Our Two Cents Podcast

Chris Shipp was born and raised in Bakersfield and is proud to call it home as he raises his two beautiful daughters alongside his wife. He started a moving company named " Smooth Move" but the name was unfortunately already trademarked, which is how Mentors Moving came to be! In addition to Mentors Moving, Chris has coached at Garces Highschool for 9 years. He has a hunger for knowledge and all things leadership, finance and business development which has contributed to his many successes.

John Duffield sits down with Chris Shipp, the President of Mentors Moving to hear how he and his partner Jesse started their moving company. Chris explains that he and Jesse always wanted to start their own business and when the opportunity presented itself they never looked back. Even though they faced struggles at the beginning they are now a successful company that is partnered with The Dream Center, a local program that helps those in foster care who have aged out. Stay tuned to hear Chris's inspiring story!

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHRIS SHIPP:

Website: https://mentorsmoving.com/

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 661-220-5155

Instagram: @MentorsMovingandStorage

Facebook: @bakersfieldmentorsmoving

Tune in to our very first Host Round Table Discussion! All 6 hosts sit down to discuss changes, deadlines, and their predictions in their respective fields. Kyle Jones tells us about a new law that will be going into effect for medical malpractice. Scott Hanson discusses the rise in local residential real estate listing inventory and gives his real estate predictions through the end of the year. Troy Burden explains employee benefit trends of 2022 as well as the Cal Savers Deadline. John Duffield goes over AB 150 and some June deadlines to look out for. Amanda explains the new changes to the 1099-k form and how it will affect businesses owners that are paid through 3rd party apps. Dave Plivelich takes us home by explaining how supply chain issues are affecting the marketing industry.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SCOTT HANSON:

Website: www.levelonefinancial.com/

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 661-464-8000

Instagram: @LevelOneFinancial

Facebook: @LevelOneFinancial

YouTube: Level_One_Financial

LEARN MORE ABOUT KYLE JONES:

Website: www.kwjoneslaw.com

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 661-833-1090

Instagram: @lawofficekylejones

Facebook: @personalinjuryattorneybakersfield

LEARN MORE ABOUT TROY BURDEN:

Website: www.lynncompany.com

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 661-873-2200

Instagram: @TroyTwoCents

Facebook: @LynnCompany

LEARN MORE ABOUT JOHN DUFFIELD:

Website: www.bakersfieldaccountants.com

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 661-488-7000

Instagram: @bakersfieldaccontants

Facebook: @JohnDuffieldCPA

LEARN MORE ABOUT AMANDA DIGIACOMO:

Website: https://atlasfinancialsolutions.net

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 661-703-7781

Instagram: @atlasfinancialsolutions

Facebook: @atlasfinancialsolutions

LEARN MORE ABOUT DAVE PLIVELICH:

Website: www.themarcomgroup.com

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 661-489-4444

Instagram: @marcomgroup

Facebook: @TheMarcomGroup

Twitter: @TheMarcomGroup

YouTube: The_Marcom_Group

Key Budge coordinates all communication efforts for the City of Tehachapi and has more than 30 years of experience working in government, (25 years as a Deputy Sheriff in LA, 6 years with the City of Tehachapi and 2 years at the City of Palmdale). He also has more than 12 years in media related fields including on air at KUZZ in Bakersfield as a news anchor and DJ. Key has called Tehachapi home for almost 20 years after migrating from the greater LA area.

Scott Hanson and co-host Dave Plivelich sit down with Key Budge, the Community Engagement Specialist for the City of Tehachapi. He tells us that despite living and serving as a Deputy Sheriff in LA he prefers the caring community of Tehachapi. Key discusses the transparency, involvement, and connection that their local podcast, TehachaPod, provides the community. Key also expresses the city's need for both police officers and engineers. They wrap up the episode with fun events that we can expect to see in the next couple of months. If you are looking for a fun weekend not too far from home, tune into this week's episode!

LEARN MORE ABOUT KEY BUDGE:

Website: www.liveuptehachapi.com/

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 661-822-2200

Instagram: @CityOfTehachapi

Facebook: @CityOfTehachapi

Twitter: @CityOfTehachapi

LinkedIn: @CityOfTehachapi

Norma Dunn is the Director at Mission Community Services Corporation's Kern Women's Business Center in Bakersfield California. Norma was born and raised in Kern County, and is committed to making a positive difference in her community. She is also a business and community leader whose passion for education and business, combined with her engaging personality, has earned her a reputation as a high-impact networker. She is a sought-after community leader as she is accomplished at planning and executing strategies that are both effective and efficient; not to mention she has a proven track record of assisting private, public, and non-profit organizations with forging "successful partnerships."

Kyle Jones and first time Co-host Amanda DiGiacomo sit down with Norma Dunn the Director of The Kern Women's Business Center as she explains all the different ways they help local minority owned small businesses. Norma recounts how during COVID she and her team began spreading the word on different grants that were available to small businesses and how they worked with local accounting firms to help ensure those businesses received the grants. She also gives us examples of the different resources they offer to help local businesses and nonprofits be successful. If you are thinking about starting your own business be sure to call The Kern Women's Business Center to help get you started!

LEARN MORE ABOUT NORMA DUNN:

Website: www.mcscorp.org/kern

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 661-567-0410

Instagram: @kernwbc

Facebook: @KernWomensBusinessCenter

LinkedIn: Norma_Dunn

Morgan Houchin is an Accredited land consultant specializing in the acquisition and sale of agricultural use properties. He has sold over 60,000 +/- acres of ranch properties throughout California totaling over $900,000,000 in transactional value over the past ten years. Morgan is the 3rd generation of farmers who specialize in almonds, pistachios, cotton, onions, and tomatoes. He is also a partner in several family owned and operated farming and agricultural service businesses.

Troy Burden is joined by co-host Kyle Jones as they have the opportunity to sit down with Morgan Houchin, a local accredited land consultant. Morgan tells us how his family came from Virginia in search of better opportunities which in turn led to the Houchin Blood Bank. Although his family is no longer involved they were always drawn to Agriculture and real estate and that is how Tech Ag Financial came to be.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MORGAN HOUCHIN:

Website: www.techagfinancial.com/

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @techagfinancial

Facebook: TechAgFinancialGroup

LinkedIn: Tech_Ag_Financial

Kelly Carden is a lifelong 3rd generation Kern County resident. He is a family man with 4 children, ages 10,8,6 and 5. He has had a successful career in Hotel and Restaurant Management culminating as an Operation Supervisor at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. His career has led him to serving some of America's biggest stars. His family has owned a small business since he was 7 years old and he has worked in it off and on ever since. He lives in Rosamond with his children, longtime girlfriend and mother. He hopes to be the first Filipino-American elected to the Board of Supervisors in California history.

John Duffield sits down with Kelly Carden as he tells us what led him to run for Kern County Supervisor 2nd District. He explains that he is running under the Libertarian party and how he has spoken directly to the voters to hear what issues matter the most to them. Kelly tells us how inspirational his mother has been to him since a child and how he will continue to carry those values into office if he wins.

LEARN MORE ABOUT KELLY CARDEN:

Website: www.carden4kern.com/

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @carden4kern

Facebook: Carden_4_Kern

John Sabovich founded The Epiphany Foundation in 2017 after his daughter found herself battling drug addiction. He knew it was only a matter of time before he received the dreaded call from the coroner and decided to take matters into his own hands. On her appointed hearing date, he pleaded that she be placed into a mandatory in-custody interventional program. The judge agreed and from that point on John felt like it was his mission to help lead others on their road to recovery.

Dave Plivelich and Kyle Jones sit down with John Sabovich, the founder of The Epiphany Foundation, an organization that offers real world solutions to those suffering from drug or alcohol addiction. John explains how they provide a home along with a 12-step program to help those who are truly motivated in becoming sober. He shares his inspiring story with us and explains how he feels like addiction is the true pandemic.

LEARN MORE ABOUT JOHN SABOVICH:

Website: www.epiphanyfoundation.net/

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 866-240-1100

Instagram: @EpiphanyFoundationGrants

Facebook: Find_Your_Epiphany_Today

Jonathan Thomas attended the University of Maine, where he graduated with a degree in Accounting and Finance. He began working for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Portland, Maine, a Big 4 accounting firm doing audits of public and private. After 5 years PwC pulled out of the market and Jon relocated to New York City where he continued to work with PwC for 3 more years and met his beautiful wife.

Jon then started working for Kohlberg Kravis Roberts as they prepared to go public. He stayed with KKR for a total of 6 years (3 years in public reporting and 3 years in strategic planning/FP&A). He and wife finally moved to Bakersfield, where they have been raising their family for the past 9 years. Jon spent 3 years with Jakov Dulcich & Sons, 2 years with Jim's Supply Co. and has been with Laurel Ag for the past 4 years, 2 years as CFO and now going on 2 years as CEO.

Scott Hanson sits down with Jonathan Thomas, the current CEO of Laurel Ag, as he walks us through his time in Maine and New York which ultimately led him to his life here in Bakersfield. Jon has a unique background in private equity which presented major job opportunities in the past and in turn made him a strong asset to the different companies he has worked with. They touch on the biggest challenges Laurel Ag is currently facing as well as what they have on the horizon in the next 10 to 15 years.

LEARN MORE ABOUT JON THOMAS:

Website: https://laurel-ag.com/

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 661-368-3550

Instagram: @laurelagandwater

Facebook: Laurel_Ag_and_Water

LinkedIn: @LaurelAgandWater

Robert Petersen was born in Bakersfield but raised all over the world. He lived in Tripoli, Libya, Dubai, UAE, and Jakarta, Indonesia. He's worked in retail and sales in the past. In the early COVID lockdown days, he passed his time by reading archived newspapers from The Bakersfield Californian. Which led to the creation of The Notorious Bakersfield Podcast which takes a step back in time and looks at some of Bakersfield's most notorious crimes.

Dave Plivelich, Kyle Jones, and special guest Jamie Urner had the opportunity to interview Robert, the creator of The Notorious Bakersfield Podcast. Robert explains how during the lockdown he wanted to learn more information on how Kern County handled the Spanish Flu but stumbled upon crime articles that have happened here in Bakersfield. He tells us which stories he found the most interesting and which stories he found to be the most disturbing.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ROBERT PETERSEN:

Website: www.notoriousbakersfield.com/

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @notoriousbakersfield

Facebook: Notorious_Bakersfield

Twitter: @NotoriousBaker1

Paula received her Bachelor's Degree in Family and Human Development at Arizona State University and then went on to receive her Master's Degree in Family Therapy at the University of Massachusetts, at Boston. Post family therapy licensure, she became AASECT (American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists) certified as a Sex Therapist and worked with individuals, relationships, and families in private practice in Quincy, Massachusetts for over ten years. In that time, Paula received AASECT certification as a Supervisor of Sex Therapy, and co-founded a sex therapy agency and training institute where she saw clients in addition to training therapists to become competent, confident sex therapists themselves. Paula continues to regularly present at various training institutes as well as Universities and therapy agencies across the US.

Paula educates Kyle Jones and Dave Plivelich on the misconceptions that surround sex therapy and gives a more in depth analysis on the different types of issues that she treats. She explains how Zoom has been a helpful tool since therapy is now more accessible to couples. They also touch on the common factors that lead couples to seek out therapy.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PAULA LEECH:

Website: www.paulaleech.com/

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 602-570-6657

Instagram: @paulaleechtherapy

Facebook: @Paula_Leech_Therapy