Coffee & Grit

A couple of years ago, Ethan Bodtker and I connected through social media, which led to a phone conversation that felt like we had known each other for years. We immediately connected, went deep into life, business, and everything in between, and then our call got cut off. We stayed connected online, kept following each other's journeys, and every so often we'd say, "We need to make this happen."W...

We spend so much of our lives avoiding conversations about death, grief, and loss. But what if those are the very conversations that can teach us the most about how to live? In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with Kevin Mondloch from Borek Jennings Funeral Homes for a conversation that goes far beyond death and funerals. We're talking about love, relationships, human connection, and...

Three years ago, I connected with JJ Verbovsky after reading a Facebook post he wrote called "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly." That post led to his first appearance on Coffee & Grit, where we talked about his life, the challenges he'd experienced, and the journey that brought him to where he was. Three years later, JJ is back, and this conversation is about what happens next. How do we take the e...

What if the most important thing you could give your family isn't something you can buy, but the peace of mind that comes from knowing they'll be taken care of? In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with Blake Williams of the Herndon Family Agency, Farm Bureau Insurance, in Brighton, Michigan, for a conversation about family, loss, legacy, relationships, and what it really means to make...

Some people walk into a networking room looking for customers. Steve Zyskowski looks at the room and sees relationships that might still matter years from now. Steve, founder of Caerusnet and now four time Coffee & Grit guest, is back for a conversation that starts with networking but becomes something much bigger. We talk about the relationships that have grown around us over the years and th...

Quentin Howell was voted “Class Shy” his senior year of high school. Years later, the kid who was afraid to speak up would find himself knocking on strangers’ doors for a living and eventually becoming the top salesman. But there is a hell of a lot of story between those two versions of Quentin. In this episode of Coffee & Grit, Quentin opens up about growing up in an abusive home, struggling...

At 26 years old, John Collins found himself working inside one of the biggest criminal investigations in the world. The 1996 Atlanta Olympics had just been bombed. John was a young forensic scientist with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation when evidence from Centennial Olympic Park began arriving at his lab. One envelope contained a nail removed from the body of Alice Hawthorne, the woman killed...

Dean Ditto was last on Coffee & Grit way back on Episode 80, and a lot has happened since then. One thing that hasn't changed is Dean. He's still unapologetically himself, still willing to say exactly what he thinks, and still deeply invested in the kids and community around him. Now, somewhat unexpectedly, that journey has led him to run for the Brighton Area Schools Board of Education. Coffe...

How many ideas never make it into the world because someone talks themselves out of starting? In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with Perry Hamilton and Taurence Hill, co-founders of Euphoric Clothing, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, mental health, friendship, social media, rapid growth, and everything they have learned by continually stepping outside of their comfort zone...

Some businesses are built around a product or service. Others are built around a belief about how people should be treated. In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with Matt Pastor, founder of Deeply Rooted Mechanical, for a conversation about faith, leadership, construction culture, fatherhood, adversity, and building a company on something deeper than revenue. Matt grew up in the trades...

Most of us have an idea of who we think we are and what we believe our life is supposed to look like. But what happens when life takes that person away? In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with Adam Powell for an incredibly powerful conversation about being diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis, losing the ability to walk, grieving the person he used to be, and ultimat...

Purpose does not always begin with a perfectly defined plan. Sometimes it grows from simply following what matters to you and being willing to see where it leads. In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with April Dertian, founder of the Dertian Ranch, for a conversation about purpose, entrepreneurship, community, and building something meaningful from the things you genuinely care about....

Most business owners have a vision for where they want their company to go. The bigger question is whether their team can actually see it. In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with returning guest Trisha Turner of Turner Design Group for a full-circle conversation about leadership, accountability, employee development, visibility, and what it really takes to turn a skilled service busi...

Most people don't struggle because they say yes too often. They struggle because they're afraid to say no. In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with returning guest Dr. Ronda Vaughn for an honest conversation about boundaries, growth, leadership, and what it really takes to build a life that reflects your values instead of everyone else's expectations. Over the past two years, Ronda ha...

Most people would rather avoid talking about bathroom problems. Daniel Johnson built an entire business by refusing to ignore them. In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with Daniel, founder of Many Bidets, for a raw, funny, and unexpectedly meaningful conversation about turning a painful personal experience into a company built around dignity, education, and service. Daniel spent years...

What if the biggest thing standing between you and your next chapter isn't change... it's the version of yourself you're afraid to leave behind? In this episode of Coffee & Grit, Jason sits down with leadership coach and EOS Implementer Dave Feidner for a powerful conversation about identity, leadership, and what it really takes to grow. Together, they unpack one of the biggest misconceptions...

What if success isn't about building the biggest business... but building the right one? In this episode of Coffee & Grit, Jason sits down with Kyle Hunt of Remodelers on the Rise for a conversation that goes far beyond remodeling. Together, they unpack one of the most important questions every entrepreneur eventually faces: What are you actually building? From defining your own version of suc...

Most people think recruiting is about filling positions. Steve Clark sees it differently. To him, it's about solving problems, building relationships, and creating opportunities that change the trajectory of businesses and the people behind them. In this Difference Maker Bootcamp edition of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with Steve Clark, Founder of Bespoken Placement Group, to talk about what happ...

Jeff Waterman didn't set out to start another drinkware company. He set out to answer a question that had been following him ever since a trip to Africa. After seeing communities without access to clean drinking water and then standing in Paris looking at a $5,000 dress, Jeff couldn't shake the gap between how people experience life around the world. Then, while riding the London Underground, he k...

This episode is a bit of a throwback to the OG Coffee & Grit style. There is no formal introduction. No perfectly crafted opening. No roadmap. No "let's start here and work our way there." Terry Bean and I sat down, hit record, and started talking. The funny thing is, that ended up becoming one of the biggest lessons of the entire conversation. In a world where everyone seems to be chasing the...

I love this episode because it is a perfect example of what the Difference Maker Bootcamp series is all about. When Chad Krumrei first joined Bootcamp, I immediately saw someone who cared deeply about people. Over the course of 12 weeks, I watched him encourage others, invest in relationships, and show up consistently to Make A Difference. It became very clear why he and his wife Elena have built...

When most people hear the word connection, they think about networking. This conversation goes much deeper than that! In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with Toby Brazwell for a powerful conversation about relationships, leadership, vulnerability, sales, parenting, personal growth, and why connection may be the most important skill any of us can develop. Toby has built a successful c...

What happens when you retire from the family business… but your brain refuses to stop building? This week on Coffee & Grit, I sit down with Todd Bailey for a conversation about entrepreneurship, reinvention, creativity, fantasy football, app development, and what it looks like to finally pursue the ideas that have been sitting in your head for years. Todd spent decades in the family dealership...

Last August, Hayden Larance sat down with me for an impromptu episode of Coffee & Grit. At the time, he was just getting started.  Trying to figure things out, building his business, making cold calls, and chasing the feeling that there had to be more than the “normal” path everyone told him he was supposed to follow. Since then, a lot has changed. This episode is not some polished “I made it”...

Last year humbled Jake Freeland. This conversation is not one of those “everything worked immediately” entrepreneur stories. It’s the real story of what happens when you feel called to build something, step into the unknown, struggle through the messy middle, and slowly start finding the clarity that changes everything. In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with Jake Freeland of Admin H...