prison for 10 years. Until what he read in the Bible was a forecast to what happened next. This is part 1 of an amazing story. Magical Quotes"Okay, I was in and out. I do 30 days, and then I'd get out. And then I do 60 days, then I get out. Then they'd violate me because I was still using and I'd go to another 30 days, you know, so it was in and out, in and out, in and out. All at the same jail.""So I was in this alone. 100% alone, and really had to put my big boy pants on. Because now I'm in a situation where, obviously you're with convicted murderers.""So I hadn't been in any type of schooling or anything like that. And so I'm like, Oh, I'm gonna try for my GED while I'm here, too. Well, I didn't even study. And I passed in the top 20% of the nation."

Golden Retriever vs. Lab? At Helping Paws, They're Both Winners!In this episode, we are joined by Amanda, Brenda, and Lynn; 3 amazing individuals who work together at Helping Paws to uniquely create new opportunities to achieve their goal of  furthering their impact and getting more people involved  by growing their community on social media! Helping Paws is a non-profit organization located in Hopkins, Minnesota.  They are dedicated to the breeding, training and placement of assistance dogs for people who have physical disabilities and for Veterans and first responders who have PTSD.  They also provide facility dogs that are partnered with a facilitator working in a care giving, educational or courtroom setting.  Fun fact: Early experiences showed that for successful service dog training, we needed to start with PUPPIES to begin shaping behaviors early in each dog’s life! The first dog to complete such training and be placed was Alpha, a Golden Retriever who went on to serve his partner for many years.The human and animal bond is the foundation of Helping Paws, and they celebrate the mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between them each day! At any given time, they have 50-70 dogs in training. Talk about AMAZING!Connect with Helping Paws Facebook: @helpingpawsmn Instagram: @helpingpawsmn LinkedIn: Helping Paws, Inc. Twitter: @helpingpawsmn YouTube: HelpingPawsMNConnect with BrendaFacebook: Brenda HawleyInstagram: @bkhawleyLinkedIn: Brenda HawleyEmail: bhawley@helpingpaws.orgConnect with Amanda Kubousek  Facebook: Amanda KubousekInstagram: @akubousek LinkedIn: Amanda KubousekConnect with LynnFacebook: Lynn WalkerInstagram: @slwalker67Twitter: @sportsmominMNLinkedIn: Lynn Walker Donate to Helping Pawshttps://helpingpaws.org/donate/Volunteer at Helping Pawshttps://helpingpaws.org/volunteer/

Launching, Bus Schedules, and Lobotomies with Jill MorrisonFinancial advisors advise us to always save up to 6 months’ worth of expenses. Jill decided to defy that advice and quit her job with just $1,300 to her name.  She launched her business that has been operating for over a year.In this episode, we’ll be seeking to learn more about Jill. It is amazing how whenyou think you know someone so well. There is always something about them thatyou always do not know. Jill shocked us by telling us she a special affiliation for Math. Jill will tell us about the Math contests she took part in and the sports she participates in, not to mention all the trophies that she got.Also, if you have wanted to quit the corporate world and have no idea where tostart, you might borrow a leaf or two from Jill.Listen in to this episode.

This week William and Sarah Huffman sit down with John Hodnett, a member of their real estate team, A Good Life Group.In this episode, John chats about his journey before getting into real estate and how much he loves old-school retail. But the big wake-up call was when his marriage fell apart. He never thought he'd be there at that point in his life. That's when he realized that he had the chance to create anything he wanted. Nobody was going to tell him what to do. So, like his dad, who retired from the clothing biz and started a consulting company until he was 93, John knew he couldn't quit. He needed to find something he could do for as long as he wanted in any way he wanted. And that's why he's back in real estate.Reach out to John: https://agoodlifegroup.com/

This episode William and Sarah look at at 2022. A couple of minutes were dedicated to the business, but the majority of this episode was spent diving deep into a health journey they both started 2 years ago. Even though they both dislike the thought of working out, they accepted it as a part of their life, with reasons that go way beyond what you may assume.This is a William and Sarah you may not have known before this episode. Chapters3:10 How was William and Sarah's fitness journey for 2022?5:50 Did will reach his fitness goals? And was the goal helpful?8:24 Let's talk about meal prep10:49 Sarah's weightloss journey12:48 Why Sarah still finds it tough to shop for clothes, but it's getting easier14:50 Why William's farting and burping has significantly faded16:39 William opens up about an issue that put him into the Mayo Clinic at age nine. 19:00 William and Sarah head back to Mayo, a visit that pissed Sarah off20:30 Oops, they were right. 22:45 They shop with an app. How's that going?23:30 Poop talk.24:35 Advice for anyone that has a Pelaton in their home that they haven't used

Dave Lawson returns to Life Behind the Highlight Real to finish up his journey to this point in his crazy life. In episode 45 Dave, Will, and Sarah took a deep dive into radio of the past and present. Dave spent over two decades as an on-air personality and talked about how what drove him into the business no longer exists. That left no time for thing Sarah was looking for -- how he met his wife...oh, and that bout with cancer over the last year. So let's revisit Dave and get the rest of his Life Behind the Highlight Real. To learn more about Dave and Digital Legend, head here: www.DigitalLegendMedia.com, or call (919) 757 2592

We are hitting on some heavy life topics today with our friend, Payton Barthel. Payton tells her story of abuse, drug addiction, treatment, relapse, and meeting the love of her life. You've already been introduced to Payton's family. In episode 28, we interviewed her mom, Jamie, about teen pregnancy, and her love for Sonic Chili Cheese Dogs. And in episode 2 we interviewed her sister, Jorie. Both interviews can be found here: https://www.lbthr.com/But today, buckle up because Payton is going to take you on quite a ride. 11:48 Smoking and drinking by age 11? 12:47 Tried to kill herself with Benadryl24:05 The story starts to plummet - Abusive relationship and rape. 30:59 Emergency appendix surgery in England introduces opioid addiction. 35:40 Cocaine comes into the picture. 37:56 How she justified her drug use, and her college years. 42:22 The professor noticed. 51:08 The breaking point in college1:02:33 Heading off to treatment1:04:56 Post-treatment - Payton has a treatment boyfriend. The relapse begins. 1:09:37 Paton overdoses again1:15:09 She's either going to die or get clean1:18:22 Back out to Colorado1:29:07 Caleb enters the picture. Perfect timing. 1:37:27 Clean and sober. Has she ever felt the desire to go back?1:43:28 It's been a journey. But she's proud of herself. 1:44:35 What to do if you think you're heading down Payton's path?Catch up on past episodes of Life Behind the Highlight Real: https://www.lbthr.com/

Nick Bellmore, a Detroit area native, is a highly successful real estate team leader, but the road to get there was a bit bumpy. Rick shares his story of divorce when he was 11, bullied at 12, and kicked out of high school a couple of years later. He moves on to working in housing before the age of 18, building homes after graduating, and transitioning to selling real estate after doing the math of how much money the investor made on the home Nick was building. Of course, we get deep into how he met his wife... hint: He found love and made a commission check from her at the same time. This is part 1 of a future two-parter with Nick Bellmore. Learn more about Nick here: https://athomerealtyfamily.com/our-offices/hudsonville-mi-realty/nick-bellmore

This is a part two interview with Kayla Dutton and in this episode, we dive deep into Kayla's struggle to start a family after her husband's near-death accident that left him without sensation from the waist down. This was a massive life change at such a young age. Kayla's advice for handling sudden change boils down to 3 things:1) Family and support system. 2) Focus on what's important. He's here with no brain damage. 3) The more you share your story, the more you realize everyone has their problems. This accident left them to lean on science to start a family. They started their IVF journey. Today we explore the medical process, the emotional pain, the insurance, and her best advice for anyone interested in this path.Not all of life's plans will transpire precisely the way you planned, but being ultimately thankful for the health and safety of those you love is the only thing that matters. Enjoy the episode!    Reach out to Kayla on IG: https://www.instagram.com/kayla__dutton/

Coming up today we have the "man behind the scenes" of Life Behind the Highlight Reel. Whenever you hear us say "Dave, edit that out," we are talking about Dave Lawson of Digital Legend Media. But far before Dave started consulting businesses on digital content, he had a long history in radio. So we are going to dive deep into Dave's history, including:What life was like growing up in the Detroit areaA very young age he started dreaming of being on the radioThe weird radio thing he used to collect that we had no idea existedWhat he thought was magical about radioWhy radio in the last few years has broken his heartAnd why he made the jump to the digital side, especially podcasting.Plus, his top five restaurants (one of which almost made Will vomit). That's all coming up on Life Behind the Highlight Reel!To learn more about Dave and Digital Legend Media, head here: www.PodcastLegend.comTo catch up on past Life Behind the Highlight Reel episodes, head here: https://www.lbthr.com/To learn more about A Good Life Group, head here: https://www.agoodlifegroup.com/

This episode explores the past five years of A Good Life Group. The good, the bad, and the hilarious. The story begins at the Minnesota State Fair of all places, 5-years ago. The day Will and Sarah were forced to find a new direction. And they don't hold back as they share the details of the call and the stress that followed over the next few days. Today you will find out how they landed on their business name A Good Life Group, how they found their team, and how leadership is a learned discipline. "Leadership is hard"-Will HuffmanThey'll also cover critical business lessons learned the hard way, like:The differences between surviving as a business and growing as a business. And it takes looking in the mirror.Learning the impossible like not taking things personally. A deep dive into living the concept of an unreal life. What that means, and how it has come true for Will, Sarah, and their team. And how an unreal life can lead to some pretty funny stories, including a few shared from their team getaways to Florida. A Good Life Group's Fifth Anniversary Party is September 10th at the Brew Park in Plymouth. https://www.brewparkplymouth.com/

Victoria and Sarah met while working at JC Penny in Coon Rapids and have been friends ever since. Born in California and stayed there for a whole six weeks before moving to Minnesota. After her dad got arrested (details in the podcast) at the University of Minnesota, the family was forced to regroup which included sneaking out of Minnesota in the middle of the night. Later in life, Victoria's dream was to become a doctor, which leads to a lovely story about the college she chose. Not to be missed. Shortly after starting college, she decided med school would not be in her future, so she began a search for a purpose. A search that landed on helping families going through childbirth.  She became a doula which provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support during the birthing process. As fulfilling as that was, she missed family and made a move back to Minnesota. And that's where her real story begins. A car ride message from God changed her path.

Born in Wisconsin but raised in Minnesota, Alex Maeckelbergh wanted to carry on the family tradition of education by becoming a teacher. But that changed shortly after going to college when she realized it wasn't for her. "I love kids, love them to death. But doing it for a career was a very different story. And now having kids of my own, I cannot imagine. God bless teachers who are parents as well."So the search was on for a new career. That's when she met an owner of a title company who offered her an internship if she changed her major to marketing. Game on!That eventually turned into a job at a mortgage company, then a real estate firm, and finally taking the leap by opening her own marketing company. A successful company that's only a year old. Of course, there's plenty of life to sprinkle in between, including credit card debt, a deepening relationship with an old high school friend, and a blossoming family in the face of a pandemic. How does a 26-year-old live this much life? Alex is a fascinating woman and entrepreneur with plenty of life lessons to share in this episode of Life Behind the Highlight Reel. Reach out to Alex: alex@allgoodthingscreative.comLearn more about her marketing business: http://allgoodthingscreative.com/