Business Over Beer Untapped

What happens when you mix Midwest humor, viral videos, and a heart that’s all Wisconsin? You get @meg_voss — better known as Midwest Meg. 💛

In this episode of the Business Over Beer – Midwest Edition, Ben sits down with Meg to talk about how one simple video about “blinkers” (yep, a true Wisconsin term!) sparked thousands of followers and opened the door to a community built on laughter, authenticity, and real talk. From going viral to getting vulnerable, Meg shares her journey of embracing the ups and downs of social media, staying true to herself, and using her platform to talk openly about mental health and life in the Midwest. 🍻

Grab your favorite brew and settle in for a conversation that’s equal parts funny, honest, and pure Wisconsin energy.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube!

🌐 www.bizoverbeer.com

🍺 @ben_surratt

💬 Guest: @meg_voss

🎙️ Business Over Beer – Halloween Special: The Paranormal Side of Storytelling (feat. Jim Harold)

This Halloween, the Business Over Beer Podcast goes beyond the veil. 👻

Ben sits down with Jim Harold, host of Jim Harold’s Campfire and The Paranormal Podcast, to explore the mystery, meaning, and magic behind storytelling. From spine-tingling tales of the unexplained to the real-world lessons of building a loyal audience, Jim shares how curiosity, faith, and consistency built one of the most trusted brands in podcasting.

They dive into:

💀 Why people are drawn to ghost stories and what they reveal about us

🎙️ The business of podcasting and storytelling in a changing world

🍺 How community, belief, and connection transcend the paranormal

Grab a beer (and maybe a nightlight) — this episode will have you thinking, laughing, and maybe even looking over your shoulder.

🎧 Listen now on all major podcast platforms!

🌐 www.bizoverbeer.com

🔗 linktr.ee/Bizoverbeerpodcast

Follow & Connect:

🩵 X: @bizoverbeer

📸 Instagram: @bizoverbeerpodcast

🎵 TikTok: @bizoverbeer

👤 Follow Ben: @ben_surratt

🌱 Follow Passages to Success: @passagestosuccess

• Website (main): jimharold.com (jimharold.com)
• Podcasts landing (free shows): jimharold.com/jims-podcasts/ (jimharold.com)
• Instagram: @thejimharold (instagram.com)
• YouTube channel: youtube.com/jimharold (youtube.com)
• Plus Membership page (premium/back catalog): jimharoldplus.com (jimharoldplus.com)
• His flagship podcast “The Paranormal Podcast”: jimharold.com/show/the-paranormal-podcast/ (jimharold.com)

#BusinessOverBeer #MidwestEdition #JimHarold #HalloweenSpecial #ParanormalPodcast #GhostStories #PodcastCommunity #StorytellingMatters #SmallBusinessStories #MidwestPodcasters #BizOverBeerPodcast #BOBPodcast #PassagesToSuccess #CraftBeerCulture #EntrepreneurStories #BelieveInBetter

What happens when a passion for horror, community, and entrepreneurship collide? In this Business Over Beer Midwest Series episode, Ben sits down with Tanner from the Sheboygan Haunted Asylum — one of Wisconsin’s most talked-about haunted attractions. From the early days of transforming an abandoned asylum into a full-scale business, to the challenges of running a seasonal operation that relies on creativity, trust, and local support, Tanner shares how he’s turned fear into opportunity. This isn’t just about ghosts and jump scares — it’s about vision, grit, and building something that truly brings a community together. 💀🏚️🍺

So grab a cold one and get ready for a conversation where business gets scary. Tanner and Ben dive deep into what it takes to lead a team, engage an audience, and keep the doors open when your business depends on chills, thrills, and connection. Whether you’re a small-business owner, a lover of haunted history, or just here for the spooky stories, this episode will leave you inspired (and maybe a little on edge). 👻🎧

🔗 Listen & Watch: www.bizoverbeer.com

X: @bizoverbeer

Instagram: @bizoverbeerpodcast

Follow Ben: @ben_surratt

Follow Passages to Success: @passagestosuccess

#BusinessOverBeer #BOBMidwestSeries #HauntedAsylum #SheboyganHauntedAsylum #HauntedWisconsin #SpookyBusiness #SmallBusinessStories #HauntedEntrepreneur #WisconsinBeerCulture #SupportLocalBusiness #WisconsinMade #CommunityOverCompetition #GhostStoriesAndBeer #EerieEntrepreneurs #BusinessGetsScary #OctoberVibes

In this episode of Business Over Beer, Ben sits down with April Salsbury, founder and CEO of Salsbury & Company, a small business consulting firm based in Vancouver, WA that helps businesses with HR, bookkeeping, payroll, and medical billing — especially in the integrative healthcare space.

Over a non-alcoholic beer and a cup of chamomile tea ☕🍺, Ben and April dive into what it takes to grow and sustain a small business in today’s ever-changing economy.

From leaving her corporate CEO role to starting her own consulting business, April shares how she took a calculated leap of faith, hired her first employee, and built a team that serves small businesses with practical tools, real data, and a no-nonsense approach.

They discuss:

• Common financial mistakes small business owners make 💸
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• The difference between consulting and coaching
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• Why AI is transforming small business operations 🤖
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• The importance of aligning company culture with client expectations
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• How approachable leadership can shape a thriving workplace
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• And why planning for your exit strategy from day one matters
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April’s insight is straight talk for business owners ready to face their fears, value their time, and plan their success with intention.

🎧 Tune in for real talk, honest lessons, and a fresh look at what it means to build and lead a small business with confidence and care.

👉 Follow April at salsburyandco.com

👉 Follow Business Over Beer:

X: @bizoverbeer | Instagram: @bizoverbeerpodcast | TikTok: @bizoverbeer

Follow Ben: @ben_surratt on Instagram

Follow Passages to Success: @passagestosuccess

🌐 www.bizoverbeer.com

In this episode of Business Over Beer, host Ben Surratt sits down in the newly upgraded Oostburg Studios with longtime friends Dana and Mike Haucke, owners of Haucke Plumbing & Heating and proud members of the Plymouth community.

This conversation goes beyond pipes and furnaces — it’s about life as a married couple running a family-owned business, the lessons they’ve learned from years of ownership, and how they manage to stay positive in a world full of negativity. From balancing marriage and business to giving back to their community, Dana and Mike share their heart, their humor, and their outlook on what it means to truly build a life together.

🍻 Tune in for laughs, positivity, and a real reminder that business, marriage, and community are all about building connections that last.

📲 Connect with Haucke Plumbing & Heating:

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• Website: hauckeplumbing.com

On this episode of Business Over Beer Untapped, I catch up with longtime friend and fellow Passages to Success member, Todd Brefeld, a mortgage industry veteran with over 25 years of experience.

Todd’s journey has taken him from Chicago to Hawaii, Japan, and finally the Pacific Northwest, but one thing has stayed consistent: his commitment to building authentic relationships. In this episode, Todd shares how personal connections—not algorithms—continue to drive his business forward, even in a challenging mortgage market.

We dive into:

• Todd’s unique career path and his time living abroad
• The entrepreneurial mindset required in the mortgage world
• His strategy of making 20 calls a day to build and maintain relationships
• Mortgage market insights: why now could still be a great time to buy
• How buyers can leverage seller concessions and rate buy-downs
• Why balancing social media with in-person networking matters more than ever

Whether you’re in real estate, lending, or just running your own business, Todd’s insights on consistency, authenticity, and strategic thinking will resonate.

🎧 Grab your favorite beer and join us for this conversation all about connection, business, and finding success the relationship-first way.

💻 Connect with Todd Brefeld:

Website: www.financingbytodd.com

Instagram: @toddbrefeld.lender

Facebook: Todd Brefeld-Mortgage Lender

🔗 Stay Connected with Business Over Beer:

X: @bizoverbeer

Instagram: @bizoverbeerpodcast

TikTok: @bizoverbeer

Website: www.bizoverbeer.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Bizoverbeerpodcast

Follow Ben: @ben_surratt on Instagram

Follow Passages to Success: @passagestosuccess

I'm back at Copper State Brewing in Green Bay, WI for a reunion episode with Owners, Jon and Missy Martens, who first joined the BOB Pod back in 2020. A lot has changed—and they’ve grown through it all.

From hiring struggles and family-run kitchen shifts to evolving as leaders and finding their place in the community, this conversation is rich with honesty, laughs, and serious entrepreneurial insight.

💡 Whether you’re a beer lover, a small biz owner, or someone who’s ever wondered what it takes to keep a dream alive during tough times—this one’s for you.

🎧 Prost and press play!

👇 Connect with us:

🔗 www.bizoverbeer.com

📲 Linktree: linktr.ee/Bizoverbeerpodcast

📩 Contact: [email protected]

Follow us!

X: @bizoverbeer

IG: @bizoverbeerpodcast

TikTok: @bizoverbeer

Ben: @ben_surratt

Passages to Success: @passagestosuccess

#BusinessOverBeer #CraftBeerPodcast #WisconsinBeer #CopperStateBrewing #GreenBayWI #Entrepreneurship #MidwestCraftBeer #SmallBusinessLife #BeerAndBusiness #SupportLocalBreweries #BreweryStory #PodcastDrop #LeadershipJourney #FamilyBusiness #Prost🍻

On this episode of Business Over Beer, I sit down with Yvonne Murray — the voice (and lens) behind the popular Milwaukee Beer Blog 🍻. What started as a fun way to share her beer pics turned into something much bigger: an influential voice in Milwaukee’s craft beer scene.

Yvonne opens up about how she built her following organically while juggling grad school, a career in nursing, and life with her husband and their very social dog, Woody 🐶. We talk about:

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• The moment she realized beer blogging could be something more
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• Her favorite styles (spoiler: blond ales and West Coast IPAs)
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• Why brewery atmosphere matters just as much as the beer
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• The surprising impact of a thoughtful Instagram post
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• And what she hopes is next for the beer community in Milwaukee and beyond
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Plus, we dive into the importance of supporting small breweries, why social media content isn’t as effortless as it looks, and how the Midwest's blue-collar roots are baked into its beer culture.

This episode is for the beer lovers, content creators, and anyone who believes that building community can start with something as simple as sharing a pint.

🎙️ Listen now: www.bizoverbeer.com

🔗 Linktree: linktr.ee/BizOverBeerPodcast

📲 Follow us:

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• IG: @bizoverbeerpodcast
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• 
  
• TikTok: @bizoverbeer
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• 
  
• X: @bizoverbeer
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• Follow Ben: @ben_surratt
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• Follow Yvonne: @milwaukeebeer.blog
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📬 Questions or collab inquiries?

Email Ben at [email protected]

#BusinessOverBeer #MilwaukeeBeerBlog #CraftBeerCulture #BeerInfluencer #SupportLocalBreweries #WisconsinBeer #BeerBloggers #WomenInBeer #DrinkLocal #MKEBeerScene #PodcastEpisode #MidwestVibes #CommunityOverCompetition #BeerDogApproved #BreweryVibes

After a few months of trying to line up schedules, I finally got to sit down with Jared, the creator of Wisco Dive Bars — and it was absolutely worth the wait.

In this episode of Business Over Beer: Midwest Edition, we dive into Jared’s journey building Wisco Dive Bars, a passion project that shines a spotlight on the character, culture, and charm of Wisconsin’s legendary dive bar scene. From the spark of inspiration to navigating sponsorships, community impact, and the challenge of balancing a full-time job with a growing brand — Jared keeps it real, honest, and deeply authentic.

We talk about:

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• The origin and mission behind Wisco Dive Bars
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• What makes a dive bar a true dive
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• His connection to small business and local community
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• How Wisconsin culture fuels everything he creates
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• The hustle of building a brand on the side
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• And where he hopes to take it next
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This conversation is full of laughs, reflection, and genuine admiration for the bars and people that make Wisconsin what it is.

🔗 Website & Links

Listen now: www.bizoverbeer.com

All platforms & socials: linktr.ee/bizoverbeerpodcast

📣 Follow Business Over Beer

Instagram: @bizoverbeerpodcast

Facebook: Business Over Beer

TikTok: @bizoverbeer

Email: [email protected]

📣 Follow Wisco Dive Bars

Instagram: @wiscodivebars

More: linktr.ee/wiscodivebars

#WiscoDiveBars #BusinessOverBeer #WisconsinPodcast #CraftBeerCulture #MidwestPubs #SupportLocalBars #DiveBarWisconsin #BarstoolStories #EntrepreneurLife #BeerWithAStory #BizOverBeer #PouringInTheHeartland 🍻

In this special hometown(ish) episode, Ben sits down with the passionate team behind Yard 65, Kiel’s new brewery and events space that’s already turning heads in the Wisconsin craft beer scene.

Although Ben didn’t grow up in Kiel, it’s the town where he graduated high school — and one that still holds a special place in his heart. So coming back to sit down with Corey, Jason, and Jenny, the trio behind Yard 65, was more than just another interview… it was a full-circle moment.

We talk about:

🍺 The inspiration behind Yard 65

🏛️ Reviving the historic AA Laun building

🔥 The challenges of launching a brewery from scratch

🎉 Creating a space that’s more than just beer — it’s community

💡 Dreams, laughs, and some seriously tasty pours

This is a story about vision, hustle, and hometown pride — the kind that defines what Business Over Beer is all about.

Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts | www.bizoverbeer.com

🔗 All Links: linktr.ee/Bizoverbeerpodcast

📸 Instagram: @yard65kiel

🌐 Website: www.yard65.com

📲 Instagram: @bizoverbeerpodcast

🧢 TikTok: @bizoverbeer

🐦 X: @bizoverbeer

📸 Follow Ben: @ben_surratt

💡 Follow Passages to Success: @passagestosuccess

Special Thanks to:

Video Producer Johnny Concepcion aka @johnny_flics

Drone and Audio Producer Tiernan Deppiesse aka @tdw_920

#BusinessOverBeer #MidwestEdition #Yard65 #CraftBeerPodcast #KielWI #PouringInTheHeartland #BreweryDreams #SupportLocalBeer #WisconsinBreweries #BrewedInWisconsin