Sake and Hot Tubs

Lisa and Fred sit down with local Realtor  Abigail Brandt for a conversation about community, balance, and her favorite travel spots! Abigail shares why she loves calling Iowa home, her passion for the Iowa State Cyclones , and how travel helps her recharge from the fast-paced chaos of real estate. She opens up about the importance of stepping away so you can come back refreshed, re-energized, and...

This week on Sake & Hot Tubs , Lisa and Fred take on a deeply personal — and incredibly important — topic: divorce. As two people who have both lived through it, they talk honestly about how difficult it can be to balance the emotional side of divorce while still making smart business and financial decisions for your future. Lisa also shares insight from her role as a Certified Divorce Lending Pro...

This week on Sake & Hot Tubs , Lisa and Fred are back in the hot tub for a solo episode — and this one starts with a simple idea: sit at the bar.   Not for the drinks (well… maybe a little), but for the conversation, connection, and sense of community that comes from being open and available to the people around you. They talk about why those small moments of interaction matter, how relationships...

This week on Sake & Hot Tubs , we're introducing the real MVPs of real estate… the chaos coordinators .  Lisa is joined by Rachel Blair (loan assistant, content queen, and our behind-the-scenes producer 👀) and Stephanie Adair , transaction coordinator extraordinaire, to talk about what it really takes to keep a deal alive. Spoiler: it's a lot of emails, timelines, and quietly fixing problems no o...

This week on Sake & Hot Tubs , Lisa and Fred sit down with Ned Payant , Chairman of the Board at American Pacific Mortgage — and a leader who keeps it real. From building relationships across every level of the business to pushing through discomfort for real growth, Ned shares what leadership actually looks like behind the scenes. The biggest takeaways? ✔️ Don't be a  Richard ✔️ Relationships driv...

This week on Sake & Hot Tubs , Lisa and Fred sit down with Jason Jennings — local Realtor, master networker, and one of the biggest champions of the community you'll meet. Jason shares his journey of moving from Texas for his wife, stepping into real estate knowing absolutely no one , and building a thriving business from the ground up. From leaning on his faith to showing up consistently for othe...

This week on Sake & Hot Tubs , we're wrapping up our International Women's Month series with a conversation that brings it all home.  Lisa sits down with Traci Jennings from RE/MAX Real Estate Center to talk about real estate, travel, and the one thing that matters most at the end of the day — family . From balancing a successful career to making time for the people who matter most, Traci shares h...

This week on Sake & Hot Tubs , we continue our International Women's Month series celebrating incredible women in our community. Lisa sits down with Klynn Lynn , a seasoned with grit Realtor whose passions go far beyond real estate. From her love of  Disney and travel to her connection to track and staying active , Klynn shares how following your passions can shape both your life and your career....

This week on Sake & Hot Tubs , we're kicking off our International Women's Month series with someone who truly embodies what it means to love where you live.  Lisa sits down with Renée Klaus , an Ames native and local Realtor , to talk about building a life and career rooted in community. From growing up here to helping others find their place in Ames, Renée shares how relationships, trust, and ho...

Strong mindset. Strong pours. Strong episode.  Jake "The Saiyan" Bower joins Lisa and Fred to talk mindset, hustle, and balancing multiple businesses while staying fight-ready. 🥊💦 This episode is all about discipline, growth, and showing up — in the gym and in life.  Myriad Mixed Martial Arts Academy Jake N' Jose Moving Services 

Lisa and Fred are joined by  Jason Ponsonby , Senior Vice President of Company Production at  American Pacific Mortgage , for a conversation all about leadership, growth, and knowing when it's time to pivot.  They dive into what makes a strong leader, why adaptability matters more than ever, and how the ability to shift — in both business and life — can be the key to long-term success. From leadin...

This week on Sake & Hot Tubs , Lisa heads to the sunshine state and sits down with longtime college friend Laura Foster for a heartfelt conversation straight from her beautiful home in Destin, Florida . 🌴 They talk about friendship through the years, life journeys that don't always go as planned, Pilates, growth, and what it really means to stay connected as life evolves. It's honest, reflective,...

This episode is a little different — and a lot meaningful.  Fred is joined by his best friend Dore , actually sitting in a hot tub with cigars in hand, for a real, unfiltered conversation about friendship, loyalty, and being there no matter what . They talk about the kind of friendships that last through every season of life, why certain people matter so deeply, and how showing up — again and agai...

This week in the tub, we're joined by Garren Zanker , owner of the Jewell Market , for a conversation that's all about community, heart, and showing up where it matters.  Garren shares how he became deeply involved in the Jewell, Iowa community — from launching the beloved $5 lunch to helping reopen the local grocery store and turn it into more than just a place to shop. It's a story about small-t...

Lisa and Fred dive into the idea that you don't have to love  100% of a home to buy it. 👀 They talk through the reality that most buyers fall in love with about 80% of a house — and how a renovation loan can help you transform the other 20% into exactly what you want. From outdated kitchens to awkward layouts, they break down how these loans work, when they make sense, and why they can be a total...

Lisa flies solo this week and is joined by two incredible Realtors, Sharon Johnson & Sarah Laaser-Webb from  RE/MAX Real Estate Center for an honest & refreshing conversation! They dive into what truly makes a great agent, what the real estate market is doing right now , and how they balance busy careers with family life — without losing their sanity. It's equal parts insight, encouragement, and r...

In this episode, Fred and Lisa kick off the new year with some real talk straight from the inspiration tub. No resolutions. No waiting for Monday. Just the Five-Second Rule , a little discipline, and the reminder that motivation shows up after you start — not before. They dive into their own detox journey, what's working (and what definitely isn't), and how the G Series sake is helping them stay i...

In Episode 6, Lisa and Fred slip into the hot tub to stir up two of their favorite topics: sake and mortgages . This week they break down: The surprising conversation around a 50-year mortgage The delicious differences between nigori (cloudy) sake and clear, filtered sake How the sake-filtering process shapes flavor, texture, and vibe Plus, a special shoutout to Jewell Market for keeping their sak...

In this episode, we hop into the tub with the radiant Cyndi Gryte — a woman who somehow manages to mix community, creativity, and craft cocktails with pure magic. 🍸✨ We dive into what inspires her, how she brings people together, and why sharing a drink can turn simple moments into meaningful connection. Expect heart, humor, a little sparkle, and a whole lot of good vibes as we chat about the po...

Things get sizzling in the hot tub as we welcome our first guest — the one and only Brooks Reynolds , founder of BaconFest and all-around good-time guy. From bacon grease to big laughs, we talk about community, connection, and Des Moines' sister City in Japan. Expect plenty of stories, some questionable ideas, and the perfect mix of sizzle and sip . --------- Japan America Society of Iowa present...

Grab your sake and settle in — this week we're diving into Lisa's story! From lesson plans to loan plans, she shares how her background in education shaped the way she connects, teaches, and champions her clients in the mortgage world. Spoiler: she still grades everything… including interest rates.

Grab a drink, dip your toes in, and get to know your co-host Fred—lover of sake, master of tub talk, and the soul behind the steam. In this episode, we dive into Fred's story: how he got here, what keeps him bubbling, and why sake & hot tubs are the perfect combo. Expect laughs, a few unexpected turns, and just maybe… a hot take or two

Welcome to Sake & Hot Tubs  with Fred and Lisa. Where big ideas start small, just like conversations shared over a glass of sake and a soak in the hot tub. This isn't just another real estate podcast. We've created our own incubator of inspiration. A space where guests can step away from the noise, relax, and explore their next  idea, whether that's in business, community, or personal growth. So,...