The Plug Podcast by Jeff Kohl & Pat Schiller

Kyle Sulkar (Sulkar Media, CPX Pickleball) breaks down how he used digital marketing, including Facebook ads, content, and now AI, to build one of the first direct-to-consumer pickleball paddle brands from the ground up. Before pickleball, Kyle spent a decade running an advertising agency, flipping cars, and testing (and failing at) multiple e-commerce products. This episode is his full playbook:...

Thinking about buying a home but don't know where to start? In this episode, Jeff Kohl sits down with Tigi Tasso — Designated Managing Broker at John Green Realtors and member of the Main Street Realtors Board of Directors — to break down everything you need to know about the home buying (and selling) process. Tigi pulls back the curtain on what really happens from your first conversation with an...

Jeff Kohl and Pat Schiller are joined by Go Brewing founder Joe Chura to share his journey from working on the Ford assembly line to building and selling a $200M+ tech company — and ultimately starting over with Go Brewing. He breaks down the realities of entrepreneurship, from imposter syndrome and burnout to acquisitions, mental health, and finding purpose beyond success. A raw conversation abou...

On this episode, Jeff sits down with Scott Frauenheim, CEO of LEAP Innovations and Distinctive Schools, to talk about how personalized learning, AI, and classroom design are reshaping education. Scott explains the difference between public, private, and charter schools, why so many teachers are burning out, and how LEAP partners with schools to make learning more engaging and relevant for today’s...

When Pat Girondi’s son was diagnosed with thalassemia, a rare and often fatal blood disorder, his life changed overnight. A former commodities trader and South Side Chicago native, Pat left everything behind to search for a cure—eventually founding San Rocco Therapeutics, a company now leading the fight to make gene therapy more affordable. In this conversation, he shares how a father’s determinat...

In this candid and unfiltered sit-down, Marco Piemonte opens up about his real story—from a turbulent childhood, military school and lost identity as an athlete, to building a family, thriving in the car business and card-collecting world, and navigating the highs and lows of sports betting. Marco pulls back the curtain on the life events that shaped him, the hustle that drives him, and the lesson...

To donate to Jeff's campaign visit: https://charity.pledgeit.org/CalsAngelsCUREage2025Ride/@JeffreyKohl On the latest episode, Jeff sits down with Brad Beetham, board chairman of Cal’s Angels, to talk about the organization’s incredible mission to grant wishes, raise awareness, and fund groundbreaking pediatric cancer research. Brad shares the story of how Cal’s Angels began, his own family’s jour...

Former NFL tight end Clay Harbor sits down with Jeff Kohl and Pat Schiller for an unfiltered conversation on his incredible journey. From growing up in small-town Illinois and overcoming a turbulent childhood to carving out a nine-year NFL career, Clay opens up about perseverance, sacrifice, and the drive that pushed him forward. He shares inside stories from the league, what it was like competing...

Jeff sits down with Jake Richard, head coach of Marquette Lacrosse and former Team USA gold medalist, to unpack an incredible journey of leadership, resilience, and legacy. From his humble beginnings as a multi-sport athlete on the East Coast to becoming an All-American, pro lacrosse player, and now mentor to the next generation, Jake shares powerful lessons on family, discipline, and the pursuit...

Attorney and lifelong problem-solver Pat Walsh sits down with Jeff Kohl for a conversation about life in and out of the courtroom. From handling high-stakes cases and late night emergency calls to coaching youth baseball and dad jokes, Walsh explains why helping people is his true high. They break down why lawyers get a bad reputation, how relationships and trust are everything in business, and wh...

Rainy Investments CEO Ken Buckman joins Jeff Kohl and Pat Schiller for a deep dive into what it really means to be an entrepreneur. From his early days selling bikes in Naperville to building a multimillion-dollar trade show business and real estate empire, Ken shares decades of hard-earned lessons, near-disasters, and wild wins. The guys talk mentorship, surviving financial crises, turning tax pr...

Welcome to Episode One of The Plug — where the audio’s rough, the plan’s half-baked, and we’re figuring it out as we go. We kick things off with my first guest (and now co-host), Pat Schiller — a former NFL linebacker turned construction entrepreneur and my unexpected business partner. We dive into how The Plug came to be, Pat’s path from pro football to pouring concrete, and how our friendship ev...