Good Neighbor Podcast: Tulsa

Brandon Andres Green, host of Good Neighbor Podcast Tulsa, sits down with Mike Mazzei, chairman and CEO of Trinity Strategic Wealth, former Oklahoma State Senator and former Oklahoma Secretary of Finance, as he campaigns for governor of Oklahoma.

Mazzei talks about what pushed him back into public life, the pressure of campaigning across all 77 counties, his years working in state government, and why his background in finance shapes the policies he is proposing now. He also shares the personal story behind his family, including adoption, fertility treatments, and suddenly raising five children under five.

The conversation then turns to his vision for Oklahoma. Mazzei lays out proposals aimed at moving Oklahoma toward no state income tax, reducing property-tax pressure on seniors and veterans, improving childhood literacy, attracting businesses and talent, and addressing concerns involving land ownership, illegal marijuana operations, drugs, and public safety.

We also talk about political attacks, special interests, the role faith plays in his leadership, and how he thinks about staying independent while working inside a political system.

If you care about Oklahoma taxes, education, economic growth, public safety, or the race for governor, this conversation gives you a direct look at Mike Mazzei’s background, priorities, and argument for where the state should go next.

Brandon Andres Green, host of Good Neighbor Podcast Tulsa, sits down with John W. Anderson Jr., a litigation attorney with 37 years of experience, to talk about lawsuits, settlements, legal costs, and why being right does not always mean going to court is the smartest move.

John spent his first four years practicing with one of Oklahoma’s largest law firms before building his own litigation practice. After decades of watching disputes play out, he says one of the biggest things clients underestimate is not simply the legal bill. Litigation can consume years of time, mental energy, emotional bandwidth, and attention that never appears on an invoice.

That is why John often starts by telling clients the strengths and weaknesses of their case, what they can control, what they cannot control, and what the fight may realistically cost. He explains why settlement is not necessarily surrender, why compromise often produces a better business outcome than proving a point, and why ego can turn an otherwise manageable dispute into an expensive mistake.

The examples get specific. John describes a $4,000 property lien that could cost $10,000 to $12,000 to fight, a poorly drafted business contract that eventually resulted in roughly $80,000 in legal costs and three years of litigation, and the question he asks clients when emotions take over: would you spend $10,000 to collect $3,000?

We also talk about mistakes people make before they ever hire a lawyer, including ignoring legal papers, waiting too long to get advice, communicating carelessly with the other side, and trying to save a few hundred dollars upfront only to create a much larger problem later.

If you are dealing with a contract dispute, property lien, business disagreement, lawsuit, settlement offer, or simply want to understand how an experienced litigator thinks about whether a fight is actually worth having, this conversation provides a practical framework for deciding when to negotiate, when to walk away, and when it may finally be time to fight.

Sometimes winning the argument is not the same thing as winning.

Brandon Andres Green, host of Good Neighbor Podcast Tulsa, sits down with Karen Tilkin, Executive Director and CEO of CAP Tulsa, to talk about early childhood education, breaking cycles of poverty, supporting entire families, and what decades of research can tell us about the impact of investing in children before kindergarten.

Karen’s path to CAP Tulsa is anything but typical. She began in international banking, worked in New York, Hong Kong, and Taipei, and later spent seventeen years with Bama Companies, including helping establish a manufacturing operation in China. When the opportunity came to bring a more systematic, data-driven approach to CAP Tulsa, she saw a chance to apply those business and leadership skills to a deeply local mission.

CAP Tulsa is a community action agency focused on reducing poverty through early childhood education. Karen explains why the organization decided years ago to put its biggest bet on the earliest years of a child’s life, when brain development is happening rapidly and the foundation for later learning is being built.

Today, CAP Tulsa operates nine schools and serves more than 1,600 children from six weeks to five years old. But the work does not stop with the child. Karen explains CAP Tulsa’s two-generation approach, which also helps parents advocate for their children, strengthen parenting skills, access resources, and build greater stability for the entire family.

One of the most compelling parts of the conversation is the long-term evidence. Karen shares results from research following children who attended CAP Tulsa and Tulsa public pre-K more than twenty years ago. Those students were more likely to have stronger school attendance, take more rigorous classes, graduate on time, attend and complete college, earn more as young adults, and even participate in voting at higher rates.

We also talk about early literacy, school readiness, Head Start, income eligibility, how families can apply, and the different ways Tulsa residents can volunteer, donate, or get involved.

If you care about education, poverty, literacy, Tulsa families, or what actually changes a child’s long-term trajectory, this conversation offers a data-backed look at why the years before kindergarten may matter far more than most of us realize.

Sometimes changing a life starts years before anyone calls it school.

Brandon Andres Green, host of Good Neighbor Podcast Tulsa, sits down with Carla Robinson, owner and neuromuscular therapist at Integrative Therapeutic Institute in Tulsa, to talk about pain, mobility, recovery, hydration, and why the place that hurts may not always tell the whole story.

Carla’s path into bodywork started somewhere unexpected: banking. After being robbed five times while working at a banking center, she decided it might be time for a different career. A background in sports eventually led her into neuromuscular therapy, where she says she found a way to combine hands-on work, problem-solving, and her desire to help people feel better.

This conversation gets into how Carla approaches pain differently from a traditional spa-style massage. She explains how she looks at the body as an interconnected system and asks questions about movement, hydration, digestion, daily habits, and other factors before deciding what kind of support may make sense for a client.

One of the most interesting examples involves a client with severe low-back pain. Carla says the issue did not appear to be muscular at all, which opens a broader conversation about why recurring pain can sometimes require looking beyond the exact spot that hurts.

We also talk about hydration, muscle tightness, individualized neuromuscular work, red light therapy, assisted stretching, IV therapy, lymphatic drainage, and the challenge of helping people who often arrive after trying multiple approaches without getting the relief they hoped for.

Carla also shares how Integrative Therapeutic Institute has grown from a one-person practice into a broader wellness facility serving a large client base while she trains additional therapists in her approach.

If you deal with recurring pain, stiffness, mobility problems, or simply want to better understand how different parts of the body may interact, this conversation offers an interesting perspective on asking better questions before reaching for another quick fix.

Sometimes the most important question isn’t “Where does it hurt?” It’s “Why does it hurt there?”

Brandon Andres Green, host of Good Neighbor Podcast Tulsa, sits down with Jamie Miller of The Demand Project to talk about child trafficking, grooming, online safety, prevention, and what parents and communities can do before a child ever needs rescue.

Jamie explains one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding child trafficking: it does not always look like kidnapping, confinement, or a child disappearing from everyday life. Children being exploited may still be going to school, attending youth group, spending time with friends, and participating in the same communities where adults assume they are safe.

The conversation gets especially practical for parents. Jamie explains why communication and trust are the foundation of online safety, what parents should do if something concerning happens online, and why immediately deleting messages or taking away the phone can destroy information that may be important. She also shares The Demand Project’s free technology contract, designed to help families establish clear expectations, boundaries, and consequences around phones and other devices before a crisis happens.

You’ll also hear how The Demand Project approaches both prevention and restoration. The organization educates children, parents, schools, churches, and community leaders while also providing long-term residential and non-residential support for girls who have survived exploitation. Jamie explains why trauma-informed care, education, mental health support, life skills, and consistency all matter when helping a child build a future beyond what happened to her.

Finally, Jamie challenges listeners to move beyond awareness. Parents can bring prevention education into schools, PTAs, churches, sports teams, and even their own living rooms. Community members can volunteer, donate, attend events, or simply learn enough to recognize when a child may be asking for help without knowing how to say it.

If you are a parent, teacher, coach, church leader, caregiver, or simply someone who wants children to be safer, this conversation gives you practical information without asking you to live in fear.

There may already be a kid waiting for someone to notice and ask the right question.

Brandon Andres Green, host of Good Neighbor Podcast Tulsa, sits down with Ebony Jones, owner of 8twenty8, to talk about doula support, birth advocacy, postpartum care, placenta encapsulation education, and the kind of community families need before and after birth.

Ebony shares her path from Georgia to Tulsa, from pastry chef and culinary educator to community doula. After years in the kitchen and a powerful experience supporting a birth during a season of transition, she began stepping into birth work as a calling rooted in advocacy, education, and care for expecting families.

This conversation clears up one of the biggest misconceptions: a doula is not a midwife and does not deliver babies. Ebony explains how doulas provide non-medical support through prenatal education, labor preparation, comfort techniques, informed consent, family advocacy, postpartum check-ins, mental health awareness, and practical resources for moms, dads, babies, and support systems.

We also talk about what many families are not prepared for after the baby comes home. Ebony shares why postpartum support matters, how partners can feel overwhelmed too, and why community care can make a real difference during a season that is beautiful, intense, healing, and heavy all at once.

Then the conversation opens into the unexpected community around Prop Swappers of Tulsa, a plant propagation swap that has grown into something much bigger. Ebony explains how plants, baby item swaps, placenta-related conversations, and shared healing have helped people build friendships, care for something living, and find support across generations.

If you are expecting a baby, supporting someone who is, looking for doula support in Tulsa, or simply interested in stronger community care for families, this episode gives you a grounded and hopeful place to start.

Birth is not the finish line. Sometimes it is where the real support needs to begin.

Brandon Andres Green, host of Good Neighbor Podcast Tulsa, sits down with Carrie Henderson, executive director of Iron Gate Tulsa, to talk about hunger relief, homelessness, dignity, food as medicine, and what it looks like to serve hundreds of neighbors every morning.

Carrie shares how Iron Gate serves a daily morning meal in downtown Tulsa with no barriers and no complicated process. Guests can come as they are, receive a meal, sit down, and be treated like human beings. For many, it is not just about food. It is a place where no one is rushed away, overlooked, or treated like a problem to move along.

This conversation gets into the real work behind feeding 250 to 300 people each morning and serving hundreds of plates a day. Carrie explains how Iron Gate has rethought its meals through a food-as-medicine lens, including fresher fruits and vegetables, leaner proteins, salad options, fewer sugary foods, and a calmer dining room built around care.

We also talk about the support network that gathers around the meal, including local service providers, case management, veteran support, mental health resources, and community partners who meet people where they already are. Carrie also shares how Iron Gate partners with the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, grocery stores, donors, churches, foundations, and volunteers to keep food moving seven days a week.

You’ll also hear about the Faces portrait project, the dignity Carrie sees in Iron Gate’s guests, and why storytelling matters when a community has learned to look past people experiencing homelessness.

If you care about Tulsa nonprofits, hunger relief, homelessness, food rescue, volunteer work, or practical ways to help neighbors in need, this conversation gives you a grounded look at what compassion looks like before most of the city starts its day.

Sometimes dignity starts with a plate of food and a place to sit.

Brandon Andres Green, host of Good Neighbor Podcast Tulsa, sits down with Jake Johnson, founder of Best in BA, to talk about Broken Arrow small businesses, local visibility, community nominations, and how a simple voting competition can help neighbors discover the businesses around them.

Jake shares how he moved from Minnesota to Broken Arrow, fell in love with the city, and started noticing how many great local businesses were still hidden in plain sight. After filming short videos in the Rose District and seeing people walk into businesses because they discovered them online, he began asking a bigger question: how can more Broken Arrow businesses get recognized?

That question became Best in BA, a community-driven business recognition competition where residents can nominate and vote for their favorite local restaurants, services, shops, and mom-and-pop businesses. Jake explains how the process works, why free nomination profiles matter, and how sponsorships help make the platform accessible instead of squeezing small businesses for attention.

We also talk about what makes Broken Arrow feel like a “big small town,” why storytelling matters for local marketing, and how Jake has built trust by showing up through the Chamber, Rotary, local events, business relationships, and long-form conversations with business owners.

If you care about shopping local, discovering new places in Broken Arrow, supporting small businesses, or understanding how local visibility actually happens, this conversation gives you a practical look at how one simple idea can help neighbors become loyal customers.

Every local business has a story. Best in BA is helping Broken Arrow find them.

Brandon Andres Green, host of Good Neighbor Podcast Tulsa, sits down with Jagger Reznikov, an app builder, vibe coder, and entrepreneur, to talk about AI-assisted development, building apps without a traditional coding background, and what it really takes to turn an idea into a working product.

Almost everyone has an app idea, but most people assume they need a programmer, a large budget, or years of technical experience to build it. Jagger explains how vibe coding is changing that by lowering the barrier for beginners, small business owners, and creators who want to move from concept to something real.

This conversation also gets honest about the limits of AI. Jagger explains why one prompt will not magically build a finished app, why debugging still matters, and why payment integration, Apple App Store guidelines, delete-account requirements, subscriptions, updates, and user feedback all become part of the real work.

You’ll also hear about Jagger’s own app-building journey, including his iOS journaling app, Velum Journal, and why journaling, reflection, and future-focused features became a meaningful place for him to start. He also shares what he is learning from building multiple apps, experimenting with mobile games, exploring more complex projects, and growing through organic content on TikTok and X.

If you have ever had an app idea, wondered what AI can actually build, or wanted to understand vibe coding without the hype, this episode gives you a practical place to start.

Building is easier than ever. Shipping something useful still takes work.

Brandon Andres Green, host of Good Neighbor Podcast Tulsa, sits down with Jeremy Newkirk of Roof Leaks & More to talk about roof leaks, storm damage, inspections, insurance claims, and the warning signs homeowners should not ignore.

Jeremy explains why a roof leak is often the final symptom of a problem that has been building for months or even years. From shingle granules collecting in gutters to cracked pipe gaskets, flashing failures, soft decking, and flat roof issues, he shares the simple signs homeowners can watch for before water starts showing up inside the house.

This conversation also gets into what happens after you call a roofer. Jeremy breaks down how a hands-on roof inspection works, why drones can miss hail damage, how storms can quietly reduce the life of a roof, and why shingles that look fine from the ground may still have problems that need attention.

You’ll also hear Jeremy’s practical advice on insurance claims, including the difference between hail damage and wind damage, why some policies pay for repairs instead of full replacement, and how filing on the wrong storm date can affect the outcome of a claim.

Finally, we talk about roofing scams, fake roof photos, incentive-driven advice, and how homeowners can protect themselves with referrals, multiple opinions, Google reviews, and careful decision-making before signing anything.

If you own a home in Oklahoma and want to avoid costly surprises, this episode is worth hearing before the next storm rolls through.

A roof leak is expensive. Catching the warning signs early is wisdom.