The Front Porch

Season 4, Episode 17  of The Front Porch Podcast features Paul Anderson , president of the Melissa School Board and a founder of Melissa Sports Connection.  Links: Melissa ISD: Website Melissa Sports Connection:  Website City of Melissa: Website Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

Season 4, Episode 16  of The Front Porch Podcast features Darren Thompson , who serves on the Melissa School Board and was an inaugural member of Leadership Melissa. The people who shape our lives often never realize just how far their influence will reach. From growing up in a family of educators to building a career as an IT Engineer for Toyota, Darren shares how his mother's passion for serving...

What starts as an idea can sometimes grow into something much bigger. In this episode of The Front Porch Podcast, we sit down with Roberto and Katie Hern , owners of Hern's Pest Control and Hern's Pro Products , to talk about the journey that led them from Southern California to North Texas and from a simple observation in the pest control industry to becoming inventors with a patented product. Af...

Season 4, Episode 14 of The Front Porch Podcast features Anthony Obiselu , part owner of Yonx Pizza Bar & Co.   Links: Yonx Pizza Bar & Co:  Website City of Melissa:  Website Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

Season 4, Episode 13 of The Front Porch Podcast features Cachelle and Puc Westrupp , the owners and operators of FC Cardinals Soccer Club in Melissa. What started with a single team of 4-year-olds has grown into a program serving more than 200 kids across 14 teams, all built around one mission: putting kids first. In this episode, Cachelle and Puc share why they saw opportunity in Melissa long bef...

Season 4, Episode 12: Faith led Jamie and Seth Tilley to Melissa, Texas. They were traveling three days a week from their home in Richardson to attend First Melissa and spend time with Seth's dad. During those frequent visits, they started to fall in love with community, specifically the people. Then ... a seed was planted by one of Seth's friends that changed everything. That seed was watered by...

Season 4, Episode 11:  Zach Stinton and Bruce Tyner love the game of football. They also love kiddos and Melissa, Texas. What do you do with all that love? You create  Cardinal Nation Sports . On this episode of The Front Porch , these two passionate fathers talk about how and why they created this community's premier sports league. Cardinal Nation gives every kid in Melissa, Texas, the opportunit...

Season 4, Episode 10: Phil Lytle – a.k.a. Santa Phil – has a heart for giving back in this community. That is kind of ironic to say, because his actual heart was the culprit behind this life-changing transformation. It was a health scare and a brush with death that inspired Santa Phil to start spreading joy across Melissa, Texas. Whether that's greeting customers at Ace Hardware, putting out flags...

Season 4, Episode 9: Ashlee Palma had a tough decision to make when she was opening her own salon. She was living in Melissa, Texas, but starting her business down the road in McKinney was the safer bet. Ashlee decided to take a chance and get ahead of the wave in her new hometown. She opted to open The Society Salon and Boutique in Gateway Village last November, and she's starting to hit her stri...

Season 4, Episode 8: Tarnesha Nickens is a firecracker! That is said probably ten times on this episode of The Front Porch . After hearing her story and all the ways she is giving back in Melissa, Texas, you understand how fitting that title truly is. She gets stuff done, and her driving force revolves around legacy. During our conversation, she said: "Sometimes your legacy is not always with the...

Season 4, Episode 7:  Father Fred Caldwell is spreading the love of God across Melissa, Texas. And he's doing it in a very unique way. If you visit Kroger ... or WalMart ... or HEB in this community, there is a great chance you'll run into this 91-year-old Catholic priest. He'll be wearing one of his unique spiritual t-shirts, and he'll simply be visiting with people. He has no agenda, but when th...

Season 4, Episode 6: Brittany and Brian Shull are extra - in the most wonderfully great way. Everything they do is done full throttle, and the ripple effects they're creating across Melissa, Texas, are profound. On this episode of The Front Porch , Brittany and Brian discuss all the different ways they're giving back and supporting this community – whether that's through the youth football league...

Season 4, Episode 5:  Ericca Boone has only lived in Melissa, Texas, for six months, but she already has a heart for this community. On this episode of The Front Porch , we get amazing perspective from someone who discovered exactly where she "should be," after spending a majority of her adult life in the Greater DFW area. Do you know what surprised her the most about Melissa, Texas? Listen and fi...

Season 4, Episode 4: Sgt. Bryan Kile has worked for the Melissa Police Department for 16 years, and his love for his department and this community runs deep. Throughout this episode of The Front Porch , Sgt. Kile references the strong culture across the city. It's evident how proud he is to work for the Melissa Police Department. Reminder: Our shadow mission when visiting with city staff is to hum...

Season 4, Episode 3: Tyler Bark was born to work in parks and recreation.   He watched his father work in that capacity of city government for most of his life. Then, Tyler got his own little taste of the parks and rec world while he was in college. That's when a legacy was born. Now, Tyler serves as the Parks and Recreation Manager for the City of Melissa. When we recorded this episode of The Fro...

Season 4, Episode 2: Jon Underbrink gets the opportunity to give back in Melissa, Texas, in a very caffeinated way. As a shift supervisor at the Meilissa Starbucks from Day 1, it has been his mission to create positive ripple effects across this community - one cup of coffee at a time. On this episode of The Front Porch, Jon shares how he ended up in Melissa and waited patiently for the Starbucks...

Season 4, Episode 1: Andrea and Scott Murray - owners of Ash & Sage Sauna Spa - have a simple goal. They want to create community through wellness. This power couple has taken an out-of-the-box wellness concept - which is emphasizes self-care and self-love - and started to make it come to life in the heart of this community. On the spa's Facebook page it says:  "A sanctuary where you can eleva...

Season 3, Episode 26: The 601 Boutique is leaving its mark on Melissa, Texas. It has turned into the go-to place for Cardinals gear, and it has grown into a unique store-front. All of this is fueled by one family's love - for each other and the community. On this episode of The Front Porch , we sat down with Brittany Dyden and her mom, Michelle. They are the co-owners of The 601 Boutique. They sha...

Season 3, Episode 25: Mark Stover is starting to become an expert in retirement. Over the years, this recent retiree has accumulated quotes, tips and tricks to create his own blueprint for life after the 9-to-5. Now, he wants to share his findings with other people and help them retire with grace and intentionality too. On this episode of The Front Porch , Mark tells his story, shares some of his...

Season 3, Episode 24: Jerry Song has seen other North Texas communities grow up around him. He's spent time in Richardson and he currently lives in Frisco. But now, as the market president for Texas Republic Bank in Melissa, he's getting a front-row seat as this community starts to grow. On this episode of The Front Porch , Jerry discusses talks about his excitement for the growth, but he also dis...

Season 3, Episode 23: Rob Zschau is strengthening Melissa, Texas - literally and figuratively. He is the owner of Redigo Coaching, which is located in Downtown Melissa. His No. 1 goal is empower individuals navigating changes in their lives. He definitely has a heart for this community, which he has called home for almost 19 years. On this episode of The Front Porch , Rob shares his story of reloc...

Season 3, Episode 22: This is an engaging conversation with Katie and Rendell Hendrickson - two people who have a heart for Melissa, Texas, and feel inclined to serve in the community they love. Rendell is on Melissa's City Council, while Katie is heavily involved with the organization Feed the Need. One of the most powerful parts of our conversation revolved around why they do what they do in reg...

Season 3, Episode 21: Emeka Eluka is living and loving "the process." That's how he describes his time in Melissa, Texas. Driven by "grit, global roots and a whole lot of heart," Emeka has wrapped both of his arms around this community. He has fallen in love with Melissa, and he's paying to forward by getting involved and giving back. Early on in the conversation, he said that he'll be in Melissa...

Season 3, Episode 20: You won't meet many 16 year olds like Zeke Vest . This Melissa native is driven. He's smart and mature. He has an amazing work ethic. All of that has helped this young man build a successful lawn care service in this community. On this episode of The Front Porch , Zeke shares the story of how Kid with a Cart Lawn Care got started ... he talks about all the people who have sup...

Season 3, Episode 19: This is a powerful and impactful episode of The Front Porch . We'll get the opportunity to meet Brooke Carreker , co-founder and executive director of Rustic Way Ranch. Her "rollercoaster" story is rooted in faith, and it led her to a local couple that changed her life. Now, Brooke's organization, which she started with her husband, is creating profound ripple effects in the...