Podcasts about willets

Bill Horan talks with Elizabeth Willetts, author of FLEX.  Elizabeth will discuss if we really knowwhat we are good at doing, how we can find out what our strengths are, what she means by "skill stacking," and why we must find out "what winds me up."

Elizabeth (Liz) Willetts, founder of Investing in Women, joins Nicola Semple to discuss her journey from a 17-year career in recruitment to creating a job board that empowers women seeking flexible and fulfilling work. Her new book, "Flex," offers a dynamic guide for anyone looking to advance their career amidst life's challenges, covering essential topics such as skill stacking, CV writing, and interview preparation. Liz shares her personal experiences of navigating motherhood and career transitions, highlighting the importance of finding roles that allow for work-life balance. She also shares insights on how to effectively navigate the job market and the significance of showcasing your unique value to potential employers.Takeaways: The importance of recognizing your own value and relevance when applying for jobs. Networking and building relationships can significantly enhance your job search effectiveness. Creating a personal brand on platforms like LinkedIn can attract potential employers and opportunities. Tailoring your application materials to specific roles can improve your chances of standing out. Understanding the nuances of cover letters can influence a recruiter's perception of your application. Links referenced in this episode:nicolasemple.com/backyourselfinvestinginwomen.co.ukBuy Flex: Smart Strategies to Build a Succesful Career Around Your LifeBuy The Career Confidence Toolkit: Take Control of Your Career and Fulfil Your Potential

Jeremy Willets and I have had a blast sharing the ideas in Mastering Work Intake (JRoss Publishing). This week Jeremy and I sat down to discuss the year in review and plans for 2025. One of the important things we have demonstrated is the link between the work teams and organizations put on their plate and what gets delivered. The relationship is not linear and gets ugly when you cross the tipping point. There is a path to avoid that pain! Master Work Intake! It has been nearly a year since JRoss Publishing published Mastering Work Intake. Jeremy Willets and I believe our book and workshops have helped numerous organizations, teams, and most importantly people bring order out of chaos – at least that is what they tell us. As the year winds down we are excited to offer a free 30-minute “office hours” session with us, we'll facilitate the session to help you create a plan to tackle your work intake challenges. Book time with us here: Also, consider buying your boss a copy of Mastering Work Intake (your work-life balance will approve). Amazon (US) — JRoss — Re-read Saturday News This is the second to the last chapter of . In Chapter 13, Love and Friendship, we continue to address the third Stoic discipline, Assent (how to react to situations). The central core of the chapter is to show how a Stoic should interact with the influences of love and friendship. Remember that to a Stoic, character is key and anything that negatively influences character is to be avoided. In my second reading, there are two areas that I would like to highlight from the perspective of process improvement. Catch on all of the entries in the re-read of  (buy a copy and read along) Week 1: Week 2:    Week 3: Week 4: Week 5: Week 6: Week 7: Week 8: Week 9: Week 10: Week 11: Week 12: Week 13: Week 14: Next SPaMCAST  The SPaMCAST 844 will feature our year-end panel of , , and . This episode will be a cornucopia of topics, opinions, and frivolity.

In January of 2024, JRoss Publishing brought Mastering Work Intake by and I to the world. The activities supporting the book have been a blast! One of the common problems we have observed as we have spread the message is that often those with the biggest work intake problem get mesmerized by the symptoms and fail to see the root cause of the problem. When this happens the symptom becomes the root cause causing people and organizations to spend significant amounts of time and money fixing the wrong problem. To borrow a line from Manfred Mann, they are “.” We will discuss this topic in a minute or so. We also have a visit from the inestimable Susan Parente. Susan and I discussed how to integrate a new team member into a team. It is not easy when everyone has an opinion.  Master Work Intake! It has been nearly a year since JRoss Publishing published Mastering Work Intake. Jeremy Willets and I believe our book and workshops have helped numerous organizations, teams, and most importantly people bring order out of chaos – at least that is what they tell us. As the year winds down we are excited to offer a free 30-minute “office hours” session with us. We'll facilitate the session to help you create a plan to tackle your work intake challenges.  Book time with us here: Also, consider buying your boss a copy of Mastering Work Intake (your work-life balance will approve). Amazon (US) — JRoss —   Re-read Saturday News Chapter 12 of (buy a copy and read along) is How To Deal With Anger, Anxiety, And Loneliness. This is an interesting chapter to be re-reading in early November 2024. Anger, anxiety, and loneliness are difficult topics because they are personal. It is easy to take a myopic view and tell ourselves that these are someone else's problems. Or worse that they need to be walled up. They aren't and they shouldn't be.  Catch on all of the entries in the re-read of  (buy a copy and read along) Week 1: Week 2:    Week 3: Week 4: Week 5: Week 6: Week 7: Week 8: Week 9: Week 10: Week 11: Week 12: Week 13:   Next SPaMCAST  Speaking of Mastering Work Intake, Mr Willets and I are doing our year-end wrap-up for SPaMCAST 843. We will discuss the joys and unjoys of being authors and book salesmen.  Not to spoil the suspense it has been mostly a joy.  

Mike Dubie & Scott Willets, from The Vermont Aviators Association, join Kurt & Anthony to talk about the up coming "Green Mountain Aviation Field Days" info at: https://www.greenmountainaviationfielddays.org

The Software Process and Measurement Cast 822 features a discussion that and I had during the Work Intake Summer Camp. The tyranny of the urgent often eclipses work that is merely important. Not understanding the difference between the two concepts and the long-term implications of ignoring what is important can be catastrophic.  We will also have a visit from Jeremy Berriault, the Evolutionary Agilist. We discussed why teams exist. The answer can be simplified into four words. Getting to those words is a wild ride.  Learn To Tame Your Work Intake Beast! Work Intake Summer Camp is in session!  Like a swimming pool, there is always time to join the fun. Jeremy Willets and I are celebrating summer in the northern hemisphere with a summer camp. We'll look at the primary causes of work intake problems… and how to solve them! Join us for an entertaining and informative LinkedIn Live event. The last weekly session begins at 12:30 EDT on August 7th ().   Each session will: Define one work intake problem per session,  Identify how to recognize the problem,  Offer a pragmatic approach to tackling the issue, and At least one scary story of work entry gone wrong (this is summer camp) We would like you to register at our Maven page so we can remind you when the session goes live. If you register we also have a Work Intake Problem Worksheet that we use in our workshops that we will email.  However, if you'd rather not register on Maven you can set a reminder on LinkedIn (). In either case, we will announce when the sessions go live on LinkedIn. Share the invitation with others, wear sunscreen, and be kind to your fellow campers!   Re-read Saturday News Chapter 10, Making of Meaning, culminates the book, . Meaning provides a yardstick to evaluate the human condition and to consider what it means to be a human being in the context of our world. “Meaning” is a catalyst to provide energy and stimulate the intellectual vitality required for optimal experience. Without meaning it is difficult to find the rationale for tasks and cares that may feel mundane but are necessary to reach a goal or as we pivot toward another.  Next week we will flow into concluding thoughts. Buy a copy and read along –   Week 1: –   Week 2: –   Week 3: –   Week 4: –   Week 5:   Week 6: Week 7: Week 8: Week 9: Week 10: Next SPaMCAST  The SPaMCAST 823 will feature our discussion with Kirk Marple, Technical Founder and CEO at Unstruk Data. We will discuss AI, knowledge graphs, and how organizations learn as they understand their data. 

A funny thing happened on the way to SPaMCAST 816, I had so much fun during our first Summer Camp session I talked Jeremy into letting me share the audio of our discussion on the podcast. We discussed goal conflicts, the first of eight work intake problems, from our book, Mastering Work Intake. If the video is more your style check out the video on LinkedIn and then join us at 11:30 EDT on June 16th. This week we also have a visit from . Jon and I discussed the question “If all work is collaborative, when do you find time to concentrate?” Learn To Tame Your Work Intake Beast! Jeremy Willets and I are celebrating summer in the northern hemisphere with a summer camp. We'll look at the primary causes of work intake problems… and how to solve them! Join us for an entertaining and informative LinkedIn Live event. The next weekly session begins at 11:30 EDT on June 16th. Each session will: Define one work intake problem per session,  Identify how to recognize the problem,  Offer a pragmatic approach to tackling the issue, and At least one scary story of work entry gone wrong (this is summer camp) We would like you to register at our Maven page so we can remind you when the session goes live. If you register we also have a Work Intake Problem Worksheet that we use in our workshops that we will email.  However, if you'd rather not register on Maven you can set a reminder on LinkedIn at . In either case, we will announce when the sessions go live on LinkedIn. Feel free to share the invitation with others. Remind everyone to use sunscreen!   Re-read Saturday News Chapter 4 of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's is titled The Conditions of Flow. Flow states just don't occur randomly. They require several factors to align.  Some factors can be “arranged” while others are context-driven or part of a large feedback loop. I find three concepts central to Chapter 4. Buy a copy and read along –   Week 1: –   Week 2: –   Week 3: –   Week 4: –   Week 5:   Next SPaMCAST  On the next Software Process and Measurement Cast, we will talk with , Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of -   One of the topics we discussed is whether building an AI solution is different than building any other solution.  

Earlier this year (JRoss Publishing) co-authored by Jeremy Willets and myself was published. The book focuses on the full pipeline that work follows as it enters and exits your organization, including the different types of work that enter at multiple levels and times. It is a must-read for agile coaches, Scrum Masters, product owners, project and portfolio managers, team members, and anyone who touches the software development process.  Mr Willets and I are announcing a free Work Intake Summer Camp. The camp will help across eight LinkedIn Live sessions and cover the eight primary causes of work intake problems. The first session will be held on June 19th at 11:30 AM EDT (for more information ).    Each session will: Define one work intake problem per session,  Identify how to recognize the problem,  Offer a pragmatic approach to tackling the issue, and At least one scary story of work entry gone wrong (this is summer camp) We would like you to register at our Maven page  so we can remind you when the session goes live. If you register we also have a Work Intake Problem Worksheet that we use in our workshops that we will email.  However, if you'd rather not register on Maven you can set a reminder on LinkedIn at . In either case, we will announce when the sessions go live on LinkedIn. Feel free to share the invitation with others. We will ensure we have enough virtual juice boxes for stories around the campfire.   

BONUS: Mastering Work Intake For Agile Teams with Tom Cagley and Jeremy Willets Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this BONUS episode, Tom and Jeremy discuss the main ideas from their latest book on agile transformation and work intake management: Mastering Work Intake: From Chaos to Predictable Delivery. They share some of the main the challenges teams face when trying to adopt agile practices and offer practical strategies for improving work intake processes. The Trigger for the Book "Most people who try to transform and be agile don't do it well. They fail multiple times because they say 'yes' to everything, which is a lack of control on work intake." Tom emphasizes that many teams struggle with agile transformation, often due to poor management of work intake. He has built a career helping teams that have attempted and failed at this multiple times. The main issue is that they end up saying "yes" to every request, leading to a chaotic work environment, lots of work started, and very little finished. "We got started during the pandemic. We looked at many books on the topic and saw that it wasn't tackled very well. 'Actionable Agile' and 'Why Limit WIP' by Jim Benson inspired us." Defining Work Intake and avoiding common mistakes "We are drowning in work. We use metaphors to define work intake and see that work always finds a way to get done. Initially, we titled this book 'Work Entry' because of the idea that work is pushed to people, who naturally say 'yes' because they want to help." "Work has a way of getting started. Recently, I had water in my basement. I didn't know where it came from, but the water found a way in. We see this over and over at work. Work just gets in, often because saying 'no' feels career-limiting." Tom likens unmanaged work intake to water leaking into a basement—inevitable and hard to control. This analogy underscores how work finds its way into a team's backlog, often because rejecting tasks seems risky. "Jumping the queue is a very common mistake. Important work always gets done, but we don't always go through the process of identifying what's truly important. This leads to 'fast switching' between tasks and 'neglected WIP.'" Tom highlights the mistake of allowing work to bypass proper prioritization, leading to constant context switching, which makes teams slow, and neglected tasks which rarely or never get completed. "The goal conflict anti-pattern is another issue. Much of work intake is about the relationships that lead to decision-making." Jeremy discusses how conflicting goals and poor relationship management can lead to self-defeating work intake processes. Key Strategies for Managing Work Intake, and Avoiding the Over-Planning Anti-pattern "In the book, we present patterns to handle intake management and discuss the Product Owner's (PO) role. The PO is critical for managing work intake in Scrum, requiring discipline from both the PO and the team." Jeremy outlines the importance of having a disciplined Product Owner to manage work intake effectively. "The problem of team design often causes issues. Many teams work on features while supporting systems that deliver value to customers. This lack of focus is problematic. Building a solid DevOps framework is crucial." "Agility means flexibility. We need to prioritize and select work more frequently, getting feedback often to determine if the work is necessary. Refer to 'Lean Startup' for more insights." Jeremy advocates for flexibility and frequent prioritization over rigid, upfront planning. "Mapping who is involved in work intake decisions is key. Understanding the feedback loop and how it's integrated into decision-making helps manage work intake better." Tom emphasizes the importance of understanding decision-making processes and who are the stakeholders, to be able to improve those processes through collaboration. Different Types of Work Mean Different Decision Making! "People work on features, defects, support, etc. Each requires different management patterns. Recognizing team constraints is crucial for effective work intake." Tom explains the need for tailored strategies for different types of work, based on team constraints. Only this “whitebox” approach to work management can help us build a work intake process that helps us manage the work in a way that leads to faster deliveries and more productivity. As an example, Tom and Jeremy share a story about a company wanting to move to the cloud. Unfortunately, the CEO's decision overlooked the engineers' lack of skills, which led to big problems. This story puts emphasis on the importance of aligning work intake with team capabilities. A Top Tip: Be Mindful and Deliberate About Accepting Work Into Your Backlog! "We help teams be deliberate about work acceptance by emphasizing relationships and decision-making processes. Effective work intake management reduces disruptions." Tips For Product Owners  "Manage work intake across the entire product. It's more than just planning."  "PO is an active role. Help the team make decisions and sequence work." Tips For Scrum Masters "Don't overlook work intake. Involvement in this aspect is crucial to avoid anti-patterns." "Defend team boundaries to control work intake." The Impact of Applying These Ideas "It would be a lot calmer and more orderly." "We would get a lot more things done, avoiding the anti-pattern of rewarding work starts over finishes." About Tom and Jeremy Tom Cagley is an experienced agile coach and consultant specializing in helping teams manage work intake and improve their agile practices. You can link with Tom Cagley on LinkedIn. You can also listen to Tom's podcast, the SPAMCast. Jeremy Willets is a seasoned agile practitioner and author who has collaborated with Tom on numerous projects, including this book. You can link with Jeremy Willets on LinkedIn.

Unlike many shorebirds, Willets breed inland. When nesting is done, they migrate south to both Atlantic and Pacific coastlines in the U.S. and Central and South America. What they all have in common, wherever they have bred and wherever they spend the winters, is an unmistakable voice, combining the insistent petulance of a hungry chipmunk with the lyrical rhythms of a whip-poor-will.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.

In this episode of the AZREIA show, hosted by Mike Del Prete, guest Sophia Willets shares her journey from growing up in a real estate investor family to becoming a successful multifamily real estate investor herself.  Sophia discusses the advantages of starting in single-family homes before moving to multifamily properties, her strategy for off-market deals, and how she achieved significant returns on her investments. She also talks about the challenges she faced, including losing everything in the 2007 financial crisis and rebuilding her career and personal life. Sophia emphasizes the importance of education, mentorship, and leveraging technology for finding and underwriting deals efficiently. She also touches on the impact of market cycles, the benefits of having a real estate license, and offers actionable tips for both new and experienced investors.   Key Takeaways: 00:20 The Leap from Single Family to Multifamily Investing 01:24 Unlocking the Secrets of Off-Market Multifamily Deals 04:26 Sophia's Real Estate Journey 09:23 Navigating the Real Estate Market: Lessons from the 2008 Crash 10:08 The Power of Community and Mentorship in Real Estate Investing 12:46 A New Beginning: Sophia's Rise in Real Estate Sales and Investing 16:03 The Importance of Spousal Support in Real Estate Success 20:52 Sophia's Investment Strategy: Flipping Multifamily Properties 24:46 Learning from Loss: A Cautionary Tale of Real Estate Investing 26:51 Navigating the Real Estate Market Shift 27:14 Strategies for Banking and Investment in a Changing Market 28:04 Maximizing Profits: Real Estate Flipping Success Stories 29:16 The Importance of Education and Due Diligence in Real Estate 33:26 Expanding Horizons: Entering New Markets and Building Teams 36:44 Leveraging Technology for Efficient Real Estate Investing 45:56 The Future of Real Estate: Buying Strategies and Market Predictions 50:20 Final Thoughts and How to Connect   Connect with Sophia Willets https://www.instagram.com/sophiaapts/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-willets-60a02687/   ---- The Arizona Real Estate Investors Association provides its members the education, market information, support, and networking opportunities that will further the member's ability to successfully invest in Real Estate. Join AZREIA here. Is a Career in Real Estate Right For You? Take AZREIA's Real Estate Investing Entrepreneurial Self-Assessment at  

Megan is a spirited adventurer, the heart and soul behind Smoky Mountain Soul Adventures. With a deep-rooted connection to North Carolina, Megan's journey through life has been as diverse as the landscapes she calls home.Born and raised amidst the charm of North Carolina, Megan's love affair with her state has been a lifelong affair. From the serene coastlines to the majestic peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Megan has traversed every corner with a curious spirit and an open heart. ⁣ In 2019, Megan's life took a poignant turn when she and her family settled in the embrace of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was here, amidst the whispering pines and cascading waterfalls, that Megan found solace and purpose. Entranced by the rugged beauty of her surroundings, she made it her mission to share the wonders of the mountains with others. As the proprietor of Smoky Mountain Soul Adventures, Megan is more than just a guide; she's a storyteller, a curator of experiences, and a custodian of memories. With an intimate knowledge of the hidden gems scattered throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains, Megan offers bespoke hiking tours tailored to each traveler's desires. ⁣ Whether it's chasing the vibrant hues of autumn foliage, discovering secluded swimming holes, or standing in awe before the grandeur of towering waterfalls, Megan's tours promise unforgettable adventures. With her infectious enthusiasm and boundless energy, she invites visitors to immerse themselves in the magic of the mountains. Yet, Megan's journey to entrepreneurship was not without its trials. In the face of personal tragedy, she found the courage to redefine her path and embrace her true calling. The loss of her husband to cancer served as a poignant reminder of life's fleeting nature, igniting within her a fervent determination to live with purpose and intention. Driven by a desire to honor her husband's memory and seize each moment with unwavering resolve, Megan embarked on a new chapter of her life. By transforming her passion for hiking into a vocation, she not only found healing but also discovered a profound sense of fulfillment.

The SPaMCAST 802 features a panel discussion.  Mark Metze, Jeremy Willets, and myself. discuss “Is agile still a movement or has it reached middle age?”  We weigh the appropriateness of wailing and gnashing of teeth, hand wringing and sullen withdrawal, or pragmatism and philosophy. In the end perhaps the right answer is to buy a pair of mom or dad jeans and accept that all great movements reach middle age at some point. We look forward to your opinions and comments.   Panelists Mark Metze: With a career spanning over 30 years in the software industry, Mark has evolved from a seasoned developer, dedicating 19 years to crafting high-quality and maintainable code that directly addressed real-world challenges. Transitioning into a management role, he spent the next 9 years leading development teams, gaining a holistic perspective on the various roles crucial for successful software delivery. Embracing the philosophy of servant leadership, he transitioned once again to the role of a Scrum Master. Over the last 3.5 years, his focus has been on fostering collaboration, continuous improvement, and empowering teams to excel in their agile practices. Mark's journey from a hands-on developer to a supportive Scrum Master reflects a deep understanding of the intricacies of software development, coupled with a passion for facilitating teams to achieve their highest potential. Mark also hosts The Agile Within podcast with new episodes debuting each week. It's mission is "Providing agile insights into human values and behaviors through genuine connections". You can listen on your favorite podcast platform or on the web: Jeremy Willets is a coach, speaker, and author who has spent the last decade working with people and teams to achieve greatness in the workplace. He started out as a technical writer on a Scrum team and quickly fell in love with Scrum and the Agile Manifesto values and principles. Since then, he's served thriving organizations as a Scrum Master, Agile Coach, Senior Agile Coach, Release Train Engineer, people manager, and mentor.   Jeremy has spoken at conferences throughout the midwestern United States. He's an avid Substack blogger and music maker. He holds a SAFe® Practice Consultant (SPC) certification. Jeremy can be found at    Learn To Tame Your Work Intake Beast! Jeremy Willets and I have opened a new workshop cohort to help you learn to tame the work intake beast!  The workshop will run from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable 90-minute chunks. For more details hop over to our Maven site  for more information, sign up, or join the mailing list!   Re-read Saturday News Chapter 3, Deep Work is Meaningful completes Part 1 of by Cal Newport. If you are reading this chapter for the first time, my interpretation of the author's intent is not to prove that deep work is meaningful but rather to argue that it is more meaningful than shallow work. On deeper reflection, there are even more cautionary notes for the always “in contact” amongst us. Read the chapter, this week's re-read post, and contemplate!                                                                                                       Remember to buy a copy of and read along. Week 1:  -   Week 2: -   Week 3: -   Week 4: -     Next SPaMCAST  In SPaMCAST 803 we will contemplate the product roles impact on work intake. These roles appear straightforward and at the same time offer many layers and nuances. Regardless of the approach or structure someone is using, making work intake decisions might enhance or trash product decisions. Someone is making those decisions, you need to understand the impact. We will also have a visit from Susan Parente who brings her Not a Scrumdamentalist column to the podcast.   

In the Software Process and Measurement Cast 800 Johanna Rothman takes over the podcast and interviews Jeremy Willets and me. We discussed , why principles make more sense than best practices, and how disciplined work intake is the core to getting work done. We learn that in practice, stop starting and start finishing only works when you pay attention to the work that goes into a system.  Contact info: Johanna Rothman  LinkedIn: Website:   Jeremy Willets LinkedIn:   Website:     Tom Calgey  LinkedIn: Website: https://tomcagley.com/ I was asked the best way to spread the word about . The single best way is to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever you buy your books. Reviews increase the likelihood that someone like you will discover the book!   New Workshop Cohort Open! Jeremy Willets and I have opened a new workshop cohort to help you learn to tame the work intake beast!  The workshop will run from 31 May to 28 June in five manageable one-hour chunks. For more details hop over to our Maven site  for more information, sign up, or just join the mailing list!   Re-read Saturday News Chapter 1, Deep Work Is Valuable, begins the first part of the book  by Cal Newport. Part 1, The Idea, comprises the book's first four chapters and focuses on making the case for Deep Work.  One of the interesting arguments for the value of deep work is that we are in the throes of digital transformation. Combining that trend with position internationalization and incrementalism yields all-or-nothing jobs. Read the chapter, our re-read post and contemplate!                                                                                                        Remember to buy a copy of and read along. Week 1:  -   Week 2: -     Next SPaMCAST  The SPaMCAST 801 will examine the question, “At what level does not having clear priorities create a winning strategy?” While the answer might seem self-evident, I am not sure people and organizations put their money where their mouth is. We will also have a visit from Kies Kostaqi who brings her You Are Not Alone column to the podcast.

In the first V-FM special of 2024, Nico and Darren talk to Lord David Willets of Havant. Lord Willets served as Minister of State for Universities and Science from 2010 until July 2014, as well as being in John Major's Government in the mid 1990s. He became a member of the House of Lords in 2015 and is President of the Resolution Foundation. This podcast has it all: intergenerational inequality and his book titled 'The Pinch', state pensions, housing, auto enrolment, and productive finance. We also, of course, ask Lord Willets what value for money means to him.

SPaMCAST 788 is our annual SPaMCAST panel featuring most of the podcast regulars including:  Jeremy Berriault, Keis Kostaqi, Jon M. Quigley,  Jeremy Willets, and Tom Cagley appears in the ringmaster role.  Tony Timbol and Susan Parente, regular contributors, were unable to join and we missed them (this time of year is busy). Maybe I should do the annual panel in February, no one is busy in the colder parts of February.  During this year's panel, we talked about using AIs in coaching, working in the office, Jon tent, and took a look into 2024. This is a long podcast so I will keep the chit-chat down to a dull roar.  Learn to Solve IT's Dirtiest Secret! Work input, which includes prioritization and sequencing, is how work gets to an organization or team. If you get it wrong you are throwing time and money away. Simply put, poor work intake means “no agile for you”. Jeremy Willets and I have written tackling the topic that JRoss Publishing will publish in January 2024. In support of the book, we are building a live, workshop-based course for anyone deciding on what work gets completed!  This includes Agile Coaches, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, Project Managers, Program Managers, and Portfolio Managers - lots of people are involved which is part of the problem! The workshop will cover why work intake is the biggest challenge to teams and organizations today. Attendees will also learn what to do to solve this challenge. This cohort-based course will combine concise lectures, discussions, and exercises. It will provide space to learn and share with peers. We're using a survey to build a waitlist for the first cohort – link below. We will use the list to alert you when the workshop is available.     Next SPaMCAST  SPaMCAST 789 we will continue on our tour of some of the least talked about and most scary work intake problems. This is in the run-up to the release of  on January 9th. Preorder your copy now! We will also have a visit from Mr Jon M Quigley who is bringing his Alpha and Omega of Product Development column to the podcast.  

Playoff-bound Iowa, you heard it here first. Punt to win.Also, we've got a new shirt to go with this episode, the Iowa PUNT tee! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode we host our first ever guest, Candice Willets. Candice is a stay at home mom of 3 boys with a passion to help women feel good in their own skin. She a professional makeup artist who loves to help women see their own beauty. She advocates for body confidence in all stages of life and helps women know it's ok to be enough as you are! We talk about not living in the mindset of self hate, learning to love yourself and how to create confidence to walk tall and fake it until you make it....or until you are unwaveringly confident to just be you!! Follow Candice here https://www.instagram.com/candice.willetts/ Join our FaceBook group here:https://www.facebook.com/groups/868411531099310 Join our Membership here: https://theiammeintiative.com/share/sSs4lB4HoPLm1Wlm?utm_source=manual

On our latest show: Avian Audio Postcards with the sounds of Willets and Common Loons; three new books about owls with author Susan Edwards Richmond; and a special featured bird segment with a conservation salute.

Hear David Willets share key insights for pastors that he learned from walking through a tragedy and from his own years of ministry experience.

Y'all know what we're here to talk about. Jake & Trey dig into a meal nine years in the slow cooker. NYCFC has announced a stadium and we're gettin' into it, baybee. Plus: roster talk and a little World Cup wink before next episode's season-in-review. Don't freak out: Queens has Blue Balls.

Two hours of heavy metal news, interviews, and (most importantly) music with Terry and Xan, produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.

By Jesse SpectorIn addition to grabbing Keelin's words from yesterday's show notes, I'm not going to try to duplicate that format! I'm going to expand a little bit on Jeff McNeil's batting crown and other end-of-season stats.McNeil is the first Met in 11 years to win a batting title, and the first Met ever to lead the majors in average. Miguel Cabrera batted .344 in 2011 to edge the Mets' shortstop who won the club's first batting crown.Pete Alonso tied Aaron Judge for the major league lead with 131 RBI, and his National League-leading total of 16 intentional walks trailed only Judge (19) and José Ramírez (20) in the majors. The only other time a Met won the National League RBI crown was 1991, when Howard Johnson knocked in 117 runs, again trailing a Tiger — Cecil Fielder (133) — for the major league lead. It's the first time a Mets slugger has led the Senior Circuit in intentional walks, and the first time for a New York NL leader since Duke Snider's 26 in 1956… or, if you want to be pedantic about “New York NL” and not “Brooklyn,” Mel Ott's 13 in 1934. Ott trailed Jimmie Foxx, who was intentionally walked 17 times for the Philadelphia A's.It might have been a #markcanhasummer, but it obviously involved Mark Canha getting hit by a lot of pitches. Twenty-eight, to be exact, the most in baseball, as part of a team that set a modern record by getting in the way of 112 pitches. Canha can comiserate with teammate Brandon Nimmo, who got plunked 22 times to also lead the majors four years ago — also with a former Mets prospect leading the American League: Andrés Giménez (25) this year, Carlos Gómez (21) in 2018. Canha's HBP total was the most by any major leaguer since Anthony Rizzo got drilled 30 times for the 2015 Cubs. Nimmo was “only” hit 16 times this year, tied for fourth-most in the NL with Jake Cronenworth and Kyle Farmer. Along with Starling Marte (unlucky 13), Alonso (12), McNeil (11), and Francisco Lindor (10), there were six Mets in double figures for getting hit by pitches. Out of a total of 24 players in the National League.Those six men — Canha, Nimmo, Marte, Alonso, McNeil, and Lindor — now walk together (and rub some dirt on it) into baseball history, as they have joined (per Stathead) only one other such group in baseball history: the 1899 Baltimore Orioles, whose manager had to wince at Steve Brodie getting hit by 23 pitches, Jimmy Sheckard 18, Bill Keister (what an aptonym) 16, Ducky Holmes 15, and Candy LaChance 10 times.That's only five players, because the manager was, like Buck Showalter, a Baltimore Orioles manager who made his way to New York's NL club a few years later: John McGraw, at that time a 26-year-old player/manager — his first season in the role he'd win the 1904 pennant and 1905 World Series in with the Giants.McGraw didn't just get hit by 14 pitches in 1899, he led the league with 124 walks, 140 runs scored, and a .547 on-base percentage. He also stole 73 bases, and did one more thing that Showalter didn't do this year: got ejected five times.It may not last, but for now, Showalter not only has the highest career winning percentage as Mets manager (.623 — Davey Johnson is the multi-season leader at .588 from 1984-90, he was tossed 13 times), but the most games managing the Mets without getting the heave-ho.The man who once succeeded Showalter in the Bronx, Joe Torre, is the Mets' managerial ejection leader with 24 during his 286-420 tenure in Flushing. When and if Showalter does get the business end of an ump's thumb (guess who), the Mets' no-ejection record will revert to Roy McMillan and his 53 games in charge after succeeding Yogi Berra in 1975.McMillan got the Mets in striking distance by Labor Day, when Tom Seaver, on the way to his third Cy Young, pitched a four-hitter (in a tidy hour and 55 minutes) against the Pirates to close the division gap to four games and pick up his 20th victory of the year. But the next night, Pittsburgh blitzed Jerry Koosman for eight runs in 3.2 innings (homers by Bill Robinson, Manny Sanguillen, and Rennie Stennett) and rolled to an 8-4 win. Felix Millan and Mike Vail got the Mets on the board with back-to-back one-out doubles in the first inning of the rubber game, but after a walk to Dave Kingman, Rusty Staub bounced into a 4-6-3 double play. Bud Harrelson made an error on a Willie Stargell grounder to allow the Pirates to tie the game in the fourth, and Robinson's homer off Jon Matlack in the seventh effectively ended the Mets' season. The next series against the Cardinals was a repeat: Seaver winning, Koosman and Matlack losing, and a sweep in Montreal meant that when the Mets got another crack at Pittsburgh, out at Three Rivers, they were nine games back. They wound up 10.5 games out in third place.These Mets? They wound up with 101 wins, same as the team that now gets a bye to the division series.That's where you can get on the train to the playoffs. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

The Mets Are Good, But Never Not WeirdBy Addy BairdOn Tuesday night, one day after clinching a playoff spot, the Mets were down 4-0 against the Brewers, and Jesse and I were on the podcast, writing off the game. Of course they'll lose right after they clinch! That's the Mets for you, baby.Besides, this clinch, this week doesn't feel quite like the celebration we all want it to. Yes, the Mets are in the playoffs, but we all — fans and team alike — want more. This team deserves to win the division, and frankly, I think they will, because, once again, the 2022 Mets keep finding new ways to surprise and delight us: Tuesday, with a Pete Alonso three-run home run, and then, blessedly, a grand fucking slam from Fransisco Lindor. You really, really love to see it (or hear about it from your podcast co-host in real time because you're concerned about jinxing it if you turn on the game during the rally).As I tweeted after the win, I think I finally truly believe the Mets are good. The Mets are good! They're going to the playoffs! We are going to watch the Mets play huge, important baseball in October and it's going to rule. I am very happy about this, and I am also not as happy as I want to be.Because the thing is — the thing always is — that though the Mets are good, they are never not weird, as Jesse aptly put it while doing live play-by-play of that bonkers victory. Take, for example, Max Scherzer's return from the injured list in which he pitched six perfect innings and was (rightfully! And yet still annoyingly!) taken out of the game, or the fact that they've made history this year with the all-time single season hit by pitch record. Or, of course, how the Metsies started playing their worst baseball right as they hit their allegedly easiest schedule stretch of the year, got swept by the Cubs, and then went on one of their longest win streaks of the season. Or Steve Cohen, richest owner in baseball, apparently sitting in the nosebleeds in Milwaukee trying to convert Brewers fans to Mets fans. Or the fact that Edwin Díaz hasn't blown a save since May. (Knock on wood.) None of these things is inherently bad, and in fact many of them are actively good, but all of them have a little underlying vibe of “Huh!” And even with a playoff spot clinched, there is still a thread of strangeness (braided with excitement and a thirst for Atlanta's blood).Tell me if you think I'm not taking my own advice to respect the Mets as they are right now, but I don't think I'm moving the goalposts. It is out of a level of respect for them that I think we should all refuse to take our collective foot off the gas. For now, I think Daniel Vogelbach captured the vibe perfectly:After a long, successful day at work, Daniel, like all of us, deserves to sit down, stare at his phone, and drink a nice Bud Light. I never thought I'd find myself evangelizing Bud Light, but I think it was the perfect alcohol choice to celebrate the clinching that was not The Clinching. Light beer is going to feel much better than champagne the next morning, and we've got work to do. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

Linda's back! Also, Addy, Janice, and Jesse are here. And the Dollars 4 Dingers fundraiser is here tomorrow! What's Dollars 4 Dingers?Obviously, we're glad to help any way we can, and here's the flyer for tomorrow's event out in Flushing!Obviously, there's 40 whole minutes here and we didn't just talk about Saturday afternoon. But that's the only actually important thing here.(Also, this episode references the next Pod At The Park episode, with Danielle Sepulveres, from Bark At The Park night. We have a wee bit of a podcast backlog at the moment, owing to this having been a week where we had a lot of time to record stuff early, but have gotten slammed by real life late.) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

By Roger CormierIt's getting autumn-y. The weather is cooler, our pumpkin spice lattes more justified. Fall happens to be my favorite season. The temp is juuuust right, and baseball playoffs, baby. An entire region of the U.S. (New England) is dedicated to it. What's not to love? Whenever I hear the phrase “seasons change” — and there is a contemporary commercial for I think Home Depot that plays constantly that says it — there is a specific song that comes to mind, and to me it has an autumn feel. The song of (the) fall is “Seasons (Waiting on You)” by Future Islands. Specifically, their March 2014 performance of it on Letterman. People change, Samuel T. Herring sings. People do in fact change in late September, October, November from what they were in the summertime. Choked of the freedom to be anything other than the thing, things get more…intense.  It's the postseason. It all comes down to this. When people change, they gain a piece but they lose one too. You build yourself a wall for protection, but the heart is further away. That ain't no good. We need someone to lead us during this time. Someone to symbolize our potential best self during this season. A recent meme reminds us of the time George Costanza shifted to soup mode. Yes, we eat soup during the cooler months, but we can improve upon this. Besides, we don't want to have a George Costanza Autumn (or Winter or Spring or Summer). We can eat food from a different continent, like, say, South America. It's time to shift into a different kind of mode.Fogo de Chão is a Brazilian restaurant chain. Steak, chicken, lamb, pork, seafood… you name it, they got it if it's served in Southern Brazil. It's nearing September 20. Fogo mode.The thing that to some seems like a coincidence but really isn't is the following two things:Eduardo Escobar really, really loves Fogo de Chão. Eduardo Escobar is on fire right nowOh there were doubters — you get those when you barely hit over .200 for five months. But Eduardo, as Keith Hernandez reminds you all the time, is a veteran. He knows what time it is. It's Fogo Time. It's time to kick ass. Escobar is more than a Fogo lover. His catchphrase is “Proud of you man.” At least two teams have lovingly teased him about this. It's so wholesome. He also appreciates the aesthetic quality of teammates' home runs.Eduardo also possesses a howitzer for a right arm. I pledged long ago to never take bullets from an infielder to a first baseman for granted. I kept this promise to myself. Anyway, it's time. It's autumn. Hit for the cycle, like Eduardo did. Be something to be proud of. Face the intensity of the fall with your heart open, like Eduardo does. Be your best while keeping cool, while keeping the passion. Don't hibernate; elevate. Time to go Fogo Mode. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

Check out all the stuff for sale at willetspen.com and support this nonsense and all the other fun stuff we're doing here. LFGM!Here is the CBS Sports piece referenced about Mrs. Met's ass. And Todd Radom's history of Reds mascots. And here's a horrifying image based on the hilarious discussion in this episode. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

This is a podcast that starts weird and gets weirder, and that's just how we like it. We had a bunch of fun. Meanwhile, a whole new array of BUTTS stuff is on the website, along with other weird new designs, and the Queens Collection and BOOKS collection, which are far less weird, but also comfy and, if we may say so, super stylish. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

Don't worry. We still talked about butts. And we're thrilled to welcome Keelin and Britt, who are going to be part of our football team in football season, talking about football, and football accessories. And butts.And not just the t-shirts that we're now selling.There's some “site news” kind of talk pretty early on in the episode, so check that out. But if you're not a podcast thing, you've maybe noticed some changes around our website. It's all good. We're not planning to go anywhere, and playing around with stuff is kind of the essence of the whole deal here. So, let us know what you like and keep what you don't like to yourself. Thanks!

Jesse here… the “show notes” (I need to take better show notes) kind of became a personal news/site update kind of thing at the end of my first week at a new job and the dawn of a new era for Willets Pen.First, we lost Allison right before we sat down to record, because of thunderstorms wreaking havoc with her internet access. Then, we did half a show where it turned out you couldn't actually hear Chrystal, even though we were hearing her fine during the recording. We kept that half of the show because I thought it was still listenable and enjoyable — and that's saying something when it comes to listening to something that includes my own voice. Even the technical gremlins can't subdue the joy right now.I've also had a joyous week, starting work at a new job. It certainly feels meant to be when the first thing I actually did to help improve the MTA website was add a live service status widget to the Citi Field information page.Am I also pushing for special service to Jacob deGrom starts?Not quite, but it has been a busy week, and I feel a little guilty about not getting more content up here — it's not for lack of contributions, as the Willets Pen crew has been doing fantastic stuff, like Addy's piece yesterday on the SNY broadcast's dream season.The thing is, we want Willets Pen to be the best it can, and to me that means not rushing through editing, even when I know I'm barely going to be changing anything. I want the pieces that I edit to have my full attention, so that it's not just making sure it's good, but looking for ways to help make it even better.That's a somewhat different approach than how things are for Willets Pod and its associated shows… which I think is a good thing. Our podcasts and our writing, generally, are serving different purposes. That's not to say every podcast here will be silly, or that every bit of writing will… oh, you get the point — and that's why I also want to take this moment to thank you for support throughout our early days and appreciate that we have an audience that gets it.It's been a podcast-heavy week because I haven't been mentally checked in enough to edit well. Soon, you'll see that backlog of writing get published, especially since Chrystal and Steph have their own editing shoes (but also day jobs), and we'll keep experimenting and having fun and all the other stuff we're here to do.Now that I also have a day job, and now that I'm truly no longer a journalist, this project does become different for me, but in a way that I think will be healthy both for me and Willets Pen something that I'm making time for, rather than spending time on. And I hope that you'll continue to make time for us as we continue to experiment, grow, and have fun! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

Editor's note: During the episode, we talked about Chrystal's ode to dad bods post, which had yet to run at the time of recording. We decided to just put it here instead of as a separate post, because why make things more complicated than they need to be? We already have an entire podcast devoted to doing that. Also, here's the time Creed played Thanksgiving for some reason.You wouldn't see Nickelback doing that, what with the being Canadian and with Chad Kroeger being too busy having all that sex. Anyway, on to the newsletter portion of today's program… which is free today as we're giddy about the Mets taking four of five from Atlanta, but also please consider a paid subscription to support the folks bringing you fun stuff here!Project ShaqBox trivia: Yesterday, Jacob deGrom combined with Joely Rodriguez and Edwin Díaz to strike out 19 Atlanta hitters, tying Tom Seaver and David Cone in individual efforts for the most K's by Mets pitchers in a nine-inning game. Which team did Seaver's game, a 2-1 victory on a Wednesday afternoon in April at Shea, come against… and why wasn't it that team's most notable time that season being on the short end of a historic pitching performance?An Ode To Dad BodsBy Chrystal O'KeefeThe great Lizzo once sang, “I like big boys, itty bitty boys,” and that resonated with me. I know women often get criticized for only enjoying the tight pants and baseball butts, and I'm not here to dispel that rumor. Some, like myself, live and breathe baseball, but also enjoy the different body types of players. Sure, Starling Marte has abs of steel. Yes, Jacob deGrom could probably be a Calvin Klein model. Does Fransisco Lindor remind me of a young Prince Rogers Nelson, oozing sex appeal? Hell yes. Any hot blooded, man-loving person would surely go for that, I mean, have you seen Michael Kopech? Some of these baseball players are buff, or clearly prioritized squats and leg day in the offseason. And that's great. But what about the normal-looking guys that weren't sculpted by the gods? Dad bods have been a thing for quite some time now, even in the baseball world. It's one of the few sports that allows for multiple body types, and I appreciate that. When the Mets acquired Daniel Vogelbach, I was thrilled. Not only because I knew the power he brings, as someone that is very familiar with the Pirates, but also as someone that appreciates his body type.  With Pete Alonso and Daniel Vogelbach often going back to back in the lineup, I'm thrilled to see peak athletic performances from guys that look like they can smash some ribs, chug a beer, and immediately walk out of the dugout and tattoo a ball out into the concourse. Alonso is known for being meaty, and the video of his shirt being ripped off after a bases loaded walk to win the game, showcasing an immaculate dad bod is one of the many reasons I love baseball. (I hope no one goes through my Google searches for this piece.) Pete Alonso Joins MLB Network SHIRTLESSIt's time to normalize the dad bod in baseball. It's time to appreciate Prince Fielder, Johnny Cueto, Yasmani Grandal, Bartolo “Big Sexy” Colon, CC Sabathia, Lance Lynn, Pete Alonso, Daniel Vogelbach, and the OG dad bod, Babe Ruth. If you're reading this, ESPN, please make one of the above mentioned players the cover of the Body Issue. I promise there is an audience of appreciative dad-bod loving people out here.And even more after yesterday.Trivia answer: On April 22, 1970, an Al Ferrara homer and Dave Campbell single were all that stood between Seaver having a 19-strikeout game and Seaver having a 19-strikeout no-hitter. But the San Diego Padres had even more trouble connecting two months later, on June 12, when they drew eight walks in a game against the Pirates, but got no-hit by Dock Ellis, famously under the influence of LSD for the gem. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

Allison never does make it onto this episode, recorded one million years ago after the Mets swept the Subway Series, just to answer that question from the first seconds of the show. Janice Scurio makes her WP debut and gets to immerse herself in the stunning stability of Metsdom, which is really some kind of thing to say, but here we are in 2022, where up is down, down is up, Max Scherzer is a Met, and Jacob deGrom is back tonight.We'll talk about that in the next episode.And now, Glenallen Hill: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

It's Chrystal O'Keefe, Allison Robicelli, and Jesse Spector on this episode. However, if you have any pants-pooping stories, from sports or otherwise, please do drop them on the Discord. Was “drop” the best choice of words there? Perhaps not. Enjoy!And now that our episode title has kept the robots from looking at this, a word from our sponsor: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

The other working title was “If a snake had a butt.” Welcome home, Allison, we missed you. Addy and Jesse are also present for this, largely marveling at both the Mets not falling apart at the end of the first half, and their co-host's adventures around her new neighborhood.And now, we present the horrors of Baltimore, straight from Allison's camera. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

We're back! Sort of! It's been a few weeks since we've gotten together to do a “studio” recording, and with Allison still finishing up her move and Colleen's computer borked, it was just Addy and Jesse left to bask in the Mets' sudden return to their early-season magic with their comeback in Cincinnati and Thursday night pounding of the Marlins.We didn't get back to it, but if you catch the “French YouTube” reference at the beginning of the show, it's because we started recording and talking about a highlight of Ron Hunt, then with the Expos, breaking the major league HBP record. The clip includes Hunt saying, “I don't think it was stupidity,” which gives us a fantastic French subtitle.And, if you're curious about that 1986 game in Cincinnati, yes, Jesse did tweet about it.The entire recap of the game from 36 years ago is, of course, part of the 1986 video.And, Chris Bassitt, man… c'mon. Like Addy said, you're better than that. Or not. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

Jay Willets from the newest high school in St Johns County, Tocoi Creek, sits in with us today.

Yesterday saw the arrival of Brittany Huber to Willets Pen, as she wrote about Adley Rutschman, Buster Posey, and growing up with a franchise catcher, as part of our latest newsletter.Today, we're continuing to get ahead of the NHL, whose free agency is still more than a week away. Chrystal O'Keefe is on this episode of Willets Pod, joining us from South Side Sox and the Estrogen Power Hour podcast, where she and Colleen Sullivan share creative space, in addition to a birthday. They've already got “Femlord” in their podcast's bio, and the Voltron reference should be pretty obvious, and “Chicago Bureau” even more so.We didn't get fellow EPHers Keelin Billue and Janice Scurio on this episode, but they're absolutely part of this now, so this Mets ebook project is now also a Substack with a strong White Sox contingent.There's obviously a bond between the Mets and White Sox as the “second teams” in their markets, but this addition isn't about that so much as our general deal here: we want to have cool people doing cool stuff that they're happy to do, and which you enjoy as a result.You'll get to see Chrystal, Keelin, and Janice as part of the newsletter soon, and more folks, too. We're so excited about the chance to do fun and creative stuff with our talented friends, whenever they're up for it. So enjoy this episode, subscribe, and come back to enjoy tomorrow's newsletter and the next Pod At The Park, set to record at Thursday's Yankees-Astros game in the Bronx! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

Sophia Willets talks to Sharane about being an apartment investor, serving others, and the importance of self-education.  Website: https://www.gracecre.com/Email: sophia@gracecre.comFacebook: @SophiaGracecreCourses and Offerings:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbkdDBJ3Df4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3-Yxtc7lP0Book Recommendation: Books by Tony Robbins---I am Sharane and I am a 20-year real estate veteran here in Arizona. Over the years and to this day I have been a realtor/broker, buy and hold investor, flipper, problem solver, self-taught designer, and all-around real estate strategist and problem solver. Get in touch:www.Sharanedorrah.comwww.agent911az.comFor daily behind the scenes stories, follow along with me on Instagram and Facebook at @sharanedorrahAnd to connect with me directly, please drop me a line via my “contact me” link on the About Page.Thanks for visiting!DISCLAIMERTrigger Warning: The episodes on the ELEV8 with Sharane YouTube channel and podcast may, at times, cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, sex, drugs, and alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.The views, information, or opinions expressed in the YouTube Channel and Podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and by no means represent absolute facts. Opinions expressed by the host and guests can change at any time.Sharane Dorrah is not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. The content in these videos/podcasts shall not be construed as tax, legal, insurance, construction, engineering, health & safety, electrical, financial advice, or other and may be outdated or inaccurate; it is your responsibility to verify all information yourself. This is a Podcast/YouTube video for entertainment purposes ONLY.All content has been produced by Personalized Solutions in Scottsdale, Arizona at PS Studios - www.personalizedsolu.com/psstudios.

We're on Apple Podcasts now, and this episode went off without a hitch, so we're immediately getting cocky.With Friday night's Mets-Angels game on AppleTV+, we'll be missing our beloved GKR, so the Willets Pod crew is going to do a Twitch stream.Is that a good idea? Will we continue this run of technical competence? Have we even signed up for Twitch yet, to be able to put a link here?No, no, and of course no.But we will have fun, so follow us on Twitter and join the Discord so you can get the link when we actually set it up.In the meantime, enjoy this episode and today's first premium newsletter! And stay tuned tomorrow for the first bonus podcast episode, Pod At The Park with comedian Tony Deyo! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Willets Pod At The Park, or Pod At The Park, or PATP, or maybe Willets Park? Willets Park sounds good, goes with the whole Willets “P” deal we've got going here.If you remember the Tampa Bay Lightning Power Play Radio hit of the late 2010s, “Jesse Spector Is…” (it goes without saying that of course you do, duh) then the format should be pretty familiar — it's Jesse and a guest, ostensibly talking about a sport, and then spending half an hour hanging out and chatting.The idea here is a little different, and not just because we're centering baseball rather than hockey. It's because there's no “ostensibly talking about a sport.” We're going to be at baseball games to do these episodes, and it'll just be whatever we're talking about in the middle innings. Basically, we're inviting you to come hang out with us for a while at the ballpark, just, y'know, in podcast form.For the first episode, Jesse and Thornton McEnery take in a bit of Mets 10, Nationals 0 (check out Roger Cormier's game thread from Twitter, ICYMI) and chat about Steve Cohen's purchase of the Mets, hearing yourself discussed by Mike Francesa, the Mets' penchant for beating shifts, and much more from the stands.Regular Willets Pod episodes will return next week, and Willets Park, or PATP, or whatever, will be the bonus episodes that are for paid subscribers only. The paywall goes up next Thursday, and to celebrate our 6/9 “grand opening,” we're offering a 69% discount on your first year for anyone who gets on board in the next week. Nice!In the meantime, come on over to our Discord server, where we have daily Mets game chats and talk about anything we feel like (mostly the Mets, some hockey, also the White Sox and Rockies and whatever else you want). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

The Mets are having what can only be described as a bonkers trip to San Francisco, which you can catch up on with Roger Cormier's tweet threads from Monday night's rout and Tuesday night's ridiculous 13-12 affair.Our latest podcast episode recorded just as the series opener was about to begin out West, and it begins with Jesse hitting record to start the show, then somehow not thinking the show has started. Allison (who has a new installment from Lake Nipples out!) drops some knowledge about Victorian era beachgoing, while Addy debunks a common fallacy about Jacques Lacan's notion of the gaze and its subsequent application in Laura Mulvey's cinematic philosophy.We were going to add Lenny Dykstra's 1986 NLCS walk-off here as a treat, but searching for it brought up Lenny Dykstra's 1986 MTV appearance with Roger McDowell, so in the name of Juan Samuel, here's that, including Dykstra being creepy with Martha Quinn and saying, “I'm a good cheater. … They'll never know.”Well… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

We're still working on getting Willets Pod onto all the podcast apps. By the time you read this, we might have made it, but probably not until Episode 5… and that's all Wright with us (haha -JS). To subscribe, you can use this RSS feed, or, you know, just listen right here, since all you have to do now is click that “play” button up above this paragraph.How do you write up a podcast episode? Sure, you were there and you participated in it, but you're sure as heck not going to listen back to it and hear the sound of your own voice. So what do you do? You remember some moments from the episode, put them up top so everyone knows what's gonna happen, and give the title the best name you can. Nobody really cares anyway, they just want to listen to the podcast — they're in this for their ears, not their eyes. So you can probably stop now.Get well soon, Max Scherzer. Perhaps this picture of Colleen's new dog, Buehrle, will help! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

I was so pleased to come across Elizabeth on LinkedIN, we has a similar passion for flexible working and she's been integrel in bringing this to life in my business with my first employee. In this epsiode we talk about our common passion and why flexible working is so impactful and important. Money Savvy Parents podcast has been designed to give you some ideas about how to become more financially savvy in order to display great money habits to your future generations. As I know how busy parenting can be this will be delivered in short weekly shows. If you are looking for straight talking, quick information without all the jargon then this is the podcast for you. You can find Elizabeth on LinkedIN under 'Investing in Women'

The best way to add Willets Pod to your podcast app is to use our RSS feed. Or just listen on this page, since you're already here, and if you're subscribed to the newsletter, you'll get the episodes in your inbox.It's just a good idea all around. If the Mets are down by six runs, go have some sex. If they lose, hey, you had some sex, and you didn't have to see the end of it. If they win, well, you had rally sex.The discussed bonus episode will be along eventually, but not until we start charging for content. Of course, if you're already subscribing when the paywall goes up, you're going to be getting some premium time for free — one month for free subscribers, three months tacked on to the end of all existing paid subscriptions.To make it really easy, if you're not subscribed yet, you can join on a 30-day free trial.In future podcast episodes, we're going to have some mailbag elements, and the best way to submit your questions is on the #ask-willets channel of our Discord server, which is not only free, but a fun spot to live-chat Mets games, or complain about the White Sox, or really whatever else you want to talk about. See you there! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

In the latest episode of Simply Amazin', our friends Jesse Spector and Colleen Sullivan of Willets Pen join Tim and Tarun for a.. um.. wide-ranging chat. These red-hot Metropolitans are the starting point but turns are taken quickly. Be sure to check out Willets Pen!!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pip Willets by truestorieslive

Addy Baird makes her Willets Pod debut in our second episode, joining Jesse Spector and Colleen Sullivan to discuss the hottest Met. Pretty simple stuff, right? Not so fast. Because in half an hour, there's hot Mets who didn't even get mentioned. And that's why we have more episodes to come.In the meantime, the point of this is that it's a podcast episode, and not a writing episode, so give it a listen, subscribe to the Substack if you haven't yet, preorder the book if you haven't yet, and get on the Discord if you haven't yet. And enjoy this picture of Francisco Lindor from 2016, when Jesse was covering the World Series. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

Spotlight On Long Island Schools - East Williston District Willets Road Middle School 4 - 30 - 22 by JVC Broadcasting

Okay, so we learned an important lesson during the recording of the first episode of Willets Pod, featuring hosts Allison Robicelli, Jesse Spector, and Colleen Sullivan: don't try to keep up with the Mets game during the show.For one thing, while we're writing a Mets ebook, our podcast is not really about the Mets. Allison lives with a Mets fan and observes the unique experience that such a lifestyle brings (she hasn't written anything here yet, but she will, and we can't wait — check her bio on our about page, and check out some of her writing), while Colleen and Jesse have other baseball interests, too, even if they're live-chatting Mets games on our Discord (come through!) and have followed the Mets for decades.Our ebook is about the Mets, and our Substack (as you're starting to see with the launch of The Flushing Review) is some of the folks from there, in a space where the Mets are a jumping off point. On Willets Pod, in particular, we'll talk about Mets stuff because the Mets are so incredibly Mets… it's the weirdness and psychological drama that we're about, but also, in this premiere episode (and no show's premiere is that good — watch the Seinfeld pilot), you'll see (hear) that we really started to find our footing after the Mets blew that stupid game in Philadelphia (after Jesse had said they were on their way to 4-1 — he should know better) and we could talk more freely about the most important thing in baseball during our recording: Sean Murphy's butt.The Mets were already in a place where it would make sense for them to trade for Murphy (apologies to James McCann and his nice start), and now the Mets really need to trade for this man and put him in some of those blue pinstriped pants.Listen to the whole thing because it's only half an hour and we had a good time throughout, and quite honestly we're delightful people, but if you really want a preview of where we think this nonsense is going (especially once we add Steph Driver as another host and start getting guests in here — another reason to help us get to $15,000), there's one part where Allison talks about dipping balls in yogurt, and the last eight minutes — after Colleen recovered from some technical difficulty, in fact — are a window in to what delights are to come, such as Colleen's trip to the White Sox home opener.So, preorder the Willets Pen ebook today and support butt-positive baseball media. You'll get a free month (at least) tacked on to your Substack subscription, and that means bonus episodes of the podcast when we start having bonus episodes of the podcast, and that's when the edibles kick in, were we to do that right before the show, which at least 33% of us definitely did not do for the premiere, but possibly should. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

Gary Willets joined us to look back on his win in the 1978 Caulfield Guineas aboard Manikato

On 4 January 1815 the convict ship, Francis & Eliza, was captured by the Americans on their way to Australia. LINKS Grab a copy of Convict Sydney, the real-life stories of 32 prisoners: www.jennifer-twemlow.com Support Convict Australia and receive goodies such as the Convict Australia Newsletter: https://www.patreon.com/ConvictAustralia Join the conversation on our Facebook & Instagram pages: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173850624015866 https://www.instagram.com/convict_australia/?hl=en Start your search for your convict ancestors: https://prf.hn/click/camref:1100ldych https://www.tkqlhce.com/click-100396961-13671424 SOURCES 1815 'Sydney, SITTING MAGISTRATE—S. LORD, Esq.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 24 June, p. 2. , viewed 23 Aug 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article629133 1815 'Sydney, SITTING MAGISTRATE—W. BROUGHTON, Esq. Assize of Bread for the ensuing Week—Household, 10d; Wheaten, 11½.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 12 August, p. 2. , viewed 23 Aug 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article629167 1815 'Sydney.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 26 August, p. 2. , viewed 23 Aug 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article629172 1959 The Convict Ships, 1787 – 1868, by Charles Bateson.,Brown, Son & Ferguson, Ltd., Glasgow “Convict Ship Francis and Eliza 1815.” Free Settler or Felon., Willets, Jen., viewed 23 August 2021, https://www.freesettlerorfelon.com/convict_ship_francis_and_eliza_1815.htm THANK YOU Special thanks to Sue Reed. Music by Ahjay Stelino

This week on the Bird Report, a voice you might have noticed at a saltmarsh.

Sean & Forrest discuss the new "Snyder Cut" Justice League film.Sean on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sean_willets/E-mail ► just4clickspod@gmail.comTwitter ► https://twitter.com/forrestfire101Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/forrest_whaley/Patreon ► https://www.patreon.com/forrestfire101(Full J4C movie commentaries unlocked at $2 level)

Death metal LEGEND Karl Willets, best known for his work in Bolt Thrower, graces the Lifts & Riffs boys with his presence to converse about his current project; Memoriam. We talk pandemic politics, writing songs about war for decades, how the pandemic changed his songwriting process for the new record, working with grand concepts, Dan Seagrave artwork, tie-dying t-shirts, Black Sabbath... and BEER! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/death-comes-lifting/support

In this episode:-Breakfast burritos-New marketing campaigns for James Johns.-Bob's drooling all over his arm-Steve finally started Wandavision-Someone lives under Vinny's house-HR Giger gets called outNew episodes are released every Monday at 4AM

Unlike many shorebirds, Willets breed inland. When nesting is done, they migrate south to both Atlantic and Pacific coastlines in the U.S. and Central and South America. What they all have in common, wherever they have bred and wherever they spend the winters, is an unmistakable voice, combining the

“What exactly are you inferring, Captain Peacock?” Goodbye Mr. Grainger

Alyssa, Sean, & Forrest sit down to discuss cats owning their own laptops, when and where to call your wife a Karen, and what the USA should do in regard to combating the pandemic.Alyssa on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/alyssadawnwhaley/Sean on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sean_willets/E-mail ► just4clickspod@gmail.comTwitter ► https://twitter.com/forrestfire101Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/forrest_whaley/Patreon ► https://www.patreon.com/forrestfire101(Full J4C movie commentaries unlocked at $2 level)

On another 2020 Covid call, Ben hears from animator, sculptor, background painter and gardener, Sean Willets. Sean explains his journey from Lego Brick films in stop motion, to painting his current animation in Procreate! Hear how having creative friends in your life can lead you into paths you never thought were possible! You can find Sean’s work on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/sean_willets/ @sean_willets And check out Sean Willets’ Youtube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTnr2IxvBT-WzuNMb8aQSnA And check out Animation Wildcard: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9bQObmETgvDu8io2KwBmuw

Starring Cliff Arquette as storekeeper and mayor of Point Sublime, Ben Willet, and Mel Blanc as August Moon and Ben Willet's side-kick, the show is a comedy about the small town named Point Sublime.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sherlock Holmes Radio Station Live 24/7 Click Here to Listen https://live365.com/station/Sherlock-Holmes-Classic-Radio--a91441

Author Paul Willets. He wrote the book "The Look of Love"  The Look of Love, Members Only was adapted into a big budget movie, directed by Michael Winterbottom and starring Steve Coogan. He shared he was wittily cast in the unflattering cameo role of Lord Longford, the anti-pornography campaigner. The role was originally a speaking part, but the dialogue between himself and Steve Coogan ended up being dropped during the final round of cutting.

Join Sean, Austin, and myself as we discuss hot dogs, homeschooling, and baby mama drama.Sean on Twitter: https://twitter.com/filmyguyAustin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/realaustinrameyE-mail ► just4clickspod@gmail.comTwitter ► https://twitter.com/forrestfire101Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/forrest_whaley/Patreon ► https://www.patreon.com/forrestfire101(Full J4C movie commentaries unlocked at $2 level)

From personalization to automation to segmentation, email communications have evolved tremendously in the past few years. Today Liz Willits of Aweber goes through the strategies that your nonprofit can employ to make sure that your email communications reach their intended audiences and inspire your audiences to click and convert.

How Andrea Willets harnessed the power of self love and makes her unapologetic presence in the world. "Vulnerability became my greatest strength." - Andrea Willets. Learn more about this at www.jointherevelation.com/10

“May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing…” (Romans 15). What is the good news of John the Baptist? In every conversation lies an implicit promise that we will be informed, entertained, expanded, perhaps even appreciated, loved or saved. But this is not always how things work out. This week I found myself at the most elegant Christmas party of my life. Original paintings by Edgar Degas (1834-1917), James Tissot (1836-1902), Claude Monet (1840-1926), Mary Cassatt (1844-1926), Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), René Magritte (1898-1967), David Hockney (1937-) and others surrounded the guests in every room. Near the end, feeling exhausted, I took refuge alone on a sofa in the front room when a gracious older man approached and asked if he could sit with me. He seemed so familiar! We talked as if we had been loosely acquainted for years.[1] And then he told me this story about when he served as a community liaison for the police force and Jim Jones, the charismatic cult leader, invited him to Sunday worship. Jim Jones told him the time to be there and the uniform he should wear. When my friend arrived Jones had two hulking bodyguards with him. He never took off his sun glasses and looked away at the wall as they talked. After the police officer gave his lecture to a thousand people in the congregation he sat enjoying the choir. Although the service wasn’t over and he wanted to stay, the two bodyguards flatly told him it was time to leave. My friend didn’t know what to do but really he had no alternative. That week someone else who had been there told him what happened after he left. Jim Jones took the stage and told his followers, “Did you see that police officer, he came when I told him to come, wore what I told him to wear and left when I told him to go. Stay with me because I have power.” Within a couple of years Jones murdered 918 people in Guyana. My new friend wonders how many of them were at church with him that day. So what is the difference between John the Baptist and the cult leader Jim Jones (1931-1978)? At first the two might seem to have a similar image and message. Depictions of John the Baptist in this Cathedral and elsewhere often make him seem angry and unstable. For centuries the most identifying features of John have been his uncombed hair and rough clothes. In the Willets stained glass window John seems to be shouting as a lightning bolt strikes from heaven. John exclaims, “You brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the wrath that is to come.” And we feel condemned. As the axe lies “at the root of the trees” we might even worry that we have the “unquenchable fire” as our destiny (Mt. 3). This is the second week of the new Christian year. For the next twelve months on Sundays we will read through the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew cares about faithful Jewish people. He constantly tries to show us how Jesus fulfills the prophecies of the Old Testament. The word gospel means “good news” and the point of this art form, of these stories, is not to record ancient history. It is to provoke us to really see. John the Baptist’s camel hair clothing and leather belt, his life in the wilderness eating locusts and wild honey – these identify him with the prophet Elijah and Isaiah’s promise of a time when the “earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11). Jim Jones ruled through fear, intimidation and violence – a more extreme version of what we experience in the news from leaders every day. In contrast, John the Baptist offers the opposite. He gives us an inclusive vision of hope for all people. We have the chance to experience lasting joy and he doesn’t want us to squander this opportunity. Every time a word is used its meaning becomes slightly altered. You can see this when we repeat something that has already been said. Words change meaning. They also wear out over time. “Awesome” used to be a serious word with religious content before it became a meaningless cliché.  The most important word for Matthew in this passage and perhaps even the whole gospel is the Greek word metanoia. It means to change your mind or soul, to be transformed. The worn out Christian word for this is “repentance.” John the Baptist isn’t scolding us, or imploring us to be good, like some finger-wagging Puritan. John wants to change our entire orientation to the world. We are in chains and John wants to set us free. He wants to free our minds. Let me point out three signs of hope in his message. First, this is a radically open invitation. He addresses everyone. Each person has dignity and he baptizes Jew and non-Jew alike. With even the temple leaders everyone flocks to the wilderness to see him. He says your race, nationality, religion is not the most important thing about you. Not being related to Abraham will not hold you back when it comes to God. Second he says that everyone has a chance, because this is not about our identity: who our father was, or our income, status, political party, race, etc. What matters is the fruit that our lives bear. This is simple. Do our actions lead to indifference, violence, manipulation and destruction or to love, healing and wholeness? Finally, comes the most difficult part to explain. Because identity matters so much to us we feel a stubborn compulsion to misinterpret John’s most frightening metaphor about the wheat and chaff. This is not a metaphor about righteous or evil groups. John does not mean that some people are valuable and should be gathered into the warm barn while others deserve to burn. He is using a metaphor of purification. The fire is a refining fire that burns away impurities. The Russian writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008) writes that the line between good and evil does not run between various groups of people but through every human heart.[2] We all have a kernel of goodness, wisdom, bravery and value that deserves to last forever. We also all have imperfections in our character that are fundamentally incompatible with life in God. We know what impurities need to be rooted out of our lives: the hounding negativity, unkindness, anxiety, self-centeredness, indifference, insecurity, greed and fear of those who are different. This chaff exists in every human soul. It includes the bitterness of homophobia, entrenched white supremacy, persistent misogyny. So instead of that old language we hear from street preachers about repentance, listen this morning as John invites you to decolonize your mind. I have learned so much on this subject from the Kenyan author Ngūgī Wa Thiong’o (1938-). Ngūgī grew up in a Kenyan household with a father, four wives and about twenty-eight children. They spoke Gīkūyū as they worked in the fields and around the home. Before attending school he inhabited a harmonious world held together as all are by stories. Ngūgī writes that English was more than just a language it became the language. If children spoke their own language in the vicinity of school they were beaten, fined money that they didn’t have or made to carry a metal plate around their necks that said, “I am stupid.”[3] Ngugi writes that the “real aim of colonialism was to control the people’s wealth; to control, in other words, the entire realm of the language of real life.” This comes about through what he calls “the cultural bomb” whose effect is to “annihilate a people’s belief in their names, in their languages, in their environment, in their heritage of struggle, in their unity, in their capacities and ultimately in themselves. It makes them see their past as a wasteland of non-achievement and it makes them want to distance themselves from that wasteland.” [4] Hawaiians had one of the highest rates of literacy in the world during the 1800’s. But then after Americans criminally overthrew the government it became similarly illegal to teach the Hawaiian language in schools. For three generations local people say the “white is right” movement dominated official culture. If you are my age and native Hawaiian you are very likely to have been entirely cut off from your own language, cultural practices and a large part of your own self. Ngūgī says it is like being made to stand outside yourself to understand yourself. Being a Christian today is a little like this. You can’t help but feel such hope for the new generation coming of age in Hawaiian immersion schools. Here in North America if you are a gay man, you have to struggle so that our culture’s demeaning and dehumanizing stereotypes do not remain part of your picture of yourself. This is true of white supremacy and misogyny too. These demonic pictures distort our inner landscapes. They divide us from each other and from God. They are the chaff in every person’s heart that needs to be incinerated by the Holy Spirit so that we can be our truer selves. In every conversation lies an implicit promise. At the party I gradually recognized that I was talking to Frank Jordan. He served as mayor of San Francisco in the 1990’s when my wife and I first moved here. In that conversation his humility and graciousness showed me he didn’t need to belittle others for the sake of his ego. About one quarter of the New Testament is attributed to the Apostle Paul. You might say that his whole message can be boiled down to this statement. In the impenetrable ambiguity of human life when we seem like slaves of the messages that we hear, God offers us freedom from our compulsive preoccupation with human authority.[5] It is time. It is time for the earth to be full of the knowledge of the Lord. It is time to decolonize our faith and free our minds. And that is the good news of John the Baptist. “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing…” (Romans 15). [1] He told me about growing up south of Market Street, joining the San Francisco Police Department about the Season of the Witch years in the 1970’s when mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk were murdered by their colleague Dan White. [2] Matt Boulton, “Change Your Mind: SALT’s Lectionary Commentary on Advent Week Two,” SALT, 3 December 2019. https://www.saltproject.org/progressive-christian-blog/2019/12/3/change-your-mind-salts-lectionary-commentary-for-advent-week-two [3] Ngūgī wa Thiong’o, Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature (Nairobi, Kenya: Heinemann Kenya, 1988) 11. [4] Children growing up in this setting “exposed exclusively to a culture that was a product of a world external to [themselves]… being made to stand outside of [themselves] to look at [themselves].”  Ibid., 16, 3. [5] “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28 NRSV).

PODCAST: Episode 36: Karl Willets of Memoriam Talks New Album, and Political Minefields  Continue reading → The post PODCAST: Episode 36: Karl Willets of Memoriam Talks New Album, and Political Minefields  appeared first on Ghost Cult Magazine.

Special guest host and Director of Photography Matthew Willets interviews Robert Kaithern about his recent short film "Calliope."

Karl Willets (Memoriam, ex-Bolt Thrower). Karl joins Andrew to chat politics and the new album from Memoriam, The Silent Vigil. 

In the recent decision in Dudley Council v Willets and others, the Employment Appeal Tribunal found that regular voluntary overtime carried out by employees should be included in the calculation of holiday pay. Nick Chronias, employment partner at DAC Beachcroft LLP, explains the legal implications of the decision for employers. We go on to discuss what employers should be doing differently as a result of the decision. Presenter Jeya Thiruchelvam is joined by Nick Chronias.

MFA film student Matthew Willets drops by to discuss screenwriting, photography, boxing, and film criticism.

This week we have legendary Bolt Thrower vocalist Karl Willetts on the show to discuss his new project Memoriam. We talk about his approach to lyrics on Memoriam's new album For the Fallen, which Bolt Thrower songs they plan on playing live, what he envisioned when he decided to create a new band, the decision to end Bolt Thrower after Kiddie's passing, and what newer bands he's digging. Brandon and Petar find a company that helps out the unappreciated bass player, discuss James Hetfield's recent comments about “Escape," talk about Marduk and their statement on the Oakland concert cancellation, Judas Priest not being metal according to Brent Hinds, Steve Tucker's promises that new Morbid Angel will be death metal, and the new Baroness/Neurosis punk cover tribute band. Songs: Memoriam - "Reduced to Zero" Memoriam - "Surrounded (By Death)"

For the last couple of months, I (Hunter) have been talking about The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace. Why? Because Rob Peace's story is what happens when you have a culture that does not take culture, tribe and emotion seriously. Rob Peace was an African-American kid who grew up in a rough part of Newark, New Jersey. His mom worked hard and paid to send him to a prep school. His dad helped him with his homework whenever he could and through tenacity and hard work he not only got into Yale but a wealthy, white benefactor paid for his entire college tuition. Once at Yale, Rob graduated with a degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry. And yet, after graduation, Rob didn't go to medical school or Wall Street or politics. Instead, Rob drifted back to Newark where he taught school for a little while and then drifted into a life of dealing drugs. By the age of 30, this brilliant man was dead in a drug shoot out. Rob was a man caught between two worlds. By the age of 10, Rob's father was in jail for a double homicide connected with drug dealing. And for all his community celebrated his educational success, he often had to downplay it and hide it in order not to draw attention. Academically, he was a perfect fit for Yale but culturally he never really belonged. In short, Rob's story is the real-life version of Good Will Hunting if there was no Robin Williams character. Without help dealing with that history that lives within us all, a man full of potential and promise has his life wasted. The book Jeff has written is a eulogy to a friend and a roommate gone before his time. Of course, there are the inevitable questions about why Jeff, a white, suburban kid, gets to write a book about his roommate, a black, urban kid. There are uncomfortable feelings here but the human family isn't going to get anywhere by avoiding these feelings. Instead, we must do what any family must do: talk through them. Fortunately, there's The Bryan Callen Show, a safe space where rather than issuing trigger warnings we just manage our own emotions. It's revolutionary stuff. And not something you'll get at Yale...or Harvard. Guest Information GUEST NAME: Jeff Hobbs GUEST BIO: Jeff Hobbs graduated with a BA in English language and literature from Yale in 2002, where he was awarded the Willets and Meeker prizes for his writing. Hobbs spent three years in New York and Tanzania while working with the African Rainforest Conservancy. He now lives in Los Angeles with his wife. Guest Promotions The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League Hillbilly Elegy A Culture of Honor

Jeremy Willets (@jeremywillets) joined me (@RyanRipley) to discuss introspection, continuous learning, and life as an agile coach. [featured-image single_newwindow=”false”]Jeremy Willets Presenting at The Path to Agility Conference – Copyright COHAA[/featured-image] Jeremy an internal agile coach at a software development company. He is a speaker and author who brings the human elements of software development to the forefront. Jeremy is an avid runner and a key figure in the Ohio agile community. In this episode you'll discover: The importance of inspecting and adaping our own behaviors How an introspective mindset can help coaches improve and grow Why interpersonal relationships are critical to coaching agile teams What to do tomorrow to ensure your are on the path of continuous learning Links from the show: Personal Maps – Jurgen Appelo [callout]This book will help you implement successful change and bypass change resistance by co-creating change. The book will do that through examples of how innovative practices can dramatically improve the success of change programs. These practices combine ideas from the Agile, Lean Startup, change management, organizational development and psychology communities. This book will change how you think about change Click here to purchase on Amazon.[/callout] [reminder]What do you do when you don’t know what to do? Please share your ideas below.[/reminder] Want to hear another podcast about the life of an agile coach? — Listen to my conversation with Zach Bonaker, Diane Zajac-Woodie, and Amitai Schlair on episode 39. We discuss growing an agile practice and how coaches help create the environments where agile ideas can flourish. One tiny favor.  — Please take 30 seconds now and leave a review on iTunes. This helps others learn about the show and grows our audience. It will help the show tremendously, including my ability to bring on more great guests for all of us to learn from. Thanks! This podcast is brought to you by Agile Dev East. Techwell’s Agile Dev East is *the* premier event that covers the latest advances in the agile community. Agile for Humans listeners can use the code AFH16 to receive $200 off their conference registration fee. Check out the entire program at adceast.techwell.com. You’ll notice that I’m speaking there this year. Attendees will have a chance to see my Business of Agile presentation, along with my half day session on advanced scrum topics called Scrum: Answering the Tough Questions. I hope to see many Agile for Humans listeners in Orlando, Florida – November 13th – 18th for this great event. The post AFH 047: Agile Introspection with Jeremy Willets [PODCAST] appeared first on Ryan Ripley.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CanadianImmigrationPodcast.com CIP S1 E21: Podcast Show Notes – Dani Willets- Study Permits Dani was with the Department of Citizenship and Immigration for 25 years. She was originally hired as an Immigration Officer, but in the 10 years prior to retiring from the department was primarily an immigration supervisor. She has extensive experience in every inland immigration program and several overseas programs. In this episode of the Canadian immigration podcast we discussed Study Permits and some common areas of problem. If you are an individual or representative the unique perspective that Dani offers is extremely useful. Some of the specific areas covered include: Common Problem Areas Proof of Financial Support Assessing Bona Fides Red Flag Areas Interviews In order to help you jump to the areas of most interest to you, I have included below some timestamps for some of the significant topic covered in this episode. 2:59 - Who is Dani Willets? 11:29 - Basic Statstics 15:40 – Common Problem Areas 20:21 – Proof of Financial Support 22:52 – Assessing Bona Fides 23:31 – Red Flags and Refusals 31:30 – Why questions are asked? 32:45 – Reasons why having a professional helps 39:45 -- Credibility and Fraud 45:30 - How to locate Dani Willets –tdwimmigration@gmail.com

CanadianImmigrationPodcast.com CIP S1 E21: Podcast Show Notes – Dani Willets- Study Permits  Dani was with the Department of Citizenship and Immigration for 25 years. She was originally hired as an Immigration Officer, but in the 10 years prior to retiring from the department was primarily an immigration supervisor. She has extensive experience in every inland immigration program and several overseas programs. In this episode of the Canadian immigration podcast we discussed Study Permits and some common areas of problem. If you are an individual or representative the unique perspective that Dani offers is extremely useful. Some of the specific areas covered include: Common Problem Areas Proof of Financial Support Assessing Bona Fides Red Flag Areas Interviews In order to help you jump to the areas of most interest to you, I have included below some timestamps for some of the significant topic covered in this episode. 2:59  - Who is Dani Willets? 11:29 - Basic Statstics  15:40 – Common Problem Areas 20:21 – Proof of Financial Support 22:52 – Assessing Bona Fides 23:31 – Red Flags and Refusals 31:30 – Why questions are asked?  32:45 – Reasons why having a professional helps 39:45 -- Credibility and Fraud  45:30 - How to locate Dani Willets –tdwimmigration@gmail.com 

Host Lisa Kiefer interviews John Kuhry from Economic Development & Financing Corp. on how to connect money and ideas with entrepreneurs to create sustainable prosperity by providing gap financing and acting as lender-of-last-resort for small businesses.TRANSCRIPTSpeaker 1:Method to the madness is next. Speaker 2:We're listening to method to the madness of biweekly public affairs show fun, k a l x Berkeley Celebrating Bay area innovators. I'm your host, Lisa Keifer. And today we're talking with John Kuri, the executive director of the economic development and financing corporation, [00:00:30] also known as e d f c Speaker 3:[inaudible]. Speaker 4:Welcome to the program, John. Hi, you're the executive director of economic development and financing corporation. What is that and what is the problem you're trying to solve? Okay, so we are a nonprofit five oh one c three economic development corporation. And we are also [00:01:00] certified as a community development financial institution. And what we do is we provide financing to people that can't get money, act as a lender of last resort, primarily to businesses. And we do economic development, which is basically diversifying the economy. And where are you located? Oh, we're located in Mendocino county. We do business in [inaudible], Mendocino Lake counties. We focused on rural economic development. How did this get started? Uh, in 1994 partners in the, in our community of Mendocino, um, the four city and the county [00:01:30] itself looked at how can we better utilize our resources to try and diversify our economy. Speaker 4:So they formed this organization and we were supported by the county and each of the four incorporated cities. And from there we went out and were able to get funding and uh, apply for loans from the USDA. And what we are is an intermediary re lending partner, which is, we borrowed the money from the USDA and then we lend it out to two projects that have economic development. The biggest issue, especially in rural communities [00:02:00] is the lack of population density and just the lack of economic activity really, there needs to be support for businesses that are trying to bring income into the economy. And so this was noted in the 90s when things were kind of going well, right? Our economy supposedly, and one of the big projects that came out was the city of Ukiah. It was looking to do a infrastructure development of a bridge. Speaker 4:And we're tapped out in the terms of resources. So ESC is a nonprofit, was able to work with the economic development administration to [00:02:30] bring in funds through our nonprofit status to help build a bridge that was important for development in the community. From there, you know, we were pretty much just doing financing because redevelopment agencies existed and then about six or seven years ago, redevelopment dissolve. And so all the communities in California are looking at ways to address the funding issue. So what's going on with funding and where are the banks right now? The big thing that's happening, at least in lake and Mendocino counties, is we're forming an economic development district for communities to receive [00:03:00] funding, especially from the economic development industry. [inaudible] they need comprehensive economic development strategies put together and if counties or our communities can come together and do it, an economic development district, the uh, matching requirements, cause usually grant funding is required to match one for one. Speaker 4:A, it reduces significantly when there's, when there's an economic development district. So this is one way that the economic development administration is trying to address the issue. Um, we, we try to approach something a little bit differently. Up where we're at. We worked with cutting edge capital to do a direct public offering [00:03:30] to address a problem for nonprofits like ourselves who are eligible for grant funding but have difficulty coming up with matching funds. We received a grant from the EDA to study small scale meat processing and our award was cut down because we didn't have the matching funds. The other undercurrent that we were addressing was that the desire for local investors to move their money off of Wall Street into their community. So we work with cutting edge capital to create a direct public offering. I believe the first of its kind, which is a economic development [00:04:00] corporation allowing non-accredited investors to invest in their community. Speaker 4:How does this work? What is the process? You know, first thing we would say is we work in conjunction with our banking partners because banking will offer a overall low lower interest rates. But in the case of where you aren't eligible for financing or you don't get enough financing, that interest rate will be higher or you may not even get it at all. So you come to us. But there are instances where we found that there was a community benefit. We were looking at small scale meat processing. That project which we received grants funding for culminated with a peace ability [00:04:30] study and a business plan. And the next step is to build out. But there were three pieces missing. One was finding an operator, second was finding a piece of land and third was financing. So we, we think we've found the operator and found the land. Speaker 4:And so we looked at a direct public offering but the project was not ready to move forward. So we decided to, to address, um, this community benefit need by creating a social benefit revolving loan fund, which local investors can invest in. And Luckily a project came forward, which was a wool mill and that wool mill had social benefit enough [00:05:00] to where we said, okay, we what gave it social benefit. Oh, that had been there a long time ago. The wool mill was a startup and it was a young family. That principal, Matt Gilbert was a sheep shear and he actually is a forester by trade but been sheep shearing. It really got uh, impassioned with wool mill and there's a burgeoning local fiber movement in the bay area. That's amazing. If I ever shut up Marin created a locally sourced jeans can be a CSA Jean blue jeans. Speaker 4:Yeah, cotton cotton that was grown in the KP valley indigo that was got done in the KP valley. Unfortunately the milling, it had to be done [00:05:30] out in the east coast and there's a, again, a local, you know, wool movement in this happening and there's no fine spun fiber. So Matt came up with a business plan, but given the startup nature of it, the tech intensive capital needs and just his lack of capital was not turned. It was turned down by a bank. And we've, we thought this is a great resource. Wool was an important industry in Mendocino back in the day, but subsequently died out. A lot of people have animals on their property to comply with William Snack, which has tax status. And so they're shearing the sheep [00:06:00] and it's a cost center for them. Whereas Makin to aggregate this stuff that's normally taken to the dump or sold off for pennies on the dollar and turn into a value added product. Speaker 4:By definition, what we do is we do social benefit, we create jobs and jobs, create wealth in our community. Our mission statement is connecting money and ideas with entrepreneurs to create sustainable prosperity in lake and Mendocino counties. So by definition we have a mission, but we've expanded that mission to incorporate the social benefit, which in Matt's case would be adding value to a resource, which unfortunately in our community, a lot of our resources are extracted [00:06:30] and then the value that is added elsewhere. And so the people who were producing those resources aren't able to get to have a sustainable lifestyle. What other kinds of things besides like will extraction that you are looking at? Um, you know, again, we were, we're an agricultural community, um, and you've look go north of San Francisco. A lot of prime agricultural real estate has been turned over to grape growing, but Mendocino county and parts of northern Sonoma County, we built San Francisco with our redwood product. Speaker 4:Unfortunately, the redwood market has changed and and the need [00:07:00] for redwood and just the, the extractive nature of that business. We don't like to say extraction our community more because that means that we're not renewing. But with the wool you already renewing projects that we'd like to see come back would be, you know, how do we create more sustainable fisheries? Farming is is important and we up in where our area consider farming a social entrepreneurship type of endeavor because Mincey has a very large county, but when you actually look at how much row crops are being grown, there's probably less than a hundred acres that have grown crops that are being grown commercially. [00:07:30] And that's just a function of the other competitive resources which are being grown, which are grapes, timber, and of course our illegal economy. Cannabis. How much money do you want to ultimately be in this fund? Speaker 4:Or have you already reached that goal? We, yeah, we reached that goal. I mean really this was a kind of a Beta test. You know, we chose a local impact investing because we were, we wanted to try and be as conservative as possible and when we batch or in the community social benefits, it would mean that we could offset that with a lower financial return, which would then [00:08:00] build in some sustainability of the project. We had a minimum raise of $250,000 we needed to reach and we were had a maximum of a million. And that idea was maybe we would have the meat processing plant come online and we didn't have a project designated for this. In the process of doing this direct public offering to say to someone, would you invest in economic development? It's a little esoteric, but do you want to invest in a wool mill? Speaker 4:Was a much more tangible kind of ask. So we, the board of directors approved [00:08:30] the wool mill for a loan and so we were then we were able to use the [inaudible] mill as our flagship project to be a fundraise for. So we reached out to our minimum of 250,000 in January and in February we raised 350,000 which was the exact amount that's needed upon the wool mill. Isn't the goal to have a lot of money, so it's not just one, uh, you know, we'll mail, but many different companies could come to you and say, many local entrepreneurs could come and say, oh, I want to start this restaurant or I want to, isn't [00:09:00] that the goal of it or is it project by project? The intention of course is to have a larger fund, but given the time constraints and limited capacity that we had and also the brand recognition of the wasn't there. Speaker 4:A lot of people said, I want this to go to the wool mill. Given the time frame of when we had to fundraise, the wool mill was the only project. But now we've got credibility and if we're able to, you know, successfully pay back all the investors, then we can go back to a larger question of how do we fund projects to revitalize, you know, uh, manufacturing [00:09:30] and in Mendocino county, how do we revitalize the know your harbor? Okay, well how do we fund social entrepreneurs which need a lower interest rate and need more patient capital? So we created a fund to deploy it. But one of the things, as a community development financial institution, we are able to access grants and portfolio insurance programs. So if you were to go invest the wool mill, you're, you're, you're risking your investment and you're basing it on the intrinsic value of the project. Speaker 4:By us taking in that investment, we are then able to insure that loan and be able to service that loan or an intermediary. Exactly, [00:10:00] exactly. And we're nonprofit intermediaries, so a lot of intermediaries, when you look in the financial world, take a a return based on, you know, paying CEOs and things like that. What is EDF? See what EDF sees fulfilling its mission. I've got, you know, we're a nonprofit. For us, what we're doing is we're building sustainability to our mission. We're also fulfilling our mission in creating new markets for our community to be able to, to bring entrepreneurs in. So we look at it as a multi-tiered facet. So you're, if you're an existing business that needs, or a startup business that needs capital, there's a loan fund, but [00:10:30] there are projects such as the meat processing facility, which doesn't have an entrepreneur yet. Speaker 4:We're able to leverage grant funding because of our nonprofit status to be able to then develop those markets. And how will you do that? We also do direct public offerings or what is your plan for that? Well, the meat processing, ideally, you know, EFC does not want to be in the business of running other businesses. But what we are willing to do is kind of shepherd them and incubate them to the next level. So when we explored the meat processing facility, we wanted it to be owned by producers. But the producers that exist right now, the, [00:11:00] the mainstream producers are pretty satisfied with their existing contracts. And it'd be hard for them to move away. And so it's also a very controversial subject in our community. We had a lot of people who were back to landers. We have a Buddhist monastery and Buddhist school up there, so it's been tough to figure out whether this project can move forward. Speaker 4:But that being said, the producers that haven't been really wanting to take on this project, even though I've had talked to several prominent wine producers who have this problem breaking the Napa cache [00:11:30] like we made, we produced some of the best wines and grape juice in Mendocino county and a lot of it goes into Napa valley wines, but there's a good understanding that we could become the Napa Valley of grass fed organic beef and some of the proofs that we have are making that kind of impact. So the idea of value added processing is important. That being said, nobody really wants to take the risk. This is a risky endeavor. The returns don't justify venture capital. So in that question of how do finance this ETFs, he said, well, let's create a direct public offering model to lipper local investment. Then what we [00:12:00] would do is maybe start it, there's a, there's an economic development corporation, Taos who operates a meat processing facility. Speaker 4:And we would do it to start it off and then spin it off as a worker owned cooperative. But because we don't want to be in the business of running business or cu it sounds like, yeah, you're helping businesses stay in the community. And our other big project we're doing is we're doing a coworking facility and that's really brought up from a project we took on, which was broadband. You know, when we talk about rural communities, we are, you know, we're very behind the um, in the, in terms [00:12:30] of creating 21st century infrastructure for these information based economy. I feel like that in Berkeley, when I lived in Berkeley, I was really happy with my internet. I ran a brewery up in Mendocino on a satellite internet and that was really tough. So we came together with the community foundation and started talking about it and created the broadband alliance for Mendocino County. Speaker 4:And through that process we become really vocal and, and have gone to the congress and talked about the issues of the incumbents taking away copper and the importance for nine one one emergency services. [00:13:00] So we've become this very much a, a figurehead for this, this rural community. Cause when you look at the northern California rural communities where less than 5% of the population of California, so that's the margin of error for a lot of companies. Unless you make a lot of noise, they're not gonna be interested. Now that Mendocino is partnered with Sonoma and Marin, we've, we've created so much noise now that ATNT starting to take, take voice, but you really a region, right? You know, it's unreasonable if you're living up in a rural community that you have of highway up to your house. I also think that it's unreasonable that you're going to have fiber out in the middle of [00:13:30] nowhere. Speaker 4:But that being said, the real issue is how do you address our urban cores or our incorporated cities? How do you get the faster Internet and how do you address really the socioeconomic, digital divide of a cheaper access to people there? So those are some issues that we want to bring up. And this coworking facility that we're developing, we have a very, very large land area with a very large small population and we have some very, very creative people, you know, from battery pipe, which is a manufacturer of OEM exhaust systems for, you know, [00:14:00] motorcycles and ATVs and things like that. Operating on a, on a, on a global competitive scale in Mendocino county that started out from a local boy, two um, little startup c corporations. There's one up there, Peter Pucker, which is the main equipment for mixing ceramics and the primary equipment for Plato. Speaker 4:These types of entrepreneurs are scattered around and sort of bring people together, which into a hub, to a hub and be able to network will help create a, a culture of entrepreneurship because we, and then you can also [00:14:30] get economies of scale on when it is they need, whether it's accounting, back office, deffer Internet, right? Yeah. And you know, the, the, the coworking movement has been phenomenal in the bay area and we are, you know, it takes someone like UTFC, which is a nonprofit and has access to partnerships and things like that to offset the costs. But we really believe that the next major employer industry in our community going to be homegrown. It's not going to be attracting a, you know, Mason [inaudible], which was, uh, the biggest industry when the biggest companies in Ukiah for a long time moved away [00:15:00] for environmental and cost issues. Speaker 4:But we're not gonna attract another company like that or another Nike. And really what we are, what we're looking for is lifestyle businesses. I was in the bay area for 10 years and I'm up there for a much quieter lifestyle and it's artists and all things are, are very popular everywhere. Do you see this kind of thing happening elsewhere in the u s oh yeah. I mean, there are other EDF c type organizations, especially in rural communities. I mean, it's funny when you look at funding, um, criteria for grant [00:15:30] funding, there's two top of the list. One would be low income and the other one would be rural. So there are organizations that operate in, in Los Angeles, county of San Francisco County that are acts have access to funds and the rural communities are habit, but we don't have the population base. And so the impact is a little bit different. Speaker 4:But that being said, economic development corporations are all around the state, all around the country. And then the community development financial institutions really CDFIs are really unique. They're a designation by the Department of Treasury and banking and insurance [00:16:00] companies have to comply with community reinvestment act dollars. And so they fund the CDFI Fund, which then gives out money. But we, I could go to a bank right now and get money and be able to deploy it into a low income and rural projects. As a matter of fact, that direct public offering we did, it was probably the hardest money that I could've gotten to $350,000 well, you know, we raised for the direct public offering. Why is that a, because he had to go out, I mean, I was on a road asking, your average investment was $4,000 the number of people we had [00:16:30] was 80 when I could have gone to a bank and said, okay, I'll offer you the same terms, but the value back to the community, it binds the community. Speaker 4:Right, right. And also it was, it was important to to, I mean I think when we look at, you know, wealth inequality, it's really based on people having ownership of assets. And so this is a way that non-accredited investors can not only have ownership of assets but have it locally. And the conversation we have is, Berkeley's a good place for this. Where you talk about localization by local, where 45 cents of every dollar spent locally stays locally, whereas 15 cents of [00:17:00] a non local business stays locally. Well, if you look at that in a bigger scale, a scheme, if you go out and you buy apple stock, you're getting your dividend and apple. But if you put that same amount of money in, you know, Berkeley Bowl, you're not only getting that dollar back in div terms of dividends, but you're also getting that community benefit of those dollars circulating in the community. Speaker 4:So as you make it a little lower percentage, right. In this case, in this case we did, but you get a, an intangible return in the community because if you like a business, you want to stay. Yeah. The [00:17:30] other thing is that this is a prototype. So when we look at rolling out a, a more general economic development fund, we'll be able to offer a risk adjusted return. What does that mean? The reason why the Mendocino Wall project couldn't get funded was that it was a startup. The lack of experience from the, um, from Matt. He's young. Yeah. He's young. You know, he was for sure by trade. So the risk was there at that, you know, if you talk about venture capitalists, they, they, one of the reasons why they justify a high stake, either equity or rate of return is that [00:18:00] these things are inherently risky. Speaker 4:So when you look at the 2% return we asked for investors isn't quite risk adjusted. Then again, we are a nonprofit. And so because because of that and because we're a CFI, we're able to ensure this. So we mitigate a lot of that risk. But that being said, if it did, people would have been much more apt to invest that they were being offered a five, six, 7% rate of return, which would be more reflective of the risks that they're taking. So did you feel, um, is it something that you would recommend to others after going through this process of getting all of these investors locally? It was [00:18:30] CR. It was a great experience. I think that you're actually meeting face to face and with your invest. It was meme and sometimes I had to meet with them three times, you know? Well that's what the big, um, you know, IPO is they have to go around and do their dog and pony show too, right? Speaker 4:Eh, you know, but when they're getting checks of 10 million, $100 million, I mean, relatively speaking, you still have to do that face to face. But that's, you know, if you look at the way our world is moving, we're moving from a way, we're moving to more of a transactional experience and people are missing [00:19:00] the relationship. And so one of the things I've been working on with, you know, on the side is with some high net worth investors talking about how do we create direct relationship driven investment. And this, this what we're, what I was doing was directly, I mean, I shook hands with everybody. Everyone talked to Matt. You know, the, one of the things that investors really wanted to have was this feeling of community. So we're having these investor meetings where we're having one coming up at a, a very nice retreat place up in Ukiah. Speaker 4:I mean, this is a very unique, unique thing for you bring in the wool makers and [00:19:30] they give a presentation and went to the product. Yeah. So, you know, I think as our world gets more and more online and it goes from warm faster, it's that relationship that people are craving. And especially when you're talking about $1,000, I mean, you know, Michael Shuman talks about moving 1% of your income and what the impact that would make in our local communities. For some people $1,000 was what they would write a check for a philanthropic endeavor. But here they're going to build some sustainability into it. And this whole world of social, a social impact investing is [00:20:00] just growing leaps and bounds. Having learned about it five or six years ago, the market is just exploding and people wanting it. It is interesting. I feel like it's this whole other parallel universe going on outside of this crazy other financial market. Speaker 4:Yeah. And in some ways it's more tangible. Even if you have your money in a large commercial mega bank, you know, you think is FDI seeing insured? And it is. But that bank's exposure to derivative instruments and things like that. Or even if you have it in a, in a, your money, in a, in a stock somewhere. But if you have your, your money at Joe's, [00:20:30] you know, fish market, you can go by there every day and you'll see whether he's got people coming in or he doesn't. Or if you are, you get to taste this product and you know, whether you know he's going to fail or not. Yeah. Cause you know, if you know this person, you have a different responsibility. What, what was really unique is not, you know, the money was definitely the focus. But what came out of this was some of the captains of industry in our community came together and said, we want to mentor this guy. Speaker 4:Oh that's, so you're talking about another added [00:21:00] effect of like, wow, this guy, you know, this guy really, you know, we believe in him and we're gonna, we're going to take time out of our busy schedules running our multimillion dollar corporations to give him some mindshare. Yeah. So it's really, it was really community, you know, community focused. I was talking to a bank of America guy who specialized in CDFIs and he explained to me that, uh, he'd been working in the CDI Department at Bank of America for 25, 30 years and that he loved it and still financing. And if he wasn't doing that, he'd be working in a CDFI because CDFIs are [00:21:30] the most innovative and creative places where community capitalism is being deployed. And I think this place where CFIs like us are coming in and being able to take on that risk intermediary is really interesting because when we went out to the community and you know, in the bigger conversation of, in the wake of 2008 people were moving their money out of big banks and their communities like Willis economic localization, which was a group of people who came together and said, how do we invest locally? Speaker 4:And when I went to those meetings, it was great cause you hear these people going, I wanted [00:22:00] us locally, but I don't want to take any risk. I don't want to find the deals. I don't want to vet the deals. I don't want to service the deals. And so that EFC as a [inaudible] is a economic development corporation. The CFI, we have the skill set, we have the tools, and then we had the risk mitigation things. So this, this is a technique now that there are a lot of CDFIs are looking at what we're doing. Yes, it's a great alternative to this donation based crowdfunding. I don't want a tee shirt. I want to invest in your company. Well until recently, you know, and that's not been able to be possible. The SCC rules have just [00:22:30] finally come down. I'll tell you what, I spent more money on Kickstarter. Speaker 4:But that idea of having a relationship with an investment where you can go and you can meet and see and that it's in your community. I think I've done both too. And I just, I liked the connection that's made in the community. And there's also a bigger conversation that I'm having with people like in Berkeley or in San Francisco, is that places like Mendocino are your source of food, energy and water. And there has to be mechanisms that allow wealth building in those communities [00:23:00] so that families can continue to supply food, energy, water in an equitable way. And this is a great mechanism. You can people here investing. So these projects like meaning not Mendocino but you know, Berkeley, San Francisco and they did, they actually did. So because of the mechanism of the direct public offering is as a state exemption, as long as you register within the state, but it's open to all everyone in California. Speaker 4:So we did our road show in Mendocino, but 30% of our investment came from the bay area. Well it makes sense like you say, I mean [00:23:30] that's where we get our right and dude. And the other side of it is that, you know, a $50,000 investment from someone in San Francisco is a lot different than a $50,000 investment in someone in Willets. And um, so that was one of our largest investments was a $50,000 investment. Do you find that, you know, getting a couple of those big ones makes the rest easier? No, I don't think the big investment was really it and it's a matter of fact, I, I would've preferred to get it all through small investors. But that being said, I'm not going to turn away money and it made things easier. But um, we were late. We had a year [00:24:00] to, to be able to fundraise and we were authorized in February of last year and so the state gives you one year. Speaker 4:Okay. And then you can file an extension. But W we decided not to. We really didn't kick off our marketing effort until late, like six months later. And part of it was I was able to get grants from our local bank savings bank of Mendocino mental, a credit union, PGE gave us a grant, community foundation gave us a grant to be able to create a marketing campaign and a video or video was phenomenal. Really well done. I highly recommend you go to see it. It's think still, how would listeners go see [00:24:30] this video and you know your website? Yeah. Go to go to ww. Dot. E D F C. Dot. Org and state video about it. It's just the wool mill. It's really well done and just the local investment opportunity. But that really kind of kicked off the initial investment. And then once we started getting momentum and people saw this was for real, we'd brought Michael Shuman up to the community twice and everybody loved what he had to say, but nobody really believed that anyone was going to make this happen. Speaker 4:And when they finally saw money [00:25:00] coming in and the amounts of money that was coming in, it created a snowball and it was just, it was amazing. Shit. Bode well for the future. What are some other things that you foresee or you're hoping to get done in the future? Well, you know, one of the things that you know, we look at is there's such a beautiful harbor and the [inaudible] harbor up in Mendocino county and there's other issues other than just financing. But you know, creating a, a community, revitalizing that fishing community and that timber community in Fort Bragg is so important. It's so isolated and it's so beautiful and such a great lifestyle. I also think that [00:25:30] if you look at what happened, as a lot of people went to back to land, they went up to those areas, Mendocino and Humboldt counties, and they bought land from timber companies that have been just raped and pillaged. Speaker 4:These things were devastated and they were able to eke out a living and now they're looking at, hey, maybe I want to become a commercial cannabis grower and become legitimate and compliant, but they've got issues with erosion and road control, which can cast them, you know, anywhere from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars and how do you get, how can they fund these things? So there needs to be a way, a mechanism to fund compliance [00:26:00] in this world. I'm not saying that we're ready to do that, but there is going to be a need to fund compliance in the future. In California, especially in rural areas, you couldn't probably get federal sources, but community capital could be raised to do that. And there's talk about trying, there's a bunch of people in the cannabis community we're talking about doing a direct public offering to create cooperative processing. Again, it's the issue of the people that make grow things don't make as much money as the people who distribute things. Speaker 4:And so you have to, in order to build equity in our community is to add value to it. All these regional [00:26:30] hubs are going to become more and more important. It's a redundant system. Yeah. And if you look at ancient Greece, right? Ancient Greece was not countries, they were nation, they're city states. And it's that aggregation, that economic activity that allowed them to weather the d vacation events that happened when I ran the Inner Sun Valley Brewing Company, which was a regional brewery when in a time it was in the top 50 craft breweries. Um, in terms of size and probably in the top two or three in terms of quality, but our core markets were San Francisco, Santa Rosa and Sacramento. [00:27:00] And even though we distributed out to Paris, China and Brazil and Sweden, if we lost market share in those areas, it was very concerning because those are your core markets. Speaker 4:And there is an intrinsic relationship between, especially Mendocino, Lake County, Sonoma county as to the bay area, being tied in acres, the bay area in building those relationships was really important. I want to talk a little bit about you. You've said that you grew up in Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz. You were in that brewery industry. What drew you to this CDFC work? I would say I [00:27:30] grew up in Santa Cruz. I actually was born in Vietnam and spent some time in Saudi Arabia. My Dad was a civil engineer, but for the most part, most of my child who was grown, you know from high school on our junior high on was in Santa Cruz. So I never thought I'd leave, but then realized going back to Vietnam, I had an opportunity to get an education, so I got into school, got out really quickly with a master's in economics and finance and realized I didn't really want to be in a bank. Speaker 4:Got Involved in Thai tech and so on and so forth and started some companies and then this opportunity to run the Anderson Valley [00:28:00] brewing company came up. When you go to a party, running a brewery was always, you know, popular. Yeah. You know, but I, I didn't, there were things in terms of things I didn't like about the business. One thing is I don't really drink that much. I don't enjoy drinking that much. And so that led to a clash. But at that time, being a very large employer in a very small area, I was asked to be on a lot of boards. And so being coming onto the economic development, financial risk and board of directors, which is 21 board members, uh, which includes two county supervisors, a city counselor from each of the four cities and then major employers [00:28:30] and things like that. I really liked the work. Speaker 4:We funded a brewery up in Lake County and my brewing experience came into that. And, or going into the wool mill or going to talk to another restaurant tour, the community really opened up. And so I love the myriad of things I get to do and the questions, it's just you're really connected in a network and I really love what I do. And just the, the community impact of it. If somebody wants to get ahold of you and ask questions, yeah, they can either email me, uh, John j o h n at EDF C. Dot Org Echo David, [00:29:00] frank, Charlie, um, they can call me, um, (707) 684-4084. You know, and I'm actually presenting, I'm going up to Comcast up in, uh, in poor ladies, Comcast, it's community capital conference about people creating ways to fund, uh, socially beneficial organizations or small businesses. One of the speakers and, uh, Amy Pearl up there has done some amazing things in community capital legislation to allow crowdfunding of community benefit organizations. Speaker 4:Yeah, I, I just loved the idea. I mean [00:29:30] I'm maybe growing up in Santa Cruz, but having that kind of social responsibility and I think that income inequality is solved through people taking ownership of assets and instead of redistribution, it's just basically able to be onerous of cooperatives or businesses. And being able to leverage that money. My next big passion is to create a mechanism for non-accredited people to put tax deferred investment away. Ultimately, like the litmus test for my job is healthy, happy kids. If families can live in [00:30:00] my community and are able to keep their kids here to have happy kids under themselves, then I've done my job. John, that's a nice way to end it. Thanks for being on the program. Oh, thank you very much. It's been pleasure. That was John Curry, the executive director of Ed FC Economic Development and financing corporation. This has been method to the madness. We'll be back again in two weeks. Speaker 3:Him. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week I have an interview with Frank Willets of Pere Marquette River Lodge on Michigan steelhead fishing.  Frank grew up fishing in Michigan and knows the ins and outs of Great Lakes steelheading intimately.  I know you’ll pick up some tips and this one is sure to be controversial because on the PM they use the chuck & duck method quite often and make no bones about it (they also swing flies in the traditional manner).  We’ll also answer questions on why you seldom see hatches, how to play steelhead, pre-treatments for dry flies, “must fish” rivers for swinging flies, two-handed rods for the Florida surf, streamers in low water, what part of a deer hide to save, and other bizarre questions only a fly fisher could love.

In this interview, the Tories under close scrutiny by some of the country's foremost experts. This podcast marks the recent inaugural conference of the Centre for British Politics. You'll hear from Peter Riddell of The Times, David Willetts MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills and Centre Director Professor Steven Fielding.