This week on the Outdoor Journal Radio Podcast Network's Diaries of a Lodge Owner, I'm pumped because this episode is from you to me and me to you.

And I gotta tell you, when I asked for questions, you guys delivered. Wow! So I decided to pile them all up and let them take us on a journey full of information and great stories.

On this show, it's like we're back at the lodge getting to know each other, with your questions conjuring up memories otherwise lost in my brain. So thank you for reminding me of them. You never know how long they would have been locked up. 

So here we go, with your questions and my memory, we will build something awesome, doing it the only way I know how.

Here's my conversation with all of you. 

This week on the Outdoor Journal Radio Podcast Network's Diaries of a Lodge Owner, we get a great view of corporate America through the eyes of someone who worked there all his life. His roots run deep and his qualities as an honest human being are what led him to outstanding successes and truly impacting the lives of thousands of people worldwide.

He started as an engineer for the company Whirlpool. And over 40 years later, ended his fantastic journey as CEO of Cooper Tires. And when at Cooper Tires, with his leadership and knowledge, took a depressed company and inspired everyone involved to save it. And now it is my honor to introduce to all of you, my good friend, fishing buddy, and massively successful corporate mogul, Roy Armes. 

On this show, we get a rare look into the life of a man whose corporate success extends into the stratosphere, how he did it, and the delicate balance between work and family.  We talk about how our paths crossed, and tell some great fishing stories along the way. 

This week on the Outdoor Journal Radio Podcast Network's Diaries of a Lodge Owner, I wanted to talk about two of the most important and expensive aspects of the lodge business. Each with common threads that could very well affect your lives. And those aspects are purifying your water and dealing with your sewage.

To get the low down on these systems, I'm leaning on two of the finest engineers in these fields. And my trust in them is steadfast. 

I'm excited to introduce to all of you, Professional engineers, Katherine Rentsch and Chris Gerrits. 

On this show, we dig down into it and talk about larger lodge systems, residential systems, right down to your cottage or cabin. So if you're interested in learning how to improve your property and keep the people within it safe, this one is a great one with important information that we should all know. 

This week on the Outdoor Journal Radio Podcast Network's Diaries of a Lodge Owner, I'm excited to introduce to all of you someone whose profound impact changed Ontario's fishing industry forever. This king of Ontario tourism put our fishery on the world stage by building out a massive strategy that included Uniting the four largest Canadian fishing shows as one dream team to collectively promote Ontario tourist operations.

With this, he and his team changed the fortunes of outdoor-based operations throughout the province. And I am so grateful that I was one of those young entrepreneurs that benefited from his team's hard work. And although he's retired, like a wave, his impact lives on. And I am honored to introduce to you, former head of the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership, Jim Grayston. 

On this show, we get to know Jim, the man, the myth, the legend.  And learn about his amazing career. He takes us behind the scenes with some of Canada's fishing legends, tells us some great stories, and is just a pleasure to get to know.  So if you're interested in the major parts of my success as a lodge owner, don't miss this one.

Sit and listen to the King of Ontario Tourism. 

This week on the Outdoor Journal Radio Podcast Network's Diaries of a Lodge Owner, I get to know a wonderful couple with great stories who have united in a common dream. And that dream is giving people an outstanding northern experience. From an amazing facility, together their dream of owning a lodge and making a positive impact on the world is becoming a reality.

And I am so excited to share their story with you because I was there. I know how scary and demanding, yet exciting and rewarding it can be all at the same time. But we decided that talking about it wasn't enough. So we have come together to allow all of you to experience your dream firsthand by winning a four-night,.all-inclusive fishing adventure second to none.

And now it is my pleasure to introduce to all of you Krista and Will Pawlowski and their dream - Nordic Point Lodge.

On this show, we explore the paths they walked leading them to a crossroad and how their collision has turned into something beautiful. We share some great stories and insights coming from our passion for the outdoors. A passion I believe can unite us all. 

So whether it be a plane train or an automobile, jump in and join us on this one, because this time you could be heading north and building your own memories with Krista and Will at beautiful Nordic Point Lodge!

This week on Outdoor Journal Radio's Diaries of a Lodge Owner podcast, I wanted to take the time to sit with you and talk about another aspect of my lodge business.  In fact, my favorite one. And, in my opinion, the most important factor to creating an absolutely outstanding experience for everyone involved - Jam Night.

On this show. I talk about jam nights and how I found the confidence to pull them off their impact on the business, our guests, my staff and family. I talk about the positive vibrations and emotions that we created together and how they spread into every aspect of my life, our business and the overall lodge experience. 

So if you love music and stories, ome on up to the lodge after dinner, baby. It's jam night! 

This week on Outdoor Journal Radio's Diaries of a Lodge Owner podcast,  I'm talking about the single largest and most important cog in my lodge business. And for that matter, possibly every business on the face of the planet, your staff.  On this show, I share my struggles and triumphs, and how I dealt with staffing the lodge in the early years. 

As always, I tell some stories from my experiences and hope to help you not make the same mistakes I did. And on the flip side, talk about the things that work great for me. Because when you hit it right, you and your staff will create a thing of beauty. So sit back and enjoy Staff The Good, The Bad, and The Beautiful.

This week on Outdoor Journal Radio's Diaries of a Lodge Owner podcast, I am joined by accomplished conservation officer, outstanding family man, and great friend of ours, Doug Poirier.

Born in the wilderness of central Ontario, this accomplished conservation officer was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2009, but on the road to life, there can be tough turns. Some stick to the road and some hit the ditch.  This man chose to stick to the road like glue when tragedy struck. He, his family and friends started a charity ice fishing tournament that would end up being the largest and most successful one in the province.

This is a special one, folks.  I'm not sure what boxes have to be checked to become a real-life hero,  but for me,  there is no doubt whatsoever that they are all hits for Dougie.  Every last one, period.  And I am so proud he is here with all of us today to share his story.  This one you can't miss. 

This week on Outdoor Journal Radio's Diaries of a Lodge Owner podcast, I'm solo in the studio to tell a few stories about some of the dirtiest jobs at the fishing lodge.

On this show, I get down to the dirty truth. I describe the worst behind-the-scenes jobs at the Lodge, bar none. From the septic tanks to the slop buckets, and the odd pair of poopy pants, I cover it all.

 So if you want to hear the jobs that every Lodge owner wants to keep on the down low... Stick with me, cause like a white sheet in a warm summer breeze, I let her all hang out to dry. 

This week on the Outdoor Journal Radio Podcast Network's Diaries of a Lodge Owner, we spend some time with this outstanding lifelong angler, professional guide, and owner and operator of Rising Sun Charters.

And when he's not guiding his guests to the fish of a lifetime, he's co-hosting with Brad Sinopoli, one of the Outdoor Journal Radio Podcast Network's newest podcasts, The Tackle Box.

We get to know this Ottawa man of mystery in a new light and reveal the dirt road he followed to get to where he is today. And it is now my pleasure to introduce to all of you Jamie Pistilli.

On this show, we find out how Jamie decided at an early age that he was going to make his passion, his profession, and the doors that it opened. We talk about all that's important. And discuss in detail some freshwater fish species that may not have hit your sonar, and a lot that do.

As always, we tell a few stories and talk fishing, baby! So if you love fish talk, guide stories, and all that's important, grab a big net. We don't want you to miss this one.