Another week, another Heavy Lift!

In this episode, Nat sits down with Sean Keen, Principal Broker at the Reger Group.

Sean shares his history in law enforcement, what brought him to work in real estate, and what the market has looked like over the last couple of decades.

Check out Sean and co. online!

▸ https://www.facebook.com/RegerHomesWV

▸ https://www.instagram.com/regerhomesllcwv

▸ https://theregergroupnetwork.com/

Connect with us!

Nat: @natborchers on Instagram

▸ @backlinerealestate on Instagram

▸ www.backlinerealestate.com

#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #RealEstateBroker #RegerGroupNetwork #HeavyLiftsPodcast

Welcome to the Heavy Lifts Podcast! In this episode, Nat sits down with Louis Ruiz, owner of Capitol City Barbers, for a unique interview: filmed while he's cutting Nat's hair!

Louis shares his entrepreneurial journey from working 9-to-5 jobs (forklifts, car sales, Verizon) to taking the leap and opening his own barbershop with business partner Joe. Discover how they transformed a vacant suite into a thriving 5-chair barbershop in just 8 months, the importance of creating the right culture, and why Louis values flexibility and independence above all else.

Whether you're thinking about starting your own business or just love a good small business success story, this episode is packed with real talk and entrepreneurial wisdom.

📍 Capitol City Barbers - Book online or walk-ins welcome!

https://capitolcitybarbers.org

▸ @capitalcitybarberss on Instagram

Connect with us!

Nat: @natborchers on Instagram

▸ @backlinerealestate on Instagram

▸ www.backlinerealestate.com

#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BarbershopLife #CapitolCityBarbers #HeavyLiftsPodcast #StartupStory

We're back, Heavy Lifters! In the next phase, we're focusing on highlighting the incredible small businesses within the 45th Parallel Building. First up, Michelle Ashley Custom Cakes.Michelle shares her remarkable transformation from a functioning addict working as a project manager in Afghanistan to becoming one of Salem's most beloved bakery owners.After entering treatment at Hazelden Betty Ford in 2014 and investing $52,000 in her recovery, Michelle took cake decorating classes at Joanne's as a low-stress activity. What started as a $9.20/hour job at Fred Meyer evolved into an award-winning business after she won prestigious Statesman Journal awards and appeared on the front page of USA Today.Michelle discusses her infectious energy (inherited from her mom), her military upbringing in Germany, and her partnership with husband Justin Timberlake (yes, that's his real name). She reveals how she pivoted during COVID by creating drive-through bake sales that generated $10,000 in three hours, allowing her to move to a prime storefront location.This episode highlights Michelle's commitment to community, employing refugees through Salem for Refugees, adults with disabilities through MV Advancements, and students from Salem-Keizer School District. With Chef Emma and her dedicated team, Michelle has built a business focused on quality, integrity, and customer happiness.Connect with us!Nat: @natborchers on Instagram▸ @backlinerealestate on Instagram▸ www.backlinerealestate.comMichelle Ashley Custom Cakes▸ https://michelleashley.com/▸ michelleashleycustomcakes on Instagram#HeavyLiftsPodcast #SmallBusinessOwner #MichelleAshleyCustomCakes #SalemOregon #PodcastEpisode #CommunityOverCompetition

Makayla Larson is the event director for the 45th Parallel Building’s event space and, alongside Nat Borchers, manages the creation of Cellar 54.

In this episode of Heavy Lifts (part 2!), Nat and Makayla talk about events in The Space, and through the real story behind Cellar 54: how a lower-level space inside The Forge became one of downtown Salem’s most distinctive event venues. From problem-solving on the fly during events to designing a space that actually serves vendors, artists, and the community, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it takes to create something meaningful, not just functional.

This episode is about vision, creativity, and building places that people actually want to gather in.

This is Heavy Lifts: the real stories behind the people who keep building anyway.

🎧 Subscribe for weekly episodes!

Connect with us!

Nat: @natborchers on Instagram

▸ @backlinerealestate on Instagram

▸ www.backlinerealestate.com

@thespace45th on Instagram

@cellar_54 on Instagram

#SalemOregon #CommunityBuilders #HeavyLiftsPodcast #Cellar54Salem #TheSpace45th #EvenSpaces

Makayla Larson is the event director behind the 45th Parallel Building’s event space, managing the creation of Cellar 54, and her story is deeper than most people realize.

In this episode, Makayla shares how her family’s home burned down when she was a kid, how constant change shaped her, and why she’s always chased momentum instead of comfort. She talks about building community through experiences, the early grind of work and parenthood, and the life-altering injury that led to CRPS, plus what it takes to keep moving forward when pain becomes permanent.

This is Heavy Lifts: the real stories behind the people who keep building anyway.

🎧 Subscribe for weekly episodes!

Connect with us!

Nat: @natborchers on Instagram

▸ @backlinerealestate on Instagram

▸ www.backlinerealestate.com

@thespace45th on Instagram

@cellar_54 on Instagram

#SalemOregon #CommunityBuilders #HeavyLiftsPodcast #Cellar54Salem #TheSpace45th #EvenSpaces

What does leadership look like when it’s built from lived experience?
In this episode of Heavy Lifts, Nat Borchers sits down with Virginia Stapleton, Salem native, former City Councilor, and candidate for Oregon State Senate District 11, for a deeply personal conversation about education, trauma, public service, and the long work of building systems that actually work for people.
Virginia shares her story growing up in a large family rooted in service, navigating poverty, dropping out of high school, surviving trauma, and eventually finding her way back to education through her GED and college. That journey didn’t just shape her; it reshaped her perspective on success, advocacy, and leadership.
The conversation moves from Virginia’s early life to her work on the Salem City Council, her role in launching Salem Bike Vision, and why she believes local politics is where real change happens. She also reflects on polarization, power, and what it takes to lead without losing your humanity.
This episode is about more than politics.
It’s about resilience, accountability, and choosing to stay in the work, even when it’s heavy.
🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify
📅 New episodes every Friday at 9AM
Connect with us!
Nat: @natborchers on Instagram
▸ @backlinerealestate on Instagram
▸ www.backlinerealestate.com
#SalemOregon #CommunityBuilders #HeavyLiftsPodcast #OregonPolitics #StateLeadership #VirginiaStapleton

Leadership isn’t always loud. Most of the time, it’s quiet, consistent, and heavy.

In this episode of the Heavy Lifts Podcast, Tiffany Bulgin (Isaac's Room and Ikebox) shares what leadership really looks like behind the scenes,when decisions are hard, expectations are high, and recognition isn’t guaranteed.

This conversation explores responsibility, trust, and the pressure that comes with being the person others rely on. Tiffany reflects on showing up even when it’s uncomfortable, learning through experience, and why leadership is less about authority and more about accountability.

If you’ve ever carried responsibility without a title, navigated expectations from every direction, or wondered if the work you’re doing actually matters, this episode is for you.

🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify

📅 New episodes every Friday at 9AM

Connect with us!

Nat: @natborchers on Instagram

▸ @backlinerealestate on Instagram

▸ www.backlinerealestate.com

Tiffany Bulgin

▸ https://www.isaacsroom.org/ || https://www.facebook.com/isaacsroom

▸ https://www.ikebox.com/ || https://www.instagram.com/ikeboxsalem/

▸ https://www.isaacsdowntown.com/ || https://www.instagram.com/isaacsdowntown

#HeavyLiftsPodcast #IsaacsRoom #Ikebox #Leadership #SalemBusiness #LifeAfterLoss

In Part 2 of our deep-dive conversation, MLS Cup champion, Dr. Robbie Russell, opens up about the real work behind reinvention.

From the pressures of playing abroad as an international to joining Real Salt Lake at a pivotal moment to stepping into the biggest PK of his life, Robbie walks us through the defining experiences that shaped his story, including the legendary 2009 MLS Cup-winning penalty. (This will be a fun section for both soccer and Russell/Borchers fans alike)

But this episode goes far beyond soccer.

Robbie reveals the emotional and psychological toll of transitioning out of professional sports, the decision to retire on his terms, and the grueling journey to becoming an Emergency Medicine physician. He breaks down medical culture, burnout, mental health, and why so many in the profession struggle silently.

This is a powerful story about identity, purpose, adversity, and the heavy lifts we don’t see.

New episodes every Friday at 9:00am on YouTube & Spotify.

Connect with us!

Nat: @natborchers on Instagram

▸ @backlinerealestate on Instagram

▸ www.backlinerealestate.com

In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Nat Borchers sits down with his former teammate and close friend Robbie Russell, a man whose story spans continents, conflict zones, and championship locker rooms.Born in Ghana. Raised across Africa, the U.S., and Sri Lanka during civil unrest. A global childhood shaped his identity long before he ever touched a professional soccer pitch.Robbie opens up about: ▸ Fleeing political coups▸ Growing up between cultures▸ Being the “new kid” in every country▸ How the immigrant mindset shaped his pro career▸ The pressure of being a foreign player▸ How he integrated international teammates▸ Why the RSL move “felt like destiny.”Next week in Part 2: MLS Cup 2009, the PK heard around the league, retirement, burnout, and becoming Dr. Robbie Russell.New episodes every Friday at 9:00am on YouTube & Spotify.Connect with us!Nat: @natborchers on Instagram▸ @backlinerealestate on Instagram▸ www.backlinerealestate.com

On this week’s Heavy Lifts Podcast, Nat Borchers sits down with former NFL fullback turned financial educator, author, and founder of Money Vehicle Academy.From NFL locker rooms to classrooms across the country, Jed breaks down why financial literacy isn’t just “good advice”… it’s a skill set every person needs to build a future. He opens up about life after sports, the identity crisis most athletes face, and how discipline, mentorship, and risk translate into real-world opportunity.You’ll hear: ▸ Why Jed created Money Vehicle Academy▸ How to “tackle” financial decisions like a professional athlete▸ Budgeting vs. cashflow▸ The difference between potential and identity▸ Why community-rooted values create more resilient citiesWhether you’re a builder, investor, teacher, athlete, or someone trying to take control of your life, this episode offers a roadmap to thinking bigger.New episodes every Friday at 9:00am on YouTube & Spotify.Pardon us for a technical issue with Nat's camera, so the latter half of the episode will just be Jed sharing his experience.Connect with us!Nat: @natborchers on Instagram▸ @backlinerealestate on Instagram▸ www.backlinerealestate.comJedidiah: @FullbackofFinance, @FullbackFinance, @JedidiahCollins#HeavyLiftsPodcast #JedCollins #LifeAfterSports #FinancialLiteracy