The Ascent Podcast with Joe Burgess

Rob shares how he got started as a development officer, how his team created extra financial support for students during the pandemic, and the fulfillment he feels in helping young men realize their dreams.

Karin tells us about her non-linear career path, important factors for choosing to work in Moscow early in her career, and the fruits of building real and genuine relationships.

Jill talks about the rise in her career from intern to Executive VP, guiding the organization through a pandemic, and some of the initiatives Mall of America is working on with Twin Cities communities.

Matt shares his experiences in working with high net worth to ultra-high net worth families.   He talks about not always having to be the smartest person in the room, and the importance of surrounding yourself with good people.   Ultimately, he describes the character traits that he believes have led to his success. 

We hear about Leah's rapid rise to becoming a major market evening news anchor by the age of 27.   However, as life evolved, she realized she needed to make some major changes--both personally and professionally.   Leah talks about having the courage to change her life path and the freedom and confidence she has gained from her decisions.

Joe's father, Denny Burgess, passed away suddenly in early 2020.  This is part one of a two-part tribute celebrating his life.   You'll hear accounts of Denny's childhood, his prowess as an athlete, his journey building a successful business, and other special stories from family, business associates, and friends. In this episode, Joe chat's with Denny's good friend Don Houseman, his sister, Robyn...

Joe's father, Denny Burgess, passed away suddenly in early 2020.  This is part two of a two-part tribute celebrating his life.  You'll hear accounts of Denny's childhood, his prowess as an athlete, his journey building a successful business, and other special stories from family, business associates, and friends.    In this episode, Joe chat's with Belinda Isaacson, the current Executive Director...

Austin shares the harrowing details of not one, but two plane crashes that resulted in the loss of family members and life-changing physical injuries.   We learn how he navigated those difficult times.   In addition, he hear about his mindset toward tackling challenging situations in life. 

Kris shares the serendipitous start of her business almost 20 years ago.  Starting as a company focused on fitness center design and management, we hear how they expanded their services by incorporating award-winning employee well-being programs. We learn where she went for guidance, what she did for education, and how she and her business partner financed their start-up.  Lastly, we find out Kris...

Todd describes the progression of his career at Cargill; which led up to his role as Executive Vice President and a member of the Corporate Leadership Team.  We hear his views on creating culture at a large organization.  In addition, learn his feelings about ego when it comes to leadership and team selection.  Lastly, Todd shares one of his most effective strategies when leading people. 

Karyn chronicles the evolution of her career, which culminated in her becoming the Chief Executive Officer for a global market research firm.   In addition, she shares some essential business advice, based on the wisdom she has gathered over the years.  She discusses topics such as overcoming the impostor syndrome, the importance of a sponsor, and what factor contributed the most toward her person...

Joe explains some personal stuff that has happened since the last season.   In addition, he gives us a taste of few episodes he has coming up on this season--which is due out April 4th, 2020.   

Kelly shares how her passion for victim rights advocacy evolved into a career as a prosecuting attorney and more recently caused her to get involved in politics.   We hear about the campaign process for a first-time politician (including the experience of campaigning as a woman), what its like when you begin new role, and how she feels she can make her mark during her time in the Minnesota State L...

Bill talks about developing a passion for road biking in his sixties and how that evolved into two cross country trips--the last one being at age 70.  Further, we learn about his perspective on work and where he derives fulfillment in retirement.  

Jon talks about his evolution in commercial real estate and the establishment of his firm, MedCraft Healtcare Real Estate.  In addition, we learn about the craft brewery industry and Jon's role in founding the Excelsior Brewery.   Jon expands on the importance of people and culture in his organizations, as well as keeping his focus on life balance.

Andrea tells us about changing the culture within Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures.   In addition, she explains the process of creating a national leadership conference, as well as the work she is doing to help empower women. 

JT talks about the process of evolving an exploratory mining/fertilizer company.  In addition, he tells us what he has learned about international business etiquette and customs.  Lastly, he goes into detail about his growth as a leader and his perspective on success. 

Scott's personality shines through as he shares details of becoming a freelance copywriter while maintaining his focus on life balance and travel.  We discuss his work experience and the ever changing advertising space.  In addition, we hear about trips to Everest Base camp, India, and more.    

Joe discusses why he created The Ascent Podcast.  In addition, he recaps highlights from Season 1 and previews a few episodes from Season 2. 

Chris Dardis, VP at Versique Search and Consulting, provides insight into the branding his firm is doing through social media.  In addition, he explains his criteria for meaningful work and how his leadership style has evolved over the years.  

Ed Deutschlander had a short-lived career as a financial advisor.  However, his passion for North Star and the financial services industry carried him to eventually become CEO of the organization.  Listen as he tells the story of his path and provides insight to the wisdom he has learned along the way. 

Ed Driscoll and Jim Williams share the inspirational story of their mastermind group (which they call MAG).   We learn how the group came to be, what they learned, and how it changed the course of their lives over the past 30 years.  

Sue provides an unfiltered account of how she has overcome significant personal and professional setbacks.  In addition, as a business coach, she provides some real life experiences where she has helped her clients deal with communication and leadership issues. 

Amy talks about the inspirational, collaborative work she is doing with Minnesota-based Fortune 500 companies regarding renewable energy and carbon reduction.  We also learn how she uses her personal mission statement prioritization of values to help her navigate major life decisions. 

Greg explains how he got involved in triathlons and his experience representing TEAM USA in the 2017 Sprint World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands.   He also provides guidance on finding your passion and changing your mental game when it comes to goal setting.