Ted Listens: Stories Behind the Businesses of Chicago

Peter Wilt has built more professional soccer teams than anyone in the Midwest, including the Chicago Fire, Chicago Red Stars, and now the Chicago House Athletic Club, where he serves as President and CEO.

In this episode of Ted Listens, Peter and I talk about what it takes to start a professional sports franchise from scratch, and the surprising similarities between launching a team and launching a startup.

From community-driven growth and transparent leadership to the importance of purpose-driven branding, Peter shares decades of wisdom that apply far beyond the field. You’ll hear stories of early wins, hard lessons, and how Chicago House is creating a new model for inclusive, community-based athletics including men’s, women’s, youth, and adaptive sports.

Whether you’re a sports fan, entrepreneur, or community builder, this conversation will inspire you to think bigger about what it means to lead, to build, and to belong.

More on Chicago House: https://www.chicagohouseac.com/

Connect with Peter Wilt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-wilt-26a7171/

More on Clique Studios: https://cliquestudios.com/

Connect with Ted Novak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tednovak/

Brian shares his journey from banking and real estate to launching a company that combines software, strategy, and social entrepreneurship to transform distressed properties into thriving assets.

We discuss:

• What land banks are and why they matter for entrepreneurs

• How land banks serve as innovation labs for housing and technology

• The intersection of public sector rules and private sector opportunity

• Why social entrepreneurship is key to sustainable economic growth

If you’re an entrepreneur, strategist, or community leader looking for fresh ways to create opportunity, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

#chicagorealestate #chicagobusiness #tedlistens

Have you ever thought, “I think I’ve got a book in me someday”?

Bestselling author Adrienne Gunn joins Ted Novak on the Ted Listens Podcast to talk about how she turned that thought into reality, while continuing to thrive in her career.

This episode covers the discipline of writing, the behind the scenes reality of publishing, and why community matters more than “networking.”

Listen in and get inspired to finally start your own book project.

My guest today is Camilo Escalante, the Executive Director of Diverse Segments for Rate, and we’re really going to cover some ground. The episode was recorded live in the Ramova Theatre, so you’ll need to pardon some of the echoes, but what an amazing venue, we even had the energy of that nights performance soundchecking towards the end of the interview.Camilo is an accomplished Chicagoan making a real impact both for his community and on the national stage. We’ll start by diving into the opportunity he saw to launch an industry first end to end lending platform in Spanish, then navigate to his role and insights on the opening of Ramova Theatre and brewery in Bridgeport.Many of the details he shares are inspiring whether you’re working in a company or starting something new, I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.

Today's interview is a bit different. It's not often I get to interview both owners of a business at the same time. Today I was fortunate enough get an audience with both Adam Ratner & Wendy Hayum-Gross, the Co-Owners of Grow Wellness Group. The Grow Wellness Group is a premiere provider of therapy, counseling, neuropsychological testing, psychiatry, sports psychology & performance improvement, yoga therapy and employer mental wellness solutions in Chicagoland.We dive into topics such as career transitions, starting and growing a wellness business, how to give back to your team and community, and the dynamics of a successful business partnership.

Learn more about Grow Wellness Group and their foundation here: https://www.growwellnessgroup.com/

My guest today is Kasey Foster, Artistic Director for Chicago’s Lookingglass theater.

Founded in 1988 by graduates of Northwestern University and located in a functioning pumping station that still supplies water to Chicago fire Departments, Lookingglass Theatre Company is a tony award winning nationwide leader in the creation and presentation of new cutting-edge theatrical works. Not only that, the theater contributes to Chicago’s community with Education and Community Programs, all based on their core values of collaboration, transformation, and invention.

I got to record our conversation in a dressing room of the theater, and Kasey brings us further behind the scenes into how shows are selected, business operations, and their commitment to bringing new and original work to their audiences.  I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.

My guest today is Evan Shy, CEO of Coding Temple.  

Coding Temple, is a top-ranked tech training provider based in Chicago that’s helping people launch new careers in Software Engineering, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, and Quality Assurance, and they’re doing this in just six months. 

In our conversation, Evan not only shares insights on their blended learning model that produces an average $20 thousand dollar salary increase, and has a guaranteed job placement…  He also gives insights on how the business itself is managed.  With a track record leading other companies prior to Coding Temple, along with currently being an entrepreneur in residence with Chicago’s P33, Evan shares a lot from his unique perspective.  I hope you enjoy the conversion as much as we did.

***If you were inspired by this episode, please head to https://www.btschicago.org and make a donation***

My guest today is Coach Mike Powell, Executive Director of Beat The Streets Chicago.  

For those who don’t know, Beat the Streets Chicago is a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to empowering Chicago youth through wrestling.  

With the vision that all Chicago youth can be life champions, Beat the Streets Chicago has built and continues to build a city-wide network of wrestling programs that emphasize the values of integrity, accountability, excellence, gratitude and grit.

In our conversation, Coach Powell takes us on his journey with the organization, gives a behind the scenes look on how it all works, shares some incredible stories of lives that have been impacted by the program, and gets into why wrestling specifically is helping shape tomorrow's leaders.

I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.

My guest today is Elizabeth Arnott, Director of Marketing & Publicity at Music Box Films.  

Music Box Films is dedicated to curating a diverse repertoire of films and television from around the world, and bring them to theaters and into our homes through streaming services. In partnership with the iconic Music Box Theatre, considered Chicago’s premier independent cinema, and their mission is to engage audiences with exciting alternatives to mainstream entertainment.

Elizabeth and I get into how the business works, from selecting films and what they look for, through some of their unique ways of marketing films, all the way through the ever evolving space of video streaming.  If you take notes while listening to podcasts, I recommend being prepared to jot down several film titles Elizabeth mentions.  I hope you enjoy the conversion as much as we did.

My guest today is Tommy Richards. Tommy is the National Entertainment Director for Howl2Go, which delivers the Howl at the Moon experience at events across the world. For those that don’t know, Howl at the Moon is famous for their dueling pianos, and is considered a top nightlife destination for live music with 15 locations nationwide… they even take up residence on 3 Norwegian Cruise Line ships.  If you’ve never been, I can speak from my own experiences that it’s a party and their performers make it an incredible evening. 

A musician and performer himself, Tommy shares insights on what it’s like to deliver the Howl at the Moon experience pretty much anywhere, and dives into examples on how they make it such a unique experience for their audience regardless of venue.  I think you’ll find his stories entertaining, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.