Milwaukee Uncut

In the most personal pandemic-related episode to date, Milwaukee Judge Derek Mosley talks about what it was really like to have COVID-19. From spending over a week in the ICU to experiencing complications associated with his kidney transplant a few years earlier, Judge Mosley gives a rare firsthand account of what it was like to be a Milwaukeean with the virus.

Just two days after the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the safer-at-home order, we talked to five Wisconsin political and business leaders about the decision and the path forward for Wisconsin.

This episode's featured guests are: 

• Ryan Murray, Partner at The Firm Consulting and former Chief of Staff for Governor Scott Walker
• Waukesha Alderman Aaron Perry
• Creator of “As Goes Wisconsin” Kristin Brey
• Army Veteran and Founder of Green Up Solutions Andy Weins
• Emily Siegrist, US National Guard Veteran, former nurse, candidate for WI State Assembly

Just a day after the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the state’s safer-at-home order, we talked to Darren Horndasch, CEO of Wisconsin Vision, Bryan Gerondale, CEO of Chiropractic Company and Ted Balistreri, co-owner of Sendik’s, about the ruling and how their companies have adapted to COVID-19.

From hiring 200 new grocery store employees to figuring out how to safely conduct eye exams, we discuss the tough decisions these employers have made over the last several weeks.

As a global company, Husco had to adapt and move quickly since COVID-19 hit. In this episode, we’ll go over their initial reaction to the pandemic, switching to mask production, the government’s response, adjustments in the global supply chain, and how they’re rethinking business moving forward. 

In addition to his CEO duties, Austin Ramirez is significantly involved in the Milwaukee community. He and his family spearheaded the development of Saint Augustine Preparatory Academy, and now serve as the school’s main supporters. Austin is also on a number of other boards throughout the city, so we touch on the state of business and how the city of Milwaukee can continue adapting to COVID and rebuild from here on out.

Wisconsin’s hemp industry is booming, and for good reason. We’ve got great farming roots, so it’s only natural that our economy’s structure should follow, right? Well, not always. 

Recently, we teamed up with our friends at First Federal Bank to launch the Keeping It Local Podcast. It’s a show that connects listeners with local businesses, nonprofits, and community members who have unique and inspirational stories tied in with First Federal Bank’s community bank difference.

In this episode, we go over the difference between help and marijuana, highlight two hemp business owners and the uphill battles they’ve pushed through, how others are making businesses from hemp, the benefits of CBD, and more.

Nearing the two month mark since COVID-19 first transformed our world in the U.S., we check in with Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld with the Medical College of Wisconsin and six other Milwaukee area leaders to hear how they continue to adapt to COVID-19. 

CEO of Kessler’s Diamonds, Joe Gehrke, discusses how Kessler’s is transitioning to online sales. Christian Vega, co-owner of Screaming Tuna, talks about how they've gotten support from the community since this started. Others discuss how their businesses continue to deal with COVID-19 day-by-day. 

In live interviews from a Milwaukee Rotary Club meeting, Richie talks to six business leaders from various industries about their response to COVID-19. Taking listener questions, they discuss the government’s response to COVID-19 and what comes next. 

The show begins with a conversation with Jim Barry, President of The Barry Company about the state of commercial real estate. Then, Richie talks to Todd Bentley, President of Bentley World Packaging, putting this pandemic in perspective, considering the history of the company that’s been family owned since 1848. Next up is Mark Kannenberg, President of RBP Chemical Technology, to talk about chemical sales during these times. 

He’s followed by Darren Miller, President of JM Construction, who discusses how their projects are proceeding despite COVID-19. Michael Sheppard, Managing Director of IronwoodDrive Financial Group, joined the show, letting us in on what it’s like to make financial decisions right now. Finally, Julie Tolan, EVP and Owner of Lauber Business Partners talks leadership and consulting virtually and how her company has adapted.

It’s a full show, packed with interesting experiences that Milwaukee business leaders have had in these unprecedented times.

When most people and brands think of monetizing a podcast, they think of advertising revenue and sponsorships. This can be a great way to monetize if you’re in the top 1% of podcasts, but for the rest of us — not so much. 

That said, as a company, monetizing a podcast is not too difficult. There’s a slew of options to go about it, and it all depends on your business model. As a small business ourselves, we’ve tracked over $650k in revenue from the podcast to date — with less than $6k of that coming from ads and sponsorships. 

In this episode, I break down the reality of podcast advertising and suggest some tactics you can implement right away to start monetizing your podcast (even if you’re not Joe Rogan).

Last week was a crazy week for our city and state alike. As Milwaukee continues to respond to the increasingly impactful COVID-19, we bring you the third installment of our series of episodes speaking with leaders who are actively grappling with the virus and its impact.

In this episode, we begin with a conversation with Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, first talking about the April election, then Wisconsin’s response to COVID-19 as a whole.

Next, we talk to Dr. David Morgolis of the Wisconsin Medical College about the virus itself, its spread, and how his team is handling the virus. 

Finally, we’ll move into conversations with Tami Garrison of Molson Coors, Peggy Williams-Smith of Visit Milwaukee, Omar Shaikh of Carnevor, Jeff Sherman of OnMilwaukee, and more about how they and their organizations are actively dealing with COVID-19.

We continued the conversation we started last week by having nine more business owners and local leaders on the podcast to talk about COVID-19 and their continued transition in these isolated times.

This week’s episode is special. It kicks off with Senior Vice President of The Bucks and Chair of the 2020 DNC, Alex Lasry, who talks candidly about the Bucks and the DNC, their reactions to the news of being postponed, and what’s next.

We also heard from local business leaders Kira Lafond, Denise Thomas, Khalif El-Amin, and Mike and Monica Jurken on how they have adapted, what it has been like going through COVID-19, and what the future looks like. 

We close the episode out hearing from President of Marquette University Dr. Mike Lovell. It was interesting getting his perspective on what went on at Marquette behind the scenes, the abrupt end to the Big East Tournament, moving classes online, and more.