Podcast appearances and mentions of dallas fort worth

Two people were killed Sunday afternoon when the small airplane they were on crashed near Hicks Airfield in Fort Worth, igniting a massive blaze that sent a plume of thick black smoke into the air. Several crews were dispatched to North Saginaw Boulevard following the crash. Several first responders from different agencies responded to the scene. In other news, over the past decade — as North Texas' famous economic boom has taken off in earnest — more than 700 companies have expanded their presence in greater Dallas-Fort Worth. Increasingly those D-FW campuses feature elaborate design elements and amenities — everything from specially commissioned artwork to integrated lighting sensors to restaurant-quality cafeteria offerings — that rival those of Silicon Valley or New York City. And rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald made a 33-yard field goal as time expired and the Carolina Panthers knocked off the Dallas Cowboys, 30-27 Sunday. Former Cowboy Rico Dowdle rolled up 183 rushing yards on 30 carries for the Panthers. He added 56 yards receiving and a touchdown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Dallas-Fort Worth barbecue joint is getting the Hollywood treatment in the new season of “Landman.” There are changes afoot for the Texas Michelin awards. It's time to say goodbye to a Chili's classic. That's all coming up on this episode of Eat Drink D-FW. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Dallas-Fort Worth barbecue joint is getting the Hollywood treatment in the new season of “Landman.” There are changes afoot for the Texas Michelin awards. It's time to say goodbye to a Chili's classic. That's all coming up on this episode of Eat Drink D-FW. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

DescriptionRay Ray's Podcast — Episode 165 “Royce Colley (TGB Builders)”Royce Colley, Founder and CEO of TGB Builders, joins Ray Ray's Podcast to share insights from over 15 years in residential ground-up development across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. With expertise in builder operations, subcontractor management, scheduling, and quality control, Royce is committed to ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to lender standards. He also breaks down TGB's Builder Completion Guaranty program, builder vetting, and his vision for the future of development in Dallas. Recorded at Hello Studios Dallas, this is a must-watch for fans of real estate development, construction business insights, and Dallas growth stories. Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring actors, musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs, and community leaders sharing their journeys and lessons learned. Topics & Keywords: Royce Colley interview, TGB Builders Dallas, Dallas residential development, builder completion guaranty, Dallas construction insights, builder operations management, subcontractor scheduling, real estate development podcast, Dallas construction entrepreneur, Hello Studios Dallas. Connect with Us:Instagram: @rayrays_podcastWebsite: www.rayrayspodcast.comEmail: ray@rayrayspodcast.com#RayRaysPodcast #TGBBuilders #DallasPodcast #DallasDevelopment #ConstructionPodcast #RealEstateDevelopment #BuilderSuccess #DallasGrowth

In this nonprofit spotlight, we chat with Rashun Faust, the Director of Philanthropy at Vogel, an organization dedicated to addressing family homelessness in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Rashun discusses the impactful services Vogel provides, including mental health support for both children and parents, and the importance of a two-generational approach to breaking the cycle of poverty.He shares insights from his journey in the nonprofit sector, the evolving landscape of philanthropy post-COVID, and the significance of nurturing donor relationships. Rashun emphasizes the need for a supportive organizational culture to retain staff and concludes with advice for fellow nonprofit leaders.Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.

The Dallas Stars have begun to seriously consider leaving Dallas with an uncertain future at American Airlines Center beyond 2031. The Stars have been in discussion with Plano, Frisco, The Colony, Arlington and Fort Worth as potential destinations to build a new arena. In other news, look close at the men serving barbecue in an upcoming episode of Season 2 of Landman. They're real Texas pitmasters, called up for their first acting gigs. A few months ago, the owner of Hurtado Barbecue, Brandon Hurtado, and three of his employees spent a day on the set of Landman, acting as extras; also, the Texas Rangers' managerial search didn't last long, and the team didn't have to look far. Skip Schumaker will move from the front office, where he served as senior advisor to President of Baseball Operations Chris Young, to the dugout. Schumaker signed a four-year deal through the 2029 season; and Dallas is the fourth most expensive rental market in Dallas-Fort Worth. That's according to a Wednesday report. The report, published by rental marketplace Zumper, analyzed active listings from the last month to rank cities by how expensive they are now and how fast their rents are growing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Friday, October 3rd, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Muslim terrorist shot dead outside British synagogue on Yom Kippur On Thursday, a British terrorist of Syrian descent drove a car into people outside a synagogue in Manchester, England and then began stabbing them, killing two Jews and seriously wounding four others in a terrorist attack on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, reports the Associated Press. Officers shot and killed the suspect though authorities took some time to confirm he was dead because he was wearing a vest that made it appear as if he had explosives. Authorities later said he did not have a bomb. The man has been identified as 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent, where 87% of the population is Muslim, reports the BBC. The Metropolitan Police in London, who lead counter-terrorism policing operations, declared the rampage a terrorist attack. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said two other suspects were arrested, though he provided no further information on the arrests. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, an atheist, denounced the attack on the Jewish synagogue. STARMER: “Earlier today, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day for the Jewish community, a vile individual committed a terrorist attack that attacked Jews because they are Jews, and attacked Britain because of our values. “So many Jewish families first came to this country as a place of refuge fleeing the greatest evil ever inflicted on a people and Britain welcomed them. Communities like the one attacked in Manchester provided safety, but also the security that comes from a promise that this is a country that stands up to hatred and that we don't just provide refuge, we provide a home for so many Jewish families, that is the story of Britain. “But Britain is also a country where Jewish buildings, synagogues, even schools, require round-the-clock protection, where dedicated, specialist security is necessary because of the daily threat of antisemitic hatred. Today's horrific incident shows why.” Antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom have hit record levels following Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israel's ensuing military campaign in Gaza, according to Community Security Trust, an advocacy group for British Jews that works to eliminate antisemitism. More than 1,500 antisemitic incidents in Britain were reported in the first half of the year. Pope Leo blasts Trump's hard-line immigration policy as not “pro-life” Pope Leo XIV strongly criticized President Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies, questioning whether they were in line with the Catholic church's “pro-life” teachings, reports The Guardian. Outside the papal summer residence in the Alban Hills, near Rome, this is what Pope Leo, the first American pope, said about Trump in response to a question from a U.S. journalist. POPE LEO: “Someone who says that I'm against abortion, but I'm in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the United States, I don't know if that's pro-life.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reacted. LEAVITT: “I would reject there is inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States under this administration, there was, however, significant, inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the previous administration as they were being trafficked and raped and beaten and in many cases, killed over our United States southern border.” Texas megachurch pastor pleads guilty to sexually abusing a child The founder of a Texas megachurch who resigned last year after a woman in Oklahoma accused the pastor of sexually abusing her in the 1980s pleaded guilty Thursday to five counts of lewd and indecent acts with a child, reports KLTV. Robert Morris, age 64, entered the pleas before a judge in Oklahoma's Osage County as part of a plea agreement, according to the state attorney general's office. The abuse began in 1982 when the victim was 12 and Morris was a traveling evangelist staying in Hominy, Oklahoma, with her family. The abuse continued over the next four years. Numbers 32:23 says, “You have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.” Morris was the senior pastor of Gateway Church in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Southlake, where he led one of the nation's largest megachurches until his resignation. He was indicted earlier this year by an Oklahoma grand jury. Under the plea agreement, Morris received a 10-year suspended sentence with the first six months to be served in an Oklahoma  County Jail. Christian wedding photographer wins in court A federal court has sided with a Christian photographer challenging misguided mandates she believes would force her to take pictures at a homosexual wedding despite her religious objections, reports The Christian Post. This is the latest example of U.S. courts ruling in favor of religious liberty protections.  In the opinion published Tuesday, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky sided with photographer Chelsey Nelson in her ongoing legal dispute with the city of Louisville. Miami Dolphins player Tua Tagovailoa credits Jesus after win And finally, Miami Dolphins player Tua Tagovailoa (Tah-go-VYE-lo-a) thanked and glorified God after his team's win in a recent game, marking the latest example of the athlete using his platform to highlight his Christian faith, reports The Christian Post. On Monday, the Miami Dolphins beat the New York Jets 27-21 in a game between the two National Football League teams. In a post-game interview with Peter Schrager following Monday's game, Tagovailoa did not hesitate to give God the glory. Listen. SCHRAGER: “You come out with a victory. All three facets dominated. The Jets today, your impression and take on the game." TAGOVAILOA: “First and foremost, all glory belongs to God, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Just want to thank Him for this victory, for keeping us safe for the most part. My prayers go out to all the guys that got injured tonight. My boy Tyreke. It was a team win. That's all it was. That's all I could say about this. It was hard fought to the end. Just wanted to make sure that I glorified my Lord and Savior, Jesus, Christ.” His post-game interview was not the first time the athlete has put his Christian faith on display. In 2018, as a college football player for the University of Alabama, Tagovailoa reacted to his team's win against the Georgia Bulldogs by proclaiming, “First and foremost, I'd just like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. With Him, all things are possible.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, October 3rd, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

In this conversation, Tucker Scott shares his journey into the real estate market, focusing on high-rise condos in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He discusses the importance of technology and the multiple listing service (MLS) in real estate marketing, and how he aims to provide a better platform for agents and buyers alike. Tucker emphasizes the need for innovation in the industry and the challenges of adapting to new technologies while maintaining traditional values.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true ‘white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a “mini-mastermind” with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming “Retreat”, either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas “Big H Ranch”? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

Discover the top 220MHz ham radio repeaters in North Texas! This video explores the best repeaters for reliable communication, including their locations, features, and performance. Perfect for amateur radio enthusiasts looking to enhance their setup in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. #HamRadio #220MHz #NorthTexasDonate to the ARRL Teachers Institute - https://arrl.org/30daysAnytone Triband Radio - https://www2.randl.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_320&products_id=74824Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ham-radio-2-0--2042782/support.

Dave Barnett of the Mean Green Sports Network visits with Eric Morris in the North Texas locker room following a 36-22 victory over South Alabama. This interview originally aired on the Adam's Exterminating Postgame Show on the Mean Green Sports Network's radio coverage of North Texas vs South Alabama. 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 Hank Dickenson's calls from the Mean Green Sports Network's broadcast of North Texas' 36-22 win over South Alabama. 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, Miles Coleman 18 yard touchdown run 0:17 - Q2, Caleb Hawkins 6 yard touchdown run 0:32 - Q3, Caleb Hawkins 69 yard touchdown pass from Drew Mestemaker 1:13 - Q3, Drew Mestemaker 4 yard touchdown run 1:26 - Q4, Caleb Hawkins 27 yard touchdown run

This episode of Crane Talk features Aaron Jackson, EVP of Redstone Underwriters, providing an underwriter's perspective on the challenges facing crane and rigging insurance. He unpacks the impact of social inflation, third-party litigation funding, and shrinking capacity in the casualty market. The discussion highlights practical tools like cameras, telematics, and strong contracts, along with emerging AI applications that are reshaping underwriting. Jackson underscores how early data submission and proactive risk management can materially improve terms for insureds.About the Show Crane talk is a podcast hosted by Ron Thompson and Gene Greiner, 2 highly successful insurance producers in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. About Ron:Ron has been specializing in the heavy iron insurance world as a broker since 1992. In the complex world of heavy iron risk exposure, Ron's expertise is in contractual risk transfer, contract review, fleet safety management where “rubber meets the road” and keeping clients updated on legislative issues that effect the crane & rigging industry and maximizing profit for his clientele.About Gene:Gene Greiner is Vice President of commercial insurance for CoVerica with 15 years of focus on heavy construction risk. Based in Dallas, TX, he is deeply embedded in serving this industry's risk transfer needs and, enjoys active advocacy though the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association and the Texas Crane Owners Association. New episodes drop the first Tuesday of each month. Please drop us a line if you have a question or suggestion; you can reach us at podcast@coverica.com. Finally, if you like the podcast, we encourage you to subscribe and leave us a review.

Above average temperatures and below average precipitation continue full 123 Tue, 30 Sep 2025 10:59:48 +0000 oYbDBkcrssz6BLNZ5py3TF7dKDx3cX29 emailnewsletter,news KRLD All Local emailnewsletter,news Above average temperatures and below average precipitation continue A dive into the top headlines in Dallas Fort Worth, delivering the news you need in 10 minutes or less multiple times a day. 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperwavep

The Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement office will remain closed Monday in the aftermath of last week's shooting at the site. The closure means migrant check-ins will not take place, an ICE spokesperson confirmed Sunday. A new date for the check-ins has yet to be determined. In other news, Dallas-Fort Worth is in the midst of a data center boom driven by artificial intelligence ― and everybody's talking about it. The spaces that house computer systems, servers, tech equipment and the infrastructure to support it all have existed for decades; Fair Park in South Dallas holds a history of segregation, exclusion and injustice. Its blighted past is continuously highlighted in efforts to rebuild the community into a prosperous neighborhood after land was taken and families displaced. The 139-year relationship between the State Fair of Texas and the largely Black community that surrounds it is complicated; and a second half shootout between the Cowboys and Green Bay Packers resulted in a 40-40 tie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

BIG STORY: Adwoa Asante, lawyer of Raunaq Alam, and Lydia Faith of Free Palestine Tarrant speak about the freedom of speech case right in Tarrant County and the far right leaders funded by Christian Zionists seeking to make an example of Raunag Alam.@i_raunic@freepalestine.tarrantbit.ly/raunaqdefensefundSHORT STORY 1:  Reactions to  Political ViolenceConservative leaders urge action during Fort Worth march honoring Charlie KirkFort Worth, Arlington mayors sign declaration against political violenceSHORT STORY 2: People Power vs The People in PowerTarrant County commissioners pass tax rates after Democrats broke quorum last weekSpeakers denounce City Council discourse, call for unity in wake of Charlie Kirk deathJudge to decide on efforts to stop Tarrant County electoral map after hours of testimonyGoldman asks for input while protesters call for town hallSHORT STORY 3: Dallas-Fort Worth is a leading data center market with a significant scale issueWINS: 817 Podcast named Fort Worth Weekly's Critic's Choice for Best Podcast.LOSSES: $500M in federal funding delays could affect North Texas transit projectsSculpting a legacy: West Fort Worth art gallery bids farewell after nearly 30 yearsWest Fort Worth theater's cancellation of ‘Frankenstein' production prompts questionsACTIONS:Tuesday, September 30 at 10am, City Council will vote to cut public comment meetings down to just 10 meetings for all of 2026.Deadline to register to vote for the November election is October 6th.

More of the same, warm and dry all week! full 138 Mon, 29 Sep 2025 10:42:49 +0000 6DBTkVaq0EWE9OH1KjAuf9tHezmjvEJw emailnewsletter,news KRLD All Local emailnewsletter,news More of the same, warm and dry all week! A dive into the top headlines in Dallas Fort Worth, delivering the news you need in 10 minutes or less multiple times a day. 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperwavepodcasting.com?feed-link=htt

EPISODE SUMMARY: Tim Dukes is the president of Hope Media Group. He shares his radio journey including leadership roles at Jacor, Emmis, Tribune and Clear Channel, and the lessons he learned along the way. On this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody, Chachi talks to Tim Dukes about:Growing up in Louisville, KY, and the host who inspired him to work in radioExaggerating his credentials to get his first radio job at Y107How his mentors taught and supported him throughout his careerMoving to Tampa and helping to build the Power Pig brandTransitioning to PD in Louisville, Cincinnati, and San DiegoNavigating Jacor's sale to Clear Channel and joining EmmisWhy leading with creativity makes for great radioReevaluating his career and transitioning to nonprofit radio in Dallas How he became President of Hope Media GroupHow he gives back to the community-And more! ABOUT THIS EPISODE'S GUEST:Tim Dukes spent 24 years in secular media and markets that include Chicago, Atlanta, San Diego, and Tampa before answering God's call to vocational ministry in 2011. He joined WayFM as General Manager of its new station in Dallas-Fort Worth in 2015 and added regional responsibility in 2019 for Way Media properties in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, and Indiana. In 2020, Tim was promoted to Chief Operating Officer and added interim CEO responsibilities a year later. When Way Media and Hope Media Group merged in May 2022, he became the new organization's COO, and assumed the role of President in August 2024. Tim and his wife Susan were married in 1989 and live in Dallas, as does their adult daughter, Macy.ABOUT THE PODCAST: Chachi Loves Everybody is brought to you by Benztown and hosted by the President of Benztown, Dave “Chachi” Denes. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the myths and legends of the radio industry.PEOPLE MENTIONED:Art VuoloGary BurbankMark ChaseTom SteeleJason PullmanScott ShannonCoyote McLeodRhett WalkerBo WoodRandy MichaelsJack EvansGary EdensJohn AnthonyBJ HarrisJeff KapugiDave MannJeff LawrenceDon CarpenterJack HarrisMike AlblTom OwensBrad HardinCarolyn GilbertVin ScullyJeff and JerGreg SummsTracy JohnsonJagger and ChristieBooby LawrenceRick DeesJean RomanoBill PughJeff SmulyanRick CummingsPat McDonaldMike SternJimmy SteelJonathan BrandmeierSam ZellSean ComptonMike O'ConnorFrank ReedJoe PauloABOUT BENZTOWN: Benztown is a leading international audio imaging, production library, voiceover, programming, podcasting, and jingle production company with over 3,000 affiliations on six different continents. Benztown provides audio brands and radio stations of all formats with end-to-end imaging and production, making high-quality sound and world- class audio branding a reality for radio stations of all market sizes and budgets. Benztown was named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 by Inc. magazine for five consecutive years as one of America's Fastest-Growing Privately Held Companies. With studios in Los Angeles and Stuttgart, Benztown offers the highest quality audio imaging work parts for 23 libraries across 14 music and spoken word formats including AC, Hot AC, CHR, Country, Hip Hop and R&B, Rhythmic, Classic Hits, Rock, News/Talk, Sports, and JACK. Benztown's Audio Architecture is one of the only commercial libraries that is built exclusively for radio spots to provide the right music for radio commercials. Benztown provides custom VO and imaging across all formats, including commercial VO and copywriting in partnership with Yamanair Creative. Benztown Radio Networks produces, markets, and distributes high-quality programming and services to radio stations around the world, including: The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown, The Todd-N-Tyler Radio Empire, Hot Mix, Sunday Night Slow Jams with R Dub!, Flashback, Top 10 Now & Then, Hey, Morton, StudioTexter, The Rooster Show Prep, and AmeriCountry. Benztown + McVay Media Podcast Networks produces and markets premium podcasts including: IEX: Boxes and Lines and Molecular Moments.Web: benztown.comFacebook: facebook.com/benztownradioTwitter: @benztownradioLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/benztownInstagram: instagram.com/benztownradio Enjoyed this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody? Let us know by leaving a review!

Less than a week after late-night star Jimmy Kimmel was abruptly suspended by ABC over comments related to the death of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the comedian was back on the air last night. But not on more than 30 ABC-affiliate stations around the country controlled by Nexstar. The Irving-based broadcasting group will continue to show other programming as it “monitors the show.” In other news, shareholders of the DallasNews Corporation have voted to approve a merger with Hearst, uniting two storied brands in journalism. An overwhelming percentage of DallasNews stockholders endorsed the union with Hearst, which in July entered into a definitive merger agreement with the public parent company of The Dallas Morning News and integrated creative marketing agency Medium Giant. More than 260 people are being laid off across Dallas-Fort Worth, according to WARN notices filed with the state. Workers at Hill and Smith, a local manufacturer of traffic safety products, and Amazon logistics contractor Accelore have been notified and will begin separation starting in November. And the Texas Rangers were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention after their eighth straight loss. Manager Bruce Bochy, in a rare critique of his team's effort and intensity, declared that the club “looked dead” in their 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins Tuesday night at Globe Life Field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's one way I can compete with yesterday's version of me today? In this episode, Kevin welcomes Jake Thompson for a practical conversation on building influence from the inside out. They discuss how leading yourself first sets an example for others and highlight the difference between managing tasks and leading people. Jake offers actionable strategies for improvement, like the “Start, Stop, Continue” method for self-improvement and a three-question reflection model after meetings or conversations. Jake and Kevin also discuss common leadership challenges such as giving effective feedback, balancing management with emotional intelligence, and the difference between being nice and being kind. Jake's Story: Jake Thompson is the author of Lead Better Now: A Practical Guide to Increase Your Influence as a Leader. He is a leadership performance coach and the Chief Encouragement Officer at Compete Every Day, a brand he started in 2011 by first selling t-shirts out of the trunk of his car. Jake has spent more than a decade working with leaders and organizations worldwide on how to get better results for themselves and their teams. He has been featured in Forbes, Inc. Magazine, hosts a podcast with over two million downloads, and has directly impacted over 85,000 ambitious leaders. Jake lives in Dallas/Fort Worth with his wife, Elena, and their “kids,” aka rescue dogs, Sugar, Donut, Snacks, & Pop-Tart. This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader's guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations Lead Better Now: A Practical Guide to Increase Your Influence as a Leader Jake Thompson Better Small Talk: Talk to Anyone, Avoid Awkwardness, Generate Deep Conversations, and Make Real Friends by Patrick King How to Work with Complicated People: Strategies for Effective Collaboration with (Nearly) Anyone by Ryan Leak Like this? Transformational Influence with Walt Rakowich Maximizing Influence with Dave Durand Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP  

Strong winds left a trail of damage, mostly in Denton County, as severe weather moved through North Texas Sunday evening, sending at least one person to the hospital and flipping three tractor-trailers. The storms brought winds of up to 70 mph to parts of Dallas-Fort Worth, along with small-sized hail and heavy downpours. Authorities with the Denton County Office of Emergency Management said they received calls of possible tornadic activity at 5:25 p.m. The National Weather Service has not confirmed reports of a tornado as of Sunday night. In other news, the State Fair of Texas kicks off on Sept. 26th but a pair of Big Tex's boots are more than 1,000 miles away from Dallas' Fair Park in Washington, D.C. Two of the larger-than-life mascot's size 96 shoes are currently on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Renwick Gallery as part of an exhibition highlighting the relationship between craft artists and fairgrounds; the Dallas Cowboys dropped to 1-2 on the season after a disappointing 31-14 loss on the road at Chicago yesterday. and the Texas Rangers now exist on the terrible end of the sport's dichotomy. They were swept this weekend by the Miami Marlins, capped by Sunday's 4-2 loss at Globe Life Field, and have lost seven consecutive games at the most important juncture of their season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whit Johnson reports on the chaos that unfolded at Dallas Love Field and Dallas-Fort Worth airports after air traffic controllers lost the ability to communicate with each other; Melissa Adan has the latest on the desperate search for a 2-year-old boy after torrential rain in Southern California triggered flash flooding that swept away a car in Barstow with a father and his son inside; David Muir shares how a AAA roadside service technician helping a father and his two young sons turned a road bump into a teachable moment for the boys – and earned World News Tonight's Person of the Week; and more on tonight's broadcast of World News Tonight with David Muir. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hank Dickenson of the Mean Green Sports Network visits with Eric Morris in the North Texas locker room following a 45-38 overtime victory over Army. This interview originally aired on the Adam's Exterminating Postgame Show on the Mean Green Sports Network's radio coverage of North Texas vs Army. 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 Hank Dickenson's calls from the Mean Green Sports Network's broadcast of North Texas' 45-38 overtime win over Army. 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, Caleb Hawkins 4 yard touchdown run 0:18 - Q1, Makenzie McGill 6 yard touchdown run 0:41 - Q1, Caleb Hawkins 7 yard touchdown run 0:57 - Q2, Wyatt Young 6 yard touchdown pass from Drew Mestemaker 1:21 - Q4, Caleb Hawkins 21 yard touchdown run 1:45 - OT, Caleb Hawkins 3 yard touchdown run 2:05 - OT, Defensive stop on 4th down to secure win

In this episode, hosts Ryan Trimble and Shawn P. Williams sit down with Ben Leal, President of the Addy Foundation, to explore how philanthropy is shaping North Texas and beyond.Ben shares his journey from government service to nonprofit leadership, and now to guiding one of Dallas' most intentional family foundations. He opens up about:The Addy Foundation's mission – how its focus areas (education, healthcare, civic engagement, cultural competency, and social services) are driving impact across Dallas–Fort Worth.Challenges facing nonprofits today – from fundraising uncertainty to the pressures of advocating in a polarized climate.The power of data and storytelling – how nonprofits can balance analytics with mission delivery, and why a clear distinction between goals and outcomes matters.Supporting small nonprofits – the Addy Foundation's innovative approach to leveling the playing field for minority-led and grassroots organizations.Keys to lasting donor relationships – why good stewardship, transparency, and thoughtful follow-up go further than flashy pitches.Interview begins @5:33This conversation arrives just after North Texas Giving Day, a region-wide tradition that has become the single biggest day of giving for local nonprofits. Whether you've donated, volunteered, or spread the word, Ben's insights offer inspiration on how to give back with impact and intention.Ben also shares candid advice for nonprofit leaders, board members, and fundraisers on how to stand out to funders and build long-term sustainability.Plus, Ryan and Shawn kick things off with some lighter talk—green lawns, mild Texas summers, and stepping up the soccer parent game. Learn more about the Addy Foundation: addyfoundation.orgHosts: Shawn P. Williams & Ryan TrimbleProducer: Zach Thompson

Another tasting menu restaurant is slated for Dallas-Fort Worth, and it comes with a unique spin. The Dallas Morning News food team also discusses their favorite happy hours across North Texas right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another tasting menu restaurant is slated for Dallas-Fort Worth, and it comes with a unique spin. The Dallas Morning News food team also discusses their favorite happy hours across North Texas right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Derms and Conditions, host James Q. Del Rosso, DO, welcomes Dallas/Fort Worth–based dermatologist Todd Plott, MD, for an in-depth discussion on the first extended-release formulation of minocycline approved for rosacea. The conversation begins with a historical look at tetracyclines, tracing back to tetracycline in 1953, doxycycline in 1968, and minocycline in 1971. While traditionally used as broad-spectrum antibiotics, these agents have shown efficacy in rosacea primarily due to their anti-inflammatory activity rather than antimicrobial effects. They review head-to-head clinical data showing that extended-release minocycline, commercially available as Emrosi, significantly reduced inflammatory lesions and improved Investigator Global Assessment scores in patients with moderate-to-severe rosacea, outperforming both modified-release doxycycline and placebo. The trial population averaged 25 papules per patient, demonstrating the robust improvement required for trial success. A key point of discussion is minocycline's narrow therapeutic window. While higher doses have raised concerns about adverse effects such as hyperpigmentation and lupus-like drug reactions, pharmacokinetic data show that extended-release dosing achieves lower systemic exposure with fewer safety issues compared to immediate-release formulations. Dr Plott contextualizes this by noting that dermatology indications require far lower doses than in infectious disease, which helps explain the rationale for the extended-release formulation in rosacea. Tune in to the full episode to learn more about how extended-release minocycline and anti-inflammatory dosing fit into current rosacea treatment options, what the latest evidence shows about its efficacy and safety, and how clinicians can gain refreshed perspectives on this long-standing therapy.

Dallas-Fort Worth hasn't seen a drop of rain since the first weekend of the month, but shifting air masses will bring a new pattern to North Texas at the end of the week. That's according to the National Weather Service's Fort Worth office. Rain chances are highest on Thursday, with a 40% probability of precipitation, but are expected to continue through Sunday. In other news, years into its famous growth story, North Texas has notched another distinction — the country's top large metro area for attracting workforce talent. for nearly 90 years, Oak Cliff's Glendale Park has served as a gathering place for the Black communities that surround it. For years, Dallas city leaders have promised to invest in it. Residents are still waiting, but the city is slowly moving forward; Collin County Animal Services paused dog adoptions as it investigates a possible disease outbreak, according to a social media post by shelter officials Sunday. The post did not disclose which disease or when adoptions might resume. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Audio highlights of Dave Barnett and Hank Dickenson's calls from the Mean Green Sports Network's broadcast of North Texas' 59-10 win over Washington State. 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, Makenzie McGill 7 yard touchdown run 0:23 - Q1, Jaden Becks 12 yard touchdown run 0:37 - Q2, Brandon Young Jr 2 yard touchdown pass from Drew Mestemaker 0:54 - Q2, Tre Williams III 6 yard touchdown pass from Drew Mestemaker 1:08 - Q2, Landon Sides 12 yard touchdown pass from Drew Mestemaker 1:21 - Q2, Jaden Becks 14 yard touchdown run 1:29 - Q3, Ethan Day 2 yard touchdown pass from Drew Mestemaker 2:03 - Q4, Caleb Hawkins 3 yard touchdown run

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

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 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

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