Meet the energetic entrepreneur behind one of the area’s most successful distilleries.  Rhonda Kallman and her colleagues are true artisans, crafting the finest in locally produced whiskey, gin, rum and distilled beer. She is becoming known nationwide for creating a solid brand with deep historic Boston roots. And her story of making it in a male-dominate industry is super impressive.  Three cheers to Rhonda and the Boston Harbor Distillery. Be sure to drive and listen responsibly.

Meet the extraordinary Allison Blei, co-producer and co-writer of  Mr. Swindle’s Traveling Peculiarium arriving in Boston as  part of a national tour. This irreverent traveling tented entertainment experience is in partnership with Harpoon Brewery while in our fair city. It’s a mind-bending variety and vaudeville-style show featuring acrobats, jugglers, contortionists and lots of laughs. Allison knows a thing or two about this kind of entertainment with her background in trapeze and circus performance. Lots of thrills and humor and a look behind the curtains as to how a show like hers has become a success.

Meet Michael Dispezio, this generation’s “Mr. Wizard.” Michael is well-respected science educator with writing and editing credits on hundreds of K-12  science texts.  He is also a nationally recognized speaker and entertainer, making science understandable and a great deal of fun for audiences of all ages. He’s been featured on national platforms such as National Geographic and Discovery Channel.Michael’s enthusiasm for life and all of its wonders is inspiring!

Legacy is a gift we are all capable of giving.  Capturing moments that crystalize one’s legacy is an honor. Especially when it’s someone I love and respect as much as I do.  In this case, I get the chance to converse with my 93-year-old father. Marty Rich has led a full and productive life and he’s not done by any means. By launching this special edition of my podcast, I hope to inspire you to capture the thoughts and feelings of your elders, folks who have so much to offer!

Time for some straight talk about finance and investing from a man who has done it successfully for over four decades. Milton Ezrati, author of the book Bite Sized Investing: A Complete (and Jargon-Free) Guide to Your Investing Success, has made it his mission to explain practical economics and investing to all of us who have had it with confusing terminology. Milton has done a masterful job of keeping it simple as you’ll hear as he steps up to join us On Mic!

Meet one of the broadcast industry’s most innovative pioneers. Peter Smyth joins us to talk about his success as head of a major chain of radio stations, the advance of streaming and HD Radio in which he played a major part, and his long standing contributions to making  radio better. Peter is the recipient of numerous awards including the “Giant of American Broadcasting” honor from the Library of American Broadcasting and Radio Ink Magazine’s prestigious “America’s Best Broadcaster” Award. A member of the Massachusetts Broadcast Hall of Fame, Peter believes strongly in giving back. We’ll talk specifically about his ongoing help with The Hundred Club of Massachusetts,supporting fallen police officers and other first responders and their families.

Historian, author and playwright David Kruh joins us with his own well-researched spin on a fascinating story steeped in myth and mystery. He’s written Inseparable: An Alcatraz Escape Adventure, a fictional account based on the famous escape by three men from “The Rock,” back in 1962. There is credible evidence that some of the escapees survived, perfect fodder for a thrilling novel you won’t want to put down!

Writer Ken Sheldon presents one of the most fascinating true crime stories you’ll read about, a murder that happened over a hundred years ago in a sleepy northern New England hamlet. You’re sure to be swept away  by the  gripping story in Deep Water -Murder, Scandal and Intrigue in a New England Town. The author does an incredible job researching the case and surmising a solution to a century old mystery!

Getting back to our roots with one of the nation’s top voice-over artists and mentors Dan Lenard. Dan is known as “The Knowledgeable Voice” and when you hear him speak you’ll understand why.  He’s achieved a lot of success, paying it forward by helping others. One of his worthy projects is www.world-voices.org, an organization for and about voice actors of all levels.  Dan has much to say and he says it well!

Accomplished novelist Peter Clenott joins us to talk about his latest historically based thriller,  The Unwanted. It’s a World War II story about the Nazi eugenics programs and their systematic attempts  to euthanize  those not achieving  “Aryan standards.”  The Unwanted features an unlikely friendship between two young girls from opposite sides, an American political power broker, based loosely on patriarch Joseph Kennedy, and a post war murder case that will have you guessing through the last exciting pages!