Podcast appearances and mentions of dallas fort worth

Lab-grown meat is now banned in Texas. So what's the deal and why? The Dallas Morning News food team discusses that intersection of dining and politics, along with recent restaurant openings and moves. They also talk about the new "straight to jail" social media trend in which folks share their absolute must-orders at iconic restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Lily discusses Hildebrand's spirituality, intellectual brilliance, and enduring legacy as a “modern doctor” of the Church. She emphasizes the importance of gratitude in Hildebrand's life, his deep compassion, and his prophetic warnings about the dangers of situation ethics and the loss of a sense of the supernatural. This series is sponsored by The University of Dallas. The University of Dallas is among an exclusive list of Catholic universities recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society. Founded in 1956, the University of Dallas is dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and virtue. It has two campuses, one located in the bustling Dallas/Fort Worth region and another southeast of Rome. Its nationally ranked Core Curriculum grounded in the best works of Western tradition forms lifelong friendships for a life well-lived. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠udallas.edu/lily⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find out more. Get our newsletter and other important updates: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hildebrandproject.org/#newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Become a monthly donor! Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hildebrandproject.org/giving⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Social Media Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/hildebrand_project⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@HildebrandProject⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/HildebrandPrj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/Hildebrandproject⁠⁠⁠⁠

Police Use of Force, The Controversy and Crime: A Police Chief Speaks. Special Episode. Few issues spark as much public debate, controversy, and division in America today as policing, particularly when it comes to the use of force. From nightly news reports to viral clips on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms, the conversation often feels polarized and oversimplified. Jeffrey Halstead is the guest on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, available for free on their website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast platforms. But what happens when the microphone is given to someone who has lived the profession, commanded officers during critical incidents, and faced the hard truths of law enforcement leadership? The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast promoted across their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. Retired Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead has done just that. With over 30 years in policing, including service as a Commander with the Phoenix Police Department and as Chief of Police in Fort Worth, Texas, Halstead offers a perspective rooted not in headlines, but in real-life decisions, policies, and crises. Look for supporting stories about this and much more from Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast in platforms like Medium , Blogspot and Linkedin . On an episode of the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast available for free on their websits, plus on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other platforms, Halstead shared candid insights about crime, crisis management, and one of the most controversial aspects of policing: police use of force. Police Use of Force, The Controversy and Crime: A Police Chief Speaks. Special Episode. A Career Defined by Service and Leadership Halstead's law enforcement journey began in Phoenix, Arizona. The Phoenix Police Department is accredited through the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, which emphasizes professionalism, integrity, and accountability. “The Phoenix Police Department was where I learned the foundation of policing,” Halstead said. “It wasn't just about making arrests. It was about protecting life, seeking justice for victims, and building lasting community partnerships.” Available for free on their website and streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. After a distinguished career in Phoenix, Halstead retired at the rank of Commander. In 2008, he accepted the role of Chief of Police in Fort Worth, Texas, a rapidly growing city in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. The Fort Worth Police Department, founded in 1873, serves more than 978,000 residents with nearly 1,900 sworn officers. Its motto, “Service with Respect, Dedicated to Protect,” reflects the balance between community trust and enforcement that Halstead tried to uphold. During his tenure, Halstead was responsible for introducing body-worn cameras, a decision that was not without controversy at the time. “There was skepticism about cameras,” he recalled. “But I knew they would bring transparency and help strengthen public confidence. Today, they're considered essential tools.” Police Use of Force, The Controversy and Crime: A Police Chief Speaks. The Realities of Police Use of Force One of the most misunderstood elements of law enforcement, according to Halstead, is the use of force. “People often see a 20-second clip on social media and draw conclusions,” he explained. “But they don't see the totality of the incident, the fear, the resistance, the split-second decisions. Every action an officer takes must meet a very strict legal standard.” The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast episode is available for free on their website , Apple Podcasts , Spotify and most major podcast platforms. That standard is grounded in the Supreme Court's 1989 decision in Graham v. Connor, which established that the level of force used by an officer must be “objectively reasonable” based on the circumstances at the moment. “Reasonableness and proportionality are the guiding principles,” Halstead said. “Officers are trained to use the minimum amount of force required to control a situation. But when things escalate quickly, their training has to kick in immediately.” The Use-of-Force Continuum To guide officers, many departments rely on what is known as the use-of-force continuum, a model endorsed by the National Institute of Justice. This model outlines escalating techniques: Soft techniques: grips, holds, and restraints. Hard techniques: punches, strikes, and kicks when resistance intensifies. Intermediate options: tasers, batons, or chemical sprays. Lethal force: the highest level, used only when there is imminent danger of death or serious injury. Halstead emphasized that the continuum is not always linear. “Encounters in the field don't follow neat stages,” he explained. “An officer may shift from verbal commands to lethal force in seconds if confronted with a firearm. That's the reality.” Police Use of Force, The Controversy and Crime: A Police Chief Speaks. The full podcast episode is streaming now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and across Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Controversial Tactics and Public Scrutiny Certain tactics have become flashpoints in the national debate: Neck Restraints: Once taught in academies, they are now classified as deadly force in many jurisdictions or banned outright. “There's growing recognition of their danger,” Halstead said. Prone Restraints: Placing someone face down is common for control but can cause positional asphyxia if not managed quickly. “It must be temporary and carefully monitored,” he noted. Lethal Force: The most scrutinized decision an officer can make. “It is always the last resort,” Halstead emphasized. “And it leaves lasting scars on the officers involved.” Despite the media focus, Halstead argued that most encounters end peacefully. “The overwhelming majority of police interactions don't involve any force at all,” he said. “But those stories don't go viral on Instagram or Facebook. Controversy drives social media and news coverage.” Race, Disparities, and Trust Research shows racial disparities in use-of-force incidents, “These disparities are real, and we can't ignore them,” Halstead acknowledged. “But it's also important to remember that officers make decisions based on behavior, not race. The challenge is building accountability systems that both communities and officers trust.” Police Use of Force, The Controversy and Crime. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast promoted across their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. He advocates for expanded training, stricter oversight, and more open conversations between police and citizens. “Reform doesn't mean vilifying officers. It means improving systems so that both safety and fairness are priorities.” Crisis Management: The Other Side of Policing Beyond force, another key responsibility of policing is managing crises, everything from active shooters to natural disasters. “In critical moments, communication can be the difference between chaos and control,” Halstead explained. “When confusion spreads, lives are at risk.” This belief inspired him to launch Evertel Technologies, later rebranded as Genasys, a company that builds secure communication platforms for first responders. Their product, CONNECT, is now used by agencies in 21 states. Check out the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast promoted across their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. “Strong communication builds trust internally,” Halstead added. “When leadership and frontline officers are aligned, the whole agency operates more effectively.” The Role of Social Media in Policing Today, public perception of law enforcement is heavily influenced by social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. While these platforms help departments share updates and build transparency, they also fuel controversy when videos go viral without context. Halstead acknowledged both sides. “Social media is a powerful tool for outreach,” he said. “But it also spreads misinformation faster than facts. One video clip on Instagram can undo months of trust-building. That's why officers and agencies have to be proactive in communication.” Police Use of Force, The Controversy and Crime. Looking Ahead: Building Trust in an Era of Controversy Chief Halstead's message is clear: policing is complex, messy, and often misunderstood. But it is also essential to the safety and security of communities. “The public deserves transparency, but they also deserve context,” he said. “The men and women in uniform often face life-or-death decisions in seconds. If we want meaningful reform, we need to understand that reality.” The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast promoted across their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. For Halstead, the future of policing lies in balance, between accountability and support, between transparency and context, between tradition and technology. “Policing isn't perfect. It never has been,” he admitted. “But with better training, honest dialogue, and tools that enhance communication, we can move closer to the kind of community-centered policing that every city deserves.” The debate over police use of force will likely continue to dominate the headlines, podcasts, and social media conversations. Platforms like Apple, Spotify, Facebook, and Instagram will remain battlegrounds for public opinion, while professional outlets like LinkedIn will be spaces for leadership voices like Halstead's. But at the heart of it all are the officers making split-second decisions, and the communities demanding safety, justice, and trust. As Halstead put it: “We need to tell the whole story, not just the soundbites. Because only then can we find solutions that work for everyone.” Be sure to follow us on MeWe , X , Instagram , Facebook, Pinterest, Linkedin and other social media platforms for the latest episodes and news. You can help contribute money to make the Gunrunner Movie . The film that Hollywood won't touch. It is about a now Retired Police Officer that was shot 6 times while investigating Gunrunning. He died 3 times during Medical treatment and was resuscitated. You can join the fight by giving a monetary “gift” to help ensure the making of his film at agunrunnerfilm.com . Background song Hurricane is used with permission from the band Dark Horse Flyer. You can contact John J. “Jay” Wiley by email at Jay@letradio.com , or learn more about him on their website . The full interview is streaming now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show website. Get the latest news articles, without all the bias and spin, from the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on Medium , which is free. Find a wide variety of great podcasts online at The Podcast Zone Facebook Page , look for the one with the bright green logo. Be sure to check out our website . Police Use of Force, The Controversy and Crime: A Police Chief Speaks. Special Episode Attributions Genasys Phoenix Police Department Fort Worth Police Department  

Dave Barnett and Zac Babb of the Mean Green Sports Network visit with Eric Morris in the North Texas locker room following a 33-30 overtime victory over Western Michigan. This interview originally aired on the Adam's Exterminating Postgame Show on the Mean Green Sports Network's radio coverage of North Texas vs Western Michigan. Listen to North Texas football games all season long on TalkRadio 1190 AM in Dallas-Fort Worth, or worldwide on the free Varsity Network app.

Audio highlights of Dave Barnett and Zac Babb's calls from the Mean Green Sports Network's broadcast of North Texas' 33-30 overtime win at Western Michigan. Listen to North Texas football games all season long on TalkRadio 1190 AM KFXR in Dallas-Fort Worth, or worldwide on the free Varsity Network app. 0:00 - Q2, Kiefer Sibley 10 yard touchdown run 0:18 - Q3, Tre Williams III 18 yard touchdown pass from Drew Mestemaker 0:30 - Q4, Cameron Dorner 4 yard touchdown pass from Drew Mestemaker 0:55 - OT, Makenzie McGill 3 yard touchdown run

In this episode, Lily examines the importance of affectivity and its relationship with reason and grace. She highlights the dangers of both neglecting feelings and also allowing feelings to usurp the role of reason, emphasizing the need to balance the heart and the mind through cooperation with grace. She further discusses Hildebrand's insistence that there must be a collaboration between God and man, in contrast to worldly philosophies that promote either self-redemption or total passivity. This series is sponsored by The University of Dallas. The University of Dallas is among an exclusive list of Catholic universities recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society. Founded in 1956, the University of Dallas is dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and virtue. It has two campuses, one located in the bustling Dallas/Fort Worth region and another southeast of Rome. Its nationally ranked Core Curriculum grounded in the best works of Western tradition forms lifelong friendships for a life well-lived. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠udallas.edu/lily⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find out more. Get our newsletter and other important updates: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hildebrandproject.org/#newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Become a monthly donor! Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hildebrandproject.org/giving⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Social Media Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/hildebrand_project⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@HildebrandProject⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/HildebrandPrj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/Hildebrandproject⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dollar Tree saw double digit gains in second-quarter sales and profit, Alimentation Couche-Tard also sees some growth during its first quarter, and Kroger is planning growth in the Dallas-Fort Worth area

Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington discuss Bill Belichick's debut at North Carolina and Rob explains why he believe Belichick will fail in Chapel Hill. NBC Dallas/Forth Worth Sports Reporter Newy Scruggs joins the guys live from TCU vs. North Carolina to give the pulse of UNC under their new head coach. Plus, could Aaron Judge pass Babe Ruth as the Yankees all-time home run leader?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join us for Episode 4198 of Day1 with Rev. Dr. Barry Jones, Senior Pastor of Irving Bible Church in Dallas-Fort Worth. In his sermon “Seen, Known, Loved,” based on Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18, Dr. Jones explores what it means to be fully seen, deeply known, and unconditionally loved by God. Speaking into the chaos, shame, and suffering we face, he reminds us of God's abiding presence and grace, as mark the 13th Sunday after Pentecost.

Audio highlights of Dave Barnett and Hank Dickenson's calls from the Mean Green Sports Network's broadcast of North Texas' 51-0 win over Lamar to open the 2025 football season. Listen to North Texas football games all season long on TalkRadio 1190 AM KFXR in Dallas-Fort Worth, or worldwide on the free Varsity Network app. 0:00 - Q1, Drew Mestemaker 2 yard touchdown run 0:15 - Q1, Makenzie McGill 1 yard touchdown run 0:27 - Q2, Wyatt Young 5 yard touchdown pass from Drew Mestemaker 0:43 - Q2, Cameron Dorner 25 yard touchdown pass from Drew Mestemaker 1:07 - Q2, Ethan Wesloski fumble recovery in the end zone 1:31 - Q3, Kiefer Sibley 1 yard touchdown run 1:41 - Q3, Wyatt Young 32 yard touchdown pass from Drew Mestemaker

In this engaging episode of "We Are TPM," the boys dive deep into the currentlandscape of mortgage rates and real estate investment with Kyle and John Teixeira,joined by Trever Kerr from Gateway Mortgage. In this insightful episode, they discussthe nuances of the mortgage market including interest rate trends, refinancingstrategies, and the psychological impact of rate changes on market activity. Theconversation oscillates between serious financial analysis and light-hearteddiscussions about fantasy football drafts, creating an engaging narrative for listenersinterested in real estate and financial markets.As the market anticipates possible shifts in interest rates, Trever shares his expertprojections on future trends and their potential impacts on both homeowners andinvestors. Key terms such as basis points, buy downs, and cash flow are unpacked,providing listeners with a better understanding of how these elements affectinvestment strategies. Furthermore, the episode touches on the broader economicimplications of mortgage rates and national debt – focusing on financial foresight andstrategic planning to navigate the fluctuating market environment.Notable Quotes:"In real estate, a fearful market is when sellers are paying your closing costs." – KyleTeixeira"In this market, homes are sitting a little bit longer and sellers are willing to pay closingcosts and stuff.” – Trever Kerr"Psychologically, for some reason that 5.875 [interest rate] just seems so much betterthan a 6.” – Trever KerrListen to We Are TPM on any major podcast platform including Apple Podcasts,Google Play, Spotify, and many more.Tune in today!We Are TPMTeixeira Property ManagementMansfield, Texaswww.WeAreTPM.comShowMeTheMoney@WeAreTPM.comTrever KerrGateway Mortgage972-822-7408———————————————————————————There are a vast amount of ways in today's world to build wealth using real estate andinvesting, not just in property, but in yourself!Located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas, John Teixeira and Kyle Teixeira ofTeixeira Property Management bring you all of the knowledge and experience they canprovide for the confidence to achieve your investment goals, or how and why to createthem. Now, while John and Kyle have a ton to share, they will also be bringing youinterviews with some of their clients, industry partners, experienced investors, andmuch more every week!John and Kyle look forward to sharing the knowledge you need about arguably thegreatest investment vehicle that is available to the masses — Real Estate. Knowledgeis power, and John and Kyle intend to give you as much power as possible. It's notalways about the HOW, but also the WHY, and they will be digging into it right hereevery week!

In this episode of As the Drum Turns, Jeff & Lora cover a productive trip to the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, how steady improvement wins, and taking pride in every aspect of your work.

Ben Maller talks about Micah Parsons to the Packers trade speculation among others, a social media Sherlock claiming Micah Parsons was seen in a "rush" at Dallas-Fort Worth, 49ers GM John Lynch confirming that WR Juwan Jennings requested a trade but it won't be happening, and more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the 10th straight year, the Dallas City Council is considering lowering the property tax rate — even though many homeowners will still pay more due to rising home values and costs. However, the exact new rate is still under discussion, as city officials continue to review a proposed $5.2 billion budget and gather public input before a final vote in mid-September. In other news, While work has slowed from historic highs, Dallas-Fort Worth is second in the nation for new apartment construction in 2025 — adding more rental units than entire states like Georgia and Arizona. The Dallas metro is expected to welcome nearly 29,000 new apartments before the end of the year, trailing only New York City. DART delayed a vote on public transportation cuts aimed at saving $24 million a year. And, a months-long impasse over how to replace the unpopular mandatory Texas STAAR test for millions of public school students inched toward closure Wednesday – as Republican lawmakers drew closer to an agreement and the legislature's second special session approached its halfway mark. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we continue our series, sponsored by the University of Dallas: "A Knight for Truth," examining the life and thought of Dietrich von Hildebrand. In this episode, Lily discusses Hildebrand's concept of contrition and the importance of the heart in Christian life. She also examines Hildebrand's distinction between different types of feelings, emphasizing the metaphysical dignity of spiritual feelings that are based on the perception of value. This series is sponsored by The University of Dallas. The University of Dallas is among an exclusive list of Catholic universities recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society. Founded in 1956, the University of Dallas is dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and virtue. It has two campuses, one located in the bustling Dallas/Fort Worth region and another southeast of Rome. Its nationally ranked Core Curriculum grounded in the best works of Western tradition forms lifelong friendships for a life well-lived. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠udallas.edu/lily⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find out more. Get our newsletter and other important updates: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hildebrandproject.org/#newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Become a monthly donor! Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hildebrandproject.org/giving⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Social Media Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/hildebrand_project⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@HildebrandProject⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/HildebrandPrj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/Hildebrandproject⁠⁠⁠⁠

People talk quite a lot about things like 'shift left" that make it sound as if it is a new concept -- sold at your finer consultancies -- to build things properly in the first place. After two decades of incident response, smoke jumping and Tech Debt burndowns, I think it's time to talk about the way teams can build security not just into the product but into the company culture by examining some basic realities of the product development process. This is not just for tech companies; it's for any firm with a process by which they turn ideas into money. Because for all the SDLC tools, all the configuration platforms, the code scanners, and the security and code testing doodads out there, nothing in my experience works as well as starting with the basics: including security and legal experts as well as the people who manage the internal services that will be your upstream and downstream dependencies at the ideation stage. The amount of weapons-grade stupid, the mountain ranges of tech debt, and the broken business promises that this simple plan can avoid make it hard to believe that it's so rare to find these practices in mainstream companies. In this talk, I will describe the most common side effects of failing to do this, how those side effects manifest into cultural roadblocks, silos, and sadness, and most important: how you can break the cycle, slash through the Gordian knot of despair and missed deadlines, and return to cranking out product like a start up. About the speaker: Nick Selby is the founder of EPSD, Inc., and he has more than 20 years of experience advising organizations in highly targeted industries. Previously, he led professional services at Evertas and served as Interim Executive Director of the Cryptoasset Intelligence Sharing and Analysis Center. His executive roles have also included stints at Trail of Bits and Paxos Trust Company. He managed cyber incident response at TRM Partners and N4Struct, and in 2005 founded the information security practice at 451 Research (now S&P Global Intelligence), where he served as Vice President of Research Operations until 2009. As Director of Cyber Intelligence and Investigations at the NYPD (2018-2020), Selby led cybercrime investigations for America's largest police department. Selby serves on the Board of Directors of the non-profit National Child Protection Task Force and the advisory board of Sightline Security. While retired from law enforcement, he continues to serve as a reserve detective for a Dallas-Fort Worth area police agency, where he investigates crimes against children and the cyber aspects of real-world crimes.

Dallas-Fort Worth chefs share some of their guiltiest of guilty pleasure foods, and the Dallas Morning News food team takes you on a journey around the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dallas-Fort Worth chefs share some of their guiltiest of guilty pleasure foods, and the Dallas Morning News food team takes you on a journey around the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's the show like today? Grown-up sleep-away camp, where folks eat radioactive Walmart shrimp, and men cuddle each other. Yup.PLUS: Why is it so hard to get good seafood on an island?The Treehouse Show is a Dallas based comedy podcast and radio show. Leave your worries outside and join Dan O'Malley, Trey Trenholm, Raj Sharma, and their guests for laughs about funny news, viral stories, and hilarious commentary.The Treehouse WebsiteGet MORE from the Treehouse Show on PatreonGet a FREE roof inspection from the best company in DFW:Cook DFW Roofing & Restoration CLICK HERE TO DONATE:The RMS Treehouse Listeners FoundationLINKS:Men's cuddling group aims to redefine masculinity and heal traumaAdults Are Going to Sleep-away Camp to Make Friends. It Seems to Actually Work. - WSJFDA issues warning over possible radioactive shrimp at Walmart – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Building a successful business often means solving problems nobody else sees coming. In this episode of Building Texas Business, I sit down with Merrilee Kick, founder of BuzzBallz, to talk about how she transformed a poolside idea into a ready-to-drink cocktail empire she sold to Sazerac in 2024. Merrilee shares her journey from high school teacher to manufacturing pioneer who bootstrapped through engineering challenges and suppliers who refused to sell her essential components. Her approach demonstrates that when traditional paths close, entrepreneurs must forge their own. We explore how Merrilee built a family-like culture with minimal turnover through practical benefits like daily cooked meals and extended holiday breaks. She discusses why fairness matters more than equality in building loyal teams. During COVID, she created an on-site school for employees' children and manufactured hand sanitizer for hospitals, showing how adaptability serves both business continuity and community needs. Merrilee reflects on mistakes that shaped her success, from coconut cream that solidified at room temperature to trusting the wrong people. She emphasizes that entrepreneurs must trust their gut instincts and move quickly when something isn't working. Her discussion about selling to Sazerac reveals the cultural shifts that come with acquisition and why selecting the right buyer matters as much as the price. The conversation reveals how a teacher's frustration with glass by the pool became a multi-million dollar business through relentless problem-solving and genuine employee care. Listen to discover why sometimes the best business education comes from cleaning your own warehouse bathrooms. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS "S#@t doesn't smell any better with age" - why firing fast is critical to maintaining culture and performance When suppliers demand hundreds of thousands for R&D, sometimes you have to source from Canada and figure it out yourself A $10 daily lunch investment eliminated production delays and built the family culture that kept turnover near zero Creating an on-site school during COVID kept the production lines running when competitors shut down People quit managers, not companies - know your employees' kids' names and eat lunch with them Trust your gut over resumes - the West Point MIT grad who couldn't deliver taught her that credentials don't guarantee performance LINKSShow Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About BuzzBallz GUESTS Merrilee KickAbout Merrilee TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: In this episode, you'll meet Merrilee Kick, founder of BuzzBallz. Merrilee shares her story of going from a high school teacher grading papers to a multimillion dollar manufacturer of ready to drink cocktails by trusting her instincts, being honest and fair, and keeping sales concepts funny. Merrilee, I want to welcome you to Building Texas Business. Thank you for taking the time to come on in the podcast. Merrilee: Thanks Chris. Chris: So let's start. You founded a very interesting company called BuzzBallz. Love the name. Tell the listeners what is BuzzBallz, what is the company and what's it known for? Merrilee: So BuzzBallz is a ready to drink cocktail company. It's a manufacturing company based in Texas, and I started it back in 2009. Our first sale was in 2010 and I sold it. I ran it for 15 years and then I sold it last year, may of 2024 to Sazerac, a big company, one of the world's largest manufacturers of bourbon and alcoholic spirits. And they were very interested in us because it was the convenience store channel and it was ready to drink. And so it was a little bit different twist for them. Chris: Very good. So what was the inspiration for you in 2009 to start a alcoholic beverage company? Merrilee: I was going through some hard times with my marriage and I was a high school teacher at the time and I wanted to be more financially independent. And my high school that I was working at said that they would give me a teacher's enrichment program to where I could go get my master's in administration and be a principal. And I was like, oh my God, no, I don't want to be a principal. No, I want to go into my own field, which was business because I taught entrepreneurship, business law, international business marketing, computer science, all those kinds of wonderful subjects to high school kids, and I wanted to get my degree and get my MBA in that. So I convinced them to let me do it. Got my MBA and BuzzBallz was my master's degree thesis project. I was grading papers by the pool thinking of what should my project be for my capstone, my final project for my MBA and I had a little vo of candle with me and drinking a cocktail like a good teacher would, and I should probably not have a glass glass out here by the pool where I'm grading papers. I need to have something plastic. So I came up with the idea and the concept of a little party ball, a little ready to drink cocktail in a ball shape. Then my family and I, we sat down at dinner and we came up with the name Buzzballz. I love it. So catchy. And so that's where it came from and it stuck, you know, and it's one of those names you don't forget. So, that's the genesis of it all. Chris: What a great story. So high school teacher grading papers by the pool comes up with a cocktail and turns it into a wildly successful business. That is a coolest story I think I've ever heard. Merrilee: Yeah, we started out with six different flavors and they were pretty edgy. I'm a pretty edgy person, I guess. So, we came out with names like OJ Screamer because it was right when OJ Simpson was on trial and we had an orange juice and vodka screwdriver and we thought, okay, this will be funny, and funny sells, and it makes people laugh again. It makes it fun. So, We came up with some funny, funny names, strawberry Rum job, you know, like kind of edgy, dirty names, but funny and people loved it. Since then, it's kind of calmed the waves a little bit. We've mellowed it down a little bit, toned it down for the general grocery store shoppers, and more more family focused. But we've been through many renditions, many different flavors and sizes and things over the years. Yeah, Chris: It is really cool. Let's go back to kind of that 2009 or maybe time period. So I guess you had your MBA and you had this idea, but what did you do to get this off the ground and what kind of hurdles were you facing in order to do that? There Merrilee: Was so many hurdles. I didn't know anything manufacturing. I didn't know anything business. I was told by bankers all around Texas that I've applied for loans with that you're just a teacher, you don't have any experience, you don't have any collateral, you don't have any knowledge of manufacturing, how are you going to pull this off? And I just googled everything. Google was a really good friend, but I was looking at how many pounds per square inch does a Coke have on the inner walls of its container and will my container hold that and will this plastic have BPA in it and will it leach into my product? And what is the oxygen scavenging ratio of will oxygen permeate this plastic and degrade the product and what kind of petaloid base do I need on this? So there's a lot of engineering involved to create the container because it is a custom container. And then I was almost to the finish line and then a company, I wanted to put these metal lids on the container and a company came to me and they said, we want you to pay us hundreds of thousands of dollars so that we can r and d and see if your product really can be a good product for the market. And I couldn't afford it, so I just did it myself and I had to launch it myself and they said they wouldn't sell me any lids because of it. So I had to buy 'em from Canada. I had to buy 'em from overseas and then do it myself. So one of the things I learned is you just have to do everything yourself. You have to clean the bathrooms, you have to clean the warehouse, you have to set up the equipment, you have to do all the QuickBooks, you have to do the shipping, you have to do the billing, you have to understand all the details of this business inside now before you can pass it on to anybody. Chris: That's a very common theme amongst entrepreneurs, especially in the startup. You have an inspiration or a passion or something or idea that you believe so much in and are so passionate about that despite all the hurdles you run into, you just figure out ways over the hurdles. Merrilee: That's because if you don't, your failure to do anything and try to get it right means bankruptcy. And most entrepreneurs are going on their last thread, maxed out their credit cards. They can't afford a complete and utter failure. They can afford mistakes, but they quickly pivot and fix it and keep going. They keep swimming Chris: To that point. So you said you have to be able to do everything to get it going. Those are early days. How do you then transition once you've got some legs underneath it to start letting go of some things and bringing people in because it's your baby and you have to learn to trust some people to take care of it, Merrilee: And you make a lot of mistakes trusting people too. So you'll have a lot of duds people that you hire, some family and friends I would steer away from as much as possible unless that family is under your control, like cousins, aunts, uncles, those are more difficult to work with than your own sons because your sons will do whatever you tell 'em to do. Chris: And I know you have your sons in the business, Merrilee: But it was difficult when I hired friends because they were entitled. They thought they would be able to have more. So it's very different when you're having to hire people that are friends, Chris: That's having a strong team around you is so critical to the success of any business. What did you learn along the way? And aside from maybe don't hire friends to really hone in on your process to improve your hit rate on making sure you were hiring people that you could trust and they could do the job Merrilee: Well, sometimes you hire somebody based on their resume or their referrals or whatever, and that's a good first step, but you're going to still make mistakes. I remember I had a guy that had all the accolades in the world. He was a West Point grad, he was MIT, he had all these accolades, but he couldn't seem to get anything done and talk about delegation. I had to have my son because I was out of town. I was like, Hey, you get to fire this guy and here's this guy that's 30 years his senior and my son has never fired anyone before. And he had to have that experience. It was difficult. But one thing I've learned is crap doesn't smell any better with age. So you've got to get rid of people that are toxic or that even if you have a relationship, a friendly relationship with them, sometimes it just isn't going to work for whatever reason. Either something legal that they did or something that was immoral that they did or just basic laziness or in capability to get the job done. So sometimes if you don't feel it, it's almost like a gut feel. If it's not working right, then there's something wrong and you got to make moves. A Chris: Couple of things there, right? First I think the adage of hire slow fire fast is very true. Easier said than done. I Merrilee: Don't hire slow. I don't like that. I don't like that saying because I think sometimes you hire fast and it's okay. I think the important thing is fire fast if you have grounds to do so and try to get somebody to replace them as quickly as possible. You got to do everything fast when you're an entrepreneur. Chris: So on the fire fast side, right? I mean I think it's whether it's performance or cultural fit, if it's not working, the sooner you move, the better your organization's going to be. Merrilee: But on the cultural fit too, that's a big one because they may have the capability to do it, but maybe at their own pace or maybe not at your pace or maybe they just have a different idea of work altogether. Chris: And one of the things we say here, it doesn't necessarily make 'em a bad person. This isn't the right organization for them and they need to go find that organization that will fit them better. But speaking of culture, how would you describe the culture that you built at BuzzBallz? Merrilee: Okay, so my culture at BuzzBallz, we hardly had any turnover because I treated it like family. I think that people quit managers, and I've heard that before, but people do quit, managers and they quit companies that don't believe in them. And I think that is a big cultural learning. You've got to do things together, you got to take them to lunch, you got to talk to them, you got to get involved with their family life, know their kids' names. You need to know something about the people that report to you. Now when you have a thousand people reporting to you can't possibly do all that, but you can have parties and you can have celebrations and you can recognize people at every level of the totem pole. And I think some of the things to do to build culture, we would have a cook on staff that cooked for everybody every day because that $10 a day savings meant more to, and it meant a lot to me because they could start the lines on time. I didn't have to wait for somebody to go get a burrito down the street and come back. They could just go ahead and keep together. And it built culture that way too. They started to trust each other, they started to rely on each other. And the other thing that we did was we all rolled up our sleeves. It didn't matter whether you were the lead accountant or if you were the CEO, if something needed to get done, you go do it. Chris: I think Merrilee: That's great. So it's not that it's above you or it's somebody else's job. Chris: Yeah. Kind of lead by example, right? No task is above anyone. It's all about getting the job done. Merrilee: Correct. Chris: And I think to your point of knowing your people as best you can, when you start to scale the business as you did, I think it breaks into tier. So within your direct reports or a level or two, you have the ability to get to really know them. And then I think it's important to teach them that they take it another level down and really have good connections within their direct reports and then you can layer that through the organization so that people feel connected. And so Merrilee: One thing I learned too, Chris, is I learned that people are better managers than me. I'm more of an inventor. I'm an entrepreneur. I'm not really a good manager of people. I'm a good people person and I'm a good salesperson, but I don't like doing the management of the day to day of my car broke down or I'm sick or I need PTO approved or I need blah, blah, blah, blah. I don't like doing any of that. All the administrative stuff that comes with management I'm terrible at. It's not that I'm terrible, it's just that I don't want to do it. I would rather have somebody that's better at it do it. I think that it's really important that people see your genuine self and that you're honest and fair to them more than equal. Equality is different than fairness. And I think fairness trumps equality, fairness. Somebody who comes to work every day works their butt off every day, takes care of you, always says they're going to get it done. That person is a person I want to hire versus somebody who's complaining and moaning about equality. If you gave them a day off, I want a day off, I need a PTO day just because I just need a de-stress day, it's buzz off. I don't need you to complain about your daily work. Chris: Everybody has stuff. So despite that, we still have to get a job done and that gets lost sometimes. And that just goes back to the hiring process and making sure, and I agree with you, no hiring process is perfect. It's more of an art than a science, but if you really focus on some of the right things, you're going to have better hits. But again, like we said earlier, once you realize you've made a mistake, you got to make a move. Merrilee: And also about the speed of hiring. When you said hire slow, I've been with companies that hire too slow and they drag prospective employees on for so long doing too many rounds and they lose them Chris: For sure. I guess it slows relative, but yes, if you drag it out immersively long, if you have a good process, you know what you're looking for. And within a couple rounds of an interview, you should know whether that person's going to hit fit or not. We talked a little bit about culture and I guess one thing would be interesting is how do you believe that you've been through a transition in the last 12 months? Has that culture been impacted by that Merrilee: Tremendously? Yeah. Culture is completely different with a big company versus a small entrepreneurial company. Entrepreneur companies are more freewheeling, more giving in terms of the things they allow people to do. They help people more. Bigger companies are more rigid. They have more rules because they have to, they're just bound by more legal problems if I could say. So just they've got more issues to have to Chris: Worry, maybe legal hurdles and regulations and such, Merrilee: And they have just a bigger spotlight on them. So people are always looking at them trying to find fault and trying to sue them for anything possible. There's rules and regulations that they have to abide by that I didn't. So culture has changed also with they had to let go a lot of people and that was really hard because these are people that I loved and people that I cared very dearly about that helped me build the business, but they had their own internal structure and people already filling some of those roles so it didn't make financial sense or business sense to string them along and have two people doing the same thing. So there were some business decisions that were made that affected culture. Yes, Chris: It's almost inevitable when that type of combination happens, right? Because there's going to be some overlap and a business has to run efficiently and can't have two people doing the same thing Merrilee: And they just run it differently. It's not that one's better or one's worse. They just are different. And I tried to pick a company to buy us that would be as close as possible to our culture and I tried to pick one that was privately owned and family owned and manufacturing instead of some other kind of company. I didn't want private equity or anything like that. I wanted somebody that held some of the same beliefs I did and I think I did a good job with this company. I really like them and I think they have a lot of great ideas, but it's different than how I would've done it. Chris: Hello friends. This is Chris Hanzlik, your building Texas business host. Did you know that Boyer Miller, the producer of this podcast is a business law firm that works with entrepreneurs, corporations and business leaders. Our team of attorneys serve as strategic partners to businesses by providing legal guidance to organizations of all sizes. Get to know the firm@boermiller.com and thanks for listening to the show. So let's talk a little bit about innovation because what you did there was nothing like it on the market. Obviously the initial concept seems unique and novel As you grew the company over those 15 years, how did you incorporate or encouraged innovation within the company to keep it going? Merrilee: We would have so much fun together. We always had happy hours after work and we would sit and brainstorm with a cocktail in our hand and just anything goes. We would talk about anything and everything and we would do fun marketing things too. Things that were a little edgy maybe too far. Like we had Buzz Ball condoms for spring break and we had crazy stuff for marketing and now the marketing is a little more toned down because it's going to the general populace instead of just craziness. So I think that that's changed for sure. Tell me again what you were asking about Chris: Kind of incorporating innovation into Merrilee: Innovation. Yeah, so it's just Chris: Propelling success. Merrilee: We would try different flavors and this tastes gross or this tastes like medicine or no, I don't like it or I don't like the color of it or whatever. So we had an r and d team and they were fun people and that was really important to me. I wanted the ability to have the science aspect of it, but I also wanted the ability, we had a good formulation going so that we could do that. Now, one thing we decided when it was around, I don't know, four or five years in, we were thinking, oh, sales are starting to slump a little bit, wonder what's going on. We should start our own vodka and our own rum and our own gin and our own bourbon and start making those. We could do that. And so we started doing that. The thing we didn't do well was marketing of those products. So those products felt flat over two or three years. We had distribution, but we didn't know how to sell it because we had been selling in a different channel in a different way. So we went back and focused on our core learning from that mistake, just innovation is something else. Do you want to make things in a different shaped container? So we came out with the biggie, the giant biggie, and I had always wanted to make a big bowling ball sized buzz ball and everywhere I went, they were like, no, the Chris: Party size, we Merrilee: Can't do it party size, we can't do it. That's what they kept saying, you can't do it, you can't make it. It won't work. We found a way to make it work and it's one of the coolest looking things on the market and we've got witches potion coming out pretty soon. We've got biggie, BuzzBallz everywhere. Chris: I think one of the things you mentioned there, just it's okay to try new things and expand, but you've got to stay on top of 'em and I guess you said with the vodka and the bourbon and whatnot, eventually we're not as good at this. So you have to know just higher or firing fast, you have to know when to cut that off and go back to your core to really just focus on what you're good at and be the best at that. Merrilee: And so what we did with all that excess booze that we made is we just drank it in our bar. We had it at our bar at work. We had a nice big bar at work, so we would Chris: Some cost savings. We had to go buy support Merrilee: Our habits. Chris: So I'd be interested to know, you said you were in the Dallas area when you started this company. Do you feel that being in Texas as a entrepreneur and startup business had its advantages that allowed you to achieve the success that you have? Merrilee: I knew that Texas is a little bit cheaper than some of the other big cities out there, la, New York, and it's centrally located, so that helps a lot in terms of shipping, but I don't think that Texas particularly helped me other than this is where I grew my family and it was home Chris: Cheaper real estate. I think typically a legislature at the state level that's business friendly. Merrilee: Yeah, yeah, it is. I think that the other thing I wanted to make a point of is we have a big labor pool, not necessarily good though, it's a big labor pool, but sometimes you have to go through a bunch of people to find the right kind of people. What's that work ethic thing? Chris: Of course. So let's talk a little bit then about leadership and how you would describe your leadership style and how you think that evolved over time. Merrilee: I'm a hugger. I walk down the hall, I smile at everybody, I talk to everybody. I give them a hug, I eat lunch with 'em. It's an open door. So I think that is one thing that's different about me. I care about my employees so much. When COVID hit, one of the things we did that I'm especially proud of was we started our own little school. So I knew I needed employees to show up for a manufacturing plant, but how could they do that if they had to stay home to take care of their kids? Their kids' school was closed, so I was like, I'll start a school. And so I started a school onsite, a buzz ball school, hired a Texas education, the agency teacher and an aide, so a TE, a certified teacher and an aide, and we converted a conference room, big conference room into a kids learning center and we got headphones and we had them get their PCs from all their different schools. We had kids' books, we had play mats, we had tents, we had all kinds of stuff. We cooked breakfast for 'em, we cooked lunch for 'em, we gave them a snack, we helped them with their homework and then their parents could bring 'em to work at 6:00 AM before school starts, but 6:00 AM We had somebody there to greet those kids when their shift started, the people working and we'd help the kids, give them a snack, give them their homework, make sure they got everything done, and then their parents could eat lunch with them if they wanted to during that day and then pick 'em up at two or three o'clock in the afternoon when their shift was over. But that's one of the things I'm really proud of. That's like a different thing that we had to do for COVID. So we did a lot of things like the lunches, the free lunches. We also gave everybody time off between Christmas and New Year's, right around December 22nd to January 2nd, I just said everybody gets that time off because of when I was a teacher. That was really important to have that family time and when you're working your job for your first year when you're out of college, or even if you never went to college, you get two weeks vacation. That's not enough for the whole year. So two weeks vacation plus a week of PTO for sick time, and then you get this extra 10 days off paid and you don't have to come to work. You can make that plan and go to New York for your family. And then we also give them a bonus at Christmas so that they could buy some Christmas presents. Some of them were paycheck to paycheck and so it meant lot. Yeah, just little celebrations, chili cook-offs and dinosaur races and silly stuff, but it was good. It was a good relationship, good culture. Chris: What you just mentioned about the school during COVID is fascinating to me and brilliant by the way, so kudos to you that would fit within my definition of innovation. Thinking outside the box and going, one, you have to keep your business going and so how can I do this given what my workforce is dealing with? And you found that is an amazing solution. Merrilee: We also decided that we would be an essential business, so we made BuzzBallz, hand sanitizer, we took some of our spirit based vodka and rum and gin and put these little toppers on them instead of the 50 ml size that's on the airplane that had a screw cap, put these tops on 'em and then made hand sanitizer, gave it out to all the lab corps, all the hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, all of the grocery stores, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, spirit Airlines, we gave it out to so many people and all the hospitals and everything. So that was one way that we could stay in business made us essential. Chris: It's funny, I had some clients do some similar things with hand sanitizers during that time. Of course, looking back, if you remember the spike in alcohol cells during COVID, it seems like it would've been a natural essential business anyway, right? Merrilee: Straight answer from any kind of government saying essential business or not. I was like, we're going to make ourselves essential, and people wanted to buy our hand sanitizer and I'm like, no, we're giving it for free. We're not doing it for money. We're doing it for the betterment of mankind. Chris: At that point, it was so uncertain, right? Merrilee: Yeah, we thought we were going to die, we're going to all Chris: Die. Thank goodness that didn't happen. We've suffered that. I think there's been a slow progression back to normalcy in the business world as a result of COVID. You see it more and more the work remote versus now just this year a lot more about five days a week back in the office, which four or five years ago, you never thought that would happen. Merrilee: That really made me mad too, that everybody was expecting to work from home forever, and I was just like, that's not real life people. You need to collaborate with other people. You need to get things done. And you can't do it in a bubble unless you're like a computer programmer and that's all you do all day is sit in front of your pc. It doesn't make any sense if you're in a people oriented business. Chris: I couldn't agree with you more. And that's what our firm is, people oriented, customer service, customer facing professional services, and we say we're better together and the collaboration is key. It's where learning and training and development come from, and we think where our best client service comes from. So we got to be together. We actually got back in the office in May of 2020 in a smart and safe way, but it was that critical. Merrilee: It's changed time and leveraging technology. I've just noticed such a flowing in customer service and an accountability and when you call somebody to set up an appointment for something, you get some robot on the phone and you push one and you push two and then you push one and then you push three and then you get somebody that's a voicemail or whatever. It's so frustrating. There is such a decline in accountability. It's like somebody's always passing the buck to somebody else or that's not my department. I don't do that. And companies have gotten so big, and I'm talking about the big at ts, the big companies that don't ever answer their phone, they don't have a human that answers their phone. You can't get support. And I think that when it's just so refreshing when you have a company that actually answers their phone, that actually responds to your email that you sent, even if it's a complaint, somebody listened. Somebody responded, oh crap, I'll buy their stuff forever because of that. I was mad, but now I'm happy. Chris: So true. So you mentioned something, it was a while back, but you talked about making mistakes along the way. Can you give us an example of maybe one or two where you're like failure or mistake, but that you learned through persevered through made you better because you had that experience? Merrilee: Yeah, so I had so many mistakes. I think that it's so important to make mistakes because you don't get better unless you make mistakes. Mistakes don't mean failure. Overall. Mistakes mean it's an opportunity to change it for the better, to make your product better, to make it more solid. One of the things early on that I did was I was making a pina colada and I was using real coconut cream. A lot of these entrepreneurs come to me, I'm going to do everything with real stuff. It's healthy, it's this, it's that. It's whatever. I'm not going to use anything artificial. That's great. Okay, go for it. Is it shelf stable? Was it going to rot on the shelf? All those kinds of questions I have that come up when you do a commercial product. But anyway, I was making this pina colada coconut cream. What I didn't know, what I didn't Google was that coconut cream freezes and turns solid at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. So I'm sitting here making this coconut cream. Oh my gosh, taste is so good. The pina coladas were so awesome. And then after that sat there on the shelf for about two or three months, it started to clump up and it looked like cottage cheese in the container. So when people would open it up, they're like, so that was one mistake that I learned from and had to fix, and we did and it's awesome. Another mistake I made was I was using real orange juice in my, instead of triple suck, I was using some orange juice in my tequila, Rita, it was a margarita, and I wanted just a little tad of orange juice in there. That orange juice pulp turned brown over time and you don't notice it when you make it. You don't notice it when you test it, but it looked like fish food floating around in the bottom of my container. You could see through my container Chris: Once it goes on the shelf and sits for a while right then, Merrilee: And people are going, I'm shaking it and there's brown specks going around in here. What is that? So these were all early lessons learned, just things you learned just by running the machinery or by cleaning products or by making the containers. I can't even tell you how many mistakes I've made, but I think most of my mistakes were later on more with people than with product And also just learning who to trust. Trusting your gut instinct I think is one of the most important things entrepreneurs have to do. When you feel something's wrong, it is wrong. Even if you meet somebody that seems to be nice or really important, they might just be weird or they might have a problem. So got to keep your distance. Chris: That's good. On that point, any advice you received along the way from someone that really stuck with you and helped you through the journey? Merrilee: There was lots of times I had advice, but it wasn't really framed in terms of advice. I remember when it was pretty early on, my dad came to see me and it was before we knew any level of success and he sat there and he looked at the buzz ball and he goes, I think you might have something here. And that just felt so good to me to hear that from someone else. And it wasn't because he was my dad, it was just like he was just a normal person looking at a normal product and he was judging it and I thought, wow, okay. He said that. Another one that comes to mind is Blair Casey. He was an original distributor for me, and he was the first guy to bring in my buzz ball product into Texas. He worked for Glazer's at the time, and then I hired him in 2017. He came on board and became my head of sales. Anyway, this guy was always positive. I relate him to Ted Lasso, but he's just so positive. But he always was, glass is always half full with that guy, and I always remember his way of being more than him saying the glass is half full, but the glass was always half full with Blair. And even when you focus on how it's half empty, you got to remember that it's also half full. Chris: Look for the positives in the learning though. That's great. Great stuff. Merrilee really appreciate your insights and sharing your story. A couple of things just to maybe wrap things up more Texas specific. Is there anything, having been in Texas for a long time, any traditions or things that you and your family like to do in the state or in the dallas Fort Worth area? Merrilee: I like to go to Stars games and things like that. My husband loves to play golf. My kids, I've got five grandkids now, so home is special to me. My home is the most important place to me and there isn't really, I can't say I like State Fair of Texas or the PBR Rodeo or anything like that is sticking out in my mind. I like to go occasionally, but I like to stay home a lot and I like to spend time at work a lot and I love Christmas holiday lights. Just the holiday season, seeing all the lights, it just warm my heart. It just makes me feel good. Chris: That's great. Okay. Here's a question for you. Do you prefer TexMex or barbecue? Merrilee: TexMex with lots of cheese. Chris: Lots of cheese. I can relate to that. Merrilee. This has been great. I really appreciate your time. Congratulations on just what a cool story coming from a teacher to a very successful alcoholic beverage manufacturer. Merrilee: Oh, thank you. Thank you. I'm on my new things now and I'm actually making some barbecue sauce and doing some other things with gourmet land that's a completely different new products, new company, and that's where I'm spending a lot of my time now. And RAC is carrying the torch for BuzzBallz and they're doing a great job. Chris: Well, it sounds like you meet the definition of some of my favorite people, which is serial entrepreneur onto the next thing. Merrilee: Can't stop. Chris: I love it. I love it. This has been a pleasure. Thanks again and wishy continued success. Merrilee: Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Chris: And there we have it. Another great episode. Don't forget to check out the show notes at boyer miller.com/podcast and you can find out more about all the ways our firm can help you@boyermiller.com. That's it for this episode. Have a great week and we'll talk to you next time. Special Guest: Merrilee Kick.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:After promising the families of July 4th flood victims that flood relief would take a top priority in the second special session, the Trump-gerrymandered congressional map is the only item on the agenda for today at the House: https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/20/politics/texas-redistricting-california...California Republicans are getting nervous as preparations to allow that state's voters to approve a retaliatory redistricting of the Golden State: https://www.axios.com/2025/08/19/newsom-trump-texas-california-redistricting-democrats...Several Democratic House members who had agreed to DPS tails have "ripped the slip" and joined Fort Worth Rep. Nicole Collier during her long-term stay on the House floor: https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-texas-nicole-collier-capitol-protest-10f8e3f721a507237d5272ccd1b2f81b...Austin Rep. Sheryl Cole gave us details on a public altercation she had on Tuesday morning with her DPS handler, who grew frustrated after he lost track of her while she was walking on an Austin trail: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/update-austin-rep-sheryl-cole-on-public-scrape-with/id1552998795?i=1000722710239...Meanwhile, the Texas Senate has passed all kinds of MAGA business, from the bathroom bill, to additional power to the Attorney General to press election fraud cases, to more leeway for Texas law enforcement agencies to conceal complaints against their officers: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/texas-senate-second-special-session-thc-disaster-relief-bathroom-bills/Dallas/Fort Worth friends: Join Progress Texas Institute and the Legal Defense Fund in Dallas for a live podcast taping, featuring Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons, at the DEC Network Center—honoring the years since the signing of the Voting Rights Act and a review of where voting rights stand today, amid redistricting threats. Admission is free! ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/vra_event_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠Austin friends: tickets are on sale now for our live podcast taping with legendary Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver on September 15 at Hopsquad Brewing in Austin! Tickets are limited and are available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/allstaractivism_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today we continue our series, sponsored by the University of Dallas: "A Knight for Truth," examining the life and thought of Dietrich von Hildebrand. In this episode, Lily continues to examine Transformation in Christ. She explores Hildebrand's concepts of living in the sight of God, the role of contrition and guilt, and the difference between natural and supernatural morality. This series is sponsored by The University of Dallas. The University of Dallas is among an exclusive list of Catholic universities recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society. Founded in 1956, the University of Dallas is dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and virtue. It has two campuses, one located in the bustling Dallas/Fort Worth region and another southeast of Rome. Its nationally ranked Core Curriculum grounded in the best works of Western tradition forms lifelong friendships for a life well-lived. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠udallas.edu/lily⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find out more. Get our newsletter and other important updates: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hildebrandproject.org/#newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Become a monthly donor! Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hildebrandproject.org/giving⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Social Media Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/hildebrand_project⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@HildebrandProject⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/HildebrandPrj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/Hildebrandproject⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:Fort Worth Rep. Nicole Collier spent the night last night on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives, refusing a Texas DPS tail that Republicans have required for all of the Democratic quorum breakers to leave the Capitol: https://abc7ny.com/post/democratic-texas-state-rep-nicole-collier-slept-house-floor-protest-refusing-demand-law-enforcement-escort/17584775/...A nonviolent protest and solidarity gathering on behalf of Rep. Collier is happening tonight (Tuesday 8/19) at the Capitol: https://www.mobilize.us/handsoffcentraltexas/event/830948/...At least four of Collier's supporters were arrested last night after refusing to leave their vigil: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNhc65Ju5LX/?igsh=Y3czYnhocGV2ZTI0...A new analysis of the Trump map shows that it will extend what is already a disproportionate level of Republican representation in Texas relative to the popular vote: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/texas-redistricting-maps-charts-analysis/?_bhlid=8e069a6f680e3d5c42668d3fccf9cea202d76672...A coalition of legal defense groups are preparing their challenge to the new Texas map: https://thehill.com/homenews/5458835-democratic-aligned-nonprofit-civil-rights-groups-ready-to-sue-over-texas-congressional-map/Those new Ten Commandments posters plastered all over your kid's school are causing tension: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/08/19/tensions-rise-in-texas-as-students-return-to-school-under-new-ten-commandments-law/The notoriously conservative Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down West Texas A&M's ban on drag shows: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/08/19/court-blocks-West-Texas-AM-drag-ban/9401755573254/Dallas/Fort Worth friends: Join Progress Texas Institute and the Legal Defense Fund in Dallas for a live podcast taping, featuring Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons, at the DEC Network Center—honoring the years since the signing of the Voting Rights Act and a review of where voting rights stand today, amid redistricting threats. Admission is free! ⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/vra_event_2025⁠⁠⁠Austin friends: tickets are on sale now for our live podcast taping with legendary Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver on September 15 at Hopsquad Brewing in Austin! Tickets are limited and are available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/allstaractivism_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Ever wonder why so many people are packing up the U-Haul and coming to Dallas–Fort Worth? In this episode, we break down U-Haul's latest migration data and what it means for North Texas real estate.This week we are talking all about:✅ The top states sending people to DFW (and the surprising one you didn't expect!)✅ Why back-to-school season shakes up the housing market every year✅ Expert strategies for buying and selling in today's market✅ A real-life client story: how we helped a family snag their dream home AND sell fast in a tricky market✅ Plus… a little backyard gardening talk and the best spots to eat in McKinney, Texas

Have you always loved furniture, picking out paint colors, making spaces feel beautiful, or helping friends with their homes, but never thought you could actually get paid for it? That's exactly how Michelle Lynne felt.In this episode, she shares how she followed a corporate path, managing restaurants and a recruiting firm, until a turning point pushed her to pursue what she truly loved: interior design. Then she built a 7-figure design business without a degree.Her story proves that your creative passion isn't just a hobby. It can become a thriving business with the right mindset and support.If you're starting out without formal training, Michelle explains why investing in a coach or mentor is the smartest move you can make. It saves you from years of trial-and-error and gives you the clarity and confidence to run your business like a pro.Michelle also talks about her signature program which offers step-by-step systems designed to help you grow a design business with confidence and profit. Plus, she introduces Sidemark, a powerful tool that saves you time and money by replacing multiple apps with one easy-to-use platform made just for designers.Ready to stop guessing and start growing? Tune in now and take your next step today.Featured Guest:⁠Michelle Lynne⁠ is the owner of ML Interiors Group, a successful interior design firm based in Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas. She is also the founder of ⁠The Design Bakehouse⁠, formerly known as Designed for the Creative Mind, where she teaches interior designers and decorators how to run a profitable and systemized design business.Her signature program, The Interior Design Business Bakery, has helped hundreds of designers scale to multiple six figures with confidence and clarity.She also hosts the ⁠Designed For The Creative Mind⁠ podcast and organizes the annual Interior Design Business Success Summit. Through all her ventures, Michelle is passionate about helping other designers skip the trial-and-error and grow businesses they love—while staying true to themselves.Why you've got to check out today's episode:

To file your claim over the AT&T Data Breach: https://www.telecomdatasettlement.com/ The weather warnings are back for parts of North Texas. A heat advisory has been announced by the National Weather Service's Fort Worth office from noon until 8 p.m. today. The alert warns of heat index values up to 107 degrees across the region. Dallas-Fort Worth may be slightly lower, as the max heat index forecasted for DFW International Airport is 104. Counties across northeast Texas are all under the advisory, as well as much of Oklahoma. Denton, Tarrant and Ellis counties make up the western edge of the alert. In other news, Texas House Democrats signaled Thursday they will likely return to the state for a second special session on redistricting and “take this fight to the courts” after the Legislature adjourns the current session on Friday as planned; amid a strained school budget and declining enrollment, the Plano Independent School District is halting school bus service for hundreds of students, leaving parents scrambling to find safe transportation for their children; AT&T customers whose information was stolen in two separate data breaches can apply for their share — up to $7,500 — of a $177 million settlement. The Dallas-based company agreed to settle a class action lawsuit following data breaches last year that resulted in the leak of sensitive information of millions of customers; and The Ramble Room and Monarch restaurants are hosting fundraisers for victims of the floods in the Texas Hill country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a textAJ Foster is one of the best stand-ups to come out of upstate New York over the last two decades. He grew up in the Bronx, but started stand-up in 2010 while going to college in Utica. He was a big piece of the upstate scenes before moving to New York City in 2016. One weekend at the Helium Comedy Club in Buffalo in 2015 led to that decision along with a friendship and opening spot with Jay Pharoah. Foster is in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas and is recruiting the rest of his family to make the trip. He tours the country and his special, "Pay It Forward," came out Follow AJ Foster:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajfostercomedy/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ajfostercomedyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/juscallmeajYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AJFosterComedyPay It Forward: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rjiqZuVMgsLaugh It Forward: https://lnk.to/LIFJayPharoah!AJF?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaeHZzaOW9hWe1dnztFE2yx6QvjDqjW9APYGqjmRqlMv4IvR6yBif5LY-6csEA_aem_66Z5W43lM5JkldY8rRhYXwLyft Comics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ZbYAotYuXcM&feature=youtu.beMerch: https://ajfostercomedy.square.site/Support the show

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:As day 12 of the Texas House quorum break arrives, those Dems have announced plans to return for the promised second special session, in part “to build a strong public legislative record for the upcoming legal battle” https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/14/texas-house-democrats-plan-return-quorum-break-redistricting/...They plan to wait until California's retaliatory redistricting map is unveiled, likely later today: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/us/texas-democrats-return.html...California Gavin Newsom will ask that state's voters to approve bypassing their independent redistricting commission on November 4: https://apnews.com/article/texas-california-redistricting-battle-f0ac783b6a5fd6ecaab0ca419125b72a...A Tarrant County judge has put off for about two weeks a ruling on a temporary restraining order against fundraising for the quorum breakers by Beto O'Rourke's Powered By People, Ken Paxton's push to charge O'Rourke with contempt of court, and O'Rourke's petition to move the case to El Paso: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article311706474.htmlKen Paxton finds his early polling lead against Senator John Cornyn to have more or less evaporated, as 80% of polled voters pay close attention to the ongoing redistricting drama: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/15/paxton-cornyn-texas-senate-poll-august-emerson/After gaining the votes of millions of Texans on promises to improve their economic situation, Donald Trump's policies are directly putting the brakes on the Texas economy: https://www.wfaa.com/article/money/economy/texas-economy-job-growth-slowing-amid-trade-war-immigration-crackdown-dallas-fed-report-says/287-13e06c6e-ea00-4914-a8ef-a352fb725141Considering the lack of condemnation from GOP leadership or their voter base, one can interpret the acceptance of recent racist comments from State Senator Mayes Middleton and Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French as evidence that by nature, the Texas Republican Party is a racist organization: https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2025/08/15/what-the-racist-attacks-on-democrats-say-about-the-texas-gop/As another weekend of protests and rallies arrives, Progress Texas reminds you to show up, be loud, and be proud - but also be smart, and don't follow anyone into anything unsafe, illegal or destructive: https://www.fightthetrumptakeover.com/Dallas/Fort Worth friends: Join Progress Texas Institute and the Legal Defense Fund in Dallas for a live podcast taping, featuring Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons, at the DEC Network Center—honoring the years since the signing of the Voting Rights Act and a review of where voting rights stand today, amid redistricting threats. Admission is free! ⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/vra_event_2025⁠Austin friends: tickets are on sale now for our live podcast taping with legendary Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver on September 15 at Hopsquad Brewing in Austin! Tickets are limited and are available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/allstaractivism_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Taylor Sheridan is bringing a big production studio to North Fort Worth

In the grand finale of our 2025 GNC Global Conference coverage, Mike and Ben deliver a comprehensive three-part episode that captures the full spectrum of the supplement retail ecosystem. From seasoned franchisees with decades of frontline experience to cutting-edge product innovation from MuscleTech, this conversation showcases why the supplement industry thrives on authentic relationships and genuine innovation. Part 1 features powerhouse franchisees Eric Miller (33 years, Philadelphia market), Benny Farzad (14 years, Dallas-Fort Worth), and Laura Dalton (23 years, Raleigh, North Carolina) sharing their insights on what makes successful supplement brands and how social media has transformed consumer education. Part 2 shifts to Florida franchisee Mona Bailey and Nutralabz Chief Revenue Officer Ben Benedict discussing regional market trends and the GR8 Lifestyle product experience. Part 3 concludes with MuscleTech's Raza Bashir providing exclusive previews of revolutionary effervescent technology and upcoming innovations that have him more excited than ever in his 17-year career. This episode perfectly encapsulates the community-over-competition mentality that defines the modern supplement industry, demonstrating how authentic partnerships between brands, retailers, and consumers create sustainable success. Special thanks to Nutralabz for hosting us at their booth and facilitating these incredible conversations. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/gnc-global-conference-franchisees-177 Video: GNC Global Conference Finale - The Complete Industry Perspective https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIv2s9AEB6A Detailed Show Notes: From Retail Floors to R&D Labs (0:00) – Introductions: The Frontline Franchisees (2:30) – The Three Pillars of Brand Success (5:00) – Social Media's Impact on Consumer Education (8:15) – Early Access and Exclusive Partnerships (9:30) – GR8 Lifestyle and Basic Supplements Performance (12:00) – The Personal Touch: Community Integration and Customer Service (14:30) – The Evolution of Creatine Acceptance (16:00) – Essential Supplement Recommendations (18:00) – Part 2: Florida Franchise Success with Mona Bailey (21:30) – Regional Market Dynamics: Florida vs. Other Markets (24:00) – GR8 Lifestyle Products: Mona's Experience (27:30) – Creatine Education and Women's Market Expansion (31:00) – Upcoming GR8 Product Preview (34:00) – Part 3: MuscleTech Innovation with Raza Bashir (37:30) – EFF'N Creatine: Revolutionary Effervescent Technology (42:00) – Flavor Science and Technical Innovation (45:30) – EuphoriQ V2: Strategic Yohimbe Integration (50:30) – Future Innovation Preview: Peptides and Beyond (54:00) – Industry Collaboration and Community Building Where to Follow and Learn More Eric Miller: Philadelphia GNC Franchisee (33 years experience) Benny Farzad: LinkedIn | Instagram: @gnc_prestonwood, @gnc_fraternitry Laura Dalton: LinkedIn | Instagram: @gncdaltonfranchiese Mona Bailey: Lin... Read more on the PricePlow Blog

Epstein è morto nel 2019. Perché allora nell'estate del 2025 si è tornati a parlare di questa storia? Perché c'è una lista di nomi degli uomini che hanno partecipato ai festini con le minorenni organizzati da Ghislaine e Jeffrey e tra questi nomi comparirebbe anche quello di Donald Trump. Fonti: video “AG Pam Bondi reviews classified Epstein documents” pubblicato sul canale Youtube Fox News il 22 febbraio 2025; video “Ghislaine Maxwell moved to federal prison in Bryan, Texas” pubblicato sul canale Youtube FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth il 2 agosto 2025; video “Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview - BBC News” pubblicato sul canale Youtube BBC News il 17 novembre 2019; video “Wexner "embarrassed" by one-time close ties to Epstein” pubblicato sul canale Youtube NBC4 Columbus il 10 settembre 2019; video “Wexner addresses Epstein scandal at investors meeting” pubblicato sul sito cwcolumbus.com l'11 settembre 2019; video “Bill And Melinda Gates Divorce Reportedly Linked To Jeffrey Epstein Connection | TODAY” pubblicato sul canale Youtube TODAY il 10 maggio 2021; video “Pam Bondi responds to Jeffrey Epstein files questions” pubblicato sul canale Youtube LiveNOW from FOX l'8 luglio 2025; video “Sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell's extraordinary claims from prison | 60 Minutes Australia” pubblicato sul canale Youtube 60 Minutes Australia il 12 febbraio 2023.  CREDITS "La complice" è una serie podcast di Chora News, prodotta da Chora Media Scritta da Martha Little e con la voce di Mario Calabresi La cura editoriale è di Sara Poma L'adattamento in italiano è a cura di Simone Pieranni In redazione: Francesca Milano e Ilaria Ferraresi con il supporto di Flavia Bevilacqua Il Sound Design è a cura di Emanuele Moscatelli L'editing audio è di Emanuele Moscatelli L'editing audio è di Filippo Mainardi Il progetto grafico è di Rebecca Grassi Le producer sono Giada Archidi e Greta Cavalca Il coordinamento della post produzione è di Matteo Scelsa Il fonico di studio è Emanuele Moscatelli Le musiche sono su licenza Machiavelli Music E/O Universal Music Publishing Ricordi srl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:An Illinois judge, approached by Ken Paxton under the assumption that he may bend the rules as Texas judges have, has declined Paxton's request that authorities in that state enforce arrest warrants against the Democratic quorum breakers sheltering there: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/13/texas-democrats-illinois-arrest-warrants-reject-extradite/...The quorum breakers took part in a call hosted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee yesterday, in which Obama Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries participated: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-attorney-general-eric-holder-house-democrats-redistricting/...It's important to keep in mind that Trump's redistricting push is an attempt to nullify Black and Brown voters - a fact that the mainstream media has failed to properly portray: https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/redistricting-racism-texas-abbott-florida-desantis-trump-rcna224891Should quorum be re-established at the Capitol, not only will the maps move forward, but also plans for local police departments to have broader control over officer misconduct records and the ability to shield them from public and press view: https://www.texasobserver.org/secrecy-g-file-police-records-texas-legislature/Trump and DOGE cuts, as they relate to the kids headed back to school, will unsurprisingly mostly impact programs designed to support and protect kids of color: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/14/texas-after-school-programs-trump-funding-cuts/Has Texas already devolved into a state of "Orban-style autocracy"? https://www.salon.com/2025/08/14/trump-abbott-and-the-gop-bring-orban-style-autocracy-to-texas/Dallas/Fort Worth friends: Join Progress Texas Institute and the Legal Defense Fund in Dallas for a live podcast taping, featuring Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons, at the DEC Network Center—honoring the years since the signing of the Voting Rights Act and a review of where voting rights stand today, amid redistricting threats. Admission is free! https://act.progresstexas.org/a/vra_event_2025Austin friends: tickets are on sale now for our live podcast taping with legendary Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver on September 15 at Hopsquad Brewing in Austin! Tickets are limited and are available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/allstaractivism_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...The Brad Stuver interview will be co-hosted by Landon Cotham of the Austin FC podcast Moontower Soccer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.moontowersoccer.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this week's The Industrialist: Retail Recap, Jeremy, Bob, and Rob welcome special guest Zach Spletter, Senior Real Estate Manager for T-Mobile, for a deep dive into retail site selection, tenant mix, and the changing competitive landscape. They swap stories from hundreds of T-Mobile deals, small-town expansion strategies, and why outparcels still rule. The conversation shifts to retail market trends—from Starbucks, Chipotle, and 7-Eleven performance to the “Buc-ee's effect” and the latest QSR rankings. The guys also cover lease negotiations, bankruptcy fallout, co-tenancy battles, and Dallas-Fort Worth's fiercely competitive brokerage scene. Last but not least they give updates dates on bonus depreciation, Rollertown Beer Works' massive new Frisco facility, Paper City's top Dallas pizza picks, and what's driving today's restaurant, banking, and service leasing boom.Connect:⁠Jeremy Mercer LinkedIn⁠Rob Franks LinkedInBob Moorhead LinkedInZach Spletter LinkedIn⁠

Today we continue our series, sponsored by the University of Dallas: "A Knight for Truth," examining the life and thought of Dietrich von Hildebrand. In this episode, Lily explores Hildebrand's Transformation in Christ and the necessity to be open to God's grace, in contrast with the modern emphasis on self-acceptance and self-fulfillment. She emphasizes the need to recognize our imperfections and sinfulness, and the importance of submitting to God's will rather than trying to change on our own terms, which is difficult but essential for true freedom and transformation. This series is sponsored by The University of Dallas. The University of Dallas is among an exclusive list of Catholic universities recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society. Founded in 1956, the University of Dallas is dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and virtue. It has two campuses, one located in the bustling Dallas/Fort Worth region and another southeast of Rome. Its nationally ranked Core Curriculum grounded in the best works of Western tradition forms lifelong friendships for a life well-lived. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠udallas.edu/lily⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find out more. Get our newsletter and other important updates: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hildebrandproject.org/#newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Become a monthly donor! Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hildebrandproject.org/giving⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Social Media Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/hildebrand_project⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@HildebrandProject⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/HildebrandPrj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/Hildebrandproject⁠⁠⁠⁠

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   The inaugural RIMS Texas Regional was held Aug. 4‒6 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. Nearly 500 attendees filled the hall for the groundbreaking event, which united the Texas RIMS chapters and welcomed risk management professionals worldwide.   In this episode, Justin interviews Conference attendees Tiara Wallace, DFW RIMS Inclusivity Chair and Director of RISK Invesco US, Jason Turk,  Director of Operations for Bondy Law Group, and Founder of Swag for Schools, and Maximilian Glodde, Co-Founder and CEO of MEO Continuity. They discuss their experiences at the inaugural RIMS Texas Regional Conference, their risk management backgrounds, and their advice for risk managers today.   Listen to learn more about this inaugural annual RIMS Texas Regional event.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:17] About this episode of RIMScast, recorded and produced live onsite at the RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2025 in San Antonio. We have three fascinating perspectives today. [:47] RIMS-CRMP Workshops! The next Virtual RIMS-CRMP exam prep, co-hosted by Parima, will be held on September 2nd and 3rd. [:58] The next RIMS-CRMP-FED virtual workshop will be held on November 11th and 12th, and led by Joseph Mayo. Links to these courses can be found on the Certification Page of RIMS.org and through this episode's show notes. [1:14] RIMS Virtual Workshops! RIMS has launched a new course, “Intro to ERM for Senior Leaders.” It will be held again on November 4th and 5th and will be led by Elise Farnham. RIMS members enjoy deep discounts! [1:32] The full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's notes. [1:43] The next RIMS Webinar will be held on September 4th and will be led by AXA XL. It is titled “Lockdown & Level Up: Turn Up Your Cyber Security Game Against Creative Cyber Criminals”. [1:56] On October 30th, Swiss Re will present “Parametric Insurance: Providing Financial Certainty in Uncertain Times”. [2:04] Mark your calendars for November 17th and 18th for the RIMS ERM Conference 2025 in Seattle, Washington. The agenda is jam-packed with educational sessions that will resonate with risk practitioners in all stages of their careers. [2:25] See the full agenda at RIMS.org/ERM2025. Nominations are open for the RIMS Global ERM Award of Distinction 2025. The nomination deadline is Saturday, August 16th. The award is presented annually at the RIMS ERM Conference. There is a link in this episode's show notes. [2:52] If your organization's ERM program or one you know of deserves this recognition, we want to hear about it. Remember to send in that nomination form by August 16th. [3:03] RISKWORLD 2026 will be in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 3rd through May 6th. RIMS members can now lock in the 2025 rate for a full conference pass to RISKWORLD 2026 when registering by September 30th. [3:18] This also lets you enjoy earlier access to the RISKWORLD hotel block. Register by September 30th, and you will also be entered to win a $500 raffle. Don't miss out on this chance to plan and score some extra perks. [3:31] The members-only registration link is in this episode's show notes. If you are not yet a member, this is the time to join us. Visit RIMS.org/membership and build your risk network with us here at RIMS. [3:45] On with the show! The RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2025 was a smashing success, with nearly 500 attendees in the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio! [3:58] Feedback has been wonderful, on everything from keynotes to educational sessions to networking opportunities. If you missed it this year, mark your calendar for August 10th through 12th, 2026. We will be back at the convention center in San Antonio next year. [4:14] Justin interviewed a few of the attendees, the first of whom is very well-known in the DFW RIMS Chapter. Tiara Wallace is a long-time DFW RIMS Chapter member, and she is also the Inclusivity Chair. [4:30] In her full-time job, Tiara is the Director of Risk Management for Invesco US. We're going to talk about construction risk in Texas and the power of inclusivity, and what it means for her and everyone at DFW RIMS. Let's get to it! [4:44] Interview! Tiara Wallace, welcome to RIMScast! [5:26] Tiara says it is amazing to see all four chapters come together with Global RIMS! It's been great meeting new folks, seeing new vendor partners, and meeting risk professionals from across the state of Texas. It's been a great event and a great turnout! [5:55] Tiara is part of the DFW RIMS Chapter and also sits on the Board for the Texas Regional as one of the contributors, to help bring together DFW's POV for the Texas Regional. [6:25] Tiara says we are stronger together, and it's been great to collaborate across the different chapters and meet folks she wouldn't ordinarily have met.  [6:44] Tiara is the Director of Risk Management for Invesco Real Estate. Invesco acquires real estate assets and develops and constructs new assets. Tiara handles the insurance for liability, property, environmental, claims management, and contract review. [7:07] Everything for risk management for a major property owner in Texas and across the U.S. [7:36] Tiara says that since the pandemic of 2020, Texas has seen an increase in folks flocking to DFW for the cost of living. That brought in more development, construction, and congestion on the roads. This required more labor and construction employees to build offices. [8:20] Tiara says there are issues in keeping up with the pace of people coming in. There is a labor shortage, and extreme weather with heat and flooding. For a couple of years, Texas had bad freezes that they were not prepared to handle. Justin says Texas faces unique exposures. [9:22] Tiara says, post-pandemic, we have supply chain issues. Some companies buy warehouses to store materials. Tiara worked for an owner-developer who had land and facilities to store materials. Manage great relationships with your vendors. Purchase locally. [9:53] Tiara looked at ways to shorten the pipeline so that when they had disruptions, they didn't delay projects. Invesco wanted to be able to continue construction so that folks would have a place to live, work, and play. [10:14] Tiara elaborates on partnerships and contract management. What does the contract say? What are we doing to protect not only ourselves but our vendor partners, to fulfill our fiduciary responsibility to continue to produce, build, and not go bankrupt? [11:37] Tiara thinks that safety takes a couple of things: first, your alignment and partnership with safety managers, even outside of your organization, to discuss challenges, and discussing claims history with teams on the ground to help them practice safety. [12:24] The second thing is to leverage your carriers' risk control/loss control department so they can come in and give you tools. [12:37] Typically, a risk manager is a team of one, so you have to be resourceful about whom you work with, and run it up to the organization to make sure they're aligned with it. [13:01] At Invesco, Tiara is in a team of three, and they partner with a larger risk management consulting group. Tiara has a risk analyst and a risk manager on her team, and they attack everything together. Tiara lays out the division of tasks between them. [13:44] Tiara is the Inclusivity Chair at RIMS DFW Chapter. It's a new role. They wanted to bridge the gap between ages, risk managers, carrier partners, and vendor partners. [14:34] They wanted everyone coming to a DFW RIMS event to know that they have a place where they feel they belong. They are a part of a community working together to advance the risk management and insurance industry within Dallas-Fort Worth. [15:20] Tiara says people have not taken a moment to pause and use a common-sense approach about inclusivity. We need to be intentional. Some of us are getting ready to exit our industry. We need to recruit people into it. [16:02] How are we making sure this industry will be around for the rest of our time? Insurance is an industry that touches everything. Inclusivity means everybody should be included in it. [16:54] Tiara is a transplant from Oklahoma City to Dallas. She knew few people here. When her boss asked her for risk management connections, she started with LinkedIn. She asked her broker, and they started a real estate council to help her with the questions she had. [18:53] Justin tells Tiara it has been inspiring to hear her story. He is glad she is doing so well and was able to join us on RIMScast live from the RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2025. Thank you, Tiara! [19:22] Quick Break for RIMS Events!  On September 18th, the 10th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will be held at The Old Post Office in Chicago. Register at ChicagoRIMS.org. [19:36] On October 1st through the 3rd, the RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held in North San Jose at the Santa Clara Marriott. The agenda is live. It looks fantastic! Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and register today! [19:53] On November 17th and 18th, elevate your ERM Program and career at the RIMS ERM Conference 2025 in Seattle, Washington. The agenda is live, and early rates are available until September 5th. Register now to save $110 and secure your spot at the ERM event of the year. [20:15] Canadian listeners, take note, that's just a little bit South of the border in British Columbia. That's a great way to extend your knowledge after the RIMS Canada Conference. Visit RIMS.org/ERM2025 to register. [20:30] On with the Show! Our next guest was highly visible at the RIMS Texas Regional. He is Jason Turk, the Founder and Project Coordinator of the charity program, Swag for Schools. He is also the Director of Operations for the Bondy Law Group in Encino, California. [20:50] Jason is the former Membership Director for DFW RIMS. We will discuss his fascinating risk career and work with risk managers. We will learn about how Swag for Schools emphasizes sustainability by redistributing conference giveaways and giving back to the local community. [21:16] Interview! Jason Turk, welcome to RIMScast! [21:22] If you've been to DFW RIMS events, you may remember the Swag for Schools booth, which is manned by former Membership Director for DFW RIMS, Jason Turk. Jason, welcome to RIMScast! [22:03] Jason joined the Marine Corps in the early '90s and got out in '97. He worked as a security guard at the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board in San Bernardino. From there, he did surveillance and investigations in Southern California and then returned home to Texas. [22:36] Jason went to work for an investigation company in Dallas and became involved with the DFW RIMS Chapter. He worked in claims, Medicare compliance, and medical canvassing, and he was a California workers' compensation claims adjuster in the Dallas office of Crum & Forster. [22:58] He has a well-rounded career in claims. He's been involved with the DFW RIMS chapter since the early 2000s. [23:06] Jason is the Director of Operations of the Bondy Law Group. They do California workers' compensation defense. Jason tracks performance and maintains smooth communication in operations throughout the firm and with its clients. [23:36] Jason's goal has been to build relationships with the risk managers. His job directly impacts their bottom line, their employees, and the culture they set within their companies. [23:48] In Jason's experience, the workers' compensation world in California is a litigious area. He tries to make a positive impact on those employers and maintain long-term relationships. Jason's LinkedIn page link is in this episode's show notes. [24:19] Swag for Schools was born from an experience Jason had at a conference in 2019. Exhibitors were leaving, a storm was coming, and they abandoned boxes of marketing materials in the hall. Jason thought there had to be something he could do with those items. [24:48] He thought of donating the items, saving the exhibitors' shipping costs and time, saving the materials from going to a landfill, and doing some good, providing items to school teachers. There are a lot of items that the school teachers would go and purchase on their own. [25:04] That gave Jason the idea in 2019 to create Swag for Schools. He ran pilot tests in California and Texas, and it was very successful. Then COVID-19 hit, and conferences came to a grinding halt. [25:24] When Jason returned to the industry and the Bondy Law Group, he reinvigorated the program. Now they're on the 10th or more conference since resuming the program. [25:47] As a charity program, not a 501(c)(3), and not a non-profit, Swag for Schools does not seek or accept monetary donations. As a pass-through program, they will accept gift cards. They facilitate the donation to a local school in the area of the conference. They don't ship. [26:07] They accept typical conference swag: pens, notepads, water bottles, towels, and hand sanitizer. Many of the schools that receive the swag also support battered women's shelters, adult education, and other programs. Items not needed for schools can help other folks. [26:43] The stress balls they use in arts and crafts. Koozies get turned into hand puppets. The teachers find a way to utilize these items. [27:04] Swag for Schools doesn't have an expectation from the exhibitors. The items cost the exhibitors. Often, they want to take them home. Last year, they filled half of a 26-foot box truck with donation items that went to a school's foundation that went to K-12 and adult education. [27:35] Swag for Schools doesn't discriminate on the items because schools will find a way to use them. Unless it's a shot glass or something sharp, Swag for Schools will take it. [27:56] The items donated at the RIMS Texas Regional 2025 Conference will be boxed up and taken to Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in San Antonio, about four miles away from the Conference Center. [28:18] Woodrow Wilson School will put the items in a school store where the teachers can pull the items they need without paying for them or accounting for them, as they are donations. Every little bit helps. You never know what use someone is going to have for these items. [29:02] It helps the teachers who don't have to buy things for their class, and it helps the exhibitors on their ESG goals, not putting swag in a landfill. [29:14] Jason, it has been such a pleasure to see you again. As a reminder to the listeners, a link to the Swag for Schools LinkedIn page is in this episode's show notes. Jason, thank you for doing such wonderful work for yourself and on behalf of the greater risk community. [29:53] A Final Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's goal to help build a talent pipeline of risk management and insurance professionals is achieved, in part, by its collaboration with risk management and insurance educators across the U.S. and Canada. [30:12] Since 1999, Spencer has awarded over $2.9 million to create more than 570 Risk Management Internships. The Internship Grants application process will open on August 15th, 2025. It will close on October 15th. [30:32] To be eligible, risk managers must be based in the U.S., Canada, or Bermuda. A link to the Internship Grants page is in this episode's show notes. You can always visit SpencerEd.org, as well. [30:46] The Spencer 2025 Funding their Future Gala will be held on Thursday, September 18th, at the Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York. This year's honoree is Tim Ryan, the U.S. President of Lockton, and we look forward to having Tim join us here on RIMScast very soon. [31:05] A link to the Gala is also in this episode's show notes. Buy a ticket, enjoy a great night in the city, and support the future of risk management. [31:14] Our next guest is the Co-Founder and CEO of MEO Continuity, a risk management software company that helps you optimize business disruption response. [31:25] His name is Maximilian Glodde, and we discuss risk management and why it was so important for him, as the Founder and CEO of a startup, to join RIMS. [31:43] Interview! Maximilian Glodde, welcome to RIMScast! [31:45] Maximilian has been in RIMS and the risk management space for 10 years. MEO Continuity is a relatively young startup of just over three years. [32:29] Maximilian believes the biggest challenge for a startup is getting your word out. They had early validation that we had something people found valuable. We had to stay disciplined about staying in our lane. The big challenge is getting your name out and staying focused. [32:51] Maximilian says there is a lot that comes with starting a company. He has a completely different appreciation for HR. You take it for granted. He gives HR a big shoutout for the policies and procedures you don't think about. [33:11] Once you grow past your founding team, HR becomes very important. You need to think about what people care about at work and what makes them happy. [33:37] When Maximilian and Justin met in Denver at the ERM Conference 2023, MEO Continuity was just Christopher Wegman and Maximilian Glodde. They now have a team of over 15. They've grown fast, and they have wonderful clients in all different industries. [34:24] Maximilian had come from a large carrier, and RIMS was an event the carrier sponsored. Maximilian got to see what RIMS was all about. He knew, when he came out with MEO Continuity, they needed to start the journey by attending RIMS conferences. [34:45] RIMS conferences are attended by a high caliber of companies, vendors, and prospects. The first conference where MEO Continuity exhibited was RISKWORLD 2024 in San Diego. That event was a huge success. MEO Continuity got their message out. [35:28] Since exhibiting at RISKWORLD 2024, MEO Continuity has streamlined their conference preparation process. Maximilian liked that the RIMS team was very responsive to their many questions and answered them quickly. They felt super supported for a successful event. [35:57] That support and success is why they came back to RISKWORLD 2025 in Chicago. MEO Continuity will exhibit at the RIMS Canada Conference 2025, from September 14th through 17th, and at the RIMS Western Regional from October 1st through 3rd. [36:22] MEO Continuity will also exhibit at the RIMS ERM Conference in Seattle, on November 17th and 18th, and will co-present a session on November 17th, “Are You Mapping Your Value Chain Backwards?” with Emily Buckley of Specialized Bicycle Components. [36:52] Maximilian believes the value chain mapping process lives at the core of the risk management process. It's very difficult to manage and mitigate risk if you don't understand what's important in your value chain. [37:27] MEO Continuity is a proponent of starting at the end of the value chain, with your customers and working your way backward toward raw materials. When you map backward, wherever you stop, up to that point, you get some decision-useful information. [37:49] That's what the presentation will be about. Maximilian and Emily have been working together on it. [38:14] Maximilian shares his advice for risk professionals considering starting a company. You have to be somewhat crazy! If Maximilan had known all the things that could go wrong, he likely would not have taken that leap. Don't look too far forward. It will scare you to death! [38:35] Don't be afraid to get your name out there. Attending these RIMS conferences was very valuable for MEO Continuity. Maximilian adds that conferences increase the conversations you have and how often you talk about your product. You improve your presentation quickly. [39:02] Presenting in person is invaluable. It is authentic. Go to conferences. People are open to supporting and having those conversations. [39:24] Maximilian Glodde, thank you so much for joining us here on RIMScast!  [39:30] Special thanks again to all of my guests, and to everyone who attended, sponsored, and exhibited at the RIMS Texas Regional Conference  2025. This inaugural event was fantastic! [39:44] Be sure to mark your calendars for the 2nd Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference from August 10th through 12th, 2026, back here in San Antonio! Be sure to check out the RIMS.org/events page for more information. [40:02] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [40:31] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [40:49] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [41:07] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [41:23] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [41:37] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [41:49] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continuous support!   Links: RIMS ERM Conference 2025 — Nov. 17‒18 | RIMS Global ERM Award of Distinction 2025 Nominations Open Through Aug. 16 RIMS Canada 2025 — Sept. 14‒17 | Registration open! 10th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum — Sept. 18 | Registration open! RIMS Western Regional — Oct 1‒3 | Bay Area, California | Registration open! RISKWORLD 2026 — Members-only early registration! Register through Sept 30! RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center Spencer Educational Foundation 2025 Funding Their Future Gala — Sept. 18, 2025 in NYC! RIMS-CRO Certificate in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management — Featuring Instructor James Lam! Next bi-weekly course begins Oct 9. RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy | RIMS Legislative Summit SAVE THE DATE — March 18‒19, 2026 RIMS Risk Management magazine | Contribute RIMS Now RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars “Lockdown & Level Up: Turn Up Your Cyber Security Game Against Creative Cyber Criminals” | Sept. 4, 2025 | Sponsored by AXA XL “Parametric Insurance: Providing Financial Certainty in Uncertain Times” | Oct. 30, 2025 | Sponsored by Swiss Re   Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Virtual Workshop — Sept 2‒3, 2025 | Presented by RIMS and PARIMA RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep Virtual Workshop — November 11‒12 Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule “Intro to ERM for Senior Leaders” | Nov. 4‒5 | Instructor: Elise Farnham See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes: “Leadership Lessons with Major General (Ret.) Robert F. Whittle Jr., RIMS Texas Keynote” “Risk and Clarity with Huw Edwards, RIMS Texas Keynote” “ERM, Retail, and Risk with Jeff Strege” “Supply and Bike Chains with Emily Buckley”   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: “The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience” | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) “Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs” | Sponsored by Zurich “Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding” | Sponsored by Zurich “What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping” | Sponsored by Medcor “Risk Management in a Changing World: A Deep Dive into AXA's 2024 Future Risks Report” | Sponsored by AXA XL “How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips” | Sponsored by Alliant “RMIS Innovation with Archer” | Sponsored by Archer “Navigating Commercial Property Risks with Captives” | Sponsored by Zurich “Breaking Down Silos: AXA XL's New Approach to Casualty Insurance” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Weathering Today's Property Claims Management Challenges” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Storm Prep 2024: The Growing Impact of Convective Storms and Hail” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Partnering Against Cyberrisk” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics for Effective Risk Management” | Sponsored by Marsh “Accident Prevention — The Winning Formula For Construction and Insurance” | Sponsored by Otoos “Platinum Protection: Underwriting and Risk Engineering's Role in Protecting Commercial Properties” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Elevating RMIS — The Archer Way” | Sponsored by Archer   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Kristen Peed!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guests: Tiara Wallace, DFW RIMS Inclusivity Chair, Director of RISK, Invesco US Jason Turk, Bondy Law Group, Director of Operations (California), Swag for Schools on LinkedIn Maximilian Glodde, CEO of MEO Continuity   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.  

We sit down again with our friend Kayley Ryan! This was a great recording with an incredible audience. Kayley, it was an honor to record with you again!Find our friend on Instagram as @kayleyryanmelodies.  ****NEW SINGLE "I've Had My Fill" out August 22nd***** Peterson's Landscape  (817-739-8413)Welcome to Peterson's Landscape, Dallas/Fort Worth's premier landscape company. For over 35 years, Peterson's Landscape has been providing residential and commercial property owners in the DFW area with the finest in landscape services. From landscape design and installation to regularly scheduled lawn maintenance services, our expert staff provides the knowledge and experience to help you with your outdoor needs Purple Web Consultingwww.purplewebconsulting.comWebsite design and hosting, E-commerce integration, digital strategy and consulting.817.629.6069Making modern business tools accessible to the small business owner so that they can compete with the big dogs! Fort Worth Float CompanyIs your day filled with noise and distractions? Overstimulating sounds and activity? Our daily lives have become overwhelmed with tasks and responsibilities, with very few ways to shut off the world for a brief moment. WELCOME TO FORT WORTH FLOAT COMPANY. They specialize in providing sensory deprivation flotation tanks, providing the ultimate relaxation experience. Offering various pricing and packages, and three different tanks, Fort Worth Float Company meets everyone's floating needs. Hoppin (Fort Worth)Weisenberger St, Fort Worth TX 76107No more waiting for the bar tender. Simply walk up to the wall of taps, scan your arm band, and enjoy!!! This place charges you by the ounce. A great place to unwind or for your next big event. Find them on Instagram as @hoppinfwtx.Have a Fort Worth Event coming up this week? Call during our recording window and let us share it with the city. 817.988.1292. The Davis TeamLook no further than our friends at The Davis Team for all of your property needs. No commitment necessary. If you have questions about property then visit them online : yourdavisteam.com or give them a call 817.755.0504   Galaxy Wilderness Disc Golf  Galaxy Wilderness is dedicated to promoting Disc Golf to the masses for its health benefits through outdoor therapy, exercise, and camaraderie.Find them on Facebook as Galaxy Wilderness Disc GolfGalaxyWildernessDG@gmail.com(682) 228-0399 The Body Scrubberyon Instagram @thebodyscrubberyOnline at www.thebodyscrubbery.comPhone:925.808.8222A boutique and unique spa experience. "Don't cheat yourself, treat yourself!!" Luxury foot spa, full body scrubs, infrared heat wraps, massage, bubble tub, mud wraps, facials, couples packages, and small group parties.   Eaton Data SolutionsWe work to have relationships with vendor partners who specialize in different methods of vulnerability detection and management so that we can offer enterprise tools and solutions to small and medium sized companies (SMB's).Find them online www.eatondatasolutions.com Roofing Solutions by Darren Houk!Roofing Solutions can help with all your residential and commercial roofing needs. Roofing Solutions by Darren Houk islocally owned and operated. We are insured and have the experience to carry out most roofing projects.Web Page: https://www.roofingsolutionshouk.com/Phone : 817-882-6520 McFly's Pub6104 LTjg Barnett Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76114 · 4.1 miA BADASS little 1980's/ Back to the Future themed bar with an excellent outdoor patio complete with fire pit and room for your fur baby. Daily drink specials and fun activities almost every day of the week. See whats new at McFly's on their Instagram page @McFlysPub. Tres Amigos Tacos and Tequilatresamigostacosandtequila.comChef Sandy brings a fresh perspective and culinary expertise to Tres Amigos, continuing the spirit of female led entrepreneurship and the culinary excellence that Chef Paul was known for.909 W Magnolia Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104 Cloudland Recording Studiowww.cloudlandrecordingstudio.comCloudland Recording Studio is an analog and digital recording studio located in the heart of Fort Worth, Texas. We are just one mile from downtown and five minutes from the Near Southside entertainment district of Magnolia Avenue.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Keegan Mcinroe! Find our friend on Instagram as Keeganmcinroemusic . Find the festival at fwsongwriterfestival.Peterson's Landscape  (817-739-8413)Welcome to Peterson's Landscape, Dallas/Fort Worth's premier landscape company. For over 35 years, Peterson's Landscape has been providing residential and commercial property owners in the DFW area with the finest in landscape services. From landscape design and installation to regularly scheduled lawn maintenance services, our expert staff provides the knowledge and experience to help you with your outdoor needs Purple Web Consultingwww.purplewebconsulting.comWebsite design and hosting, E-commerce integration, digital strategy and consulting.817.629.6069Making modern business tools accessible to the small business owner so that they can compete with the big dogs! Fort Worth Float CompanyIs your day filled with noise and distractions? Overstimulating sounds and activity? Our daily lives have become overwhelmed with tasks and responsibilities, with very few ways to shut off the world for a brief moment. WELCOME TO FORT WORTH FLOAT COMPANY. They specialize in providing sensory deprivation flotation tanks, providing the ultimate relaxation experience. Offering various pricing and packages, and three different tanks, Fort Worth Float Company meets everyone's floating needs. Hoppin (Fort Worth)Weisenberger St, Fort Worth TX 76107No more waiting for the bar tender. Simply walk up to the wall of taps, scan your arm band, and enjoy!!! This place charges you by the ounce. A great place to unwind or for your next big event. Find them on Instagram as @hoppinfwtx.Have a Fort Worth Event coming up this week? Call during our recording window and let us share it with the city. 817.988.1292. The Davis TeamLook no further than our friends at The Davis Team for all of your property needs. No commitment necessary. If you have questions about property then visit them online : yourdavisteam.com or give them a call 817.755.0504   Galaxy Wilderness Disc Golf  Galaxy Wilderness is dedicated to promoting Disc Golf to the masses for its health benefits through outdoor therapy, exercise, and camaraderie.Find them on Facebook as Galaxy Wilderness Disc GolfGalaxyWildernessDG@gmail.com(682) 228-0399 The Body Scrubberyon Instagram @thebodyscrubberyOnline at www.thebodyscrubbery.comPhone:925.808.8222A boutique and unique spa experience. "Don't cheat yourself, treat yourself!!" Luxury foot spa, full body scrubs, infrared heat wraps, massage, bubble tub, mud wraps, facials, couples packages, and small group parties.   Eaton Data SolutionsWe work to have relationships with vendor partners who specialize in different methods of vulnerability detection and management so that we can offer enterprise tools and solutions to small and medium sized companies (SMB's).Find them online www.eatondatasolutions.com Roofing Solutions by Darren Houk!Roofing Solutions can help with all your residential and commercial roofing needs. Roofing Solutions by Darren Houk islocally owned and operated. We are insured and have the experience to carry out most roofing projects.Web Page: https://www.roofingsolutionshouk.com/Phone : 817-882-6520 McFly's Pub6104 LTjg Barnett Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76114 · 4.1 miA BADASS little 1980's/ Back to the Future themed bar with an excellent outdoor patio complete with fire pit and room for your fur baby. Daily drink specials and fun activities almost every day of the week. See whats new at McFly's on their Instagram page @McFlysPub. Tres Amigos Tacos and Tequilatresamigostacosandtequila.comChef Sandy brings a fresh perspective and culinary expertise to Tres Amigos, continuing the spirit of female led entrepreneurship and the culinary excellence that Chef Paul was known for.909 W Magnolia Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104 Cloudland Recording Studiowww.cloudlandrecordingstudio.comCloudland Recording Studio is an analog and digital recording studio located in the heart of Fort Worth, Texas. We are just one mile from downtown and five minutes from the Near Southside entertainment district of Magnolia Avenue.

What happens when you get fired from TV, have no backup plan, and then stumble into a chance meeting that changes your life? If you're Norm Hitzges, you build a 50-year career in sports talk radio—and somehow still remember the exact moment it all started (and the exact amount of rage you felt at the time). In this celebratory episode of Just Wondering, Norm takes us back to the day that kicked off half a century of takes, triumphs, and talk radio. From a surprise pink slip at Channel 4 to a serendipitous run-in with Tony Garrett at KERA, Norm peels back the curtain on the origin story of one of the most iconic voices in Dallas-Fort Worth sports broadcasting. With trademark candor, Norm revisits the early nerves, the accidental genius of tossing his notes, and the quirky beginnings of a format nobody believed would work—sports talk on public radio. (Spoiler: It worked.) Along the way, he drops sponsor shoutouts, broadcasting wisdom, and a few light jabs at the cruel randomness of fate. All in all, it's a masterclass in longevity—and a reminder that sometimes dumb luck and showing up are enough to build a legacy. ⏱️ CHAPTERS0:01 – Internet Problems & Lawn Mowers: We're Off to a Hot Start1:08 – Retire Sooner, Smarter – A Word from Fluent Financial2:14 – The Big Milestone: 50 Years on the Mic2:50 – The Infamous Firing at Channel 44:26 – The Hallway Conversation That Changed Everything7:19 – Steak Worthy of the Hall – Bob's Steak & Chop House Shoutout8:08 – Football Picks and a Little Betting Wisdom9:39 – How to Support the Podcast and Keep the Mic Hot

Attorney General Ken Paxton argued in a lawsuit filed Thursday evening that Illinois law enforcement officers should be allowed to arrest Texas House Democrats who have been staying in the Chicago area this week. in other news, Dallas' Park and Recreation Department is looking to slash $3 million from its budget by cutting positions, closing pools and reducing hours at recreation centers; an alligator was captured and removed from Eagle Mountain Lake in Tarrant County on Thursday morning. The 11 foot-long adult male alligator “was safely measured, tagged and relocated to a protected, more remote location.”  It weighed close to 300 pounds; and did Chicago-based Italian Beef and Hot Dog restaurant Portillo's open too many restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth? Find out in today's edition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We love the Jaybirds. You should to. Find them on Instagram at Jaybirdsmusic.   Peterson's Landscape  (817-739-8413)Welcome to Peterson's Landscape, Dallas/Fort Worth's premier landscape company. For over 35 years, Peterson's Landscape has been providing residential and commercial property owners in the DFW area with the finest in landscape services. From landscape design and installation to regularly scheduled lawn maintenance services, our expert staff provides the knowledge and experience to help you with your outdoor needs Purple Web Consultingwww.purplewebconsulting.comWebsite design and hosting, E-commerce integration, digital strategy and consulting.817.629.6069Making modern business tools accessible to the small business owner so that they can compete with the big dogs! Fort Worth Float CompanyIs your day filled with noise and distractions? Overstimulating sounds and activity? Our daily lives have become overwhelmed with tasks and responsibilities, with very few ways to shut off the world for a brief moment. WELCOME TO FORT WORTH FLOAT COMPANY. They specialize in providing sensory deprivation flotation tanks, providing the ultimate relaxation experience. Offering various pricing and packages, and three different tanks, Fort Worth Float Company meets everyone's floating needs. Hoppin (Fort Worth)Weisenberger St, Fort Worth TX 76107No more waiting for the bar tender. Simply walk up to the wall of taps, scan your arm band, and enjoy!!! This place charges you by the ounce. A great place to unwind or for your next big event. Find them on Instagram as @hoppinfwtx.Have a Fort Worth Event coming up this week? Call during our recording window and let us share it with the city. 817.988.1292. The Davis TeamLook no further than our friends at The Davis Team for all of your property needs. No commitment necessary. If you have questions about property then visit them online : yourdavisteam.com or give them a call 817.755.0504   Galaxy Wilderness Disc Golf  Galaxy Wilderness is dedicated to promoting Disc Golf to the masses for its health benefits through outdoor therapy, exercise, and camaraderie.Find them on Facebook as Galaxy Wilderness Disc GolfGalaxyWildernessDG@gmail.com(682) 228-0399 The Body Scrubberyon Instagram @thebodyscrubberyOnline at www.thebodyscrubbery.comPhone:925.808.8222A boutique and unique spa experience. "Don't cheat yourself, treat yourself!!" Luxury foot spa, full body scrubs, infrared heat wraps, massage, bubble tub, mud wraps, facials, couples packages, and small group parties.   Eaton Data SolutionsWe work to have relationships with vendor partners who specialize in different methods of vulnerability detection and management so that we can offer enterprise tools and solutions to small and medium sized companies (SMB's).Find them online www.eatondatasolutions.com Roofing Solutions by Darren Houk!Roofing Solutions can help with all your residential and commercial roofing needs. Roofing Solutions by Darren Houk islocally owned and operated. We are insured and have the experience to carry out most roofing projects.Web Page: https://www.roofingsolutionshouk.com/Phone : 817-882-6520 McFly's Pub6104 LTjg Barnett Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76114 · 4.1 miA BADASS little 1980's/ Back to the Future themed bar with an excellent outdoor patio complete with fire pit and room for your fur baby. Daily drink specials and fun activities almost every day of the week. See whats new at McFly's on their Instagram page @McFlysPub. Tres Amigos Tacos and Tequilatresamigostacosandtequila.comChef Sandy brings a fresh perspective and culinary expertise to Tres Amigos, continuing the spirit of female led entrepreneurship and the culinary excellence that Chef Paul was known for.909 W Magnolia Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104 Cloudland Recording Studiowww.cloudlandrecordingstudio.comCloudland Recording Studio is an analog and digital recording studio located in the heart of Fort Worth, Texas. We are just one mile from downtown and five minutes from the Near Southside entertainment district of Magnolia Avenue.

Reggie Darden began his martial arts journey in the 1990s and has since explored a wide range of disciplines, including Chinese Kenpo, American Kenpo, Capoeira, Boxing, Hapkido, Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. A proud U.S. Army veteran, Reggie originally hails from San Diego but now calls the Dallas–Fort Worth area home. When ... Reggie Darden – My Empty Hands – Ep231

Today we continue our series, sponsored by the University of Dallas: "A Knight for Truth," examining the life and thought of Dietrich von Hildebrand. In this episode, Lily discusses how Hildebrand wrote Transformation in Christ during summer retreats in Florence, where he could focus on his spiritual work away from the demands of his anti-Nazi activism. She explains his concepts of “actual” and “superactual”—the immediate and deeper spiritual realities in one's life—and how Hildebrand's profound faith and love for the Church sustained him amid the turmoil. This series is sponsored by The University of Dallas. The University of Dallas is among an exclusive list of Catholic universities recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society. Founded in 1956, the University of Dallas is dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and virtue. It has two campuses, one located in the bustling Dallas/Fort Worth region and another southeast of Rome. Its nationally ranked Core Curriculum grounded in the best works of Western tradition forms lifelong friendships for a life well-lived. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠udallas.edu/lily⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find out more. Get our newsletter and other important updates: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hildebrandproject.org/#newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Become a monthly donor! Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hildebrandproject.org/giving⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Social Media Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/hildebrand_project⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@HildebrandProject⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/HildebrandPrj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/Hildebrandproject⁠⁠⁠⁠

What happens when you combine banking discipline, hands-on operations, and deep market knowledge? In this episode of Ready2Scale, Jeannette Friedrich speaks with Brad Andres, a seasoned investor and co-founder of Northbridge Commercial, about the power of focusing on a single metro. Brad has built vertically integrated real estate platforms across self-storage, brokerage, and development in the Dallas Fort Worth area. His insights offer practical value to both operators and investors. To explore our current investment opportunity in DFW, schedule a call with Jeannette here. Key Takeaways: - Why go deep, not wide: Brad explains why he chose to specialize in DFW and how deep local knowledge helps him spot shifts before they're visible in the data. - Key market indicators: Leasing velocity, absorption trends, and pricing vs. replacement cost are some of the leading signals he watches closely. - Lessons from banking: How Brad's experience as a commercial lender still informs his underwriting discipline, deal structures, and risk tolerance today. - Advantages of vertical integration: How full control over operations, management, and development helps Brad act quickly and optimize property performance. - Self-storage strategies: Where operators leave money on the table and how Brad's team uses automation, SEO, and customer service to create a competitive edge. - Development in today's market: How construction costs, interest rates, and policy shifts impact project feasibility and underwriting assumptions. - The shift from SEO to AI: Why Brad is thinking beyond search rankings and building thought leadership to stay relevant as large language models change how people find information. - A bigger-picture approach: Brad shares his faith-driven perspective on business, relationships, and what really matters over the long run. To connect with Brad, find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-andrus/  Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 00:23 Meet Brad Andres: Real Estate Expert 01:59 Brad's Journey into Real Estate 04:15 Focusing on the DFW Market 07:03 Investment Strategies and Market Insights 21:38 Lightning Round and Closing Thoughts Are you REady2Scale Your Multifamily Investments? Learn more about growing your wealth, strengthening your portfolio, and scaling to the next level at www.bluelake-capital.com. Credits Producer: Blue Lake Capital Strategist: Syed Mahmood Editor: Emma Walker Opening music: Pomplamoose *

Dallas-Fort Worth has officially hit 100 degrees. The first triple-digit day for the year arrived Tuesday just before 4 p.m. And it's forecasted to get even hotter. The National Weather Service's Fort Worth office has projected that today and tomorrow will both reach a high of 103. In other news, a  gag order was issued Monday in the Karmelo Anthony murder case. That's according to Collin County court records. A gag order is typically issued in criminal cases to prevent parties in the case, such as lawyers or witnesses, from speaking about the case publicly;  a key Texas Senate Republican chairman leading congressional redistricting hearings in Austin said Tuesday he is skeptical about assertions by the U.S. Department of Justice that the current congressional district maps in the state violate voters' rights; a former pastor and school volunteer who was booked into the Denton County jail in May has been indicted on possession of child pornography charges, according to court records; and the world's largest online retailer could soon be coming to Terrell. On Tuesday, Hunt Realty Investments announced the sale of 120 acres in Terrell, 30 miles east of Dallas, for an international distribution center. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we continue our series, sponsored by the University of Dallas: "A Knight for Truth," examining the life and thought of Dietrich von Hildebrand. In this episode, Lily explores Hildebrand's flight from Nazi Germany in 1933 and his time in Vienna, where he founded an anti-Nazi magazine with the support of Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, who was assassinated by the Nazis in 1934. Hildebrand continued his anti-Nazi activities and faced increasing persecution, until he was forced to flee Austria in 1938 as the Nazis invaded. Lily tells how Hildebrand's faith and moral courage sustained him, and how he wrote his magnum opus, Transformation in Christ, during this period. This series is sponsored by The University of Dallas. The University of Dallas is among an exclusive list of Catholic universities recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society. Founded in 1956, the University of Dallas is dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and virtue. It has two campuses, one located in the bustling Dallas/Fort Worth region and another southeast of Rome. Its nationally ranked Core Curriculum grounded in the best works of Western tradition forms lifelong friendships for a life well-lived. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠udallas.edu/lily⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find out more. Get our newsletter and other important updates: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hildebrandproject.org/#newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Become a monthly donor! Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hildebrandproject.org/giving⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Social Media Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/hildebrand_project⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@HildebrandProject⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/HildebrandPrj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/Hildebrandproject⁠⁠⁠⁠

On this episode of Multifamily Mastery, John Casmon interviews Cary Clarke, a seasoned developer who shares his journey from working in his father's multifamily business to launching a 351-unit ground-up apartment development in the DFW metro. Cary discusses how the 2008 financial crisis reshaped his approach to real estate, why he pivoted back into multifamily after decades of homebuilding, and the power of mentorship and community through programs like Apartment Addicts. He also unpacks how he secured land in a booming submarket near Fort Worth and structured a HUD 221(d)(4) loan for long-term, fixed-rate financing. Cary Clarke Current Role: Founder, Founders Development Company Based in: Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas Say hi to them at: www.foundersdevelopmentcompany.com or cary@foundersdevelopmentcompany.com Post your job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/BRE. Terms and conditions apply. Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It's free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at ⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

North Dallas isn't just growing—it's exploding. In this episode, we dive into why the Dallas-Fort Worth metro is ranked the #1 U.S. market for real estate investment and development. From a $40 billion semiconductor campus to new corporate HQs and entire master-planned cities like Frisco and Celina, North Dallas is redefining suburban sprawl. We break down why this region offers predictable appreciation, how investors can profit despite low cash flow, and which strategies—like townhome flips and preconstruction plays—are gaining traction in one of the country's most resilient housing markets. Read the article here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/why-dallas-is-a-hot-market-despite-high-prices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when a horror filmmaker, once a staunch atheist, sets out to disprove Christianity, only to be convinced by the evidence? Michael Ray Lewis, a filmmaker who once mocked Christians, dismissed the Bible as nonsense and devoured documentaries that tore down belief in God. But when his wife unexpectedly felt called back to Christ, Michael set out to prove her wrong, and instead, found himself confronted by something he couldn't ignore: the evidence. Michael shares how his atheism was shaped by a childhood void of genuine faith, how his fascination with horror films reflected a deeper spiritual searching, and what ultimately opened his eyes to the truth of Christianity. Guest Bio: Michael Ray Lewis is a filmmaker and former atheist whose search for truth led him to faith in Jesus Christ. Michael now uses his passion for storytelling to communicate truth through film. He is currently directing Universe Designed, a documentary exploring the evidence for God through science, reason, and personal stories. The film features leading apologists and thinkers and aims to help skeptics take a second look at Christianity. Michael lives with his wife and two children just south of Dallas–Fort Worth, where he continues to create meaningful media projects grounded in faith. Resources Mentioned: Website: UniverseDesigned.com Books Michael Recommended The Reason for God – Tim Keller I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist – Frank Turek & Norman Geisler Person of Interest – J. Warner Wallace Tactics – Greg Koukl Apologists/Thinkers Featured or Referenced: Hugh Ross (Reasons to Believe) Frank Turek Sean McDowell Stephen Meyer J. Warner Wallace Greg Koukl Connect with eX-skeptic: Website: https://exskeptic.org/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/exskeptic Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/exskeptic Twitter: http://x.com/exskeptic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@exskeptic Email info: info@exskeptic.org

Send us a textWelcome to another episode of Laundromat News Today, where your laundromat news anchor Jordan Berry brings you the latest and greatest stories from the laundromat industry around the globe. In this July 18, 2025 edition, Jordan kicks things off with the feel-good return of Lindo, the famous parrot stolen—and mysteriously brought back—to a New York City laundromat. Plus, you'll hear about a 25-year-old entrepreneur making waves by opening his first laundromat in Queens Village, and get the scoop on Tide Cleaners expanding into Los Angeles.Jordan gets candid about the rise of big players in the industry, sharing insights on how independent owners can stay competitive through great branding, technology, and customer loyalty. You'll also hear shout-outs to innovative startups offering same-day laundry in Dallas-Fort Worth, laundromats doubling as art galleries in Wyoming, and laundromat owners who are uplifting their communities. If you're passionate about laundromats, business innovation, or just love a good comeback story, this episode is packed with news, inspiration, and tips you won't want to miss!Show notes: https://www.laundromatresource.com/laundromat-news-july-18-2025/Have news, big or small, about your laundromat or your laundromat industry-supporting business? Send your press release to news@laundromatresource.com to be featured on a future episode of Laundromat News Today.Don't Miss Out! Make sure you're subscribed to the Laundromat Resource Newsletter to catch all links, articles, and updates from this and every episode. If you have thoughts on AI folding robots—or anything else laundromat related—reply and let us know! We love hearing from you.Join: https://www.laundromatresource.com/events/Email: jordan@laundromatresource.comConnect With UsYouTubeInstagramFacebookLinkedInTwitterTikTok

Pat has been invited onto a podcast? 16-year buildup on the Iran attack by the U.S. military? Are your roads as bad as the roads around Dallas-Fort Worth? Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth goes off on the press. Was enriched uranium moved out of nuclear facilities before strikes? 300,000 immigrant children missing courtesy of the Biden administration. There's no crying in baseball! Gen Z has some demands for employers. The origin story for "No Tax on Tips." Another boys' soccer team beats a women's national team. Jamaal Bowman is a sad, bitter man. Remember Rush Limbaugh's words of wisdom on immigration. Zohran Mamdani would be terrifying as mayor of New York City. North Korea opens a resort! 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED 00:45 Pat's Podcast Invite Scam 05:48 General Caine Discusses Attack on Iran 13:08 Pete Hegseth Rips the Press 18:14 Karoline Leavitt Calls Out Natasha Bertrand 23:59 RFK Jr. on the Missing Children that Crossed the Border 26:19 Rebecca Balint Accuses ICE of Kidnapping Children 31:58 Fat Five 50:54 Tom Homan on the 'Big Beautiful Bill' 52:52 Trump Explains the Origin of "No Tax on Tips" 59:49 Houston Highway Woman 1:07:22 Jamal Bowman says Black Health is Terrible because of Racism 1:09:37 The "Limbaugh Laws" 1:12:22 More Controversial Takes from Zohran Mamdani 1:32:10 New North Korea Resort Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices