Podcasts about Elgin

The best piano player in your church might be the wrong person for your team.  Keith makes the case that an audition is not American Idol. It's the first thing that teaches someone what kind of team they're joining, before they ever play a note.  You'll hear how to build an application that asks about someone's story and not just their instrument, the everyday conversation questions that quietly reveal character, starting with what song they listened to on the way over, and the four honest ways to respond after audition day so nobody walks out guessing.  He also gets into why handing pieces of the process to current team members develops leaders and takes weight off you.   Keith Elgin leads worship, coaches worship leaders and pastors, and hosts the Worship Online Podcast.  Since all of this starts with what you hand people before they show up, Worship Online gives you album accurate tutorials, charts, and a mixer so everyone learns their part at home, whether they're auditioning or leading this Sunday. You can try it free at https://worshiponline.com/   Mentioned in the Episode  Sign Up for Lab+    If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.  Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!  The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.   

A founder who's already sold two companies breaks down the one test that decided whether each one was actually an asset, or just a very well-disguised job he couldn't leave.Ron Graziano, founder of ImpactFlow and creator of LeadIntelPro.AI, walks through what he learned building and exiting a landscaping company (2001–2011) and a martial arts school (2017–2024): the difference between a business a buyer actually wants and a job wearing a business's name. He also shows how he uses AI, transparently, to move faster without losing the human trust that closes a sale.Key takeaways:00:00:00 Introduction00:03:01Q: What actually separates founders who survive a crisis from those who don't?A: Ron Graziano says it comes down to one instinct: whether you pivot and adapt, or freeze when the business gets hit.00:15:46Q: What actually determines the value of a business when you sell it?A: Ron Graziano explains that buyers pay for human capital and branded assets that survive the founder leaving, not for the founder's personal effort.00:16:48Q: What's the real difference between being the best and being known?A: Ron Graziano argues best known beats best — you can be the top choice in your field and still lose the sale if nobody knows you exist.00:22:40Q: How do you know if you own a business or just a very demanding job?A: Ron Graziano says the test is simple: if the tasks rely on you to do them every day, you don't own a business, you own a job.00:39:12Q: What's the first step toward building a business you could actually sell?A: Ron Graziano's first rule: put yourself on a real W2 salary, no matter how uncomfortable that feels early on.00:50:53Q: What makes a marketing guarantee actually mean something?A: Ron Graziano describes his agency's policy: if a deadline is missed due to their own fault, the client doesn't pay, no matter the invoice size.01:00:41Q: Is it safe to let AI handle customer-facing conversations?A: Ron Graziano explains why his AI agents always disclose themselves as AI, citing a Harvard Business School study where that honesty still raised bookings 48%.If you've ever wondered whether your business would survive being sold tomorrow, or whether it's actually just a job with better branding, this conversation has the test.

Keith Elgin is a worship pastor, songwriter, and the host of the Worship Online Podcast, a platform that has trained over 150,000 worship leaders worldwide.But his story does not start where you might expect. It starts with a quiet moment in his bedroom where he heard God say come home. That one moment sent him back to church, into a band, and eventually onto a stage opening for Chris Tomlin just months after he ever led worship for the first time.In this conversation we talked about what it looks like to recognize the warning signs before burnout makes the decision for you, how having one hard conversation with your pastor changed the entire trajectory of Keith's ministry, and why ministry longevity is less about hustle and more about alignment.Keith also shares his Worship Journal, a resource built around his personal practice of journaling through worship songs with God, and why he does not want to get to the end of his life and be a squanderer of what God gave him.Ministry does not have to break you. This one is for anyone who has wondered if they can keep going.Worship JournalWorship Online PodcastFind out what lane you are inJoin us on FacebookBook a Creative Coaching Call

Carl Albert remains No. 1 in this week's Oklahoma Class 5A football rankings. Coweta moves into the No. 2 position, Elgin climbs to No. 3 and Bishop McGuinness falls two spots to No. 4.High School Huddle Pick'em: https://hshpickem.vercel.app/index.htmlWho should be higher or lower? Let us know in the comments.Subscribe for weekly Oklahoma high school football rankings, predictions and interviews, and join the High School Huddle live every Wednesday at 6 p.m.

We are glad you are here. To better serve you, offer prayer, or answer any questions, click here.West Ridge Community ChurchHelping people encounter, embrace, and embody the radical love of God.Sunday Services at 9:00 am or 10:30 am in person or online3300 Encounter Lane, Elgin, IL 60142Give online or text "GIVE" to 847-488-1761Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  

What does it really mean to say yes to God? In Matthew 21:23-32, Jesus tells a story about two sons given the same instruction by their father. One refuses outright but later changes his mind and obeys. The other agrees immediately but never follows through. It is a deceptively simple parable, but its challenge cuts deep. We live in the tension between what we profess and what we actually do. We say yes to forgiveness while quietly nursing old resentments. We say yes to generosity while convincing ourselves we cannot afford to give. We say yes to following Jesus while pulling back the moment discipleship costs us something. The religious leaders in the story were experts at the language of faith, yet Jesus points to tax collectors and prostitutes as those actually entering the kingdom ahead of them. Not because those people were more righteous, but because when they heard the call, they responded with their lives, not just their words. This message invites us to examine the gap between our spoken faith and our lived faith, and to trust that God's grace gives us both the freedom to change our minds and the strength to change our direction.

Tim Regan spent years selling other people's financial products before realizing he wasn't running a business — he was just good at a job. Then he broke out on his own, built PrairieView Wealth & Tax Advisors into a multi-location firm, and started buying up accounting practices to grow faster.In this episode, Tim Regan, founder and CEO of PrairieView Wealth & Tax Advisors, joins Alex Sheridan to break down what it takes to build a business that can run without you, and how founders should really be thinking about building personal wealth instead of just chasing the next exit.Key takeaways:00:00:00 Introduction00:16:54Q: Why is it so hard for founders to take a big financial risk?A: Tim Regan says it's easy to take a risk with nothing to lose, but comfort becomes the obstacle once you have something. His mantra: abundance always trumps scarcity.00:23:25Q: What's the hardest part of scaling a business past the founder?A: Tim Regan shares that the real challenge isn't one dramatic failure, it's quiet drift — small standards slip the moment he steps away, which is why finding the right person in the right seat matters most.00:29:48Q: How do you know if your company culture is actually working?A: Tim Regan suggests asking your own team to describe the culture back to you. If they can't say it clearly, it isn't intentional yet, and it's quietly costing you sales too.00:44:16Q: What does it mean to build a business as an asset instead of a job?A: Tim Regan explains that most entrepreneurs' biggest asset is their business, but it only counts as an asset if it can run without them.00:47:26Q: What should founders do differently before selling their business?A: Tim Regan explains that most owners spend decades minimizing profit to save on taxes, then are surprised their exit multiple is based on that same number.00:49:19Q: What is the simplest way for an entrepreneur to actually build wealth?A: Tim Regan says it comes down to one habit: spend less than you earn and put the difference into something that goes up.Tim Regan makes the case that the businesses worth building are the ones that outgrow their founder — and that real wealth is built with intention, not hoped for after an exit.

For two days in mid-October, ash fell like snow atop Beijing. All that remained of one of the greatest cultural storehouses in all of human history, put to the torch as an extremely personalized punishment... after everything not nailed down inside it had already been looted off, of course. But the man it was meant to punish... wasn't even there. He'd already slipped out the back door of the Forbidden City weeks before - leaving an opera troupe to play on and cover his escape, as he left his own capital behind to its conquerors for the last time. What was left was a city ready to be conquered, a conqueror who didn't want it at all, and who would negotiate a very favorable credit-extension deal instead... with a computable interest in the survival of the government he'd just humiliated, and in the quiet of the very ports the Taiping had spent all summer marching toward. Time Period Covered:Aug.–Dec. 1860 CE Major Historical Figures:The Qing:The Xianfeng Emperor [1831–1861]Prince Gong, the emperor's half-brother; imperial plenipotentiary [1833–1898]Senggelinqin, Mongol prince; commander in the north [1811–1865]Zaiyuan, Prince of Yi, imperial commissioner [1816–1861]Muyin, imperial commissionerHengqi, Qing officialZeng Guofan, imperial commissioner against the Taiping [1811–1872]The Qianlong Emperor [1711–1799] The British:James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, High Commissioner & Plenipotentiary [1811–1863]Frederick Bruce, British Minister to China [1814–1867]Harry Parkes, interpreter & negotiator [1828–1885]Henry Loch, Elgin's private secretary [1827–1900]Thomas Bowlby, correspondent of The Times [1818–1860]Gen. Sir James Hope Grant, commanding the British force [1808–1875]Rear Adm. Sir James Hope [1808–1881]Capt. Charles Gordon, Royal Engineers [1833–1885]Robert Swinhoe, interpreter [1836–1877]Lord Macartney, ambassador to the Qianlong court, 1793 [1737–1806]Lord Amherst, ambassador, 1816 [1773–1857]King George III [1738–1820]Queen Victoria [1819–1901] The French:Baron Gros, French PlenipotentiaryGen. Charles Cousin-Montauban, afterward Comte de Palikao [1793–1877]Felice Beato, photographer [c. 1832–1909]Jean Denis Attiret, Jesuit painter at the Yuanmingyuan [1702–1768] The Russians:Count Nikolay Ignatiev, Russian envoy [1832–1908] The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Rengan, the Shield King [1822–1864] Major Works Cited:Giles, Herbert A. A Glossary of Reference on Subjects Connected with the Far East.Gros, Baron. Négociations entre la France et la Chine en 1860.Hake, Alfred Egmont. The Story of Chinese Gordon.Leavenworth, Charles S. The Arrow War with China.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello and welcome to the Late Kick Off Scottish Football Podcast episode 223!Joining Jamie and Michael this week is podcast debutant Fraser MacLeod from ‘The 30' on X and Instagram (@the_thirty_).In typical Sportsound fashion, we begin in the Premiership with Rangers as they visited Celtic Park in the second Old Firm in the space of a week. Elsewhere in the division, Dundee United dismantled a St Mirren side who have now lost three on the spin and we talk about the various incomings and outgoings at both Aberdeen and Hibernian.To the Championship: Stenhousemuir have had an excellent week with two wins and two clean sheets; Ayr United win at Hampden (Lesser) to put pressure on the bottom two clubs in the division; and why can't anyone score as we examine a 0-0 between Partick Thistle and Raith Rovers, who failed to even had a shot on target at Firhill.Our descent down the league takes us to League One, where Montrose won their seventh game on the bounce, inflicting East Fife to their first league defeat at home in six months. A mention for Hamilton, knocked off the summit, but keeping pace with Ross County thanks to Andy Ryan's first-half hat-trick against hapless QoS. And the marquee game featured a pod favourite, Kyle Glasgow scoring for Alloa Athletic, who stung, but were ultimately swatted away by visiting East Kilbride – who ironically play at the Bumblebee Stadium.And, finally, in the fourth tier, Stranraer visited Elgin in the longest journey between two SPFL clubs and battered their hosts and went to a point behind league-leading Clyde. In the village of Kelty, the Jambos lost their perfect home record and are now one of four teams sat on nine points, and Forfar get back to winning ways as they stop the bleeding of six winless outings by seeing off Annan Athletic.All that and more on the only Scottish football podcast you need while cooking that soup for those autumn evenings.ChaptersIntro (00:27)Performance(s) of the week (01:43)Marquee Matchups (19:10)The Final Word (54:10)Outro (61:50)All reviews, likes, shares and of course listens are hugely appreciated! Why not leave a review right now, it only takes a second! Please follow and tag us on the socials : X - @TLKOPod  Instagram - Late Kick Off Football Podcast (@latekickoffpod) • Instagram photos and videos Thanks to all our contributors:

What happens when generosity collides with our deep-seated need to compare ourselves to others? The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard from Matthew 20 pulls us into exactly that tension. We follow a landowner who goes out again and again throughout the day, gathering workers from the margins of society, people who were poor, overlooked, and desperate for a day's wage. When evening comes and every worker receives the same pay regardless of how long they labored, the first workers hired erupt in frustration. And honestly, we understand why. But this parable challenges us to examine what that frustration reveals about our own hearts. Are we more focused on what others receive than on the grace that has already been extended to us? The spiritual lesson here is not simply that God is fair, but that God is radically generous, and that generosity does not diminish what we have been given. Whether we come to faith early in life or in our final moments, the gift is the same. This is the upside-down logic of the kingdom of God, and it is an invitation for us to release comparison and embrace the scandalous grace that has been freely offered to all of us.

We are glad you are here. To better serve you, offer prayer, or answer any questions, click here.West Ridge Community ChurchHelping people encounter, embrace, and embody the radical love of God.Sunday Services at 9:00 am or 10:30 am in person or online3300 Encounter Lane, Elgin, IL 60142Give online or text "GIVE" to 847-488-1761Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  

Returning guest and author Beth Livingston joins co-hosts Jamie Davis and Sam Bradley, along with Dr. Joe Holley, to explore the 1860 sinking of the Lady Elgin on Lake Michigan. Beth's new book, The Lady Elgin Sinking of 1860, examines a disaster that claimed hundreds of lives and the extraordinary efforts of people determined to help. Listeners may remember Beth from her previous visits discussing the Charleston earthquake and the Dayton flood. This time, she brings us to the Great Lakes, where a passenger excursion from Milwaukee to Chicago ended in tragedy. Beth describes how members of Milwaukee's Union Guards, accompanied by family members and other passengers, traveled to Chicago for a fundraising outing. After a day of activities and sightseeing, they boarded the Lady Elgin for the return trip. During the overnight voyage, the steamer collided with the sailing vessel Augusta in stormy conditions. As water entered the damaged ship, Captain Jack Wilson and his crew tried desperately to keep it afloat. Beth recounts attempts to plug the breach and the decision to move passengers onto the upper hurricane deck as the situation worsened. When the vessel went down, survivors faced rough water, floating wreckage, and a dangerous journey toward shore. The rescue effort brought together crew members, nearby residents, and students who responded as news of the sinking reached land. Among them was Edward Spencer, a student at Garrett Biblical Institute, who is credited with rescuing 17 people. Beth also shares Captain Wilson's efforts to help passengers survive and the account of his death while trying to save a mother and child. For Jamie, Sam, and Joe, these stories raise questions that remain familiar to disaster responders today. What drives someone to enter danger to help a stranger? How do people find the strength to keep going when the need seems overwhelming? And how do communities come together when an ordinary day becomes a mass-casualty event? Author Beth Livingston Sam brings her responder's perspective to a conversation about the human side of disaster. Across generations, the equipment and communication systems change, but the impulse to help remains a powerful part of the response. Beth also takes us behind the scenes of her research. She discusses tracing the people involved, exploring how news of the wreck spread, and discovering how much of the story had faded from public memory. A visit to Captain Wilson's hometown helped spark renewed local interest in his life and actions. This episode offers a look at both a historic maritime tragedy and the people whose choices deserve to be remembered. Listen as Beth shares the story behind her new book and helps us connect the experiences of the Lady Elgin's passengers and rescuers with the challenges responders face today. Listen to Beth’s Previous Episode of the Disaster Podcast Our thanks to Dr. Joe Holley from Paragon Medical Education Group for sponsoring the Disaster Podcast. Thank you as always to Paragon Medical Education Group for their long-term support of the Disaster Podcast. Dr. Joe Holley and the team at Paragon continue to provide excellent and customized disaster response training to jurisdictions around the U.S. and internationally as well.

A suspicious ship of dubious registry is boarded by Qing marines off Canton, 12 of her crew are taken captive for piracy, and the British allege their flag was hauled down in the process. That last part, at least, was almost certainly untrue... not that that stops it all from spinning entirely out of control. Within the month, the Royal Navy will be shelling the office of the viceroy who won't meet with them, Parliament's own better angels will be promptly overturned by the public itself at the polls, and the kickoff of a 4-year war… that no one could ever quite name an actual cause for: The Arrow War, AKA The 2nd Opium War.Time Period Covered:Oct. 1856 – 1860 CE Major Historical Figures:The Qing:The Xianfeng Emperor [1831–1861]Ye Mingchen, Governor-General of Liangguang [1807–1859]Senggelinqin, Mongol prince; commander at Taku [1811–1865]The British:James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, High Commissioner & Plenipotentiary [1811–1863]Frederick Bruce, first British Minister to China [1814–1867]Harry Parkes, acting British Consul at Canton [1828–1885]Sir John Bowring, Governor of Hong Kong [1792–1872]In Parliament:Lord Palmerston, Prime Minister [1784–1865]William Gladstone [1809–1898]Benjamin Disraeli [1804–1881]The French & Americans:Baron Gros, French PlenipotentiaryFather Auguste Chapdelaine, missionary [d. 1856]Josiah Tattnall, U.S. Navy commodore [1795–1871]John E. Ward, U.S. Minister to China [1814–1902]The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864] Major Works Cited:Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War.Twitchett, Denis, and John K. Fairbank, eds. The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10: Late Ch'ing, 1800–1911, Part 1.Wong, J. Y. Deadly Dreams: Opium, Imperialism, and the Arrow War (1856–1860) in China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An idol is nothing, and food cannot bring us closer to God. Some Corinthians know both truths and see no problem eating meat offered to idols. But across the table sits a fellow Christian who once worshiped those gods. What happens when he follows their example while believing he is returning to idolatry? Paul confronts a confidence so focused on being free and knowledgeable that it overlooks a brother for whom Christ died. How does love shape the use of Christian freedom when another person's faith is at stake?  The Rev. Matthew Kusch, pastor of King of Glory Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 8:1–13.  To learn more about King of Glory Lutheran, visit kogelgin.org. What happens when Christians turn their pastors into rival teams, take one another to court, and leave their neighbors hungry at the Lord's Supper? Corinth gives Paul plenty to write about. Questions about marriage, meat sacrificed to idols, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection bring the apostle into the daily life of a church struggling with pride and division. Through it all, he keeps bringing them back to Christ crucified and risen.  In 2 Corinthians, the strained relationship between Paul and the people he loves brings its own painful questions about forgiveness, faithful ministry, suffering, and weakness. These letters give us the treasure in jars of clay, the promise of resurrection, and the assurance that Christ's grace is sufficient. Join Thy Strong Word as we study 1 and 2 Corinthians verse by verse and hear what God speaks to a troubled church He has called His own.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

In a rare live experiment, Alex Sheridan brings in a business coach, Rick Lochner, and Claude AI at the same time, using his own business as the test case, to compare what each one gets right and wrong about building a business into an asset instead of a job.Rick Lochner, founder of RPC Leadership Associates, has coached executives, small business owners, and nonprofit leaders for decades. In this episode he goes head-to-head, in real time, with Claude AI as Alex Sheridan tries to grow Podcast Builders from $5 million to $10 million in revenue at 50% margins.Key takeaways:00:00:00 IntroductionHere's how the coaching conversation actually unfolds:[00:08:26] Start with purpose, not the goal. Rick Lochner opens by asking why Alex wants to grow at all, before any numbers come up.[00:23:02] Claude AI skips straight to the numbers, asking for revenue, client count, and average contract value first.[00:45:59] Claude AI maps the growth engine: contract value, growth model, and where clients actually come from.[00:46:44] Alex catches Claude skipping positioning, and it corrects itself on the spot.[00:54:51] Rick Lochner reframes the real question behind selling a business: what would actually let you walk away.If you've ever wondered whether your business is quietly becoming a job you can't step away from, or been tempted to let AI do the thinking a real coach should be doing, this episode will change how you look at both.

A hole on the platform is easier to fix than a hole in your team's culture.  Keith Elgin learned that one the hard way, and he made a list of the other nine things he wishes every worship leader knew.  You'll get his case for why your worship ministry doesn't need its own vision, only a clear read on your church's. Why the hard conversation you're avoiding right now becomes next year's crisis. And why eventually you shouldn't be the best musician in the room, plus how insecurity quietly keeps you there.  He also pushes on the line most leaders repeat but don't act on: Sunday reveals your team's culture, it doesn't create it. Preparation, communication, and formation happen Monday through Saturday or they don't happen at all.   In addition to hosting The Worship Online Podcast, Keith leads worship at his local church, coaches other worship teams, and created the Worship Journal.  If Monday through Saturday is where the real work happens, Worship Online gives your team a way to actually do it: every part learned at home before rehearsal, so you can spend your time on people instead of parts. Take a look at https://worshiponline.com/    Mentioned in the Episode  Alive Church  The Worship Journal    If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.  Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!  The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.   

We are glad you are here. To better serve you, offer prayer, or answer any questions, click here.West Ridge Community ChurchHelping people encounter, embrace, and embody the radical love of God.Sunday Services at 9:00 am or 10:30 am in person or online3300 Encounter Lane, Elgin, IL 60142Give online or text "GIVE" to 847-488-1761Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  

In this episode of A Table in the Corner, I chat to chef Carla Burger about Bloem, the restaurant she co-owns with Bertus Basson at Paul Clüver Family Wines in Elgin.We talk about Carla's journey through the Basson kitchens, from Overture and Eike to Spek & Bone and Chorus, and the move from pastry chef to running her own restaurant. Carla explains why Bloem was conceived as a more relaxed, family-friendly restaurant suited to the Elgin landscape, rather than another destination fine-dining restaurant.We also talk about the produce coming from the farm, the addition of the Pizza Garden and the realities of running a restaurant in a seasonal destination. Carla discusses finding her own voice within the Basson group, learning the business side of hospitality and the ambition to help establish Elgin as a food destination in its own right. www.rwm2012.comOn Instagram @a_table_inthecornerCover image sketched by Courtney Cara LawsonAll profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise creditedTitle music: 'In Time' by Olexy via Pixabay

Hello and welcome to the Late Kick Off Football Podcast episode 222!A hat-trick heavy episode as we feature not one, but two trebles in the lower leagues this weekend.Not only that, but we have one team not registering a single shot in a 4-0 scudding, and ‘Sir' David Gray will return to the venue which made him a legend, this time as a manager. Facing city rivals Heart of Midlothian, who beat fellow Maroon outfit Stenhousemuir.In the marquee matchups, we talk Rangers-Celtic, Montrose winning six on the spin, Elgin coming away empty-handed after a long-trek down to Dumfriesshire, and the return of David Martindale as his Livingston side demolished hapless Greenock Morton.And there was mentions of a couple of teams getting their first league victories of the season, leaving Falkirk and Kilmarnock as the last of the 42 to get off the mark. Oh yeah, and just the 10 goals at Meadowbank.All that and more on the only Scottish football podcast you need to get through the daily commute.ChaptersIntro (00:28)Performance(s) of the week (01:45)Marquee Matchups (12:20)The Final Word (52:15)Outro (64:15)All reviews, likes, shares and of course listens are hugely appreciated! Why not leave a review right now, it only takes a second! Please follow and tag us on the socials : X - @TLKOPod  Instagram - Late Kick Off Football Podcast (@latekickoffpod) • Instagram photos and videos Thanks to all our contributors:

Carl Albert continues to hold the No. 1 spot in Class 5A entering Week 3, followed by Bishop McGuinness, Coweta and Elgin.There is a new team in the Top 10 this week as Guthrie enters at No. 8. Shawnee falls out of the rankings.High School Huddle Pick'em: https://hshpickem.vercel.app/index.htmlChris Evans breaks down his Class 6A-I Top 10 heading into Week 2, including Yukon's big jump from No. 9 to No. 5 and Moore returning to the rankings.Who is too high? Who is too low? Give us your Top 10 in the comments!

I chat with Brenda Tomlinson, Wabasha County Emergency Management Director about her job description, training and more! Sponsored by People's State Bank: Plainview, Elgin & Altura!

Partners in Mortgage survived the 2008 housing crash by staying deliberately small, tried paid advertising exactly once, and has grown ever since almost entirely through referrals.Alex Sheridan sits down with all three partners behind Partners in Mortgage: founder Chris Schejbal, and current partners Joe Spero and Sam Noffs. They talk about why the company has deliberately never grown past a small team, the one paid ad campaign that famously flopped, how referrals have carried the business ever since, and why they believe real estate quietly outperforms the stock market as an investment.Key takeaways:00:00:00 Introduction00:08:57Q: How did staying a small company help a mortgage business survive the 2008 housing crash?A: Chris Schejbal explains that because Partners in Mortgage never grew past a small team, they were able to pivot and stay open through 2008 instead of laying people off or closing their doors like bigger competitors did.00:23:05Q: Does advertising actually work for a small mortgage business?A: Chris Schejbal says paid advertising never worked for Partners in Mortgage. The one time they tried a money-mailer campaign, the only response they got back turned out to be a family member, so the company has grown almost entirely through referrals ever since.00:26:16Q: How much money can a mortgage broker actually save a client compared to a big bank?A: Joe Spero says the average savings works out to about $10,000 per client, largely because a broker only gets paid when the loan actually closes.00:48:03Q: Is real estate a better investment than the stock market?A: Sam Noffs argues real estate wins because of leverage, letting an investor put down a fraction of a property's value and still capture the full appreciation plus any rental income.00:55:31Q: Why is it harder to buy a first home today than it was 20 years ago?A: Sam Noffs and Joe Spero say home prices have appreciated faster than wages for years, pushing the average first-time homebuyer's age up to 38.If you've ever assumed you need to advertise to grow, or that the stock market is the smarter place to put your money, this episode will make you rethink both.

The Loyal King does everything right. He writes ahead to Shanghai to announce he's coming – as a friend! And only for the Qing parts of the city! His standing orders: no firing on the foreigners, you get your head chopped off. He even signs off wishing them all good health until he can meet them in person. It's returned unopened. As is the second one. And so, in the third week of August 1860, an army marching under orders not to shoot back spends 5 days being shelled outside the walls of a city they thought friendly… all culminating with the French burning the suburbs to the ground, with everyone still inside. And those soldiers holding that wall on the Qing's behalf? They're the rear echelon of an expedition sailing north to burn down the dynasty's capital.Time Period Covered:June-Aug. 1860 CE Major Historical Figures:The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Rengan, the Shield King (Gan Wang), Prime Minister [1822–1864]Li Xiucheng, the Loyal King (Zhong Wang) [1823–1864] The Qing:Xue Huan, acting Governor of JiangsuWu Xu, the Shanghai DaotaiYang Fang, banker; head of the merchant syndicateHe Guiqing, cashiered Governor-General of Liangjiang [1816–1862] The Foreigners…At Shanghai:Frederick Bruce, British Minister to China [1814–1867]Thomas Taylor Meadows, acting British Consul at Shanghai [1815–1868]Frederick Townsend Ward, commander, Shanghai Foreign-Arms Corps [1831–1862]Thomas Francis Wade, first British Inspector of Customs at Shanghai [1818–1895]Horatio Nelson Lay, British Inspector of Customs from 1855 [1832–1898]Savage, English coastal pilot in Taiping service [d. 1860]In the North:James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, British High Commissioner; Frederick Bruce's elder brother [1811–1863] Major Works Cited:Fairbank, John King. Trade and Diplomacy on the China Coast: The Opening of the Treaty Ports, 1842–1854.Jen, Yu-wen. The Taiping Revolutionary Movement.Michael, Franz, and Chung-li Chang. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vols. I–III.Murphey, Rhoads. Shanghai: Key to Modern China.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan.Twitchett, Denis, and John K. Fairbank, eds. The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10: Late Ch'ing, 1800–1911, Part 1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julian Good runs a Chick-fil-A that pulls in roughly $8 million a year, stays closed every Sunday, and can't be sold or passed down to his kids.Alex Sheridan talks with Julian Good, owner and operator of Chick-fil-A St. Charles, about the $10,000 franchise fee, the 15% Chick-fil-A takes off revenue, and why the operator model looks nothing like any other franchise. They also get into Chick-fil-A's two-sentence corporate purpose, why automation can quietly gut a business built on people, and what Julian eats to stay lean working in fast food six days a week.Key takeaways:00:00:00 Introduction00:13:26Q: How much does it cost to start a Chick-fil-A franchise?A: Julian Good says the franchise fee is $10,000, unchanged in 50 years, and operators can't sell or pass down the business when they retire.00:16:18Q: How much does the average Chick-fil-A location make per year?A: Julian Good says average volume runs around $8 million a year, more than double a typical McDonald's, despite being closed on Sundays.00:18:02Q: How much of a Chick-fil-A operator's profit does the company take?A: Julian Good says Chick-fil-A takes 15% of revenue, cutting a typical 30% restaurant margin roughly in half.00:26:38Q: What is Chick-fil-A's corporate purpose?A: Julian Good explains it in two sentences: to glorify God and have a positive influence on everyone the company touches, and says it drives every executive decision.00:44:26Q: Why hasn't Chick-fil-A joined the tipflation trend?A: Julian Good says Chick-fil-A has stayed out of prompting customers to tip 20 to 30% at the counter, unlike most quick service chains.If you've ever wondered how Chick-fil-A actually works behind the counter, this episode breaks it down.

On this episode, KP sits down with seasoned worship leader and pastor Keith Elgin. Keith shares his journey through ministry, the power of journaling, and how it inspired his new worship resource, THE WORSHIP JOURNAL. Discover practical insights on deepening spiritual depth and sustaining a heart of worship in leadership. Connect with Keith: Instagram: @keithelgin The Worship Journal (keith's resource): https://theworshipjournal.com/ Keith's website: www.keithelgin.com   +++++ Worshipology with Kurtis Parks is a part of the Worship Leader Magazine Podcast Network. WL Mag exists to equip Spirit-led worship leaders with practical tools, theological insight, and encouragement for the local church. This episode was brought to you by PraiseCharts. If you are a Worship leader or musician, when it comes to leading in church or playing worship music, you need reliable, high-quality music resources. Check out PraiseCharts.com today and see how it can transform your worship ministry!  ++++++++++ To learn more about Kurtis and his book Worshipology: www.worshipologybook.com or www.kurtisparks.com 

About 300 people died when the ship sank in Lake Michigan, near what is now Highland Park and Highwood, Illinois.

In the 16th century, there were some disputes among Lutherans over the phrase of the Apostles' Creed, “He descended into hell.” The FC explains its meaning: Christ “destroyed hell for all believers, and delivered them from the power of death and of the devil, from eternal condemnation and the jaws of hell” (FC Ep IX 4). The FC also holds up Martin Luther's 1533 sermon on this topic (WA 37:62–67) as a model for how to preach it. Luther's sermon teaches that we must not rely on our reason or five senses to understand this (or any other) article of the faith but rather should trust God's Word as articulated in the Creed, which leads us to confess everywhere and always, “Christ is risen!” This Bible study will examine passages that show how in Christ we are victorious over all these enemies. Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the “Searching Scripture” feature in the September 2026 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “Article IX: Christ's Descent into Hell” on Article VIX in the Formula of Concord. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Following the Formula” and will walk through the Formula of Concord in the Augsburg Confession. Follow along every month! This year, “Searching Scripture” is walking through the Formula of Concord (FC) from our Lutheran Confessions, exploring the biblical foundations for each topic. Before starting this study, it may be helpful to read FC Ep IX on Christ's Descent into Hell (p. 495) in Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (CPH, 2005). Or follow along with the full Formula of Concord monthly reading plan at witness.lcms.org/reading-plan. Listen to the Coffee Hour episode with Rev. Brady Finnern on Article VIX at kfuo.org/2025/09/05/coffee-hour-090525-the-descent-into-hell-in-the-formula-of-concord, and find correlating Concord Matters episodes at kfuo.org/formulaofconcord. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

In the 16th century, there were some disputes among Lutherans over the phrase of the Apostles' Creed, “He descended into hell.” The FC explains its meaning: Christ “destroyed hell for all believers, and delivered them from the power of death and of the devil, from eternal condemnation and the jaws of hell” (FC Ep IX 4). The FC also holds up Martin Luther's 1533 sermon on this topic (WA 37:62–67) as a model for how to preach it. Luther's sermon teaches that we must not rely on our reason or five senses to understand this (or any other) article of the faith but rather should trust God's Word as articulated in the Creed, which leads us to confess everywhere and always, “Christ is risen!” This Bible study will examine passages that show how in Christ we are victorious over all these enemies. Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the “Searching Scripture” feature in the September 2026 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “Article IX: Christ's Descent into Hell” on Article VIX in the Formula of Concord. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Following the Formula” and will walk through the Formula of Concord in the Augsburg Confession. Follow along every month! This year, “Searching Scripture” is walking through the Formula of Concord (FC) from our Lutheran Confessions, exploring the biblical foundations for each topic. Before starting this study, it may be helpful to read FC Ep IX on Christ's Descent into Hell (p. 495) in Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (CPH, 2005). Or follow along with the full Formula of Concord monthly reading plan at witness.lcms.org/reading-plan. Listen to the Coffee Hour episode with Rev. Brady Finnern on Article VIX at kfuo.org/2025/09/05/coffee-hour-090525-the-descent-into-hell-in-the-formula-of-concord, and find correlating Concord Matters episodes at kfuo.org/formulaofconcord. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

A former SWAT cop who hates gun shops bought a 100-year-old bank and built one of the most creative firearms businesses in the country.In this episode of Founder Talk, Alex Sheridan sits down with Matthew Gerard, founder of Down Range CC in Rochelle, Illinois. From John Wick-style tastings inside a historic bank vault to challenge coins that replace business cards, Matthew is building an experience-driven brand in a lower income town that pulls customers from miles away.Key takeaways:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:36Q: How do you build a unique business in a traditional industry like firearms retail?A: Matthew Gerard explains that he hated the standard gun shop model, so he designed his store around education and premium experiences rather than volume sales. The building itself, a historic 1908 bank with an original vault, became the centerpiece of a completely different customer experience.00:36:35Q: How do you market a luxury product in a lower income area?A: Matthew Gerard spends as little time in his shop as possible and instead goes to golf outings and Chamber of Commerce events in wealthier surrounding towns. He gets in front of people with money rather than waiting for them to find him.00:40:10Q: Why are women the fastest growing market in firearms and how should gun shops respond?A: Matthew Gerard notes that most gun shops are not female friendly and default to handing women a small pink gun. Down Range has offered ladies-only classes for years and designs every element of the store experience to be welcoming regardless of gender.00:55:04Q: How do you market a firearms business when social media platforms shadow ban gun content?A: Matthew Gerard discovered that Facebook monitors the first 30 seconds of live streams. He opens every stream with "Welcome to the Down Range Natural History Museum" to bypass the filter, then transitions to gun sales content. The hack worked so well that Facebook is now paying him for engagement.01:00:01Q: Why is firearms training so critical even if you already own a gun?A: Matthew Gerard compares most gun owners to Linus from Peanuts carrying a security blanket. The gun makes them feel safe but they have never trained under stress. Down Range uses force-on-force training with airsoft to simulate real threat scenarios.

How long can Stenhousemuir keep their remarkable Championship run going? The team analyse another impressive win for Marvin Bartley's side and ask what's gone wrong at Livingston. Are Inverness Caledonian Thistle destined to climb the table, and have Dunfermline found a spark after their first league win?In League One, Hamilton Academical and Ross County are setting the pace, but why are Airdrie and Queen of the South struggling?Plus, Elgin City's flying start in League Two, Clyde's credentials as challengers, concerns for Stirling Albion, and whether Dumbarton should already be worried about life at the foot of the table02:13 Stenhousemuir's remarkable Championship start 08:21 Livingston's struggles and Inverness concerns 10:58 Queen's Park, Morton and Dunfermline's first win 14:27 Hamilton lead the way as Ross County emerge as favourites 18:06 East Kilbride's reality check and Airdrie's alarming form 21:49 What's gone wrong at Queen of the South? 23:29 Elgin City set the pace in League Two as Clyde chase 26:50 Stirling Albion's slow start and Dumbarton's worries

Federal investigators are examining warning system problems and crew fatigue after a Union Pacific locomotive struck a landscaping truck in Elgin last fall.

Federal investigators are examining warning system problems and crew fatigue after a Union Pacific locomotive struck a landscaping truck in Elgin last fall.

Federal investigators are examining warning system problems and crew fatigue after a Union Pacific locomotive struck a landscaping truck in Elgin last fall.

Im April 1998 verschwindet die 33-jährige Arlene Fraser spurlos aus ihrem Zuhause im schottischen Elgin. Die zweifache Mutter scheint wie vom Erdboden verschluckt. Trotz intensiver Suchmaßnahmen fehlt von ihr jede Spur. Schnell gerät ihr Ehemann Nat Fraser in den Fokus der Ermittlungen. Doch dieser hat ein wasserdichtes Alibi… Ein Fall über häusliche Gewalt, Indizien und einen Mordprozess ohne Leiche.

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey remember Dolly Parton by exploring her long and surprisingly deep connection to Disney. Jim recounts the ambitious Feature Animation Florida project that nearly gave Dolly a starring role in a hand-drawn/CG hybrid set in Appalachia, variously known as My Peoples, Angel and Her No Good Sister, and A Few Good Ghosts. They also look back at Dolly's appearances with Disney, her relationship with Miley Cyrus, the growth of Dollywood and the Imagination Library, and Jim's own conversation with the country music legend. HIGHLIGHTS • How Dolly Parton became Miley Cyrus's Aunt Dolly on Hannah Montana. • Dolly's Disney connection stretching back to Walt Disney World's 15th anniversary celebration. • The story behind Barry Cook's abandoned Feature Animation Florida project My Peoples. • Why Disney paired traditional human animation with CG Appalachian folk-art characters. • The all-star voice cast that included Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, Ashley Judd, Travis Tritt, Hal Holbrook, and more. • How the project evolved through titles including Elgin's Peoples, Once in a Blue Moon, Angel and Her No Good Sister, and A Few Good Ghosts. • Michael Eisner's enthusiastic reaction shortly before Disney ultimately shut the project down. • How changing attitudes toward hand-drawn animation and Disney's strained relationship with Pixar helped bring the film - and Feature Animation Florida - to an end. • Jim remembers interviewing Dolly about the Imagination Library and asking her about the Disney movie that never made it to theaters. HOSTS • Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com • Lauren Hersey - X/Twitter: @laurenhersey2 | Instagram: @lauren_hersey_ FOLLOW • Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews • YouTube: @jimhillmedia • TikTok: @jimhillmedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com SPONSOR Planning a Disney or Universal vacation can get complicated fast. The team at BR Guest Vacations can help with hotels, tickets, reservations, and all the little details that go into planning your trip, with planning services offered at no additional cost. Start planning your next vacation at BeOurGuestVacations.com. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She bought a failing dental practice, quadrupled the revenue in year one, and built eight locations that run without her. Dr. Anushka Gaglani, founder and co-CEO of Areo Dental Group, reveals how — and why she calls dentistry what most dentists refuse to call it: sales.Key takeaways:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:46Q: How did Dr. Anushka Gaglani quadruple a dental practice's revenue in one year?A: Dr. Gaglani and her husband bought a struggling practice, reinvested in technology and the space, and quadrupled revenue within 12 months.00:06:58Q: Why does Dr. Anushka Gaglani say dentistry is sales?A: Dr. Gaglani says sales means helping patients understand what they need so they accept treatment, not pushing services for a commission.00:24:11Q: What is the key to building a dental business that runs without the owner?A: Dr. Gaglani says stop being the bottleneck, hire people you trust, place them in the right seats, and accept 80% execution instead of demanding perfection.00:34:58Q: How does a husband-and-wife co-CEO structure work?A: Dr. Gaglani and her husband split responsibilities by strength, giving each equal decision-making power over different parts of the business.00:43:08Q: How do you build a self-reliant dental team?A: Dr. Gaglani will not answer questions already in the SOP, training her team to solve problems independently.Subscribe and share this with a founder building a business that runs without them.

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“Gather together, O shameless nation, before the decree takes effect, before the day passes like chaff.” Zephaniah pleads with Judah to seek the LORD while there is still time. To seek righteousness, seek humility. Why? “Perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the LORD's anger.” Then the oracle sweeps the compass, Philistia to the west, Moab and Ammon to the east, Cush to the south, and at last Assyria to the north, where Nineveh is described as nothing more than a lodging place for wild beasts.  The Rev. Matthew Kusch, pastor of King of Glory Lutheran Church in Elgin, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Zephaniah 2:1-15. To learn more about King of Glory, visit kogelgin.org. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

A man disguised as a peddler stands on the bank of the Yangtze watching a British fleet go past, and tries to hitch a ride to Nanjing. He's been trying to reach the rebel capital for 6 years now, and this is the closest he's gotten. He's told “no” … again. So he picks himself up once more and just keeps walking. He'll get there eventually. And once he does, within three weeks he'll be made the Shield King – the 2nd most powerful man in the Taiping Kingdom… on paper, at least. Time Period Covered:1858–1859 CE Major Historical Figures: Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864]Hong Rengan, the Shield King [1822–1864]Chen Yucheng, the Brave King [1837–1862]Li Xiucheng, the Loyal King [1823–1864]Shi Dakai, the Wing King [1831–1863] Great Britain:James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin [1811–1863]Thomas Francis Wade, interpreter [1818–1895] Missionaries & Observers:Theodore Hamberg [1819–1854]James Legge [1815–1897]Karl Marx [1818–1883] Great Qing:The Xianfeng Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yizhu) [r. 1850–1861]Magistrate Tan of Huangmei Major Works Cited:Hamberg, Theodore. The Visions of Hung-Siu-tshuen, and Origin of the Kwang-si Insurrection.Kuhn, Philip A. "The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10.Michael, Franz, and Chung-li Chang. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vols. I, II & III.Oliphant, Laurence. Narrative of the Earl of Elgin's Mission to China and Japan in the Years 1857, '58, '59.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War. Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If your team can only be healthy when you're in the room, then your team isn't healthy yet.   That's where this one starts. The unprepared team, the rehearsal that runs long because people showed up late, the communication lost somewhere between texts, email, and Planning Center. Somehow you end up being the solution to all of it. Keith makes a different case.   A lot of your frustration isn't the people. You're frustrated that someone isn't doing something you've never actually clearly taught them to do. So he walks through 10 resources every worship team needs. Not 10 things to buy. Documents, systems, and rhythms that take what's currently living in your head and put it somewhere your team can actually access it.   You'll hear why undefined standards create the exact disappointment you feel on Sunday, how to stop being the answer to every question, and which of these you could go build this afternoon. Keith coaches worship leaders and helps churches with strategy, and he's watched this same pattern show up over and over.   If this one hits a nerve, Worship Online is the piece that gets your team learning their parts at home instead of during rehearsal. You can see how it works at https://worshiponline.com/  Mentioned in the Episode  Lab+ If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.  Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!  The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN. 

It took us approximately 5 seconds to fall in love with Jerry from Elgin. Chicago’s best morning radio show now has a podcast! Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and remember that the conversation always lives on the Q101 Facebook page. Brian & Kenzie are live every morning from 6a-10a on Q101. Subscribe to our channel HERE: https://www.youtube.com/@Q101 Like Q101 on Facebook HERE: https://www.facebook.com/q101chicago Follow Q101 on Twitter HERE: https://twitter.com/Q101Chicago Follow Q101 on Instagram HERE: https://www.instagram.com/q101chicago/?hl=en Follow Q101 on TikTok HERE: https://www.tiktok.com/@q101chicago?lang=enSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A husband-and-wife team bought a senior moving company right before COVID and grew it from 6 jobs a month to 420 projects a year with zero paid marketing.Michael and Tammy Bilek, co-owners of Honoring Aging, Inc., share how they survived a pandemic in an industry serving seniors, grew by showing up with cookies instead of AI funnels, and built a business that runs without them.00:00:00 Introduction00:05:40Q: Should you buy an existing business or start from scratch?A: Michael Bilek and Tammy Bilek decided buying made more sense because Tammy had 13 years of knowledge that would have been lost starting over.00:14:21Q: How do you keep a business alive when COVID threatens your clients?A: Michael Bilek and Tammy Bilek partnered with communities and refused to shut down because seniors still needed to move.00:29:05Q: Does showing up in person work better than AI lead generation?A: Tammy Bilek explains that showing up with cookies and asking about clients generates more business than any automated system.00:49:44Q: How do you build a business that runs without you?A: Tammy Bilek describes the moment she felt caught up for the first time, realizing the team could operate without her.00:59:01Q: Is it okay if your business never makes you super rich?A: Michael Bilek shares that losing a friend at 52 reinforced that living well matters more than wealth.Subscribe and share this with a founder who needs a reminder that relationships beat algorithms.

Send us Fan MailA Legacy of Hardship and HopeIn the spring of 1870, the impoverished German family—led by Civil War veteran John German and his wife, Lydia—prepares to flee the ruined soil and lingering trauma of Fannin County, Georgia. Struggling with a severe battle injury, John faces the daunting task of raising seven children in a devastated region picked clean by wartime guerrillas. The primary catalyst for their departure is their seventeen-year-old daughter, Catherine, whose delicate health and persistent cough signal the onset of consumption. Believing that the dry air of the American West is the only cure that will save her from the suffocating dampness of the mountain hollows, John and Lydia pack their few remaining possessions into a single ox-drawn canvas wagon and head toward the horizon.The Arduous Journey WestwardOver the next four years, the family's journey unfolds as a grueling ordeal marked by financial ruin, harsh weather, and relentless physical labor. To survive, John, his young son Stephen, and the elder daughters work exhausting manual jobs—from clearing fields in Tennessee to picking cotton in Arkansas—for meager wages. Drought ruins their attempt to farm in Missouri, eventually forcing them to surrender their homestead deed just to afford a fresh team of oxen. After settling briefly in Elgin, Kansas, Catherine's health deteriorates once again, prompting John to make a desperate final decision. In late 1874, abandoning their brief stability, the family turns their wagon toward the high plains of Colorado, risking everything on the hope that the mountain air will finally heal Catherine. If you'd like to add a physical or digital copy to your library, you can purchase the book online at books. by using the link provided in the description of this episode. Check out my new bookstore at https://books.by/michael-d-king. Explore the shop and pick up your next page-turner: https://books.by/michael-d-kingSupport the showIf you'd like to buy one or more of our fully illustrated dime novel publications, you can click the link I've included. 

Content creation changed my life. It also nearly broke me. This is the truth about 6 years of building in public.For the first time in 115 episodes, I sat in the guest chair. Barbara Wichman flips the script and pulls out everything I don't usually talk about. The LinkedIn crash. The identity crisis. The moment I realized nobody was watching as closely as I thought.00:00:00 Introduction00:10:25Q: What happens when you build your entire business on one platform?A: Alex Sheridan went from millions of impressions weekly on LinkedIn to tens of thousands, crashing his lead pipeline overnight.00:16:50Q: Does it matter how you deliver your message or just what you say?A: Alex Sheridan ran a LinkedIn experiment proving video with edutainment doubled the performance of text.00:22:44Q: What is the biggest content marketing mistake founders make?A: Alex Sheridan says being too safe is the top mistake. If everyone agrees with your content, you are not moving anybody.00:28:35Q: How do you overcome the fear of putting yourself out there?A: Alex Sheridan shares a line that stuck with him: when you remember your purpose, you will forget your fears.00:39:34Q: What is the most important skill for entrepreneurs?A: Alex Sheridan calls focus a superpower. Freedom to do anything is both the greatest asset and challenge.00:45:00Q: Does anyone actually care what you post online?A: Alex Sheridan reveals the mattress-on-the-floor moment that taught him nobody cares at the bottom or the top.Subscribe and share this with a founder who needs to hear it.

Article VIII of the Formula of Concord (FC), “The Person of Christ,” is closely related to Article VII, “The Holy Supper of Christ.” After Luther's death in 1546, Calvinist errors about Communion and Christ found their way into some Lutheran churches and schools. The FC criticizes Calvinists for attempting to explain the mysteries of the Supper and the Savior in terms acceptable to human reason rather than simply following the truth of God's Word. It is helpful that the FC has separated articles VII and VIII, because they answer slightly different questions, though both originated in the debate over the Lord's Supper. Article VII answers what the Sacrament is, taking its answer directly from the Words of Institution (for example, Matt. 26:26–28). Article VIII answers the challenge, “How can the true body and true blood of Christ be present in, with and under the bread and wine in all the countless places where the Sacrament is celebrated, and in heaven with the ascended Christ, at once?” It does so by taking up Christology (the theology of the person and work of Christ), providing an answer from Scripture. The answer is that the God-man can cause His Word to do what it says it does, for as He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (MATT. 28:18). This study will search Scripture for its teachings on the divine and human natures personally united in the one Lord Jesus Christ. Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the “Searching Scripture” feature in the August 2026 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “Article VIII: The Person of Christ" on Article VIII in the Formula of Concord. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Following the Formula” and will walk through the Formula of Concord in the Augsburg Confession. Follow along every month! This year, “Searching Scripture” is walking through the Formula of Concord (FC) from our Lutheran Confessions, exploring the biblical foundations for each topic. Before starting this study, it may be helpful to read Formula of Concord Epitome VIII on the Person of Christ (p. 491–493) in Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (CPH 2005). Or follow along with the full Formula of Concord monthly reading plan at witness.lcms.org/reading-plan. Listen to the Coffee Hour episode with Rev. Brady Finnern on Article VII at kfuo.org/2025/08/11/coffee-hour-081125-the-person-of-christ-in-the-formula-of-concord, and find correlating Concord Matters episodes at kfuo.org/formulaofconcord. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Today's Mystery: Detective Danny Clover reopens what appeared to be a straightforward suicide after a former bookie claims he witnessed the victim being pushed from a rooftop. When the eyewitness is murdered before he can identify the killer, Clover must untangle a web of jealousy, blackmail, and deception.Original Radio Broadcast: April 5, 1952Originating from HollywoodStarring Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover. Also featuring Charles Calvert as Sgt. Gino Tartaglia, Jack Kruschen as Detective Muggavan, Louise Lewis as Margaret Elgin, Bill Bouchey as Ray Ford, Charlotte Lawrence, Billy Halop, and Steve RobertsWritten by Morton Fine and David FriedkinProduced and directed by Elliott LewisMusical score composed and conducted by Alexander CourageSupport the podcast monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day: Catherine, Patreon supporter since November 2025Support the show on a one-time basis at https://support.greatdetectives.netMail a donation to:Adam GrahamPO Box 15913Boise, ID 83715Take our listener survey at https://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call: 208-991-4783Follow us on Instagram at https://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter/X at https://twitter.com/radiodetectives

SUCI Co-Host Mark Ainley gives a presentation on his deals over the last 30 months at the WSBOA meetup!  Mark shares details on various deals including flips, BRRRRs, and even short-term rentals. He  explains how he sourced, financed, and stabilized these deals. He discusses biggest wins and top lessons learned. Mark closes the presentation with the biggest REI takeaways and a Q&A session that you won't want to miss! If you enjoy today's episode, please leave us a review and share with someone who may also find value in this content! ============= Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Properties for Sale on the North Side?  We want to buy them. Email: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Have a vacancy? We can place your next tenant and give you back 30-40 hours of your time. Learn more: GCRealtyInc.com/tenant-placement Has Property Mgmt become an opportunity cost for you? Let us lower your risk and give you your time back to grow. Learn more: GCRealtyinc.com ============= Guest: Mark Ainley, GC Realty & Development Link: Mark's Instagram Link: WSBOA Meetup Guest Questions:  06:07 Housing Provider Tip - Understand root causes of water intrusion to efficiently solve issues. 08:11 Mark's first acquisition with Lantz! 16:18 Lessons learned on Mark's Hoffman Estates deal. 19:57 Home run BRRRR deal in Schaumburg! 27:56 Mark's syndication deal. 30:36 A quick flip in Downers Grove and FHA househack in Jefferson Park! 36:14 Flip deal in Hanover Park. 37:28 Rough deal in Elgin! 41:18 Mark's recent deal in Rolling Meadows. 42:37 Locking up a Downers Grove Ranch property. 44:38 Experimenting with a Short-Term Rental project! 47:13 Mark's key takeaways! 52:08 Q&A. 59:37 Chicago fact! ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2026.