Chess Not Checkers

What happens when one of your listeners takes over the podcast? In this special episode of Chess Not Checkers , loyal listener and real estate professional Matt Brunner steps behind the microphone to interview Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien. Instead of bringing on a guest, the hosts become the guests, answering thoughtful questions about business, leadership, real estate, and the lessons they’ve...

Before Corey Jeppesen founded Bahlr Media, he received a piece of advice from Spokane advertising legend Ed Clark that would shape the way he viewed advertising, creativity, and brand building for years to come. In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien sit down with Corey to discuss his journey from graphic designer to agency owner, the principles that have guided his...

In this special listener Q&A episode of Chess Not Checkers, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien tackle questions from listeners on real estate investing, business growth, Spokane’s future, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. The conversation covers what they look for when evaluating a real estate deal, the biggest mistakes investors make, how to think about long-term wealth building, an...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien sit down with Lacey Renner, Director of Development at Vanessa Behan, to discuss the organization’s mission of preventing child abuse and supporting families in crisis. Lacey shares her personal journey from banking to nonprofit leadership, the story behind Vanessa Behan, and how a tragedy in Spokane led to the creation of a re...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien tackle some of the biggest economic and policy issues facing business owners today. From housing affordability and homelessness to rising taxes, government spending, real estate investing, and the future of small business, Keith and Jordan break down the challenges they see impacting entrepreneurs, investors, and everyday Ameri...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, with Jordan Tampien out, producer Brennon Poynor jumps behind the mic to interview Keith Riddle about his other company, MS4 — a performance coaching framework built around mindset, skill set, systems, and standards.   Keith breaks down how years in real estate, business ownership, philosophy, and coaching all came together to create MS4, and why he believes...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien dive into one of the biggest questions in today’s world: how do you know what’s actually true anymore? What starts as a conversation about conspiracy theories, Spokane history, and the Great Fire quickly becomes a deeper discussion about resilience, entrepreneurship, parenting, public perception, and the emotional reality of bu...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien sit down with Erin Peterson, founder of Trending Northwest, to talk about content creation, entrepreneurship, storytelling, and building a media brand centered around the best parts of the Northwest. Erin shares her journey from teaching fifth grade to launching one of the region’s most recognizable lifestyle and community plat...

Originally Released March 11th, 2025 In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, hosts Jordan Tampien and Keith Riddle sit down with Leigh Veidman, head coach of Spokane Velocity, to discuss his journey from Liverpool to Spokane and how he built a successful soccer team. Leigh shares how his resilience, self-reflection, and experiences overcoming adversity shaped his leadership style. They explore his...

This one’s a story about starting over… and what you do when everything gets taken away. Keith and Jordan sit down with Doyle Wheeler to talk through his journey from working nearly 20 years in auto collision to losing everything after a serious injury—and how that moment forced him to completely rebuild his life from scratch. What makes this episode so good is how real it gets. Doyle walks throug...

Originally Released March 4th, 2025 In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, hosts Jordan Tampien and Keith Riddle sit down with Brooke Baker, CEO of Baker Construction and Development, to discuss her journey from insurance to leading her family’s third-generation construction business. Brooke shares how her passion for development, resilience, and mentorship helped her transition into the male-domi...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien sit down with Dr. Ray Sicilia to talk about the real impact of chiropractic care—and the personal story that led him into the profession. Ray shares how his father went from being a hardworking, high-performing provider to being completely sidelined by a devastating back injury. After years of surgeries, pain, and setbacks, it...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien sit down with Greg Mahugh to unpack a side of business most people never think about—auctioneering. Greg shares his journey from Seattle to Spokane in the early 90s, building a business in the auto auction world and learning the art of high-speed dealmaking along the way. What starts as a conversation about auctions quickly tur...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien break down what’s actually happening in the Spokane market—from development and housing to the bigger economic forces shaping the city. They dive into Spokane’s unique position as a growing city without a major industry driver, and why sectors like medical, logistics, and manufacturing are playing such a big role right now. The...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien connect everyday life with business—breaking down how lessons from parenting directly translate to leadership, consistency, and long-term success. Recorded around St. Patrick’s Day, the conversation starts with stories about leprechaun traps, crazy hat days, and showing up for your kids. But quickly, it ties back to a bigger id...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien are joined by Justin Avey for a different kind of conversation—breaking down the good deals and the bad deals that shaped their careers. Instead of focusing on a single project or business, the three dive into the real stories behind some of the biggest wins and toughest lessons they’ve experienced in real estate and developmen...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers , Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien sit down with Justin Avey of Avey Construction to unpack his bold leap from retail management to construction entrepreneur. After 12 years at Best Buy, Justin cashed out his life savings, bought an excavator—with no prior experience—and bet on himself. What followed was a crash course in hands-on learning, risk-taking, and rel...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers , Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien sit down with Zak Allen, a rising star in real estate, to explore his journey from car sales to leading a multi-state team of agents. Zak shares how he overcame early struggles, the lessons he learned from mentorship and personal development, and how authenticity and mindset have shaped his success. From closing his first deal...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers , Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien sit down with Scotland Shouse, head brewer at Brick West Brewing Co., to explore the craft, science, and community behind every pint. Scotland shares his journey from North Carolina to Spokane, revealing how he discovered a love for brewing and the balance between precision and creativity in the process. From the accidental cr...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers , Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien sit down with Alicia Newman, entrepreneur and owner of Method Juice Cafe in Spokane. Alicia shares her journey of building multiple businesses while raising twins and a teenager, balancing family life with the challenges of entrepreneurship. From taking over Method Juice Cafe to co-owning Slumber, a short-term property managem...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers , Keith Riddle and Jordan Ian sit down with Danielle Nishiyama, owner of Craft Studio in Spokane. With nearly two decades in the beauty industry and over ten years running her own salon, Danielle shares her journey of entrepreneurship, personal growth, and team leadership. From building a hybrid salon model to cultivating a strong team culture, Danielle dives...

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers , Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien sit down with Spokane entrepreneur Jacob Gallion to explore his journey of resilience, reinvention, and community impact. From growing up in his family’s flooring business to facing personal and professional setbacks, Jacob shares how he rebuilt his life and launched Spokane Water Heater, a customer-focused plumbing business....

In this episode of Chess Not Checkers , Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien reflect on the lessons learned in 2025 and share their goals and aspirations for 2026. From personal growth to business challenges, they discuss how last year tested their resilience, taught valuable insights about communication, adaptability, and setting realistic goals, and prepared them to tackle the year ahead. Looking for...

As 2025 comes to a close, Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien reflect on an incredible year of conversations on Chess Not Checkers . From inspiring entrepreneurs to community leaders, this episode revisits some of the standout moments, lessons, and stories that shaped our year. This episode is a celebration of growth, community, and the meaningful connections that make Chess Not Checkers more than jus...

Originally Released April 22nd, 2025 In this episode of Chess Not Checkers, hosts Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien sit down with Reed Moore, a successful entrepreneur and real estate expert. Reed shares his journey from military service to building a thriving real estate empire with RMG Real Estate. He discusses the importance of personal development, resilience, and learning from failure, highligh...