Podcast appearances and mentions of steve wolf

When Luigi Mangione was taken into custody at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, police said he had a ghost gun in his backpack. Ghost guns can be made at a person's home using a kit or a 3-D printer and can't be traced. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy discusses ghost guns with firearms expert Steve Wolf and retired FBI agent Chris Swecker in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you're ever injured in an accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can submit a claim in 8 clicks or less without having to leave your couch. To start your claim, visit: https://www.forthepeople.com/CrimeFixHost:Angenette Levy https://twitter.com/Angenette5Guests:Steve Wolf https://www.linkedin.com/in/wolfsteve/Chris Swecker https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-swecker-b9574311/CRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Since the Alec Baldwin Trial is about to begin, let's revisit this episode of Dr. Carole's Couch. Alec Baldwin deluded himself by pretending that he would never be tried because of his celebrity status, so he was shocked to discover that his trial is going forward. He wanted to blame it all on the armorer, who was already found guilty, but he's the one who pulled the trigger - despite pretending he didn't! Two recent headlines are stark reminders of why one should never play fast and loose with guns. On the movie set of the western Rust, actor Alec Baldwin picked up a prop gun, pulled the trigger and accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded the film's director, Joel Souza. Baldwin had been told the gun was cold, meaning it had no ammunition, but it was loaded with a live round. There had already been many problems on the set and there is enough blame to go around.... Then, in the Kenosha, Wisconsin courtroom, where the jury in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse was hearing closing arguments, the prosecutor, Thomas Binger, picked up a real gun - the one Kyle allegedly used - and swung it around the courtroom. If it weren't for the judge insisting upon a detective double checking that the gun wasn't loaded, Binger's 'Alec Baldwin moment' could have ended in death and injury, as well. Today's guest, Steve Wolf, is an expert on guns, movie sets and courtrooms! He will narrow in on who's to blame on the set of Rust and will critique how the gun was handled in court - and what should have happened in both of these scenarios.

Hello, Darlings!Cracking a magician's code used to be strictly against industry standards. Now, it seems the magic has disappeared from that concept, and even legendary performers such as Harry Houdini are not immune. This series looks to uncover the methods to Houdini's breathtaking escapes and astonishing illusions, which have never been equaled or fully understood. How did this showman catch a speeding bullet, submerge himself in a water torture cell, or survive being buried alive? Helping piece together clues and testing out his most daring stunts are Houdini's grand-nephew George Hardeen, magician and daredevil Lee Terbosic, and master stunt builder Steve Wolf.Enjoy! Access bonus episodes on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For further information go to: www.jenniferjhammond.com Join bestselling author, educator, speaker, and licensed realtor Jennifer J. Hammond as she explores the important subject of how fire affects property values and community resilience. Jennifer asks Steve Wolf to talk about the difficulties caused by wildfires, how they affect property values, and creative ways to keep homes and neighborhoods safe in this episode. Co-founder of Team Wildfire Steve Wolf discusses the FIREV initiative (Fire Impacted Real Estate Valuation) and the significant effects of wildfires on environmental quality, marketability, and property insurance. They discuss the significance of proactive steps and community-led mitigation programs to protect homes from the growing risk of wildfires. Discover how technology, community engagement, and education play crucial roles in mitigating fire risks and fostering resilient communities. From leveraging Hollywood-inspired wind-driven suppression systems to fostering local partnerships, Steve and Jennifer offer practical strategies for homeowners, real estate agents, and community leaders to address the challenges posed by wildfires. Tune in to gain valuable insights, explore innovative solutions, and join the conversation on building fire-resilient communities.

Lance is joined by former XU basketball player and current CBS college basketball analyst Steve Wolf who will be on call on WLW for Xavier's game against DePaul.

Lance talks with a lineup of guests including Anthony Munoz, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, and Steve Wolf of CBS to talk Muskie Basketball. Lance also talks about what the Bengals should do with Tee Higgins as well as taking your calls about movie props you would love to have as tonight's Off the Beaten Path topic.

Lance is joined by former XU basketball player and current CBS college basketball analyst Steve Wolf who will be on call on WLW for Xavier's game against DePaul.

Lance talks with a lineup of guests including Anthony Munoz, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, and Steve Wolf of CBS to talk Muskie Basketball. Lance also talks about what the Bengals should do with Tee Higgins as well as taking your calls about movie props you would love to have as tonight's Off the Beaten Path topic.

Guest Steve Wolf discusses his transition from being a Hollywood special effects coordinator to developing technologies to combat wildfires. The key focus is on the use of wind-controlling technology, which is designed to disrupt wildfires, and how it improves water efficiency and safety measures. The potential of this technology in protecting military bases is explored. The conversation evolves around the correlation between the special effects and military industries and how skills acquired in the military can have applications within Hollywood. The development of fire suppression tech is emphasized, along with an invitation for military bases to test it by conducting prescribed fires. The episode offers insights and opportunities to anyone interested in firefighting and special effects, especially individuals with military experience. 00:00 Introduction to the Drive On Podcast 00:22 Introducing 4Patriots: Emergency Preparedness Products 01:41 Welcome Back to Drive On: Guest Introduction 01:51 Steve Wolf's Background and Invention 02:35 Appreciation for Service Members 10:21 Steve's Journey from Hollywood to Fighting Wildfires 12:20 The Science Behind Fighting Wildfires 15:57 Firearm Safety Discussion 19:13 The Transition from Special Effects to Fighting Wildfires 21:21 The Efficiency of the New Firefighting Technology 24:58 The Importance of Firefighting Preparedness 28:28 The Future of Firefighting Technology 30:16 The Economic Impact of Wildfires 34:06 The Importance of Fire Safety Measures 39:11 Fire Breaks and Fire Safety 40:11 Transitioning from Military to Special Effects Career 40:58 The Value of Military Skills in Special Effects 43:28 Creating Safe Special Effects 48:06 The Importance of Firearm Safety 58:30 Exploring Career Opportunities in Wildfire Suppression 01:03:37 The Future of Wildfire Suppression 01:10:24 Final Thoughts and Conclusion Support the Show Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 4Patriots - visit https://4Patriots.com/DriveOn to get the best discounts and deals on survival supplies! Links & Resources Website: https://www.TeamWildfire.com Follow Steve Wolf on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/wolfsteve Other Links: https://teamwildfire.tv/m/TWF Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

A grand jury in New Mexico has returned an indictment charging Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 shooting death of "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. A new set of prosecutors had dropped the charges in April 2023 citing the need for further investigation but had said the charges could be refiled. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy talks with armorer Steve Wolf and former prosecutor Josh Ritter about why the new charge in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show that delves into the biggest stories in crime.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Forest fires in the US cause nearly $350 billion dollars in damages annually and rising. But how and what can we do to change this? Is there a new way of fighting fires? Today's guest, Steve Wolf, is a long time Hollywood pyrotechnics expert who has developed an innovative way to combat forest fires that can save lives and curb the mass devastation of fires. He and his team, Team Wildfire, use technology and tactics to tame these devastating fires and need your help to continue the fight and to spread the word. Forest fires pose significant dangers to both the environment and human communities. These dangers include: Loss of Biodiversity: Forest fires can result in the destruction of habitats, leading to the loss of plant and animal species. The intense heat can cause soil sterilization, making it difficult for vegetation to regrow. Air Quality Issues: The smoke generated by forest fires releases harmful pollutants and particulate matter into the air. This can have severe consequences on air quality, causing respiratory problems and other health issues in humans and animals. Climate Change Impact: Forest fires release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbating climate change. The destruction of trees also reduces the planet's capacity to absorb CO2. Economic Impact: Forest fires can have a substantial economic impact by damaging infrastructure, agricultural land, and timber resources. The costs associated with firefighting efforts, property damage, and loss of livelihoods can be substantial. Human Health and Safety: Direct exposure to flames poses an immediate threat to human life, as do the associated risks such as rapidly spreading fires, falling trees, and evacuation challenges. Respiratory problems from smoke inhalation can also affect people over a broader area. Water Quality Issues: The runoff from firefighting efforts and burned areas can contaminate water sources, impacting water quality. This can have adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems and the communities relying on these water sources. Increased Risk of Landslides: The loss of vegetation due to forest fires can increase the risk of landslides, especially in hilly or mountainous regions. Without the stabilizing effect of tree roots, soil erosion can occur more easily. Displacement of Indigenous Communities: Forest fires can force indigenous communities, who often depend on forests for their livelihoods, to relocate. This displacement can lead to the loss of cultural heritage and traditional ways of life. Challenges for Wildlife: Animals may struggle to escape fast-moving fires, resulting in injury or death. The loss of habitat and food sources can disrupt wildlife populations and lead to imbalances in ecosystems. Long-Term Ecological Consequences: The ecological recovery from a forest fire can be a slow and complex process. In some cases, ecosystems may not fully recover, leading to long-term changes in the landscape and biodiversity. Efforts to prevent and manage forest fires are crucial to mitigating these dangers, including proactive measures such as controlled burns, early detection systems, and community education on fire safety. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/chucktuck/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/chucktuck/support

e're back! Join us for an all new episode as Nate recaps his trip to New Orleans before being joined by Singer/Songwriter/Multi-Instrumentalist, E.J. Simpson. They talk about E.J.'s early musical memories, the Monkees, the Beatles, learning to play music, finding and being drawn to the bass guitar, the balalaika, his Modulus Graphite bass, his first band the Vegetables and early collaborations with Adrian Harpham, Pierce Ternay, David Coppa, Steve Wolf & Andy Kravitz, early songwriting, moving to San Francisco, coming back to Philadelphia to for the first session that would become The Goats, the recent attempted reunion of the Goats, working with the Butcher Bros. (Joe and Phil Nicolo), the Goats/Bad Brains sessions, Ruffhouse Records, Maggi, Pierce & E.J., befriending Jeff Buckley, the MPE album For-Blue, the new album You Purple Virgin Presents Fabulous Fantasy, the record release show at the Fallser Club, the 17th Annual solo revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, playing with Beru Revue, the players on the new album, working with a large number of collaborators, and the Mark Twain project based on The War Prayer. Then, E.J. takes a run at The Jawntlet!E.J. Simpson's websiteMaggi, Pierce & E.J.'s websiteTickets for the record release show @ the Fallser Club (5/5)Tickets for the 17th Annual solo revival of Jesus Christ Superstar @ Old Swedes' Church (4/21) Subscribe to the Y!TMJ Newsletter! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ytmj/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ytmj/support

Tony and Austin welcome on Steve Wolf to talk about the NCAA Tournament on the first day of March Madness!

Please note: this episode was recorded before the announcement that Involuntary Manslaughter charges will be brought against Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez Reed.Halyna Hutchins was killed after the firing of a prop gun loaded with real bullets on the set of the indie western “Rust”. The trigger pulled by long-time Hollywood player, Alec Baldwin, with the film's armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed taking the fall. Sara and Weapons Expert & Prop Master Steve Wolf will peel back the layers of this tragic case, examining everything from gun safety on set to the legal case against Alec Baldwin and the producers of “Rust". They'll also discuss the dangers of a toxic set - how the grueling hours and shoestring budgets could lead to such a deadly mistake. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Actor Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed are facing involuntary manslaughter charges in connection to the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the filming of "Rust." The Law&Crime Network's Jesse Weber and Angenette Levy break down the story so far with armorer Steve Wolf.LAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokePodcasting - Sam GoldbergVideo Editing - Logan HarrisGuest Booking - Alyssa FisherSocial Media Management - Kiera BronsonSUBSCRIBE TO OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Court JunkieObjectionsThey Walk Among AmericaCoptales and CocktailsThe Disturbing TruthSpeaking FreelyLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Annual "You Asked For It" message. A panel of Steve Wolf, Jason Gildehaus, Alex Williams, and Liam Dobbins answer your questions.

Former Cincinnati basketball player and current radio analyst Terry Nelson joins the show to share stories from his playing days as well as his thoughts on Saturday's game. Former Xavier basketball player Steve Wolf joins Off The Bench and shares stories about his family, his playing days, and this year's Crosstown Shootout. Thom, Casey, and Paul also do their betting picks as well as talk about the Bengals and Browns on Sunday.

This interview features Zach Blume, Co-Founder and President of Portal A.  We discuss how he built a 360 monetization strategy for an early Internet video series, launching one of the first branded content studios with his childhood friends, creating one of the most well-known and longest-running digital formats in YouTube Rewind, how Portal A ended up selling a minority stake to Brett Montgomery's Wheelhouse, why feeling like outsiders is central to their identity, and what's up next for the Portal A team.Subscribe to our newsletter. We explore the intersection of media, technology, and commerce: sign-up linkLearn more about our market research and executive advisory: RockWater websiteFollow us on LinkedIn: RockWater LinkedInEmail us: tcupod@wearerockwater.comInterview TranscriptThe interview was lightly edited for clarity.Chris Erwin:Hi, I'm Chris Erwin. Welcome to the Come Up, a podcast that interviews entrepreneurs and leaders.Zach Blume:We built a business model around it that included merchandise, ad revenue share, ticketed events, and sponsorships. And so we actually ran that show at a profit, even though it was early internet video web series. And the idea was to build an entertainment property on the web that could become multi-season, could eventually travel to TV, which it did. It later became a TV series called White Collar Brawlers. It was super experimental, and I would say, looking back on a fairly innovative for three guys who had really no idea what we were doing and had no training in any of this, we built an entertainment property on the internet that was profitable.Chris Erwin:This week's episode featured Zach Blume, Co-Founder and President of Portal A. So Zach grew up in Berkeley and had a self-described normal suburban life of sports and friends. Zach then went to University of Oregon to study political science and pursued an early career running local political campaigns in California. But an opportune moment reunited Zach, with his two childhood friends to create one of the internet's earliest digital series White Collar Brawlers.After some unexpected success, the friend trio then became the founding team for Portal A, an award-winning digital and branded content company. Some highlights of our chat include his 360 monetization strategy for one of the earliest internet video brands, what it takes to co-found a successful company with your friends, how they landed a strategic investment from Wheelhouse, why feeling like an outsider is central to their identity, and how they're building towards the next massive creator opportunity. All right, let's get to it. Zach, thanks for being on the Come Up podcast.Zach Blume:It's a pleasure to be here.Chris Erwin:From our conversation yesterday, amazingly, I believe this is your first podcast interview ever. Is that right?Zach Blume:It's true. A lot of interviews over the years. Some predating the podcast era, some during the podcast era, but I'm honored to be invited onto yours. I've listened to a bunch of episodes, and we'll see how it goes.Chris Erwin:Awesome. All right, so as is typical, let's rewind a bit before we get into the whole Portal A story, although it actually starts pretty early on. So why don't you tell us about where you grew up and what your childhood was like?Zach Blume:Yeah, I grew up in Berkeley, California, the son of two die-hard New Yorkers who had moved out to California. My dad was born in the Bronx. My mom was from Manhattan. They were part of the New York exodus to California, and I was the first kid in my family who grew up in California and, of all places, Berkeley, childhood filled with lots of sports and playing in the street and all that good stuff. And the really interesting tie to the Portal A story, obviously, is that I met my two co-founders when we were somewhere between four and five years old. The stories differ, but we met in kindergarten, and we're close friends basically since we were little kids and played a lot of basketball together growing up. And the court that we played basketball in was called Portal A, which eventually became the name of our company 25 years later. The founder story of Portal A is very tied up in the childhood story of all for all three of us. I live in Oakland now, so I didn't stray too far from home.Chris Erwin:Got it. I remember in doing a little bit of research for this episode, I was trying to look up Portal A parks around the US, and I kept finding some in Orange County, so I thought you were an NorC kid, but No, you're a NorCal kid.Zach Blume:I mean, I think if there's an opposite of Orange County, it would probably be Berkeley.Chris Erwin:That's probably right.Zach Blume:But the court was actually an El Cerrito, which is an adjacent town to Berkeley, and it still exists. It's still around, and we should probably go play some hoops over there, but we haven't for years.Chris Erwin:Yeah, that'd be fun. So I have to ask, what did your parents do?Zach Blume:My dad has a business background. He runs and, up until actually six months ago, ran an investment advisory firm helping individuals manage their investments. It was a small company, five to six employees, just a great business, really community based, all about relationships and helping people manage their life and their money. And yeah, it's taught me a lot about business growing up, for sure.My mom was a therapist. She's retired now. She was a private practice in Berkeley. They've known each other since they were 20. They actually both went to the Wright Institute, which was a psychology graduate school in Berkeley. My dad was a psychologist briefly for about six months before he went back into business. And my mom was a therapist for 25 years. It was an interesting mix of business and psychology growing up, for sure.Chris Erwin:Got it. And were there any siblings?Zach Blume:No siblings? I'm the only one and-Chris Erwin:Oh, only child. Okay.Zach Blume:Yeah, interestingly, five of my closest friends, all groomsmen at my wedding, were from that same kindergarten class where I met Nate and Kai, my two co-founders. So there's definitely been a brotherly nature of those relationships. And at this point, I kind of consider Nate and Kai almost like brothers. We've known each other for 35 years, and we've been in business together for over 12 years, so it's pretty deep. Those relationships run pretty deep.Chris Erwin:Was there a part of you early on where you thought you might go into business and finance or become an investment manager like your father?Zach Blume:So there was also a lot of political kind of conversation and learning in my house. I remember from a very early age, my dad, when I was like eight, he would try to sit me down and read the Sunday Weekend Review in the New York Times. And it was like torture for me. But I think it got in there somewhere.In college, I actually studied political science and, for years, worked in the political world after I graduated from school. And I really thought that was my path, and it was for many years. I worked on campaigns. I started managing campaigns. I worked for political communication shop in San Francisco for years. I kind of burned out on the world of politics. I've since been re-engaged in a lot of different ways. But when I burned out on politics, that's when I thought I was going to go into business.I left the political world, was studying to go to business school, doing all the GMAT prep, and that's when Nate and Kai came to me and said, "We should make a web series together." Because I had a three-month gap, and it sounded so fun. We had made some stuff together just for fun earlier on. And so, while I was studying for the GMAT, I joined Nate and Kai to make this web series in the early days of internet video. And that's kind of the origin story of where we are today is that that web series, it was called White Collar Brawler. It was totally weird and crazy and awesome, and it started us on our journey to where we are today.Chris Erwin:Got it. So going back even a bit further, I'm just curious because you met your co-founders, Nate and Kai, back when you were in kindergarten, as you said, four to five years old, when you were in middle school, or when you in high school, were you guys part of the theater club? Were you creating any types of videos for your classes? There's something about meeting people early in your childhood, particularly in digital media, that I think blossoms into different relationships. So was there any kind of through line early on where you were interested in media entertainment before getting into PoliSci, which as part of your early career?Zach Blume:Yeah, I think there definitely was for Nate and Kai. There was less so for me. So Nate and Kai started making, maybe not in high school, but in their college years, they both went to school on the East Coast. This is like 2003, 2004, 2005. They started making internet, video, and web series when they were in college. And Kai was a film major, so he had some training, and they started just playing a lot of comedic stuff earliest day pre-YouTube, so quick time player-type stuff.So yeah, high school, I'm not so sure college for sure for them, at least it started building. And then, right after college, the three of us, plus another friend, grabbed a flight to Hanoi, bought motorcycles in Vietnam, and traveled across the country, and we made a web series called Huge In Asia.So it was like a 30-episode comedy travel web series, kind of just chronicling our journey across Vietnam. And then, they went on, I had to come back to the States for some work, but they went on to Mongolia, China, Laos, all sorts of different countries across Asia. That's where it really started for us the idea that you could not be in the formal, either entertainment industry or advertising industry. You could buy a pretty shitty camera, have an idea, start producing content and build an audience. And that was 2006. So the interest in internet video as a medium really started there.Then we all went our separate ways, and all did kind of normal early career professional stuff, but that Huge in Asia as an idea and an adventure was really the starting point for us. So yeah, so I would say the interest in video and film and just the distribution of it online started college years, and then the year after, we went to Asia.Chris Erwin:Got it. So just to add some context here, because I think YouTube was founded around 2004, and then it was bought by Google around '05, '06 pretty shortly after founding. So when you're coming out of college, I think this is around a 2006 timeframe, as you noted, when you guys decided to go to Asia and to do this motorcycle tour, was there a goal of, "Hey, there's an explosion in internet video, we have a chance to build an audience and make money off of this?" Or was it just, "Hey, this seems like a really fun thing to do. We're just coming out of college, we're kind of this in this exploratory phase, we like spending time with one another, let's go do this and see what happens." When you were thinking from the beginning, what was the end goal of that project?Zach Blume:Much more the latter. I mean, it was purely experimental. It was all about the adventure. I think there was a sense that we were at the dawn of something new, and I think that YouTube, Vimeo, I mean all the other platforms in the investment of history at this point, but there was an explosion of internet video technology that was enabling people like us to start making stuff. So I think there was like a sense that something was happening. It definitely was not a money-making endeavor. In fact, it was the opposite. And it was really just to experiment and play and see where it took us.Looking back on it, 15 years later, 18 years later, whatever it is, I think it's 100% served its purpose. We got our feet wet. We started experimenting. We started learning what worked, what didn't work, what audiences responded to, what made us happy. It kind of gelled our relationship as young adults versus as kids. And we never would've known at the time, but it did 100% lead to Portal A, and that's to where we are now.Chris Erwin:Okay, yeah, I hear you. I think, looking back in retrospect, it was definitely a catalyst to the forming of Portal A and where you got to where you are today, but it wasn't because when you came back from that trip, it wasn't like, "Oh, let's found Portal A and let's get going." You actually entered into the political realm for two to three years before founding Portal A, right?Zach Blume:Yep. That was always my plan, and that was the career I was going to pursue for sure.Chris Erwin:So, but the seed had been planted, but yeah, in '06, for the next two years, you become a political campaign manager. What campaigns were you working on?Zach Blume:First campaign was a Congressional campaign in Southern California. That was actually my first job out of college. We got trounced by 22 points in a very heavily Republican district by Mary Bono, who was Sonny Bono's widow. We had a candidate that we really liked, and it was the 2006 election, so it was kind of the midway point or the later stages of, I guess, Bush's first term. And there was a ground swell of just whenever there's a presidential election, two years later, the other party is the one that's like kind of getting their grassroots organizing on.So it was definitely an exciting time. It was an exciting election year. I happened to work on a campaign that was in a... It was Palm Springs. It was like that area, heavily Republican area, but I learned so much, and I was running a third of the district, and I loved it. I loved organizing. I felt like I was on the right side of history and doing the right thing.That then led to this fellowship that I did called The Coro Fellowship. I met one of my best friends on the campaign who had done the Coro Fellowship, and it was a year-long fellowship in political and public affairs. Everybody listening to this podcast will never have heard of Coro, but in the political and policy world, it's well-known and well-regarded, and that was a great experience. I got exposure across a bunch of different sectors, including government, labor unions, business, nonprofits, et cetera.Out of that, I started managing a campaign for the California State Assembly in Richmond, California, with a candidate, Tony Thurmond, who is now the Superintendent of Public Education in California. So he's gone on to do pretty big things. He's an amazing guy.And that led me to work at Storefront Political Media, which was a political media and communication shop in San Francisco that, at the time, ran all of Gavin Newsom's campaigns. He was then the mayor of San Francisco, obviously, is now the governor of California.I ran the mayor's race in Houston, of all places, elected Annise Parker, who was the first lesbian mayor of a major American city. And she was a fantastic executive out in Houston and then had a bunch of different clients, including firefighters unions, individual candidates. Ultimately, I was working for a client that was leading initiatives that didn't necessarily align with my own political values. And that was part of what led me to say I was ready to move on from the world of politics. So it was a fantastic experience, I learned so much, but that's what kind of prompted me to want to go to business school, which is what I was going to do until Nate and Kai came along and said, "Let's make a web series."Chris Erwin:Yeah. When you were working on these political campaigns and also working with Storefront Political Media, which is a national communication media and PR firm, were you bringing some of your grassroots internet video tactics to help build community, to help build influence and sway some of these elections? Was that part of kind of some of the unique flavor that you brought to these teams?Zach Blume:For sure, I was definitely the internet guy at that shop. I mean, there were a couple of us, there was a couple of coworkers who were of my generation. This was just when kind of Facebook was becoming a powerful tool for communications pre-Instagram, pre all those other platforms we're familiar with now. I definitely brought my expertise in video and the distribution of content online to that work. It was an interesting time politically. It was just at the advent of the internet as a powerful communications tool for campaigns.Chris Erwin:So then you're considering going to business school, you take the GMAT.Zach Blume:I got halfway through the class, and White Collar Brawler, that series, came calling. It was all-consuming. It was so fun. And we produced the hell out of that show, and it got a lot of notoriety. We got a big write-up in the New York Times, like big-Chris Erwin:Give us the context for White Collar Brawler again. What exactly was that project, and what were you supporting?Zach Blume:The log line was basically what happens when you take office workers whose muscles have become dilapidated by sitting in front of a computer all day long and train them to become amateur boxers. It just so happened that the two White Collar workers that were the stars of the show were Nate and Kai. So it was very, kind of like meta, we were the creators, and Nate and Kai were also the stars.The experimental part of it was shooting and producing the series in real-time. So there was an experiential element to the show, meaning as Nate and Kai were training to become boxers, fans of the show could actually come out and train with them, run on the beach in San Francisco or go to a training session with a boxing coach. We had events happening throughout the course of the show. It eventually culminated in an actual fight, a licensed fight in Berkeley between Nate and Kai for the Crown. And we had, I think, 1500 people showed up to that site and paid tickets-Chris Erwin:Was it boxing, mixed martial arts? What was the actual thoughts?Zach Blume:No, just old-school boxing.Chris Erwin:Okay.Zach Blume:It was the real deal. And-Chris Erwin:I may have missed this in the beginning. Who funded this? What was the purpose of it?Zach Blume:It was partially self-funded. It was partially funded by a friend of ours who had sold, in the early internet days, had sold his tech company to Google in one of the early Google acquisitions. So he just privately financed, I mean, we're not talking about big dollars here, and we built a business model around it that included merchandise, ad revenue share, events, ticketed events, and sponsorships, which I was in charge of in addition to other things.And so we actually ran that show at a profit, even though it was just an early internet video web series. It was actually a profitable property, and the idea was to build an entertainment property on the web that could become multi-season, could eventually travel to TV, which it did. It later became a TV series called White Collar Brawlers. And so it was actually super experimental, and I would say, looking back on it, fairly innovative in terms of for three guys who had really no idea what we were doing and had no training in any of this, we built an entertainment property on the internet that was profitable.Back to the question, I mean, that's what distracted me from going to business school because I felt like, first of all, I was learning so much, I was having so much fun creating content with two friends, and you just had a feeling that we were onto something and we didn't know what that thing was. We thought we were going to be an original entertainment company that would just make shows like White Collar Brawler, but we knew there was something. We knew there was a lot of activity and interest in this space. And so that took up all my attention and then took up my attention for the next 12 years.Chris Erwin:I will say from personal experience it saved you a couple of hundred thousand dollars and a lot of agony of actually taking that test.Zach Blume:Right, exactly.Chris Erwin:And being two years out of the workforce, speaking from personal experience.Zach Blume:Right. I know, I know.Chris Erwin:So, okay. And look, this is interesting to think about how you guys, as a founding team, were gelling and coming together. When you guys started talking, "Let's do this White Collar Brawler show as a team," what was your specific role, Zach? What was it like? What are you going to focus on?Zach Blume:Yeah, I mean, it actually reflects the role that I now play and ended up playing when we turned White Collar Brawler into a business. So Nate and Kai are more on the creative side, the creative and production side, both had experience. They had both actually before me had left their kind of "normal jobs," moved to LA, and started making internet video with a vision for again, "We don't know what it is, but there's something going on here, and we want to be a part of it."They had background as almost as creators themselves and also some training, actually with the physical act of production. So Nate and Kai were always much more on the creative side and the production side. And then my role was kind of capital B business. I was responsible for sponsorships. I was responsible for the operations of the show. I was responsible for where we were going to have office space, all that type of stuff. Basically the business side of creativity, and that's the same today. I mean, it's kind of like, it was just a foreshadow of the roles that we ended up playing as we were growing Portal A. And we've always had a super clear and complementary division of labor.I would say when looking for business partners, I think that might be, I mean, your rapport and your ability to communicate is lots of things are really important, but making sure that each person, each principal has a clear role and that they actually like that role and can succeed in that role is I think one of the keys to business success. So we've always had very clear roles. We've always liked our roles and felt like we belonged where we were. That's how it started with White Collar Brawler.Chris Erwin:That's awesome. Yeah, I have to give you some real kudos because you take very early on in your career, and in the digital entertainment ecosystem, you take an IP concept, and you create a diversified, sustainable business model around it where you have revenue coming in from advertising, sponsorships, merch, ticket sales, that's what many different IP properties want to figure out today. And many struggle to do that.Zach Blume:The only we could've described it back then as well as you described it now, but yes, that's basically what it was.Chris Erwin:Yeah, you look around at one another, you have this culmination in a ticketed event where there's over 1500 people pay to see the fight between Nate and Kai. And so you guys look around at one another and say, "Hey, we got something here." Is the next step? Let's found a business, call it Portal A and start doing this at scale. Or did it kind of just naturally happen, saying, "All right, let's find the next project and see where it goes from there."Zach Blume:It was much more, again, the latter. I mean, we did know that there was something brewing; I gave ourselves, at the very least credit for that. Did not have a business model. We did not have a plan. We had a kind of a concept and an idea and a good partnership. And I think that was really important too, is just how well we worked together.When we came out of White Collar Brawler, we had this idea credit to Kai. I believe we really wanted to do a show about whiskey, that that was going to be our next piece of IP that we wanted to develop and the concept behind the show, again because we didn't want, we were just going to be doing original series built for internet video was basically a distillery tour type show, but with a twist where there would be a membership model involved. And for anybody who was in a... 99% of viewers would just watch the show for the entertainment value, any type of good travel show that built that type of audience. But 1% of viewers would subscribe to the show and get a drum of whiskey. For each distillery that we were visiting as part of the show, they would actually get samples in the mail, and it would be kind of a whiskey of the month model married to an entertainment property.And we were coming out of White Collar Brawlers, we were visiting distilleries, getting drunk, trying to figure out this model. And we were super hyped on it. We thought it was a really interesting way to monetize internet video through subscriptions. And we even got into the logistics of shipping, and we were really going down that path, and in the meantime, we were broke, we were like 25 years old and-Chris Erwin:That was my next question. How are you funding all of this?Zach Blume:Well, we paid ourselves an extremely nominal salary. I would call it a stipend when we were making White Collar Brawler enough to survive. And then, coming out of that, we were trying to do our whiskey show, but that stipend went away. So we were without income, really. I mean, I remember going to Bank of America at some point, and there was so little... This is one of our funny stories that we tell each other. I remember this parking lot moment where the three of us had gone to Bank of America, where we had this White Collar Brawler account, or maybe it's a Portal A account. I'm not sure. And there was, I think, less than $1000 in there, and it was one of those like, oh, shit-type moments, and I remember going out to the parking lot and being like to Nate and Kai because I was always kind of the rah-rah guy of the three of us. And just, I remember basically having to give a motivational speech about that we were going to be okay, that this is going to be okay, despite the fact that we had absolutely zero money in the bank.That was where we were at that point. We were trying to figure out this whiskey idea, and then all of a sudden, because of the popularity of White Collar Brawler and some big YouTube videos we had made to promote the series, we started getting some inbound interest from brands. And that was never in the plan. We would think about sponsorships on our original series from brands, but never creative service worked directly to brands, and our first phone call was-Chris Erwin:Explain that difference for the listeners. I think that's a good nuance.Zach Blume:Yeah, I mean, if there was a business model, the business model we were considering was building properties like White Collar Brawler that could be sponsored by, in the best-case scenario, Nike or by Everlast, the boxing company, or by Gatorade or that's who we were pursuing for what-Chris Erwin:So think of title cards and brought to you by et cetera.Zach Blume:Exactly. Or like sponsoring events or merchandise or all that type of stuff. And we had some success, not from the big brands, but we had some success on White Collar Brawler with sponsorships from more regional brands, or like there were some beer companies and some smaller merchandising startups that were part of the sponsorship mix.I will say that we sent out about 500 to 1000 sponsorship emails and got about five sponsors. So we worked hard at it. And so that was the model we were going to pursue even for something like the whiskey show. We were going to look for sponsors and brand sponsors in that way. We never thought we were going to build a creative services company, meaning brands, an advertising company effectively, like brands hiring us as a service provider to create content. That was never, ever something we thought about.We started getting these phone calls. I remember being in a car one time, and I got this random call from a number I did not know, and it turned out to be a marketing manager at the Gap. Her name was Sue Kwon. Shout out, Sue Kwon, if you're out there. She was our first real client after White Collar Brawler. And we started making videos for the Gap, as kind of like a little agency production company.Then we got some more calls. There was a Tequila company that wanted us to make a web series called Tres Agaves Tequila. They wanted us to make a web series shot in Mexico about the origins of Tequila. Then we got a call from Jawbone, which was a hot Bluetooth speaker company at the time-based in the Bay Area. They wanted us to make a music video featuring a bunch of early YouTube influencers or creators.So we started getting these, we called them gigs at the time because literally all we were trying to do is pay our rent and so we could make the whiskey shows. We were just trying to get a little bit of income coming in so we could actually go out and make our dream whiskey show. And there were fun projects, and we weren't making advertising. We were making content, and that was a big difference for us. We weren't making pre-roll ads or 30-second ads. We were making web series for brands and music videos for brands and all that type of stuff. And without knowing it, we kind of stumbled across an area that was in high demand, which was brands trying to figure out what to do on platforms like YouTube and social media with video. We had established ourselves as understanding that world.So that's the origin of our branded content business which became the core of our business for many, many years was just one-off phone calls, unexpected phone calls, taking projects as gigs to pay the bills, and just kind of doing our best and seeing where it led.Chris Erwin:Hey listeners, this is Chris Erwin, your host of the Come Up. I have a quick ask for you if you dig what we're putting down. If you like the show, if you like our guests, it would really mean a lot if you can give us a rating wherever you listen to our show, it helps other people discover our work, and it also really supports what we do here. All right, that's it, everybody. Let's get back to the interview.What was the moment where you felt it evolved from, "Hey, it's the three of us rotating between gigs, hiring freelancers as need be, to what became a business, which is called a systematized and efficient way to deliver consistent quality around a good or service."Zach Blume:I think the first year was the gig model. It was just a patchwork of projects in order to generate some form of income. The second year it started to feel real. There started to be a fairly steady flow of inbound interests, and then a kind of something we be started to become known for a type of content. It was kind of humorous, entertaining, felt like it was native to the internet and to YouTube.I think in that second year was when it started to feel like a business, and then some light clicked for me that we actually needed to do some business planning and thinking, and I had no idea what I was doing. I mean zero, negative. Negative idea what I was doing. But I had grown up where my dad was a small business owner, so I had some exposure, but I just remember being it was just like a vast sea of unknown principles and requirements that I had to navigate.Chris Erwin:How did you figure that out? Did you put together an advisory board? Did you call your dad? Were you calling some other friends in business?Zach Blume:One of our earliest advisors was not a business advisor. He was our sensei in some forms in the earliest days. And this is another shout-out to Steve Wolf, who you may know, who was on the executive team of Blip, which was one of those many early internet video platforms. He really helped us understand the space.We did not have a formal advisory board. We did not have a board. And it was truly trial and error. That's the best way I can describe it. It was just using our brains and figuring things out through mistakes and successes. It is a total blur looking back on it, but I think we were a good partnership. We had our heads screwed on straight, and we kind of learned how to operate.Chris Erwin:Another important part, too, is, like you said, when you all looked at your bank account, and everyone's face went white, but you were the rah-rah guy, which is like, "Hey, guys, we're going to figure this out. Where there's a will, there's a way." And I think that's a very important role. Shout to Steve Wolf. He was one of the execs that oversaw the AwesomenessTV network when I was there in 2014, 2015 timeframe. Super sharp guy, OG in the digital space. So not surprised to hear that he was a valuable advisor to you.All right, so then I think there's another pretty big moment where your business takes an even bigger step up. And I think this has to do with becoming the official partner for the YouTube Rewind project. The moment where you felt, "Okay, we're really onto something here."Zach Blume:Yeah, it was coincidental. We were introduced to somebody at YouTube in 2011 as a three-person team that was making internet video content and mostly on YouTube. And Rewind was just a twinkle of an idea. I mean, it was like there was a minor budget. It was basically a countdown of the top videos of the year. The budget was, I think, $20,000 in the first year to make Rewind. And we shot it in a small studio location. It was one of our earliest projects, and it was before Rewind became Rewind, the big thing that many of us are familiar with. It was a major validator for us to start working with YouTube directly as a client. And Rewind eventually became a project that defined our growth for many, many years to come. But it started very, very small.Chris Erwin:From that project. You've been around for now for 12 years, being founded around 2010. What did the growth in scaling part of your business looks like? With YouTube Rewind and other marquee projects, you're starting to get a sense of what are we actually building towards. Was there a point of view there or like, "Hey, we have inbound interests, we're working with brands and advertisers," all of a sudden we're working with publishers, and were you just kind of being more reactive or was it a mix of being reactive and proactive?Zach Blume:The best analogy I can draw is to kind of riding a wave. This may resonate with you, but I don't think we knew what was around the next corner or what the next thing was going to look like. We were just building momentum in those early years and taking each project as it came. We knew we had something. We knew we had a good partnership. We knew we were starting to bring some really interesting, smart people to the team, clients that were really willing to push some boundaries. And I was learning as I went along how to run a business, and Kai was learning, and Nate was learning how to create amazing content, and there was not a lot of foresight. It was mostly about riding a wave and seeing where the wave took us. Then doing a really good job. That was really important because every project, the success or not success for the project kind of dictated what the next chapter was going to look like.So we just focused on trying to build some good fundamentals for the business, trying to make sure we were profitable because we had to be and just making work that we were proud of. That's the extent of our planning, I think, was just what did the next three months look like and how do we keep riding this wave?Chris Erwin:Yeah, and that's something I think worth emphasizing for the listeners where it's, so often people will say you have to be super strategic in planning every single move and where is their white space and how are you going to beat out your competitors to get it? But I think when you are building a small business, and this is something that I reeducate myself on consistently with RockWater, it's really about the basics, which is know your core service offering and nail it and delight clients, from there, that's really the core foundation from where you grow and where other things can emerge. And I think that's a testament to really what you guys have done for well over a decade is you know your lane, and you operate so effectively within it that is now, over the past few years, created some other really exciting opportunities for you, your success in your lane led to the investment by Wheelhouse a couple of years back. So how did that come to be? Because I think that's a pretty big moment for the company.Zach Blume:That fast-forward a bit over years of misery and happiness and everything in between. We threw ourselves entirely into growing Portal A for the bulk of our 20s. It was all-encompassing, tons of sacrifices that were made to other parts of our lives, which I'm okay with looking back. I do think that 20s are a good time to throw yourself and just be completely focused and passionate about something like this. And we built that branded business. We diversified the type of clients we were working with. Projects got bigger and bigger, Rewind got bigger, and all the rest of our projects got bigger.Starting around 2016, we wanted very badly to return to the original thesis of Portal A, which was creating an original entertainment properties for the web. That's where it all started. And we had spent so many years working with brands, and it was fantastic, and it was a good business, and we got to make really cool stuff. But we had this hunger to return to the kind of to our entertainment roots in some ways. And we're not talking at that point about TV shows on broadcast, but about entertainment that was built for internet consumption.So we started taking steps back in that direction. As we were continuing to grow the branded business and expand in that area, we were committing ourselves to the original entertainment dream and started making shows horribly oversimplified what it took to actually start doing that again. But we started making shows again. We kept the branded business running and growing. And-Chris Erwin:When you started making shows, were you deficit-financing these yourself? So you were developing them internally and then taking them out as a slate to pitch and sell? Or were these being funded by other digital and streaming platforms that were going to put this content on their channels?Zach Blume:We were developing them internally, as a kind of a traditional development arm, and then taking them out to streaming and digital buyers. We were not doing the White Collar Brawler model, where we were building properties completely independently. So we did kind of slot in a little bit more into back into the entertainment ecosystem versus building our own properties, which that could be a whole separate conversation about the drawbacks and the benefits of that.So we were finding our way to making original series, again, we hired ahead of originals a guy named Evan Bregman, who's now at Rooster Teeth who's a good friend. And we started kind of trying to build that business again, and eventually, we started to feel like the branded business was running really well and growing year over year. We felt in order to take the next step forward on the entertainment side of our business. We needed a partner.So we had been a completely independent entire course of our trajectory. We were running a really good business at the time. It was very profitable, and the growth trajectory was really attractive, I think to outsiders. And so we started taking meetings with potential partners with the idea of strategically aligning ourselves to somebody who could level us up. We weren't looking for a sale. We were looking for truly a strategic partner.Chris Erwin:Were you running a formal process here where there was a mandate of, "We seek a strategic partner, we're going to take meetings over the next two months?" Or was it, "Hey, these relationships that we create in the industry, we got some inbounds, let's take these meetings with perhaps a little bit more intent than we would've a couple of years ago."Zach Blume:It was not a formal process in the sense that we had a banker or some advisor who was guiding us through it. But it was a process in that it was fairly intentional. Remember sitting down with Nate and Kai and listing out the players in the original entertainment world, whether that was individuals or production companies, mostly who we think would be good partners for us, and starting to navigate through our network to see who would be interested in talking. And the thing that I've found, especially in that period, which was 2017, '18 was when we were starting to have those conversations, it was a pretty hot period for digital media. I think there was a lot of consolidation going on. Our experience was once we started having a couple of those conversations, and people started to see our numbers and see the fact that we were running an actually profitable business that was growing year over year.It just like word got out, and it was a little bit of a domino. And so I just remember over the course of 2017, 2018, we took like 15 or 20 strategic meetings with potential strategic partners. Again, not running it through a banker or anything like that, but just kind of word of mouth. And it was a really interesting experience, and learned a lot about ourselves and about the space. And we just really clicked with Brent Montgomery and Ed Simpson, who were, at the time they, had sold their TV production company to ITV and they were working at ITV at the time but starting to think about what their post-ITV move was going to be, which would eventually become Wheelhouse and just to immediate connection with both of them on a personal and kind of business level.To them, we looked like a really smart partner. They felt like a really smart partner to us. And that's how that started. And there were other conversations going on at the time, but Brent and Ed and eventually Wheelhouse always felt like the right fit for us.Chris Erwin:From that first meeting with Wheelhouse, did they indicate in the room, "Hey, we want to do a deal, we're going to make an offer," or did it take a while to get there?Zach Blume:Well, this story I always tell about Ed, who everybody should know, Ed Simpson, he's an amazing guy, is that within five minutes of our first meeting he asked us, "Are you Butellas?" And I was floored. I was like-Chris Erwin:Gets right to the point.Zach Blume:I was like, we just shook hands. We were just getting to know each other, but I think honestly it's a testament to directness, and I think that actually really helped was kind of just getting our cards on the table from early days. And I think from the beginning. It was clear that Ed and Brent were looking for their first partners. Brent is also like no BS. He knows what he wants, he goes out and gets it, and the intent for an investment, a partnership of some sort, was clear from the very beginning. The eventual process took very long.Chris Erwin:How long was that process?Zach Blume:I think the timeframe from offer letter or LOI to signed paperwork was about a year. But I think there was a six-month or eight-month, even maybe even a full-year courtship before that. So the whole process from first meeting with Ed, where he asked us what our EBITDA was after shaking his hand, to signing paperwork and then collapsing on the floor because we were so exhausted was maybe year and a half, two years.Chris Erwin:Yeah. It always takes longer than people expect.Zach Blume:Yeah. It's incredible. And there were multiple points where that deal almost fell completely apart. In fact, I was sure it was done. It was toast. And what I've learned from other founders that I've talked to that have done deals, whether it's a sale or a minority investment or some sort of strategic partnership like this, is every time there's a deal, it almost fails twice or three times or more.It's just in the nature of things when there's two negotiators that there's going to be some moments of staring into the abyss. And I actually haven't heard of a deal that hasn't had that. So I learned that, in retrospect, at the time, they were hugely existential moments because we had put so much time and energy, and money into making this happen and having the deal almost fell apart multiple times was, it was really intense.Chris Erwin:Yeah. After having been a part of many M&A and capital raising processes throughout my career before RockWater when I was a banker, and then also at Big Frame, where I hired my old investment bank to represent us in a sale to Awesomeness backed by DreamWorks. And then at RockWater now, there's so many variables. You have different business models, you have different team cultures, you have leadership, you have investors, and to align on, are we working towards the same mission? Do we want the same thing in the future? Do we want the same thing now when we integrate? Where are we complementary? Will we actually succeed combined, or there alternative ways to do this? And I think it really is a special thing. We read a lot of deal headlines in the trade, so everyone thinks like, "Oh, deals get done all the time, it's easy."For all those headlines of the success, there's many, many more instances where deals have fallen apart that we don't hear about. I think the best thing that you guys had, Zach, was your BATNA, your Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement, but also your leverage. You had a profitable independent business. It was you, Zach, and Kai as the founders. You were growing, and you were profitable, and you could sustain with a partner or without a partner. And essentially, that led to a great deal for you guys. So it's awesome to say.Zach Blume:Yeah, it's true. I mean, we were not trying to parachute at our business in any stretch. We weren't trying to sell to then do an arm out to then leave. We were trying to level up, and I agree it was our ability to walk was good leverage for us, but we really wanted to do it because we really had committed ourselves to making this type of strategic move. I think it's very different when you're trying to capitalize on a moment in exit versus when you're trying to make an actual partnership to take the next step up in a business. And we just weren't ready to, and we still aren't ready to sunset Portal A.This is becoming our life's work. We are committed. We are always kind of doubling down on our commitment. Sometimes I can't believe I've been doing this for 12 years. It's unbelievable. And I hope that we do it for many, many, many, many, many more years.Chris Erwin:You found your magnum opus in the first company that you founded pretty rare and pretty incredible, right?Zach Blume:Yeah. I mean it's amazing, but it also puts a lot of pressure on that to fulfill a lot of parts of your being and or your professional desires. When you're focused on one thing for so long, as opposed to a lot of entrepreneurs who kind of jump or leapfrog from one thing to the next. We've had to come to grips with the fact that this is our baby, and it's continuing to be our baby. And it's a long play. It's a long run.Chris Erwin:This is actually a good segue to think about how this business is fulfilling to you, kind of over the past couple of years, some key changes that you've made of, how you're rewarding some of your most prominent team members, elevating them to partner and then thinking about what you want to grow into. So let's get into that. I look at your business. In your 20s, it was kind of the freshman segment of Portal A really starting to become into a real business. Then in your 30s, it's kind of like the sophomore years where you're starting to scale up and start to realize some pretty incredible success. And now you've got this incredible foundation.So not to aid you in front of everyone, but I think you and the founding team are entering your 40s over the next year or two years or so, entering the junior and senior years of your business. And for you guys to continue to be excited and fulfilled, tell us about some of the recent moves that you've made at the company and then where you want to go. What does that look like?Zach Blume:It's a great question. I wonder what happens after the junior and senior year sets. We're definitely at a different life stage, just on a personal level, then we were when we were on the treadmill moving 100 miles per hour in our 20s and in the kind of like the first half of Portal A and the deal with Wheelhouse was definitely like a marker, or maybe it was the dividing line between the freshman and sophomore era as you put it.First of all, I mean the last couple of years have been crazy, the pandemic, the election in 2020, there's been a lot of volatility in the world over the last few years, but what we're trying to do in the face of that volatility and kind of coming out of the Wheelhouse partnership, which again marked a new chapter for us is, create A on the business side sustainability and kind of consistency. And we've been able to do that. I mean, we've been profitable, consistent from a numbers perspective for many years, but it definitely felt for many years, we were running on a treadmill trying to keep up.And over the last several years, we've been trying to do as we enter into new periods of our lives personally, as we bring other people into the business as partners is create a business that doesn't feel like you're about to gasp for air and collapse at the end of every year, but actually create something that's sustainable and supports other parts of our lives that are really important to us. Family, having kids, all that type of stuff.I think on the business side, it's like, and I think we've done this over the last several years, but how do we move from sprinting to running at a good pace and building something that feels sustainable over the course of the next chapter of our lives as our lives change. And that's been really important, and you mentioned this, but bringing, we brought four new partners into the business. Our head of production, our head of business operations, our managing director, and our head of talent partnerships all had been with us for five to seven years each. And we made them partners a couple of years ago.We've invested in our team in a way that we always try to take care of people, but we truly doubled down on that over the last several years so that people feel like they're working at a place that they can work at for many years and feel very taken care of and part of a community, et cetera.Chris Erwin:Quick question on partnership front. So when you elevate these individuals to partners, does that mean there's a compensation bump but is also a bigger voice at the table for bigger strategic decisions for the company? What is the value exchange for that?Zach Blume:They went from kind of executives to partners. I mean, they're always executives, and I think what a partnership means is they participate in the profitability of the company. They participate in an exit. If there is a future, another deal on the horizon, they would have a stake in that. And then they have visibility into all aspects of the business and a seat at the table for really important business decisions around the type of work we take on, the type of things we invest in, the vision that we lay out for the company, the priorities for the year or for the next few years, et cetera.So it's been incredible, and I think it was a big moment. It was always Nate, Kai, and I sitting in a room, staring at each other's faces and trying to figure things out. And to bring in Robyn, Emma, Elyse, and Brittani, they're all so incredibly smart and powerful in their own ways, and it's just made our decision-making much more thoughtful, multifaceted, strategic, and I think intelligent, that group of three became a group of seven. That's been a major milestone and moment for us.So that was a big part of things. And investing in our team and doubling down on the team's wellness and creating a pace of work that was sustainable, not working over Thanksgiving, all that type, taking long breaks, giving days, all sorts of steps we've taken over the last several years to make Portal A sustainable business entity over many years.So that's number one in terms of what this chapter looks like. And I think number two is we just want to make good shit. At the end of the day, when we put ourselves in the future and try to look back on what will feel most valuable about this whole experience, what we make because we are a creative company is at the top of the list. So investing in the quality of the work that we do, investing in projects that may not be the most profitable or they may even not be profitable at all, but that are important to us creatively experimenting in new content formats, longer form, feature-length type stuff, short film, all sorts of getting back to kind of our roots in some ways as experimental content producers and investing in the quality of the work that we're making either on the original side of the business or on the brand side of the business that has become kind of central to our whole vision and identity is just this relentless commitment to quality.Chris Erwin:I want to touch on that because when we were preparing for this interview, something that we spoke about was, yeah, your commitment to creative quality and craft. Sometimes that is undervalued, sometimes that feels like it's going against the grain, and like you said, Zach, maybe there's a near-term impact where these new IP concepts, they're not profitable immediately, but there's actually long-term value to it where adherence to that mission keeps the leadership and founding team galvanized and fulfilled. It also keeps your business exciting for new team members that you want to recruit, building towards future opportunity where there can be much more meaningful revenues to generate in the future.So that's hard to do when you face kind of the near-term headwinds of those decisions, but you got to be steadfast in that it's clearly worked for you guys for over 12 years, and I think that that's just an important reminder that this is a founding value of our company and that's what's going to continue to drive long term success for the next 10, 20 plus years.Zach Blume:Everything you just said, I would like you to come speak to our company, and we can all talk about it together. I mean, that's exactly where we are at. What we'll define the next five, 10, however many years of this adventure will be the quality of the work that we're making. I don't want to speak too soon, and I'm going to knock on wood, but I feel like we've cracked the code on how to run this business well and how to find good people, take care of our people, take care of ourselves, find our lane and operate really well in our lane. And what's going to define the next chapter is how good is the stuff we're making. Is it something we're proud of? And that's both from a kind of, almost like, a spiritual or existential level, but it does layer back to business because we believe what will differentiate us is the quality of the work that we're creating. And so it will lead to new opportunity and new horizons when we're making really good stuff.Chris Erwin:Last one or two questions before we get into rapid fire and we close out here is, are there any current projects that you're working on or things that you're thinking about that maybe are good signals to the listeners of the type of things that you're going to be doing more of going forward?Zach Blume:One really interesting one is completely different from a lot of the work that people may know us for, but my partner Nate is developing a feature documentary. We've done one feature-length documentary, we did it with YouTube original called State of Pride, all about the origins and the genesis of Pride festivals across the country. And it's a beautiful film called State of Pride. It's on YouTube. Nate did a really cool, together with Portal A, did a really cool 30-minute documentary in 2020 about the response from the Trump administration to the first year of COVID.So we've definitely played with longer-form documentary projects. This project is called Fault Lines, and it is a longer-formed feature documentary about housing in America and about the shortage of housing in America, which is driving up housing costs for everybody. Kind of like the deep backstory on where that all comes from.No brands associated with that project. It's going to be financed by foundations and private funders, but we're really excited about it, and it's that kind of getting back to telling interesting stories, experimenting with new formats. It's not going to be the core of our business for the next several years, but we are going to be investing in those types of projects where we can kind of make a name for ourselves in new spaces.And then, of course, we're doing all sorts of cool stuff with our brand partners like big, splashy campaigns that are coming out later this year that I shouldn't talk about yet, but doing a lot of work with Target and Google and we have long-standing partners at Lenovo, the computer maker and all sorts of cool branded stuff. We have original shows in the pipeline.So I think the business mix for us is branded content. Again, nothing that we make should ever feel like a commercial, and if it does, we've failed ourselves and our partners. So content that is made in partnership with brands feels like something you'd actually want to watch. That's one pillar. The second pillar is original series. We just released Level Up, which is a show on Snapchat starting Stephen Curry mentoring a new generation of athletes. So there's all sorts of series like that that we're working on.Then this new area, which is short films, documentary feature films that we're investing in as a loss leader, like truly a loss leader, but as a way to diversify the type of content we're making and invest in quality like I was just talking about.Chris Erwin:That's great. You guys are doing a lot. Last quick question before rapid fire, how would you succinctly describe how your leadership philosophy has evolved now, being, call it 12 years into the Portal A business?Zach Blume:When you're building something, especially for us, we started from zero. We didn't come from the space. We didn't have any relationships. It was completely homegrown and organic. When you're building something, it's like you're captaining a tiny little ship in very rocky waters, and it is survival in some ways. I mean, it's both like I'm just picturing someone on the deck of a little dinghy in the middle of the ocean, just like yelling and surviving and getting thrown all over the place, and you're just trying to survive and make it through the first few years. And I think that was in many ways what leadership, just getting through the choppy waters and trying to grow and survive, was what it looked like for many years in the early days of growing our company.I think now that we've made it through those choppy waters and kind of established ourselves and built something that has a foundation underneath it. I really focus on sustainability and vision. And so that means creating an environment where people can be fulfilled creatively in terms of the people that they work with in terms of the pace of the work, both for the team that works with us and also for us, for ourselves. So creating that kind of a rhythm that feels not like you're like a tiny boat in a gigantic ocean and just trying to survive, but that feels steady and sustainable and solid. So creating that kind of consistency and strength, and that's one side of it. And then, for many years, it was just eat what you killed. And that was so many years of growing the company.Now it's like, "Okay, who do we want to be and who are we and who do we want to be?" And I think I spend so much time thinking about that and then communicating that back to the team and then repeating it over and over and over and over again and giving people something that they can understand and hold onto and feel like they're working toward a common cause has become so much more important now than it was when we were just basically in survival mode. So I think, yeah, sustainability and vision have become the most important pieces.Chris Erwin:I love that. Very well said, Zach. All right, so last segment from me giving you a bit of kudos at the end of this interview. Look, a lot of the people that I interview on the show, I've known for years, if not decades or more. I've actually interviewed people that I've known for over 30 years on this show. I've really only gotten to know you over the past. I think like two to three months through a handful of conversations. But I will say some of the kudos is it feels like I've known you a lot longer than that. I think we have a really shared sensibility, and I think that that's a testament to in this space.What I really like about being at the intersection of digital and entertainment is that there's just some really good people in it. And I think that's not the same from a lot of other industries that I've worked in. And I think you really embody that spirit. I think you really care about your people. I think you really care about your clients and your team and your partners, and that's really valuable. And I can even sense that in what the audience isn't hearing in between these segments is I really just love that note, how you are like the rah-rah spirit for your team. You've even been that for me, talking me up about me as a podcast host and supporting our content work where I'm going through a bit of my own existential crisis with RockWater on, I can feel that very positive energy from you, and I think that makes you a very, very, very compelling leader.Lastly, just to reiterate one of the points I made earlier, you have this extreme focus on your core service and product and on your team and doing right by your client partners. And I think that is actually shows incredible strategic focus and vision versus some really complex framework for how Portal A is going to take over the entire digital entertainment ecosystem with 10 different business models. You guys have nailed your core, and it's given you so much opportunity for what I define as the very exciting junior and senior years that are going to come for you. So massive kudos to you and the team for what you've built exemplary, and I look forward to many more conversations in the future.Zach Blume:Thank you. It feels like you understand us, and I really appreciate that. So thank you for that.Chris Erwin:For sure. Easy to do. All right, so to the rapid-fire, I'm going to ask six questions and the rules or as follows, you'll provide short answers. Maybe just one sentence, maybe just one to two words. Do you understand the rules, Zach?Zach Blume:Yes, I do.Chris Erwin:Okay, cool. All right, first one, proudest life moment.Zach Blume:Birth of my daughter.Chris Erwin:What do you want to do less of in 2022?Zach Blume:Worrying about the state of our union?Chris Erwin:Okay, what do you want to do more of?Zach Blume:Making work that we are proud of and stands the test of time.Chris Erwin:One to two things drive your success?Zach Blume:Focus and commitment, and loyalty.Chris Erwin:Okay, last three here. Advice for media execs going into the second half of this year and 2023.Zach Blume:Brace yourselves. I mean, I don't want to fear monger or create an atmosphere of angst or anxiety, but I definitely can see that there are headwinds ahead and many of us have been through these periods before, and we can make it through, but it's definitely a time to focus on fundamentals and be aware of your costs and brace yourselves for what could be a choppy period.Chris Erwin:Yeah, well said. Any future startup ambitions?Zach Blume:Not beyond what we're doing. I mean, if there's ever sunset to Portal A, I would love to get involved again in the political world. And we've done a lot of political work over the years through Portal A but at the moment, continuing to double down on what we're building.Chris Erwin:Got it. The easy final one for you. How can people get in contact with you?Zach Blume:I don't know, old school email, I mean, really old school, I guess, would be a landline, but email Zach, Z-A-C-H@portal-a.com, or you can find me on LinkedIn, but that sounds really lame, so just send me an email.Chris Erwin:Okay. I think LinkedIn is great.Zach Blume:No, I love Linkedin, but I just don't want to be the guy hawking his LinkedIn profile.Chris Erwin:Got it. All right, Zach, that's it. Thanks for being on the Come Up podcast.Zach Blume:It's been a pleasure, Chris. It's a great service to the digital media, community and world and really appreciated being here.Chris Erwin:All right, quick heads up that our company has a new service offering. We just introduced RockWater Plus, which is for companies who want an ongoing consulting partner at a low monthly retainer, yet also need a partner who can flex up for bigger projects when they arise. So who is this for? Well, three main stakeholders. One, operators who seek growth and better run operations. Two, investors who need help with custom industry research and diligence. And three, leadership who wants a bolt-on strategy team and thought partner.So what is included with RockWater Plus? We do weekly calls to review KPIs or any ad hoc operational needs. We create KPI dashboards to do monthly performanc

Since the Alec Baldwin case is FINALLY heating up-here's an episode you shouldn't miss! Two recent headlines are stark reminders of why one should never play fast and loose with guns. On the movie set of the western Rust, actor Alec Baldwin picked up a prop gun, pulled the trigger and accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded the film's director, Joel Souza. Baldwin had been told the gun was cold, meaning it had no ammunition, but it was loaded with a live round. There had already been many problems on the set and there is enough blame to go around.... Then, in the Kenosha, Wisconsin courtroom, where the jury in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse was hearing closing arguments, the prosecutor, Thomas Binger, picked up a real gun - the one Kyle allegedly used - and swung it around the courtroom. If it weren't for the judge insisting upon a detective double checking that the gun wasn't loaded, Binger's 'Alec Baldwin moment' could have ended in death and injury, as well. Today's guest, Steve Wolf, is an expert on guns, movie sets and courtrooms! He will narrow in on who's to blame on the set of Rust and will critique how the gun was handled in court - and what should have happened in both of these scenarios.

Since the Alec Baldwin case is FINALLY heating up-here's an episode you shouldn't miss! Two recent headlines are stark reminders of why one should never play fast and loose with guns. On the movie set of the western Rust, actor Alec Baldwin picked up a prop gun, pulled the trigger and accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded the film's director, Joel Souza. Baldwin had been told the gun was cold, meaning it had no ammunition, but it was loaded with a live round. There had already been many problems on the set and there is enough blame to go around.... Then, in the Kenosha, Wisconsin courtroom, where the jury in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse was hearing closing arguments, the prosecutor, Thomas Binger, picked up a real gun - the one Kyle allegedly used - and swung it around the courtroom. If it weren't for the judge insisting upon a detective double checking that the gun wasn't loaded, Binger's 'Alec Baldwin moment' could have ended in death and injury, as well. Today's guest, Steve Wolf, is an expert on guns, movie sets and courtrooms! He will narrow in on who's to blame on the set of Rust and will critique how the gun was handled in court - and what should have happened in both of these scenarios.

Welcome to Sunday! First up, J+M cover different methods and classifications for dealing with failing startups. (2:01) Then, Molly interviews Team Wildfire CEO Steve Wolf about his "Hurricane-as-a-Service" business! (31:56) (0:00) J+M tee up today's segments! (2:01) VC Sunday School: J+M discuss hospice care for startups (10:50) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist (11:58) VC fund dynamics with Zombie startups, Jason explains "pay to play" (25:32) Spokn - Get 3 months free at https://getspokn.com/twist (27:03) J+M tee up this week's climate interview! (31:56) Steve Wolf explains his jet engine powered fire-fighting device (37:21) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist (38:55) Steve breaks down the business side of Team Wildfire, "Hurricanes-as-a-Service", and more! (55:32) Molly gets a virtual tour of the "Hurricane on wheels" Check out Team Wildfire: https://www.teamwildfire.com FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Interviews: Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency's Senior Rome correspondent: The Miracle of St Charles de Foucald & The Cause for the Canonization of servant of God Fr Edward J Flanagan with Steve Wolf (vice postulator for the cause of beatification and canonization)

Interviews: Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency's Senior Rome correspondent: The Miracle of St Charles de Foucald & The Cause for the Canonization of servant of God Fr Edward J Flanagan with Steve Wolf (vice postulator for the cause of beatification and canonization)

Kimberly Grigg welcomes Heather Bernstein of HKB Interior Design out of San Francisco to the show. Kimberly and Heather discuss sustainability in design elements, shifting away from stark white in color palettes, and Heather's love of using stone in design. Heather shares ideas for how versatile stone can be throughout the home.   Heather Bernstein grew up with design as second nature, surrounded by her designer mother's work and influence. After graduation she taught English in Thailand for 14 months and came home to work in real estate before spending time in the corporate world. Design proved to be her calling, however, and after working with a business partner on a co-owned design firm, she branched out on her own with HKB Interior Design just over two years ago. Heather describes her aesthetic as very different from her mother's but with the use of antiques and sustainability always at the core.   Kimberly's use of color is well known but Heather prefers a more neutral palette and they discuss how when working with neutrals, texture becomes your color. Heather has been working away from stark white recently, embracing warmer tones, and she has a vast knowledge of and love for stone in her designs. Kimberly learns the best sealant Heather recommends for stonework to avoid patina. And Heather shares some inspired design ideas from her own new home, stone elements beyond countertops, and insight from her years of experience with thinking outside the box to create a beautiful vibe. Resources discussed in this episode: HKB Interior Design HKB Interior Design Instagram Quartz and Quartzite Caesarstone MORE AntiEtch   About Heather Bernstein:   Heather Bernstein, owner of HKB Interior Design, is a master interior designer with over a decade of experience in the industry. Heather's bubbly yet professional personality leaves its mark on every home she touches with her personalized, warm approach to interiors. Heather's love for beautiful spaces originated from her time spent absorbing her mother's skill in interior design and running her independent firm. After graduating college, Heather moved to Thailand to teach English which expanded her senses and empathy for other cultures that commonly shows in her designs. Soon after, Heather accepted a corporate position for a Fortune 500 leading specialty retailer of high-quality products. This experience not only enhances her passion for design but can also be attributed to her well-rounded creativity and organizational skills that now come as second nature. When Heather isn't working with clients, you will find her chasing around her two boys and golden retriever. Heather continues to embrace travel as a necessary pleasure, is constantly seeking out the best sushi on the market, and is frequently socializing in her community, enjoying laughs over a good glass of wine. --    Contact Me: Email me at kimberly@kimberlygriggdesigns.com Visit my website: www.kimberlygriggdesigns.com Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest Check out my Youtube channel You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.   Transcription Heather Bernstein  00:00 Yeah, and you just said, the, I think, the biggest thing - you said, clients get afraid. So this, I think, is the biggest thing you can do in design. If you really want to elevate your space, be afraid, have a touch of fear that it's too bold or too much. And go for it.   Kimberly Grigg  00:23 Welcome to Decorate Like A Design Boss, a podcast for design lovers who want to create beautiful spaces in their very own homes. My name is Kimberly Grigg. And I'm a professional interior designer who teaches design lovers like yourselves how to decorate. And when I say decorate, I mean decorate like a design boss. If you're ready to create a space that your family loves, and your neighbors can't stop raving about, well, buckle up honey, because it's time to design. So hello there design lovers and enthusiasts, thank you as always for being here. And I'm so excited to be bringing you this episode. In fact, I've been talking to my guest ahead of time, and I just learned something that I didn't know about marble. And I'm going to be sharing that with you, as is Heather, and I can't wait. So today's guest is Heather Bernstein of HKB Designs. They're out of San Francisco. And we're going to talk a lot about sustainable design, interior design, and specifically about how to incorporate natural stone into your home and designs and, more importantly, how to take care of it. So welcome Heather Bernstein, glad to have you here.   Heather Bernstein  01:48 Thank you. I'm glad to be here.   Kimberly Grigg  01:50 Thank you. So I know you've been home battling COVID. Sorry to hear that. And I hope it wasn't horrible. But we forgive you in advance if your throat gets scratchy or whatever. Because, like, that is no joke. I haven't had COVID yet, but seems like everyone I know has, including my children and all that stuff, and I know it's no picnic.   Heather Bernstein  02:14 Rough nights, for sure.   Kimberly Grigg  02:16 I'm sure. So you're in the Bay Area, as is my number five child. I have six children and number five moved to San Francisco. And I've been out quite a few times, and oh my gosh, what a beautiful area architecturally. Like, wow. I can't even imagine what it's like to actually get to design there. Because the architecture is on fire.   Heather Bernstein  02:41 It's amazing. I think the best part about it is that no two projects are the same there. You have sprawling ranchers, you have Victorians that are straight up and down, you have every different kind of home, which is amazing. And especially in Marin, where we are, we're in the mountains. And so all the homes are so different based on where they are in the land. If they're on a hill, it's, you know, they're on stilts, and if there happened to be in the flats, then you know, they build for that.   Kimberly Grigg  03:19 Yeah, I actually was in Marin, and beautiful area and intriguing. So do you do different aesthetic styles? Or do you kind of focus on one?   Heather Bernstein  03:32 I would say we stay true to who we are. Meaning, we don't like to do anything that doesn't speak to our brand and what we're about and what we love. But we definitely can span from traditional to contemporary and everything in between, depending on what the client wants in the style of the home. I will say, though, our favorite thing is to take a very traditional home. We just did one of the classic Victorians on Steiner Street in San Francisco where 'Full House' was filmed. And we did a very contemporary interior, which was really, really fun to juxtapose against the classic kind of all the wood paneling. And it was just unexpected. And everybody that walks in there is surprised and it's fun and exciting.   Kimberly Grigg  04:29 How cool. So how'd you make your way into the design space? Because I think you have a corporate background, right?   Heather Bernstein  04:36 Yes. So I grew up actually here in the East Bay, so in the Bay Area but just through the Caldecott Tunnel, in a little town called Alamo, and my mom was a designer all growing up. So for 35 years, it's all I knew. We - and she, when she started out, she did all of her own sewing, all of her own upholstery, she made every window treatment, every roman shade out of our dining room. And I remember being in middle school or even elementary and most kids have to take their shoes off when they go in the house, we had to leave ours on because there was always pins and needles on the floor. And so I just, I grew up with it, and then, I guess it was about junior or senior year, my mom would start - by the time I think I was in college, like I'd gotten into school, so it must have been senior year - she would pull me out of school and say, 'Hey, let's go to the Design Center. You can come help me for the day'. And I just thought it was magical, and getting to shop and put things together for people to make their spaces something that they loved, was really just magical. So then I went to school, I went to Boulder. I graduated, I moved to Thailand for about 14 months, I taught English to high schoolers there, I just wanted to get out and experience something different. And travel, which I did, I spent a month in India, and really just - and that was after my junior year abroad in Italy - so I really tried to, like, just see different places in the world. And then I came back and I got my real estate license. And I was selling apartments downtown south of Market in San Francisco, where it was completely undeveloped, and it was like a ghost town. And now it's the sprawling amazing gentrified neighborhood, which is incredible. But real estate was not for me, I called one of my dear friends who worked at William Sonoma corporate and I said 'I need a job'. And she said, 'Great, come be an assistant, my assistant buyer'. And so I did. And I was there for five or six years, climbed up the ladder to a senior buyer, which was really, really fun and exciting. I for sure drink the Kool Aid for the first three years. And then I started to become a little disillusioned and the world was faltering as, you know, we neared 2008. And then I was laid off and I remember crying the night before they were gonna announce layoffs thinking, this is my chance, if I don't get laid off I don't know if I'll be brave enough to start my design business. And so I wanted to be laid off, which was very counterintuitive, because the world was ending. But I was laid off, with 700 others, and that was in January. And by March, I had started our S corp and I had a business partner, we joined forces and said, 'Let's do this together'. We were both going to start our own businesses, and we just said that's silly. And so I started Nest about 15 years ago. And we worked alongside each other for 12 great years. And then when COVID hit, it just kind of felt like things were changing in my life. I had been through a divorce and met a wonderful man. We joined our families and had a Brady Bunch. And I was really just, like, cleaning house and making sure that everyone around me... and it was it was a positive experience every day. And I wanted to feel that in my work and create that space, and so we both went out on our own, and that's when I started HKB. And it's been about two, two and a half years. And I have one of my oldest employees, who has been with me for 10 years. And then we have an assistant buyer who is amazing. She came from the corporate event space and when COVID hit she she jumped ship and came on to try this whole new world and she loves it, and we love having her, so it's been really positive.   Kimberly Grigg  09:08 Sounds like things just kind of lined up. Which always tells me that you're in the right space. And based on your website, you're definitely definitely in the right space. So I got to know, is your aesthetic similar to your mother's?   Heather Bernstein  09:26 No. Definitely not. She was like the consummate traditionalist with the fringe and the Sweet Pea wallpaper and the Laura Ashley and very froofy, and so, no, I actually went the opposite. And my old business partner was very traditional, and I just, I think I ran from that and became very contemporary. Anything clean lined, even mid century, modern, I was more drawn to. But now I'm starting to have this appreciation, I don't know if it's getting older, or just learning that having pieces that are from family from, you know, 100 years ago is really special. So I think I'm definitely being able to merge my style. And we just built a house for the past year, my partner and I, to fit all six of us. And it's been such a labor of love. And it will be photographed, hopefully, in the next couple of months once we get our final furniture pieces. But it definitely has a combo of very clean lines, but also some traditional pieces thrown in.   Kimberly Grigg  10:55 Sure. And I think that, I'm sure you're experiencing supply chain issues as most of us are, and, you know, my original aesthetic incorporated antiques and older pieces really juxtaposed with modern, and it was always my favorite style. But as I got busier and busier, it was just easier to order than to go antiquing on the weekends, or go antiquing, and just, like, be looking for these pieces. And I... my aesthetic sort of shifted because I was doing so many installations every single week, I didn't have time or energy, except to get it ordered. And I had assistance for all of that. So that's kind of my business in those middle years became all about ordering, tracking, ordering, tracking, ordering tracking. But, now with all of this supply chain, I'm back to my roots, I feel like Kunta Kinte. Like, let's start with that antique, baby. Let's get rid of some of those antiques that are leftover in the warehouse. Let's repurpose, let's rethink, let's re-upholster, let's do all of these things, because I don't have the patience for 28 months for upholster to arrive. And I know my clients don't have that kind of patience, either. So I think that necessity is the mother of invention. And I know that on your site, you do talk a lot about sustainability. And I think that's a, sounds like maybe a really big part of your brand. So talk to me a little bit about sustainability, why it's important to you, and how you incorporate sustainability into your designs.   Heather Bernstein  12:38 Yeah, I think just living in the Bay Area, it's kind of been hammered into us for our whole lives. You know, like, we recycled before recycling was even a thing, I think. And so it really allows you to design consciously and with thought and care. And antiques are such a beautiful part of that because there's only one, and it's available, like you said - I'm not, you know, we just got a quote for a client and it said 36 weeks, and I was trying to even calculate that in my head-   Kimberly Grigg  13:17 - it doesn't sound that big. But when you're calculating 36 weeks, you're like, whoa!   Heather Bernstein  13:24 Yeah, the client was like 'is that a joke?' Yeah, I could make that in 36 weeks.   Kimberly Grigg  13:29 Right? Exactly.   Heather Bernstein  13:31 And so, I think, really incorporating pieces that are already out there, that don't take any footprint to make, and to just infuse them in our designs is really special, and also conscious for the environment. So I think it's important to think that way and to infuse that in your design, and really be smart about it.   Kimberly Grigg  14:02 Yes. So agree. So tell me, Heather, what inspires you?   Heather Bernstein  14:08 You know, I just, I love being outside. It's so funny because I had a girlfriend over last night. We're newly friends, she's going through a divorce, so I'm kind of helping her through it.   Kimberly Grigg  14:22 Right.   Heather Bernstein  14:22 And my partner and I went on a mountain bike ride yesterday for, like, two hours just in nature, huffing and puffing, it was so beautiful. And I was telling her about it - and we had our bikes stolen a couple months ago and so we just got her new bikes, yesterday was our first ride, we were breaking them in, we were so excited - and she was like, 'you mountain bike. I did not know that about you'. And I was laughing. My dad was a mountain bike coach in high school, and I really, I think, am a girly-girl but I love to get down and dirty, and yesterday was my favorite day. We spent three hours in the garden planting, and then got on our bikes and went on a ride for two hours. And it just felt so productive. And the vitamin D, I don't know, there's something, for me, about being outside. And we clearly live, like, in the redwoods, and in this beautiful space where we can do that. And I think that is the number one thing that inspires me. Because, yeah, travel inspires me, but we can't travel every day. But we can be outside every day in nature and take it in and just revel in the beauty of it. And that is... and then, of course, my family inspires me every day. And they're just, we're an evolving, very fun family, you know - the boys are 9 and 10, the girls are 13 and 16 - and just watching their personalities and the hormones and I'm just always so curious.   Kimberly Grigg  14:29 It's so true. And I've never thought about it as family being inspiring. Supportive. But, you know, when I think back on things that we've been through - because we're a blended family as well, we're definitely the Brady Bunch. Three and three. And so, three girls, three boys.   Heather Bernstein  16:26 Oh my gosh.   Kimberly Grigg  16:26 Two were his, two we adopted, and two are biological. So it is, like.... but their spaces in life have really been an inspiration that I've probably just taken for granted as my personal life that does merge with my work life. You know, I don't necessarily know that I process that on a daily basis, until you just said it. But I can think of times when yes, my - like right now, one of my daughters is very much into boho chic. And, you know, it's just a boho chic moment. And yet I have a client with three daughters, and they are in their boho chic periods, and I can do that very well because of the inspiration that I've garnered from my daughter - what she sees on social media, what she likes, what she follows, what she wants in her own spaces, all those things - you know, has brought about an inspiration that I probably wouldn't have been interested in that style. I just wouldn't. It's just not, it doesn't necessarily speak to my personal aesthetic, but I champion being versed in all styles. And I usually get versed when someone asked me to do one. And then it's, like, I study for days and hours, and, you know, when you do this I do think that you can study a particular genre for long periods of time. And you can do it, like it's in us, we have to be a certain amount of chameleon to be able to do what we do, unless we have a particular style that we repeat, and we repeat, and we repeat. That's a little bit different. But that brings me to this question, you know, my listener is, she's not necessarily a DIYer, but she is someone who wants to make her home beautiful. And for whatever reason, she's probably not going to hire a designer, she's going to want to do it herself. She wants to be successful. But she wants her own stamp. And, again, there's many reasons that this person ends up in this space. But I'm curious, do you think that creativity can be learned?   Heather Bernstein  18:45 Hmm, I definitely think... I believe in the right brain / left brain, and, you know, the very cerebral right brain and mathematical - which I know did not come easy for me, like, even in corporate America when I lived in spreadsheets, I just, it was heavy. I felt heavy.   Kimberly Grigg  19:12 Sure.   Heather Bernstein  19:12 And so the left brain creative space, definitely think... everybody has a left brain. And so it's in them. It's just drawing it out. So what is it? You can be creative in your cooking, in your food, and how you plate something or how you think to make something that you're going to put in your body. You can be creative in your garden, and what.... My partner just made this amazing trellis for his green beans - he's so excited about his green beans, and his cucumbers climb on this trellis - that he sat out there for hours and made, and I watched him, like, that's so creative. Like how, I wouldn't have thought of that. So I definitely think there are avenues of creativity that are different for everybody. You know, obviously you think of an artist and you're like, yes, you're creative. I think what we do is definitely, you have to have some creative bones in your body, and your left brain working, but there are so many different ways to be creative. So I think...   Kimberly Grigg  20:22 For sure. And I do find, I think this, like, sometimes when people are hiring me to do a job, they don't have confidence in their creativity, or time, you know, it takes a lot of time to do what we do. And so.... but I do think that it's in there, almost with everyone, left and right brain. Like I'm... definitely my left brain is more trained than my right brain, my right brain came out of the womb screaming, 'I'm here and I'm creative' and my other brain is like, 'alright, bring her along, bring her along, you got this'. And I exercise that muscle very often, because I want it, I want the balance of the two. And, as you know, running a business requires the two. But I do find that a person who doesn't necessarily think they're very creative, it's also maybe they're not as passionate as you and I are about the subject.   Heather Bernstein  21:28 Or like you said, they're nervous. And once you put one foot in front of the other, and you just start doing, you become more confident in your creativity.   Kimberly Grigg  21:37 And I think you can exercise that muscle. And I thought a long time about this, since I teach classes to people who are, who think, who want to aspire to have that beautiful home on their own. And I really had to sit with this, do I think that they can do this? Because if they can't, you're just beating your head against the wall. And if they can, and there's ways that you can do it, then you probably can get somewhere.   Heather Bernstein  22:06 Even if they can come away with one or two, like, a-ha moments, it can help them transform one space, and then two, and then three spaces... and do this one or two things. That's, that's beautiful, because they're making their space more their own and more....   Kimberly Grigg  22:27 And I encourage people at that stage, especially if they don't have the confidence yet, 'all right, you do you and you go through the process' but then it's okay to hire someone to consult with you. It's okay to hire a professional to say, 'move this to the right three inches' because you will learn from that experience as well. I think sometimes people are afraid that, you know, someone like you and I are going to come in with all this vast experience and, like, intimidate them in some way. But it really is, like, I know when I'm doing my own work, heck, I come into my office and say to the other designers here, 'hey, what do you think about this?'   Heather Bernstein  23:11 100%!   Kimberly Grigg  23:12 Like, you know, because it's mine. It's personal. It's intimate, and, like, oh god.   Heather Bernstein  23:17 And it's hard.   Kimberly Grigg  23:20 It's so hard, so you know, I'm glad you're a kindred spirit in that way. So I'm anxious to hear your answer to this. So here's an empty space, Heather, what's your process? Like, what do you do?   Heather Bernstein  23:34 Hmm. Well, in the traditional sense, we put pen to paper and, you know, draw it in CAD and lay it out. But, throw that away because so often we check our measurements from our CAD drawing in the space and we're like, huh, that doesn't feel right. And so then we get out our old fashioned tape measure, which I literally have one every spot I am in.   Kimberly Grigg  24:05 It's attached to my fingers.   Heather Bernstein  24:08 And we measure it out and we think through, like, how does this person live? How do they entertain? Do they have a family? We go through all the process and we know - whether it's for our client or, I'm just thinking of my home that I just did - and, you know, okay this is our living room but it is not a formal living room, it has a TV, and we want it to be comfy and cozy. And it was like, okay yes a sofa, but how about a day bed where you can literally just lounge with a couple of the kids. So really thinking through who's going to use the space, how the space is going to be used, and then laying it out with your trusty tape measure, and just knowing 'okay, we're going to do a sofa, a day bed, and a pair of chairs, and then maybe we'll throw in a bench or two little benches at the, you know, by the fireplace just to pull up for extra seating because we need that'. Because there are so many of us, there are not eight of us, but there are six of us... so yeah, that's I think. But then if I back up and think through, like, the very first thing we do, is we create a vibe board. And this is the most important step because it dictates the design for every room in the house. And that offers consistency in our designs. And so we start with our vibe board, we send it to the client, we have a meeting, and we go through every image. And it's not like you're going to have this in your home, it's more like, how does this vibe board feel? It evokes a mood and what is that and you love it? And if you don't, we're back to the drawing board. So that is how we start. And then, obviously, you know, our handy tape measure comes into play.   Kimberly Grigg  26:18 Well, I tell people, like, they'll bring me plans - I do a lot of design builds, where I'm making all the selections, and it's a year and a half of building, and I love that kind of work - but when it comes to, like, I'll get, you know, into the project, and I inevitably have clients say, 'well, okay, let's order furniture, let's order our furniture right now, right now', we're still 12 months out. And, like, I understand the backlog more than most, however, I start saying it's different on paper than it is in person. It just is. And I want to feel the space before I commit. And yes, this sofa fits, yes, this is probably where we're going with this, however, I want this feeling, this vibe, to feel like you - client - and I also want it to be respectful of the architecture and the home itself. And sometimes you can't get that from a blueprint. And I think that's what you're saying, this vibe board does have this significant role, because this is what - whether every little piece in that vibe board is going in this house, probably not - but it does speak volumes to how this space is going to feel. Right?   Heather Bernstein  27:45 100%. We... when we did my home, and I say 'we' because my senior designer, Reed, was such a big part of it. It's so hard to design for yourself, I don't know why, maybe it's just me, but I've learned that from many other designers, I've heard them say the same thing. But we found this image from this amazing artist, and it's this woman with a blank face being hugged by this big, fat, wonderful, what looks like cashmere ,blanket. And I was like 'THAT - that is my home. That is what I want'. I want you to walk in and feel like you are being hugged by a cashmere blanket. And just settle into the comfort of it and the cozy.   Kimberly Grigg  28:33 I love this.   Heather Bernstein  28:35 And so, I can kind of, I can show you, my - if you can see - there she is. And so this was the start of our vibe. And it just, it all came to, you know, to be from that one image. So often times, you know, we find one image and it's amazing, and just describes the whole thing.   Kimberly Grigg  29:02 And I like to say to people, you know, when you're scrolling on Pinterest or whatever, you're not just looking for rooms, like rooms are important. Like, I get a lot from people out of the rooms that they select. But I say don't just look at rooms, look at images that speak to you. Because what you just showed me was more of a piece of art with this woman in this cashmere blanket this big, thick fluffy... that sparks 'How do I want to feel in my home?'   Heather Bernstein  29:33 Yes.   Kimberly Grigg  29:33 And that's the thing that I sometimes think people miss. They'll bring me a picture of something on Pinterest and I'm, like, so you sort of want me to copy this room? Like, because you got the wrong girl for that. Like, I don't know how to do that very well. I can look at something, I can get a vibe, and I certainly can give you a different version of that that feels that way, but it won't be that. Like, that's just not in me, it's just not. But I think it's more if people can settle into what that space needs to feel like to them, as the people who live there, then I think you tap into something that resonates with a person. And, in the end, I say this, I'm not gonna live here, I'm probably going to come visit you because we will become friends over this, but you're gonna live here.This house should look like you, not me, and get comfortable with that. Because if you don't know who that is, we're going to find out. And it sounds like you have a similar process. And, which, I love that process. I'm not the girl who does this look. And I don't have a look, I have your look. And that's the best I can say about that. So I want to segue, in a minute, into materials. And this is really how we were introduced, is you're kind of known for your use of materials. And I know that you deal a lot in stone. So first define for people what a natural stone is versus a synthetic stone, because I think there's a lot of product in the market and people get confused with materials.   Heather Bernstein  31:14 Yeah. Yeah, there's so many options out there, which is amazing and been really wonderful to design with all these options. But yes, natural stone is cut from the quarry, whether it's from Italy, Portugal, South America, it is a block of magnificent stone, cut from a quarry, and then sliced up into pieces. And what you see is what you get, no two are alike, they're like snowflakes. Synthetic stone is conglomerate, so they grind it up and glue it together, and it's very hardy. It can also be porcelain. I do think synthetic materials, synthetic slabs, have come a long way. We used to, you would see like Corian or quartz, everybody's heard of quartz, a lot of people call it Caesarstone. It's like Kleenex versus tissue: Kleenex is the brand, tissue is the thing. The Caesarstone is the brand, is one brand out of millions, it seems like these days, and quartz is the synthetic material. And there's a time and a place for it. And we have to love all materials because we're blessed to get to do many different spaces and many different places. But if you think about it, a man-made material can't live outside. So, like, if we're doing a built-in kitchen outside, we would never put a quartz outside because the heat can do things to it. Whereas a natural stone has already lived outside and it's totally fine outside. So - and there is something about natural stone that we love, that none are the same, and so every project with natural stone is unique. So we love, love, marble quartzite - not to be confused with quartz - limestone, soapstone, slate. We love these natural materials, but, you know, some of them are more porous than others. And that's where the proper sealant comes in, and treating them so that they last a lifetime.   Kimberly Grigg  33:39 So before we get into this sealant, I think that this is appropriate to say.... because a lot of people get really, really nervous about using natural stone as countertops. And I understand it, and most vendors that I work with will, you know, they'll terrify my client even though I say do not open your mouth and tell clients. But, like, let's just say I want to use marble on my kitchen countertops. And they're like, oh, no, no, no, no, no, and we won't, and all that stuff. So, first question is: Do you ever use natural stone as countertops?   Heather Bernstein  34:22 Every day. All the time.   Kimberly Grigg  34:24 Yay girl. That's what I wanted to hear.   Heather Bernstein  34:26 I had marble in my last kitchen, I have quartzite in this kitchen, I have a soapstone vanity in my powder room, I have a Calcutta vanity in my master bathroom. And, yes, it's all porous but it's beautiful and there are ways, there are two ways to think about it. One is this is a natural stone. It can be, it can last 1000 years as your countertop and you can let it patina as it will. Meaning you will see rings from water, wine, you will see spots from lemon or lime acid etching it. Think about the oldest bar you've been to in Italy, and that counter is marble and it has been there for 100 years, and it's, that is the patina you will get. The other side of it is, you can seal it and it will look as beautiful as it did on install day, as it does four years later. So do not be afraid.   Kimberly Grigg  35:36 What is the sealant? This is so exciting.   Heather Bernstein  35:40 It's called MORE AntiEtch. A gentleman named Steve Wolf used to work for DuPont and he had a lot of experience in mixing these compounds, and he left, and said 'I'm gonna make this sealant that you roll on to natural stone that is impenetrable'. And you only have to seal it like once every 10 to 20 years versus every year. And it works. It's a matte finish so it looks, if you have honed stone, it looks just like the stone. I mean you can't tell that there's any sealant on it. And it truly helps stop the effects of citrus and etching and staining, and you can leave coffee and red wine rings on your counter overnight, and then wipe the next day, and it's fine.   Kimberly Grigg  36:42 And this is M O O R?   Heather Bernstein  36:46 MOOR. MORE AntiEtch.   Kimberly Grigg  36:49 AntiEtch.   Heather Bernstein  36:49 No, M O R E. MORE AntiEtch.   Kimberly Grigg  36:52 MORE AntiEtch. Because I'm going to link it, of course. It'll be in the show notes, everyone. But I have marble countertops in my kitchen and I'm very particular about them, I don't like the patina for that particular area. And someone recently said to me there's a product now that you can use to seal. And I thought I'm gonna wait till I hear a little more about this before - because I have a lot of countertop in my kitchen - but I bet you it's the same product and I would be a fan. When you say matte, how does it work on a glossier finish or does it matte it down?   Heather Bernstein  37:30 They have two. They have a polished option and a honed option. Yeah  MoreSurfaceCare.com - M O R E. And they have different sealants for the different stones. So I have a different sealant on my quartzite than I did on my marble. So they really honed in on what the product is and created something spectacular. I don't understand what the compound is but I don't need to, I just know that it works.   Kimberly Grigg  38:03 Which is so amazing. And when we started this conversation, you've had this product in your homes for, now, a couple of years. So you know it's tried and true, because you tried it and it's true.   Heather Bernstein  38:14 Yep.   Kimberly Grigg  38:15 Which is so exciting because people will say to me, 'oh my god, I love that marble, but I'm not doing that, I'm too scared, my husband is sloppy, I spill red wine', all those things that, you know... and then I, as a designer, don't want to live with 'oh my gosh, like, I'm gonna get a phone call in three years and you're gonna be upset'. So this is a way to offset that and I'm thrilled to know about it and I'm going to be talking about it a lot too on my show. Because, you know, I love a product that will solve. Design is a lot about finding the best solutions to problems in your home and this solves a problem. And, you know, not spending hours on it, I do have a couple of questions, though, about stone because, like, I think there's also unusual ways to use stone, not just on a countertop. And I noticed on your site, you do some things. Tell me some things, other things, you've done with stone that are beautiful, that, you know, someone could incorporate into their homes.   Heather Bernstein  39:23 Yeah, I think our favorite thing right now is doing integrated sinks. So for a powder room just taking a slab and cutting it up to make a sink look like it was carved out of a block of soapstone or marble or quartzite, where the sink is fully integrated, I think is so beautiful. Because it's seamless and it looks like it was just carved out of a chunk of stone, and I love that heft, and that feel. We also use slab for fireplace surrounds all the time. Not only are they so functional because of their heat resistant qualities, but they're beautiful. And there's so many designs you can do with different mantles and, really, you can do anything with stone. It's amazing. Of course outdoor spaces. Even just with a remnant we have leftover, we'll, you know, cut a round top and put it on an iron base for outside. And clients are like, 'oh my gosh, this is amazing, I love our table', and nobody has it. And that's beautiful. So, yeah, that is... we use stone in every room. It's wonderful.   Kimberly Grigg  40:42 Yeah. It is wonderful. And I do the same with remnants. I'm doing a top for a coffee table right now. And it was just a little leftover piece, and, you know, it's so pretty, and it's so important. And it can elevate something to an entirely different level.   Heather Bernstein  41:01 Yeah.   Kimberly Grigg  41:01 And it can make it unique to you. Which are all the things that, to me, scream good design. So in your portfolio, you tend to have more neutral palettes. But... so tell me, how do you insert color? Or do you?   Heather Bernstein  41:18 I will say we used to use color a lot more than we did, and something shifted. And I think it was a combination of things. For me, my old business was being dissolved and I was transitioning to this new business where it was mine, solely mine. And then, you know, we're all stuck at home. And I was looking around, and I was - I don't want to say getting sick of - but I was finding myself, like, with really bold colors and patterns. I was... it was jarring to me. And I felt like I just wanted to take it down 10 notches and just breathe in more neutral tones, but lots of texture. And that's where our shift happened. And I don't know, I don't know if it was gradual or if it was one day, but we just started doing these vibe boards that evoked this very calm, soothing feeling. And nothing, like, too bright or jarring. And so that's kind of the direction where we've gone. Like, I'm looking at this as like a rug that's going in my bedroom, it's just, like, soft blue-gray. And then this is the headboard fabric. And the texture is what made us swoon for it.   Kimberly Grigg  42:53 You know, I say - especially when someone comes to me for a neutral palette, because I'm known for color, but can I do a neutral palette, I have done bazillions - but if you're going to do a neutral palette, then texture becomes your color.   Heather Bernstein  43:11 So do you have certain things that you do in homes that is unique to you, your aesthetic, something more like signature?   Heather Bernstein  43:11 100%. I actually think it's harder sometimes than designing with color, because that is like play on play on play, and you're layer layer layer. With textures, it's like, okay, this is velvet, we don't want another velvet, so we need to really think through the next, you know... okay, what is it? Oh, it's a chunky linen. And so really thinking through that is almost harder. But, in the end, it feels so natural and so warm and comfy and cozy. And so we love that.   Heather Bernstein  43:55 You know, I would say right now, the past couple of years, we have moved away from white kitchens - white, white, white, white, white - and we are going warm. And so we are doing wrist white oak cabinets, or custom walnut cabinets, or a color like this deep rich almost hunter green that brings in nature. And so I think right now, our signature is not a white kitchen. And I have seen white kitchens on our website because that's how we did it for so many years.   Kimberly Grigg  44:44 And it's white kitchen to death. It's white everything today.   Heather Bernstein  44:47 And a client will come and say 'I want a white kitchen, I'm coming to you' and we're like 'oh no'. And then we're like, 'well what if we do a soft gray?' and they're like 'oh, oh, can I see what that would look like?' And then they're like, 'oh, that feels nice'. And so, just warming it up, I think, has been... and also, everything has been so stark white for so long, that white, gray, white, gray, that we're really warming it up. So, like, more of, like, a warm white or an ivory. It just, it feels - and I'm saying this as my office is white white - but this canvas, this natural colored canvas, is where we are right now. We're warming it up.   Kimberly Grigg  45:44 And probably using warmer whites when you're using white.   Heather Bernstein  45:48 100%. So instead of super white.   Kimberly Grigg  45:52 Warmer whites. Yes, yes. And then that plays well with other warm colors that are branching off into other rooms and spaces. And I think it's kind of important, because subliminally we're all over-exposed to whatever is trending, even us. I mean, we get, we start seeing so so so so much of something and the next thing you know, we're doing it. And I think the average person is as well. And before you know it, and really by the time you've - not us necessarily - but by the time the person who doesn't do this professionally is incorporating into their homes, this subliminal image, it's already trending out. And, you know, I mean, think of the gray in the last 10 years. Think of the white white white, think of the white with millennial pink. I mean, all my, like, it's everywhere, right? And then I'm so sick of it, like I don't really want to do it, I want to give you something special, even though your heart is set on that white with millennial pink pop. It's the pop that's doing it for you, probably. And it's not that I don't like either color, or it's not that I don't like those looks, it's just been in my face.   Heather Bernstein  47:08 Yes.   Kimberly Grigg  47:09 And an overexposure. So it does make me, though, want to ask this - because I think about this from the perspective of someone listening to this show and gaining and garnering - like, what are things we can leave them with? So what are tips that people can incorporate that they can elevate their home to more of a designer level? Like what kinds of things can somebody really pull off?   Heather Bernstein  47:39 Yeah, you know, I think there are a few just, like, tricks that aren't even tricks. They're just inherent in what we know. But to explain it to someone and someone to say, 'oh, yeah, I never thought, I never knew that'. Like, an area rug. If you have a sprawling living room, you know, family room, whatever it is, and you put a five by eight postage stamp rug in there, your room is going to come crashing in and feel this big. But if you do a 10 x 14 rug, or a custom size to fit the space, your room will feel the size that it is. And so, I think that is something that we see all the time. That we walk in and we're like, 'oh yeah, it feels small, because you have the wrong size rug'. And that helps define your space so easily. It's like dummy proof. You know, like, once you learn like, 'oh, this is the right size rug for this room'. And that's why there are those standard rug sizes - 8 x 10, 9 x 12, 10 x 14 - because those are some standard room sizes.   Kimberly Grigg  48:55 And your point - nothing kills a space worse than that 5 x 7 rug in this huge room. And yes, it does support the furniture, perhaps, but it - I've never really thought about, I've never put it into those words, you did it so eloquently - but all of a sudden your room just shrinks. And you've got this pretty massive space. I mean people get afraid to go big. Don't you think?   Heather Bernstein  49:23 Yeah. 100%   Kimberly Grigg  49:25 Like they'll get these little bitty accessories, or they'll buy this little bitty lamp, and I'm like, 'oh, love, like, we cannot put that lamp by this high headboard'.   Heather Bernstein  49:37 Yeah. And you just said, I think the biggest thing, you said clients get afraid. So this, I think, is the biggest thing you can do in design. If you really want to elevate your space, be afraid. Have a touch of fear that it's too bold or too much, and go for it. Do a title that scares you. We, my boys' bathroom - there's no window, we put a skylight in, but there's no window - and I was like, you know what, I'm just going to enhance the darkness and do black. Black tile, black floors, black everywhere with an oak vanity and a big mirror to reflect as much light as I can get in this space. And it is by far our favorite bathroom.   Kimberly Grigg  50:31 It sounds amazing.   Heather Bernstein  50:33 Yeah, it's so fun.   Kimberly Grigg  50:35 So bold.   Heather Bernstein  50:36 And even as a designer - and I know everything that's out there, and even the stuff I don't know, I'll learn about and, you know, be like, 'oh, that's so much cooler than what I did' - but even I have to tell myself to be brave sometimes. And, like, yes, do that. Don't play it safe.   Kimberly Grigg  50:57 But you know what, I think it's why you're successful. I know that it has a lot to do with my success. Because, you know, we can all pick some things that go nicely, play nicely together. And we can break some rules and, you know, get the scale off a little bit, get this off a little bit. But I think that the reason people use me as their designer - and I have a feeling it's you too - is because we will take that risk. And we'll believe in it so hard that our clients know that if we believe in it that much, that it's worth the risk. And that we'll fix it if it goes wrong. Like, you know, I've taken risks that haven't worked. But I'd rather take that risk than cheat my client out of what it could have been, if I had stayed in the box. And, you know, I think, like, I can't wait to get out of the box when I'm working on a job, like I cannot. But I also have a lot of years of experience. So I'm not afraid to get out of the box. Yet when we don't get out of the box, and I play it safe, the room is flat to me, or the project is flat. And sometimes people just won't let you and you finally just give up in, like, frustration, and you're like, 'okay, if you won't do it, then I'm not gonna lose any more sleep about this, I'm telling you, it would be 1000 times better if you let me do it this way, but you're not doing it so here we go'. And eventually, you can get to that. But when you get to get out - and I can tell the girl that puts black tile all over a dark bathroom, I know you can take a risk, and I love it. Love it. I can't wait to see the photographs of this bathroom. I think it sounds spectacular. So.   Heather Bernstein  52:47 Yeah, no. Breaking rules. Breaking the rules is so fun.   Kimberly Grigg  52:51 Yeah, exactly. And allow yourself, yeah, allow yourself to do it. So is - obviously beauty is important to you - so, but why? Why should people care? Why is beauty important?   Heather Bernstein  53:09 My partner and I have this conversation quite a bit because he's like, 'function is better'. And I'm like, 'no beauty is better'. I mean women were high heels, you think they wear them because they're comfortable? No. We wear them because they're beautiful, right? And they elongate our calf and our leg. And there are reasons for why we do things. And I think I have learned, through this project over the past year, my own project, that beauty - the most beautiful is where it functions and is beautiful. Because that appeals to everyone. Yeah, you can just have beauty. But it also can be functional. It's like a 10 out of 10. And so I've really tried to instill in my gals, like, 'Okay, but how are they going to use that? And does it, will it work for them?' Because just pulling something that's beautiful is easy. But making sure that it works for the people, the place, the space, is the ultimate beauty. And so I've really - just in doing my own project - I've really put a focus on that. And it's been, it's been really helpful. For us and for our clients.   Kimberly Grigg  54:38 Well said, well said Heather. So it's time for my signature question, which goes a little like this. If you had a hashtag that really spoke to your legacy of design, what would it be?   Heather Bernstein  54:58 So funny. I am looking in my notes because I used to have, when I started this company two years ago, I had this saying... ah, this is it. Are you ready?   Kimberly Grigg  55:14 I'm ready.   Heather Bernstein  55:15 I should have it memorized. The courage to grow requires the ability to let go. Oh, it is that... let's be brave and mighty and go for it. Then you will grow.   Kimberly Grigg  55:33 Yes, Heather. I cannot believe this time has flown. Like, you and I could just do this...   Heather Bernstein  55:40 I know.   Kimberly Grigg  55:40 I could tell. Maybe when I come to the Bay Area, I'm going-   Heather Bernstein  55:44 - it's my roots. My grandmother was from Georgia.   Kimberly Grigg  55:48 Yeah. Oh, wow. So there we are. So how can people find you?   Heather Bernstein  55:53 HKB Interior Design.com. And I would love to... we travel. We have a project in Denver right now. So yeah, reach out.   Kimberly Grigg  56:08 So great. Well, Heather, I thoroughly have enjoyed getting to know you. It's so funny because our introduction was over the sealant. But, gosh, there's many more layers to you, girl.   Heather Bernstein  56:21 Oh, thank you.   Kimberly Grigg  56:25 Thank you. I appreciate this so much. And you guys got to go take a look at this girl's work. She's spectacular. And I can't wait to get to know you more. And so I'm going to say to our listeners, bye for now and I will see you next time and thanks for listening. And of course be sure to go rate, review, and subscribe to our show.   Kimberly Grigg  56:49 Thanks for listening to Decorate Like A Design Boss. If you want more info on how to decorate your space like a pro, visit KimberlyGriggDesigns.com. See you next week!

Two recent headlines are stark reminders of why one should never play fast and loose with guns. On the movie set of the western Rust, actor Alec Baldwin picked up a prop gun, pulled the trigger and accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded the film's director, Joel Souza. Baldwin had been told the gun was cold, meaning it had no ammunition, but it was loaded with a live round. There had already been many problems on the set and there is enough blame to go around.... Then, in the Kenosha, Wisconsin courtroom, where the jury in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse was hearing closing arguments, the prosecutor, Thomas Binger, picked up a real gun - the one Kyle allegedly used - and swung it around the courtroom. If it weren't for the judge insisting upon a detective double checking that the gun wasn't loaded, Binger's 'Alec Baldwin moment' could have ended in death and injury, as well. Today's guest, Steve Wolf, is an expert on guns, movie sets and courtrooms! He will narrow in on who's to blame on the set of Rust and will critique how the gun was handled in court - and what should have happened in both of these scenarios.

Two recent headlines are stark reminders of why one should never play fast and loose with guns. On the movie set of the western Rust, actor Alec Baldwin picked up a prop gun, pulled the trigger and accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded the film's director, Joel Souza. Baldwin had been told the gun was cold, meaning it had no ammunition, but it was loaded with a live round. There had already been many problems on the set and there is enough blame to go around.... Then, in the Kenosha, Wisconsin courtroom, where the jury in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse was hearing closing arguments, the prosecutor, Thomas Binger, picked up a real gun - the one Kyle allegedly used - and swung it around the courtroom. If it weren't for the judge insisting upon a detective double checking that the gun wasn't loaded, Binger's 'Alec Baldwin moment' could have ended in death and injury, as well. Today's guest, Steve Wolf, is an expert on guns, movie sets and courtrooms! He will narrow in on who's to blame on the set of Rust and will critique how the gun was handled in court - and what should have happened in both of these scenarios.

With extended longevity comes a chance to become a true wisdom elder. To leap from adulthood to elderhood we're challenged to uncover our unconscious denials and resistances around repairing the past and reclaiming our creativity thus revealing ways to discover and share our talents and wisdom to become a force for change in ourselves and in the lives of others. Connie Zweig is a psychotherapist and has been initiated into Elderhood as a certified Sage-ing leader. She is known as an expert in Shadow Work and uncovering our inner shadow. Although she is retired from clinical practice, she leads online workshops listed on her website which is also populated with many activities, blogs, videos, and audio references. She is the author of several books including Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature (Tarcher/Perigee 1991 reprint iUniverse 2017), with (Steve Wolf, PhD.) Romancing the Shadow: A Guide to Soul Work for a Vital Authentic Life (Wellspring/Ballantine; Reprint edition 1999), A Moth to the Flame: The Life of the Sufi Poet Rumi (a novel) (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers 2006), The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul. (Park Street Press 2021)Interview Date: 2/14/2022 Tags: Connie Zweig, aging, senior, elder, longevity, ageism, unconscious, shadow work, inner ageist, regret, inner life review, outer life review, self-hate, productivity, depression, Ari Goldfield, wisdom, Anna Douglas, mindfulness, not good enough, inner sight, Bill McKibbon, Third Act, Citizens Climate Lobby, Elders Action Network, Encore.org, Sage-ing International, Sage-ing.org, Moses, Wisdom Circles, Aging, Personal Transformation, Spirituality

Connie Zweig is a psychotherapist and has been initiated into elderhood as a certified Sage-ing leader. She is known as an expert in Shadow Work and uncovering our inner shadow. Although she is retired from clinical practice, she leads online workshops listed on her website which is also populated with many activities, blogs, videos, and audio references. She is the author of several books including: Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature (Tarcher/Perigee 1991 reprint iUniverse 2017), with (Steve Wolf, PhD.) Romancing the Shadow: A Guide to Soul Work for a Vital Authentic Life (Wellspring/Ballantine; Reprint edition 1999), A Moth to the Flame: The Life of the Sufi Poet Rumi (a novel) (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers 2006) and The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul. (Park Street Press 2021)Interview Date: 2/14/2022 Tags: Connie Zweig, aging, longevity, senior, elder, letting go of control, impermanence, unconscious shadow, need to be right, deep listening, perfectionism, not being enough, having an impact, study circles on aging, Wisdom Circles, Sage-ing, Aging, Personal Transformation, Spirituality

Ep. 19 | Connie Zweig, Ph.D., Elder, award-winning author, and Shadow expert, has provided us with a rare gift in her recent book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul. Upon discovering there was a surprising lack of any information, resources, or even language with which to contextualize the inner work of aging and the crucial rite of passage to elderhood, Connie has given us just that. In this conversation, we come face to face with our own inner ageist shadow character and we learn that if we do the inner work, we can make the all-important shift from doing to being, let go of our roles, begin to identify with our spiritual nature, and open the door of our awareness to further developmental stages. Rather than becoming seniors in decline, Connie illuminates who we can become as elders. “The world needs elders now: for their compassion, their gratitude, their generosity, their skills, their shadow awareness, and their spiritual development. The world is starved for this nourishment.” Recorded on October 6, 2021. “There is a whisper, a restless longing, inside of people for something more.” Topics & Time StampsThe surprising lack of information, language, and context for inner soul work for those of us living beyond midlife (03:44) Connie realizing her own “ageist” bias, and how ageism is internalized from our culture (08:08) The first inner obstacle to overcome on our way to elderhood is the Inner Ageist shadow character (10:06)  Internalized ageism affects our health, cognitive and physical, quality of life, and longevity and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy (10:44) Challenges that elders face specific to our time (12:15) Aging from the inside out, from “role to soul,” doing contemplative practice and inner work, turning in, is available to all regardless of circumstance (15:32) What practices and spiritual experiences have led Connie on the wisdom path? (19:49) Connie's primary practice now: gratitude (23:07) What can we become, as elders? (24:39) Aging is a crucial rite of passage; it becomes a developmental process if we're open to doing the inner work (28:38) A door opens for us to ask again, Who am I? Who am I now? (31:26) From role to soul: what is the soul? And letting go of our roles (33:07) Differences in the ways masculine and feminine types tend to struggle with letting go of roles (35:58) Holy longing: the calling to be something more and the suffering that is caused when we don't fulfill our higher needs (38:12) Gerotranscendence: a spontaneous movement towards a transcendent perspective as people age (43:31) The shadow defined and the shadow of spirituality (45:32) How can we improve our capacity to work with the shadow? (49:14) The world needs elders now (51:12) Resources & ReferencesRoger Walsh & Frances Vaughan, https://amzn.to/3thMv3K (Paths Beyond Ego)* Connie Zweig & Jeremiah Abrams, https://amzn.to/3qbsNo2 (Meeting the Shadow)* Connie Zweig & Steve Wolf, https://amzn.to/3iecWkr (Romancing the Shadow)* Connie Zweig, https://amzn.to/3Jlh4Ld (Meeting the Shadow of Spirituality)* Connie Zweig, https://amzn.to/3u45CgL (The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul)* https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/fr-thomas-keating/ (Father Thomas Keating) https://ysph.yale.edu/profile/becca_levy/ (Becca Levy, PhD )studied ageism at Yale and how it affects our health, quality of life, and longevity Margaret Mead, https://amzn.to/3u5L9Iw (Culture and Commitment: A Study of the Generation Gap)* https://www.ramdass.org/turning-inward-with-ram-dass/ (Turning Inward with Ram Dass) (shifting from roles to souls) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_psychology (Depth Psychology) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedanta (Vedanta), one of the 6 schools of Hindu philosophy Abraham Maslow, https://amzn.to/3u5JrqA (A Theory of Human Motivation)* “https://www.poetseers.org/the-great-poets/european-poets/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-holy-longing/ (The...

Join me as I interview Steve Wolf founder of More Anti Etch for marble surfaces.

In this episode we unpack the concept of thinking and consciousness as well as explore some ideas around mastering the mind. Using my own life experience, and statements from Henry Ford, Joseph Murphy, Echkart Tolle, Carl Jung, Friedrich Nietzsche, Steve Wolf and Thich Nhat Hahn, I take you through how to uncover and accept your shadow self, understand limiting beliefs and their effects. Also included is a powerful practical exercise to identify these limiting beliefs. Additional Links: YourAffirmationsDaily for positive affirmations (https://instagram.com/youraffirmationsdaily) Calendly: https://calendly.com/ericakelechi (Book a 15-minute complimentary consultation with me) Reflective Journal Exercise: Aim: to explore yourself, your beliefs, your ideas, your thoughts and feelings. Sometimes we hide things even from ourselves. Once again, these questions are a way to delve deeper into YOU and to raise your own awareness. How: Use whatever method you choose. Write it down, doodle meaningful pictures, delve into your creative side! Create your own SPACE. Be as honest and vulnerable as you can, no-one needs to see your answers but you. · Make a list of 5 positive qualities that you see yourself as having e.g. compassion, generosity, wit · Look at each of these qualities and then describe what you see as the opposite to them e.g. cold, stingy, dull · Vividly imagine a person who embodies the qualities in Q2 and write down your impressions. This forms your shadow self. · Mindfully consider a situation where you felt upset and distressed by what someone did and said. What qualities were at the core of why you felt distressed? · Ask yourself why these certain qualities bother you? What other qualities set off these triggers? · In what way do you embody any of those distressing qualities? · Take some time to get in touch with these qualities that you are trying to suppress? What might they be trying to tell you? (NOTE: Once you accept the presence of qualities you have assigned as upsetting, distressing or bothersome, they begin to lose their power to fluster you!) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Ken brings you the latest on College Basketball, the Cincinnati Reds, Bengals free agency, and much more. Ben Linsey from "profootballfocus.com" and Steve Wolf from CBS join in. Check it out!

Our discussion with Dr Steve Wolf from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. A true legend of the field he shares with us snippets of his illustrious career, his newest research including vagus nerve stimulation to induce cortical neurplasticity, and his predictions for the future of neuro rehab.3.53 Introduction5.35 Career Pathway8.15 History of physio in the US10.40 Suspended from PT school14.16 PhD - EMG biofeedback for muscle co-activation16.55 Foundations of CIMT18.45 Posturography - Tai Chi - Falls prevention studies23.30 Mechanisms of neuro PT intervention24.03 Steve's must-have attributes in the field26.25 Vagus nerve stimulation35.00 Upper limb outcome measures39.31 Personalised care41.29 Telerehab & technology - the future45.36 Patients of today expect tech50.51 Physio - Patient partnership52.55 Peer support as a rehab tool53.52 Imaging - in PT curriculum & to demonstrate treatment effectivenessSteve's Emory University profile http://www.rehabmed.emory.edu/faculty.bios/wolf-steven.htmlResearchGate page https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Steven-L-Wolf-2098857052

A tiny baby boy in Hobbs, New Mexico spent the first 6 hours of his life shivering naked in a dumpster as temperatures dropped to 20 degrees. Thankfully, trash pickers found him alive. Joe Imbriale owns the store in front of where the baby was dumped. He joins us live. Attorney Charles Oberly also weighs on the case against the baby

Steve Wolf, a veteran film producer, stunt coordinator, special effects coordinator, pyrotechnician and founder of Science in the Movies, joined WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" radio program to analyze actor Alec Baldwin's strange comments about how he 'didn't pull the trigger' in the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins on a movie set. Steve Wolf's website: https://www.stevewolf.info/ For more coverage on the issues that matter to you, visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 FM from 5-9 AM ET. To join the conversation, check us out on Twitter: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor and @PatricePinkFile. Show website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the fourth hour of WMAL's O'Connor & Company" radio program, Larry O'Connor and Patrice Onwuka cience in the Movies, joined WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" radio program to film weapons expert Steve Wolf about actor Alec Baldwin's strange comments about how he 'didn't pull the trigger' in the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins on a movie set.  They also talked to Washington Football Team's Julie Donaldson about Washington Football's winning streak and previewed this weekend's game.  Also, they raised more money for the Fisher House Foundation with top D.C. real estate guru Sarah Reynolds, and couples Athenia and Ben Brown and Mary and Joseph. https://www.wmal.com/fisherhouse/ For more coverage on the issues that matter to you, visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 FM from 5-9 AM ET. To join the conversation, check us out on Twitter: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor and @PatricePinkFile. Show website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two recent headlines are stark reminders of why one should never play fast and loose with guns. On the movie set of the western Rust, actor Alec Baldwin picked up a prop gun, pulled the trigger and accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded the film's director, Joel Souza. Baldwin had been told the gun was cold, meaning it had no ammunition, but it was loaded with a live round. There had already been many problems on the set and there is enough blame to go around.... Then, in the Kenosha, Wisconsin courtroom, where the jury in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse was hearing closing arguments, the prosecutor, Thomas Binger, picked up a real gun - the one Kyle allegedly used - and swung it around the courtroom. If it weren't for the judge insisting upon a detective double checking that the gun wasn't loaded, Binger's 'Alec Baldwin moment' could have ended in death and injury, as well. Today's guest, Steve Wolf, is an expert on guns, movie sets and courtrooms! He will narrow in on who's to blame on the set of Rust and will critique how the gun was handled in court - and what should have happened in both of these scenarios.

Two recent headlines are stark reminders of why one should never play fast and loose with guns. On the movie set of the western Rust, actor Alec Baldwin picked up a prop gun, pulled the trigger and accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded the film's director, Joel Souza. Baldwin had been told the gun was cold, meaning it had no ammunition, but it was loaded with a live round. There had already been many problems on the set and there is enough blame to go around.... Then, in the Kenosha, Wisconsin courtroom, where the jury in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse was hearing closing arguments, the prosecutor, Thomas Binger, picked up a real gun - the one Kyle allegedly used - and swung it around the courtroom. If it weren't for the judge insisting upon a detective double checking that the gun wasn't loaded, Binger's 'Alec Baldwin moment' could have ended in death and injury, as well. Today's guest, Steve Wolf, is an expert on guns, movie sets and courtrooms! He will narrow in on who's to blame on the set of Rust and will critique how the gun was handled in court - and what should have happened in both of these scenarios.

Two recent headlines are stark reminders of why one should never play fast and loose with guns. On the movie set of the western Rust, actor Alec Baldwin picked up a prop gun, pulled the trigger and accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded the film's director, Joel Souza. Baldwin had been told the gun was cold, meaning it had no ammunition, but it was loaded with a live round. There had already been many problems on the set and there is enough blame to go around.... Then, in the Kenosha, Wisconsin courtroom, where the jury in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse was hearing closing arguments, the prosecutor, Thomas Binger, picked up a real gun - the one Kyle allegedly used - and swung it around the courtroom. If it weren't for the judge insisting upon a detective double checking that the gun wasn't loaded, Binger's 'Alec Baldwin moment' could have ended in death and injury, as well. Today's guest, Steve Wolf, is an expert on guns, movie sets and courtrooms! He will narrow in on who's to blame on the set of Rust and will critique how the gun was handled in court - and what should have happened in both of these scenarios.

He has the right to remain silent, but not the inclination. Alec Baldwin, who is not under arrest, is speaking out again after the fatal shooting on the set of his film

It's been two weeks since a rising star in the film world was shot to death on a project that by most accounts

This week on TheWrap-Up, we have the latest on the "Rust" tragedy. We're joined by Steve Wolf, a stunt and special effects coordinator and armorer with more than three decades of experience in Hollywood. And later, Neama Rahmani, the president of personal injury firm West Coast Trial Lawyers helps us examine the "Rust" situation from a legal perspective. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of the podcast, I interview movie armorer and stunt coordinator Steve Wolf about the disastrous shooting on the set of Alec Baldwin's latest film. Wolf has worked on a number of major tv and movie sets with some of the top actors and directors in the business. He knows exactly what the proper safety protocols on set are when handling firearms. And he explains the many ways a properly-run production is set up to avoid firearms accidents. He said he always tries to minimize the use of real firearms and blank-firing props in order to reduce the potential for any life-threatening mistakes to occur. But, he emphasized that Alec Baldwin, the assistant director, and the armorer all had to be negligent in how they handled the firearm in question in order for something this tragic to occur. The armorer should have been able to keep live ammunition off set and never should have allowed a live round to find its way into the gun. The assistant director should have checked the gun to ensure it was not loaded with live ammunition before he handed it to Baldwin and told him it was "cold." Baldwin should have verified himself the gun was not loaded with live ammunition and should not have pointed it in the direction of the crew. Wolf brings his own prop gun and real revolver to show the clear differences between the two. He also shows the clear differences between live ammunition, dummy ammunition, and blanks. They're all differences he said can and should be taught to everyone on a set, especially those who are actually handling the guns. We discuss whether real guns should be used in movies going forward. These kinds of tragic accidents are rare. Do they justify a sweeping change to the way the industry works or was this purely a case of gross negligence that can't be adapted to the industry at large? Plus, contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I discuss Firearms Policy Coalition filing a Supreme Court brief against Texas's abortion law as well as David Chipman's claim that support for gun violence is what ultimately doomed his nomination to lead the ATF. Special Guest: Steve Wolf.

With the recent fatal shooting on the movie set of "Rust," Steve Wolf, weapons safety expert for films and founder of Science in the Movies, an organization that teaches STEM through stunt and special effects demonstrations, talks about how prop guns in movies are supposed to work and why real guns are sometimes used.

Family, peers and community members of Halyna Hutchins mourned the cinematographer's untimely death after the 42-year-old was killed on the film set of "Rust" from a firearm mishap.Her husband Matthew Hutchins tweeted Friday that the loss was "enormous.""Halyna inspired us all with her passion and vision, and her legacy is too meaningful to encapsulate in words," he tweeted. "Our loss is enormous, and we ask that the media please respect my family's privacy as we process our grief. We thank everyone for sharing images and stories of her life."In addition, her sister offered words of grief in an interview with the Kyiv Post on Friday."I cannot comprehend (her passing)," said Svetlana Androsovych, who currently lives in Indonesia. "I loved her very much ... I was very proud of her and she was my role model. We were always close and remained in touch, despite the distance.""This loss is a great grief for our family, and I see how hard it is for our parents," she added. "Hopefully, time will ease our heartache."CNN has reached out to Androsovych but not yet heard back.The comments add to the fond memories of Hutchins, who was killed when actor and producer Alec Baldwin discharged a prop gun on a film set Thursday in New Mexico.A candlelight vigil for Hutchins brought out hundreds of mourners Saturday evening in the state."I would've been lucky to do another movie with a person like that," said Lane Looper, a crew member on the "Rust" film set. "She was a wonderful mom and wife and was just a wonderful soul, and I really hope more people like her exist."The shooting occurred as the film crew was rehearsing a scene at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico. The film's assistant director, David Halls, handed a prop gun to Baldwin and yelled "cold gun," a remark meant to indicate the weapon didn't have live rounds, according to an affidavit for a search warrant for the movie set filed by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and obtained by CNN affiliate KOAT.According to the affidavit, Baldwin was handed one of three prop guns that were set up in a cart by an armorer for the movie. Halls did not know there were live rounds in the gun, the affidavit said.When Baldwin fired the gun, a live round hit Hutchins, 42, in the chest and wounded director Joel Souza, 48, who was nearby, according to the affidavit. Hutchins was pronounced dead at the hospital after being airlifted.Gun experts question tragedyThe shooting has raised critical questions from gun experts looking into how the tragic incident occurred."There's no reason to have had a firearm that was capable of discharging live ammo on the set," Steve Wolf, a firearms safety expert, told CNN on Saturday. "A prop gun is a gun that's been specifically manufactured for shooting blanks, not bullets. In fact, the bullets won't fit into a gun that's been modified properly, only blanks will fit into it."And that's a safeguard to ensure that live ammo is not loaded into guns that are used on set. So if you don't use the right type of gun, you're not going to get the safety benefit that's been engineered into it," Wolf said.Before the shooting, some crew members quit over safety concerns on set -- including gun inspections and Covid-19 protocols not being followed, according to the Los Angeles Times and other media reports.Three crew members who were on the set last weekend told the Los Angeles Times there were two accidental prop gun discharges before Thursday's fatal shooting. On October 16, Baldwin's stunt double unintentionally fired rounds after he was told the gun was "cold," two of the crew members, who witnessed the discharges, told the newspaper.The film's production company told Deadline in a statement that it was not notified of official complaints regarding weapon or prop safety on set."We will be conducting an internal review of our procedures while production is shut down," Rust Movie Productions, LLC said in a statement. "The safety of our cast and crew...

The Reds have started spring training, where is the optimism? Breaking down all the College Basketball this weekend. Fan Points Game. Quick Hits and Locks. Tony's problem with the Draft, Carson Wentz to Indianapolis and Steve Wolf from CBS

College basketball analyst Steve Wolf joins us to Give an Assessment of The Local College Basketball Teams.

Life lessons and unknowable things with Marshelle Fair & Bridget O'Neill.And if you ask us, we can throw in a little advice, too:yeahsortakinda@gmail.comFollow us!Instagram: @yeahsortakindaFacebook: @yeahsortakindaTwitter: @yeahsortakindaYouTube | Website

Wolf & MING talk about life in the quarantine, drum tech and programming for pop records. https://www.instagram.com/wolf_drums/ (@wolf_drums) https://www.instagram.com/mingsmusic/ (@mingsmusic) https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/mingpresentsthereup/ (#mingpresentsthereup)