THE SEA-TOWN PODCAST: Interviewing Seattle's Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs

As we head into 2020, the Sea-Town Podcast is going to be taking a break for a while so Christian can focus on his business endevors and family. This is not "good bye" but simply a "see you in a while". We have every intention of ramping up the podcast again with great new fresh guests... but it may be a little while. After starting the Sea-Town Podcast nearly 4 years (May 2016), publishing 77 episodes & with a total of over 23,000 downloads/listens... I'm just not able to keep up with posting consistency or able to give the podcast the time and energy I feel it really needs. We will be back though. Enjoy the interviews we have done this far and keep the recommendations coming, for new guests to feature once we start up again. Follow us on our Facebook page to be kept abreast of any new episodes, when we do ramp up our show again - https://www.facebook.com/seatownrealestate/ Listen and subscribe to “The Sea-Town Podcast” on iTunes here - http://tinyurl.com/gwvk9s5 Or to listen to all the episodes on the web, visit “The Sea-Town Podcast” site at www.Sea-TownPodcast.com Check out our guests site http://www.Sea-Town.com Follow guest on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/seatownrealestate/ Follow guest on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/seatownrealestate/ Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at www.Sea-Town.com

This week's guest is Ryan Reese, Co-owner of Seattle's Pike Place Fish Market. Pike Place Fish Market has become world famous for their amazing & sustainable seafood and is top of the list for Seattle visitors and tourist for their fun fish throwing routine. Ryan grew up in Seattle and went to Seattle public schools. He graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Business degree. Ryan got his start in the commercial real estate space. At that time it was the golden age, around 2001, and he did very well. He really enjoyed it while learning the ins and outs of business, making deals and connecting with people. He's always been pretty entrepreneurial.  Ryan has never been afraid of hard work. When he started at the fish market, it was completely out of his wheel house but it's been incredible for him. During our conversation we talk more about the fish market, running a business and how to lead people. If you take care of your people, they will take care of you. Learn more about Ryan, Pike Place Fish Market and all things entrepreneurial in this episode of the Sea-Town Podcast. Episode Highlights: Who is Ryan Reese? How Ryan ended up at the fish market Taking care of your employees Handling fresh fish The evolution of the fish market Shipping overnight Managing finances What Ryan would do differently if he could do it again Finding balance Pushing past fear Links & Resources: Pikeplacefish.com The Professor and the Madman Mercado.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” the Sea-Town Podcast Facebook Page to stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guest is Aaron Tekulve, Pop-up chef and owner of Surrell Seattle. Known for creative locally sourced high-end, multi-course meals in small intimate settings, Aaron and his business Surrell, have made a name in the Seattle foodie scene. Surrell is a Seattle based private dining company and pop-up restaurant. They bring the experience of a great restaurant to you. Aaron works directly with his client's to create a unique evening that they and their guests will remember forever. Events can range from three course family style dinners to six course tasting menus with wine pairings to hors d'oeuvres parties and anything in between.  Surrell was named Seattle Magazine's BEST pop-up restaurant, and on very special nights Surrell comes a life as a pop-up showcasing some of the very best cooking in the Pacific Northwest. A strong focus is put on highlighting the many great farms and purveyors we have in the PNW through a creative and delicious menu highlighting chef Aaron Tekulve's modern American cuisine.  Learn more about Aaron, Surrell and what their pop-up restaurant and private dining experiences so memorable on this episode of the Sea-Town Podcast.  Episode Highlights: Seattle is a wonderful place to be when it comes to cooking. The importance of using seasonal ingredients from local farmers. How we met through the Sea-Town Real Estate Summer Rooftop Parties. Attention to detail are essential in providing the right experience. Shoutout to the West Seattle Farmers Market. Aaron's most favorite thing he's ever made… Transitioning from professional musician to chef Links & Resources: Surrell of Seattle site Surrell on Instagram Surrell on Facebook Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like”theSea-Town Podcast Facebook Pageto stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

Marmalade band, live at West Seattle Music Fest Another special episode this week with an interview with the band Marmalade recorded LIVE from the West Seattle Beer & Music Festival. They are a sweet 12 piece improve funk band with 2 DJs! Check them out during any of their regular shows in the Fremont neighborhood in Seattle. Marmalade was formed in 2002 and has been playing together so well for so long that they blend together perfectly. They play completely live and improvisational. It's never the same but it's always the same. The intention has always been to blend the party and have a great experience between the DJs and the band. They never really practice but do rehearsals every once in a while. Like their namesake, Marmalade is like a sticky jelly... it's hard to get away. They play weekly at 5:30 or 6:00 pm in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. Learn more about Marmalade, how they got started and what they are all about on this episode of the Sea-Town Podcast! Episode Highlights: -​ ​How Marmalade got started - Evolution of Marmalade - Improv aspect of the band - Time dedicated to Marmalade - Bringing the worlds off bands and DJS together - Where the name Marmalade came from - The future of Marmalade - Living in the moment - What brought Marmalade to the West Seattle Music Festival Links: -​ ​​Marmalade on Facebook Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” the Sea-Town Podcast Facebook Page to stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guest is Phil Tavel, with an update on his running for Seattle City Council District 1 (West Seattle). As someone who has lived in West Seattle for over 20 years, he did great in the primary and is positioned to make real change for Seattle. Get out and vote and make your voice heard! Tavel is heavily involved in the community's civic organization. He is currently the vice president of the Morgan Community Association (MoCA), on the board that runs the Morgan Junction Festival, vice president on the board of directors of Allied Arts, Seattle's oldest civic organization which was primarily responsible for saving Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square, and is on the board of directors of the Seattle Green Spaces Coalition in West Seattle. Additionally, Phil has participated in 500 trivia nights at Talarico's Pizzeria, raising funds for organizations such as the West Seattle Helpline, Westside Baby, and the YMCA after school program. Phil Tavel will bring new experiences to the Seattle City Council. As a former high school Physics teacher and past owner of multiple small businesses, Phil is capable of understanding difficult issues and is ready to listen to the people of Seattle. Episode Highlights: Why Phil is running for Seattle City Council Backed by the community He has a business background Involvement in community civic organization What he believes needs to change: Listening to everyone Understanding our budget Collaborating Multi-Department Rules (MDARs) and homelessness Explanation of MHA – the Mandatory Housing Affordability up-zone What Phil can bring to the Seattle City Council Links & Resources: Guest's Website:  http://tavelforseattle.com/ Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TavelForSeattle/ Follow on Twitter: @TavelForSeattle Follow on Instagram: @tavelforseattle Guest's Contact Info: Phil Tavel (206) 206-507-4962 info@tavelforseattle.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” the Sea-Town Podcast Facebook Page to stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week on the Sea-Town Podcast, we are sharing some micro interviews from the West Seattle Beer and Music Festival. The West Seattle Beer and Music Festival is a unique event at the Alki Masonic Center featuring 20 brewers. The goal is to celebrate craft beers, great music & community while raising awareness and funds for the West Seattle Food Bank.  During the episode, I speak with Michael, the owner of Ghost Fish Brewery in SODO. They are celebrating their five year anniversary. I personally love Ghost Fish. The food is great and they offer delicious gluten free beers. I also chat with DJ Mr. Moon. He came out to the festival and played music between bands. His role was to pull everything together, to keep the beer flowing and the people interested. This was his Second year doing it and thinks it's a great event for the neighborhood. Bob Lovelace, the man who started Willow and I also have a conversation. He does touring working and playing work. When it comes down to it, he really just thinks of himself as a deadhead hippie. He loves playing songs that reflect how he feels. Steve Smith, the founder of Seattle Drum School, and I chat for a bit as well. The Seattle Drum School started in 1986. They started just with drums. Although it has evolved and grown into a full music school from there. They now have 30 teachers and locations in Lake City and in Georgetown. Steve is not only a teacher, but a player as well. He plays in a band. His wife is an amazing musician as well and has a family album coming out. She is a singer/songwriter.  Joe "the mayor" Jeannot wraps up the weekend of The Second Annual Beer and Music festival with, "They came, they saw, they drank a lot of beer. Overall it was great turnout and everyone had a great time. Get ready for year three..."! Learn more about the West Seattle Beer and Music Festival and hear from great people in the community during this episode of the Sea-Town Podcast. Episode Highlights: Ghost Fish's five year anniversary How Willow got started Willows involvement in West Seattle Beer and Musical Festival Steve Smith's backstory  What's next for Seattle Drum School Donald Watts role  Links & Resources: Fly Moon Royalty DJ Mr. Moon Ghost Fish Brewery Willow Seattle Drum School Beer Star Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” the Sea-Town Podcast Facebook Page to stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guest is Cameron Moores, co-owner of C&P Coffee and winner of the Podcast West Seattle Coffee Tournament. C&P Coffee is a long-time West Seattle coffee shop and regular community meeting space, hosting a variety of regular events from music to poetry readings and open mics. C&P Coffee is located in a quaint house, and serves as the community living room. You'll find a space for you here, with everything from a poetry pole to a community garden C&P is a meeting place for everyone. They have been in business for 16 years and are always looking for ways to engage with the community. Learn more about Cameron, what she's currently doing and all that C&P Coffee has to offer on this episode of the Sea-Town Podcast.  Episode Highlights: The importance of supporting other businesses Community space at C&P Coffee Challenges C&P Coffee is facing Events coming up at C&P Coffee Finding community and building something for family Connecting people to the community What's next for C&P Coffee Lessons Cameron has learned in business Links & Resources: Candpcoffee.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” theSea-Town Podcast Facebook Pageto stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guest is Phil Tavel, who is running for Seattle City Council District 1 (West Seattle). Phil has lived in West Seattle for over 20 years, has owned multiple small businesses and is primed to be a great representative for the desires and needs of the people in District 1. Phil is running for City Council because he believes that Seattle can do better. Four years ago he ran for City Council and finished 3rd. Phil says that the time for change is long overdue, and he wants to provide Seattle with a voice of moderation and common sense. Tavel is heavily involved in the community's civic organization. He is currently the vice president of the Morgan Community Association (MoCA), on the board that runs the Morgan Junction Festival, vice president on the board of directors of Allied Arts, Seattle's oldest civic organization which was primarily responsible for saving Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square, and is on the board of directors of the Seattle Green Spaces Coalition in West Seattle. Additionally, Phil has participated in 500 trivia nights at Talarico's Pizzeria, raising funds for organizations such as the West Seattle Helpline, Westside Baby, and the YMCA after school program. Phil Tavel can bring new experiences to the Seattle City Council. As a former high school Physics teacher and past owner of multiple small businesses, Phil is capable of understanding difficult issues and is ready to listen to the people of Seattle. Learn more about Phil Tavel, his drive for change and why he is running for the Seattle City Council on this episode of the Sea-Town Podcast. Episode Highlights: Why Phil is running for Seattle City Council Backed by the community He has a business background Involvement in community civic organization What he believes needs to change: Listening to everyone Understanding our budget Collaborating Multi-Department Rules (MDARs) and homelessness Explanation of MHA – the Mandatory Housing Affordability up-zone What Phil can bring to the Seattle City Council Links & Resources: Guest's Website:  http://tavelforseattle.com/ Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TavelForSeattle/ Follow on Twitter: @TavelForSeattle Follow on Instagram: @tavelforseattle Guest's Contact Info: Phil Tavel (206) 206-507-4962 info@tavelforseattle.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” the Sea-Town Podcast Facebook Page to stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guest is Kevin Wilhelm, the CEO of Sustainable Business Consulting and is one of the world's preeminent business consultants in the field of sustainability and climate change. Most recently he has helped the Seattle Sounders become the first carbon neutral professional soccer club in the MLS & North America. Kevin's business focuses on value, profitability, cost savings and brand value by implementing better environmental social performance. There's always opportunities to become more sustainable. Nobody is using technology enough regarding business meetings and travel. Only go when you actually have to be there. Maximize your processes through the most efficient perspective and avoid emissions. It's also actually incredibly cheaper to compost rather than throw away.  Learn more about Kevin Wilhelm, his business and how you can implement sustainable changes for profitability on this episode of the Sea-Town Podcast. Episode Highlights: How Kevin got into the business of sustainability Looking beyond political affiliations  Evaluating where you can reduce Switching to renewables Common beliefs and misnomers  Solar is a cost competitive form of energy If you're not making money from sustainability, you're doing something wrong Using smarter business practices to save money What Kevin loves most about West Seattle Knowing what you're doing and why you're doing it Kevin's words of wisdom Links & Resources: Soundersfc.com/sustainability Kevin Wilhelm Tedx Talk Sustainablebizconsulting.com Kevin-wilhelm.com Twitter- kevinwilhelmSBC Twitter - SBC_consulting Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” theSea-Town Podcast Facebook Pageto stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guest is Joe Jeannot, founder of the West Seattle Supper Club & West Seattle Beer and Music Festival. Joe has been putting on community events in Seattle for years to bring great food, drink and people together. Joe is born and raised in Seattle. He has always been a social person and little by little starting doing events. He enjoys getting people together and having gatherings. Joe is preparing to launch a rooftop series. Looking back, Joe has been in the Seattle restaurant scene for some time now and is always looking for new ways to use his hospitality background to bring people together. If you're interested in getting involved, Joe always welcomes the help and will find a great fit for you.  Learn more about Joe, what he does and how he got to where he is today on this episode of the Sea-Town Podcast. Episode Highlights: How Joe got into creating local community events Joe's big news Joe's background  The West Seattle Supper Club WS Beer & Music Festival - changes to the second annual event How to get involved Asking more questions Best advice Joe has ever received  Personal habits that contribute to Joe's success Links & Resources: West Seattle Supper Club West Seattle Beer and Music Festival (annual event) Guest Contact Information: joe@westsidefestivals.com Facebook - WS Beer & Music Festival Instagram - WS Beer & Music Festival Facebook - WS Supper Club Instagram - WS Supper Club Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” theSea-Town Podcast Facebook Pageto stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guest is Brian Nelson, Ted X speaker, retrieved Army Officer, life hacker and event planner. Today we will be talking with Brian about his annual community fitness event, "Unleashed at Stadium Bowl" at the historic Stadium High School in Tacoma, to benefit the pet rescue, "Kindred Souls Foundation". If you're curious about Brian, he went to junior college prior to joining the Army. He's a curious, high energy individual with a curiosity for life and passion for various things. One of those passions is sports. He has always been a Seahawks and Niners fan.  Learn more about Brian Nelson, how he got to where he is today and the work he is doing revolved around the Kindred Souls Foundation.  Episode Highlights: Brian's annual community fitness event Kindred Souls Foundation Unleashed Fundraiser Brian's goals and where life is taking him Grit 360 Brian's upbringing Brian's strengths A habit Brian wishes he had Meditation and reflection Links & Resources: unleashedatstadiumbowl.org kindredsoulsfoundation.org Bullet Journal The Joe Rogan Podcast Tim Ferriss Podcast Sam Harris Podcast Jordan Peterson Podcast Sex, Lies, and Video Tape The Talent Code The Century Trilogy A Paradise Built in Hell Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” theSea-Town Podcast Facebook Pageto stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guest is Erin Dury Moore, Executive Director of the West Seattle Helpline. The WS Helpline is a community-based nonprofit putting a stop to homelessness before it starts in West Seattle and White Center through emergency services to families and individuals. This is the WS Helpline's 30thyear. In 30 years they have grown a lot. The average assistance for rent utility or move-in deposit is about 300 dollars. They serve 100 percent of the eligible individuals that call.  Erin's entire career has been in non-profit. Most recently, prior to her current role, she worked with child welfare and saw the impact of homelessness on families in the child welfare system.  Learn more about Erin Dury Moore, her role at the WS Helpline, her journey and how she got to doing what she does today in this episode of the Sea-Town Podcast. Episode Highlights: The West Seattle Helpline and how Erin got involved Keeping people in their homes What brought Erin to Seattle Major events for the WS Helpline The most challenging aspect of Erin's role How the WS Helpline helps individuals in West Seattle What Erin enjoys doing in her free time What Erin loves most about West Seattle Erin's background Best advice Erin has ever received  Personal habits Erin possesses that contribute to her success Erin's favorite podcast Links & Resources: Guest's Website: wshelpline.org Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wshelpline/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wshelpline Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wshelpline/ Guest's favorite podcast(s): Pod Save The People, Pod Save America Guest's word of wisdom: We can create change in our world and in our community.  Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” theSea-Town Podcast Facebook Pageto stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guest is Holli Margell, Owner of Native Light Photography. She specializes in photography for small businesses, including branding photos and career portraits, aka a headshot with a purpose.  Holli has a background in families and weddings but found a niche in photography for small business owners. She is a business photographer. She shoots photos for LinkedIn, websites and a diverse range of  business purposes. Learn more about Holli,  Native Light Photography, how Holli got to where she is today and much more on this episode of the Sea-Town Podcast. Episode Highlights: Holli's specialty and what sets her apart How Holli got to where she is today What Holli found to be the most surprising aspect of starting her business What Holli loves most in her business Interesting stories from Holli The thing Holli loves most about West Seattle What is next for Native Light Photography Links & Resources: Guest's Website: nativelightphoto.com Follow our guest on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SeattleNativeLightPhoto/ Follow our guest on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nativelightphoto/ Guest's Contact Info: Holli Margell Holli@nativelightphoto.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” theSea-Town Podcast Facebook Pageto stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guests are Owners of Schoeb Chiropractic, Ryan and Molly Schoeb. Ryan and Molly Schoeb started their own practice after wanting Ryan to be a little closer to home. They are located in West Seattle. Ryan grew up in a rural town in Minnesota. He was the oldest of four and heavily involved in sports. It was a community where everyone knew everyone. Molly and Ryan met their sophomore year of college. After multiple injuries, Ryan always knew he wanted to do something related to the body. He became very interested in how the body works and especially how it doesn't work when it starts breaking down. This led him into his interest in the chiropractic field. At Schoeb Chiropractic, they have a three-prong specialty; pregnancy, kids and family care. They also have private patient rooms. Each patient gets a unique treatment specific to their needs and they take most insurances. Learn more about Schoeb Chiropractic, owners Ryan and Molly and how Ryan and Molly started their own practice in this episode of The Sea-Town Podcast! Episode Highlights: How Schoeb Chiropractic got started Information about Schoeb Chiropractic What sets Schoeb Chiropractic apart Ryan and Molly's greatest strengths related to starting a business One habit Ryan and Molly wish they had Planning in advance when having a business Finding a good balance Guest's Contact Info:www.schoebchiropractic.com Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SchoebChiropractic/ 206-923-2225 Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” theSea-Town Podcast Facebook Pageto stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher   Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post.

This week's guest is Kristine Atri, owner of the Escape Artist in West Seattle. The Escape Artist is in the heart of West Seattle in the Alaska Junction and is West Seattle's first and only escape room. An escape room is an interactive puzzle business where you solve puzzles, search for clues and escape and it's super immersive. The Escape Artist is America's first full motion escape room. At the Escape Artist you get 60 minutes to try to escape. Kristine is from Buffalo, New York. She graduate from the University of Buffalo in Business and Psychology. Kristine graduated during the recession and joined the Air Force where she learned a lot and had a great experience. She was active duty for four years and now is in the Air Force Reserves. Kristin learned how to work with all types of people with a vast variety of different backgrounds. Now Kristine finds herself in Seattle with her husband. In addition to being the owner of the Escape Artist, she is part of the Junction Association and the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Learn more about Kristine, her background, how she got to where she is today and The Escape Artist in this episode of Sea-Town Podcast. Episode Highlights: What is an escape room Why someone would go to an escape room How Kristine got involved with the Escape Artist Making a business that makes people happy What was surprising for Kristine when first starting out with this business The Seattle permitting process Kristine's background What Kristine learned from the military Kristine's passion What it's like to own an escape room Military life to owning a business Places to find community in West Seattle Personal habits that contribute to Kristine's success Life hacks Guest's Contact Info: www.goescapeartist.com- Use code SEATOWN for 10% Off your first visit   Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” the Sea-Town Podcast Facebook Page to stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher   Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  

This week's guest is Marty Hartman, the Executive Director of Mary's Place. Mary's Place fills the gap for people between the time they lose their home to when they find a new permanent residence. They provide ‘homes for now' while offering families housing, safety and resources. Mary's Place has always been about removing barriers so people can find a place to stay as soon as possible. They take in single moms with kids, dads with kids, families with pets, multigenerational families and two parent families. They got start at Mary's Place in 1999. Marty was hired at that time to reach out to the community of single women who were homeless at that time and ask them what they need. Marty moved about 16 times before she was in 6thgrade. She always craved a sense of belonging and a sense of community. She wanted to make sure her neighbors and fellow humans had that as well. Marty wanted to bring a sense of community to Mary's Place and help foster those relationships. Learn more about Marty, her journey with Mary's Place and more information about Mary's Place on this episode. Episode Highlights: How Mary's Place came to be What Mary's Place does How Marty got involved with Mary's Place Engaging those in the homeless space Relationships change lives What Marty finds most rewarding about her role Providing ways for communities to engage Funding source for Mary's Place Better together Diversion program Treating this as the crisis that it is Being creative with housing solutions What people can do to partner with Mary's Place   Guest's Contact Info: www.marysplaceseattle.org   Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” theSea-Town Podcast Facebook Pageto stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher   Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  

This week Christian Harris is stepping into the hot seat and was interviewed by Laura Swift. He is the normal host of this podcast, as well as the founder and owner of Sea-Town Real Estate, which he started in January of 2017. He calls West Seattle home, has been married for 12 years and has a seven-year-old son.  Priory to getting into the real estate business, he was a finish carpenter & high-end remodeler for 15 years. Now Christian is a business owner, podcast host, author, community advocate and connector. Through running an Indie Real Estate Firm, he has a huge opportunity to create a positive culture and leverage his influence to make a large impact in the community and partner with local non-profits to affect positive change. When it comes to real estate, a lot of people get into it for the money. When Christian is considering bringing on a new agent, he looks for people who are driven to help others, collaborative and are already involved in helping the community. He wants those who are outward looking instead of just thinking about themselves and looking to get ahead at all cost. You can teach skills; It's much harder to teach character. Learn more about Christian's journey, Sea Town Real Estate and other topics related to real estate in this episode. Episode Highlights: Why Christian decided to start Sea-Town Real Estate (2:30) Attributes he looks for when determining if a person would be the right fit (5:58) Christian's managerial style (7:03) Real estate is more than finding a house for someone (8:09) The importance of working with nonprofits (11:04) Decision to make the move to open his own brokerage (13:29) What inspired Christian to start the podcast and where he sees it going (16:30) How Christian met his wife (21:24) Top 3 tips for a single gentleman who would like to ask a lady out (23:04) What he recommends when a house owner thinks their home is worth more then it is (25:58) What his biggest carpentry achievement is (29:03) Christian's leadership style (32:45) Achieving another level of self awareness (35:51) What Christian does in his free time (38:08) Advice about owning your own business (46:05) Links & Resources: Guest's Website:  https://sea-town.com/ Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeaTownRealEstate/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SeaTownRE Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seatownrealestate/ West Side Baby West Seattle Junction Association (how to contact Lora Swift, the interviewer) Guest's Contact Info: ChristianHarris@Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” the Sea-Town Podcast Facebook Page to stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guest is Lora Swift, executive director of the West Seattle Junction Association. Lora is also the 2018 winner of the Westsider of The Year Award for her outstanding contribution to the West Seattle community. In 2002, Lora started Hotwire Coffee in the West Seattle Junction, firmly establishing herself as a valuable member and collaborator in the community. After running the business for many years, she made the bitter sweet decision to sell Hotwire Coffee and continued to follow her heart and enrolled in the Nonprofit Management Program at the University of Washington. Shortly after she was offered the job as the Executive Director for the Junction in August of 2016, where she continues to serve the West Seattle community. A little known fact about Lora, is that she is a British Citizen who came to the United States when she was 11 years old. She was processed in New York through JFK. She went back and forth between the US and England a few times before deciding to settle in the United States. Lora is a very involved in the community and an avid connector of community members and business owners. Lora ran the Outdoor Movies for 12 years as a volunteer and now continues to run the movies as a part of her current role at the Junction Association. Lora has always had a passion for the Junction and along with founding Hotwire, she has served on the Board of Directors for the West Seattle Junction Association and cofounded the West Seattle Art Walk and movie night. Learn more about Lora, her role at the Junction and her involvement in the community in this episode. Episode Highlights: Laura's job as the Executive Director of the Junction Association What the Junction is all about Laura's transition from Hotwire to the Junction Unexpected challenges Laura experienced taking over the role at the Junction Laura's decision to stay in the United States Things that contribute to the success of Laura's role Gathering people together for a common cause   Guest's Contact Info: Wsjunction.org wsartwalk.org Wsmovies.org wsresourceroundup.com/resources/   Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” the Sea-Town Podcast Facebook Page to stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  

This week's guest is Linnea Westerlind, author of “Discovering Seattle Parks: A Local's Guide”. Linnea graduated from college with a degree in journalism and mass communications and public relations with a passion for the nonprofit sector. Today, Linnea is a mom of three who lives in West Seattle. After having her first kid in 2009, she came up with the goal of visiting every park in Seattle in a year, as a way to get out of the house. As life would have it, things didn't exactly go as planned. After 4 years and having twins, she had visited nearly 500 parks with her kids and documented her journey and the parks on her blog. This project allowed Linnea to explore different neighborhoods and places she had never been before. After just under 4 years, she checked the last park off her list. After completing the project, she found herself itching for the next thing. She wondered what she wanted to do next. That's when she had the idea for the book. Linnea went back to 120 of her favorite parks and narrowed down the most interesting ones. It has been about a 10-year journey for Linnea and she now has almost 500 parks on her blog. She has become known as the “Park Nut” and the “Park Expert”. Linnea loves parks because they are free, and they are equalizers. She enjoys seeing how parks are diversely used. Linnea was able to use this project to combine her love of writing, photography, exploring and spending time outside. Growing up, Linnea grew up on the east side. Although, she now lives on the west side where she has lived for 11 years. Her family ended up in West Seattle by chance. She claims she is very thankful they ended up in the house and neighborhood they did due to the strong community atmosphere. Learn more about Linnea, her blog, her book and her journey in this episode. Episode Highlights: Deciding which parks to explore first Learning by making mistakes How people found the blog Search Engine Optimization Linnea's favorite parks Incorporating parks into a way of life Linnea's background West Seattle Something most people don't know about Seattle   Guest's Contact Info: Order the Guide Book: “Discovering Seattle Parks: A Locals Guide” Blog: YearOfSeattleParks.com Follow Linnea on Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/yearofseattleparks https://www.instagram.com/yearofseattleparks/ https://www.pinterest.com/yearofparks Watch Linnea's talk at Ignite Seattle from the spring of 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay-HZ0E3BR0   Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” theSea-Town Podcast Facebook Pageto stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher   Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

This week's guest is Paula Boggs, founder of Boggs Media, LLCand the Paula Boggs Band. Paulais a philanthropist, fundraiser, public speaker, and musician. She is also a Board Member of numerous for-profit and non-profit organizations. Paula spent her first 10 years of her career in public service, first as an army officer and then as a federal prosecutor. She then took a position with Dell where she worked for five years in Austin, Texas before transitioning to Starbucks in Seattle, Washington. From 2002 to 2012 she served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Law and Corporate Affairs at Starbucks Corporation. 13 years ago, Paula's sister in law passed away in car crash. During the grieving processes, Paula's spouse encouraged her to take out her guitar as a way to grieve. When her sister in law passed away, Paula was Starbucks' top lawyer. She had come to a point where she had done everything at Starbucks she wanted to do and then some. She felt there was this other thing she needed to do. Paula decided to go for it and created the Paula Boggs band. One of the gifts Paula had was being in an environment at Starbucks where people were attached to music in some way. She's grateful she received a lot of support for her journey. Paula is currently focused on Boggs Media, LLC which is a corporate vessel for the band. It houses all the intellectual property Paula owns. She has 30 plus copyrights from songs she has written and trademarks. When she isn't touring, focused on the band or public speaking, she is also on the board at Avid technology, a media editing company across music, film and broadcasting. In addition, Boggs Media, LLC is a source for supporting artists through Go Fund Me and other activities. It is a small business right now with a few independent contractors. Paula aspires toward what she calls Boggs Media 2.0, a future phase of the business she envisions and is aspiring towards. In the last three years, the Paula Boggs band has toured extensively and done about 200 shows in almost every region of the United States. She calls the bands music Seattle Brewed Soul Grass, a fusion of folk, blue grass, jazz, rock and world music with a lot of three-part harmony using roots music instruments. She calls is music for the soul. The band makes music to entertain but also to inspire people to feel something or think about something in a slightly different way.   Learn more about Paula's career journey, the Paula Boggs band and Boggs Media LLC in this episode.   Episode Highlights: What made Paula want to be a lawyer in the first place Paula's career path to this point Paula's decision to create the Paula Boggs band What Paula is most excited about right now Highlights of the band Citizen artistry The most challenging aspect of transition from the corporate world to pursuing the passion of music Importance of being self motivated   Links & Resources: Guest's Website: http://paulaboggs.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepaulaboggsband/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paulaboggsband Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulaboggsband/?hl=en Guest's Contact Info: Paula Boggs 617-782-3111 Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” theSea-Town Podcast Facebook Pageto stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher   Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  

This week's guest is Danielle Marchioro, Executive Director of Highline Medical Center Foundation. Danielle joined Highline Medical Foundation four months ago to promote the mission of the organization. She spends her days getting out in the community, networking with board members, getting connected and plugging in with people. It's her mission to share the story of the foundation and what they do in raising money to help Highline Medical Center Hospital provide access to quality health care for the members of the community who need it. Danielle is originally from Spokane, Washington. She attended the University of San Diego where she spent a semester at sea and traveled around the globe. After college she wasn't certain about what she wanted to do but always knew she wanted to be in nonprofit. With a lingering travel bug from her college travels, she decided she wanted to spend some time traveling. She decided to take an internship in Germany with The US Department of Defense, where she ended up living for seven months. She traveled every weekend and taught preschool during the week while she was there. Danielle started her career in nonprofit after coming back from Germany and moving to Denver. She lived there for five years before moving back to Washington, a drive away from her parents, sisters and family. Learn more about Danielle's journey, the Highline Medical Center and the ins and outs of the nonprofit sector in this episode.   Episode Highlights: Partnerships The thing Danielle found most surprising when first starting in her current role Team atmosphere in hospital culture Danielle's motivation to get into the nonprofit space Ways the Highline Medical Foundation raises money Ways to best get involved Unique things the Highline Medical is doing Highline Health Connections Importance of listening in fundraising   Links & Resources: Guest's Website: Highline Foundation - www.supporthighline.org Article about their Health Connections program, which has been very successful in getting patience the care they need, to drastically cut down on the number of chronic over utilizers of the Emergency Room as their primary care -  https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2006/02/13/million-dollar-murray Contact our Guest: Danielle Marchioro206-901-8505 dmarchioro@highlinemedical.org   Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: “Like” the Sea-Town Podcast Facebook Page to stay up-to-date Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher   Help Us Spread the Word – Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining us again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode, email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post. Finally, please leave us a nice review on iTunes, as ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  

This week's guest is Tony Burlison, Owner of Dark Timber Coffee. They specialize in backcountry / backpacking coffee singles (Ascent Packs), with a large emphasis in wildlife and public lands conservation, so a portion of all their sales are donated to organizations that focus on conservation and educating the public on the importance of public lands. Highlights From This Episode: Dark Timber Coffee was started in 2017 and is currently available exclusively online but prior to opening Dark Timber, Tony was the master roaster for a major local coffee company for the prior 11 years. When it comes to public land conservation - There has been a trend more recently of public lands being given or sold to the states or sold to private companies, resulting in increasingly less land for the public to hike, camp, hunt or just enjoy undisturbed natural beauty, like our National Parks. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: https://www.darktimberco.com Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darktimber/ Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Darktimbercoffee/ Guest's favorite podcast(s): Joe Rogan Experience & Meat Eater (local Seattle guy) Guest's word of wisdom: When you are starting off as an entrepreneur and you don't know where that first dollar is going to come from or you have to pay your employees and vendors before you get paid, don't look at it as you are working for free, look at it as you are making the initial investment into your company... it's hard but it's worth it and it will make you happy if you love what you are doing. LISTEN TO THE END OF THE EPISODE TO NERD OUT ON SOME COFFE TALK ON WHY DARK TIMBER COFFEE DOESN'T DO DARKER ROASTS. Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Joslin Roth & Darci Bressler, Owners of Resting Waters. Resting Waters is a West Seattle pet funeral home and Washington State's first pet aquamation business, providing a more personal death-care option and alternative to pet-burial, fire cremation or leaving them with your veterinarian. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: http://www.restingwaters.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restingwaters/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/restingwaters Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restingwaters/ Seattle Times Article: https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/a-respectful-eco-friendly-way-to-say-goodbye/ Write or call your representative on WA State House Bill 1700 Concerning Cremation by biochemical hydrolysis - http://apps2.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1700&Year=2017&BillNumber=1700&Year=2017 Guest's favorite podcast(s): S Town & Terrible, Thanks for Asking Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Google Play Subscribe on TuneIn Subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Meghan Reese & Malika Siddiq, the creators of West Seattle Vibes (Instagram Page). West Seattle Vibes is a neighborhood Instagram page created to support the West Seattle Neighborhood: To checkout new and favorite restaurants, bars and shops. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Instagram - Follow them at: https://www.instagram.com/westseattlevibes/ Email at: WestSeattleVibes@gmail.com Lika-Love FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/Likalovefashion/ Business & Non-profit shoutouts: Lika Love (Malika Siddiq's business): https://likalove.com The Nook: https://www.thenookseattle.com West Side Baby: http://westsidebaby.org Past episode interview with Nancy Woodland of West Side Baby: https://sea-townpodcast.com/ep-025-west-side-baby-nancy-woodland/ West Seattle Helpline: http://wshelpline.org Past episode interview with Chris of WS Helpline: https://sea-townpodcast.com/ep-026-west-seattle-helpline-chris-langeler/ West Seattle Foodbank: http://www.westseattlefoodbank.org Mary's Place: http://www.marysplaceseattle.org Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Danielle Holstein, Owner of Holstein Studios. Holstein Studios is a commercial photography and videography visual marketing agency. Their focus is brands and businesses and tell their stories and help them come to life, specifically in the food and beverage space. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: https://www.holsteinstudios.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolsteinStudios/ Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Jill Bruyere, Owner of Fitness Revolution in the West Seattle Alaska Junction. Fitness Revolution was born out of Jill's love for playing soccer, fitness & helping people through being a fitness personal trainer. Get fit and have fun. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: FitnessRevolutionWithJill.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/runwithjillbootcamp Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/runwithjill Guest's word of wisdom: Don't wait... just get started with something today. Get out and do something and don't wait for life or your schedule to be perfect. Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.  

This week's guest is Shandon Graybeal, owner of Alair in West Seattle. Alair is a boutique gift shop with some unique flair, focusing on products made locally by small businesses and individuals. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: AlairSeattle.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alairseattle Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alairseattle/ Guest's recommended book: The Great Gatsby & any of the Harry Potter books Guest's favorite podcast(s): True Crime & Stuff you didn't learn in history class Guest's word of wisdom: When you fail or mess something up, take it as a learning opportunity and don't beat yourself up over it. Know what your strengths are... and what they are not. Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Imants Holmquist, Co-founder of Holmquist & Gardiner law firm in Downtown Seattle. Imants Holmquist & Hamilton Gardiner started their own law firm in 2008, specializing in real estate transactions and business law, primarily helping clients buy, sell or lease real estate or if there is a dispute, representing them in litigation. Highlights From This Episode: Imants talks about the difference between what they do as real estate lawyers and what real estate brokers or agents do. He also talks about what they don't do as real estate lawyers (anything having to do with property valuation or if a purchase is a "good deal" or anything to do with listing or marketing a property). Often times they work with brokers to serve mutual clients or a transaction does not warrant the full service of a RE Broker (like for an off market purchase/sale), so they will use Holmquist & Gardiner's services to draft up the documents for a purchase and sale of a property. Commercial real estate transactions commonly use real estate attorneys to draft documents due to the complexity of the deals and large dollar figures involved. Real Estate attorney's may be used in leu of real estate brokers for drafting residential purchase and sale agreements but on commercial transactions, they often work hand in hand with the real estate brokers and investors/developers who have already submitted their letter of intent and negotiated the details. Having grown up locally in Kirkland, WA working for his dad for his construction company, Imants loved the feeling of being able to stand back from what he had built that day with a sense of accomplishment and he knew that he would get that same feeling with doing real estate law of having completed something that day by helping clients acquire a property or add value to a property or client... and that's not necessarily the case for much of the legal world, where lawyers can be entrenched in legal cases for months or years and not having much to show for all their work at the end of the day. Imants started his own law firm for several reasons. Before going to law school, Imants was fortunate to have the opportunity to work for a large law firm and was able to see what a big firm looks like. He also saw that it was going to be difficult to work in a big firm environment when he primarily identified with small and mid-sized clients. Now they have a wide range of clients from some of the larges developers in Seattle to individual buyers and sellers. It's hard to have a large range of clients like this at a large firm and so from the very beginning he was drawn to a small firm and so they created their own. Imant's says that the best thing about owning and running his own law firm is the entrepreneurial aspect of it and the autonomy and ability to immediately impact the quality of service everyday. Unlike many larger firms, they are not focused on the common metric of how many billable hours did they accrue per day but rather where they able to accomplish what the client wants, how effective they were represented and if the goal was accomplished. Everything begins and ends with integrity. You can learn skills but if you don't treat people right, none of the rest of it matters. The best advice Imants has received was advisors early on telling him to follow his passion, not necessarily what made the most sense on paper. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: www.lawhg.net Guest's recommended books/tools/resources: Amore Towles - A Gentleman in Moscow Guest's favorite podcast(s): Waking Up with Sam Harris. Reply All, Planet Money, How I Built This Guest's word of wisdom: If you have a concept for starting a business based on what your passion is, do that and do it right now! Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Angie Marshall and Amy Becker, the owners of Life Capsule Productions, specializing in legacy films and story telling videos for businesses. Highlights From This Episode: Angie and Amy were childhood friends and always enjoyed telling stories & making videos together as kids. Angie started making video's of older family members to help document their life, legacy and stories and that eventually lead to helping businesses tell their stories through video. Angie helps draw out the deeper story and records the content, while Amy edits all of it into a polished final project remotely from her home in the UK. Best advise Amy has received: "no one will laugh at you for trying and failing, they will just envy you for having the courage to try in the first place. Best advise Angie has received: listen to and digest the feedback and not taking it personally. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: https://www.lifecapsulepro.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifecapsulepro/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LifeCapsulePro Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecapsulepro/ Guest's recommended books/tools/resources: Google Drive & the Angie's "business bible" when starting Life Capsule Productions was "The Woman's Small Business Startup Kit". Guest's favorite podcast(s): Angie's: How I Built This, Two Dope Queens. Amy's: The Moth Radio Hour, Radio Lab, Up First. Guest's word of wisdom: Amy: "Remain a life-long learner, don't assume you know best" Angie: "Be appreciative of the people that help you along the way and give it back. Don't just take others help but give it back too." Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Ian Weinberg, the owner of Ian Fitness. Originally starting with 1 location on Queen Anne but now has 9 locations around Seattle. Ian's philosophy is to get people moving in a fun, safe, non-intimidating way through group "boot camp" workouts and one-on-one training, focusing on results.   Highlights From This Episode: Ian used to play professional soccer and at one point, worked in a gym part time to make a little extra money and he discovered that there tends to be a disconnect with gym members and their motivation for working out since a relatively large number of gym members don't regularly go to the gym. After spending some time traveling the world, he came back to Seattle and wanted to really make an impact but didn't know exactly what to do but he really enjoyed fitness and movement, so eventually took a job as an independent trainer on Queen Anne.   Ian doesn't believe that the "Knowledge Is Power" because if you just sit on that knowledge, it doesn't do anyone any good. So rather he believes that "Action Is Power"... Just get started and take action on your idea, business, fitness or whatever because you'll never achieve anything if you are always waiting for things to be perfect.   Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: http://www.ianfitness.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ianfitness/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IanFitness Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianfitness/ Guest's recommended books/tools/resources: "How To Win Friends and Influence People" Guest's favorite podcast(s): Tim Ferris Podcast, Lewis Howe "School of Greatness". Guest's word of wisdom: Never, never, never give up! Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com   Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher   Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Matt Wendland, owner of Burien Press and Moonshot Coffee in White Center. Matt had the opportunity to purchase Burien Press at the beginning of 2014 and just this year opened Moonshot Coffee in White Center. Highlights From This Episode: After years of frequenting Burien Press, Matt bought the coffee shot at the beginning of 2014. Matt's goal is to make a positive impact in everyone's life who comes in contact with their store or coffee - They use Olympia Coffee in his shops and sources all their supplies, milk, etc from responsible businesse' with responsible farming and business practices. Matt talks about partnering with coffee vendors (like Olympia Coffee) and the investments they have made in the economy and people of countries like Burendy, Africa, where local farmers and villagers have received training how to produce better and more consistent quality coffee beans and provided substantially better quality of living for them and their families. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: https://www.wendlandco.com & https://www.moonshotcoffee.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Burien-Press-151817251495869/ & https://www.facebook.com/moonshotcoffee/ Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Cory Cote and Brandon Ramirez, owners of Mystery Made mens apparel and action sport oriented graphic design firm in The Admiral District of West Seattle. Highlights From This Episode: After 10 years at K2 and Ride Snowboards, Brandon and shortly after, Cory decided to take the leap into self-employment to start their own design firm and then more recently, opened the front of their space into a men's apparel shop. As artists and designers, they wanted to branch out from the cyclical nature of working at just one company and really explore the opportunities with starting their own thing. Mystery Made primarily does branding and design for action sports but also love doing branding and design for local companies, new restaurants (like The Nook) and individual entrepreneurs. One of their life mortars & slogan is "Get Busy Living". They live by the saying of "find what your passionate about and you'll never work again in your life"... it may be cliché but it's true. Best advice Cory remembers getting was from an old boss who told him to "Make a decision and be confident in it". Own it and move forward! Best advice Brandon lives by is to "put your passions in your backyard". Pursue your passions and it will work out. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: www.mysterymade.com Like on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mysterymadedesign/ Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mysterymade/ Guest's word of wisdom: Take a leap of faith and believe in yourself. Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Clay Eals, up until summer of 2017, Clay was the Executive Director of the SouthWest Seattle Historical Society, headquartered out of the Log House Museum on Alki. Highlights From This Episode: Clay Eals has been involved in the Southwest Seattle Historic Society since it was created in 1984 and in 2013, became it's first Executive Director. Up until that point, it was entirely run by unpaid volunteers. The purpose of his role as the Executive Director is to focus on three areas: fundraising, outreach & volunteer recruitment... in addition to the overall management of the organization. The South West Seattle Historic Society's mission is to promote history through education, preservation and advocacy. Their focus area is the entire Duwamish Peninsula, from West Seattle to White Center and South Park. A big part of Eals focus has been to get out into the community and let people know that the Historic Society is about much more then just the Alki Log House Museum. Clay's family is from West Seattle, he grew up on Mercer Island back when it was predominantly 3 bedroom ramblers but would come over with his mom to visit his grandparents in the Admiral District all the time. He went to school in Oregon and worked for the Oregonian Paper for a number of years but always wanted to get back up here. In 1982, he moved back to West Seattle. With his background as a newspaper journalist, he became the editor of the West Seattle Herald. It was really his work on putting together the 1987 "West Side Story", a historic picture book of the history of West Seattle that really changed him from an objective journalist to a West Seattle history advocate. The real juice of life is taking the risk (and in the reward) of communicating with others... and the best way to do that is face-to-face. Clay talks specifics of what goes into getting historic buildings land-marketed. Clay talks about stepping down as the first Executive Director of the Southwest Historic Society (for 4.5 years). His successor is Jeff McCord, though Clay promises us that he isn't going any where and will remain involved with the Society. As the first ED for the society, the best advice he received regarding fund raising comes down to four words... pick up the phone. An analogy for taking the initiative for setting up meetings with people in the community. "Life is anticipation"... meaning we all need something to look forward to. We all need a mountain to climb... something to inspire and motivate us. When you through yourself into something with passion, you will draw people to yourself. The main mission of the historic society is forward thinking... not just about looking back at old stuff of the past but preserving it for the benefit and enjoyment of youth and generations to come. Clay speaks on reading the newspaper every morning because it's a medium that has a little of everything and is a combination of what people want to read and what they SHOULD read... vs. the modern consumption of news and media online where people just search for and read/watch what they want and what they already agree with. Leading individuals to be more polarized in their world views then ever before. Being well informed helps us all to make better decisions. With a background in journalism, Clay speaks on the most respected media organizations are the ones that have been around the longest and still live by the three pillars of journalism - Fair, Complete & Accurate. His perspective on the accusation that "All journalism these days is just about bad news": The bad news is just good news in disguise. Perhaps showing people what is really going on in the world will motivate them to make changes, get involved and help. The whole core of it is that if we know more, we'll make better decisions. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: www.loghousemuseum.info (sign up for their weekly email announcing events and updates) Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Log-House-Museum-167980764047/ Guest's recommended books/tools/resources: "The Water Is Wide" by Pat Conroy. Clay gives a "shout out" to some great local media organizations: The West Seattle Herald, aka "Westside Seattle" and the WestSeattleBlog.com, founded and run by Tracy Record and Patrick Sand (Check out their interview in Episode 040 of the Sea-Town Podcast). Guest's word of wisdom: "Have no fear and assume that when you take the risk to communicate with someone, something good will come out of it... Don't let fear hold you back... Take the risk to engage other people" Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.  

I've been a bit MIA on the new podcast episodes. Big things in the works for Sea-Town Real Estate & our community partnership initiative... stay tuned for more info (and more episodes)!

This week's guest is Tracy Record, Co-founder and operator of the West Seattle Blog, West Seattle's go-to news outlet. With husband, Patrick Sand, together they have run the West Seattle Blog full time for the last 10+ years (since 2006). Highlights From This Episode: The West Seattle Blog was launched in December of 2005 by Tracy Record as a personal project to have a place to write about West Seattle. The turning point was the famous December 2006 windstorm, which knocked out power for days, for a lot of people around Seattle, including West Seattle. They started getting a lot of inquires from people in the community asking if they knew when the power would be coming back on and after that they just started covering the local news around West Seattle. A year later, they decided to make it their full time business. Prior to doing the West Seattle Blog full-time, Tracy had been a manager and producer in TV news for 20+ years and Patrick's background is in journalism, radio, news and advertising. Patrick is the chief photographer and runs the business aspect of the West Seattle Blog, while Tracy is the full-time editor and chief reporter who compiles the news stories and blog updates. Christopher Boffoli has been a freelance photographer and contributor to the West Seattle Blog for the last 10 years and has become an internationally known art photographer with his "Big Appetites" creations series of photography. What do you love most about what you do? When they can reassure the community and when they can find out about stuff that the public doesn't know about but needs to know about. Where there other community blogs around when you got started? CapitalHillSeattle.com was started around the same time and they are still going strong and are a great resource for Capital Hill residence an news. What is your greatest strength? We are dedicated to accuracy in their stories and being honest about what we do and how we do it. What are you passionate about? Being able to help the community. What have you found to be the most challenging aspect of running the West Seattle Blog? Deciding to run it 24/7. What is a personal habit that contributes to your success? Personal ethics and honesty. Do you have a specific internet resources or application that you can't live without? Research tools: Seattle 911 realtime Log; Property information on King Co. Parcel Viewer; WA State Liquor Licenses Applications . Do you listen to podcasts? Don't have time to listen or watch much of anything considering how busy running the West Seattle Blog keeps them... though they did listen to one of the Sea-Town Podcast episodes after I brought it to their attention last summer and appreciated the straight forward conversation about what the business is about and what that person is about. What is your one book recommendation for our listeners? "Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation", a humorous book about the importance of proper punctuation. Parting Guidance - As your time allows, consider getting involved in the community and volunteering. Christian also recommended a couple local non-profits that do great work and that you can find out more about by listening to their interview episodes - Chris Langeler of West Seattle Helpline (Episode 26) and Nancy Woodland of West Side Baby (Episode 25). Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website:  WestSeattleBlog.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westseattleblog Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/westseattleblog Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Greg Bennick, a public speaker and Executive Director for the Seattle based non-profit, One Hundred for Haiti. Greg got started as an entertainer in his early teens and has been doing public speaking, communicating ideas and engaging with audiences (as a musician in touring bands & as a speaker) ever since. Highlights From This Episode: Greg started performing around 13 years old and quickly discovered that people pay far more attention to ideas when they are entertained. He currently does public speaking in two main avenues; The corporate, business and special events realm and doing spoken word at independent  (often punk rock related) events around the world. While they seem like very different things... they are really quite similar, as communicating ideas, having people connect with those ideas in an entertaining and engaging way, is something that is really important to Greg. So communicating has always been part of his life. Greg's involvement with Haiti came about differently. Since Greg makes his living speaking, he doesn't have a "day job" and so when the earthquake in Haiti happened in 2010, he had the time and flexibility in his schedule to actually go to Haiti and help. Some friends and him sailed on a sailboat with thousands of pounds of supplies and food and (as far as he knows) were the first private relief boat to hit the southern coast of Haiti. This wasn't his first time to Haiti but after seeing the situation and condition that his friends were in after the earthquake, he decided that he had to do more... and One Hundred for Haiti was born. Using his experience and ideas he has learned from the punk rock scene and the do it yourself culture, he knew he could make a direct impact for Haiti on a couple select issues that they decided to focus on. He wanted to make sure that the model for helping was one that supports and empowers the Haitians to provide the resources and jobs for them to provide the solution themselves, as opposed to "swooping in" as American rescuers and doing the work on the ground that the Haitians can do and want to do themselves. Haitian run on Haitian terms, by Haitians, for Haitians. One Hundred for Haiti simply provides the support, money and supplies to empower the Haitians to provide the solutions for a better quality of life for the people in Haiti. As an organization, they run very lean with all volunteers (no paid staff), so that all the donations go directly to paying for supplies (not salaries and airfare). Their focus is on two initiatives: The Rural Water Project & GTPE (a Creole acronym that stands for the working group for the protection of children). Rural Water Project: In North Haiti, cholera was a huge issue a couple years ago and some friends of his started a group called Peace Work Medical, where they helped the Haitians build cisterns that were fed by naturally occurring springs, where the water could be treated if there was another cholera outbreak. These cisterns were especially effective and when Peace Work was done with their work in Haiti, Greg asked if he could take over the 20+ cisterns they had built. They now have over 40 sites, all requested made by Haitians, built by Haitians and managed by Haitians. Since having started the Rural Water Project, there have been no cholera deaths in the regions where they have helped build these cisterns... and that is what they are trying to maintain. GTPE: In the south portion of Haiti, sexual assault has been rampant and GTPE is the program their anti-sexual assault and education and the only one of it's kind in South Haiti. One Hundred for Haiti is the sole funder of this anti-sexual assault education initiative. One Hundred for Haiti is entirely funded by individual private donations, with the exception of one very generous corporate sponsor, LUSH. Greg has been involved with the Punk Rock scene for a long time and there are a number of band's that have gotten behind them to help raise money during concert tours, like the Seattle band, Wake of Humanity and the Detroit band, Hallow Earth. Greg used to tour with the band Trial for many years. What do you love most about what you do? With the speaking business, Greg loves the challenge and unpredictable nature of owning your own business. With OHfH, Greg loves the idea that a group of dedicated individuals and work together and make a difference. Of all the speaking engagements you have done, from the small grassroots events to Fortune 100 Corporations, which was your favorite speaking gig and why? A retreat event on the East Coast, for a friend he went to high school with for her travel agency (Largay Travel). What was your biggest challenges with running your own business? While Greg loves what he does, finding new business is super challenging, as there is not a huge market for public speakers (like there might be for hairdressers or another service that nearly everyone will use). And if there is a major apocalyptic event, no one is going to be running around asking where they can find an entertaining keynote speaker

This week's guest is Amber Campbell, Owner of Do Communications & creator of GoSouthSeattle.com (previously known as the Rainier Valley Post). She is a marketing consultant with 20 years of experience helping small and medium size businesses. Highlights From This Episode: Amber is a marketing consultant with 20 years of experience helping small and medium size businesses and used to run the Rainier Valley Post, working some with West Seattle Blog's own Patrick and Tracy. The Rainer Valley Post has now transformed into the vibrant GoSouthSeattle.com. Go South Seattle is based on three things: a community blog, a business directory (funded by business sponsorships), & an online store to sell Go South Seattle merchandise & business gift certificates and such. Amber's marketing business not only does 1-on-1 marketing consulting but also provides turnkey digital marketing tools to small businesses that don't necessarily have the time or budget to hire a full-on marketing consultant to help them get in front of those who people who live in their same zip code. She will work with business's goals to develop a marketing strategy and how to implement that strategy. Amber got started in marketing originally in a round about way, as an ambassador or sorts, for low-income elementary school's in Tucson Arizona for her University, The University of Arizona. Amber was the first person in her family to graduated from college. This experience helped her see the value in being able to highlight the best of something and communicating that value to others... and that's what she sees marketing as, highlighting the best of something. Amber came was recommended as a guest on the podcast by Erin Williams (Ep. 33, Owner of Pier Coffee) After 7 or 8 years of running the Rainier Valley Post, working twice as hard but still not making any money, she was referred to Ventures Non-Profit (Ep. 28, Ventures ED Beto Yarce) to help her build her ideas (where she met Erin and tons of other great people). Not only did going through Ventures's classes really help her but now she teaches one of their marketing classes and Amber says that "Erin has changed my life" and is her bookkeeping coach for Amber's business. What do you love most about owning your own business? Being able to have the flexibility to be there for her kids and family. What was most surprising or unexpected with opening your own business? How hard it is and how time-consuming it is. Initially, Amber didn't realize that there is a difference between creating a job for yourself and growing a business. What is Do Communications known for? 1-on-1 marketing consulting... with additional more affordable turn-key marketing options via the Go South Seattle platform. What is your greatest strength? I don't give up! What habit do you wish you had? Being prompt. What are you passionate about? Making sure my kids have the kind of opportunities in their lives that I did not. What boundaries have you setup to keep from being distracted by technology or other time suckers? I use a time-keeping app open on her desktop as she is working on client's projects and is very focused on only doing one thing at a time. What is the most challenging aspect of owning and running your own business? Self discipline & being straight about staying focused with what you are doing in your business. What is the best advice you have ever received? As she was considering going to college (as the first person in her family to go to college, there wasn't any emotional or monetary support from her family), she was starting to get cold feet as she was looking over the student loan numbers when someone who was previously in her position told her that "they can't take it away from you". They can take away a car or other physical positions but they can never take away your education, knowledge or college experience. She was told not to let the scary big numbers scare her away from going to college and the opportunity it presented. This gave her the courage to go though with it, become the first person in her family to get a college degree and she now knows that this person was right and she is so glad she went through with it. Do you listen to podcasts? What are your favorites? Serial, Left, Right and Center & Welcome to Nightvale. What is your one book recommendation for our listeners? The E-Myth by Michael Gerber Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website:  DoCommunications.net & GoSouthSeattle.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/docommunications/ Guest's recommended books/tools/resources: The E-Myth by Michael Gerber Guest's favorite podcast(s): Serial, Left, Right and Center & Welcome to Nightvale. Learn more about Christian, Sea-Town Real Estate and more at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Melissa Forziat, Owner of Melissa Forziat Events. She also helps a lot of small businesses with their marketing needs. Everything from free resources like her ebook to help them get started to marketing consulting and coaching. Highlights From This Episode: Melissa didn't start off planning to create her own small business... She grew up competing in gymnastics but after she was done being able to compete, she wanted to be able to stay connected to the gymnastics and athletic world. So Melissa started doing major international sport events and started by volunteering at the 1998 Goodwill Games. Next she worked the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy and then worked a couple years for the U.S. Olympic Committee as part of their International Relations Department, 2010 Olympic Winter Games in BC, CA and the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. At the end of the Rugby World Cup, she ended up landing in Seattle and as she was interviewing for event planning positions and jobs around Seattle, everyone wanted to know what she had done here specifically. In one of her informational interviews, she accidentally said that she is now accepting new clients. A week later that person referred a client to her, who was looking for a free-lance event manager... And so Melissa Forziat Events was created! After starting her own business, she also has the flexibility to work some additional international sporting events again, like she did with the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto and 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil. The marketing piece came a little later, as you can't really do an event without marketing it, so they are really go hand-in-hand. When she got to Seattle, many of her friends ended up being small business owners and she was always getting questions from them about how to grow their client base, often on a very small budget. She also started working closely with a Venture Non-Profit, a Seattle organization that helps educate and train low-income, minority and other under-serviced people on how to take their idea and start their own small businesses. They also have limited resources and so she found that the skill set she was building to help her small business owner friends and the clients of Ventures was very much the same... People just trying to get by, pay their employees, take care of their families and pay for life but don't have a lot of money to get their message out there to acquire new clients and grow their business. Melissa got involved with Ventures Non-Profit (check out our interview with Beto Yarce, Venture Executive Director on Ep. 28), as a means to get to know more people in Seattle and be able to help. She started volunteering with them on a committee and was then invited to join the Ventures Board of Directors. She really sees the value of small business owners being able to be part of a community like Ventures because so many business owners, despite the type of business, share the same pinpoints and struggles as they figure out how to start and run their own business and sharing and learning from each other and realizing that they are not alone in it is huge. Though Melissa's business is named Melissa Forziat Events, most of the events she works on a larger scale projects, while she does a lot more on the marketing side for small businesses and solopreneurs. Even if you currently have zero dollars to spend on marketing, she has options for that... like her FREE "Small Business Marketing On A Budget" ebook and weekly blog with good marketing tips and a strong Facebook community full of other small business owners sharing tips, and helping each other out. Melissa provides a ton of free marketing information to help get small businesses to a place of being able to utilize her paid information, consultation and coaching. What do you love most about what you do? The people that Melissa works with. Whether working with a non-profit on an event or a small business on their marketing, there is an underwriting sense of passion she senses in her clients and she gets a lot of fulfillment in helping her clients realize their goals and dreams in their business, professional and personal lives. What have you found to be the most challenging aspect of running your own business? Staying confident. As your getting started and trying new things or taking on new types of clients, you may not have the experience yet to feel confident in your abilities. What was most surprising or unexpected with opening your own business? The shear volume of highs and lows in the roller coaster that happens in a single day. What set's you apart from others in your industry? The majority of the businesses Melissa works with are micro-businesses (5 or fewer employees) and she really enjoys helping those smaller businesses grow and get to a better place and while she likes to work with businesses in Seattle, she works with businesses all over the world. What is your greatest strength? Creativity in both how she helps her clients and grows her business. What habit do you wish you had? Better sleep schedule. What are you passionate about? Supporting the people she cares about... and her clients end up becoming those people. She also does improve comedy in Seattle. In the past, what was holding you back from becoming the entrepreneur you are today? After doing one of her first speaking engagements of teaching an Advance Marketing Class for Ventures Non-Profit, she had a line of business owners lining up to ask her questions and she realized that she does think about marketing for a living and way more then most business owners do, so she does have knowledge to share and a valuable service to provide. It comes back to confidence in having something that can benefit and help others. What is the best advice you have ever received? "Except Invitations". What is a personal habit that contributes to your success? A very detail oriented hard worker. Do you listen to podcasts? What are your favorites? Amy Porterfield podcast, which is a marketing focused podcast (I've heard an episode of Pat Flynn's "Smart Passive Income", with Amy Porterfield as a guest and it was quite good). The type of podcast's you listen to can tell you a lot about how you want to be, based on what you are drawn to or relate to the content and how it is presented. Finding the podcasts you like and then asking yourself why you like it can help you develop yourself and your brand and speaking style. What is your one book recommendation for our listeners? Melissa's FREE "Small Business Marketing On A Budget" ebook, which covers 10 different types of marketing that you can do if you have little to no money to spend on marketing. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website:  http://melissaforziatevents.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaForziatEvents/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MForziatEvents Guest's offer: FREE "Small Business Marketing On A Budget" ebook Guest's recommended books/tools/resources: Melissa's FREE "Small Business Marketing On A Budget" ebook, which covers 10 different types of marketing that you can do if you have little to no money to spend on marketing. Guest's favorite podcast(s): Amy Porterfield podcast, which is a marketing focused podcast Learn more about Christian, other projects he's working on and his business at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.  

This week's guest is Mike Albaek, Owner of Proletariat Pizza in White Center, just south of West Seattle. Mike and his wife, Stefanie opened Proletariat Pizza in 2009 and have created a friendly neighborhood pizzeria, using quality ingredients to make great pizzas. Highlights From This Episode: Mike and Stefanie Albaek have lived in West Seattle they bought their house here in 2003. They wanted to start their own business and were looking at all sorts of options. Stefanie's background is as a hair dresser, so they thought about opening their own salon. Mike had fallen into his job in the Telecommunications world was realizing that he wasn't real happy in that line of work. And then Full Tilt Ice Cream opened in White Center, followed shortly after by Zippy's moving to their new location in White Center. through frequenting these two great businesses, he got to know the owners and found inspiration. Mike got to know Justin (owner of Full Tilt) and Blain (owner of Zippy's Burger) and was inspired by both of these new businesses to start a new restaurant in White Center and helping add to the new character of the neighborhood. They were initially considering opening a sandwich shop but Justin suggested that what White Center really needed and wanted was a local pizza shop. So in 2009, Proletariat Pizza was born. The plan was to open Proletariat and Mike would continue working his tele-communications job at AT&T Wireless for another 6 months... which turned into 2 years before he was able to step away and have Proletariat be their singular focus and income source. What do you love most about what your business now? Being part of the community and being able to talk with and get to know the customers. The interaction with the customers is his favorite part. What was most surprising or unexpected with opening your own business? How the business has evolved. What they envisioned the business being one thing when they opened but it ended up evolving into a very communal, family friendly neighborhood pizzeria. What is your business known for? A regular family neighborhood gathering place with good pizza. What set's you apart from others in your industry? What is your greatest strength? Being the face of proliferate and being able to interface with the customers What habit do you wish you had? Being able to get by on less sleep. What are you passionate about? Doing things right. Talking to the employees to treat the employees using "the golden rule" and treat others like you would want to be treated. What is your biggest challenge now? Managing employees (having grown from just a few employees to up to 25 at times) and getting information out to all of them without constantly having meetings. What is the biggest lesson you have learned in addressing this challenge? They are still learning it but just writing down procedures and having an employee handbook has gone a long way. In the past, what was holding you back from becoming the entrepreneur you are today? Fear of failure and fear of making the leap to self-employment. What is the best advice you have ever received? Make sure to get together regularly with like-minded business owners and being able to share experiences, and lessons... and hear that what your going through as a small business owner are the same things they are going through or have gone through and you can commiserate and learn from each other. What is a personal habit that contributes to your success? Wanting to do things right. Want to make a good product with good ingredients... not just trying to slam out a cheap product and make some money.  What is your one book recommendation for our listeners?Anthony Bourdain - Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly or Charles Bukowski Parting Guidance - For other business owners - "Take vacations" and learn to rest.   Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website:  https://proletariatpizza.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Prolepizza/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Prolepizza Guest's recommendations (other great White Center establishments): Full Tilt Ice Cream, Zippy's Giant Burgers & Noble Barton Learn more about Christian, other projects he's working on and his business at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher

This week's guest is Jacob Wiegner, Owner of Blackboard Bistro in West Seattle. They are all about the food... simplicity, technique and flavor. Their menu is ever changing and reflects Chef Jacob's nomadic life prior this his settling in Seattle with his family. Enjoy delicious food while relaxing in the cozy restaurant atmosphere. Highlights From This Episode: Jacob was born in Iran to parents from Pensilvania just before the revolution and he has lived all over the US since then. When he was a teenager, they moved to London, where he started to cook (classically trained french cuisine), met his wife, Ginger (who is from New Zealand) and their oldest son was born. He still considers it a second home. After the birth of their first kid and living in London for 13 years, they decided to move back to the US. Initially they moved to Florida, to be close to his parents but at the time the culinary opportunities were limited... so they eventually made their way to Seattle. As a kid, he had visited Seattle several times with his family and always liked it and Seattle reminded Ginger of Wellington, New Zealand, where she grew up. Initially they were living in Ballard and he helped the open the Capital Hill restaurant Olivar and worked there for three years (before it closed in 2014 and is now the location of Marron). The owner of Olivar also graciously helped Jacob out a lot when he decided to open Black Board Bistro in West Seattle. When they moved out to Seattle, it was always their idea to open their own restaurant.  What do you love most about what you do? The creativity he can put into each meal and the evolving menu. They have some staple dishes but much of the menu changes regularly to keep the menu fresh and interesting. What was most surprising or unexpected with opening your own business? Coming to terms with what they wanted to do and provide verses what their customers wanted. Finding the balance between offering the things they recognize and want and challenging them to try new dishes. He had to "get over his ego" as he realized that it's not about him but about providing a product that his customers want. What kind of food does Black Board Bistro make? What is Black Board Bistro known for? It's eclectic fine cousin with locally bought seasonal ingredients and while there are some staple menu items (like gnocchi), the menu reflects what Jacob (the owner and chief) is into and feels like eating at the time. For example, they buy their fish fresh from Mutual Fish in Rainier and may base their current items on whatever the latest fresh catch is. What habit do you wish you had? Better people skills. What are you passionate about? Food and his family. What lessons have you learned with owning your own businesses? If your going to jump in, jump in with both feet & just take it one day at a time. What is the best advice you have ever received? Putting into perspective that "we are just feeding people". This realization that at the end of the day, we are just feeding people helped give him some good perspective and felt very freeing. And "simplicity is the last test of the master" - Marco Pierre White. If you think about some of the best meals you have had, they were the simplest things (not overly complex or complicated). What is a personal habit that contributes to your success? Stubbornness. Do you listen to podcasts? What are your favorites? "Stuff You Should Know", NPR ones like "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" and "This American Life". "The Moth Radio Hour" and now since being invited on... "The Sea-Town Podcast". Christian recommended Gimlet Media podcast (if you like story telling NPR style podcasts) What is your one book recommendation for our listeners? Jitterbug Perfume or anything by Tom Robins Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website:  https://www.blackboardbistroseattle.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blackboardbistroseattle/ Guest's recommended books: Jitterbug Perfume or anything by Tom Robins Guest's favorite podcast(s): "Stuff You Should Know", NPR ones like "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" and "This American Life". "The Moth Radio Hour" and now since being invited on... "The Sea-Town Podcast". Christian recommended Gimlet Media podcast (if you like story telling NPR style podcasts) Learn more about Christian, other projects he's working on and his business at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher  

This week's guest is Cary Kemp, Owner of Pizzeria 22 in the Admiral District or West Seattle. Pizzeria 22 is West Seattle's first Neapolitan style, wood-fired, thin crust pizzeria. Cary traveled to and lived in Naples, Italy for sometime, along with his friend and colleague, Mike MCConnell (of Seattle's Cafe Vita fame) to learn and study how to make amazing Neapolitan pizza and bring it back to Seattle. Highlights From This Episode: Pizzeria 22 opened up in June of 2011 and was the first Neapolitan style wood-fired pizzeria in West Seattle. Cary's restaurant background goes way back but he got his start in the pizza world, assisting a colleague of his, Michael McConnell (who also founded and owns Seattle' iconic Cafe Vita coffee roosters/shops), starting Seattle's famous Via Tribunali pizzeria. Mike asked Cary if he wanted to help him on his journey to bring Neapolitan style pizza to Seattle (at the time, there was no certified Neapolitan pizzerias on the West Coast). The traveled to Naples, Italy and lived there for a while, learning and studying the art of Neapolitan pizza making. Naples, Italy is the birthplace of pizza as we know it here in America (1889), specifically the margarita style pizza. Cary got a job working at Sorbillo, a 3rd generation owned pizzeria in Naples, to be trained and learn how to make genuine Neapolitan pizza. Sorbillo was located on a street called "Via Tribunali", which is where they got the name for what became the Seattle pizza chain. To be a "Certified Neapolitan" pizzeria, there are a series of standards that need to be met, from the type of flour used, to limiting the ingredients in the dough to only flour, yeast, salt & water (nothing more), to the requirement of using a wood-fired pizza oven. It's also required to use a different kind of yeast (fresh cold yeast) for the dough and a "cold rise" or "slow rise" process, which takes several days longer to proof. This proofing process makes the dough very delicate and it takes a specific skill-set to be able to work with it (it takes several months to become proficient, so they can't just hire a pizza maker from a New York style pizzeria, like Pagliacci, to come over and be able to make Neapolitan style pizzas). What do you love most about what you do? Being part of the community and being able to participate in community charity events like the annual Taste of West Seattle,happing May 25th, 2017 (Taste of West Seattle is a fundraiser event for the West Seattle Helpline - listen to WS Helpline's Executive Director, Chris Langeler's podcast interview on Episode 26) What was most surprising or unexpected with opening your own business? Wasn't expecting to be as busy right away, as they were... and credits the West Seattle Blog in helping build the interest and anticipation prior to Pizzeria 22's opening. What is your biggest challenge now? Staffing is the on-going challenge. It seems like these days, it's hard just to get applicants to show up for their scheduled interviews. There is also so many restaurants out there that it can be difficult get and keep good employees. What set's you apart from other Neapolitan pizzeria's in the area? Cary created his own menu that offers some less traditional toping options and doesn't make the pizza as "wet" as most traditional Neapolitan pizzas are (doesn't put on as much sauce and strains the fresh mozzarella to drain some of the water from it). What is the best advice you have ever received? One of Cary's mentors is Vince Mottola (who started and owns Pizzeria Pulcinella on Rainier Ave). Vince's dad started the famous South End Vince's Restaurants in 1957 (Burien, Federal Way and Renton). Cary helped Vince open Pizzeria Pulcinella and when Cary started Pizzeria 22, Vince told Cary that success in business "is not a sprint, it's a marathon"... you have to make decisions based on the long term. Parting Guidance - "It's ok to send it back". In the days of yelp and other online reviews... if you ever have a bad dinning experience, it's way more helpful to raise the issue at the time and give the restaurant an opportunity to correct the issue. Rather then the increasingly more common method of posting a nasty review on multiple sites or smearing the businesses name online or starting a campaign against going to a restaurant without even letting the business know and giving them the chance to make it right. It's also worth noting that Pizzeria 22 expanded about two years ago and doubled their space by adding "Room 22", a large private dinning space that fits 50 people. It can be reserved for local soccer banquets or whatever and used for private events and is also used as an overflow dinning on regular evenings. There is now plenty of space. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: Pizzeria22.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pizzeria-22-Ventidue-139885352731246/ Learn more about Christian, other projects he's working on and his business at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Erin Williamson, the owner of Pier Coffee, a Seattle based cold-brew coffee brewer and distributor. They brew, package and produce their coffee cold and can it for ready to drink applications at grocery stores. The big idea is that when your on the go and grabbing a quick lunch at the grocery store, you shouldn't have to sacrifice having access to gourmet cold-brew coffee... even if it's out of a cold-case. Highlights From This Episode: Erin owned a coffee shop for a long time and after leaving that, she started a nano-brewery out of her laundry room in her house. Pier Coffee is now in a nice large brewing space that they share with Odin Brewing in South Center. The process for brewing cold-brew coffee and gourmet beer are pretty similar, so they take turns using the brewing equipment. They also have a tap-room off of the brewing space where they feature both Odin beers, Pier Coffee's cold brew, along with some food. Erin's transition from from the hands on brewing to more the business operations side of things has been very eye-opening for her. She's having to continually give up that she knows whats best all the time... realizing that she needs to give up control of certain aspects of the business to other people who are better at that aspect of the business then she is, and that she is also there to learn from them and that they are ultimately more successful in the end. What do you love most about what you do? Love waking up in the morning, planning out her day and day never ends where she thinks its going to. There is always this joy of unexpected discovery everyday. What was most surprising or unexpected with opening your own business? The steps required to grow in something and then the amount of hustle and need to project a certain image of "success" before feeling like your business was actually at that point. What is Pier Coffee known for? That Pier Coffee really focuses on the technical aspect of cold-brew and the quality, coffee-sources, roasting & emphases on the brewing process. They also source all their coffee from woman owned coffee farms and cooperatives. Erin loves that they can bring together the technical and community aspect of making good coffee and running the business. Where do you see the future of Pier Coffee being? Developing a really strong regional Pacific Northwest Regional presence. With the emphases being on quality and playing up the relationship between really good coffee and beer - tap houses and brewers were traditionally communal meeting areas. A place to exchange ideas and fellowship. In modern times, coffee houses have taken on that role too. Pier Coffee / Odin Brewery's tap-house is a place were you can can get both... and a meal. What is your greatest strength? Curiosity. Erin reads about everything and is a big believe that we can fuel our own growth through knowledge. Erin is what she calls, an autodidact, meaning being self taught. What habit do you wish you had?  To get up when her alarm first goest off. What are you passionate about? Too much... Before she was in the coffee world, Erin was a non-profit arts administrator. She tends to get passionate about non-profit volunteer opportunities. She is involved with Ventures Non-Profit (checkout Ep. 28 with Beto Yarce, the Executive Director of Ventures) teaching a weekly class for startup low-income and minority entrepreneurs. She is on the board of the non-profit co-op The Bridge School and just founded a new non-profit, Engender International, with the mission of supporting woman around the world who are in commodity markets, specifically in textile and agriculture. What has been your biggest challenge with running Pier Coffee? Discipline. About a year ago they had a product recall which was very difficult to work through and they had to stop and reflect on what they were really trying to do. The lesson learned was that in moments like that, don't get bogged down by focusing everything that needs to happen... just focus on the next step to move you in the right direction. And instead of thinking about the problem as this life shattering devastating moment, think about it as a puzzle and then try to fit the puzzle pieces in to put your picture back together. In the past, what was holding you back from becoming the entrepreneur you are today? Erin didn't know that she was one. Christian references the book the changed his business life around - The E-Myth Revisited: Why most small businesses don't work and what to do about it by Michael Gerber What is the best advice you have ever received? Think of the wave your riding in life as a sine-wave (as opposed to a triangle-wave) - on a sine-wave, from the top of your peak, you can see your next valley but you can also see another series of peaks and from the valley you can still see your way out. As opposed to a triangle-wave, were the ups & downs are so steep, you can't see your way out. This meaning that if you can keep your rollercoaster of emotion in check in business and life, you will be able to maintain a clearer head and perspective. What is a personal habit that contribute to your success? Smiling. What is the best advice you have ever received? What is your one book recommendation for our listeners?Catherine Gramm's Biography. She was the publisher of The Washington Post during the Watergate era. She was thrust into a position that she was not trained in but ended up thriving in that role... this happens in life sometimes, where being an outsider can give you unique insight and lead to success. Parting Guidance - The thing I talk to my clients (at Ventures) about all the time, is that as people our tendency is to focus on what is not going right or what we are not good at and then make plans to correct those but we often reflect on what is going right and what we do well. Spend time focusing on what has been successful and make plans to do more of that - Success reflections and success plans. Do this on a three year cycle because as humans,we tend to overestimate what we can do in 1 year but underestimate what we can do in 3 years. Episode Links & Resources: PierCoffee.com - Available in Whole Foods in WA State, PCC, Metropolitan Market and those types of stores or visit Erin at the Odin Brewing Tap Room in Tukwila during work hours. Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pier-Coffee-1401799176700892/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pier_coffee Non-profits that Erin volunteers with: Ventures Non-Profit (checkout Ep. 28 with Beto Yarce, the Executive Director of Ventures) where she teaches a weekly class for low-income and minority startup entrepreneurs. She is on the board of the non-profit co-op The Bridge School and just founded a new non-profit, Engender International, with the mission of supporting woman around the world who are in commodity markets, specifically in textile and agriculture. Guest's recommended book: Catherine Gramm's Biography. Learn more about Christian, other projects he's working on and his business at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Christian Castro, Co-Owner of Industry Finishes, a new company spinoff to flush out the already great logistical, office furniture & cubical supplies, facility services and IT Services provided by Reliant Group. Highlights From This Episode:  Christian Castro talks about the various businesses he has had and his journey as a serial entrepreneur. He ended up here in Seattle when he agreed to help one of his friends grow his fledgling IT business, which brought him from flipping houses and doing IT in Pheonix, AZ to Seattle. Castro talks about what shaped him to be willing to take more risks and put it all on the line to create something from scratch. His parents were from Mexico and migrated her in their late teens. His dad retired at age 64, after starting in agriculture at age 16. He started picking lettuce to buying his own tractor and eventually starting his own agriculture business. His mom financed Christian's first RadioShack computer and it's his parents investment in him and their determination to make it work and figuring out how to make it that has made Christian successful and persistent in squeezing the opportunities out of life's situations.   Along the way, what has been your biggest challenges? There is no such thing as an "overnight success". Make a plan but understand that you are going to have to change courses many times along your journey. Castro thinks it's true what they say about Thomas Edison... he found 100 ways on how to NOT make a lightbulb, before he was the first person to make the lightbulb. You will have many failures to get to your success. For Christian, both construction and computers have been passions for him and his challenge is focusing on just a couple opportunities at a time... there are just so many opportunities out there for everyone, the real struggle is just focusing on one at a time. At the end of day, if he was retired and could just do whatever he wanted, he would probably just focus on building houses. What is your biggest challenge now? Christian wants to make sure they have the right people on the bus and in the right seats on the bus (to use the "Good To Great" verbiage). Some people want perfection and want to retain 100% of their customers... Christian is actually of the reverse philosophy: You've got to let go of the worse 5% to make room for the better 10% so you can focus on quality growth. Though things are changing so rapidly with technology and business, it's still well worth the time and energy to develop out a 5 year plan. As Christian is getting older, he is really seeing the importance in investing his time in the things that are important to him and he wants to partner with the right people and not get stuck in a "bad business marriage". Scott (the owner of Reliant Group), says at the end of his regular meetings that, "I want you to go out today and fail somewhere", because that means the employees are making decisions and the only way one can learn is by making decisions. They empower the employees to be invested in the company by allowing them to be part of the decision making and not micro-managing.   What is your greatest strength? Being able to see an issue from many different perspectives but is able to assess it quickly to make a decision. What habit do you wish you had? Better and clearer timely execution of decisions. What boundaries have you setup to keep from being distracted by technology or other time suckers? Prioritizing opportunities - committing to particular opportunities and putting the blinders on to ignore the other opportunities so they can stay focused and keep quality high. What is the best advice you have ever received? Work hard now so you don't have to work hard later. Do you listen to podcasts? What are your favorites? Casey Neistat What is your one book recommendation for our listeners? "Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Coleman or "Emotional Intelligence 2.0" by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves Parting Guidance - "We all think that we have time... but we don't" and this becomes truer and truer every day of our lives. They say everyday like its your last day because one day this will be true. Episode Links & Resources: Contact Christian at Christian.Castro@gmail.com Reliant Group Industry Finishes Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reliant-Group-229137833919664/ Learn more about Christian, other projects he's working on and his business at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Chris Smith, Owner of LowerCase Brewing. You can get their beer on tap at The Copper Coin & Coastline Burger in West Seattle... or better yet, grab a bear at their new (Nov. 2016) taproom in Georgetown. Highlights From This Episode: LowerCase Brewing opened it's doors in January of 2014 in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle with a taproom in Georgetown. The only place you can get their beer on tap outside of their tap room is at The Copper Coin and Coastline Burger's (Coastline Interviewed on Episode 12 of the Sea-Town Podcast) in West Seattle.  Like many Seattle breweries, LowerCase Brewing started off as a home brewing operations and simply called to where they are today... from brewing 5 gallon of beer to 500 gallons at a time. Chris relocated from Tampa, AZ to Seattle for work (developing training for Starbucks) and decided to "do as the Seattleites do", so he started rowing crew and learning how to home brew beer. What do you love most about what you do? Chris loves the variability of owning his own business and all the various skills and challenges he has to learn and adapt to. Traditionally, with the competitive nature of the WA brewing scene, tap rooms have largely been thought of as secondary, with wholesale being the primary focus... But this is starting to change as the marketplace for tap-rooms becomes more accessible to smaller breweries and a much larger potential for revenue (The margins on beer are fantastic). What was your biggest challenges when first starting the business? Raising capital. The original idea was to have a growler to go space but it eventually grew into a full-blown tap-room simply out of necessity based on the real estate spaces available. The tap room opened in November of 2017. What is your biggest challenge now?  The amount of check-boxes required to create and operate a new business in today's business climate is really challenging. It's about being scrappy and understanding what you need and what you don't need to make it and effectively run a business... take it one step at a time and don't try to boil the ocean. What set's you apart from others in your industry? LowerCase Brewing tries to be about simplicity and just about brewing good simple beer. They don't make a ton of different beers... they brew 9 different styles of beer to try and appeal to every type of beer drinker. Beer 101 - Most people would be familiar with lagers, because most large domestic beers are lagers (which take longer time to make or more time to "turn a tank"), but a beer like an Ale, takes less time to make and has more flavor complexity. Pale Ales (especially IPAs) are hoppyier, dark beers (like porters or stouts) tend to be sweeter. The first 90 minutes of each day look like... coffee! Chis isn't "dependent", so to speak, but he really gets excited about having his coffee the next morning. About 50% of his day is planned, while the rest is being agile and getting done what needs to get done. What is your greatest strength? Tenacity and (overly) optimistic. Chris talks about another successful local business owner he knows: James Barrington, owner of the original Seattle food truck, Hallava Falafel and partner in Woodshop Bar-B-Q and Bread and Circuses, is mentioned as being cut from the same cloth as Chris and having been quoted as saying, "I may not be the smartest business owner or the most talented... but I'll outwork them all. I'll hustle". But Chris points out that success is not just a one dimensional thing or about how hard you can work. You also need to be able to tell a story, ability to organize, ability to access capital, ability to engage other people... it's so multi-fascinated. There are tons of failed businesses that had really hard working owners. What habit do you wish you had? He wishes he was a better communicator. He has a tendency to take tasks and projects from inspection through execution... and then realizes he never really told anyone about it, which can not be so great when you have business partners and investors to keep in the loop. What are you passionate about? People and making sure they understand the potential that each one of us posses to accomplish pretty much anything they want to... even though sometimes we are socialized to not believe that. Gary Vaynerchuk talks about how we live in such an amazing time where the average person has the most opportunity then in  any society that has ever existed. Christian says that it takes a whole bunch of factors coming together just right (and your only in control of some of those factors), for a business NOT to fail - The default state is failure... simply meaning it's tough to start and run you own business and requires a lot of sacrifice. What is the best advice you have ever received? Be patient. Building a business takes time. Stick to your guns and eventually you'll build momentum and success. What is a personal habit that contribute to your success? Enthusiasm. What is your one book recommendation for our listeners? Anything by Malcom Gladwell. He writes about human behavior and what motivates us to do what we do. Parting Guidance - "Don't be afraid of failure. You will have small failures and small successes... and as long as you have more successes then failures, you'll be ok. Break it down and just take it one step at a time". Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website:  www.Lowercasebrewing.com Like on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lowercasebrewing Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lowercasebeer Go visit LowerCase Brewing's new taproom in George Town and have some taste beer at 6235 Airport Way South, Seattle James Barrington, owner of the original Seattle food truck, Hallava Falafel and partner in Woodshop Bar-B-Q and Bread and Circuses, is mentioned as being cut from the same clothe as Chris and having been quoted as saying, "I may not be the smartest business owner or the most talented... but I'll outwork them all. I'll hustle". Learn more about Christian, other projects he's working on and his business at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at ChristianH@Sea-TownPodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Brad Loetel, the co-owner of West Seattle Cyclery, which opened in 2013 in West Seattle's Alaska Junction. After many years in the software industry, he decided to transition and his passion for cycling has driven his desire to create a bike shop which provides great customer service and gives back to the community. Highlights From This Episode: After leaving the software industry, Brad managed a couple different bike shops in the Seattle area since 2009 and in 2013, an opportunity arose for him to open his own shop in West Seattle. What do you love most about what you do? Working with the customers and he loves cycling... being able open the shop, he was able to put cycling back into his regular life rhythms. Some bike shops have the reputation of not being very personable and it's ridiculous that a bike shop would talk down to or belittle their customers. With having worked on the retail side for companies like REI and Apple that are very customer service focused, he really saw the value and benefit of a business centered around the customers experience (very similar customer service values as Dave McCoy, owner of Emerald Water Anglers expressed during his interview on Episode 24). Brad is good friends with Reed, the manager at Dave's shop. They race together on the same cycling team and even helped bust a guy that was stealing from both of their shops (making it onto the West Seattle Blog). One of the reasons West Seattle is so great is because of all the small businesses that give it such a "small town" and homey feel. It's not like the Eastside, where the majority of the businesses are owned by large corporations but it also makes it very challenging for West Seattle business to compete with larger corporations. What was your biggest challenges when first starting business? Challenging his vendors and staff that their is a certain level of service and quality that he expects at West Seattle Cyclery. Also, with so many moving pieces in running your own business, it can be hard to stay on track and easy to get distracted. What is your biggest challenge now? Competing with online retailers and companies flooding the outdoor market with "grey market" products (bike accessories being sold out the back door of larger companies at or below cost). Many times those "great deals" on online bike parts are missing pieces because they were designed to go with a specific bike... and the bike owner has to spend additional money on the parts it didn't come with to make it work and it ends up being a bigger headache and cost them more then it would of had they bought it in a local bike shop or from an authorized distributor. What set's you apart from others in your industry? Great customer service, only sell bikes and accessories that are good quality that they stand behind. The bike owner/client knows what they are getting is going to be right for them, develop a trusting relationship with them and that they are supporting a local small business and supporting the community. What is your greatest strength? Being able to adapt to needed changes... being agile enough to adjust quickly. What habit do you wish you had? To be better at asking a few more questions to get to the root of an issue with employee and vendor relationships. What is a personal habit that contribute to your success? Being outgoing and nice to people... even when he is in a bad mood or things weren't going the way they should have been. What boundaries have you setup to keep from being distracted by technology or other time suckers? Brad tries to be intentional about taking a break (for himself and his employees) from work to do something else for a few minutes to reset and be able to come back and focus on his work better... otherwise the work suffers. What is the best advice you have ever received? Brad's dad and grandfather really instilled a strong work ethic and taught him to work smart and always do it right the first time (don't take shortcuts). What is your one book recommendation for our listeners? "The Design of Everyday Things" by Donald Norman - Great for someone looking to create a business that is customer-centric. Parting Guidance - "Get out and ride your bike

This week's guest is Matt Greenfield, owner of QED Coffee. QED Coffee started as a wholesale coffee roaster and now has multiple locations in the Mt. Baker and West Seattle neighborhoods. They really excel at perfecting the flavor of their coffee through the roasting and brewing process, while also providing the customer with a great experience. Highlights From This Episode: QED started in 2012 as a wholesale coffee roaster. Matt met and partnered with Jason Venhuizen in 2013 and decided to put together plans for opening a cafe, which they opened in 2015 in the Mt. Baker neighborhood of Seattle. They just opened their second QED Coffee cafe close to the Morgan Junction in West Seattle at the end of 2016. What do you love most about what you do? There are so many facets to owning your own business and since the gourmet coffee industry is only about 25 years old, there are still a lot of things to be figured out and not a lot of absolutes... So there is this aspect of getting to play with things and experiment with all the factors that make for a great coffee (different coffee beans, from different places, processed differently, different roasting techniques and brewing techniques... all have huge impact on the finished coffee's characteristics and taste). So from the technical side of things, there are many ways to geek out over the roasting and brewing of the coffee but at the end of the day, it's just coffee that tons of people enjoy daily. He being able to simply make that connection with people by handing them a delicious cup of coffee for them to enjoy. Matt also really enjoys serving people and making connections. They have their cafe's in neighborhood locations so they can be part of those neighborhoods and build the community connections with their regular customers. Matt has a Bachelors Degree in Pure Mathematics and the name his business, "QED", is a mathematical term used at the end of a solved mathematical proof. It is an abbreviation for a Latin phrase, meaning "That which was to be proven"... which is basically a sign of completion (not to mean it is the best thing period, but rather that this is what they decided to show and share with their customers... this is what they wanted to do with these coffees). Matt gives a little history lesson on the relatively new rise in popularity of gourmet coffee and the "waves of coffee" trends.  There are examples of pockets across the nation (and in Seattle), that have been making espresso 25 or 30 years ago (before the rise of Starbucks brought it to the masses. First Wave - Black coffee at home. Second Wave - Lattes, Macchiatos and such (Italian made machines imported for specialty coffee drinks) Third Wave - People started modifying the equipment to do different and customizable things. While there are some places with high-turn over (more of a job) but being a barista and working in coffee is now a viable career option... and that is what places like QED, Stumptown, Victrola and Cafe Fiore do, where they have employees that have been there for a very long time, providing a wealth of experience and coffee knowledge. What in your estimation is the difference between what creates a "this is just a job" environment vs. the longer term invested employee? The management and owners need to create a culture that takes care of their employees and strives to understand the unique challenges that people in the service industry have (inconsistent hours/shifts, no-paid vacations, avoiding employee burnout, etc). The engagement of knowledge - Providing employees opportunities to learn about the product, how it's made, tasting it, asking questions of them... so they are engaged in what they are doing, who they are doing it and how to best serve and engage with both the product and customer. Summarized: Matt's vision for QED Coffee is to have a high focus to detail... both on the details of taking care of people; their employees and customers and the details that go into roasting and serving delicious gourmet coffee. One issue with the top 1% of quality coffee places in the country, are not enjoyable places to get coffee due to their pretension... the customer may not be familiar with how they are suppose to order there drink and the barista will be condescending and snarky that the customer doesn't order "right" or use the right terms... And QED Coffee will never tolerate this sort of attitude. He uses the classic example of the "Carmel Macchiato" (which was popularized by Starbucks but is different then the classic Italian beverage) and how some specialty coffee shops try to shame customers that order "wrong". What is your biggest challenge now? Time. Not enough of it. Matt is working 6+ days a week... but normally, the challenge is staffing. Initially he only hired part time barista's but he found they were very vested and now all of QED's employees are full time and they are very supportive of each other and the shop. What set's you apart from others in your industry? Coffee wise, he tries to bridge the gap between the traditional and new school trends in roasting to give a well rounded, unique and consistent flavors. He goes deep in the weeds in the difference between single origin coffees and blends (Matt only does blends to blend the best body flavors with different notes and characteristics). Good coffee isn't about the function of getting caffeine into your body... it's suppose to be an experience. What is your greatest strength? Given the right tools, he can solve any problem (this is the basis of Pure Mathematics, the subject What are you passionate about? Coffee. The Bean... getting the roast right, getting the brew right. There isn't a "correct" answer but there is a best answer for right now. The problem solving involved in getting the coffee tasting just right today. What's in store for QED Coffee? Still building the whole sale accounts and working on a secret larger cafe roaster location. Parting Guidance - "If it was easy, everyone would do it". It's a well known saying but it's something he has to remind himself of it sometimes. Episode Links and Resources: Guest's Website:  www.qedcoffee.com QED Coffee details: Mt. Baker Ridge location: open 6am-6pm with traditional cafe fare (coffee, pastries, sandwiches + beer & wine) West Seattle location (shared with Harry's Fried Chicken, which is open in the evenings): open 6am-2pm weekdays with coffee and pastries Like on Facebook: www.facebook.com/coffee.proven/ Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/QEDCoffee Employee scheduling app/service - www.deputy.com Favorite podcast(s) - My Favorite Murder, Last Podcast on the Left & Race Invaders by his friend Aloc Desai. Learn more about Christian, other projects he's working on and his business at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at christianharris@sea-town.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Beto Yarce, the Executive Director of the Seattle non-profit, Ventures. Ventures helps low income entrepreneurs start their own businesses, through micro-loans, training, mentorship, incubators and on-going support. They empower aspiring entrepreneurs with limited resources and unlimited potential to improve their lives through small business ownership. Highlights From This Episode: Ventures helps low income entrepreneurs start their own businesses. Ventures was founded in 1995 by Peter Rose after visiting Bangladesh and started it as a micro-loan program for underserved communities: People of color, immigrants, refugees and others who did not have access to capital to start their own businesses. The big idea is to help eliminate poverty through self-employment & micro enterprise... providing a hand-up instead of giving a hand-out. Over the years, they have transformed the organization from just providing micro-loans as a CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) to focusing on providing training and education on how to start a business to more advanced business developing programs, technical assistance, coaching, incubators and on-going support. How did Beto come to be at Ventures? Beto has been the Executive Director for 2.5 years but has been working with Ventures for 9 years. Beto was a Mexican immigrant 13 years ago and an entrepreneur who had a lot of ideas and dreams and was looking for opportunities to start his own business. He started his own business selling jewelry and folk art from Mexico at Farmer's Markets. He started volunteering with the Seattle non-profit group, Casa-Latina, because as an immigrant, he really understood the challenges of starting his own business in another country. After running his own business for 5 years and volunteering with Casa-Latina, Ventures contacted him to be the lead on helping them establish their Latino program (all the programs that they offer in Spanish at Ventures) and worked in 4 different positions at Ventures before becoming the ED. They currently offer their programs and training in both English and Spanish but no matter the language, the training is culturally appropriate for people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. They want to make sure to respect and understand the people they are serving. The Ventures Process - Ventures gets most of their new clients via word of mouth from prior clients who have been through their training and started businesses. It starts with their free  "Get Ready For Business Workshop" (GRB) - A 4 hour workshop explaining who Ventures is, why they exist, where they get their funding, etc. and they go over some basics on what it takes to start your own business and what the requirements are to qualify for their programs. Qualifications for clients (need to meet all three qualifications): They have to be clear on ONE business idea to focus on (as entrepreneurs, you usually have a multitude of ideas for new businesses). They have to have some experience in the industry they want to start a business in. They need to be low income, according to the King County HUD Subsidized Housing Eligibility (currently it's defined as a family of three living on $24,400 a year or less - 30% of Area Median Income [AMI]). If they qualify, they can then apply for a spot in their 8 week Business Development Training (BDT) program. When they graduate from this training, they have a business plan with their financial, marketing plan and operations plan. While the training itself is great, it's also great to see the development of the confidence in the individuals in the training, as they also begin believing in themselves to start and run their own business. After graduating from the 8 week BDT program, they then have access to Advanced Services: On-going support, coaching, legal clinics, advanced marketing, advanced operations, a 14 week financial management training program were they learn about both personal and business finance and the incubation program to help them test out their products, food or services business ideas. They have 3 incubators for new business owners who graduate from their program (For 3 different types of businesses: Retail, Food and Services) The Retail incubator is a storefront located in Pike Place market, so the new business owners have access to markets where they can sell and test out their products. (This includes coaching about packaging, marketing, wholesale selling, etc) The Food incubator provides access to a commercial kitchen at a discounted price and fully outfitted, licensed and permitted food truck that their clients can rent for $100 per day to see if it's a good fit for their new business. The Services incubator is hosting their own "Angie's List" style platform on their site, helping connect their new service businesses with new clients. They still provide micro-loans to their clients for their new businesses, if they need them, from $1,000 to $35,000. Additional programs include providing a credit card to help them improve their credit score, and many more... Their biggest challenges - Helping Ventures' funders and individual donors understand that this is a long term process for the clients and that their investment dollars take longer to garner results then other models of non-profit, as they are working with a population that has been underserved and in poverty for generations. It's not like a non-profit that provides shelter for those needing it, where you are immediately solving the problem and see results. Ventures provides a long-term solution through their training, services and teaching life-skills that result in a "hand-up", not just a temporally useful "hand-out". Ventures sees that on average, clients that have been working with them for 18 months see their income increase 40% and are off public assistance... with the client having broken the cycle of poverty for them and their family. Ventures is funding through federal, state and local grants, private foundations, as well as generate their own income through their store in Pike Place and charge a little bit for their classes and loans. And as any non-profit organization, they do their own fund-raising efforts (in 2016, they doubled their goal for fund-raising). Some Stats: Ventures serves roughly 800 clients per year. 71% of their clients are people of color. 30% of their clients are Latina. 68% of their clients are woman. 98% of their clients are low-income. The clients business success varies but the real metric for Ventures is how many of their clients do they help get out of poverty and how many of their clients are growing their business through the help of Ventures. In 2017, Ventures is going to start tracking how many of their clients end up deciding that being an entrepreneur is not for them but end up increasing their income and getting out of poverty regardless, by becoming better employees with better jobs due to the life-skills and training they received at Ventures. What doe you love best about what you do at Ventures? Their clients and hearing their stories, hopes and dreams - Seeing the eagerness of the clients, seeing the transformation, hearing the stories about wanting to be able to provide better for their families, they have the dream of sending their kids to college, want to buy their families first house or go on vacation because their kids have never seen the ocean. There are also very challenging stories like when they hear about someone who is going to be deported or someone who doesn't have the money to pay their rent. Beto also loves the team he gets to work with each day at Ventures - they all share the same passion for what they do. What is the biggest challenges that new immigrants to N. America face? Immigrants don't know how to navigate the system and it takes many of them too long to learn the language and culture and be able to effectively function and navigate. There is no school on how to be an immigrant and make it in your new place. You want to do something good with your life, which is why someone decides to leave everything behind; your language, your food, your family, your home... everything that is familiar and comfortable to you... in pursuit of "The American Dream". When someone gets to the new country, how do you navigate the system and "learn the ropes" of a place your not familiar with, a culture your not familiar with and a language that you don't speak or at best, is your second language. Even if they speak the language, It can be overwhelming. The best advice they have received - Never stop learning. Professional development and continual education is so important. Episode Links & Resources: http://venturesnonprofit.org - office number - 206-352-1945 Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/venturesnonprofit/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/VenturesNP http://casa-latina.org Learn more about Christian, other projects he's working on and his business at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at christianharris@sea-town.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Amanda Hightower, the Executive Director of the Seattle non-profit Real Escape from the Sex Trade (REST). REST's mission is to provide pathways to freedom, safety and hope for victims of sex trafficking and people involved in the sex trade. Highlights From This Episode: RESTs mission is to "provide pathways to freedom, safety and hope for victims of sex trafficking & people involved in the sex trade". They are a faith-based non-profit doing direct services providing opportunities for people who have been trafficked in the sex trade locally to have a place where they can escape the sex trade and start to rebuild their life and pursue their goals. Many people are shocked to find out that sex trafficking in Seattle is such a problem, as many of us assume it's something that happens "out there" in foreign countries and such. Some Seattle stats on sex trafficking: 300-500 youth trafficked in Seattle each night. 3,000+ adults trafficked in Seattle each night. How did you become aware of the issue in the Seattle area? - In 2007, Amanda was working with Homeless Youth and Young Adults and was doing street outreach to sexually exploited women on N. Aurora. As she was working with these woman involved in prostitution, she realized that the barrier was so significant for them to be able to leave the sex trade that everyone she talked to wanted out but didn't have the opportunity or means to get out. Often times, there was a trafficker or pimp keeping them physically or emotionally bound. She felt that they needed to do something different then what they were doing for just generally homeless youth or people experiencing drug addiction, so they could provide better opportunities for them to exit the sex-trade. What led you from just being aware of the needs of woman in the sex-trade and their desire to exit it, to founding REST? in 2008, she moved from the Eastside to downtown Seattle and got involved with a church that had more of a "mercy and social justice vibe" to it and brought this need for outreach to woman involved in prostitution and in 2009, they started doing direct outreach on the streets, in strip clubs and bikini barista stands. The initial goals of REST: To build relationships with woman in the sex-trades and build trust. Find out their needs. Help them connect with resources. In connecting them to resources, they also saw what resources worked, didn't work and where there were gaps in the resources needed Their growth became focused around what resources where needed and how to provide those. Common themes and needs that they found woman in the sex-trades have: A safe place to go, shelter, housing, beds. Due to the layers and layers of trauma that come with being in the sex-trade... many woman also have a history of abuse prior to being exploited. These layers of trauma can make adapting to mainstream services very difficult or services don't know how to accommodate what this trauma recover looks like. What did REST do in light of these needs? - They knew they needed to provide safe places for woman to go to where they could recover, ride the up & down waves of that recovery, be welcomed back even if they left because they know it takes a long time to recover. They invited the woman whom they were serving to inform them about what they needed and what was and wasn't working for them. Coupled with the actual serving the woman, was a lot of research around all the aspects that often come into play... like drug addiction, physiological effects of this type of trauma, mental illness & how to provide the best quality of care that will be most effective and not just rely on the "good intentions" of their efforts. They realized they needed to figure out a way to make a shelter space work for woman who were dealing with the specific trauma responses common in woman coming out of the sex-trade. When someone experiences years and years of trauma, their brain gets stuck in "fight or flight" mode, so the littlest thing, even though not a danger, may trigger that response (so many conventional shelter situations don't work for them... they may only stay for a night or two before they leave). REST opened their 6 bed residential program in 2012, where woman can stay up to a year, where they each get their own room (long-term while in recovery). REST opened their 7 bed emergency receiving center/shelter last month (Nov. 2016) to meet the immediate needs (short term while stabilizing). The residential program is not a graduated program like Seattle's Union Gospel Mission's (UGM) Re:novo house. The woman who stay in these long-term shelter are likely in the very beginning of their recovery journey. Instead of having classes to attend all day, they help them build their individualized program based on what they say is most important to them to work on... like education, getting a job or getting a child back, who may be in the system. REST adapters their weekly schedule around what is most important to them to help them restore their sense of agency and control over their own lives. Because the program is centered around what they want to do, it helps them want to stay in the program and shelter. When someone goes from years and years of chaos and crisis, it can feel really uncomfortable to be in a stable environment... it doesn't feel normal. The make sure their is trauma counseling and life-skills activities and survivor support groups.   The services that REST provides: Street and text outreach - They still do some street outreach but have partnered with a technology company and now do mostly text outreach, as the majority of soliciting for prostitution has moved from the streets to online. They are able to use technology to comb "personal escort" sites for the phone numbers of the "call girls" and send texts to them from one of their volunteers, who used to be in the sex-trade (currently they send out about 250 texts per week). The text message will be something to the effect of, "Hi, I used to be in the sex-trade for x years, I'm out now. We serve individuals who are trying to get out of the life themselves and would love to chat if your interested or if you need anything." Community Advocates - They meet with woman out in the community, who are trying to get connected with services but don't necessarily come to their drop-in center or call the hotline. Emergency (short-term) and Residential (long-term) shelters / safe spaces. Relocation services - Help someone move out of the area if their pimp or trafficker is local and posses a threat to them. Prevention Team - Goes into juvenile detention centers and works with young boys and girls in the justice system who will learn from their team about gender based violence and do prevention work around exploration to help train young boys and girls to work agains exploitation... not just avoid it. Quarterly community training - Geared towards raising awareness about the sex-trade and what they can do get involved with helping fight against the sex-trade and the elements that empower it (societal messages that encourage the objectification of woman, pornography, girls with low self-esteem, guys who don't respect woman, ect). Ambassador program - help inform and empower people to be able to carry forward the message and raise awareness in their workplace and community.   Current size and scope of REST: 31 employees & around 50 volunteers Serve 80-100 woman & sometimes boys per month. Receive about 40 hotline calls per month. Since REST started, they have worked with around 1,400 women.   Common Themes for woman who end up in the sex-trade: One of the primary reasons they have seen woman get involved in the sex trade is because of an abusive relationship. An older man approaches a younger and vulnerable younger woman or girl and sells this dream of a fantasy life together in a loving relationship, she actually believes they are in a romantic relationship and maybe she is running away from a dysfunctional or abusive home life or is in the foster system and so doesn't really have any roots anymore. The "relationship" makes her feel like she belongs, like she is somebody, like she is seen, loved and valued... sometimes for the first time and is promised all these things that she has not been able to have... so she gets swept up into this fantasy and promises of this dream. It can be weeks or months down the road and then he'll ask her to prostitute, "I just need you to do with one thing for me this one time"... and then it becomes a regular thing with the promise of, "this is how we are going to make our dreams come true even faster". There are numerous ways that he can coerce her into engaging in a commercial sex act and because of her emotional attachment to him, even if she doesn't want to do it, there is such a connection to the idea of that dream someday coming true, that she'll stay. A lot of psychological coercion, manipulation and shame is used to keep her in this situation. This isn't always the story but it's not uncommon. Sometimes it's a family member forcing their child to be involved in prostitution or actual forced servitude using kidnaping and drugs used to keep them in the life. Because it is often a relationship (as mixed up and abusive as it is) that got them into this exploitive position... it will be a relationship that is able to get them out. The main need they see with everyone they work with is the need for healthy trusting relationships. A sense of belonging. A sense of community. Having a meaningful purpose with other people again. As these meaningful and fulfilling relationships gets stronger in their lives, there is less of a draw pulling on these woman back into a relationship with a trafficker. Their need for economic stability... the ability for them to make money in a job. In such a heavy and emotionally draining field of work, What keeps you going? - Those times we we get to walk around and see evidence of healing and recovery happening. When walking through their spaces and hearing laughter and bonding, she gets little glimpses of hope being restored. When she hears about their woman getting a job or getting their first car, they take the time to celebrate each of these milestones, as they are significant in these woman's lives towards their own personal independence and self-sufficiency. Digging into her faith is also really important, as they do this work out of their faith convictions about how everyone is a child of God and image-bearers of God... worth of personal dignity and freedom. Because the work of REST is faith driven, they want to make sure they don't become the "saviors" of these woman. They recognize that they have a part to play in bringing opportunities of freedom, safety and hope and sharing hope and compassion to some of the most vulnerable people in our community but also recognizing that she is not the savior and will not be the one to solve this whole problem... Additional events like Dressember are great in helping bring awareness to the existence and problem of sex-trafficking. Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) is a partner of RESTs - aligns and equips leaders to use the power of business to prevent human trafficking. Pornography has largely become acceptable and mainstream in our culture and has had a huge negative impact on the culture's attitudes regarding men objectifying woman. The average age for boys to first view porn is 11 years old. The nature of porn is addictive and leads people to need more and more extreme sex-acts to get the same effect and it does't take long before the sex-acts get pretty violent and extreme and eventually the porn viewing isn't enough and they desire to act out it out. The young mail mind sees this and thinks this is normal, expected and what woman want... they expect to live this out sexually in their relationships. When they find out that the woman they are in relationships with are not ok with those sorts of aggressive and violent sex-acts... but they still want to play these acts out in real life, so purchasing sex is the next step when porn no longer does it for them. (Obviously not everyone who views porn is going to purchase sex but it is an on-ramp to this and fosters an unhealthy and violent attitude towards woman). Plenty of former "porn star" actresses have come out about the damage that participating in porn has done to them and the effects it has. It's common to hear from girls and woman whom REST has worked with, that porn videos where used to "train" them to how they needed to act and what they needed to do... and even filming the prostitution and selling it as pornography. All this to say that not all porn is between consensual adults or something the girls would be doing if they had other options. What can I or the listeners do to help and make a difference in this? Join one of their quarterly Training Days & becoming an ambassador in your workplace and community to talk about these issues and raise awareness. Become a volunteer with REST or partner organization. Volunteer with their drop-in center, where they provide a meal Monday - Thursday night were folks can bring a meal and provide for the woman. Give a financial gift. Episode Links & Resources: Guest's Website: https://iwantrest.com Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wewantrest Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/iwantREST Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) Homeless Youth and Young Adults Dressember XXX Church - Resources for breaking the chain of porn addiction and other sex related issues or addictions. Learn more about Christian, other projects he's working on and his business at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at christianharris@sea-town.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.

This week's guest is Chris Langeler, the Executive Director of The West Seattle Helpline, a community-based organization that provides emergency services to local families and individuals to prevent homelessness and other detrimental poverty-related outcomes.  He is also the Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, one of the largest affordable housing providers in West Seattle. Highlights From This Episode: Chris' road to serving the community where he is now started back with influence from both his parents, with their complimentary perspectives. His mom did lots of compassionate work with young people (small picture focused on individuals) His dad was a bit of an entrepreneur, having founded a tech company in Portland, OR and very systemically &, logically (big picture focused on why things are the way they are). Early on, he developed an interest in homelessness and housing and other racial and social justice aspects of non profit and public policy work. Chris came to Seattle for the graduate program at the University of Washington (Evans School of Public Policy and Governance), focusing on non-profit management and public policy. Worked on political campaigns while at UW, working in Senior Patty Murray's office as part of undergraduate intern program. The W.S. Helpline is designed to be a little further "up stream" in peoples lives, to help them make a small "diversion" along their path, before life situations thrusts them into poverty or if they need help but don't qualify for the more conventional low-income or government programs. This additionally is more cost effective and efficient to help an individual or family make a small diversion to get back to a healthy place of self-sufficiency, rather than waiting until they are overwhelmed with catastrophic events or fall into poverty... when the cost, effort and likelihood of getting them back to a good place is much harder and much more taxing on an already strained social 'safety-net' system.  Chris was the first full-time staff member when he started nearly 2 years ago. Now they have 3 full-time staff and 1 part time. Program Manager - Teresa Operations Coordinator - Joan Development and Communications Coordinator - Lala They have become a more effective and visible organization by picking the 'low hanging fruit' and leveraging resources that are readily available. Created a social media strategy. Tuning up the website so its easy for people to find out more about WS Helpline. Partnering with organizations that have larger "megaphones". Big shout out to the enormously helpful partners - the West Seattle Blog and West Seattle Herald. And now partnering with The Sea-Town Podcast, to get the WS Helpline's message to our "4 million listeners"... (ok, not nearly that many, but working towards it). Being present in community events like the West Seattle Summer Fest and Harvest Festivals. What they love most about working for the organization - The relationships built with the volunteers, people they serve, staff and community members. The thing that gets Chris most excited is the potential for what can be done. Their serves and programs are the main way they help the community but giving people the opportunity to volunteer and serve and have an impact in their own community is good for them too. The future of the WS Helpline: In next couple years, grow out the core of the programs, focus on outreach to gain greatest visibility to everyone in West Seattle, so everyone who may need their services, know about them. Maintain 100% ability to help all eligible people who ask for assistance. Increase funding, bus ticket numbers and expand clothing distribution center. In next 2-3 years, the goal is to be able to help 3-4 times as many people as they are now... people who may not know about them now. Their biggest challenges when he started and biggest challenges now - So many hats to wear and so much to do to keep the organization running, serve the needs of the clients, while also building relationships with other non-profits in the area to make everyones efforts more effective. WS Helpline has been around a while but until recently, they did not have close relationships with any of the other non-profit organizations that are also serving the West Seattle community, like the White Center Food Bank, West Seattle Food Bank, West Side Baby, SW Youth and Family Services, Saint Vincent De Paul... and even some of the larger YWCA and YMCA. The only way we get this work done, is by working together and collaborating with other non-profits in the area. Some of Chris's mentors (they have really taken their organizations to the next level in the last few years): Nancy Woodland, the Executive Director of West Side Baby (check out her interview on episode #025). Fran Yeats, the Executive Director of the West Seattle Food Bank. Steve Daschle, the Executive Director of SW Youth and Family Services. When Chris started at the WS Helpline (not quite 2 years ago), they were having to turn 2 out of 3 eligible people away... but in 2016, they had the funds to not have to turn down any eligible requests for help. Specific story of how they helped a particular family: WS Helpline is one of the few organizations equipped to handle unusual situations that fall outside the realm of what most non-proft and gov. organizations are setup to handle. Usually clients that need help are due to a combination of bad circumstances all coming together at one time (not just an isolated bad decision or circumstance). Situations in which most people are not equipped to handle and would take most of us out (medial emergency + loosing a job + family crisis... all happen at once). This family needed the funding to get their life's possessions out of storage, as they were getting back on their feet... being on the brink of loosing everything they own, except for the clothes on their back - which would have really set this family back and make it much harder for them to get on their feet and move forward. The best advice they have ever received - Consider the best practices but at some point, you just have to rely on what you know, make a decision and go with it. Trust your instincts... there is never going to be 100% certainty or a "right answer" in every situation or task to be completed. A defining moment or experience - After completing his undergraduate degree, Chris spent some time in Costa Rica, working with South American Refugees. So many of these families living on the brink of survival had to make the life and death choices between spending money on food or required life-saving medicine for one of their kids. While the government provided universal health care at no cost, you had to be a citizen to qualify for it, so didn't have access to the medical care they needed. Not being a citizen also made it very difficult to find employment. This family and 15,000 other refugees were in a situation where they were struggling just to get their basic needs met on a daily basis. The emotional impact of those families being in such dire circumstances, at no fault of their own left a profound impact on Chris and had him asking the question, "How do we set the system up so that this never happens to anybody?". This question plays out in the USA regarding our immigration laws, access to health care needs and a basic social safety net as well as the ability to get a job. This experience really drove Chris' pursuit of what kind of work can he do and policies to influence to make a difference in the lives of people facing similar hardship. These issues need to be addressed at both the human level and the system level. Chris is a really big fan of and encourages people to give and get involved locally; Get to know the people in your neighborhood and find ways to be there for them, connect with them and build the community that your in. For the WS Helpline, that includes signing up to volunteer at their clothing bank, helping sort or hand out clothes to people in the community who need them or volunteering to answer the phone at the hotline to help put them in touch with the resources to help them. Especially for their rent and utility assistance programs, funding the organization by becoming a monthly donor are huge in making sure people don't have to be turned away when they are in need. The average assistance given per family for the program is $325... that is $325 difference between a family on the streets or a family safely in their house and moving on to better things. That is a small price in the grand scheme of things, especially when studies on homelessness say that there is $15,000 to $25,000 in public costs for one person being homeless for a year. West Seattle Helpline fund raising events throughout the year: Neighbors Helping Neighbors Gala Dinner in November - http://wshelpline.org/events/nhn2016/ Taste of West Seattle (big community food fair in May) - http://tasteofwestseattle.org Episode Links & Resources: West Seattle Helpline - http://wshelpline.org or Call 206-932-HELP Business Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/wshelpline/ Business Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/wshelpline Queen Anne Helpline - http://queenannehelpline.org North Helpline (serving Lake City and Ravenna areas) - http://www.northhelpline.org WS Helpline feature on King 5 News - August, 2016 - http://wshelpline.org/west-seattle-helpline-featured-on-king-5-2/ Learn more about Christian, other projects he's working on and his business at: www.Sea-Town.com Ways to Subscribe to The Sea-Town Podcast: "Like" the Sea-Town Podcast FaceBook Page HERE Click here to subscribe on iTunes Click here to subscribe on Google Play Click here to subscribe on TuneIn Click here to subscribe on Stitcher Help Us Spread The Word - Reviews Help a Ton! Thanks for joining me again this week. If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments about this episode - email me at christianharris@sea-town.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Thank you! And finally, please leave an honest review for The Sea-Town Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and I read each and every one of them.