Learning Life with Jon Tota

In this episode, Jon sits down with Bridget Conry, founder of High Fidelity and host of the new High Fidelity podcast show. Bridget is an herbal practitioner and cannabis industry educator, advocate and entrepreneur based in Burlington, VT. High Fidelity intends to explore the intersection of cannabis, wellness, culture and the arts through insightful conversations with industry experts and thought leaders from all disciplines. Learn more at http://hifivt.com   We discuss the history of cannabis in Vermont and the current events around adult use legalization just this fall.  Bridget brings her passion and unique expertise about wellness and its intersection with cannabis and culture to this insightful conversation with one of the leading voices on Vermont cannabis today.   Listen to Bridget's new show High Fidelity wherever you get podcasts.   Apple:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-fidelity/id1653015767 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6XwJyhPAuLemrnMyjuQ0Yl?si=db6aa59c3cfd45bb

This week, Jon sits down with Beth Hill. Beth is the President and CEO of Fort Ticonderoga, the historic 2,000 acre destination overlooking Lake Champlain and educating visitors since 1909.  Beth has a passion for history and a long career in the development and management of historical sites.   In this episode, we discuss the importance of learning from our history, why sense of place matters today and how legendary historical sites like Fort Ticonderoga can scale into the digital age.  There’s so much we can learn from Beth about our own local history and the value of understanding our past.   Find out more about Fort Ticonderoga at www.fortticonderoga.org

This week, Jon sits down with Will Raap. Will is a pioneer in sustainable, regenerative farming in Vermont and the entrepreneur who founded Gardener’s Supply Company, spearheaded the start of the Intervale Center and, most recently, is transforming the Nordic Farm in Charlotte into Earthkeep Farmcommon.   In this week’s episode, we discuss Will’s entrepreneurial journey as well as his latest innovation in agriculture, Earthkeep Farmcommon — a regenerative agricultural ecosystem that is organic, carbon-negative, sustainable and educational.    You can learn more about Will and his work at https://earthkeep.farm

This week, Jon sits down with Sarah DeGray, founder of REV Indoor Cycling. REV is a place of community and wellness, and is a no-judgment zone that helps you achieve your fitness goals through supportive coaching and an uplifting environment. Sarah founded REV Indoor Cycling 10 years ago in Burlington, Vermont, and has some excellent advice to offer entrepreneurs.

In this week’s episode, Sarah discusses her experience with indoor cycling, and how her passion for music, as well as being an athlete, inspired her creation. She also explains how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted REV, the creative solutions that arose as a result, and how in-person cycling can be reimagined. Her beat-driven indoor cycling studio creates an immersive fitness experience that is truly unique and innovative. 

Listen in and discover how music, cycling, and community come together to create the unique fitness experiences offered by REV Indoor Cycling. 

You can learn more about REV at https://www.revindoor.com/

This week, Jon sits down with Kimberly DuBrul, a certified business, life and mindset coach who has been coaching for almost 20 years. Kimberly is a Founding Member of the world wide John Maxwell Team of coaches, speakers and trainers and was one of 12 people chosen to make up the very first President's Advisory Council (PAC). She has also received the PCC title through the International Coach Federation (ICF), which is one of the top credentials available in the world of life coaching.

In this week’s episode, Kimberly takes listeners along her journey of coaching and how her experiences have led her to helping others be successful. Kimberely helps her clients to identify areas of happiness within their lives, and promotes personal growth, personal development, and mindset as modes to align your life with your values. 

Listen in to learn about Kimberley’s business planner, The Successful Coach’s Business Development & Planning Calendar: 2022, and pick up some great insights into how shifting your mindset can change your life. 

You can learn more about her business planner at https://kimberlydubrul.com/my-book/ 

This week, Jon sits down with Cassie Polhemus, CEO of the Vermont Economic Development Authority. VEDA helps provide financing solutions to Vermont businesses in order to keep companies running and growing, and support the vitality of Vermont’s economy.

In this week’s episode, Cassie talks about her journey to Vermont, how VEDA works daily to help Vermont businesses reach their goals and the unique challenges and advantages to being a Vermont entrepreneur.

You can learn more about VEDA at veda.org

In this week's episode, we have Vermont serial entrepreneur, Professor, and friend of the show Dr. Rob Williams. Whether you know him from the Yak it to Me Burger stand, teaching at University of Vermont and Champlain College, or as a major voice on Vermont Independent Radio, Dr. Rob always shares something new and interesting.

Rob sits down with Jon to discuss Peak Flow, a course to teach the Wim Hof Method, a breathing, cold exposure, and focus technique designed to help you live a better life.

You can join an exclusive Peak Flow course in Burlington on Saturday, July 9th at https://www.wimhofmethod.com/instructors/robwilliams

Check out Rob's last interview on Learning Life at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/135-just-breathe-with-dr-rob-williams/id1342795377?i=1000528715498 

This week Jon sits down with Adam Hergenrother to discuss how business can be a conduit for personal growth. Adam is the founder and CEO of Adam Hergenrother Companies, which became a $1 billion organization in 2019 and has been a five-time winner of the Vermont Best Places to Work. In this episode, Adam shares his journey to acquire the skills that have made him a great leader and offers advice for young entrepreneurs.

Listen in to learn how health, wealth, spirituality, and leadership can be understood to achieve sustainable self-improvements within your professional and personal life, and discover how incorporating spirituality into business can further self-growth and business development.

Adam also provides free downloads and trainings that are easily accessible through his website https://adamhergenrother.com/resources/

Visit https://adamhergenrother.com/ to learn more.

This week, Jon sits down with Jenna Sereni, a pioneer in influencer marketing as the VP of Marketing and Creative Services at WHOSAY, the first ever influencer marketing agency.  Today, Jenna is the visionary co-founder and CEO of HandsDown, the social commerce platform that allows users to share what they “hands down” can’t live without and discover what they’ve been missing, from the people they trust most — their inner circle.

After WHOSAY was acquired in 2018, Jenna continued to work for her new parent company ViacomCBS as the VP of Branded Programming and Influence at CBS Interactive,  When the pandemic hit, Jenna, her husband and young son left their stomping grounds in New York City to move up to the Green Mountains, knowing Burlington from her college years visiting her brother at UVM.

Now Jenna is taking her 15 years’ experience in marketing and social campaigns to bring some old-school Vermont trust and humanity to the digital marketing world. HandsDown promotes peer-to-peer discovery, and the platform boasts a “no sponsored content” model that is sure to lend much needed transparency to the commerce space.

Visit itshandsdown.com to learn more.

This week, Jon sits down with Jeff Weaber, founder and CEO of the famed Kombucha brewery Aqua ViTea, based in Middlebury Vermont.

Jeff started as a brewer at Lucky Labrador in Portland Oregon, before discovering the health benefits of Kombucha. He moved to Salisbury VT in 2005 with the goal of helping people sustain a healthy lifestyle.

AquaViTea began in a farmhouse in 2007 and is one of the first kombucha brewers in the nation, and the largest on the east coast. The AquaViTea team was the first to introduce of the kombucha-on-tap model to encourage sustainable practices.

Listen to hear the story of an entrepreneur who moved to Vermont and built one of the most well-known sustainable farm-based businesses on the east coast.

Visit www.aquavitea.com to learn more.