The John Krol Podcast / The Blend

Mayor Kim Driscoll has served for 16 years as the chief executive for the city of Salem, Massachusetts and she is now running for statewide office, throwing her hat in the ring to become Lt. Governor. She stopped by the studio on her way to a forum in North Adams, and we covered a lot of ground, including: inflation and wages, the reinvigorated union movement, police accountability following the s...

Stephanie Murray’s passion for covering government and politics has taken her from capturing the details at board meetings in small towns like Shutesbury, Massachusetts as an intern at Daily Hampshire Gazette, to the statehouse, then with Politico where she moved from writing the Massachusetts Playbook to today in DC, as the author of Politico’s Morning Score – solely focused on the campaigns in t...

This one is bittersweet. What can you say about the impact that Megan Whilden made during her time in the Berkshires, and specifically, in her time as the director of cultural development for the city of Pittsfield? It was a time that we believed anything was possible, envisioned ourselves as the greatest small city in the Northeast, "Brooklyn of the Berkshires," (coined by Megan herself), and, mo...

For the love of dance. Olivia Martin is one of those individuals  who has been successful at making her passion her full time career. Her love of dance began early and, importantly, was encouraged by her parents who didn’t dissuade her from pursuing dance as her occupation. And she passes that joy on to her students of all ages and abilities- including her innovative work with those with disa...

Just like many other citizens in Berkshire County, I want to learn more about the candidates who are seeking to be the next district attorney. It just so happens that I get to have my conversation recorded and shared out to you. The last time I sat across from Tim Shugrue, and interviewed him, it was in the studio at WNAW in North Adams in 2004 when he ran for DA. Like back then, our recent conver...

How do you possibly measure the impact that someone has made on the lives of so many. It’s hard to think of anyone as beloved and respected as Eleanore Garcia, my dear friend, who was the one who has helped so many people, particularly immigrants to our community. She has helped people bridge the gap to find their potential and open the doors of opportunity and new possibilities. For many years sh...

Imagine the perplexed look on the face of the typical commercial loan officer at your local bank, when hearing the business plan for a new local access network gaming center. Ryan Senecal has created the first of its kind around these parts, tapping into a massive market of gamers – and gamers who have a desire to connect, compete and be a part of a wider community. And, yes, Ryan did find a banke...

Crispina ffrench is a true pioneer in the work that has defined her career, recycling used textile materials to create amazing new things. For 35 years she has bucked the fast clothing trend that rules within our consumer culture. However, the quality of most clothing in our consumer economy is cheap, not high-quality, and not healthy for us to wear (microfibers, etc.). Our interview explores the...

Bret Bero is not a typical politician. He's never run for office before now, and he really seems to care about delivering practical solutions for families and small businesses, which were impacted severely in so many cases by COVID. And specifically, the COVID protocols were often devastating to small businesses. He’s longtime business owner himself, a consultant who helps struggling businesses fi...

Oh man, I don’t remember an interview that required this much post-editing, but Jason Marby, after all, is the producer of a comedy showcase called Uncensored. He hosts three of them in different locations every month. He started 7 years ago on stage doing standup and has never looked back.  But, he’s more than that…he’s a single Dad raising a 15 year old, he works hard, has fun and over the...

In Part 2 we unpack how George was able to get the copyright for the term "Currency" - at least for hot beverages....and this Currency, is actually worth something these days. Also, how is he able to use the design for all that money (at least the pre-Federal Reserve notes) in the Currency Coffee branding and packaging. It's a great story! Sure, this guy has built a successful coffee roasting comp...

Sure, this guy has built a successful coffee roasting company with a brilliant branding strategy, blending the familiar images of the money, American currency printed in Dalton, Massachusetts. But, that doesn't scratch the surface of George's life and experience in the food service and restaurant industry. Growing up in a family that lived and breathed the industry, he served massive parties at Ch...

This 23 year old is ultra focused on growing his premium, American-made, shoe business methodically to build for the long haul. After all, the shoes he has created and sells should last about 10 years. We unpack the value proposition for the $295 boat shoe and the market he is targeting, as he considers shifting from online sales to establishing his brand in specialty brick and mortar retail. By t...

We keep it absolutely real in my conversation with Xavier Jones. He has been powerful force in the restaurant industry in Western Massachusetts and beyond for two decades. He's seen great success, devastating failures - and amid it all - he has only strengthened his faith in God and in his path. I hope you'll enjoy this episode that sheds new light into Xavier's story and his passion for life. Oh,...

We catch-up with Eryca and hit on her start as a comedian, the industry, giving a platform for women in the industry, and the burgeoning scene for comedians in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts....yup, no kidding! She's a Mom who loves wine and hitting the dance floor. We love her and love our conversation! ______ A Mom and Comedian, Eryca Nolan considers herself a work in progress when it c...

Hi Everyone! A quick check-in to tell you about my new podcast (available on most podcast platforms - links in the comments **please subscribe ), where we will be taking deep dives in a long form audio-based format. This is going back to my roots in radio and airing it out with the endless number of fascinating and wonderfully talented people who I have the pleasure of knowing - and so many who I...

Aaron Weeks has given himself an education on advocating for a badly needed public project - the reconstruction of a deteriorating track surface - in his hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He has earned his honorary degree in advocacy as the approximately $600k to $1 million project is much closer to coming to fruition through the effort he has spearheaded. As the campaign evolved, Aaron has c...

In part 2 we analyze the artwork in the studio and continue on Poetry, publishing, journalism, blogging, existential crises, life purpose, art, baseball, Hollywood, and more.  This is also was a glass of blue label whiskey with Dan. So if you meet him at the Gateway Inn in Lenox, or sitting by the river in his backyard, your conversation with Dan may sound a bit like this one on the podcast....

We run the gamut on this one. In fact, we needed to split this into two parts. Poetry, publishing, journalism, blogging, existential crises, life purpose, art, baseball, Hollywood, and more. This is what a cup of coffee is like with Dan. So if you meet him at Juice N' Java in downtown Dalton, or on his back porch, your conversation may sound a bit like this one on the podcast. Dan has a new work o...

Smashing misconceptions about dementia, Alzheimer's and the old approach to providing care for those in the memory care setting is what Rachael Wonderlin's career is built on. Her trademarked Embracing Their Reality is a perfect description for a more effective approach to those with dementia. Rachael is a successful entrepreneur who says that her path is not for everyone. You need to have a passi...

Lawrence Carroll is an educational consultant, inspirational speaker, workshop facilitator, experienced teacher and Certified Life Coach, serving at Canyon Ranch Institute for many years, among other organizations. Lawrence and John talk the power of meditation, mindfulness and dive into his three decade spiritual journey that took him to India and Indonesia, after leaving the teaching profession...

Liliana and John explore her history arriving in the US, the challenges once she arrived as a mother, then divorce and limitations as she became undocumented - making it so she was unable to receive an education, or even drive a vehicle. She overcame those monumental obstacles and is now supporting others with her innovative work with Latinas413. We explore her evolution after immigrating from Mex...

Quentin Palfrey may be the next AG for Massachusetts. We chat about going after corrupt corporate players on behalf of the people, equity, how the AG can work to improve conditions for working class citizens as costs rise and wages haven't kept up.