Excelsior!

Sometimes you meet someone out in the wild, they introduce you to their music, and you discover something you didn't even know you were missing. That's how I met Regen Ryan, and I had no idea what conscious hip-hop was until he introduced me to his music. Now I'm over here thinking, how have I never heard anything like this before?! Ryan's music is entertaining, incredibly creative, and packed wit...

Lisa is a realtor AND the woman behind Perfect Virtual Assistants, where she helps businesses find the right virtual assistant to make life a little easier. We talk about how it all works, answer questions about hiring a VA, and get into Lisa’s journey from working as a server to becoming the boss lady she is today. I LOVE Lisa! We’ve had so much fun running into each other at business networking...

sit down with two of my favorite musicians and lovebirds, Hayley Anne and Morgan, of the Minnesota band Ditch Pigeon! We talk about all things music, art, their lives, and their newest album, Burger Vision. I saw them perform in early August and was in awe of what they’ve created. From their collaborations to the incredible work they put into this album, there’s so much to love about what they’re...

I sat down with Leslee Lane Hoyum after meeting her while photographing Lakselaget’s July luncheon, and let me just say… this woman has DONE some things. Leslee is one of the women behind Lakselaget, a group of Norwegian-American women that was founded in 2002 to bring women together around Norwegian heritage, culture, friendship and community. I showed up to photograph the luncheon thinking I was...

You may recognize Worker B from your local co-op, but did you know they have a storefront tucked inside the Northrup King Building in Northeast Minneapolis? I sat down with Jennifer Merrill, the newer owner of Worker B, and we had a lot of laughs while talking honey, skincare, Wisconsin’s wild west, and her State Fair pickle flavor—because apparently, there’s a lot more to Worker B than honey! We...

In this episode, I sit down with cellist and musician Caitlin Benson to talk about her first solo album, Holly X.O., set to be released October 29. And there’s something you might not expect: there’s no cello on it. Caitlin opens up about the meaning behind this deeply personal project, who Holly X.O. is, where the name came from, and why this album feels like her most bare, vulnerable work yet. W...

What happens when a photographer stops chasing the next picture and takes the time to really see the one in front of them? In this episode of Excelsior!, I sit down with Twin Cities portrait and fine-art photographer Richard Leonard Schultz for one of my favorite conversations about photography. We talk about film, slowing down, and the difference between simply taking a photograph and actually ma...

New Excelsior! Episode with Magdalena Grace! I sat down with Magdalena Grace to talk about all the things she does—from spirituality and personal growth to entrepreneurship, healing, empowerment, and her work helping people create more abundance and purpose in their lives. We also dive into her Sacred Rage Workshop, which I actually got to experience myself! We talk about what it is, why rage can...

This week I got to hang out with one of my favorite local comedians, Khadijah Cooper, who somehow manages to be both absolutely hilarious and the Director of Sexuality Education. We dove into comedy, sexual health, awkward conversations, and plenty of topics that might make your grandma blush. To make things even more entertaining, my one-year-old decided to crash the podcast. Between the laughs,...

To celebrate the 5-year anniversary of Excelsior!, the microphone gets turned around as Analise, videographer for Excelsior!, interviews host Britleigh. Together, they reflect on the journey of building a community-centered storytelling platform, the power of art, creativity, photography, and the people who make Excelsior such a special place. From behind-the-scenes moments to lessons learned over...

Who knew diapers could make for such a fun conversation? 💚 In this episode of Excelsior!, I sit down with Eric Forseth, the new owner of Do Good Diapers, a Twin Cities cloth diaper service that makes cloth diapering easy for busy families. As a customer myself, I can honestly say—I LOVE their service! This episode was extra special because my one-year-old son, Wilhelm, joined us for the recording...

Chat with Britt Brat who is the lead singer of Varmints Minneapolis band.

I sit down with one of my favorites, Laura Larsen, co-owner of Hounds Tooth Grooming in Saint Paul! Laura has been my trusted dog groomer (and on-call nail trimmer!) for years, so it was such a joy to have her in the studio. She recently took the leap into business ownership with two partners, opening Hounds Tooth Grooming, where they offer a more personalized, one-on-one grooming experience desig...

What happens when you combine a conversation about the Akashic Records with a very energetic one-year-old? A fun episode filled with great conversation and a few unexpected moments! This week I'm joined by Britta, an Akashic Records Reader and founder of Aligned & Undefined. We talk about what the Akashic Records are, how she became an Akashic Records reader, what a session looks like, and how...

I got to sit down with Dan Rosen — singer, guitarist, writer, and creator of the Twin Cities band 🔪 — for a really fun episode of Excelsior! We talked about music, writing, creativity, art, and so much more. Dan and I have been working together on visuals for the band’s upcoming album release, and I get the honor of creating their album photos. They are incredibly talented, and it’s been awesome...

Of course Kendall loves pho… because I do too. It was only fitting that the title of this episode came naturally after realizing yet another thing we have in common. This episode felt like meeting my personality doppelgänger. For years, people have told Kendall Diveley and me that we have the same energy, similar personalities, and needed to meet someday. We both throw events, have a mission to bu...

This is an episode you don’t want to miss. I caught up with my favorite comedian, Chicky Dabs—a well-known Twin Cities comic—who also happens to be five months pregnant, and we got into everything. We talked babies, life, and what it’s like being on stage while pregnant. She shared stories from her first visit to the Comedy Mothership, including meeting Pauly Shore, and her unforgettable run-in wi...

I sat down with Richard Anderson—truly a Minneapolis icon—and from the moment he walked in, he was dressed head to toe in color. It felt like the perfect reflection of who he is and what he brings to this city. One of my favorite moments from our conversation was when he shared that so much of his success is because of women—the support, the belief, and the opportunities they gave him along the wa...

Before we ever met in person, Eva Johnson and I already had mutual—circling each other on the internet, realizing we knew a million of the same people, and bonding over our shared love language: dive bars.  Eva is the creative force behind Grandpa’s Pool House—a sexy, playful indoor pool house tucked away in Stanchfield, Minnesota. It’s the kind of place that feels like a hidden world… a photograp...

Finally—a new barber fills the seat. But this isn’t just a haircut… In this episode of Excelsior!, I sit down with Peter Qualley, the new barber in St. Francis, Minnesota. Over a shared love of 1919 Root Beer, we go beyond the chair and into his story—who he is, how he grew up, and the values that shaped him. This conversation is about more than the craft. It’s about purpose, identity, and what it...

Jairid Rossow, a Minneapolis-based oil painter, stopped by my studio to talk about his art and creative process. Known for classical still lifes and plein air landscapes, Jairid shared his perspective on painting, photography, and the ways artists translate real life into their work. This episode was recorded with just one mic in a relaxed question-and-answer style, like two artists chatting in th...

In this episode of Excelsior!, I sit down with the incredibly talented and up-and-coming singer-songwriter Mona Penny. Mona is currently pursuing her music career and is also a dedicated K-pop dancer. We talk about who she is as an artist, how she got started in music and dance, and what it means to follow your creative path and dreams. This episode is extra special to me because Mona is my stepda...

The Baby is ASLEEP” and for the first time ever, my husband Jerred is on the podcast 🎙️ This episode is basically me getting to talk all about him — what he does for work, what he’s been building lately, funny stories, life updates, and just who he is as a person. It’s light, it’s fun, and it’s just us hanging out and letting you get to know him a little more.

This episode is a little different — I did a quick check-in call with a handful of past Excelsior! Podcast guests to see what they’ve been up to lately and what they’re working on heading into 2026. We talk about what’s inspiring them right now, what they’re creating, and the exciting things on the horizon in their lives and businesses. I wish I could’ve checked in with even more people, but here...

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Lonesome Dan in my studio for a truly special conversation. A calm, sweet soul, Dan shares his journey as a talented guitarist who has the rare gift of reinterpreting piano music on guitar while also composing his own songs. Joining us was my husband, Jerred—a longtime fan of Dan’s music—and our 7-month-old son, Wilhelm, making for a warm, p...