After landing in Arkansas and mostly settling down, Jake Latvala continued his journey with Walmart, putting in almost 20 years. In his downtime, though, his passion was woodworking. That passion led him to buy a sawmill, which radically changed the trajectory of his career. There was one constant that had been with him since his early days driving a forklift in the Walmart distribution center in Redding, California, and that propelled his new venture to success. Jake was and is never afraid to work harder. 

Growing up in Redding, California, Jake Latvala didn't have many goals beyond bonfires and keggers with his friends. After high school, he weighed his options and decided it was either the military or a job driving a forklift at a Walmart distribution center. He went with Walmart and ended up moving to Virginia and then Northwest Arkansas. 

Given his lust for life, he got some cuts and burns along the way, though he always kept moving up. Listen to part 1 of Jake's story in this episode of Cookin' Up a Story. And as always, if you get value for it, don't hesitate to reach out and let us know how you can provide some value in return, whether it's your time, treasure, or talent. 

In part 2 of the latest edition we discuss BBQ, TikTok, and marketing with Nick Parsons. Hear how he turns $1 into $3, legally, why small farms like to work together rather than compete, and why people buy great stories rather than great products. 

Listen, enjoy, and reach out to share your time, treasure, or talent with us. Cookin' Up a Story is all about value for value and we enjoy the value you provide us as much as you enjoy the value we provide to you. 

Before there were influencers, there were sportsmen, cameramen, and producers capturing the outdoors so enthusiasts could learn more about techniques and gear, as well as just watching people pursuing the activities they loved. Nick found his opportunity in that environment, which took him from California to Oklahoma. 

Once there, he began exploring his love of BBQ and his career took a few twist and turns, though always ones that led him up. Listen to him and the crew discuss his background, professional life, and discuss slacks on this episode. Link in comments. 

Where did the octopus come from? What about gold? How do the stars affect our daily lives? How do perceptions about the size of fruit determine what gets grown? Are elephants going extinct? Red Vanzant, Erich Blanton, and the crew discuss the mysteries of the universe, micromanagement, and more. Give it a listen, it's a good one. 

And when you're done, hit us up. Your time, treasure, and talent is crucial to what we do and we'll gladly accept some value in exchange for the value you get from these podcasts. 

Erich Blanton and Red Vanzant have been friends for years. Their friendship formed around their shared love of motorcycles, though that wasn't Erich's first passion. In high school, college, and for a few years after, he was a champion rodeo rider. A series of accidents left him unable to continue competing, so he transferred his competitive spirit to motorcycles. 

Today, he owns a plumbing and drain cleaning company, though he's also a world champion weight lifter. His path wasn't easy, though. Beyond the injuries, there as a rough time with the bottle, something Red helped convince him to move past. 

It's a great listen and we're sure you'll get value from it. When you do, give us a shout and let us know how your time, treasure, or talent can be a benefit to the show. Link in comments. 

In this installment, the boys continue their conversation with Wes Evans, covering cicadas, poetry, and buzzards, plus why we should still be positive about the future. Also find out who all Wes met on his last trip to Washington D.C. and why animal rights people once called on Rich to kill himself. 

Listen, laugh, and if you get value, hit us up for ways you can share your time, treasure, and talent with us. Because Cookin' Up a Story isn't just about those of us behind the mics, it's about building a big community. 

Farming and federal farm policy, artificially inseminating cows, pet cremation, and more. Wes Evans is can discuss it all. Listen to this week's episode and enjoy the stories that  he and the boys cook up. 

Thanks to Wes for stopping buy and offering us some time and talent. If you have some time, treasure, or talent you'd like to lend, get in touch and we'll tell you how you can offer us some value in exchange for the value we provide you. Thanks for listening and look for part 2 of this discussion on Monday morning. 

In part two of our interview with Jeff White, we discuss what it's like being an air traffic controller for the Air Force, how that relates to tuna cans, and the beginning of his mission to find love in the modern age. 

Like, share, subscribe, and reach out if you get value from this one. We have fun doing these, but the reason we do it is for all you listeners out there. 

Military service, insurance sales, BBQ, and disaster assistance - Jeff White has done a little bit of everything. Always with an eye toward opportunity and love, that led him down the aisle three times. For the third marriage, though, he went in a bit of a different direction and found his bride online. 

After several years of blissful marriage, Jeff continues to seize life. Hear him cook up his story, weaving in jokes and bits of wisdom throughout, in part 1 of the latest episode of Cookin' Up a Story. 

You'll enjoy this one. And when you do, we always appreciate a like, share, and download. It's part of the way you can provide value back to us for the value we provide you.