Pork Pond Gazette

Ever struggled with chronic pain and found yourself lost in the labyrinth of the healthcare system? You're not alone. Meet Hayla Folden , a health insurance broker, who shares her personal journey of battling unexplained pain and her fight to navigate the murky waters of health insurance. Hayla’s story is not just about her struggle; it's a beacon guiding us through the intricacies of working with...

Have you ever contemplated the sheer power a simple act of kindness can hold? And the ripple effect it can ignite? That's exactly what we plunge into in our heartening conversation with Lisa Dimino White , a Certified Professional Coach, Ordained Minister, and Public Speaker. Together, we decipher not just the plain acts of generosity like a smile or kind word, but also its profound impact on our...

Ever found yourself feeling frustrated with traditional paint trays that are neither reusable nor recyclable? We sure have, and so has Billie Asmus , a mompreneur who channeled this frustration into a promising new business venture. Join us for a captivating chat with Billie as she recounts her journey of creating the repaint tray - a game-changer in the world of paint trays. It's a silicone-based...

Ever wished you could infuse more joy into your daily life? Get ready for a dose of infectious positivity as we engage with our vibrant guest, Jessica Eastman-Stewart , owner of Joyfully Managed Life . Here's a woman who's truly turned life's lemons into lemonade, transforming personal loss into a heartwarming celebration of kindness. Jessica's journey from nonprofit executive to inspiring entrepr...

Get ready for a soul-stirring conversation with our special guest, Alex Regan. A trans man, an interfaith minister, a transformative spiritual coach, and a published author, Alex opens up about his journey from growing up in a conservative family to embracing his spirituality and identity. In an intriguing chat, Alex shares his insight on lowercase 'g' god and what it means to discover the "God Wi...

Join us for a heartfelt conversation with national speaker and former news anchor, Joan Steffend Brandmeier. We discuss her journey in the media world, particularly in the Twin Cities, and her insight on the overshadowed nature of kindness in our daily news and social media feeds. We take a nostalgic trip back to Joan's days at the Brown Institute, and the joy of queuing up a vinyl record. Joan sp...

Have you ever stopped to ponder the transformative power of kindness? This week, we invite you to journey with us to Anoka, the burgeoning Kindness Capital of the World. We're joined by Missy Merschman and Stacey Burnham, the inspiring duo behind Anoka's Kindness Rock Garden. This touching tribute to Stacy's late daughter Nicole is more than just a memorial, it's a radiant beacon of kindness, love...

Do you find gift-giving a daunting task? Fear not, as we have Patrick Kucharson, creator of the Better Gift Coach, joining us to share captivating insights - from delivering meaningful gifts without splurging to the art of group gifting and off-calendar gifting. You'll witness the heart-tugging tale of Patrick crafting a custom children's book for his son's birthday, an affordable yet memorable gi...

What happens when a simple act of chalk doodling turns into a full-fledged mission to spread joy during difficult times? Meet my guest, the delightful Laurie Olesen, who used her talent for chalk artistry to brighten up driveways and in turn, lives during the pandemic. A whimsical mushroom, uplifting messages for a hospital-ridden boy, a birthday cake for a party-cancelled little girl - her chalk...

Have you ever considered the magnitude of influence a simple act of kindness can exert? Join me, your host, and my long-time friend, Lisa Metwaly , founder of the Qkindness Cafe as we unravel the mystery of kindness. Lisa stands as a testament to how even the smallest gestures of love can ripple through our day-to-day lives, making a world of difference. She talks about her journey of setting up a...

Meet our guest, Steve Griffiths , a person of substance and the executive director of S tepping Stone Emergency Housing . He's been walking the path of service and has dedicated his life to making a meaningful impact on others. In this spirited dialogue, he takes us through his journey in the nonprofit sector, from his roots at Meals on Wheels to his transformative work at Stepping Stone. He share...

Can we be more compassionate towards ourselves? Is it possible to foster empathy and kindness in our modern, fast-paced workplaces? Jenna Saunders , who was diagnosed with ADD in her college years, joins us today to shed light on these questions. Together, we unravel her journey to self-compassion, highlighting the often-overlooked importance of being kind to oneself. We also touch on embracing di...

Ever felt alone facing the world? Imagine facing it as a young single mother. It's a reality for many women in the United States, a third of whom live in poverty. But there's hope. Today, we're joined by Pam Powell , the incredible woman leading Mom’s Haven of Hope, a non-profit organization that's making a difference. Pam's personal journey and her determination to empower single mothers is nothi...

Have you ever experienced the immense power of kindness during a challenging time in your life? Christine Manko-Petersen, our inspiring guest, shares her personal journey of receiving unconditional kindness during her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, and how it helped her realize the importance of accepting help and taking care of oneself. We discuss how kindness can come in the form of smal...

Can you imagine facing eight different health conditions and still finding the strength to advocate for others? Join us for an inspiring conversation with disability advocate, author, and public speaker, Pey Carter, and her daughter Abigail Bailey. Pey (short for Peighton) opens up about navigating through her own challenges while raising awareness for others and shares the moving story behind her...

When a dear family friend was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at only 25 years old, Amy Kandrack stepped up to help in any way she could. Little did she know that her acts of kindness would lead her to found What Friends Do, an organization that now supports over 75,000 active users each month in their times of need. Joined by Amy and  Mike, discuss the powerful impact of kindness and the imp...

Can elderberry syrup really improve your health and immunity? Erin Mann, the owner of Erin's Elderberries , joins us to share her inspirational journey of discovering elderberry syrup's potency as a natural remedy. She reveals how this powerful concoction helped her son fight off illnesses and became the core of her thriving business. From former FBI agent to successful entrepreneur, Erin's story...

Have you heard about Bucks County Kind or a similar community kindness movement? Have you ever thought, 'I would love to start something like that ion my town/county/community? My guests on this episode, Joanne Petrun and Edie Weinstein walk us through how they created Bucks County Kind, as a Facebook group and also as a community movement. From the inspiration in a bagel shop to handing out kindn...

Jill had a happy, healthy 20-year relationship with her college sweetheart, two wonderful kids, and a rescue cat from the Humane Society. They lived in a nice suburban home with a white picket fence and owned a small bar that was rated one of the "Best Mom and Pop" businesses in Tampa Bay. From the outside everything looked "perfect". As Pride Month begins, this episode is a reminder that everyone...

When I first met Kari , I knew she was a Relationship Coach, but not much else. As we talked though, there seemed to be a thread running through our conversation and that thread was olive green.  Kari has a deep and personal military connection and a lot of it has influenced her life and her business. She opens up in this episode about her focus on relationships but also how we can all be more kin...

Who doesn't love a good hug?  The power that is contained within a hug is amazing.  From soothing a scraped knee and comforting a frightened child to reminding someone that they matter, hugs can be powerful medicine. The need for human touch is one of our most basic, primal needs. Lack of human touch can lead to such negative health outcomes as depression, anxiety and immune system disorders. My g...

Dementia seems to be so pervasive in our society these days. We think about people like Bruce Willis who is dealing with Frontotemporal dementia or Robin Williams who had Lewy Body Dementia or any number of our friends and relatives who are dealing with Alzheimer's. My guest on this episode is Beth Dunoff  who calls herself "The Dementia Whisperer". Beth has spent decades researching and learning...

Recently I reached out to the kindness subreddit asking if anyone had ever been the recipient of or participated in an act of kindness that was so amazing that it changed either their or someone else's life. I got a lot of really great responses, but one stuck out to me. His name was James and his story was simply fantastic. I asked if he would agree to be on my show, but he said no. He was too bu...

In this episode I speak with Sam Knickerboker , the founder of Fuel Your Legacy. Sam helps people of all ages figure out what legacy people want to be remembered for and how to achieve that. We had a fascinating conversation about how so many legacies boil down to kindness. It's a great episode, trust me. There are so many ways to connect with Sam. Here are just a few: Website Instagram Facebook F...

Meet Mark Matthews, PhD student at Ohio State University and an expert on kindness. From why we aren't kinder, as a nation, to how we could be kinder, Mark has some great ideas that he shares with me in this episode.  We talk about his upbringing in conservative rural Ohio and the cultural whiplash he experienced while attending Ohio State and how those differences lead him to start the American D...