Texas Hill Country Insider

Steven Butcher sits down with Trey Garrett, founder and Broker/Realtor-Auctioneer of United Country | Garrett Realty & Auction in Harper, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, faith, family, reputation, resilience, and building a business from the ground up.

Trey shares how a difficult experience involving his own family inspired him to enter the auction industry, why he attended the World Wide College of Auctioneering, and what the lean early years really looked like. They also talk about earning trust, breaking into real estate, working alongside his wife Serah, helping families through difficult transitions, protecting your reputation, Hill Country loyalty, marriage, community, and why sometimes faith means taking the step before you know exactly where your foot will land.

Youtube Link:

https://youtu.be/AJNqOA4ArkA

Chapters

00:12 Welcome to Episode 28

00:28 Opening prayer

01:04 Meet Trey Garrett

03:23 The men who shaped him

05:04 Why your name and handshake matter

10:28 Resilience and entrepreneurship

13:41 Becoming an auctioneer

20:05 Starting Garrett Auctions in 2011

21:19 Bringing the business back to Texas

27:36 Winning his first auction and real estate listings

35:22 Selling his first major property

42:08 Choosing auctioneering over welding

46:13 Why Trey kept going

50:34 Building the business with Serah

54:15 Learning confidence as an auctioneer

56:27 Competing against top auctioneers

01:01:28 Helping families through difficult seasons

01:07:07 Why estate planning matters

01:14:11 Reputation, fairness, and doing the right thing

01:19:03 Building relationships through auctions and real estate

01:24:00 Moving the business from Kerrville to Harper

01:28:32 Loyalty in the Texas Hill Country

01:35:21 Protecting Hill Country culture

01:38:24 Marriage and building together

01:41:00 Why time became the real measure of success

01:49:38 Seeing God's provision

01:51:41 Start small and take the step

01:58:25 Where to find Trey Garrett

Resources and links:

Support us at : https://linktr.ee/texashillcountryinsider

Trey Garrett

Founder, Broker, Realtor-Auctioneer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trey-garrett-aa9a12176

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treygarrett783/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@3grdgen81

Phone: (580) 369-8689

Email: [email protected]

Garrett Realty & Auction

Website: https://letshaveanauction.com/

United Country: https://www.garrettrealtyandauctions.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnitedCountryGarrettRealtyAuction

Address: 23145 W Hwy 290, Harper, TX 78631

Steven Butcher

Website: https://www.butcherbehrens.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butcher_behren_signature_homes/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-butcher-8678841b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButcherBehrens

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@butcherbehrensighomes

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ButcherBehrensSignatureHomes/shorts

Phone: +1 210-636-5387

Mentions

Trey Garrett

Serah Garrett

Garrett Realty & Auction

United Country

Harper

Kerrville

World Wide College of Auctioneering

Texas Auction Association

Fredericksburg

Auctioneering

Real estate

Texas Hill Country

Follow Texas Hill Country Insider for more conversations on local business, real estate, growth, and life across the Texas Hill Country.

Ryan Rendon and Steven Butcher sit down with Jarrid Dietert, a Fredericksburg financial professional and owner of Local Legend Apparel LLC, for a conversation about money, family, faith, career pivots, discipline, and showing up for the people around you.

Jarrid shares how his grandfather shaped his work ethic, how Texas A&M led him into college athletics at the University of Houston, and why he eventually moved into financial services.

They also talk about listening before giving advice, teaching kids about money, redefining success, protecting family time, becoming Catholic through ACTS, building Local Legend Apparel, serving the Fredericksburg community, and why everyone has to run their own race.

Youtube Link:

https://youtu.be/gFUaruJerto

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Episode 27

00:39 Opening prayer

01:32 Meet Jarrid Dietert

03:13 Grandpa's newspaper test

05:26 Work ethic and the family farm

11:43 Texas A&M and sports management

15:47 College athletics at the University of Houston

19:30 Pivoting into financial services

23:14 The first person who talks loses

25:52 Teaching financial basics

38:23 Why starting matters more than waiting

44:15 Redefining success

49:23 Protecting family time

54:24 Faith, ACTS, and becoming Catholic

01:08:40 CrossFit, discipline, and consistency

01:13:24 How Local Legend Apparel started

01:17:57 Moving to Fredericksburg for family

01:21:23 Community showing up

01:26:05 Walking through his parents' health challenges

01:29:29 Run your own race

01:37:34 What he hopes his kids remember

01:40:13 Where to find Jarrid

Resources and links:

Support us at : https://linktr.ee/texashillcountryinsider

Jarrid DietertLocal Legend Apparel LLCLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarrid-dietert-0464793aInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethelocallegend/

Steven Butcher

Website: https://www.butcherbehrens.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butcher_behren_signature_homes/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-butcher-8678841b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButcherBehrens

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@butcherbehrensighomes

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ButcherBehrensSignatureHomes/shorts

Phone: +1 210-636-5387

Ryan Rendon

Website: https://www.ryanrendon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_rendon_realtor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanRendonRealtor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ryanrendon-RealEstate

Phone: +1 830-890-1943

Mentions

Jarrid Dietert

Fredericksburg Financial

Cetera Investors

Local Legend Apparel LLC

Texas A&M

University of Houston

Fredericksburg

ACTS

Saint Mary's

Financial planning

Family

Texas Hill Country

Follow Texas Hill Country Insider for more conversations on local business, real estate, growth, and life across the Texas Hill Country.

Ryan Rendon sits down with Russ York, Head of School and Director of Instruction for Grades 9–12 at Ambleside School of Fredericksburg, for a conversation about faith, education, parenting, curiosity, community, and what it means to form the whole person.

Russ shares how he went from an athlete who barely cared about school to discovering a love of learning, becoming a public school teacher, and eventually moving his family to Fredericksburg to lead Ambleside. They explore the Charlotte Mason approach, why education should be about more than mastering information, the importance of relationships and habits, navigating fear versus love, the influence of AI on education, learning through failure, and raising students who remain curious about God and the world around them.

Youtube Link:

https://youtu.be/81icnr7BApY

Chapters

00:12 Welcome to Episode 26

00:46 Opening prayer

01:26 Meet Russ York

04:00 Growing up as an athlete

08:46 The wake-up call that changed his education

11:38 Discovering a love of history

18:24 Becoming intellectually curious

22:35 Seven years in public education

28:33 Faith and teaching

32:48 The backpacking trip that changed his life

39:55 Meeting his wife Heather

44:29 What is education actually for?

52:05 Education, culture, and artificial intelligence

58:12 What makes Christian education different

01:01:23 Charlotte Mason and Ambleside

01:05:02 What Charlotte Mason education looks like

01:12:25 Helping parents adopt a different approach

01:18:03 Sports, competition, and formation

01:24:57 Education motivated by love versus fear

01:32:14 Why failure can be a great teacher

01:37:50 Moving to Fredericksburg

01:40:56 Community and accountability

01:44:36 Ambleside’s next phase of growth

01:49:09 Playing the long game in discipleship

01:52:29 What Russ hopes students carry with them

01:54:55 Where to learn more about Ambleside

01:57:54 Closing thoughts

Resources and links:

Support us at : https://linktr.ee/texashillcountryinsider

Russ York

Head of School and Director of Instruction, Grades 9–12

Ambleside School of Fredericksburg

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russ-york-02917a239

Ambleside School of Fredericksburg

Website: https://www.amblesidefredericksburg.com/

Phone: (830) 990-9059

Email: [email protected]

Ambleside International

Website: https://amblesideschools.org/

Ryan Rendon

Website: https://www.ryanrendon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_rendon_realtor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanRendonRealtor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ryanrendon-RealEstate

Phone: +1 830-890-1943

Mentions

Russ York

Ambleside School of Fredericksburg

Ambleside International

Charlotte Mason

Fredericksburg

University of Dallas

University of North Texas

Tarrant County College

Young Life

Enchanted Rock

Christian education

Texas Hill Country

Follow Texas Hill Country Insider for more conversations on local business, real estate, growth, and life across the Texas Hill Country.

Ryan Rendon and Steven Butcher sit down with Kelsey Morgan, co-owner of Felt Boutique in Fredericksburg, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, motherhood, business partnerships, faith, retail, and creating an experience people remember.

Kelsey shares how she went from teaching middle school math to helping build Felt Boutique, how a custom wedding hat helped inspire the business, and what she has learned about budgeting, inventory, leadership, and taking calculated risks. They also talk about buying a Main Street building, stepping away from apparel to focus on custom hats and accessories, balancing friendship with business, raising three young kids, staying grounded in faith, and why sometimes the biggest difference between an idea and a business is simply deciding to go for it.

Youtube Link:

https://youtu.be/8CmzFlHZoUo

Chapters

00:55 Welcome to Episode 25

02:00 Opening prayer

02:44 Meet Kelsey Morgan

04:10 Moving to Fredericksburg and teaching

05:04 How Felt Boutique began

08:18 The wedding hat that inspired the hat bar

10:15 Creating an experience instead of a transaction

12:05 Building a business while raising young kids

14:26 Learning retail through trial and error

17:59 Growing into a new Main Street location

20:35 Why having a business partner matters

23:35 The reality behind entrepreneurship

26:12 Kelsey’s finance and operations role

28:29 Dividing strengths in a partnership

33:37 Buying the current Felt Boutique building

40:20 Why Felt moved away from apparel

44:26 Doubling down on custom hats

47:18 The Felt Boutique customer experience

52:14 Becoming part of the Fredericksburg experience

58:13 Custom accessories, embroidery, and engraving

01:02:29 Balancing friendship, business, and parenting

01:05:06 Work hard and be kind

01:06:16 Burnout, faith, and keeping God at the center

01:09:14 Prayer, adoration, and intentional faith

01:17:19 What the Fredericksburg community means

01:21:05 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

01:24:00 Rapid fire

01:26:55 Where to find Felt Boutique

01:28:41 Closing thoughts

Resources and links:

Support us at : https://linktr.ee/texashillcountryinsider

Kelsey Morgan

Co-owner, Felt Boutique

Felt Boutique

Website: https://feltboutique.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopfeltboutique/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FeltBoutiqueFBG

TikTok: @feltboutique

Address: 204 E. Main St., Fredericksburg, TX 78624

Phone: (830) 383-1050

Email: [email protected]

Steven Butcher

Website: https://www.butcherbehrens.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butcher_behren_signature_homes/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-butcher-8678841b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButcherBehrens

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@butcherbehrensighomes

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ButcherBehrensSignatureHomes/shorts

Phone: +1 210-636-5387

Ryan Rendon

Website: https://www.ryanrendon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_rendon_realtor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanRendonRealtor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ryanrendon-RealEstate

Phone: +1 830-890-1943

Mentions

Kelsey Morgan

Hannah Reeh

Felt Boutique

Fredericksburg

New Braunfels

Main Street

Saint Mary’s

Custom hats

Hat bar

Small business

Entrepreneurship

Texas Hill Country

Follow Texas Hill Country Insider for more conversations on local business, real estate, growth, and life across the Texas Hill Country.

Ryan Rendon and Steven Butcher take Texas Hill Country Insider outside the studio for the first time, sitting down with Coach Curtis Neill, Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Tivy High School in Kerrville.

Coach Neill shares why Tivy was “the job, not a job,” what nearly 30 years of coaching taught him about leadership, and how he is building a culture centered on accountability, academics, faith, service, and competing at a high level. They also talk about Tivy’s move to 4A, his college football days at Texas Southern alongside Michael Strahan, modern film study and player development, serving Kerrville after the floods, multi-sport athletes, and what TFND should mean long after a player leaves the field.

Youtube Link:

https://youtu.be/KdaVTXoAeyE

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Episode 24

00:23 First episode outside the studio

00:54 Opening prayer

01:35 Meet Coach Curtis Neill

02:22 Tivy’s move to 4A

07:14 Why Tivy was “the job”

09:15 Nearly 30 years before becoming a head coach

12:09 Why Kerrville feels like home

13:30 Building accountability and culture

16:28 Playing football at Texas Southern

19:42 Film study and modern player development

23:14 Creating athlete buy-in

24:36 Nutrition and game-day preparation

26:18 The connection with Coach David Jones

28:40 Serving Kerrville after the floods

32:43 Lessons from Coach Neill’s first season

34:26 The community behind Tivy

37:55 Tivy’s fast-paced, run-first offense

40:09 Multi-sport athletes and developing talent

48:47 Tivy athletics beyond football

52:06 What Coach Neill wants players to remember

56:05 Lightning round

57:55 Supporting Tivy athletics

59:18 Final thoughts

Resources and links:

Support us at : https://linktr.ee/texashillcountryinsider

Curtis Neill

Athletic Director & Head Football Coach, Tivy High School

Official Profile: https://www.gillespiecounty.gov/1206/County-Sheriff

Email: [email protected]

Office: (830) 257-2212 ext. 3550

X: @CoachNeill

Tivy High School

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tivyhighschool/

Tivy Football

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tfnd_football/

Kerrville ISD

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerrvilleisd/

Steven Butcher

Website: https://www.butcherbehrens.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butcher_behren_signature_homes/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-butcher-8678841b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButcherBehrens

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@butcherbehrensighomes

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ButcherBehrensSignatureHomes/shorts

Phone: +1 210-636-5387

Ryan Rendon

Website: https://www.ryanrendon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_rendon_realtor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanRendonRealtor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ryanrendon-RealEstate

Phone: +1 830-890-1943

Mentions

Curtis Neill

Tivy High School

Tivy Football

Kerrville

Texas Southern University

Michael Strahan

David Jones

Schreiner University

Texas Tech

Texas A&M

TFND

Texas Hill Country

Follow Texas Hill Country Insider for more conversations on local business, real estate, growth, and life across the Texas Hill Country.

Ryan Rendon and Steven Butcher sit down with John Sawyer, Broker and Owner of Hill Country Legacy Partners, for a conversation about real estate, leadership, faith, family, entrepreneurship, and finding his way back home to Texas.

John shares how he went from growing up in California and pursuing law enforcement to building a career in operations, tax consulting, and eventually real estate in the Hill Country. They talk about starting his own brokerage, servant leadership, why bigger is not always better, what real estate agents actually do, building relationships instead of chasing leads, supporting agents, jiu-jitsu, and the importance of staying grounded in faith and family.

Youtube Link:

https://youtu.be/9ThAkHLkNYQ

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Episode 23

02:33 Opening prayer

03:35 Meet John Sawyer

07:23 Born in Texas, raised in California

10:09 Moving his family back to Texas

14:41 Starting over in the Hill Country

15:34 Faith through difficult seasons

17:12 Family, marriage, and sacrifice

22:43 Learning to live in the moment

24:13 Working with your spouse

28:45 Why John left California

31:49 His original dream of law enforcement

37:25 The personality test that changed his path

44:13 Becoming a young executive

50:22 Servant leadership

55:24 Protecting the original vision as you grow

58:23 Entering the real estate industry

01:02:37 Starting Hill Country Legacy Partners

01:09:51 What people misunderstand about real estate

01:17:38 Advice for new real estate agents

01:21:35 Growing Legacy Partners

01:26:36 Jiu-jitsu and life outside work

01:36:15 Family and becoming a grandfather

01:37:14 Where to find John Sawyer

01:38:03 Closing thoughts

Resources and links:

Support us at : https://linktr.ee/texashillcountryinsider

John Sawyer

Hill Country Legacy Partners

Official Profile: https://www.hillcountrylegacypartners.com/agent-profile/john-sawyer-127721093

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-sawyer-0389206a

Phone: (830) 353-8068

Hill Country Legacy Partners

Website: https://www.hillcountrylegacypartners.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hillcountrylegacypartners/

Steven Butcher

Website: https://www.butcherbehrens.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butcher_behren_signature_homes/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-butcher-8678841b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButcherBehrens

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@butcherbehrensighomes

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ButcherBehrensSignatureHomes/shorts

Phone: +1 210-636-5387

Ryan Rendon

Website: https://www.ryanrendon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_rendon_realtor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanRendonRealtor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ryanrendon-RealEstate

Phone: +1 830-890-1943

Mentions

John Sawyer

Hill Country Legacy Partners

Kerrville

Fredericksburg

Santa Cruz

Rio Grande Valley

Comanche Trace

Real estate

Servant leadership

Land and ranch

Jiu-jitsu

Texas Hill Country

Follow Texas Hill Country Insider for more conversations on local business, real estate, growth, and life across the Texas Hill Country.

Ryan Rendon and Steven Butcher sit down with Jacob and Katie Rhodes, owners of HoneyTree in Fredericksburg, for a conversation about marriage, family, design, entrepreneurship, faith, tourism, and creating unforgettable places in the Texas Hill Country.

Jacob and Katie share how a simple idea for one rental cabin evolved into HoneyTree, why designing separate units helped them work together as a married couple, and how they eventually grew from their original treehouses into Blue Sage by HoneyTree. They also talk about building unconventional spaces, learning through mistakes, the changing short-term rental market, creating places that help guests disconnect, and how faith and family continue to shape the business.

Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/JsrnZ7an4js

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Episode 22

00:39 Opening prayer

01:35 Meet Jacob and Katie Rhodes

03:55 Katie’s Fredericksburg roots

05:35 Heritage, Ambleside, and raising a family

10:20 How Jacob and Katie met

13:30 How HoneyTree began

16:22 Building the first treehouse

18:51 Learning to design together

21:01 When HoneyTree started taking off

23:30 Expanding into Blue Sage

26:19 Turning mistakes into features

29:36 Designing for real guests

32:44 Why every HoneyTree unit is different

33:01 Helping couples disconnect

38:26 Airbnb, boutique hotel, or something different?

40:19 Managing guest expectations

41:30 The short-term rental boom and slowdown

43:24 What HoneyTree offers that feels different

45:24 Reconnecting with nature

49:20 Creating the kind of tourism they want

58:28 Growing up with Fredericksburg tourism

01:02:05 What HoneyTree is building next

01:05:23 How faith shaped their journey

01:15:06 Where to find HoneyTree

01:16:34 Closing thoughts

Resources and links:

Support us at : https://linktr.ee/texashillcountryinsider

Jacob & Katie Rhodes

HoneyTree

Website: https://www.honeytreefbg.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeytreefbg/

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 830-872-3322

Steven Butcher

Website: https://www.butcherbehrens.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butcher_behren_signature_homes/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-butcher-8678841b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButcherBehrens

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@butcherbehrensighomes

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ButcherBehrensSignatureHomes/shorts

Phone: +1 210-636-5387

Ryan Rendon

Website: https://www.ryanrendon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_rendon_realtor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanRendonRealtor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ryanrendon-RealEstate

Phone: +1 830-890-1943

Mentions

Jacob Rhodes

Katie Rhodes

HoneyTree

Blue Sage by HoneyTree

Fredericksburg

Enchanted Rock

Ambleside School

University of Dallas

Airbnb

Texas Hill Country

Short-term rentals

Hill Country tourism

Follow Texas Hill Country Insider for more conversations on local business, real estate, growth, and life across the Texas Hill Country.

Ryan Rendon and Steven Butcher sit down with Montana Martin, owner of Sealcoat Specialists LLC, for a conversation about family business, entrepreneurship, leadership, asphalt, hard work, and building a company that can grow beyond its owner.

Montana shares how his father introduced him to the pavement industry, why he stepped up when his father’s health declined, and how he expanded the business from maintenance and striping into full asphalt installation. They also talk about managing employees, learning to delegate, drainage in the Hill Country, maintaining asphalt, growing through difficult seasons, and the mindset Montana believes every entrepreneur needs: don’t quit.

Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/VBNaxNgYNC4

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Episode 21

02:39 Meet Montana Martin

03:15 Opening prayer

04:55 Family, kids, and life outside work

06:21 Growing up in Ingram

08:12 The family pavement business

09:15 Learning the trade from his father

10:33 Taking ownership of Sealcoat Specialists

15:04 Stepping up when his father’s health declined

17:20 Growing beyond the original business

18:36 Hiring people who are better than you

20:21 Building a company instead of a small business

23:47 Faith and leadership at work

28:04 What a typical asphalt job looks like

30:25 Why Montana does not offer chip seal

32:33 What people misunderstand about asphalt

34:23 Managing customer expectations

37:01 Helping employees grow

40:24 Building a business that can run without you

45:25 Growth across Kerrville and Ingram

48:02 Drainage and Hill Country properties

50:10 Lessons from the Hill Country floods

54:09 Montana’s advice for entrepreneurs

57:03 Building systems and earning freedom

01:01:07 Where to find Sealcoat Specialists

01:02:15 Closing thoughts

Resources and links:

Support us at : https://linktr.ee/texashillcountryinsider

Montana Martin

Owner, Sealcoat Specialists LLC

Website: https://www.sealcoatspecialists.com/

Phone: (830) 315-2100

Steven Butcher

Website: https://www.butcherbehrens.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butcher_behren_signature_homes/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-butcher-8678841b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButcherBehrens

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@butcherbehrensighomes

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ButcherBehrensSignatureHomes/shorts

Phone: +1 210-636-5387

Ryan Rendon

Website: https://www.ryanrendon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_rendon_realtor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanRendonRealtor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ryanrendon-RealEstate

Phone: +1 830-890-1943

Mentions

Montana Martin

Sealcoat Specialists LLC

Kerrville

Ingram

Fredericksburg

Boerne

San Antonio

Asphalt installation

Sealcoating

Parking lot striping

Drainage

Texas Hill Country

Follow Texas Hill Country Insider for more conversations on local business, real estate, growth, and life across the Texas Hill Country.

Ryan Rendon takes the mic solo for Episode 20 of Texas Hill Country Insider, reflecting on how the podcast started, what he and Steven Butcher have learned through their first 19 episodes, and the people and stories that have made the journey worthwhile.

Ryan answers listener questions about the original idea behind the show, early recording mistakes, his favorite conversation so far, what podcasting has taught him about the Hill Country, and the work that happens behind the scenes. He also shares where the podcast could go next, including taking episodes on location and continuing to give local business owners, community leaders, pastors, and other Hill Country voices a place to tell their stories.

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/GMkebCMzR_4

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Episode 20

00:37 Why Ryan is hosting solo

00:54 Opening prayer

01:51 Reflecting on the first 19 episodes

02:36 Where the podcast idea came from

02:59 Ryan’s original YouTube channel

03:27 The meeting with Will Cooper

04:13 Texas Hill Country Insider before the podcast

05:02 Will’s idea to turn it into a podcast

05:24 Building the studio

06:03 Ryan and Steven as cohosts

06:46 The future of Texas Hill Country Insider

07:27 Memories from the first episode

09:01 The first major recording mistake

09:43 Ryan’s favorite guest so far

10:27 Why Sheriff Chris Ayala stood out

11:28 What the podcast has taught Ryan

12:23 Community in the Texas Hill Country

13:08 What surprised Ryan about podcasting

14:30 Upcoming guests

15:02 Why local stories matter

16:19 Taking the podcast on location

17:03 Reflections on the first solo episode

17:24 Thank you to the listeners

18:28 Looking ahead

19:04 Closing thoughts

Resources and links:

Support us at : https://linktr.ee/texashillcountryinsider

Steven Butcher

Website: https://www.butcherbehrens.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butcher_behren_signature_homes/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-butcher-8678841b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButcherBehrens

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@butcherbehrensighomes

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ButcherBehrensSignatureHomes/shorts

Phone: +1 210-636-5387

Ryan Rendon

Website: https://www.ryanrendon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_rendon_realtor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanRendonRealtor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ryanrendon-RealEstate

Phone: +1 830-890-1943

Mentions

Ryan Rendon

Steven Butcher

Texas Hill Country Insider

Will Cooper

Sheriff Chris Ayala

Chuck Alvarez

Father Ian

GSM Outdoors

Fredericksburg

Kerrville

Boerne

Harper

Texas Hill Country

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Ryan Rendon and guest cohost Brock Carroll sit down with Will Cooper, Social Media Director at GSM Outdoors and co-host of the HuntStand Podcast, for a conversation about hunting, outdoor media, family traditions, conservation, and building a career in the outdoor industry.

Will shares how a track injury led him to start a college bass-fishing club, opening the door to outdoor television, archery retail, HuntStand, and GSM Outdoors. They also talk about Western hunting, bow setup, fitness, backcountry safety, introducing children to hunting, protecting public access, uniting hunters, and why anyone hoping to enter the industry should not be afraid to shoot their shot.

YouTube Link:

https://youtu.be/uYUouMzri6A

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Episode 19

01:25 Opening prayer

02:02 Meet Will Cooper

04:13 Growing up in Fredericksburg

05:58 Starting the McMurry Bass Club

08:11 Entering the outdoor industry

10:31 Career pivots and archery retail

15:27 Working as a bow technician during Covid

17:19 Joining HuntStand and GSM Outdoors

21:51 New outdoor products and hunting gear

26:13 Preparing for unpredictable mountain weather

33:24 Raising children around hunting

41:16 Scouting and ElkShape Camp

46:11 Learning to tune and repair a bow

54:35 Bowhunting elk and hard lessons

01:00:09 Hunting Alberta

01:04:31 Fitness for Western hunting

01:12:20 Essential backcountry gear and safety

01:17:53 Lessons from podcasting

01:26:20 Breaking into the outdoor industry

01:30:15 Why hunters need to unite

01:34:25 Ethics and responsibility in hunting media

01:42:22 Hunting the Texas Hill Country

01:46:01 Passing hunting traditions to children

01:54:21 Final advice from Will

01:56:49 Closing remarks

Resources and links:

Support us at : https://linktr.ee/texashillcountryinsider

Will Cooper

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-cooper-5a2a9a85

GSM Outdoors

Website: https://www.gsmoutdoors.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gsmoutdoors/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gsmoutdoors

HuntStand

Website: https://www.huntstand.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/huntstand-podcast/id1612863157

Brock Carroll

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brock_carroll/

Ryan Rendon

Website: https://www.ryanrendon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_rendon_realtor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanRendonRealtor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ryanrendon-RealEstate

Phone: +1 830-890-1943

Mentions

Will Cooper

Brock Carroll

Josh Dahlke

GSM Outdoors

HuntStand

McMurry University

Fredericksburg

Texas Hill Country

Bowhunting

Western hunting

Public-land access

Hunter recruitment

Backcountry safety

Outdoor media

Conservation

Follow Texas Hill Country Insider for more conversations on local business, real estate, growth, and life across the Texas Hill Country.