Podcasts about dc metro

This week, I got to talk with Jennifer Oko about her uniquely crafted novel Just Emilia. We dive into how she created the three women in the elevator as their own characters, but also all the same woman, and the inspiration for the story.Just Emilia SynopsisThe past, present, and future collide in a DC Metro elevator as three women get caught up in a gripping time-traveling tale of memory, emotion, and unspoken truths about their shared history.When Emilia Fletcher finds herself trapped inside a Washington, DC Metro elevator, getting out is the least of her problems. Sharing the confined space with her are Em, a troubled teenager plagued by suicidal thoughts, and Millie, an elderly woman yearning to mend ties with her estranged daughter. As the hours drag on, hunger, exhaustion, and panic set in, revealing an almost incomprehensible truth: they are the same person. Locked in an uncompromising match of memories, the three women excavate and attempt to reckon with the shared shame and suffering stemming from an unresolved trauma that has cast a profound shadow over their lives. Brimming with biting humor, compassion, and quick-witted insight, JUST EMILIA is remarkable journey of self-discovery. Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

On this episode of Navigating Trump 2.0, host John Stolnis and the host of CBN's QuickStart podcast Dan Andros, discuss the departure of Elon Musk from his official role as a White House counselor. What is his legacy, as well as the legacy of DOGE? Also, the legal battle over Trump tariffs continues and will DC Metro riders soon have to call it "The Trump Train?"

WMAL GUEST: TOM ROUSSEY (WJLA Reporter) on New Metro Payment System IN THE NEWS: Metro Launches Credit Card Tap-to-Pay System at Rail Stations SOCIAL MEDIA: X.com/TomRoussey7News Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Thursday, May 29, 2025 / 8 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 8 AM hour, Larry O’Connor and Mercedes Schlapp discussed: WMAL GUEST: KT MCFARLAND (Former Deputy National Security Advisor to President Trump) on the latest in Ukraine talks, and Comey’s impact on the FBI FOX NEWS: Michelle Obama and Eric Holder's wife bonded over being 'reluctant spouses' to famous men WMAL GUEST: TOM ROUSSEY (ABC7/WJLA-TV Reporter) on the DC Metro’s new 'Tap. Ride. Go!' payment system FOX NEWS: Jeanine Pirro sworn in as interim US attorney, pledging 'no more mercy for criminals' Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Thursday, May 29, 2025 / 8 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 5 AM hour, Larry O’Connor and Mercedes Schlapp discussed: Tap. Ride. Go! Metro launches new payment system State Department says it will 'aggressively' revoke visas for Chinese students Last living grandson of 10th U.S. President John Tyler, a link to a bygone era, dies at 96 US judge blocks Trump from suspending Biden-era migrant 'parole' programs Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Thursday, May 29, 2025 / 5 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode was recorded on the DC Metro, where where I bumped into cartoonist Claire Deely following the 2024 Small Press Expo. She's the creator of Can You Dig the Adventures of Rich & Sam, a self-published comic that you can get on Gumroad.BUY!Can You Dig the Adventures of Rich & SamFOLLOW!Claire Deely (Writer & artist, Can You Dig the Adventures of Rich & Sam) Instagram: @mintynjeb/Web: clairedeely.comBuy This Comic! Substack: Buy This Comic!Twitter:@buythiscomicInstagram:@buythiscomicFacebook:@buythiscomicWeb:buythiscomic.netJason Mojica (Host, Buy This Comic!)Substack: Jason MojicaTwitter: @elmodernistoInstagram: @jasonmojicacomicsMusic: “You Are A Monster” by Monroeville Music Center, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit buythiscomic.substack.com

In the 8 AM Hour: Larry O’Connor and Julie Gunlock discussed: WMAL GUEST: 8:05 AM - INTERVIEW - KT MCFARLAND - Former Deputy National Security Advisor to President Trump and author of “REVOLUTION" – discussed SignalGate. SOCIAL MEDIA: https://twitter.com/realKTMcFarland Vice President Vance shows off his rifle skills at the shooting range with the Marines: "Hit! Headshot!" WMAL GUEST: 8:35 AM - INTERVIEW - ANNA SPIEGEL - D.C. reporter, Axios – discussed Nats Opening Day: Discuss what's new at Nats Park. AXIOS DC: The behind-the-scenes business battle into Nationals Park AXIOS DC: What's new at Nationals Park for the 2025 season DC’s Metro installs American flag decals on rail cars in city’s latest patriotic push Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @patricepinkfile, and @heatherhunterdc. Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Thursday, March 27, 2025 / 8 AM Hour See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The second installment of Rob's chat with Joe Jackson and Jeff Rowley. Jeff's webcam activates, allowing the guys to engage in a face-to-face conversation. Their dialogue shifts smoothly from discussions about fishing and tying to a variety of other subjects. Joe initiates a conversation about the different superhero abilities that could enhance his fishing skills, as well as topics like tiny flies, and road trips. Rob intends to take Joe out for shad and snakehead when he visits the DC Metro area in the near future. He will be voluntold to sit down at the drum kit to jam with Caitlin and friends. Don't forget to catch Joe and Jeff on Instagram every Thursday evening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On todays show the Fearsome Threesome talk about lots of stuff  including a personal anecdote about attending a Rockets game, where Speaker 1 accidentally stumbled between seats. The conversation then shifted to political issues, such as Luna Paula's attempt to cap credit card interest rates, which was criticized for potentially excluding many from credit access. The group also discussed the impact of Biden's policies on foreclosures and the economy, suggesting a potential housing market crash. They explored the concept of pop-up NGOs involved in money laundering, particularly from Biden's climate slush funds. Additionally, they touched on Trump's efforts to improve Navy ship maintenance and the implications of his executive actions on federal spending. The discussion covered several topics, including the DC Metro's policy on investigating homicides, the recent incidents at Mar-a-Lago involving unauthorized aircraft, and the temporary flight restrictions around the President's location. They also touched on the rapid response of fighter jets during the Cold War and the impact of global warming. Additionally, the conversation shifted to a tragic personal story about a person with Alzheimer's who passed away due to neglect, highlighting the disease's effects on self-care. The meeting concluded with a recommendation for PJ's coffee and Second Round Bakery cookies, and an invitation to share thoughts on the podcast at thejamesperspective.com. Don't miss it!

With return-to-office mandates suddenly coming into effect, Metro is seeing a huge boost in traffic. And so we figured it was a good time to bring the City Cast team together to talk through some essential unwritten rules and quirks of taking public transit in DC.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month. Learn more about the sponsors of this February 12th episode: National Landing BID Gala Theatre The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tameenah Adams is a Certified Child Care Success Academy (CCSA) Business Coach and a seasoned entrepreneur who has successfully owned and operated multiple childcare centers in the DC Metro area. As a coach, she helps childcare owners streamline operations, build high-performing teams, and achieve sustainable growth. With over 25 years of experience in HR, business management, and leadership development, Tameenah launched ChildcareHR to support childcare owners with HR, compliance, and scaling their businesses. In this episode, Tameenah and Kris dive into the feelings wheel and discuss everything from life post-pandemic to stepping back into abundance — not just financially, but personally. They explore the importance of self-love, creating a life of ease as a leader, and embracing a daily rhythm that feels peaceful and fulfilling.   Key Takeaways: [8:46] Learning to surrender and taking it one day at a time. [11:26] The biggest lesson learned from the pandemic. [13:07] Tameenah shares how she's shifted to a reward system based on how her heart, mind, and body feel, rather than material things. [19:04] The connection between self-love and effective leadership. [20:40] Strategies for managing overwhelm and staying present. [25:52] The importance of surrounding yourself with the right community. [29:43] How outsourcing can create more time and efficiency. [35:17] Practical strategies for financial recovery and smart money management. [38:06] Overcoming fear and leading with confidence. [42:07] Transparent leadership and leading with grace. [44:48] Exploring the power of the Feelings Wheel.   Quotes: “I was at the intersection of my life. I had to make a choice because, quite honestly, there were times I didn't even know if I could make it another day. What kept me hanging on was knowing my children needed me.” — Tameenah [7:56] “I'm learning now that there is a different reward system. My reward comes in how my heart feels, how my mind feels, how my body feels. Am I able to sleep well? Rewarding myself really doesn't cost anything.” — Tameenah [13:07] “I've started the journey to really look and love me. I'm healing from the hurt in my life and how I hurt myself. Self-love is being kind to yourself.” — Tameenah [18:33] “I stay plugged into a community that can serve me and understand me, where I feel safe.” — Tameenah [25:00] “Your intentions have to equal your impact.” — Tameenah [35:22] “It's all about the energy you bring into your leadership decisions.” — Kris [40:08] “I'm leading differently because I'm leading even more transparently.” — Tameenah [42:18] “I've taken my power back. There is nothing anyone can say about me that I haven't transparently shared myself. I'm not going to walk around in shame for anything.” — Tameenah [43:47] “What people think of me is none of my business. What I think about me is my business.” — Tameenah [48:20]   Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray @iamkrismurray The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy The Child Care Success Summit Grow Your Center Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal Tameenah Adams

Mario Taffo is a volunteer educator for The Institute for Financial Awareness, one of the fastest growing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the DC/Metro area.Mario is a widely sought out speaker. His most requested workshop/webinar topics are 10 Steps to Financial Freedom, Retirement Planning for Federal Employees and Estate Planning.Mario has been a member of the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since 2009. He has provided financial educational support and resources to many embassies in Washington D.C., military bases, federal agencies, churches and other organizations. He also provides direct support to numerous HR departments at federal agencies in the DC/Metro area.Mario has presented hundreds of financial wellness and financial literacy workshops in the DC metropolitan area, as well as educational webinars to participants around the world.Mario has a MBA degree from the University of Central Florida and has been working in the financial services industry since 1996. Mario started his financial services career as a loan originator.Mario has experience in investments and banking, in addition to retirement planning. Mario is fluent in Spanish. His bi-lingual abilities have allowed him to help guide many civilians, active duty and in-service and retired federal employees through the complex steps of their retirement planning process.Thousands of individuals and small business owners have benefited from Mario's knowledge and expertise, but one of his greatest pleasures in life is to help his friends and family plan for retirement. As a father, Mario has personal experience planning for college and has helped countless families reach their college planning goals.In his free time Mario enjoys traveling, playing soccer, scuba diving and exercising. He is a loyal CrossFit enthusiast who can be found in his local gym every morning, competing with himself and pushing others to reach their full potential in the gym.Learn more: http://www.ifaonline.org/Influential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-mario-g-taffo-federal-benefits-consultant-on-addressing-fears-and-challenges-in-retirement-planning

Mario Taffo is a volunteer educator for The Institute for Financial Awareness, one of the fastest growing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the DC/Metro area.Mario is a widely sought out speaker. His most requested workshop/webinar topics are 10 Steps to Financial Freedom, Retirement Planning for Federal Employees and Estate Planning.Mario has been a member of the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since 2009. He has provided financial educational support and resources to many embassies in Washington D.C., military bases, federal agencies, churches and other organizations. He also provides direct support to numerous HR departments at federal agencies in the DC/Metro area.Mario has presented hundreds of financial wellness and financial literacy workshops in the DC metropolitan area, as well as educational webinars to participants around the world.Mario has a MBA degree from the University of Central Florida and has been working in the financial services industry since 1996. Mario started his financial services career as a loan originator.Mario has experience in investments and banking, in addition to retirement planning. Mario is fluent in Spanish. His bi-lingual abilities have allowed him to help guide many civilians, active duty and in-service and retired federal employees through the complex steps of their retirement planning process.Thousands of individuals and small business owners have benefited from Mario's knowledge and expertise, but one of his greatest pleasures in life is to help his friends and family plan for retirement. As a father, Mario has personal experience planning for college and has helped countless families reach their college planning goals.In his free time Mario enjoys traveling, playing soccer, scuba diving and exercising. He is a loyal CrossFit enthusiast who can be found in his local gym every morning, competing with himself and pushing others to reach their full potential in the gym.Learn more: http://www.ifaonline.org/Influential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-mario-g-taffo-federal-benefits-consultant-on-navigating-tsp-withdrawals-and-tax-implications

Mario Taffo is a volunteer educator for The Institute for Financial Awareness, one of the fastest growing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the DC/Metro area.Mario is a widely sought out speaker. His most requested workshop/webinar topics are 10 Steps to Financial Freedom, Retirement Planning for Federal Employees and Estate Planning.Mario has been a member of the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since 2009. He has provided financial educational support and resources to many embassies in Washington D.C., military bases, federal agencies, churches and other organizations. He also provides direct support to numerous HR departments at federal agencies in the DC/Metro area.Mario has presented hundreds of financial wellness and financial literacy workshops in the DC metropolitan area, as well as educational webinars to participants around the world.Mario has a MBA degree from the University of Central Florida and has been working in the financial services industry since 1996. Mario started his financial services career as a loan originator.Mario has experience in investments and banking, in addition to retirement planning. Mario is fluent in Spanish. His bi-lingual abilities have allowed him to help guide many civilians, active duty and in-service and retired federal employees through the complex steps of their retirement planning process.Thousands of individuals and small business owners have benefited from Mario's knowledge and expertise, but one of his greatest pleasures in life is to help his friends and family plan for retirement. As a father, Mario has personal experience planning for college and has helped countless families reach their college planning goals.In his free time Mario enjoys traveling, playing soccer, scuba diving and exercising. He is a loyal CrossFit enthusiast who can be found in his local gym every morning, competing with himself and pushing others to reach their full potential in the gym.Learn more: http://www.ifaonline.org/Influential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-mario-g-taffo-federal-benefits-consultant-on-navigating-tsp-withdrawals-and-tax-implications

Mario Taffo is a volunteer educator for The Institute for Financial Awareness, one of the fastest growing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the DC/Metro area.Mario is a widely sought out speaker. His most requested workshop/webinar topics are 10 Steps to Financial Freedom, Retirement Planning for Federal Employees and Estate Planning.Mario has been a member of the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since 2009. He has provided financial educational support and resources to many embassies in Washington D.C., military bases, federal agencies, churches and other organizations. He also provides direct support to numerous HR departments at federal agencies in the DC/Metro area.Mario has presented hundreds of financial wellness and financial literacy workshops in the DC metropolitan area, as well as educational webinars to participants around the world.Mario has a MBA degree from the University of Central Florida and has been working in the financial services industry since 1996. Mario started his financial services career as a loan originator.Mario has experience in investments and banking, in addition to retirement planning. Mario is fluent in Spanish. His bi-lingual abilities have allowed him to help guide many civilians, active duty and in-service and retired federal employees through the complex steps of their retirement planning process.Thousands of individuals and small business owners have benefited from Mario's knowledge and expertise, but one of his greatest pleasures in life is to help his friends and family plan for retirement. As a father, Mario has personal experience planning for college and has helped countless families reach their college planning goals.In his free time Mario enjoys traveling, playing soccer, scuba diving and exercising. He is a loyal CrossFit enthusiast who can be found in his local gym every morning, competing with himself and pushing others to reach their full potential in the gym.Learn more: http://www.ifaonline.org/Influential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-mario-g-taffo-federal-benefits-consultant-on-addressing-fears-and-challenges-in-retirement-planning

Mario Taffo is a volunteer educator for The Institute for Financial Awareness, one of the fastest growing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the DC/Metro area.Mario is a widely sought out speaker. His most requested workshop/webinar topics are 10 Steps to Financial Freedom, Retirement Planning for Federal Employees and Estate Planning.Mario has been a member of the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since 2009. He has provided financial educational support and resources to many embassies in Washington D.C., military bases, federal agencies, churches and other organizations. He also provides direct support to numerous HR departments at federal agencies in the DC/Metro area.Mario has presented hundreds of financial wellness and financial literacy workshops in the DC metropolitan area, as well as educational webinars to participants around the world.Mario has a MBA degree from the University of Central Florida and has been working in the financial services industry since 1996. Mario started his financial services career as a loan originator.Mario has experience in investments and banking, in addition to retirement planning. Mario is fluent in Spanish. His bi-lingual abilities have allowed him to help guide many civilians, active duty and in-service and retired federal employees through the complex steps of their retirement planning process.Thousands of individuals and small business owners have benefited from Mario's knowledge and expertise, but one of his greatest pleasures in life is to help his friends and family plan for retirement. As a father, Mario has personal experience planning for college and has helped countless families reach their college planning goals.In his free time Mario enjoys traveling, playing soccer, scuba diving and exercising. He is a loyal CrossFit enthusiast who can be found in his local gym every morning, competing with himself and pushing others to reach their full potential in the gym.Learn more: http://www.ifaonline.org/Influential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-mario-g-taffo-federal-benefits-consultant-on-understanding-fers-benefits-and-retirement-planning

Mario Taffo is a volunteer educator for The Institute for Financial Awareness, one of the fastest growing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the DC/Metro area.Mario is a widely sought out speaker. His most requested workshop/webinar topics are 10 Steps to Financial Freedom, Retirement Planning for Federal Employees and Estate Planning.Mario has been a member of the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since 2009. He has provided financial educational support and resources to many embassies in Washington D.C., military bases, federal agencies, churches and other organizations. He also provides direct support to numerous HR departments at federal agencies in the DC/Metro area.Mario has presented hundreds of financial wellness and financial literacy workshops in the DC metropolitan area, as well as educational webinars to participants around the world.Mario has a MBA degree from the University of Central Florida and has been working in the financial services industry since 1996. Mario started his financial services career as a loan originator.Mario has experience in investments and banking, in addition to retirement planning. Mario is fluent in Spanish. His bi-lingual abilities have allowed him to help guide many civilians, active duty and in-service and retired federal employees through the complex steps of their retirement planning process.Thousands of individuals and small business owners have benefited from Mario's knowledge and expertise, but one of his greatest pleasures in life is to help his friends and family plan for retirement. As a father, Mario has personal experience planning for college and has helped countless families reach their college planning goals.In his free time Mario enjoys traveling, playing soccer, scuba diving and exercising. He is a loyal CrossFit enthusiast who can be found in his local gym every morning, competing with himself and pushing others to reach their full potential in the gym.Learn more: http://www.ifaonline.org/Influential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-mario-g-taffo-federal-benefits-consultant-on-understanding-fers-benefits-and-retirement-planning

In the 8 AM Hour: Julie Gunlock and Hans Von Spakovsky discussed: WMAL GUEST: 8:05 AM - INTERVIEW - SUSAN FERRECHIO - National Politics Correspondent, Washington Times SOCIAL MEDIA: https://x.com/susanferrechio FERRECHIO: Trump allies dangle primary threats over GOP senators wavering over Cabinet picks Daniel Penny acquitted in subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely AOC slammed for suggesting subway riders should be scared of Daniel Penny: ‘Utter stupidity’ Luigi Mangione, suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s shooting, charged with murder in NYC DC Metro fare evader seriously hurt after falling down to platform Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @patricepinkfile, and @heatherhunterdc. Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Tuesday, December 10, 2024 / 8 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen oversees Baldi Management Group (BMG), an airport concessions and management consulting company that manages restaurants in Reagan National Airport, JFK International Airport and Dulles International Airport. Established in 2008, BMG operates various food and beverage outlets, including franchises like Dunkin’ Donuts, Potbelly, and Smashburger. Stephen is an alumnus of Georgetown University, where he was a Community Scholar and student-athlete. He attributes his success to mentorship and now mentors young people, aiming to provide growth opportunities within his company. As founder-led company, Stephen has formed connections with other DC-based founder-led restaurants like Founding Famers and Timber Pizza as well as with larger national brands. About 15-20% of BMG's customers are employees from the airport itself. Stephen is a strong advocate of mentorship and helping employees grow and advance within an organization, even if it means the employee leaving the organization for a better opportunity. QUOTES “My commitment to making meaningful connections with people comes from way back then when I was forced to do it, not only because of who I am but my circumstances and I've tried to carry that out through my career and my life.” (Stephen) “There's something different about a founder-led company, because you've built it.” (Stephen)“Airports are a wonderful place to work. Once you end up in this ecosystem, it's hard to walk away.” (Stephen)“(In airports), the passengers are dynamic. We get to meet and connect with them all. We have the privilege of participating in whatever journey people are on every day and the following day, we get a whole new group of people.” (Stephen) “The (airport concessions and restaurant industry) is about an $8 billion a year industry nationally but the industry is controlled by about 20 key companies. It's a small ecosystem.” (Stephen) “Operating a streetside restaurant versus a restaurant in an airport is a completely different sport. The speed, the requirements, the logistical challenges (of being an in airport), all of our crewmembers have to go through background checks. Unless you're a serious player, you're not trying to participate in airports.” (Stephen) “We encourage our crewmembers just to meet people where they are. It may be the 50th time you've welcomed someone to our restaurant but it's the first time you've spoken to the person in front of you. You should be additive to their experience and not add additional stress or complications.” (Stephen) “We welcome the chaos. When it's raining and snowing outside and your flights are delayed, we kind of welcome that because that means we get to hang out with you a little bit longer.” (Stephen) “If I bring in someone as a front line worker who's pouring coffee, if they're still pouring coffee in three years, both them and the organization has done something wrong. We want to scale people up.” (Stephen)  TRANSCRIPT 00:01.9900:01.99vigorbrandingHey folks, welcome to Fork Tales, and I’m excited. Today’s guest is Stephen Baldi He’s the founder and president of Baldi Management Group. Baldy Management Group is an airport concessions and management consulting company. It’s a mouthful there. ah Manages concessions in Reagan National Airport, JFK International Airport, and Dulles International Airport. Stephen, welcome to Fork Tales, and thank you so much for joining us.00:25.82Stephen BaldiMichael, thank you for having me. I’m looking forward to the conversation.00:29.01vigorbrandingSo for those that don’t know, all of these are located in the sort of DC Metro, Baltimore or down at DC Metro area, right?00:36.21Stephen BaldiCorrect.00:37.04vigorbrandingYeah.00:37.19Stephen BaldiYeah, even though Philadelphia is my hometown, I’ve been in Washington DC for almost 30 years. um So this is home base for us.00:46.37vigorbrandingyeah Well, you you you know, I have a little trick question because that was going to be my first question. Are you still a Philly sports fan? I mean, do you bleed Eagle Green?00:53.03Stephen Baldiif If you cut me, it would be nothing but green. I live in Washington, DC.00:56.48vigorbrandingOK, beautiful.00:57.88Stephen BaldiMy heart is in Philadelphia.00:59.81vigorbrandingBeautiful, beautiful. Wow. There’s, there’s guys, I don’t even know what they call themselves these days. these’s The commanders, the Washington football club.01:04.91Stephen Baldioh The Washington football team, they’re all.01:05.40vigorbrandingI mean, they’re just, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Just, it’s irrelevant. It’s irrelevant.01:10.11Stephen BaldiYeah, Michael, my family would disown me if anything other than my ah zip code changed as far as my hometown affiliation.01:10.06vigorbrandingSo that’s fantastic. Hey, it’s awesome. You got to bring, I had a gentleman come in, uh, from, uh, Oregon last week to speak to a bunch of advertising agencies from North America. We hosted them in Philadelphia and this guy was so excited. He was, he, he, he came from there, but he was Philly through and through. So everything in his presentation tied back to a Philly icon, something about Philadelphia that was iconic. And, you know, ah in our company, we’re,01:44.34vigorbrandingWe’re very proud that we’re an independent advertising agencies. We have an agency called Vigor and an agency called Quench. Vigor’s restaurant branding. Quench is food and beverage marketing. And the whole thing was around independence and how it’s how important it is.01:57.06vigorbrandingAnd he had all these great icons from like Nick Foles to, ah you know, ah Mike Schmidt to the Fanatic to, I mean, Will Smith.02:07.11vigorbrandingI mean, he just went through all the Philadelphia stuff, you know, the Liberty Bell and everything else. and So it was cool. It was cool.02:11.77Stephen Baldium I love it. I’ll tell you an interesting story about Nick Foles. So I had a really good feeling about our Super Bowl run, even though you know Carson Wentz, who was leading as the MVP that year, went down. And the Friday before the Super Bowl, something told me to go online and buy a Nick Foles autograph helmet.02:33.57vigorbrandingWow.02:34.10Stephen BaldiAnd I did. Now, I did not expedite the shipping, Michael. So it was not in my possession on Monday after we had won the Super Bowl. And many of my friends said that helmet’s never going to show up, but it did.02:47.65Stephen BaldiSo I bought it for $99.02:47.77vigorbrandingThat’s awesome.02:49.77Stephen BaldiAnd I can tell you, it’s it’s worth a lot more than that.02:51.92vigorbrandingThat’s awesome. Yeah, it’s worth a lot to people in Philadelphia. So it’s fantastic. And the pride of that city runs deep. So alright, so tell us about Baldy enter Management Group and what it does what inspired you to get into the airport concession games. I mean, you started I think in residential property, right?03:06.90Stephen BaldiI did. I started in residential property management in 2002. And I started in airports in 2005. And it was all kind of serendipitous. I had a really ah prickly history before starting in 2002.03:23.22Stephen Baldiat Kettler Management, which managed tax credit properties, but also Class A luxury communities.03:29.04vigorbrandingOkay.03:29.23Stephen BaldiAnd I had a tenant coming to my office. And she said, Steven, I see you engaging with the residents and how you handle issues. And I think you should be doing more. And I thought to myself, like this woman doesn’t know me.03:39.92Stephen BaldiYeah, I just fixed her fireplace. But who are you to come in my office and tell me what I should be doing? And at the time, I was making $22,000 a year with a Georgetown degree. And the job that they wanted me to interview for paid $85,000 a year.03:54.21vigorbrandingwow03:54.39Stephen BaldiSo as you can assume, Michael, goal I took the interview, I got the job. And so for three years, I worked in development for Westfield, which most people know as shopping mall developers, they have an airport division.04:05.82vigorbrandingHmm. Ah.04:07.99Stephen BaldiAnd so I was responsible for the redevelopment of national airport here in Washington, DC from 2005. to 2008. And then I leveraged a relationship with OTG Management, which has a very large presence at Philadelphia International, um into a joint venture relationship and actually launched the company, BMG, in 2008. And two thousand and eight and it’s we’ve not looked back since.04:31.36vigorbrandingThat’s fantastic. you know It’s funny. I really i don’t know you. we’re We’re really talking for the first time. I can tell right away, like youre you have a positive attitude, and I can tell you’re engaging. And so I could see how someone would see you in action and be like, hey, you know you you could do more. like You can be a part of something bigger. And it’s obviously what’s happened, which is it’s awesome. I’m a big proponent of attitude. I mean, i I love to know where people went to school. I mean, if you if I interview you, I want to see your brains on the table.04:58.39vigorbrandingBut I really want to know what your personality is like. I want to know about your attitude. I want to know ah how ah how much of a ah person you are that wants to win and be engaging and help people. And it’s ah like it comes through with you right away.05:09.91vigorbrandingAnd that’s ah it’s cool.05:10.18Stephen BaldiI appreciate that.05:11.03vigorbrandingnow it’s it’s05:11.32Stephen BaldiYeah, i’ll I’ll take it back if you if you want me to. So ah back in 1988, I was turning 13 and I begged my mom for a pair of Air Jordan sneakers.05:24.58Stephen BaldiAnd you’ll remember when Gordon’s first came out, ah they were the first shoe over a hundred dollars.05:25.72vigorbrandingOh, yeah.05:29.85vigorbrandingOh, yes, they were.05:30.36Stephen Baldiyeah I grew up in a upper lower class household and it was a stretch for my mom to purchase these shoes.05:31.49vigorbrandingYep.05:37.09vigorbrandingMm hmm.05:38.21Stephen BaldiBut I begged her and I begged her and I begged her and and she ended up buying them for me. And she said, you know, I just want you to be safe. Well, you probably can assume where the story goes. Within like a month of getting these sneakers, I was an attempted robbery, and I acted very violently to defend myself, and it resulted in me getting expelled from the school that I was at.05:59.94Stephen BaldiAnd as a punishment, ah rather than letting me play basketball for the entire summer, my mom forced me to go to the reading math and basketball clinic at Friend Central, which is a very prominent independent school on the main line of Philadelphia.06:14.39vigorbrandingMm hmm.06:14.96Stephen BaldiAnd that decision changed my life. um I went from living in a predominantly all-Black neighborhood to a private school that I was the only Black male in my class.06:25.11vigorbrandingWow.06:25.74Stephen BaldiAnd what it did was it changed my perspective of what was accessible. like I had never seen a computer before.06:31.75vigorbrandingRight.06:32.14Stephen BaldiAnd at this school, there was in a computer lab where we could sit down and navigate things.06:34.40vigorbrandingYeah.06:36.15Stephen BaldiAnd so going to Friends Central, having my mom make that leap of faith changed my trajectory in many ways. I matriculated from there to Georgetown University here in Washington, DC, which is how I got.06:48.20Stephen Baldito Washington DC. So I am a super Philadelphia sports fan, because not only am I from Philly, but Allen Iverson was my classmate at Georgetown University.06:51.93vigorbrandingThat’s awesome.06:55.50vigorbrandingIs that right?06:56.61Stephen BaldiYeah, we were the same class.06:56.89vigorbrandingWow.06:57.61Stephen BaldiAnd so, yeah, very cool.06:58.33vigorbrandingThat’s so cool. Yeah.07:00.38Stephen BaldiAnd so maya my commitment to making meaningful connections with people comes from way back then when I was forced to do it, not only because of who I am, but my circumstances.07:00.74vigorbrandingAI. It’s legendary.07:12.75Stephen BaldiAnd I’ve tried to carry that out through my career and my life.07:15.84vigorbrandingThat’s fantastic. what a great That’s great. That’s a great story. you know it’s like It’s funny that on the Air Jordans, at that time, when they came out, and I can follow you on that. i know you You nailed it. You said the first sneaker that was over $100. My dad had ah this like mom and pop retail sporting store. We sold mostly like hockey stuff. We were from Hershey, Pennsylvania.07:35.39vigorbrandingAnd I was working in a store in in Camp Hill and outside of Hershey. It’s up in the West Shore, they call it. Anyway, long story short, I was in the mall and we sold some sneakers and the Air Jordans came out and we had them on the wall.07:48.37vigorbrandingAnd it was like, it was insane. $100 for a pair of sneakers.07:52.08Stephen BaldiYeah.07:52.28vigorbrandingAnd I mean, like, whereas I’ll say the average then was probably like on the high end was probably like 50, 55.07:57.40Stephen BaldiYeah, for sure.07:58.58vigorbrandingAnd this went right to 100. And it was funny, my dad, maybe that’s where I started learning about, and I really did learn a lot about marketing, working in retail, because you have to talk to people, you have to sell. And I think that’s the most important skill a person can learn. Communicating with people and learning how to sell, like, you know, at least present yourself, right? So I put these sneakers at the very top. I said, dad, you know what? ah I said, everybody wants the Air Jordans. Most people can’t afford them.08:21.42vigorbrandingbut everyone wants to come and look at it. So I always sell them the white, the white, men’s the body they’re like but you know, so for every one Air Jordan, I saw, I used to sell like 30 other pairs of shoes.08:25.49Stephen Baldiah yeah08:30.65vigorbrandingYou know what I mean?08:31.05Stephen BaldiIt’s been up in the store. It’s like a newspaper. People don’t necessarily want just the newspaper, at least the retailer does it, but they come in to buy the newspaper and then they buy the water, the soda, the candy.08:33.13vigorbrandingThat’s right.08:39.73vigorbrandingThat’s right. yeah I lured them in with the Air Jordans. I think we had like five parrot the most. I mean, we couldn’t afford, you know, it’s a little mom pop store.08:46.41Stephen BaldiProbably two sizes.08:47.56vigorbrandingYeah, right. That’s exactly right. So that’s funny. So okay, you talked about sports and and and you know, Philly and all that you you pride yourself on um being a local company and playing in front of the home crowd.08:58.99vigorbrandingTalk a little bit about the the local connection in DC that you have.09:02.34Stephen BaldiYeah, so I’ll tell you, when you fly into most airports, what people don’t automatically see, but being a former developer, I understand that any airport authority, when you land in their airport, they want you to know what city you are in.09:18.24Stephen BaldiSo national brands are extremely important. So you’ll have your Dunkin’ Donuts. You’ll have your Pop-Belly’s, which are ah franchises that we operate.09:22.12vigorbrandingMm hmm.09:25.89Stephen BaldiBut every airport wants you to have a sense of place. So when you fly into Philadelphia Airport, you’ll have a Jim Stakes, because that’s you know historical to that region.09:34.38vigorbrandingYeah.09:34.93Stephen BaldiWhen you fly into National Airport here, or Dallas International, you’ll have your South Blocks, which is an ASE base. com concept here in the DC.09:45.49Stephen BaldiYou’ll have Ben’s Chili Bowl, which has been around since the 60s.09:45.90vigorbrandingMm hmm. Mm hmm.09:49.41Stephen BaldiAnd so we’ve prided ourselves from identifying and connecting with other founder-led brands, because I’m a founder. And nothing against a hired gun.09:56.93vigorbrandingMm hmm.09:58.81Stephen BaldiI know they are often effective at their job. But there’s something different about a founder-led company because you’ve built it.10:06.95vigorbrandingYeah.10:07.27Stephen Baldiit probably has more ah meaning to you behind just the bottom line um results that you drive. It’s personal.10:15.52vigorbrandingYeah.10:15.69Stephen BaldiAnd so we’ve developed very deep relationships with companies like founding farmers, with timber pizza, who are all local based companies here. And we expect to continue to grow it, not just in this region that we’re in, but as we grow into other markets to do the same.10:30.68vigorbrandingYeah, that’s that’s fantastic. And you nailed it. I mean, like, I’m a founder, I’m an entrepreneur. And you know, and ah again, wonderful folks that that work with me, I’m very, very, very lucky. But you know, for for most people, it’s their job, you know, their career, and and hopefully there’s a sense of of a family and a real relationship.10:49.53vigorbrandingBut for me, it’s my life. I mean, i am I am defined personally by this, which is probably pretty shallow.10:51.05Stephen Baldiright10:54.86vigorbrandingI mean, i mean look, um I love my daughters. I’m a dad. I’m ah a husband. I love my family with all my heart, but I feel like I’m defined by my company and the what I’ve built. and and all of that And I just, you know, so again, I don’t know if that’s a bad thing or a good thing or whatever, but it’s just, it’s ah it’s a lot deeper, right?11:11.93vigorbrandingWhen you found something and ah it’s it’s a lot deeper, everyone thinks it has to do with like money and stuff, and it really doesn’t.11:12.49Stephen BaldiRight. For sure.11:17.73vigorbrandingIt’s a it’s really about, you know, sort of like your life’s life’s work. and You know, you know, I get I get the most excitement out of seeing the growth of the folks in the company. ah It’s great to see the brands grow and the companies grow.11:30.42vigorbrandingBut I really get a kick out of of seeing the folks that have been here a long time and and all that. So anyway, that’s just that’s me.11:35.91Stephen Baldiright11:36.26vigorbrandingBut I just I totally I totally concur with what you’re saying as far as the founder led. I mean, that’s that’s fantastic.11:41.40Stephen BaldiYeah, at some point as a founder, you most likely had to put something at risk that meant something to you.11:47.14vigorbrandingYeah.11:47.50Stephen BaldiWhether it’s personal guaranteeing, first leverage to build the company or, you know, having to bail it out because you run into a pandemic, which we all face back in 2020.11:47.75vigorbrandingOh, yeah. Yeah.11:55.18vigorbrandingAll right.11:57.80Stephen Baldium Oftentimes you can’t just walk from that business and matriculate to another W2 position because this is yours. And so I love when I can connect with founders.12:04.69vigorbrandingYeah.12:07.41Stephen BaldiI’ll work with non-founders also, but there’s something unique about the journey we’ve all been on.12:09.54vigorbrandingSure.12:11.88vigorbrandingYeah, absolutely. So let’s let’s talk a little bit. I just so folks know, I mean, what’s really cool about this conversation is I, ah you know, with vigor, we work with restaurant brands, right?12:22.32vigorbrandingSo we’re very familiar with restaurant brands. And you you have brands like Potbelly, Smashburger. You said founding farmers soon to come. ah Timber Pizza, Dunkin, I mean, some some household names.12:33.94vigorbrandingI don’t know if I’m um yeah any ants.12:34.26Stephen BaldiOn the end, don’t forget on the end, this is what else we have.12:35.99vigorbrandingNo, I can’t actually. Yeah, we actually worked on any answers. We have an agency called quench that a branding agency, Food and Beverage, that that actually worked with Auntie Anne’s because they started here in Lancaster.12:40.96Stephen BaldiOkay.12:45.88vigorbrandinghu Yeah, and I got to meet Anne Byler in the beginning.12:45.98Stephen BaldiThey did.12:48.81vigorbrandingSo, Auntie Anne is actually a person and she’s a wonderful lady and It was a really really awesome to meet her and and and what a she was so she’s a very philanthropic lady very very ah ah Generous and very successful very so she’s got a phenomenal story as well. But so yeah, I certainly won’t leave the auntie hands out But you so you have all these great brands um Talk a little bit about I mean, you know, you said somewhere founded by they you know the founders and all that what’s it like to to manage all these different brands and13:18.00Stephen BaldiI’ll tell you, it’s a dynamic environment. Airports are a wonderful place to do business. Again, I share with you briefly how I matriculated into them, but once you end up in this kind of ecosystem, it’s hard to walk away.13:33.35Stephen BaldiWe get the privilege of serving the traveling public every day. And what’s special about that are the passengers are dynamic. There are people who are going on business trips. There are people who are going on vacations. There are people who are going to be celebrated and there are people who are going to, you know,13:51.28Stephen Baldiusher people off into a transition of life. And we get to meet and connect with them all. And so I tell our crew members that we have the privilege of participating in whatever journey people are on every day.14:03.68Stephen BaldiAnd then the following day, we get a whole new group of people coming through.14:06.48vigorbrandingyeah yeah14:07.36Stephen BaldiSo that’s dynamic in the industries are small. I will tell you it’s about a $8 billion industry nationally in the United States, food and beverage and airports.14:14.57vigorbrandingYeah. Yeah.14:19.40Stephen BaldiBut the industry is really controlled by about 20 key companies. And within those 20 companies, you probably have 50 total key players.14:23.32vigorbrandingyeah14:27.50Stephen BaldiAnd so we know each other. you know You typically don’t leave the industry. Your business card may change. So you may go from company to company, but it’s a small ecosystem. And so I’ve enjoyed being in the industry now.14:40.58Stephen Baldi18 years. I started when I was two. ah But it’s a buy it’s been an extraordinary 18 years, except for some of the challenges like COVID. But you know for the people who were able and blessed to push through it, I think we have a different perspective on what we can be and what we should be in the businesses that we lead. To your point,15:00.50Stephen Baldium being defined by your business is not necessarily shallow, but there’s levels, there’s there’s depth to what we do.15:08.62vigorbrandingYeah.15:08.91Stephen BaldiAnd I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to swim in those depths ah for many years.15:14.41vigorbrandingThat’s awesome. We’ll get to COVID in a second, but I want to go back to airports. ah I’ll say, fortunately or unfortunately, I’m a customer. I’m in an airport every single week. So when you’re describing the people you see there, it’s like, yeah.15:21.70Stephen BaldiAwesome.15:24.71vigorbrandingI mean, you know there’s it’s every single walk of life. Everyone seems to have a higher level of stress.15:30.65Stephen Baldiyeah15:30.77vigorbrandingEveryone’s in a hurry, even when they’re not, or even worse, if someone’s really not in a hurry and they’re walking slow in the airport, that can actually be more frustrating and stressful. but ah So how do you how do you deal with that chaos? I mean, you got all these people that are amped up and nervous and they have anxiety or whatever, and then all of a sudden you’ve got to serve them and take them, you know, and represent these great brands and and and actually make the stuff and and in a and a fast time because they’re always running late, even if they’re not, they just think they’re always stressed.15:56.04Stephen BaldiRight.15:59.20vigorbrandingTalk about airport concessions. Talk about that chaos.16:02.08Stephen BaldiYeah, so you meet people where they are. And I will tell you, operating a street-side restaurant versus an airport, it’s a completely different sport.16:09.79vigorbrandingI cannot imagine.16:10.73Stephen BaldiI tell ah these founder-led companies when they’re thinking about matriculating in the airports, I tell them you know it’s like playing high school varsity basketball.16:10.80vigorbrandingyeah16:19.70Stephen BaldiAnd then you get drafted to the and NBA, like the speed, the requirements, you know, we have to go through the logistical um challenges of having every box that comes into your restaurant scan.16:20.40vigorbrandingYeah. Yeah. Yeah.16:31.21Stephen BaldiLike Cisco’s not pulling up to our back door and delivering our ground beef for Smashburger.16:31.53vigorbrandingYeah.16:34.05vigorbrandingRight.16:35.85Stephen BaldiLike it’s going through an X-ray, just like your luggage is.16:38.86vigorbrandingYeah.16:39.39Stephen Baldium All of our crew members have to go through a 10 year federal background check.16:44.03vigorbrandingSure.16:44.19Stephen Baldium There’s complexities to the business, which are to our challenge. But to me, it’s also kind of to our benefit, Michael, because it reduces my competition. Because unless you’re a serious player, you’re not trying to participate in airports.16:54.14vigorbrandingMhm.16:56.81Stephen BaldiAnd so for me, understanding those barriers and be able to navigate them are great. But from a day to day operation standpoint, We encourage our crew members just to meet people where they are.17:07.93Stephen Baldium It may be the 50th time you’ve welcomed someone to our restaurant, but it’s the first time you’ve spoken to the person that’s in front of you. And again, you don’t know if they’re going on vacation or they’re going to a celebration of life to send a family member home.17:16.31vigorbrandingright17:22.96Stephen BaldiRegardless, you should be additive to their experience and not adding additional stress or complications. Just try to deliver them fast, friendly, exceptional,17:34.09Stephen Baldiservice because that’s our standard. That is our vision for the company, which is being exceptional is our standard. It’s not something that happens intermittently.17:42.84vigorbrandingAll right.17:44.59Stephen BaldiIt happens all the time. And so we welcome the chaos.17:45.78vigorbrandingYeah.17:48.05Stephen BaldiYou know, when it’s raining and snowing outside, even though your flights are delayed, we kind of welcome that because that means you get to hang out with you a little bit longer.17:54.78vigorbrandingYeah. Yeah.17:55.63Stephen BaldiSo as long as we’re not canceling flights, if they’re just delayed, that’s kind of our sweet spot.18:00.01vigorbrandingThere you go.18:00.65Stephen BaldiSo we welcome it all.18:02.58vigorbrandingThat’s awesome. You know, you you said something really interesting. So as I mentioned, Vigor is our agency that that does branding and marketing for restaurants. I know, and it’s not, you know, it’s common knowledge that turnover and and employees in the restaurant industry is like the biggest hassle, right? and Everyone’s dealing with that that turnover. But you just said something. they They have to go through this long, arduous process to get through. So do you find that you have, I’ll say, maybe better better qualified, better quality,18:32.38vigorbrandingah team members in your restaurants?18:34.64Stephen BaldiI would tell you that our hourly and even our salary leadership ah on some levels, they’re more committed because it is a personal investment to get through the process.18:39.98vigorbrandingMm-hmm.18:45.54Stephen BaldiAnd so, you know, typical food and beverage turnover is anywhere from 100 to 150%. And only ours is closer to like 30.18:51.64vigorbrandingRight.18:54.91vigorbrandingthat’s hey That’s fantastic. I never thought that that would have never dawned on me that that would be ah an unfair advantage. you know It’s funny, like yeah I was telling someone the other day, you know the higher the barrier to entry in business, actually the better the business is because you don’t have just everybody and anybody competing.19:12.66vigorbrandingSo you you have a higher barrier of entry.19:13.25Stephen BaldiCorrect.19:15.58vigorbrandingum And with that, you have you sort of have ah have a capture to a degree ah group of people, right? ah But the one thing that is interesting, I think if I remember correctly, I think there’s like 30%, I’ll say of ah if it’s a Dunkin Donuts on the street corner, 30% of their their ah customers will probably repeat, right?19:35.43vigorbrandingah you You are not, I mean, you know you might have the same business guy that flies every Thursday out to you know wherever,19:37.58Stephen BaldiNo?19:40.80Stephen Baldiwe have We’ll have our Michaels.19:41.81vigorbrandingYeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.19:42.16Stephen BaldiWe have our Michaels.19:43.59vigorbrandingI’ll hit your place and at the airport get a coffee on the way out, but that’s it. Yeah, that’s it. So that’s.19:48.43Stephen BaldiI will tell you, though, we do have outside of the the traveling public, we do have recurring customers who are the people who work at the airport. I mean, at National and Dulles Airport, you get anywhere from five thousand to ten thousand employees that are there every day.19:56.97vigorbrandingNo, that makes sense. Sure.20:03.65Stephen BaldiAnd so ah they are also extremely important to us.20:03.75vigorbrandingMm hmm. Hey, they got to eat and drink, right?20:07.86Stephen BaldiThey got to eat and drink and they have to do it fast.20:09.70vigorbrandingRight. That’s right.20:10.84Stephen BaldiWell, we have different incentives to get them in and out, but they are our recurring customers and they’re about 15 to 20 percent of our business.20:15.10vigorbrandingYeah, that makes sense. Hey, going back to the old mall days that I was talking about the sneakers, I sold a lot of sneakers to people that worked in the mall, not many Air Jordans, but a lot of the, you know, a lot of the lower end sneakers.20:22.26Stephen BaldiYeah, for sure.20:27.36vigorbrandingSo, we talked to you hit on earlier and I know we, we inevitably, hopefully one day we, we don’t, and we don’t have to talk about, we always go back and talking about COVID and, uh, you know,20:35.54Stephen BaldiOh, yeah.20:37.21vigorbrandingOne of our companies and our holding company is a company called Varsity. And Varsity does retirement communities around the country, we market retirement companies. Well, that that industry shut down. I mean, no one was going, no one was visiting, and people were sick. It was bad. Restaurants, another one of our our agencies, right? We marketed restaurants. No one was going. It was basically shut down. you know Your hospitality Uh, and your restaurants, I mean, and your travel, I mean, you’re, you’re combining it all and how, talk about that a little bit.21:06.75vigorbrandingI mean, you were hit from both ends.21:07.11Stephen BaldiOh, I had the privilege of double dipping.21:11.81vigorbrandingYeah.21:11.93Stephen BaldiSo we were in hospitality beverage, but we were also in travel.21:12.41vigorbrandingIn turmoil.21:15.47vigorbrandingYeah.21:16.03Stephen BaldiAnd so I remember very specifically on March 11th, 2020, President Trump came on television and he announced a 30-day travel ban to Europe.21:27.16vigorbrandingMm-hmm.21:28.65Stephen BaldiAnd at the time, ah most people only thought about the impact of air traffic travel to Europe, places like London, Paris.21:37.58vigorbrandingright21:38.31Stephen BaldiBut I anticipated that this was really the big moment for our industry.21:43.00vigorbrandingRight.21:43.21Stephen BaldiI know a lot of people associate kind of their aha moment with COVID becoming a significant thing when the NBA shut down and more importantly, when the NCAA tournament shut down.21:53.85Stephen BaldiBut that announcement on March 11th signified for me that things were about to change for my business.21:58.60vigorbrandingYeah.21:58.72Stephen BaldiNow, I didn’t know it was going to be 18 months.22:02.21vigorbrandingRight.22:02.55Stephen Baldium But within about two weeks, we lost 85% of our top line revenue. And so on March 18, we shut the company down for 18 months. um And it was a challenge to what we talked about earlier, where a lot of my identity was tied up in this company that I built.22:20.39Stephen BaldiWell, there was no company to have an identity he tied to. And so for me as a leader, It really pushed me during that time to redefine who I was in that moment and who I was going to aspire to be if we were privileged enough to come out of it. And we did. We’ve come out very strong, stronger than actually we went in. um We actually sold 35% of the business last year to some strategic, but then also some individual investors. And so I’ve had the privilege of surrounding myself where before I was the only voice in the room and now there are many.22:55.69vigorbrandingRight.22:55.77Stephen BaldiAnd it presents some unique challenges, but also some extraordinary opportunities for me to low to learn and grow from other individuals and institutions that have built companies to scale, not all in food and beverage, many not.23:10.17Stephen Baldium But it’s really given me the opportunity to become a better leader um and to take our company into the next five to 10 years of what we will be.23:20.35vigorbrandingThat’s fantastic. you know i the the The COVID obviously affected everybody. It affected everybody in different ways. and like For us for a business, it was and it was really interesting in that you know because we have several different agencies in our holding company, it was sort of a little bit of a like a mutual fund where one or two stocks could be really down, but then others can be up. Our CPG agency, Quench,23:40.72vigorbrandingyou know we’ We’re doing we’re doing brands national brands like you know Sunmade Raise and Stark Institute. To me, COVID, to to that to that company and those brands, COVID was like the greatest sampling program in the history of Earth. i mean If you put it in a package back then, it was on a shelf. People bought it. They stuck it in their pantries. They ate it. They bought more of it. i mean They couldn’t get enough of it. i mean It was just ah an insane time.24:01.94vigorbrandingfor those companies. and then the other the The negative side obviously was the restaurants and everything else. i mean It’s a really interesting time. and and you know You said about how you it can define things. the other thing One of the other things we did was we took adversity. We had all these CEOs that were like, what is everyone doing? i mean like you you know This just happened. It was unprecedented. What is everybody else doing? so We thought, well,24:23.89vigorbrandingAll right, we’re not making i mean and and again it’s not we’re not making revenue businesses down, but we still have these relationships. They’re our clients. So what can we do? So it wasn’t my idea, but one of our guys said, hey, let’s create sort of a round table. of that And our agency is called Varsity. So we called it the Varsity Round Table. So we got all these CEOs that were just like,24:41.34vigorbrandingWhat’s everyone doing? And they were able to talk and it was so successful that we did it the next week. And then they talked more and then more and more CEOs jumped in. They weren’t even our clients and became this open source sharing that has now been, we are on about, I think it’s like 250th.24:58.49vigorbrandingroundt We’ve been doing them every week since the first month of COVID.25:04.38Stephen BaldiWow, impressive.25:05.19vigorbrandingAnd what’s done for a company, for us, i mean again we don’t make any money from it. And it wasn’t about that. It was just a place for people to really vent and help. And now we have speakers come in and talk, and everyone’s obviously well beyond COVID.25:16.71vigorbrandingBut it’s really allowed us to be a thought leader and assist these folks. And you know at the end of the day, it’s what it’s all about. And I know a big thing for you is is mentorship, right? I mean, you know talk about giving back. you want you Do you want to talk a little bit about that?25:27.81Stephen BaldiYeah, I’ll talk about that but I’ll also talk similarly to your roundtable so in February of 2020 I had the privilege of joining the organization YPO, which is Young President Organization, which is very similar to what you define there’s 35.25:42.82Stephen Baldi1,000 YPO members globally. And it’s really for business leaders who have decided that they want to walk towards betterment as a person, as a leader, as a family member, as someone contributing to their community in partnership with other leaders.25:58.55Stephen BaldiAnd so I am in the Washington DC Baltimore chapter here ah in the region.25:58.93vigorbrandingMm hmm.26:04.18Stephen BaldiAnd I’m in leadership. And I can tell you that organization was really critical in me navigating everything that I had to go through ah during COVID.26:14.98Stephen BaldiNow, we didn’t we didn’t meet weekly, um but we do meet monthly in a small group of seven to 10 people, and we have forum.26:15.26vigorbrandingSure.26:19.82vigorbrandingMonthly forum.26:22.81Stephen BaldiAnd, oh, there you go.26:22.85vigorbrandingI didn’t know I’m i’m YPO, too. I didn’t know your IPO. Yeah, I’ve been.26:25.92Stephen BaldiYeah!26:26.21vigorbrandingYeah.26:27.01Stephen BaldiSo YDO is really what sustained me during COVID.26:27.03vigorbrandingSo Oh.26:29.86Stephen Baldium And I’m privileged to be on the ladder now in leadership.26:32.72vigorbrandingDo for you.26:35.01Stephen BaldiAnd so, yeah, as far as mentorship, when I started the company, you know it was a priority for me to give opportunity to underrepresented populations. um Now, as I started to grow the company, my focus started to turn inward, Michael, if I’m being honest. And you know the beginning of 2020, it was difficult for anybody to tell me that I wasn’t the shit. I built this company from zero to something much larger than I had ever aspired to as a young person.27:04.34vigorbrandingRight.27:06.68Stephen Baldium But COVID took all of that away.27:08.81vigorbrandingYeah.27:09.14Stephen BaldiAnd so what it reminded me of is that there was a mission that I started this company with. And it was something that I needed to recommit to when we reopened.27:19.90Stephen BaldiAnd so now um we’re really pouring into our crew members um When I hire someone, specifically, let’s take Dunkin Donuts.27:30.76Stephen BaldiIf I bring in someone as a frontline worker that’s pouring coffee, if they’re still pouring coffee for us in three years, both them and the organization has done something wrong.27:34.59vigorbrandingMmhmm.27:41.17Stephen Baldium We want to scale people up. It is not cost effective for us to have people in the same position for multiple years. So if we’re not scaling someone up to take on additional responsibility inside our company and sometimes even outside of our company, then we’ve done something wrong. you know My mentor told me a good leader ah expects or wants people to leave. A great leader expects them to.28:08.64vigorbrandingYeah.28:09.01Stephen BaldiAnd so either they’re leaving the position that we’re hiring them for or they’re leaving to go to another organization. But either way, we have to invest in our hourly crew members because we can’t afford not to.28:20.86vigorbrandingYeah.28:21.76Stephen BaldiAnd so that’s something that we really communicate out and share out. to our community and our organization and people know that we’re gonna invest in them in ways that other companies might not to and we feel like that gives us a competitive advantage and as a leader it makes me feel a good about not only our bottom line results but also the success that we can feel. I have a manager who’s been with us for eight years.28:46.57Stephen BaldiHer name is Marta. And she started as a single unit manager. And now she’s a multi-airport director.28:53.24vigorbrandingawesome.28:53.39Stephen BaldiAnd to see her growth and to understand the impact that that has has had on her family is tremendous. And I want to do that a hundred times over.29:00.50vigorbrandingSure.29:00.79Stephen BaldiAnd I have the privilege of being able to do that as a leader of our company.29:01.01vigorbrandingYeah.29:04.70vigorbrandingand And think of it this way, I mean, and that’s what’s so great about this country, I’ll say is like, you were making whatever $22,000 a year, I think you had free room or board or whatever you were managing, right?29:12.60Stephen BaldiI did.29:13.65vigorbrandingSo you you’re probably like, I’m getting by, this is okay. And look, you and you know, obviously, you’re you’re very well educated, you have a great drive and personality, but you you created a a huge company. And that’s, that’s, that’s really super cool, really super cool.29:25.90Stephen BaldiWell, Michael, I can tell you specifically in that first year, 2002, I made $19,117 and 43 cents. I can tell you that specifically because that W2 still sits on my desk.29:36.80Stephen BaldiI have it framed.29:36.84vigorbrandingYeah, yeah.29:37.68Stephen BaldiI look at it every day just to remind me of where all of this started and where now we’ve grown the company to I’m, I’m extremely proud.29:45.15vigorbrandingYeah. And you know, you mentioned YPO and I’ve been very privileged to be in that organization for, gosh, I think at least 20 some years.29:53.06Stephen BaldiSo you joined when you were 17.29:54.45vigorbrandingYeah, no, but yeah, it’s one of those things, is we you know, it used to kick you out when you’re 50. In fact, I did, I got the rocking chair and showed up at the front door.30:02.59Stephen BaldiOh, there you go.30:03.68vigorbrandingYeah, that was the thing. And then they decided to have YPO Gold, WPO and all that. stuff So I stayed in and now we’re like a forum for life. So my guys, we meet once a month and we are together. ah we A lot of it’s virtual because these guys, a lot of it, we’re retired and stuff.30:15.91vigorbrandingSo um I’m old. I mean, the it’s YPO o Gold, but I always say it’s Silent G, you know, YPO old. So, but it’s a, it was the greatest thing I’ve ever done for me.30:26.29vigorbrandingMaybe a better husband, better father, better businessman, a better employer, better ah a friend. I mean, and I i mean that.30:32.27Stephen Baldiand human30:33.29vigorbrandingYeah. It’s just a better human. And I think a lot of people see it from the outside and think it’s all, it’s a bunch of guys didn’t talk about how many cars they have and where they want vacation. It’s not that at all.30:40.24Stephen BaldiIt’s not that it’s a transformational community, you know, having a high trust network is invaluable.30:40.92vigorbrandingYou know, it’s, you know, it’s a, it is, it is.30:47.41vigorbrandingYep. Yeah. Someone’s got your back, right? You can always pick up that phone and call your, one of your folks and just, they got your back. No, that’s yeah.30:54.39Stephen BaldiAnd it’s nobody, and it’s nobody, nothing, never. And to have that level of confidentiality is special.30:57.03vigorbrandingThat’s right. Yep. Yeah. Yeah, that’s that’s awesome. That’s all good for you. I had no idea. That’s fantastic. um So, but now I’m going to do a little ploy here. You got to go and you should go to Austin this year to the food and beverage round table.31:10.60vigorbrandingI mean, if you can check it out, it’ll be, I think it’s in in January, you know, I’ll probably be speaking there, but you should go.31:14.55Stephen BaldiOK.31:16.84vigorbrandingI mean, you know, I’d love to meet you in person. It’d be fantastic.31:18.67Stephen BaldiYeah, I’d love that.31:18.88vigorbrandingAnyway, so could we do,31:20.42Stephen BaldiMaybe we’ll be celebrating a Phillies World Series by then.31:22.74vigorbrandingOh man, you’re making me nervous. um I hope so. I hope you’re right. I hope you’re right. But our company, we do it we do an annual food and beverage trends report every year. We’ve been doing them for like, jeez, 15, 16 years. And so a lot of times we launched it at the food and beverage round table. So it’s always really cool stuff.31:40.96Stephen BaldiAwesome, send me an invite and I’ll be there.31:41.00vigorbrandingum Yeah. All right. Well, definitely. I’ll make sure you get it after this, after our conversation here. So, okay. When you go to a restaurant, you you have a choice between human interaction or self ordering kiosks. I know that, you know, you guys need to be really ah high speed, efficient and all that. What what do you, what do you prefer?31:58.57Stephen BaldiWell, it depends, right? Deploying technology is a strategy that ah should be done with intention and asking the question, and then what, right?32:12.55Stephen Baldium I will tell you a story. So the first time we experimented with self ordering technology was in 2008 at JFK airport terminal five.32:24.65Stephen BaldiAnd we deployed at the time iPads um at our Dunkin Donuts because we thought, you know, technology is moving in this way and it’s fun and it’s cool, but nobody wants to walk up to a counter and order a coffee by pressing buttons.32:29.75vigorbrandingMm-hmm. Yep.32:39.85vigorbrandingMm-hmm.32:44.46Stephen BaldiYou know, communicating to a cashier, ah medium cream and sugar takes about 15 seconds. When you are forcing someone to press hot coffee, then medium, then sugar, then extra sugar, like that’s just, we found that that was a ah strategy that wasn’t ah successfully deployed at that time.32:58.57vigorbrandingwho33:05.34Stephen Baldinow That was back in 2008. I will say trends have matured since then and so there is an opportunity to have self ordering technology at a place like Dunkin Donuts and people have learned to navigate it quickly. um You have hot buttons for certain high usage items and so I say to people all the time because my friends question me, whenever they see an iPad, they assume that that means that that technology has taken someone’s job. And what I try to educate people on is that you know if you deploy technology in a intentional way, in a smart way, it allows you to redirect33:45.29Stephen Baldiwhat you would have otherwise spent on front of house and the back of house.33:46.57vigorbrandingMm33:49.72Stephen BaldiOr maybe you’re deploying it at a ah leadership level that’s multi-unit capable.33:49.78vigorbrandinghmm.33:55.24Stephen BaldiAnd so it’s not necessarily ah replacing jobs, but allowing savvy business leaders to take that investment and redeploy it in other ways. I will tell you that the benefit is you know technology doesn’t call out. Sometimes you have to reboot the system, but it always upsells. It always asks you if you want a dessert and always ask you if you want to package your burger with fries. And so to be able to grow your top line ticket, ah that’s only going to drive bottom line outcomes, which allows a business owner like me to look at expansion, to go into other cities, to be able to bring other people along with us because the business is growing. And so there’s opportunity beyond just taking someone’s order. And so34:40.31Stephen BaldiTechnology is something you have to look at in parallel kind of decision making. But I enjoy it. There’s some concepts that it resonates more significantly than others. But I think there’s a balance and there needs to be a balance of both going forward. I don’t think we’re ever going to have an industry that is exclusively technology or self ordering driven. um And I think you go in with a bunch of assumptions, you understand how your customers respond to it, and then you be agile enough to adjust appropriately.35:08.96vigorbrandingYeah, I mean, it makes a lot of sense. And i I concur. I mean, you know, I don’t want to wait in a massive line, especially from an airport. But, you know, just ordering, pre-ordering and all that kind of stuff isn’t all that funny either.35:19.32vigorbrandingSo it’s just you with that happy balance. You know, I do like talking to somebody and, you know, because I talk a lot, I guess. But plus, I always ask for some ice in my coffee just a little bit. I don’t want nice coffee.35:27.30Stephen BaldiThere you go.35:27.67vigorbrandingSo it’s a little tough to explain to an iPad, you know, so very soft.35:31.57Stephen BaldiTo drop it into a couple of cubes, yeah.35:32.20vigorbrandingWhoops. Yeah. Yeah. I don’t want to burn my, burn my mouth. So now I know you have at least one daughter, correct?35:38.70Stephen BaldiI’d have two daughters and a son.35:39.87vigorbrandingTwo daughters. right All right. Sorry. There we go.35:41.61Stephen Baldi26, 25, and eight.35:41.75vigorbrandingThis will be great then. Wow. Wow.35:45.67Stephen BaldiI started over, Michael.35:45.74vigorbrandingA little gap here.35:46.59Stephen BaldiI started over.35:47.16vigorbrandingYou had a little gap here.35:48.55Stephen Baldihad I had a couple of gap years.35:48.93vigorbrandingA couple of gap years. i well so I have two daughters, 26 as of last week and coming coming up on 29. The reason I bring up these families is you know we all know we love all our kids the same.36:01.78Stephen BaldiNo, we don’t.36:01.79vigorbrandingBut on any but okay but on any given day on any given day, depending on the phone call, depending on the visit, there’s certainly ones that we like other better than others.36:02.97Stephen BaldiNo, we don’t.36:09.94vigorbrandingMichael Alex, it happens it back and forth all the time, just in case you’re listening. Those are my daughters. um36:14.34Stephen BaldiLove it.36:15.04vigorbrandingso you know, we talked about pot belly, we talked about smash burger, we talked about dunking, we talked about timber, we talked about founding farmers, am I missing any any ends?36:25.21Stephen BaldiThere you go.36:27.03vigorbrandingWhich one?36:27.28Stephen BaldiIt’s the end. Yeah.36:27.84vigorbrandingWhich one’s your favorite? What’s your favorite kid there?36:29.64Stephen BaldiMy favorite. Wow. You’re going to force me to say that.36:33.77vigorbrandingYeah, yeah.36:34.15Stephen BaldiWell, I will tell you, because I don’t know if any of our franchisors are going to listen to this part. I love them all equally, and I am privileged to be able to operate them. I will tell you the one that probably um sits deeply in my soul as a person ah is probably Dunkin’ Donuts.36:55.45vigorbrandingNice.36:55.85Stephen Baldiand And I’ll tell you Dunkin’ Donuts because when I was growing up ah in Southwest Philadelphia off of Cobbs Creek Parkway, I had family that lived out by the airport. And in order to get into that area of the city, you have to travel on Cobbs Creek Parkway.37:11.63Stephen BaldiAnd there’s a Dunkin Donuts on the corner of Cobbs Creek Parkway and I can’t remember the cross street, but it’s been there for close to probably 30 or 40 years. I’m 48 and I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t there. And I remember seeing that Dunkin Donuts and thinking how rich that franchisee must be to have that score.37:30.65Stephen BaldiNow I know that owning a single franchise is not necessarily a path to generational wealth, but it did, that Dunkin Donuts did put in my mind like what was possible.37:40.22vigorbrandingYeah, that’s cool.37:40.70Stephen Baldium And so to be able to be now a 14 year franchisee of that brand, um which is our longest franchise relationship, it’s pretty special.37:46.48vigorbrandingSuper.37:50.20vigorbrandingThat’s cool. And you know, I’ll say this from the, from the branding side of the world. Uh, what a phenomenal job. I mean, Duncan’s been around forever. I mean, at one point time it was getting a little tired. It was sort of just fading in the woodwork.38:01.35vigorbrandingAnd we know, I mean, all these brands, I mean, they come on strong. They’re, they’re always started somewhere. There’s this regional thing. And then they become these big brands and is they, they struggle to stay relevant.38:10.04Stephen BaldiRight?38:12.62vigorbrandingRight. And I think Duncan has just done a remarkable job.38:16.08Stephen BaldiWe have, yeah.38:16.24vigorbrandingof staying relevant i mean from their graphic design from their marketing their branding to their advertising and all the cool stuff they’ve done that you did you did they blew it away they they absolutely did and yep38:22.42Stephen BaldiI mean, we had the best Super Bowl commercial in my opinion. I mean, Ben Affleck and J.Lo, they did their thing. And Mark Wahlberg, it like it was it was a beautiful commercial.38:33.65vigorbrandingYeah, and you know, it just shows like when you have passion for something, and those guys certainly have passion for for for that part of the world and ah from the Boston area. I just think it’s it was exceptional. In fact, ironically, we have at at our holding company level, Pavone Group, we have the longest running, okay, this is no kidding, the longest running Super Bowl commercial voting mechanism called spotbowl.com.38:56.66vigorbrandingSo every year we get38:57.28Stephen BaldiOK.38:59.26vigorbrandingyou know, thousands and thousands and thousands of votes from around the world, and people vote for their favorite Super Bowl commercial as it’s being played, as the game is being played. And then the the national media outlets reach out to us, and then we tell them the results.39:13.08vigorbrandingAnd Dunkin Donuts was was certainly a stellar winner.39:13.26Stephen BaldiOK.39:16.02Stephen BaldiIt was and had to be at the top.39:17.26vigorbrandingYeah, it was awesome.39:17.88Stephen BaldiCome on out. Tell me Michael it was at the top.39:19.04vigorbrandingYeah, yeah. It was, well, I’m looking over here at my guy that runs it. it was It was the top one. Yeah, it was, it definitely was.39:24.42Stephen BaldiIt was, it I thought it was.39:25.10vigorbrandingOh, yeah, yeah, yeah.39:25.89Stephen BaldiThere you go. Thank you for, thank you for phoning your friend and getting confirmation.39:26.59vigorbrandingIt was it was awesome.39:29.55Stephen BaldiIt was a pretty special advertising.39:31.41vigorbrandingYeah.39:31.85Stephen BaldiAnd yeah, I didn’t get a chance to order my Duncan jumpsuit, but I’m sure it’s in the mail somewhere.39:36.72vigorbrandingYeah, there you go. there That’s that that everything.39:38.41Stephen BaldiMaybe Duncan corporate will see this and they’ll send me one.39:38.96vigorbrandingAlthough. yeah Yeah, all the merch, everything they did around that was super cool. and the take the outtakes from the39:43.99Stephen BaldiSuper cool.39:46.35vigorbrandingyou know It’s funny too because when it comes to this marketing stuff, like it used to be just a TV spot. and The reason I looked over to ask Dave, Dave’s the guy you spoke to. He’s the one that that kind of heads up this podcast. He’s also the one that really runs Spopple. We’ve been doing this so long that In the beginning, we didn’t know anything.40:03.48vigorbrandingIn other words, they would the game it was all about the game. The game was played. And then people realized, well, people love the commercials. So we never knew, like like you and everybody else, we just sit there and watch the game, cut the commercial. Oh, it’s a commercial for fill in the blank.40:15.61vigorbrandingNow, they release the commercials to us ahead of time.40:15.73Stephen BaldiYeah.40:18.45vigorbrandingThey tell us what it’s about. They send us outtakes. They give us information. Because they realize it, because it’s a couple million dollars for 30 seconds, that they need to get as much juice out of the you know squeeze as much juice out of this as possible so they want to know they put stuff online they do teasers and it’s it’s turned into a an event unto itself and uh we’re really proud to have been a part of it so it’s kind of funny that you brought that up that’s cool stuff all40:39.58Stephen BaldiYeah. Now I will tell you my all time favorite Super Bowl commercial.40:44.35vigorbrandingright uh40:45.67Stephen BaldiNow I remember the star, but I don’t even remember the brand.40:49.95vigorbranding-oh40:50.06Stephen BaldiRemember the the commercial with the kid and the Star Wars mask and he was going around zapping things and he went and he zapped the car and the car started.40:55.24vigorbrandingVolkswagen. Yeah. Yeah.40:58.28Stephen BaldiThat was my all-time favorite more commercial.40:58.46vigorbrandingYeah. Yeah. Yeah. That’s great. Yeah. That was ah that was a Volkswagen spot. That was a fantastic spot.41:03.91Stephen BaldiFantastic commercial.41:03.93vigorbrandingIt was a fantastic. You know, I’ll i’ll tell you mine next. i’m I’m a simp and I, you know, ah the Budweiser commercials and41:11.83Stephen BaldiOh yeah.41:13.17vigorbrandingThere was one though in particular where the guy, you know, he raises these horses and it goes on to be a Clydesdale and it it takes off and the horse leaves and there’s a parade. And I almost get choked up thinking about it.41:24.28vigorbrandingIt was so well done. There’s a parade, the guy standing there to parade and the horse sees him, breaks away, chases him down on the road. Oh my gosh. It was, it was, I had to do a live TV commercial. I had to do a live segment on the news about the the best TV spot and and they they, you know, they played it and I wasn’t expecting them to play it.41:40.60vigorbrandingI’m like, I had tears going down my face.41:42.56Stephen BaldiOh, you got emotional.41:42.51vigorbrandingI’m like, That’s my favorite.41:43.64Stephen BaldiOh, look at you.41:45.41vigorbrandingI still get emotional. i think but i think it I think it was the best all-time i mean story. It was just cute. so anyway That’s right, man.41:50.70Stephen BaldiAnd the best story always wins, Michael. Best story always wins.41:53.25vigorbrandingThat’s right. right yeah Yeah, you know, we always tell people a brand is a promise, ah but you have to tell a story. You have to draw a motion, make them laugh, make them cry, make them feel something about your brand. And that’s how you break through. And it’s always important, you know, a lot of times clients will say stuff, um you know, hey we just want to sell more, we got to do this, we got to do that. And and really it comes down to ah the fact that you’ve you got to do great creative to break through to get people’s attention.42:19.09vigorbrandingSo, well, I have a couple more questions for you and I want to hit them for sure.42:21.03Stephen BaldiOkay.42:22.25vigorbrandingSo now look, ah we talked about the airports you’re in, in the in the in the greater DC area, some of the most, I mean, they’re they’re busy, they’re they’re important, they’re huge. Other airports, I mean, you have great concessions in those airports.42:34.37vigorbrandingOther airports that you think have great concessions in the country?42:37.16Stephen BaldiYeah, I will tell you, Atlanta, one of the busiest airports in the world, definitely in this country.42:42.95vigorbrandingOh yeah, oh yeah. yeah42:45.86Stephen Baldium And then Houston, Orlando, Chicago, Charlotte, these are all markets that we kind of look at.42:49.80vigorbrandingMm hmm. Oh yeah.42:54.54vigorbrandingMassive hubs.42:56.51Stephen Baldium It’s important for us to be in high demand airport systems, because you never know how the world’s going to,43:02.80vigorbrandingYeah.43:05.21Stephen Baldirespond. And Morgan Hausl is one of the people who I look to for kind of strategic direction.43:12.04vigorbrandingMm hmm.43:13.49Stephen BaldiI’m thinking about my business. And one thing he always says is that as a business leader, if you’re only planning for the risk and threats that you can predict, you’re probably missing the biggest one.43:24.90vigorbrandingOh, yeah.43:25.41Stephen Baldium And so how we kind of shelter ourselves from that is we go into high demand markets. So even if an airline, a legacy airline like an American or United or a Delta or a Southwest ah decides that they no longer want to operate in that market, there’ll be another legacy carrier chomping at the bit together.43:44.09vigorbrandingSure.43:44.40Stephen BaldiAnd so that’s one of our strategy when we’re looking to grow nationally is to look at high demand airport markets.43:44.77vigorbrandingSure. Mm hmm.43:51.29Stephen BaldiAnd those are just a few that I named.43:53.58vigorbrandingI’m a big fan of Morgan has effect. We have him speaking at our, at our YPO. He’s, he’s one of, I think he might even be next month’s speaker. So I’m really, really, are you really, that’s all his book.44:00.64Stephen Baldiah We’re bringing them in on the 13th of November. Yeah.44:04.00vigorbrandingHis book’s incredible. Incredible. I made my daughter’s read it. So, um, what’s next for balding management group. And mean we talked about in other airports. What’s, what’s next for you? What’s what’s your vision? Where are you were are you hoping to go?44:13.26Stephen Baldimy My vision is to grow the tent and plant trees that I may never even know their shade, um because that’s when I think a community and when a business is thriving is when you’re willing to do things that you might not be able to see to fruition. And so we’re trying to build a company, not trying, we are building a company that will rise the tide for all the boats. I want to create another 20, 25 stories just like mine.44:41.46vigorbrandingYeah.44:41.62Stephen Baldium I can invest and grow my company so that it’s beneficial and creates generational wealth for me, but I also have the opportunity to listen to the individuals whose stories might not necessarily be taken to the top because they’re not fully formed or well articulated.44:59.34Stephen BaldiI try to look for those people, because I was once that person.45:00.66vigorbrandingyeah45:02.15Stephen BaldiI was the property manager in the office, and Cynthia Garber came and tapped me on the shoulder, which she did not have to do.45:02.50vigorbrandingyep45:08.96Stephen BaldiAnd so I’m trying to identify those voices in our companies, the people in leadership, but also the people who we don’t necessarily identify with immediately, because a lot of our workforce our ESL where English is a second language.45:24.24Stephen BaldiAnd so verbal communication is a challenge, but I don’t want that to get in the way of us knowing or ide

It is National Adoption Awareness Month, and Comfort Cases is honoring the occasion with special promotions. Our “Coats for Comfort” Coat Drive, co-sponsored by CNN's Laura Coates, is in full swing. There are donation boxes throughout the DC Metro area (including Maryland & Virginia), and for those of you outside the district, you can purchase coats and have them delivered directly to Comfort Cases by visiting https://comfortcases.org/lauracoates/We are thrilled to announce our renewed partnership with Barely Canadian, running through November 30th! Known for their insanely soft sweaters and premium apparel, they have redefined cozy. With every purchase from their beautiful garment collection, Barely Canadian will generously donate a Comfort XL (valued at $148) to a child entering foster care. Explore their collection here: https://barelycanadian.com/In today's powerful episode of Fostering Change, we welcome Gretchen Sisson, author of RELINQUISHED: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood. As a researcher at UC San Francisco's Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, Gretchen has conducted hundreds of interviews with women who have relinquished infants for adoption, especially since Roe v. Wade. Her eye-opening research has been featured on NPR, New York Magazine, VOX, and more.In this riveting conversation with host Rob Scheer, they dive into the complex and often heartbreaking reasons behind adoption decisions, shedding light on the financial and societal pressures that force mothers to make impossible choices. This timely discussion touches on the profound challenges families face and why it should matter to us all. This is an important discussion for our community, and we were honored to have Gretchen on Fostering Change to continue it.For more information about RELINQUISHED or to follow Gretchen on social media, please visit:Website: https://www.gretchensisson.com/Twitter/X: @gesisson Threads: gretchen.sissonInstagram: @gretchen.sisson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchensisson/Substack: https://gretchen.substack.com/#nationaladoptionawarenessmonth #adoptionawareness #fostercare Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS!This episode was recorded on location in Washington, D.C., from the D.C. Metro Police aviation hangar, as part of The Hangar Z Vertical Valor Blades of Valor Tour. The road tour included visits to some of North America's public safety aviation units, showcasing some of the heroes who exemplify courage, dedication, and selflessness in the line of duty every day. Jack Schonley, Brent Bundy from Vertical Valor magazine and Jon Gray were invited to see firsthand the good work they are doing to protect the capital of the United States.In this episode, we sit down with Sgt Danny Thaw and pilot Kevin Chittick from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit. The conversation delves into the critical role of aviation during civil disturbance situations in providing valuable information to ground units. Listeners will gain insights into the complexities of operating within the tightly controlled airspace of Washington, D.C.We discuss and emphasize the importance of crew resource management (CRM) and the strong relationship between law enforcement pilots and air traffic controllers, highlighting the significance of fostering trust and communication.We discuss the impact of new technologies on law enforcement aviation, along with stories from impactful missions, including the response to the January 6 incident.Tune in to discover the essential value of aviation in enhancing situational awareness and supporting officers on the ground in their ongoing commitment to public safety.Look out for an article, photos, and videos, by Brent Bundy highlighting the DC Metro Aviation Unit at Verticalmag.com and the Vertical YouTube page.Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, SHOTOVER and Spectrolab.

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS!This episode was recorded on location in Washington, D.C., from the D.C. Metro Police aviation hangar, as part of The Hangar Z Vertical Valor Blades of Valor Tour. The road tour included visits to some of North America's public safety aviation units, showcasing some of the heroes who exemplify courage, dedication, and selflessness in the line of duty every day. Jack Schonley, Brent Bundy from Vertical Valor magazine and Jon Gray were invited to see firsthand the good work they are doing to protect the capital of the United States.In this episode, we sit down with Sgt Danny Thaw and pilot Kevin Chittick from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit. The conversation delves into the critical role of aviation during civil disturbance situations in providing valuable information to ground units. Listeners will gain insights into the complexities of operating within the tightly controlled airspace of Washington, D.C.We discuss and emphasize the importance of crew resource management (CRM) and the strong relationship between law enforcement pilots and air traffic controllers, highlighting the significance of fostering trust and communication.We discuss the impact of new technologies on law enforcement aviation, along with stories from impactful missions, including the response to the January 6 incident.Tune in to discover the essential value of aviation in enhancing situational awareness and supporting officers on the ground in their ongoing commitment to public safety.Look out for an article, photos, and videos, by Brent Bundy highlighting the DC Metro Aviation Unit at Verticalmag.com and the Vertical YouTube page.Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, Dallas Avionics and Metro Aviation.

On this episode of #TheFinestUnfiltered John & Eric sit down and discuss a washington DC Metro cop facing 18 years in prison for a pursuit related death. Also discussed is NYC Crime stats, Drones & Karaoke Related Article: https://lawenforcementtoday.com/fed-prosecutors-want-18-year-prison-sentence-for-d-c-officer-convicted-in-pursuit-related-death Link To Purchase a Coffee Mug https://the-finest-unfiltered-podcast.printify.me/product/10258644 To learn more about us visit us at: Website: https://thefinestunfiltered.com Youtube: https://youtube.com/@TheFinestUnfiltered?si=Y5ZcHqdgVLunTYx9X: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheFinestUnfiltered https://www.instagram.com/johndmacari/ https://www.instagram.com/mostcomplainedcop/ X: https://twitter.com/RetiredNYFinest/ https://twitter.com/JohnDMacari https://twitter.com/EricDymCop Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/TheFinestUnfilteredPodcast To learn more about 30 Year (Ret) Colonel Tom Sullivan - Candidate NY State Assembly District 23 visit him at: https://www.sullivanforassembly.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-p-sullivan-7648746/ https://www.facebook.com/SullivanforStateAssembly https://x.com/Sully4Assembly https://www.instagram.com/sullivanforstateassembly/ If you are interested in purchasing a Finest Unfiltered T-Shirt please visit https://meyersuniforms.com/265-unfiltered-podcast-tee/ For any financial or investment advice please contact LaidLaw Blue at 888-901-2583 (Blue) or visit them online at https://laidlawwealthmanagement.com/laidlaw-blue/  tell them your friends at #TheFinestUnfiltered sent you. #NYPD #NYC #Crime #Politics #Podcast #policepodcast #Cops #JohnMacari #Eric Dym

Virginia restaurant names burger after Olympian Noah Lyles...and it's free if you can eat it in under 9.79 seconds, DC Metro train traffic disrupted as police chase fleeing shoplifting suspect into train tunnel, Alaska Airlines flight diverts after pilot confesses he was not 'qualified' to land at airport, Introducing, the electric bandage

In this episode, Chris sits down with Tim Hunt, a 9-5 cybersecurity professional turned real estate investor. Discover how Tim:Skyrocketed his net worth to $700K in less than 10 years Cracked the code on cash flow in the pricey DC metroTransformed ordinary properties into multi-unit rentalsTim shares his innovative techniques, challenges, and successes, providing valuable insights for anyone looking to crush it in expensive real estate markets.Reach out to Tim directly: timothyhhunt@gmail.comReach out to Chris directly: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChrisCraddockBusiness/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/craddrock/RESOURCES: 

Willy took a trip down memory lane with George Hawkins as they discussed the incredible turnaround at DC Water when Willy was Chairman of the Board and George was General Manager. Under their leadership, they took one of the most problematic public utilities in the country, The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, and turned it into one of the most innovative, customer-driven, environmentally friendly utilities on earth. George and Willy discussed why Willy picked George to lead the turnaround, the challenges they faced, the $4.2 billion they spent on infrastructure and environmental protection, and the customer focus and client satisfaction that George and his team achieved. It is a fascinating story of private sector innovation and strategy being implemented at a massive public utility that resulted in huge gains for the citizens of the Washington, DC Metro region.

There are simple ways to have big conversations. You can purposefully plant seeds of God's Word into the hearts of your children. Realizing it's not about a “sex talk," you can be equipped to disciple your children with frequent touch points, vulnerability and humility. Let's lean into the goodness of God and choose to walk in His peace, His joy and His celebration through shared language. That's what Heaven in Your Home Family Music is all about. In today's episode we welcome Kathryn Brunner, my real life friend who is a beautiful singer/songwriter who collaborated to bring Heaven in Your Home Family Music to your home. We will unpack the vision, the purpose and the meaning behind these culture-shifting songs.   Listen in, be equipped and encouraged as you take hold of the JOY and CELEBRATION of God and the crown of His creation, YOU!   Listen to Heaven in Your Home Family Music: Spotify Apple Music YouTube   Related Episodes: Body Talks with Kids Series, Episode 96 - 99  Shifting Culture through Music in your Home, Episode  Teaching Your Kids about Sex with Kristen Miele, Episode 141   About Kathryn Brunner: Heaven in Your Home Family Music is a beautiful collaboration with Kathryn Brunner. Kathryn is a seminary trained singer-songwriter and music educator.  She lives in the DC Metro area with her husband and two daughters whom she homeschools. Kathryn is fiercely passionate about equipping families to walk faithfully in the truth of God's word. Heaven in Your Home Family Music is an outworking of that passion. With an educator's mindset, she is also driven to help children grow in an understanding of music to equip them to serve their communities and the world.  She is the founder of Musik at Home, an online music education studio for children ages 0-10 where she offers vibrant early childhood and piano courses that are available on the web, mobile app, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.    You're Invited: Keep learning with Francie! Join the Circle group mentorship. This is a SWEET community of women, connected with the purpose of seeking God's heart for their reclaiming a redeemed view of sex and sexuality. Inside the circle, we will explore and discover the good news about God's heart for sex. Learn more here:  The Circle     101 Course: Strong Foundations to Starting Well CLAIMING A HEALTHY VISION FOR MARRIED SEX   To build a love that lasts, you must begin with a strong foundation. Whether you're newly engaged or in need of a new lens, this course is essential. You'll be equipped to set a Biblically integrated and practically grounded vision for sex, marriage and the calling to steward the gift of pleasure and intimacy. This course is pivotal as you begin to unlearn unhelpful perspectives and sift through shame, lies and painful messages you've received over the years. Learn more here. Donate to the Heaven in Your Home Ministry: Your one time donation will allow us to continue to produce and distribute teaching and resources. Thank you for partnering with us! Donate here.   Connect with Francie: Receive Francie's weekly newsletter  

Taylor Newman left college for two careers. Her love of writing led her to her daily, first shift - a beat journalist covering the DC Metro sports teams for the sports desk at the Washington Post. Ben Bradlee would have been proud of her commitment up there with Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in terms of hours. For when Taylor had filed her sports reports, she would move to her second, eight-hour shift at Chevy Chase Club, where she was serving as an Assistant Professional. Finally, weighing up her options, Taylor chose the hospitality, private members club, and tennis career - and she has never looked back. In fact, she has used her writing skills to build one of the biggest cardio tennis programs in all the nation. Through communicating with members, Taylor and present BeyondTheBaselines.com Vice President Brittany Sanders, took over a quiet cardio tennis program. Changing the headlines of the program and using writing and lines of communication, the two women built a program that has led to fifteen cardio courts each week. "Cardio is not just about running a good clinic, it's about knowing the personalities and levels of all the players to help make it succeed." Newman is a consummate professional: checking the court booking sheet at 10pm every night for the next day to avoid any surprises or pitfalls, picking up balls after each and every cardio class outside the fences, and mentoring her assistants on a daily basis both on the court and in terms of hospitality, off the court. Just as she would have been at The Post covering sports, Taylor is on duty twenty-four hours, always being out there ready to communicate, learn and grow. The Washington Post lost a treasure to tennis. Here's Taylor Newman on the Beyond The Baselines podcast.

In this episode of Investor Connect, host Hall T. Martin sits down with Fred Gumbinner, President and Managing Partner of Keiretsu Forum, a global investment community. Keiretsu Forum connects accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists, and corporate institutional investors across 53 chapters on four continents, fostering diverse investment opportunities. Fred shares his journey from a legal background to entrepreneurship, specializing in alternative energy products. His transition to early-stage venture involvement aligned perfectly with Keiretsu Forum's interests, focusing on micro private equity, venture capital, and special situation funding. Throughout the interview, Fred emphasizes the importance of key strategies in identifying promising early-stage investment opportunities, highlighting the critical role of strong management, competitive advantage, market size, and business plan. As President of the Keiretsu Forum DC Metro chapter, Fred discusses the organization's contributions to fostering innovation in the local startup ecosystem. He emphasizes their involvement in partnering with various organizations and participating in panels to educate entrepreneurs and support the community. Fred elaborates on the types of projects Keiretsu Forum typically supports, emphasizing their focus on providing "red zone capital" to ventures nearing significant milestones. He discusses their unique approach, resembling an old-time merchant bank, which allows for creative structuring of deals that traditional institutional investors might overlook. To learn more about Keiretsu Forum or connect with Fred Gumbinner, visit http://www.keiretsuforum-midatlantic.com/, or via Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredric-gumbinner-915a986/ or reach out via email at fgumbinner@keiretsuforum.net. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org   Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/   For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/   For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/   For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/   For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/   For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Many agents struggle with seller leads and dread the thought of cold calling.The constant rejection and awkward conversations can drain our energy and enthusiasm.   But here's the catch: if we want to work with more clients and sell more homes, we need to tap into those seller leads. Ignoring them means leaving money on the table.   By leveraging innovative marketing strategies and modern technology, we can transform the way we approach buyer and seller leads. Instead of traditional cold calling, how can we utilize targeted online advertising, social media outreach, or content marketing?   In this episode, co-founder of Devon and Dustin Fox Homes and best-selling author Dustin Fox joins me to talk about buyer and seller leads, reviews and why they're so important as well as what it means to attain real results by taking action.   You'll also learn; -The influence of reviews. -Why the only way to win is to actually win. -Generating buyer AND seller leads.  -Video content strategy and why it matters. -Why no budget doesn't mean no solution.    Guest Bio Dustin Fox, alongside his wife, Devon, lead a top real estate team in the DC Metro area. High school sweethearts and devoted parents to three daughters, they have been in the real estate business for over eight years.    Their rapid growth is notable, rising the ranks to amongst the top of their market in just 24 months, even in a declining market. Dustin attributes much of his learning to non-real estate resources, emphasizing the value of books in gaining new perspectives. His routine, involving long working hours punctuated by reading business biographies and advertising books, reflects his dedication to his career. Dustin has an obsession for all things advertising. Between Youtube Ads, Facebook, Instagram, and Google PPC, Dustin shares exactly how to scale your real estate business quickly in his book "Six Weeks to Real Estate Success." Whether you're a brand new agent, or a seasoned vet looking for help to modernize your marketing, this is the book for you. This book is a comprehensive roadmap, offering step-by-step video instructions and valuable insights for both new and experienced agents.   Buy Six Weeks to Real Estate Success: An Actionable Guide For Ambitious Agents on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Six-Weeks-Real-Estate-Success/dp/B0CSK2JR24  Buy the Kindle edition here: https://www.amazon.com/Six-Weeks-Real-Estate-Success-ebook/dp/B0CSC6RMCT  Visit https://www.foxessellfaster.com/

Join us for an exciting episode of the Real Estate Entrepreneurs Podcast featuring nationally renowned Real Estate Investor, Sherman Ragland!

If we want a business that has raving fans and constant referrals, events are non-negotiable, but that's only if you do the work after everyone goes home.   If you don't have a follow-plan in place, all the hard work, value and momentum of the gathering goes down the drain. Many real estate professionals think they can get by on digital strategies alone, but the online stuff can't work if we don't invest in face-to-face interactions.   The truth is, we need to get people to an event to complete the cycle that kicks off when they see us online. Post-event follow up gives us a reason to have conversations, which leads to conversions and ultimately more contracts.   How do we use technology to maximize our post-referral momentum? In this episode, I'm joined by co-founder of Fox Homes and author of “Six Weeks to Real Estate Success”, Dustin Fox. He shares the follow up sequence that has generated $400 million in sales in just 3 years.    The digital and video works because they feel like they're getting to know you and it's repeat exposure, but you still have to get them to an event. -Dustin Fox    Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode     -The power of an $8 Costco holiday throw  Don't underestimate the effect of a gift. How does one cozy and thoughtful item make us the first agent they want to call?    -How to turn event excellence into digital domination  What are some high-level, genius tech hacks Dustin and his team are using to get the most out of every client interaction at events?   -Hyper-local, micro-famous  How do we use YouTube ads, Google reviews and other online tools to turn us into local celebrities people are clamoring to work with?   Guest Bio   Dustin Fox is the co-founder of Fox Homes and author of Six Weeks to Real Estate Success. Before venturing into real estate, Dustin Fox amassed 15 years of experience in big box retail management, including leadership roles at Bed Bath & Beyond and Pottery Barn. This background fostered an acute understanding of customer service, which he has seamlessly transferred into his real estate career. As a fifth-generation DC Metro area resident, Dustin offers more than just transactional know-how; he delivers a lifetime of community insight. Raised in Oakton, VA, Dustin combines small-town heart with big-city results in his real estate practice. Together with his high school sweetheart, Devon, Dustin co-founded Fox Homes. Their mission is clear: to provide an unparalleled real estate experience that blends remarkable results with genuine care. Dustin's philosophy is consistently people-first. Dustin leads the number one Google-reviewed team in the DC Metro area, boasting over 1,600 reviews. His team has already closed an astonishing $160 million in sales in 2023, with almost 250+ transactions year-to-date. These remarkable achievements have consistently landed him on Northern Virginia Magazine's and Washingtonian's Best Real Estate Agent lists from 2018 to 2023, as well as earned him the Best of Zillow status for exceptional performance and customer experience. Go to https://www.foxessellfaster.com/ and follow @dustinmfox on Instagram.    Episode: 337 Title: The $400 Million Follow Up: How to Maximize Your Post-Event Referrals w/Dustin Fox Host: Michael J. Maher

Samantha breaks down all things Caesarian Section! A must listen for every pregnant woman!Today's episode with Samantha from DC Metro Maternity sets  realistic expectations going into a C-section as well as practical c-section recovery tips!Today's episode is going to cover these questions and more!:- What is the standard c-section procedure? - How to prepare for a Caesarian birth?- What are some reasons that providers may encourage women to have c-sections? - What are the cons to having a c-section that women may not be aware of?-  What can you expect recovery to look like?- How can you recover faster after a C-section?- What  are red flags to look for after a c-section?- What are some of the misconceptions around c-sections?-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------IMPORTANT LINKS:- Resource Samantha Mention: What to Expect Soon After a Cesarean Birth- Sign up for the Learning To Mom Newsletter HERE:- Shop HERE for the BEST Montessori toys and furniture at mylittlesongbird.com                  Use LEARNINGTOMOM15 for 15 percent off!!!                  Connect with them on Instagram Here- Shop HERE for the amazing all in one nursing cover: Snuggle Shield at snuggleshield.com.                   Use code LEARNTOMOM for 25% off!                   Connect with them on Instagram Here (@snuggleshield)                   Connect with them on Facebook Here (@snuggleshield)- Connect with ME on Instagram HERE or at @learningtomom.podcastHow to connect with Samantha:- Her website Linked HERE- Her instagram linked HERE-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------c-section recovery with toddler, c-section recovery with wound vac, c-section recovery with a 2 year old, c-section recovery with tubal ligation, c-section recovery vs natural birth, c-section vs appendectomy, c-section recovery advice, c-section recovery after 2 months, c-section recovery after 3 months, c-section recovery belt, c-section recovery band, c-section recovery burning sensation, c-section recovery essentials, c-section recovery exercises, c-section recovery exercise walking, aserian section, cesarian section, sasarian section , Cesarean section, Cesarean section birth, preparing for a c-section, preparing for a Cesarean section, how to prepare for a c-section, how to prepare for a Cesarean section, what to do before a c-section, what to do before a Cesarean section, should i have a c-section, should i have a Cesarean section, how to recover fast from a Cesarean section, c

I'm not a financial advisor; Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, AppleTV or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or invest after clicking a link here, we may earn a commission. Engage to support our work.Devin: What is your superpower?Joel: That's a loaded question, but my ability and desire to help the next generation, if you will, behind me and train them on what needs to be done to shorten the learning cycle toward their success.Wall Street Capital Partners, a big real estate developer in Northern Virginia, is tackling a project in historic Old Town Alexandria. CEO Joel Miller joined me to discuss the project, including the unusual step of offering shares to small investors in the community.The project is interesting on many levels, including the fact that the development will replace some surface parking where the project will be built with multi-use structures that include affordable housing, market-rate housing, retail and high-tech parking.The project, six blocks from both the waterfront and the DC Metro, is conveniently located in a prime–read that expensive–location.“We're having a percentage of units affordable, which is something people kept scratching their heads on and were blown away by, especially,” Joel says. “Folks in the city and other investors–they're like, ‘How are you going to do that?' But we found a way to get it done.”The parking system uses automation to park the cars for tenants who use an app or fob to retrieve their vehicles, receiving them almost as if from a vending machine.The $48 million project doesn't require funding from the public or the local community, Joel says. Opening investment to the community is part of a strategy for allowing the community to participate directly in the economic benefits of the project. It also grows out of Joel's superpower–mentoring. This decision gives rising developers an inside look at the business of real estate development.To make the shares available, Joel is using Small Change, a FINRA-member regulated investment crowdfunding portal led by Eve Picker. “Eve is outstanding,” he says. “She's great to work with. She knows her stuff. She really gets the job done.”AI Episode Summary1. Devin Thorpe, the host, introduces Joel Miller, CEO and founder of Wall Street Capital Partners, during the "Superpowers for Good" show.2. Wall Street Capital Partners is a development firm in the Northern Virginia area, originally branching out from its sister company, Wall Street Capital Advisors.3. The company has a history of providing debt and equity for various commercial projects, including office, multifamily, and retail, and is now also engaged in development.4. They are working on a unique project called Old King Henry in Alexandria, Virginia—a historic district with limited supply and affordability issues where development is challenging due to restrictions.5. The Old King Henry project involves redeveloping surface parking into multifamily housing over retail, located conveniently near the waterfront and metro.6. The project provides a percentage of affordable housing units, which is unusual and challenging to achieve in Old Town Alexandria but was important to the developers.7. A mechanical parking system is utilized in the project, which allows for efficiency by reducing the need for deep underground or large above-ground parking structures. Cars are parked and retrieved by the system, reducing space requirements.8. Part of the project includes townhomes with private balconies, and Joel emphasizes the opportunity for minority visibility in the retail spaces.9. Joel's partner has an extensive background, having developed over 15,000 units of multifamily housing, with the Lumen in Tysons Corner being a notable example of past successful projects.10. The capital raise for Old King Henry through the platform Small Change is highlighted, demonstrating Joel's commitment to community involvement and allowing people to invest in the project for as little as $1,000.Develop your mentoring skills by sharing this post to help others learn from it.How to Develop Mentoring As a SuperpowerHelping the next generation of real estate professionals is a genuine passion for Joel. One of the ways he does this is with his podcast, Mornings with Joel. He shared the story of the podcast came to be:I was the capital markets instructor for an organization called REAP–this is an organization that exposes minorities and others to the basics of commercial real estate and all the different paths that they could take as it relates to generating their wealth. One of the questions that always came up was, “I want to learn more. I want to talk more. But we often get these CEOs that come to talk to us and I can never reach them after the event. So, is there any way we can reach you after the event?”And so what we started doing was we started having our staff meetings and letting those people listen in on the staff meetings where they can, in essence, look over our shoulder and see on a regular day-to-day basis how we get deals done, how do we structure, what are the challenges, what's this, what's that, how do we price them and how do we do all those things. And then that grew to, well, I'm not just interested in capital markets, I'm interested in this [other topic].It was like, “Do you know anybody that does XYZ?” It was like, “Yeah, I do. So why don't I invite that person to our staff meeting and you could call in and listen to our conversation?” It grew to the point where it was like, “Wait a minute, that's a podcast!” People wanting to see and learn from others. So, we opened up our Rolodex, and we said, “Hey, I know slews of people in top-level positions in commercial real estate. Why don't I do a show with them? No charge, no fee, no nothing. Just let people come and learn from the masters in commercial real estate.”So we started doing that. It's been very successful–the Mornings with Joel podcast. We did that specifically to help people, the next generation behind us, really learn what it's all about to get into this commercial real estate space.He describes his decision to open this round of funding on the project to his passion for helping the next generation. “We wanted to be able to work with people in the community, other minorities that are trying to get started in the commercial real estate space and give a hand back and say, ‘Hey, if you got a thousand bucks, you can get in this deal, look over our shoulder and see how it all works from the inside out and learn that business,'” he says.You can develop your mentoring ability by following Joel's example. With practice, you can make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileGuest-Provided ProfileJoel Miller  (he/him):CEO / Managing Partner, Wall Street Capital PartnersAbout Wall Street Capital Partners: Wall Street Capital Partners is a Real Estate Developer, Investor, and Syndicator and lender of Debt and Equity for the Commercial Real Estate markets. Website: wallstreetcapitalpartners.netX/Twitter Handle: @WallStCapitalOther URL: smallchange.co/projects/the-King-HenryBiographical Information: Joel Miller serves as CEO of Wall Street Capital Partners (Advisors), a Real Estate Syndication firm based out of Atlanta, GA, which specializes in sourcing and arranging debt and equity for acquisitions, development and recapitalization of Commercial Real Estate. The firm also invests in its own acquisition and development projects as a GP investor. The current pipeline includes over 1,100 Multifamily units, primarily in Atlanta and the mid-Atlantic region.Joel Miller has also been responsible for the intrinsic planning of site development for the execution of conservation strategies. He formerly served as head of Private Equity Fund Management & Investor relations related to Real Estate tax mitigation strategies forCambridge Capital Partners (CCP). A boutique international investment bank focused on tax mitigation, capital markets, conservation easement strategies, and management advisory services. CCP was built on a platform of delivering tax efficiency with global business solutions. CCP's clients include numerous banks, investors, and Fortune 500 companies throughout the Americas and Europe.Mr. Miller began his career in New York City at U.S. Trust Co. After strengthening his acumen under some of Wall Street's most influential financial strategists, he founded what would become Wall Street Capital Funding. Under the tutelage of Prudential Securitiesexecutives, at 28, he became one of the youngest CEO mortgage bankers in the history of the United States. The firm was ranked as one of the Top 10 Most Dependable Mortgage Companies in the SE.Mr. Miller has served as strategic adviser to one of the nation's top ten wholesale mortgage banks and has served as a consultant on financial institution mergers. He has served as an adjunct Professor of Economics at the Clayton State University - Management School of Business. In late 2008, he received the privilege of being a tertiary adviser to President Barack Obama's Transition Team on the topics of housing & the economy related to the residential Real Estate crisis of 2008. The Atlanta Business Journal named Mr. Miller one of the Top 40 under 40. He was also the host and producer of the "Mortgage Minute" and "The JoelMiller Show" on Business Radio 1160AM The CFO, as well as a regular contributor to CNBC.Currently, he also produces and hosts the Mornings w/ Joel Commercial Real Estate Podcast, which interviews and highlights the achievements of minorities in the CRE space.He also teaches the Capital Markets class for Project REAP. This fulfilled a commitment he made to stay accessible and to open his "Rolodex" to expose and encouragethe next generation of CRE minorities to opportunities in the CRE space.Joel lives in Atlanta, has been married over 30 years, and has two sons. He enjoys worldwide travel, swimming and spending his free time researching and sampling fine wines for hiscellar.Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/joelamiller/Upcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.* SuperCrowdBaltimore, March 21, 2024: This in-person event at the B&O Rail Museum features some of Baltimore's prominent citizens and community leaders. Use the discount code “SuperCrowd” to save 30 percent!* Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on March 26, 2024, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. Everyone is welcome to join the free events.* SuperCrowdHour, March 27, 2024 at 1:00 Eastern. Devin Thorpe will explain the three surprising reasons impact investors should seek to make money from impact investing.* Superpowers for Good - Kinect Capital Live Pitch, March 28 at 9 PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific: Four companies currently raising via crowdfunding will pitch their offerings live via the Superpowers for Good streaming television show on e360tv. Kinect Capital will host the pitch. Applications to pitch are open now through March 8! * SuperCrowd24, April 17-18: This two-day virtual event is our biggest of the year. Don't miss it. Use the discount code “SuperCrowd” to save 50 percent.* SuperCrowdChicago, June 12, 2024. Save the date! More information is coming soon!* Recently, we created an AI GPT to help you learn more about The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, and our upcoming events. Click here to try it.SuperCrowd Community Event Calendar* Successful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET * Crowdfunding to Bankability, CAMEO/Crowdfund Better, March 12, 11AM PT* Digital Peacebuilding Expo, March 13, 12-5 PM, Washington, DC, hybrid* Crowdfunding Professional Association Webinar Series - March 13, 2:00 PM ET* AMIBA's “Community Investment Funds,” March 14, 2:00 PM ET* Investment Crowdfunding Demystified, Crowdfund Better, April 23 at 2:00 PM ET* Move Your Money Month, April 2024, American Independent Business AllianceIf you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 4,000+ members of the SuperCrowd, click here. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

Featuring Ken Follet's "The Pillars of the Earth," Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, Joshua Bell's DC Metro performance, and the World Trade Center...

Reggie Holmes is CEO and Creative Director of Enthuse Creative, LLC, a strategic branding and design firm in the DC Metro area. Reggie oversees brand strategy and design projects for businesses and organizations that seek to create a unique, attractive brand that stands out to their target audience. Enthuse Creative provides its branding services along 4 tracks: Brand Strategy, Brand Design, Brand Management & Brand Training & Workshops. Reggie's Website: Enthuse Creative - A Branding Studio Specializing in Strategy & Design From James: FREE Passive Income Masterclass (profityourknowledge.com)

WMAL GUEST: 8:05 AM - INTERVIEW - TOM ROUSSEY (Sounds like “WOW!”)  - WJLA  reporter 3 Metro stations evacuated because of smoke beneath railcar at Eastern Market  90-year-old volunteer forced out of nonprofit group for not understanding ‘required' pronouns Fani Willis' heated testimony in Trump Fulton County case Where to find more about WMAL's morning show:  Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor,  @Jgunlock,  @patricepinkfile and @heatherhunterdc.  Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Friday, February 16 2024 / 8AM Hour See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 6AM Hour: Larry O'Connor and Patrice Onwuka discussed: DC Board of Elections issues official recall petition for Councilmember Charles Allen 'We have over 500 volunteers so far' | Meet the group trying to recall DC Councilman Charles Allen 3 Metro stations evacuated because of smoke beneath railcar at Eastern Market 80% of Americans test positive for chemical found in Cheerios, Quaker Oats that may cause infertility, delayed puberty: study WMAL GUEST: 6:35 AM - INTERVIEW - MARIELA ROCA - running for Congress in Maryland / WEBSITE: https://rocaforcongress.com/ Ana Navarro mocks Trump in a belated Valentine's Day poem Where to find more about WMAL's morning show:  Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor,  @Jgunlock,  @patricepinkfile and @heatherhunterdc.  Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Friday, February 16 2024 / 6 AM Hour See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special pre-Valentine's Day edition of The D Shift, I sit down with certified professional life coach Amy Schoen to discuss the art of post-divorce dating and finding new love. Amy shares her personal journey of divorce, dating, and eventually finding love in her forties. As the creator of the Motivated to Marry Dating Secrets coaching program, Amy brings a wealth of insight and experience to the table. Together, we talk about the intricacies of dating with intention, understanding relationship values, and navigating the world of online dating. Amy's passionate and pragmatic approach to helping individuals redefine post-divorce relationships is sure to provide valuable insights for anyone seeking to embark on a new romantic journey. A few points we discuss include:1. Embrace Your Values: Take the time to identify and ground yourself in your core relationship values and non-negotiables to set healthy boundaries and make informed decisions.2. Online Dating Strategies: Infuse your values and goals into your online profile to attract the right kind of connection and utilize tools to vet potential matches before meeting in person.3. Self-Confidence Matters: Focus on what you have to offer, be true to yourself, and obtain the support needed to make better decisions and avoid falling into familiar traps.About the Guest:Since 2005 Amy Schoen, a Certified Professional Life Coach, has a passion around helping singles and couples create loving and sustaining life partnerships. Amy maintains a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the ICF since 2016. She is the Creator of the Motivated to Marry Dating Secrets coaching program and has been helping her clients achieve incredible results through her private and group coaching. It is Amy's passion is to clarify her clients' critical relationship values so they can easily recognize and connect with their true lifelong love partner, often within 3 to 6 dates which afterward they become an exclusive couple. She is also the author of "Get It Right This Time – How to Find and Keep Your Ideal Romantic Partner" available on Amazon. Amy lives in the Washington, DC Metro area with her husband (#2) of over 21 years, her 15 year old son and adorable cat. Learn more about Amy and her success stories at www.motivatedtomarry.com.For Amy's free gift: Five Signs You Are Ready for True Love To connect with Amy:Website: www.motivatedtomarry.com LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachamyschoen/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amy.schoen/About the Host: Mardi Winder-Adams is an ICF and BCC Executive and Leadership Coach, Certified Divorce Transition Coach, and a Credentialed Distinguished Mediator in Texas. She has worked with women in executive, entrepreneur, and leadership roles navigating personal, life, and professional transitions. She is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and host of Real Divorce Talks, a quarterly series designed to provide education and inspiration to women at all stages of divorce. Are you interested in learning more about your divorce priorities? Take the quiz "Find Out Your #1 Priority to Cut Through the Fog of Divorce".Connect with Mardi on Social Media:Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4womenLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/Thanks for Listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the PodcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes,...

This week I welcome Jess Buchanan back on the show to talk about the release of  her second anthology series, Deserts to Mountaintops: Choosing Our Healing Through Radical Self Acceptance.   It was so great to catch up on what's been happening in her world and to discuss this project.In this episode:Find out why this topic was chosen for the anthology seriesHear the process of putting an anthology project together with 18 other authorsTalk about the fear that keeps women from telling their storiesDiscuss why that fear must be faced and MORE stories need to be sharedThis week's guest:Jessica Buchanan is a Teacher, Author, Humanitarian, Speaker, Founder, and Survivor.In her NYT Bestselling memoir Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six, Jessica details her experience as she was abducted at gunpoint and held for ransom by a group of Somali pirates for 93 days. Forced to live outdoors in deplorable conditions, starved, and terrorized by more than two dozen gangsters, Jessica's health steadily deteriorated until, by order of President Obama, she was rescued by the elite SEAL Team VI on January 25, 2012.Jessica is now a highly sought-after inspirational speaker, TEDx Speaker, and is also the founder of Soul Speak Press. Her latest book is an anthology titled “Deserts to Mountaintops: Choosing Our Healing Through Radical Self Acceptance.” She is married to a native Swede, has two children, and now resides in the DC Metro area.Buy the book hereFind out more about Soul Speak PressSupport the showKeep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:InstagramThreads : westatpodFacebookLinkedInTwitterHave a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?https://www.westatpod.com/Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the show! This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new

How hard could it be? That's what Gabriele thought when she became a first-time parent. As a pediatric speech therapist, she thought she had the skills to make motherhood easy. Little did she know. *Postpartum depression is hard *There were lots of "parenting rules" she got to sift through (and get rid of) *There's a reason that sleep deprivation is used a form of torture * There's a reason that babies are cute (it's so that you won't throw them out the window!) *Typical development is a miracle. Gabriele is a speech therapist and parent coach. She is the owner and Head Toddler Whisperer at SpeechKids, a private online speech therapy practice serving families both in and outside the DC Metro area. She is also the co-founder of Raising Orchid Kids, a parent education and coaching practice Gabriele is passionate about showing families how to help their Orchid Kids (kids who need a little bit “extra”) thrive and not just survive. She works with children and their families 1:1 and in groups through her Raising Orchid Kids programs.  FIND HER HERE: https://www.facebook.com/gabriele.nicolet https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielenicolet/ www.speechkids.com https://www.instagram.com/speechkidsdc/ https://www.facebook.com/Speechkids/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/speechkids-llc/ www.raisingorchidkids.com https://www.instagram.com/raising_orchid_kids/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/raising-orchid-kids/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/218742340170621 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

In exactly two weeks, it will be 2024 and since it will be an election year, I thought it might be a good time to peer into the future a little to see if we can spot any trends or hot button issues on the horizon. Former president Donald Trump is in the spotlight again this week after making comments about illegal immigrants “poisoning the blood of our country.” Adolf Hitler made some very similar remarks in his 1925 book ‘Mein Kampf' where he talked about the ‘pure blood of Germany' being poisoned by inferior races. We all know how that turned out. What type of presidency might we expect if Trump wins? Better yet, what type of presidency might we expect should he lose? Either way, it's a real ‘Sophie's Choice'. On this episode of the NTEB Prophecy News Podcast, crime in our nation's capital of Washington DC is off the charts, consider these numbers from the DC Metro police department. Robbery increased by 69 percent, violent crime spiked by 40 percent, and carjackings soared by 89 percent. The soaring crime rate pushed the Wizards and Capitals to relocate the professional basketball and hockey teams out of town, way out of town. Why is it impossible for the capital of our nation to keep the streets safe? You would think that of all places in America, the one place you would want to have under wraps would be your capital city. And yet, it is a terrifying place that people are fleeing from. One would have to believe that these things are happening by design. I wish I had better, brighter news about what 2024 might hold, but sadly it's quite dystopian. In the midst of all this darkness there is a bright spot, and we'll talk about that, too, on this edition of the Podcast News Podcast.

What's your personal style? Classic and timeless? Boho-chic? Comfy and casual? Maybe you're not quite sure. In this episode, Naeemah chats with Batul Sadiq, Image Consultant and co-creator of "You Have Arrived". They talk about how styling your wardrobe can aid in the decluttering process. Batul Sadiq is the founder of BHS Image Consulting and is a seasoned image consultant offering personal styling, etiquette guidance, and cultural insights to top female executives. With degrees from the Fashion Institute of Technology and San Francisco State University, she now applies over fifteen years of experience to her work, including her role as the incoming Regional Director of Fashion Group International's DC chapter. Batul co-created the digital course 'You Have Arrived!' and is recognized for her impactful seminars with organizations like the Young Presidents' Organization and Xerox. Serving clients both virtually and in the DC Metro area, Batul ensures the women she serves build strong personal brands that match their ambition. https://www.bhsimageconsulting.com/ Follow us on Social Media! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/organizemeradio/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/OrganizeMeRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more information about Naeemah, visit her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://naeemahfordgoldson.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/naeemah-ford-goldson/message

Trial attorneys and co-anchors Ben Meiselas and Michael Popok are back with a new episode of the weekend edition of the LegalAF podcast. On this episode, they debate: the future ramifications in Trump's criminal and civil cases of the DC appeals court ruling that there is no presidential immunity for Trump to avoid the civil suit brought by Capitol and DC Metro police and members of congress for his role in the Jan6 riot; a federal criminal trial judge finding that Trump has no “presidential immunity” from the Special Counsel's election interference DC indictment; a NY appellate court reversing course and re-instating Judge Engoron's two gag orders against Trump and his lawyers in the Civil Fraud case, as Trump starts bashing the Judge's wife and the trial judge sets oral argument in January; a new suit claims that Trump's favorite Alina Habba was used to “groom” a female employee of his Bedminster golf course to coerce her into a settling a sex harassment case without consulting any attorney; and so much more from the intersection of law, politics and justice. DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS! RHONE: Head to https://rhone.com/legalaf and use code LEGALAF to save 20% off your entire order! AURA FRAMES: Visit https://Auraframes.com/LegalAF and get $30 off their best-selling frames with promo code LEGALAF HIGHLAND TITLES: Go to https://HighlandTitles.com and use the discount code LEGALAF25 to receive a generous 25% savings. SUPPORT THE SHOW: Shop NEW LEGAL AF Merch at: https://store.meidastouch.com Join us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/meidastouch Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown Lights On with Jessica Denson: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/lights-on-with-jessica-denson On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DC Metro area has been in a drought for months. The Potomac River has been at the lowest levels in years. The gauge at Little Falls recently reported a low of 2.4'. Rob decided to take advantage of the low water to explore a low dam that is normally submerged. He and his friend Dan followed the shoreline right up to the dam. The water was extremely low, the wind was howling, and the smallies were biting. Dan temporarily lost his had in the wind. He was able to fish that out. However, if you find the tip top to an Orvis TLS rod along this stretch please let us know. Rob interviewed on the news. Kayak incident report from a drowning the day before. Produced by Jason Reif  Support This Podcast - purchase one of a kind flies tied by Rob. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Willow of @urbanredeux grew up thrifting, antique shopping, and treasure hunting. Today she owns Urban Redeux, an enchanting antique and vintage home décor shop nestled in the heart of the DC Metro area. Join Willow and host Maggie Scivicque (@PodcastwithMaggie) on this episode of the Get Thrifty Podcast and listen in to their fun conversation all about finding hidden gems, finding the perfect place for vintage in your home, and Willow's predictions for upcoming thrifty fall, Halloween, and Christmas trends.

Beyoncé's Tour Paid $100k To Make Sure The DC Metro Stayed Open An Hour Later For The BeyHive!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The whole conceit of this show is that if look at the world in the right way, you'll see stories everywhere. Some of the stories are epic power struggles chronicling the construction of a famous skyscraper or the founding of a city; but other stories are more modest, smaller in scope and scale. We call those mini-stories and they're part of an ongoing, end-of-the-year tradition in which 99pi producers and friends of the show talk to host Roman Mars about something cool and fun that you can tell your friends or family about during a holiday get together.You'll hear about a very, very long escalator! Beavers dropping from the sky!  We'll hear from Janet, Miss Jackson if you're nasty! Plus a visit from the queen! Mini-Stories 15: Volume 15