Rise Seattle

John B Johnson is the Identity Architect at a small studio, a design studio specializing in branding and design systems. Since its inception, John's team has worked with over 30 different companies and generated over $300k in revenue.

John and his wife moved to Seattle in 2017 charged with an entrepreneurial passion to create community and inspire entrepreneurs.

John also started the 1 million cups Seattle chapter, a networking group that gives Seattle business professionals a space to learn, grow and share ideas. Through this work he intends to create a more inclusive city for newcomers.

Many people move to the city to take from its resources. John is one of the few who has moved here to serve it. But getting to a place of altruism and peace hasn't come without its challenges. John describes how his childhood, shaped him int the man he is today.

In a world of technology and data, there has been a lot of critique on the FINANCIAL Services industry. Why pay an advisor big bucks to do something an index fund could?

On today's episode I sit down with Will Hicks, Founder and solo-practitioner of Sapling Wealth Management, LLC. Will started his career on Wall Street in 1986 and was one of the first analysts to cover Real Estate Investment Trusts and Master Limited Partnerships. Later, he specialized in health care service stocks and was voted an "All-Star" analyst by the Wall Street Journal.

These days, he lives the Seattle dream running Sapling from his home office in the delightful neighborhood of Queen Anne.

On today's episode we discuss how an investment adviser can add approximately 3.0% to annual returns over time. How certain tax levers can be pulled to save big on healthcare expenses and how to know whether you should invest in the market or put your money into real estate.

It seems in today's divisive political environment, not many people have positive things to say about politicians. In episodes past we've had conversations about Seattle city council decisions that have left the city split. As we approach Seattle's Primary Election‎ on August 6th and General Election‎: ‎November 5th, we wanted to give Seattleites a way to hear and get to know who they're voting for. For the next few months Tyler will be interviewing select City Council Candidates from each district.

Our first guest in this series is Terry Rice, a Seattle City Council Candidate for District 6. Terry describes himself as a practical progressive candidate. His upbringing with a single mom of 4 who worked multiple jobs and relied on government funded services to survive and eventually thrive has driven him run for office. His experience in travel and technology business has given him a skill to assess complex issues and problem solve using the best data.

He is a native of the Pacific Northwest and has lived his entire adult life here in Seattle.

Terry is running for office because he believes in maintaining a business climate that is hospitable to economic growth, while holding businesses accountable to the community.

Pete Rex is the founder and CEO of MakeRise, a comprehensive technology platform that gives entrepreneurs in major cities across the US the power to create and grow businesses, obtain capital and build brands. Pete was a young real estate mogul who built a billion-dollar real estate company from the ground up and is now using his capital to build an ambitious technology aiming to help the small businesses and disadvantaged working class.

On today's episode we talk about how Seattle Prohibition consumed Seattle, igniting a war that lasted nearly twenty years and played out in the streets, waterways and even town hall.

Brad Holden is an author, historian, and finder of old Seattle things. His Instagram @seattle_artifacts is a treasure trove of old Seattle artifacts that he finds all over the city. Brad recently wrote a book called, Seattle Prohibition: Bootleggers, Rumrunners and Graft in the Queen City.

We hope you enjoy today's episode of spectacular stories of Seattle in the time of Prohibition. Stick around to the end of the episode to find out how you could win a free copy of Brad's book Seattle Prohibition for yourself.

As a Seattle Real Estate Agent, I'm often asked, "Are we headed for another housing bubble?" While my team and I watch the market closely, I'm hesitant to answer that question with authority. I can tell you what our local housing market is doing but I can't speak for the entire King County, let alone the nation.

On today's episode, I sit down with someone who can answer that question and more.

Matthew Gardner is the Chief Economist for Windermere Real Estate and is responsible for analyzing and interpreting economic data and its impact on the real estate market on both a local and national level. Matthew has over 28 years of professional experience both in the U.S. and U.K. He also contributes regularly to Reuters', Home Price Forecast Survey and Zillow's Home Price Expectation Survey.

We dive deep into topics like:

- How Trump's economic policies are affecting our local and national economy

- How the Seattle business ecosystem and culture are affected by our current policies

- How we, as a city, are embracing upzoning and paving the way for our economic future

We see it everyday. The tents, the trash, the drugs. Everyday, we walk by people who are struggling, flying cardboard signs asking for money or food. Should we give? Say hi? Or just pass by? On one hand the heart wants to help a struggling neighbor. On the other, the mind wonders what the person will do with the money you gave them. 

Homelessness is a complicated issue. As the city rises our problems rise with it. It seems that every problem that’s solved, another one gets created. Recently, KOMO news released a documentary called "Seattle is Dying" which now has over 3.1 million views. Whether you liked it or not, it’s sparked a passionate and politically fueled debate where both sides are screaming at each other.

On today’s episode, we sit down with someone who is actually homeless. Raven Crowfoot moved to Seattle in 2003 to be with his mom. Little did he know, his mom had a severe drug addiction. In 2004 they were kicked out of their home and Raven has been living on the streets ever since.  We dive into what it’s like to be homeless, how difficult it is to get housing, how Seattle is considered a paradise for homeless folks and what it’s like to stay sober while living on the streets.

We also talk with Samaritan Co-Founder, Jason Keil. Samaritan is a Seattle based tech company that is using app technology to give homeless people dignity, respect and community while offering vital services in the moment of need.

Bryan and Becca Pape are the Co-Founders of MiiR. A Seattle based product to project company that designs and creates world-class drinkware products that empower people for a better future. For every product sold they set aside a portion of revenue from the sale to give to organizations with sustainable methods of empowerment. To date they've given $850,000 to organizations making change in the world and impacted over 100,000+ people's lives for the better.

It's hard to go into a Seattle coffee shop and not spot their award winning camp cups, tumblers or growlers. They've partnered with world renowned brands like Patagonia, Blue Bottle and Starbucks and have empowered thousands of businesses create a meaningful and lasting product for events and merchandising, including Rise Seattle.

But creating a globally recognized brand doesn't come without struggle. Sit back and enjoy an honest conversation with two authentic and brilliant Seattleites trying to create something bigger than themselves while raising a family and giving back.

Stick around for the full interview to hear the newest addition to the MiiR product fleet.

Todd Bishop is the co-founder and editor of GeekWire, the nationally recognized technology news site based right here in Seattle, WA. GeekWire's large audience consists of of loyal, tech-savvy readers around the globe, who follow the site for breaking news, expert analysis and unique insights into the technology industry.

Todd is a longtime technology journalist who has spent his career covering tech giants such as Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Google. As a California native, Bishop moved to the Pacific NorthWest in the early 2000's to start his journalism career at the Seattle P-I followed by the Puget Sound Business Journal. In 2011 Todd and his journalism colleague and co-founder, John Cook started GeekWire.

But starting a technology news company from scratch isn't always easy. Join the conversation with Todd as we discuss what it was like to take the leap of faith from a stable job with benefits to a start-up dream. We also discuss Seattle's unprecedented tech ecosystem, Todd's current favorite Seattle companies and GeekWire's unique and sustainable business model.

Benjamin Schmitt is the Best Book Award and Pushcart nominated author of three books, most recently Soundtrack to a Fleeting Masculinity. His poems have appeared in the Antioch Review, Hobart, Worcester Review, Columbia Review, Roanoke Review, and elsewhere. He's the co-founder of Pacifica Writers' Workshop, and has also written articles for The Seattle Times and At The Inkwell. Ben lives in Seattle with his wife and children.