Are you thinking of trying something new? Cool. 

GO FOR IT. 

There is always a reason to learn something new– today’s guest went from high school track star to WSU college football player before turning NFL pro and, eventually, settling down as a philanthropist. 

Embrace your fears and just go for it!!

In this episode of CougsFirst! We get to hear the incredible story of Rueben Mayes, MBA, CFRE, ex-NFL, former WSU footballer, co-author, TEDx speaker...I mean, the number of accolades and accomplishments to his name could fill up a large book. 

Rueben has had a fantastic football career, and he’s also been a huge contributor to the philanthropy fundraising space in Pullman. Now, he’s turning his sites to Seattle (but don’t worry Pullman, he’s staying right where he is). 

Rueben has so much to share, and I think today’s episode is both an awesome Coug conversation and a great story filled with important takeaways and tangibles you can apply to your life and career, including the desire to give back. 

You don’t want to miss this episode, so hit that play button and let’s go!! 

Leave a 5 star review on iTunes or Spotify!

What we discussed: 

[1:35] From a Canadian small town to a WSU football scholarship

[5:20] The mindset needed to succeed as a student athlete

[7:38] Behind the scenes of breaking the 1984 NCAA rushing record

[9:30] What it takes to go from college to professional football

[12:00] The highlights of his professional NFL career

[13:48] Why you need to embrace your fears and just go for it

[15:12] Deciding what’s next after a successful career in football

[17:17] The skillset he carried over from the football field to philanthropy

[18:46] What you might not realize about fundraising

[20:00] Tips on how to become an effective leader 

[24:46] What he does to add light and encouragement to people’s lives

Links:

TEDx You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsvSWkEHNDk

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: 

https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

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How do you decide what career path to pursue? And then, when you’ve made a name for yourself in the industry, how do you make the shift when you’re ready to try something new?

Today’s guest has the answers! 

From breaking into a predominantly male industry to using connections and contacts to jump to a completely different industry, this episode is PACKED with all kinds of career lessons and inspiration from –you guessed it!— a fellow Coug!! 

Today I am talking to the incredible Jaymee Sire. Jaymee is an Emmy-award winning television & multi-media host, the President & CEO of E is for Eat, Inc., host of Food Network Obsessed Podcast, and, of course, a WSU alum. 

Jaymee has had quite the career since she left WSU, and she’s on the CougsFirst! Podcast to share her journey from sports to food blogging to podcasting and how WSU fits into it.

 You definitely don’t want to miss this episode, so hit that play button!! 

Leave a 5 star review on iTunes or Spotify!

What we discussed:

[2:19] What made her choose sports broadcasting

[4:23] The most interesting sport event she’s covered

[6:48] How she maintains enthusiasm during tough sporting outcomes

[8:34] Shifting from the sports industry to the food industry 

[10:01] Her experience through layoffs and starting a food blog

[14:00] Networking her way into the food industry

[16:11] The intention behind the Food Network Obsessed podcast

[19:01] The different approaches to podcasting and broadcasting

[30:00] What makes WSU so unforgettable

Links:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaymee

Food Network Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/food-network-obsessed/id1545586439

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: 

https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

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I don’t necessarily need to say this (but I WILL) because we all know it – WSU is special. 

We all seem to have a deep connection with WSU, and it never goes away (not that we want it to, either!)

While most of us moved to Pullman to attend WSU, today’s guest is Pullman-raised, WSU-educated, California experienced, and back to Pullman for the quality of life. Now he’s back in the town where he was always meant to be and works hard to give back to the university that gave him so much. 

Today I am talking to Duane Brelsford. Yup, THAT Brelsford! 

If you haven’t noticed, his name is everywhere, and that’s because his company and his family are so deeply connected to WSU and the town of Pullman.

In this episode of CougsFirst!, we are talking all about learning from failures, what makes WSU so unique, the fulfillment of giving back, and why it’s important to embrace both the community of Pullman and WSU. 

Duane has so many stories and SO much wisdom, and he’s sharing it all with us today – so tune in to learn more!

Leave a 5 star review on iTunes or Spotify!

What we discussed:

[1:30] The symbolism of where the WSU Visitor Center is located

[4:14] Duane’s ties to WSU + his WSU journey

[7:20] The most impactful part of his WSU experience

[9:37] The Brelsford 100 year Pullman legacy

[11:55] What makes WSU unique from other colleges

[17:59] What makes a business successful in Pullman & why feedback is important

[20:55] How recent grads can leverage their career once they enter the workforce

[23:05] The importance of learning from failures (with Duane’s example)

[25:09] What he’s learned during his leadership journey

[28:41] Wisdom and advice for the newly accepted college student

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: 

https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

Connect with us on social media:

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cougsfirst/ 

I’ll be the first to say that college mascots are a big deal! As WSU alums, we ALL know who Butch T. Cougar is, right!?

When Butch isn’t getting the crowds roaring on gamedays, he is representing the university at various events both on and off campus as a brand ambassador!!

I mean, the job sounds pretty epic….but who’s inside the mascot costume, and how on earth did they get there?!

This episode of CougsFirst! Is answering ALL your burning questions about Butch, and I am SO excited for it because I am talking to not just ONE but TWO previous Butch T. Cougar mascots!!

Max and Zach are on the show to share personal Butch stories, history lessons about Butch the mascot, the secrecy behind Butch, and what they’re doing to promote and encourage more involvement with Butch T. Cougar! 

Leave a 5 star review on iTunes or Spotify!

What we discussed:

[1:33] Wrangling all the previous Butch’s together into a database

[4:19] How animal rights activists shifted Butch from a live cougar to a student in costume

[6:02] Why colleges have secret mascots

[9:10] How to prepare for a Butch tryout

[13:56] Random requests for Butch appearances

[17:28] Navigating the secret of being Butch without your peers knowing

[20:12] The pros and cons of being Butch in college

[23:30] The legacy Butch T. Cougar has left behind

[33:48] Making the jump from Butch to corporate

Links:

LINK TO SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION LET’S GET BUTCH PAID: 

https://foundation.wsu.edu/give/?fund=15b4a22b-a490-4744-a7a0-b317c9ada2cc&cat=idonate_programs&area=idonate_cougar_athletics&utm_source=ambassador&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=herbert-meeker-butch-t-cougar-scholarship   

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

Connect with us on social media:

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cougsfirst/ 

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Communities that support each other can make a HUGE impact! Luckily for us Cougs, CougsFirst! is ALL about community and connection.

But how does connecting with the Cougar community impact your career, your business, and your life?

Our guest today is sharing how WSU influenced his trajectory and why Coug Nation it’s now a key part of his life and business.

In this episode, I am talking with the legendary 'Throwin Samoan,' Jack Thompson! Jack played football for the Cougs in the late 70s and played in the NFL for 6 years before moving back to Seattle to raise his family and reconnect with his beloved WSU!  

Did I mention he serves on the Board of Directors for the WSU Foundation AND is a Co-Founder of CougsFirst!?!

Jack is sharing his side of the Cougar community, the importance of being bold (even when it almost gets you thrown off the football team!), and why the genuine care and concern of the Cougar community led him to choose WSU and co-found CougsFirst!.

If you plug into this episode, you'll hear the heart behind what CougsFirst! is doing, why it's doing it, and why every Coug loves being a part of the WSU family. So tap that play button!!

Leave a 5 star review on iTunes or Spotify!

What we discussed:

[2:20] The nickname behind Throwin’ Samoan

[4:45] The story behind how he become a WSU quarterback

[11:52] Why you have to be bold sometimes

[14:40] Lessons learned from life in the NFL

[16:30] How Jack ended up at WSU

[21:17] Experiencing WSU for the first time

[26:45] Jack’s why behind the founding of CougsFirst!

[30:59] How his business has benefitted from being a part of CougsFirst!

Links:

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

Connect with us on social media:

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cougsfirst/ 

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cougsfirst/

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/CougsFirst

Like us on Faceboo

Cougs are all over the state of Washington –so there is always an opportunity to network and grow your business or career alongside other Cougs. 

I mean, honestly, what makes WSU so great is the passion behind our university and the support you feel no matter where you run into a fellow Coug.

And here at CougsFirst!, we’re ALL about Cougs supporting Cougs, but we’re also huge proponents of Cougs rallying around and supporting WSU in whatever way they can – and President Schulz agrees with us!!

In this episode of CougsFirst!, I am talking to President Kirk H. Schulz, who has been guiding WSU through an incredible transformation since 2016. 

With his help, big things have been happening at WSU, and the opportunity to be a part of our amazing Cougar Nation is growing. And we are so excited to see where the university is heading!

President Schulz is spilling the beans on the direction he’s taking WSU, what he’s already done to make WSU even better than it already is (I know, is that even possible?!), AND all the exciting things happening at the WSU campuses.

Leave a 5 star review on iTunes or Spotify!

What we discussed:

[1:34] How Kirk ended up at WSU

[5:47] What a land grant university means

[7:53] How small businesses benefit from land grant universities

[12:00] What it means to be a Coug at the different campuses

[14:55] Fun facts about the President’s Mansion

[17:09] Updates on the Spokane Medical School

[20:41] The momentum of WSU sports in 2022

[25:06] What makes the culture at WSU so unique

[27:14] President Schulz thoughts on CougsFirst!

Links:

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

Connect with us on social media:

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cougsfirst/ 

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cougsfirst/

Tweet us: https://twitter.com/CougsFirst

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebo

If you’re a new entrepreneur, a seasoned business, or you’re just looking to network and meet other WSU business owners –you NEED to check out CougsFirst! Even if you’re just looking to support a Coug Owned Business in whatever industry… odds are they are part of this community.

CougsFirst! was started so that people of all ages –students, recent grads, and alumni– can be successful and get business from the network. It’s built on relationships and that “cougs support cougs” attitude we’ve all grown to love from WSU. 

We’ve made it our mission to encourage Cougar Nation to get in the habit of taking the intentional act of seeking out Cougar-owned, managed, and affiliated businesses. Need wine? A car? Cheese? Insurance? A new credit card? Odds are there’s a Coug Owned business you can support.

And today we have one of the original members to give us all of the details, plus some BIG announcements for 2023. Meet Glenn Osterhout, founding member and board member, who was there from the beginning and shares our enthusiasm for the future.

If you don’t know Glenn (which you should!), he’s a successful Financial Advisor at Cascade Guided Wealth and in his 11th year as Chairman of CougsFirst! So he’s been with the community as it’s grown and evolved through many seasons. Which is why he is the perfect person to share its history!

I am so excited because big things are happening inside this community, and we can’t wait to have you join us in this next chapter of CougsFirst!

Leave a 5 star review on iTunes or Spotify!

What we discussed:

[4:29] Glenn’s journey after WSU

[8:20] The benefit of starting CougsFirst! as a private sector business

[14:01] What the structure of CougsFirst! looks like and the pivots they’ve made

[17:43] Industries involved in CougsFirst!

[21:47] Examples of massive success from being a part of the CougsFirst! community

[24:41] Success stories of recent WSU grads who joined CougsFirst!

[27:42] What having a new Exec Director means for CougsFirst! moving forward

[31:13] Advice for having an impactful experience at WSU

Links:

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

Connect with us on social media:

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cougsfirst/ 

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Raise your hand if you loved your time at Washington State University? Now how about life after WSU with your fellow Cougs? Watching games. Going to Homecoming. And supporting other Coug owned businesses? 

I have BOTH hands raised!

I can absolutely verify that the CougsFirst! community has opened up huge opportunities and careers for current WSU students, recent grads, and alumni alike. And I have insider information that they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. 

Today I am talking to Tony Poston, Founder of College Hill, a branded merchandise studio, and the Executive Director for CougsFirst! 

I am so excited to dive in and talk more about Tony's journey. From being a WSU student who founded a super successful company (from his apartment) to being a part of the CougsFirst! community, Tony has recently transitioned into his newest role: the FIRST ever Exec Director of CougsFirst! 

In this episode, we’re talking about what direction CougsFirst! is moving with his expert guidance, what CougsFirst! prioritizes, and why you don’t have to be a business owner to reap the benefits of being a part of the community. 

But really, overall, we’re getting the first-hand account of Tony’s journey from a WSU student, to alumni, to business owner, and how he’s giving back to his alma mater through CougsFirst! 

Tune in to hear more about why CougsFirst! is changing the game of networking!

Leave a 5 star review on iTunes or Spotify!

What we discussed:

[1:37] An overview of College Hill and how it got started

[3:39] Why CougsFirst! was a good fit for him as a business owner

[5:30] The benefits of being a part of CougsFirst!

[11:23] Why people come to the tradeshow even as non-business owners

[13:20] What it means to hire CougsFirst!

[14:44] Advice for recent grads to jumpstart their career

[18:10] How he turned over the reins of his company

[23:50] Why bigger isn’t always better in business

[27:05] What he’s looking forward to with the future of CougsFirst!

Links:

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

Connect with us on social media:

Follow us on Instagram:

Welcome to the FIRST ever episode of The CougsFirst! Podcast hosted by yours truly, Kelsey Knutson, WSU Class of ‘12. 

As a WSU alumni, I can vouch that being a part of Cougar nation is an amazing experience and opened up so many doors and opportunities for both myself and my fellow cougs. (My first big girl job… WSU Seattle. When I went to beauty school? Owned by a Coug. Started my own networking group? You guessed it, co-founded with Cougs).

But one of the most impactful things that has happened on my entrepreneurial journey is getting involved in CougsFirst! And that story starts almost 10 years ago.

Now, CougsFirst! is a networking group and a community built on the premise of supporting a Coug through life and encouraging success in whatever endeavor they pursue.

We’re that group cheering you on and supporting you in any way we can!

But what you might not know about is how CougsFirst! got started, why we’re here, and what we’re up to. (Hint: a brand new podcast!!)

And the idea of having a dedicated channel to highlight Cougs who are out their building empires or working in cool businesses sounded like the perfect way to provide inspiration, support, education and entertainment to our Coug family. 

Thus, The CougsFirst! Podcast was born!!

And we have some awesome things in the works.

Tune in to this episideo because it will give you a solid foundation of what CougsFirst! is about and how I ended up in the hostess seat of The CougsFirst! Podcast.

Cheers, Cougs!

Leave a 5 star review on iTunes or Spotify!

What we discussed:

[2:00] Kelsey’s experience at WSU

[4:30] The wild Cougar connections that show up in life

[7:00] Thing I’ve learned from my experience as a business owner

[12:00] Why you need to lean into your core values when pursuing your career

[15:13] Fine tuning what to include in the CougsFirst! podcast

[19:21] How CougsFirst! came to be and what it’s going to look like

Links:

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

Connect with us on social media:

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cougsfirst/ 

Connect with us on LinkedIn: