Capital Success Podcast

Former NBA player Pete Chilcutt stops by to promote his new Clutch City Basketball Academy in Sacramento for ages 8-17. The former 9 year NBA veteran and member of the 1995 NBA Championship Houston Rockets shared among many others things: Why now is a good time too start the Clutch City Basketball Academy (1:30)Being the premiere Basketball talent from Alabama (8:00)Being recruited to play in the NCAA in the 80s (10:30)Playing for legendary coach Dean Smith at North Carolina (13:00)Participating in the infamous scrimmages with Michael Jordan portrayed in the "Last Dance" (14:30)Being drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the 1991 NBA Draft (21:50)Winning a ring with the "Clutch City" Houston Rockets (26:00)And his post NBA career as a teacher (42:30).

It has been a while, but with all of the uncertainty around the Novel Coronavirus, I came back from my hiatus to check in with a couple good buddies Scott Moak and Gary Gelfand. Scott Moak is the announcer of the Sacramento Kings and was present when the virus took over the sports landscape causing cancelations across the board, which culminated in Sacramento Kings vs Pelicans game. He recounted the series of events from his perspective. Gary Gelfand is a well known personality in the region as he has been on TV for well over two decades. He brought a unique perspective as well.

After 78 straight episodes, it’s time to put the show on the shelf. This podcast has been what I describe as my “Lady Bird” AKA my love letter to Sacramento. The region has taken the needed steps of growth over this past decade and it has been a real pleasure meeting just some of the many people that make our city unique. The decision to put the podcast on hold isn’t out of nowhere. Many of you know my day job has been at FOX40 for the last 5+ years. It has been a great run, but there are some exciting career opportunities down south that I cannot pass up- I’m going to be an Associate Producer on this season of “American Ninja Warrior” and a Freelance Photographer for ABC7 in Los Angeles in between. The decision wasn’t easy as I love my hometown Sacramento, but it will be a great period of growth for me. In this last episode of Capital Success for now, I bring on a few of my favorite people, some repeats on the show. Patrick Harbison of PHPR makes his 3rd appearance, FOX40 Morning News Anchor Pedro Rivera makes his 2nd appearance, and FOX40 Morning News Weatherman Adam Epstein makes his debut appearance. We discuss my big move, Downtown Sacramento doubling in size in 2022 (10:00), why I’ll still love my Sacramento sports teams (12:00), Why winning the Lip Sync battle on Capitol Mall with Adam and Pedro was one of the best moments of my life (20:00), advice for the big move (31:00), roller coasters

One of the more fascinating people to appear on the podcast, Ben Gumpert is the President of COO of the Sacramento Republic FC. Not only is Ben leading the next MLS franchise, but his career spans to working with the NBA and the Sacramento Kings during the relocation saga. In this podcast we talk about: When his desire to work in professional sports began (1:00, stories of the late great NBA Commissioner David Stern (9:00), working in the NBA during the Sacramento Kings relocation saga (14:00), the Kings taking the leap of faith to build an arena downtown (21:00), Taking on the MLS with the Sacramento Republic FC (25:00), and transforming the rail yards into the next big development for downtown Sacramento (32:00).

Kimberly Prince is the owner of the Nekter Juice Bar in midtown and the first in Sacramento. In this episode we discuss: discovering Nekter while living in Orange County (4:00), moving back to a different Sacramento than she remembers (6:30), receiving the email of a lifetime from Nekter about opening a location in Sacramento (8:45), how Nekter has opened doors for Kimberly in midtown (14:00), and the 1st DOCO Open Mini Golf (24:00).

Lucy Crocker, founder of Lucy & Company, is a fixture in the Midtown Sacramento region since the 90s and is celebrating 25 years in business. In the first episode of season 3 we discuss how Lucy began her career (3:00), specializing in water public relations and community outreach (6:30), difference between PR in the 90s and today (13:30), favorite projects over the years (25:00), and what's next in 2020 (31:30)

Freddie Silveria (:40)Chris Saizan (4:00)Dominic and Donte Morris from Hoopmaps (8:00)Nicole McKeever (10:00)Spencer Stone (11:45)Scott Moak (12:15)John Adair (15:30)Traci Rockefeller Cusack (17:30)Ginger Elizabeth Hahn (18:00)Jason Woods (21:30)David Sobon (22:30)Will Thompson (25:45)Taro Arai (27:30)Pedro Rivera (28:30)Aaron Marchand (32:00)Rachel Smith (33:00)Joe Khalil (35:00)Dr. Sam (39:00)Bryan Carter (47:30)Brandon and Jennifer Robinson (50:00)Steve Hansen (53:30)

Kenny Burkey, one of the 4 best friends behind one of the hottest clothing brands Sacramento Gear, stopped by to share the inspiration behind the brand (1:00), taking it from a concept to a business (4:20), marketing strategy (10:30), capitalizing on the resurgence of pride in Sacramento (12:00), running a business with your best friends (23:00), and the possibility of a brick and mortar location in 2020 (24:00)

Health Coach and Fitness Trainer Caleb Fong breaks down why working out is so important for your health (8:00), his 70/30 nutrition rule (9:30), the key to sticking to New Years Resolutions (14:00), how to get a 6 pack (17:00), and his plans for 2020 (25:30).

David Chan is a rockstar in the international ramen scene. With over 20 thousand instagram followers, David shows off his dishes to people in Sacramento and beyond. In this episode, David shares his enthusiasm for ramen and how he turned it into his Nichijou Ramen Pop Up restaurant (4:00), what it takes to prepare his ramen (13:00), how he admires the idea behind the "Soup Nazi" character from Seinfeld (24:00), and ultimately his aspirations in ramen (27:00).

Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Hansen of Sacramento's 4th district joined the show to reflect on his 7 years in the city council and speaks to some of the things he would like to bring to the city moving forward. Some of the topics discussed include: his political aspirations growing up (5:00), the state of downtown when he took over in 2012 (8:00), the impact the Golden 1 Center has had on the city (12:00), whether housing is enough to solve the homeless crisis (18:00), riverfront development (21:00), my idea for the "Grand Sacramento Canal" (25:00), Public Transit (27:30), and Sacramento's 100% score on the Municipal Equality Index (35:00).

Among the many new developments in the Downtown Commons aka DOCO is the Flatstick Pub, an indoor mini golf facility brought to California from Washington. Owners Brandon and Jennifer Robinson shed light on the process of bringing Flatstick to California despite hearing no many times (1:00), running businesses together as a couple (19:00), and learning from past businesses (22:00).

Structural Engineer by day, Guys On The Grid influencer by night, Bryan Carter joins the podcast to share his process behind each successful post. From how the account began (1:00), to when it started gaining notoriety (4:00), to what's next (21:00), we dive deep into all things Guys on the Grid. We even discuss Sacramento and what it needs to do to reach the next level (14:30), and the importance of always saying yes to new, challenging, and uncomfortable opportunities (23:00).

Dr. Sam Varon, owner of the Broadway Veterinary Hospital in Sacramento and the Venetian Pet Hospital in Stockton stops by the show to share his story. We discuss when he first became interested in animals (2:00), his interest in operating on short-faced dog breeds (5:30), treating pets of the homeless (10:00), and his volunteer work in Central America (14:30). We also touch on some dog specific topics including general signs to look out for (17:00), what it could mean if a dog shakes (19:00), and the optimal treat amount to give your dog (22:00).

Minnie Nguyen is the founder of the Firehouse Crawfish restaurant as well as Station 16, Station 8, and Station 38. She came from humble beginnings never having the things she wanted as a child, but only what she needed (2:20). It was those days working in the kitchen with her mother when she realized her passion for food. After working in Casinos throughout college, Minnie's boyfriend (now husband) decided to use $30,000 of his savings from working as a firefighter towards starting their first restaurant Firehouse Crawfish (5:00). Years later, the Station concept was born (9:30). Minnie sheds light on the struggles throughout each restaurant and why she continues to push through and follow her dreams.

For four years, you have seen and heard Joe Khalil on the FOX40 airways. Soon, you will continue to watch Joe on FOX40 as he reports from Washington D.C. for all of the California Nexstar stations. In a lengthy conversation, we touch on a multitude of topics such as his new job (1:30), why journalism matters (17:00) and we revisit some of his best stories he had the opportunity to cover while working at FOX40: deported veterans (18:00), The Oroville Dam failed Emergency Spillway saga (27:00), the Las Vegas mass shooting massacre (37:00), Stephon Clark protests (45:00) and the Camp Fire (53:00).

Public Relations Specialist and newly minted "40 under 40" inductee Rachel Smith is a leader in her career field. We discuss her nomination into the "40 under 40" club (:30), her company Wordsmith Communications (4:30), biggest PR no-nos (16:00), and her unforgettable Instagram stories (21:00).

Maybe outside of the Gold Rush, there hasn't been a better time to be a Sacramentan than now. Right in the middle of it all is Aaron Marchand of Turton Commercial Real Estate. We discuss the making of the Ice Blocks Project (5:00), the Instagramification of new developments (8:00), How Turton Commercial Real Estate began (11:00), Aaron's vision for the capital city (19:00), and how he connects with influential people in our region (27:00).

What started as a T-shirt stand at events, has become a brand around Sacramento culture eight years later. Tyler Wichmann, founder of Timeless Thrills joins the podcast to talk about the company's start (1:00), mistakes made along the way (4:00), branding culture (17:00), his J street location (20:00), and Off the Clock IPA (28:00).

Hawa Sultani, co-founder of the Crest Cafe is doing big things. From business school in New York, to plans for franchising the local mediterranean favorite, Hawa is striving to make a difference in the community. We cover working in a family business (5:00), doing positive things to benefit women and refugees (5:40), the Lady Bird effect in Sacramento (9:00), what the city still needs (10:00), plans for franchising the Crest Cafe (14:00), and the potential for K Street to be the next 6th Street (Austin) or Bourbon Street (27:00).

Pedro Rivera is an anchor on FOX40 News in the morning. We talk about his career, how he got his start in front of the camera (4:00), deciding on coming to Sacramento (12:30), what motivates him to covering news (22:30), his bromance with weatherman Adam Epstein (24:30), going viral (31:00), fake news (35:00), and how Sacramento stacks up with other cities in America.

Taro Arai and his family have always leaned on their faith whenever it came to big decisions. Whether it was moving to America in the first place from Japan (:30), to opening the famed Mikuni: Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar (2:00), each decision required a deeper leap of faith. 30 years later the business is thriving and Taro is giving back to the community through numerous philanthropic endeavors. In our discussion, we talk about the difficulties of running a restaurant, how Mikuni almost went bankrupt (16:30), why he travels the world to buy fish (20:00) and more.

Tyler Andrade is the man behind the award winning 2018 & 2019 Best Gym in Roseville, Absolute Flex Appeal. The gym is a functional training facility that helps athletes and business professionals reach their health and fitness goals. It hasn't always been sunshine and roses though. Tyler's road to success began with a rough childhood that featured gangs and drugs (3:00), becoming a teen dad, and ultimately being homeless and attempting suicide (8:00). It was at that moment Tyler decided to take on personal training. From there, the rest is history.

If you haven't heard of Eric Rebelo, you will soon. Eric is a digital marketing specialist and runs his own company with the mission to grow other businesses online. In this episode we discuss how Eric aka "The Consultant CMO" got his nickname (1:00), the art of disrupting the marketplace (5:00), content and organic growth vs paid advertisements on social media (10:00), the cons of an e-mail newsletter (30:00), his secret to success (33:00) and more. Some content we also discussed is linked below: Eric's YouTube ChannelThe Ultimate Paid Traffic + Organic Distribution Strategy Social Media Marketing Agency Tips & Simplifying the Process4 Gems Personality Test

CC and Reed Desrosiers are the founders of Troop Beverage Company, a canned hard alcoholic beverage different than the seltzers, wines, and beers you've previously seen in the market. Troop is one of the first of it's kind to use hard alcohol and you can buy their Mojito and Grandstand flavors at Nugget Markets and Whole Foods. We discussed the inspiration for Troop (2:00), their efforts with non profits (4:00), experimenting with recipes (5:00), the upcoming flavors (11:00), being married and business partners (18:00), and producing in El Dorado Hills (19:00).

Tyler Aguilar is a rising star in all things Sacramento politics. He is the UC Government Relations Analyst and a Sacramento Parks Commissioner at the age of 25. Tyler takes me to his inspirations to get into government at San Diego State University (1:00), working in the state senate for Senator Richard Pan (8:00), being a parks commissioner (9:30), working for the UC (24:00), and a discussion on a recent Sacramento Bee Article (39:00).

Cris Steller is the founder of the first distillery in the Sacramento region. In 2012, he and his family started Dry Diggings Distillery in El Dorado Hills and later Amador Distillery. In this episode Cris sheds light on what initially inspired him to get into distilling (1:45), the challenges with running a distillery (3:00), running a family business (10:00), the process of distilling (14:00), and where it can go wrong (31:00).

Will Thompson, The Godfather of new media photography in Sacramento came on the pod and shared how he got his start in photography (1:00), turning it from a hobby to a career (6:30), the importance of post production (13:30), being a good Instagram boyfriend (16:00), Good Tuesdayz (17:00), and the top 5 places to snap photos (35:00).

Fresh off the latest UFC fights at the Golden 1 Center, UFC Coach Adam Corrigan breaks down the successful weekend for Team Alpha Male and the remarkable KO by Urijah Faber AKA the "California Middle Aged Man" as Dana White put it (1:00). Adam sheds light on the training it takes for these UFC fighters from a coaching perspective (8:00), why bread SUCKS for your health (16:00), being perhaps the only 3 continent athlete (17:00), how his training takes business professionals over the top (26:00), #4weeks2failure (33:00), the power of mediation (42:00), and the fallacy of the cheat day (47:00).

For the third consecutive year, the Wide Open Walls mural festival is coming to downtown Sacramento and the surrounding region to continue to uplift and transform the capital city for the better. Founder and Producer of the festival, David Sobon joined the podcast to preview the upcoming event. Among the topics discussed were the inspiration for Wide Open Walls (1:00), how he finds and recruits these world class artists to paint these murals (2:30), the new CALIFORNIA mural to be painted at the California Automobile Museum (18:30). David also speaks about his prominent auctioneering company, David Sobon Events (30:00), and his roots in the Amador wine industry (39:00).

Fresh off his trip to New York City for Skankfest 2019, local comedian Josh Means shares what he learned as a contestant in the unique roast battle (2:30) and the proper roast battle strategy (8:20). Josh also delves into his comedy inspirations (27:00), how tragedy fuels comedy (31:30), and who he believes is the top comic in Sacramento right now.

Growing up in the Napa area, Jason Woods always had a knack for putting things together and taking them apart. For his senior project in high school Jason successfully entered and competed in the original "BattleBots" on Comedy Central where contestants needed to engineer and build robots from scratch. He later invented the Kymera Body Board where he his the CEO today. In this episode we discuss his experience participating in BattleBots (4:00), why he decided to skip college (7:00), the first Kymera prototype (18:00), Kymera Body Board being voted invention of the year in Popular Science Magazine (19:30), his first "failed" appearance on Shark Tank (21:00), succeeding on Shark Tank the second time around (36:00), and the challenges with a seasonal product (41:30).

For over a decade, Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates has been the go-to spot for all chocolate inspired foods and French faire. Founder Ginger Elizabeth Hahn joined the podcast and shared how she got her start (2:00), how it can sometimes take over 20 revisions of a product until it is perfected (8:00), opening the original L Street location in midtown Sacramento (17:00), expanding to a San Francisco location (22:00), her most popular items (24:00), favorite memories (27:00), and whether she plans to expand her business even further (43:00).

Samuel Rose is a custom clothing designer out of Sacramento and owner of Masintel and Kings Tribe Clothing. Working out of the WAL development, Rose specializes in classic men's wear, but will make anything from jackets to bags and oversees the entire process from concept to sale. Each custom item made by Rose has the label "BESPOKE by Samuel Rose" etched into it. Bespoke, meaning spoken for, indicates that the clothing specifically represents the person it's made for. Rose shares how he got his start in the industry (2:00), what he's learned as a business owner (7:00), and the work that goes into a design concept (9:00). We also go over what to wear in specific scenarios including: Date night (24:00)Hanging out with friends (26:00)Wedding (28:00)Wine Tasting (31:00)Family Dinner (33:00)Be sure to check out his "Explore" fashion show on June 21st at 6 PM

With the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup underway, there isn't a better person to have on and break it all down than Lisa Wrightsman, Founder & Managing Director of Street Soccer USA Sacramento. Soccer has meant everything to Lisa. Her success at Elk Grove High School and Sac State lead to a run on a local professional women's soccer league. But when that league folded, she stopped playing. What happened next lead to where she is today with Street Soccer USA Sacramento. We discuss why the women's soccer game is better than the men's (5:00), why a professional women's league would work now (6:00), the life-changing moment leading to founding Street Soccer USA Sacramento (14:30), hosting the Street Soccer USA National Cup last year and doing it again this year, and fighting homelessness in Sacramento (28:00).

Sacramento Pride is a less than a week away and for the first time ever the event is expanding to two days (June 8th and 9th). Tyler Bertao and Patrick Harbison of the Sacramento LGBT Center fill us in on all that is happening pride weekend, including why the event is expanding to two days (1:00) and my upcoming lip sync performance with Adam Epstein and Pedro Rivera (7:30). We also discussed the importance of gender pronouns (13:00), the center's latest efforts with transitional housing (19:45), and how you can volunteer for pride (22:00).

One of the most influential PR people in Sacramento, Traci Rockefeller Cusack, otherwise known as T-Rock represents the Midtown Association, Old Sacramento, DOCO, and more. In this episode Traci dishes on the start of her career at News10, coordinating Oprah's visit to Sacramento (2:30), how PR has changed since she first began her career (10:00), the potential of Old Sacramento and DOCO (15:00), and why Sacramento needs to capitalize on the rooftop scene (17:00).

Scott Ostrander, owner of Origami Asian Grill has seen it all in the Sacramento restaurant scene. Starting at Cafe Bernardo, Scott turned what was a way to supplement income from being in a band to his passion for cooking. Since he has helped open 5 restaurants in the area. In this episode Scott shares the story behind naming the restaurant Origami Asian Grill (3:00), How he got his start in the food industry (5:00), the challenges with combatting Yelp (14:00), and his kitchen philosophy (23:30).

Since the 1950s Lund Construction has developed Sacramento and the surrounding area. Kevin Lund is the VP of operations and talks about the family business maintaining success through three generations (2:00), the type of construction they specialize in (4:00), favorite projects over the years (12:00), working on the Oroville Dam Emergency Spillway (17:00), how drones impact the future of construction (19:00), and the toughest decision he's made on the job (20:30).

When it comes to Mexican food in Sacramento, it's hard to beat Tres Hermanas. A staple in the community since 1996, owner Sonia Saenz touches on a variety of subjects including: the significance of Cinco de Mayo (:30), starting and owning a business with her sisters (2:00), some of the other restaurants the family owns (4:00), and an unforgettable memory of being robbed and the thieves returning the money years later (19:00).

Tom Patterson, founder of IAB_MFG, joins the show to talk about the message behind his fitness apparel brand (7:30), why his success marketing IAB lead to his own marketing company (9:00), why collaborating with micro influencers are better than influencers with huge followings (12:30), and why Sacramento is good for business (15:00). Tom's suggested reading: Breaking The Habit of Being YourselfThe Road Less StupidThis is Marketing

There are few people that know midtown better than John Adair. Since moving to the grid in 2008, John has seen the region grow to what it is today. One of his first jobs in midtown was helping in the development of the L Street Lofts (1:30). Since, John has worked as the BID Services & Communications Manager for the Midtown Association (9:00). In this episode John promotes his Midtown Love event (16:30), gives his opinion on where Sacramento stacks up compared to other cities, and explains how he thinks it can get to the next level (31:00).

In a candid conversation, Libier Reynolds, one of the most fun, positive, and outgoing personalities, sits down and shares her story. It hasn't always been sunshine and rainbows though. Libier was born in Mexico (1:00), and always had a passion for performing (5:00), but her journey to acting took many dark turns, which almost made her quit for good (9:00). After moving back to Sacramento, Libier felt a void from not acting or performing. She spent many days praying to God asking why the urge hadn't gone away to act. Out of nowhere a friend asked if she wanted to star in the movie Splashed (20:00). That experience alone unleashed a creative wave that has resulted in her self named blog Libier.com and a book called 'Through the Wilderness' (41:00).

If you follow the Sacramento Kings, you've definitely heard Scott Moak's voice. The longtime announcer for the team is wrapping up his 17th season behind the mic. Now, in addition to announcing, Scott works for Sacramento Republic FC, and hosts Studio40 Live on Fox40. In a candid conversation, Scott dishes on working 3 part time jobs (1:00), how he got into announcing (10:00), crafting his unique style (22:00), and many unheard stories about the Kings.

Chemene Phillips is an entrepreneur and owner of Digital Arts Designs & Marketing Co. soon to be Brix Branding. We talk everything from how difficult it is for a creative to have an original idea (5:30), what separates a good marketing strategy from a great one (11:00), how marketing strategies are always evolving (14:30), and the differences between owning and working for a marketing firm (17:30).

It's been nearly 4 years since best friends Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos, and Anthony Sadler stopped a terrorist attack on a train to Paris. Their lives have never been the same since. In this episode, Spencer Stone recounts the attack, whether they knew how big of a deal it was to save the train (1:00), getting a phone call from President Obama (6:00), the parade in Sacramento (9:00), the book deal (13:00), getting stabbed in midtown (17:00), and when they found out they would play themselves in their movie The 15:17 To Paris (35:00).

David E. Ljung, CPA is the CEO/President of Gilbert, a tax, audit, and advisory company in Sacramento. Previously known as Gilbert Associates, the firm has rebranded to simply Gilbert, which fit's more with their mantra of "relax. We got this." (1:00). David reflects on his early career, starting his own firm (10:20), the importance of specializing (12:00), discovering the huge non profit industry in Sacramento (14:30), taking over as CEO of Gilbert Associates in 2014 (30:00), and the secret to his firm's success (35:00).

Nicole McKeever always had a passion for Irish dancing. Starting at age 12, she knew it was something more than just a hobby (3:00). After years of practice, Nicole tried out and made it on the famed "Riverdance", the pinnacle of the craft (8:00). Later Nicole traveled to Sacramento from the east coast and founded her own Irish Dancing company, McKeever School of Irish Dance where she teaches hundreds of students today. In this episode, Nicole sheds light on the physical toll it can take to be an Irish dancer (15:30), owning a business with her sister (21:30), and her "secret to success" (23:00).

Rachel Menaugh is the definition of success. What started as a career in accounting at a CPA firm has later translated to owning a stake (pun intended) in the Flame & Fire Brazilian Steakhouse in Roseville (2:45), and the co-founder of Stencil & Co (9:00).

Lonnie Morelock comes from a long line of construction workers in his family, with some even a part of the original construction of the Oroville Dam. In this episode Lonnie shares the story of his first job in construction (1:30), how the industry has changed over the past 40 years (11:00), becoming a supervisor and motivational speaker at Kiewit, starting his own motivational speaking company (14:50), the wave of passion (26:00), and the importance of positivity (28:00).

Dominic and Donte Morris are twin brothers and co-founders of the popular mobile app "Hoopmaps." Born out of Oakland, California, the brothers attended Sac State, and the experiences there shaped the rest of the career (1:00). Find out how starting a softball league with flyers turned into Hoopmaps (8:45), how they built the app (10:30), when the found out they were on Sportscenter (13:30), going on Shark Tank (19:00), why Sacramento is a great city for business (28:30) and more in this episode.