What does it take to build a business that lasts for generations?

In this episode of The Creative Niche, we sit down with Mike Bendele of Ottoville Hardware & Furniture to hear the lessons learned from a fourth-generation family business with more than 90 years of history.

Mike shares how his grandfather’s small hardware store grew into a lasting family legacy, why he chose to join the business alongside his brothers, and what he’s learned through decades of serving customers and working with family.

From navigating challenges and making tough decisions to training the next generation, Mike reflects on the values that have carried the business forward: hard work, humility, adaptability, and taking care of people.

We also discuss the long relationship between the Bendele family and Window Creations, the importance of learning through example, and the unforgettable story of how the community showed up when disaster struck.

It’s a conversation about family, leadership, and the everyday choices that build something worth passing down.

What happens when you build a business around relationships instead of transactions?

In this episode of The Creative Niche, we sit down with Adam Anspach, co-owner of Advanced Insurance Group, to talk about entrepreneurship, family business, and the role trust plays in long-term success.

Adam shares the story of leaving a corporate career, acquiring multiple insurance agencies in just a few years, and building a growing company alongside his brother. Along the way, we discuss what it takes to navigate growth, preserve culture, and lead a team through change.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple philosophy: business isn’t just about making a sale. It’s about earning trust, serving people well, and building relationships that last.

We also explore faith, work ethic, community involvement, investing in small towns, and the responsibility business owners have to give back to the places they call home.

It’s a conversation about leadership, relationships, and why the most meaningful success is often measured by people, not numbers.

What does it really take to grow a business, build relationships, and create long-term impact in your community? In this episode of The Creative Niche, we sit down with Tim Copsey of Paulding County Economic Development to talk about the intersection of business, relationships, and local growth. From his early days in manufacturing at Paragon Tempered Glass to his role in economic development today, Tim shares what he’s learned about trust, networking, and helping others succeed. At the heart of the conversation is a simple but powerful idea: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know… or who you’re willing to ask or talk to.” We explore how relationships drive opportunity, why honesty matters in business, and how investing in people creates momentum that extends far beyond a single transaction.

00:11 Introduction: Tim Copsey00:26 Early Business Relationship & Company Growth02:10 Sales vs Networking – What Drives Success04:42 Transitioning into Sales & Leadership18:30 Paulding County Economic Development Explained26:07 Property Taxes & Business Impact Discussion29:10 Columbaria Projects in Paulding County30:04 Growth of Cremation & Cemetery Industry Trends36:42 Sales Advice: Listen More Than You Talk45:50 Future Growth of Paulding County

What is the meaning of Lent, and why do Christians pray the Stations of the Cross?In this episode of The Creative Niche, Father Ned Brown shares how the Stations of the Cross help believers walk with Christ through the events leading to the crucifixion. During the season of Lent, Christians reflect on Christ’s journey to the Cross and prepare their hearts for the celebration of Easter.Later in the conversation, Father Ned explains how these prayers invite believers to accompany Christ through suffering while remembering that the story ultimately leads to the hope of the Resurrection.Along the way, we also talk about life and faith in western Ohio’s “Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches,” the role parish communities play in small towns, and how sacred spaces and church traditions continue to shape generations of families — including the creation of a Stations of the Cross prayer garden in Fort Recovery, designed to give parishioners a place to reflect and pray.It’s a warm and thoughtful conversation about Lent, faith, community, and walking with Christ on the journey toward Easter.

In this episode of The Creative Niche Podcast, we sit down with Thad Lichtensteiger for a candid conversation about what it really looks like to lead at the local level. From courthouse restoration to property taxes, downtown momentum to farming roots, this discussion moves through the realities of small-town leadership and the steady work that keeps a community moving forward. Thad shares how work ethic, responsibility, and long-term thinking shape the decisions that affect everyday life. If you’ve ever wondered how towns function, how leaders balance growth with restraint, or why hard work still matters in public service, this conversation offers a thoughtful look inside.

🎙️ The Creative Niche Podcast explores faith, leadership, creativity, and the real work behind building things that last.

0:00 – Welcome to The Creative Niche with Van Wert County Commissioner Thad Lichtensteiger

2:15 – How Ohio County Commissioners Actually Work

6:30 – Revitalizing Downtown Van Wert: What Worked and Why

11:40 – How Community Foundations Fund Small-Town Comebacks

16:50 – The Lincoln Highway, Historic Hotels, and Van Wert’s Early Boom

22:30 – Land Banks Explained: Eliminating Blight and Rebuilding Communities

29:10 – How Towns Win or Lose New Businesses

35:40 – Why Property Taxes and Home Values Spiked So Fast

42:50 – Can Property Taxes Be Eliminated? The Real Impact on Local Services

50:10 – Government Spending, Inflation, and Stabilizing Local Economies

58:40 – Restoring the Van Wert County Courthouse and Historic Stained Glass

1:09:30 – Craftsmanship, Legacy, and Preserving 100-Year-Old Architecture

1:18:45 – Work Ethic, Farming Roots, and Raising the Next Generation

In this episode of The Creative Niche Podcast, we sit down with Reggie Buehrer for a candid conversation about innovation, purpose, and what it means to build a business with the future in mind.

Reggie speaks from decades of experience as an entrepreneur and founder, addressing the reality that innovation is rarely clean or predictable. He shares why research and development are often costly and uncomfortable, why value matters more than novelty, and why businesses that stop moving forward inevitably fall behind.

The conversation also explores applying innovation in defined markets like churches and cemeteries, where adding value means respecting tradition while thoughtfully introducing new possibilities. Reggie explains why growth must be intentional, especially when you’re building for the next generation rather than coasting toward retirement.

Throughout the episode, Reggie returns to a central idea: purpose drives progress. Comfort may feel safe, but it rarely leads anywhere meaningful. Vision, responsibility, and a willingness to stay uncomfortable are what keep businesses, teams, and leaders moving forward.

🎙️ The Creative Niche Podcast explores faith, leadership, creativity, and the real work behind building something that lasts.

00:00 Introduction: Innovation & Entrepreneurship

01:46 Digital Printed Art Glass & New Product Launching

04:46 Technology Disruption: Kodak, Blockbuster & Netflix

10:31 Calculated Risk-Taking in Business

12:46 Entrepreneur vs Employee Mindset

17:31 R&D Costs, Innovation & Pivoting

22:16 Learning Through Failure & Experimentation

25:46 Why Innovation Drives Sales

29:16 Marketing Strategy & Target Audience

33:16 Creating Customer Value

36:46 Innovation in Stained Glass, Churches & Cemeteries

40:16 The Danger of Coasting in Business

42:46 Final Thoughts: Innovate & Keep Growing

In this episode of The Creative Niche Podcast, we sit down with worship leader and artist Tom Emerine for a conversation centered on worship, revival, and faith lived out under pressure.

Tom reflects on years of leading worship, seasons of stepping away from visible ministry, and how obedience to God does not always follow a predictable path. From there, the discussion moves outward to what Tom is witnessing today through relationships and conversations around the world, many of which began through his work as an artist and the doors that creative work has opened.

The episode includes firsthand accounts of revival among Muslim-background believers, including individuals in Iran who have come to faith in Christ through dreams, personal encounters, and underground relationships. Tom shares stories of converts facing loss of family, imprisonment, violence, and ongoing persecution for choosing to follow Jesus, and how worship continues to exist in these environments outside of church buildings or public gatherings.

We also talk about the difference between knowing Scripture and knowing God, the role of worship beyond music or platform, and how faith takes on new meaning when belief carries real consequences.0:00 Introduction & guest welcome2:10 Tom’s faith journey and worship ministry7:20 From mocking worship to answering God’s call12:45 Global connections through art and devotionals17:30 Revival stories from the Muslim world25:20 Faith under persecution30:15 Using business and art as ministry37:00 Perseverance, failure, and success in pottery45:20 We are the clay – faith and transformation55:30 Closing thoughts and encouragement

In this family feature episode of The Creative Niche Podcast, Jason sits down with his brother Josh for an honest conversation about what it’s really like working together in a family business.They talk about growing up around the shop, finding their own paths, and eventually finding their way back to work side by side. From learning when to stay in your lane to building trust through shared responsibility, this episode offers a real look at family, faith, and the everyday decisions that shape their work at Window Creations and Crystal Creek Glass.00:00 Welcome to The Creative Niche | Josh Buehrer02:10 Working with Family in Business04:30 Dad’s Work Ethic & Building the Family Business06:00 Specialization, Roles & Avoiding Conflict08:55 Josh's Journey Back to the Family Business14:05 College vs Real-World Experience18:55 Handling Disagreements in a Family Business26:30 Building People to Grow a Business29:55 Faith, Values & Company Culture46:55 Final Advice: Integrity & Enjoy the Journey

Faith, family, and the work of our hands shape every part of today’s conversation with our longtime friend and local entrepreneur, Troy Ross. Troy wears many hats: husband, father of five, crop-insurance agent, farmer, cattleman, and quiet leader who believes character is formed through daily choices.We talk about how he got started in agriculture, why relationships matter in business, and the ways he teaches responsibility and work ethic to his kids through everyday life on the farm. Troy shares stories of God’s provision, including moments he describes as “divine intervention” that changed the course of his family’s future. He also opens up about his son's ATV accident that resulted in significant paralysis, followed by remarkable recovery as Joel has continued therapy with determination, prayer, and strong community support. “He has regained quite a bit... with a stabilized walker he’s able to walk,” Troy says, reflecting on the steady hope that has guided their family through this season.Other highlights from the episode include:

• Why Troy believes insurance is really about giving people “peace of mind” when life becomes uncertain.
• A remarkable farm-auction story where a stranger’s kindness led to unexpected opportunity.
• How homeschooling helped create a culture of entrepreneurship and responsibility in his home.
• Honest conversations about phones, boundaries, and raising kids who can discern “what is right and what is almost right.”
• What leadership looks like when it is based on example rather than title. “Your life has to be emulating the same principles.”

Troy reminds us that faith flows into the ordinary and that the way we work, lead, and care for others can reflect the presence of God in our daily lives.00:00 – Intro & Welcome Troy Ross01:11 – How Troy Started in Crop Insurance06:40 – Becoming a Farmer & The First Farm Story13:35 – The 1,000-Acre Auction Story (God’s Timing)21:55 – Family Farming, Cattle, and Homeschool Life30:20 – Raising Hard-Working, Faith-Driven Kids35:10 – Phones, Technology & Modern Parenting41:30 – Time Management, Business, and Hard Work52:40 – Leadership, Humility & Living Your Faith01:03:20 – Joel’s Accident, Recovery & Determination01:34:50 – Final Thoughts & Outro

In this episode of The Creative Niche, we sit down with Father Tim Kummerer of All Saints Parish in New Riegel, Ohio, to reflect on his years of ministry, his time serving in Zimbabwe, and the deeply moving Matthew 25 window project his parish entrusted to our studio.

Father Tim shares how his grandfather sparked his lifelong love for “the things of the church,” and how that heritage eventually led him to the priesthood. He also recounts a powerful moment in a Zimbabwean village during a devastating drought, a lesson in humility and justice that shaped his entire approach to ministry. In his words: “Just because you think you know the way… watch carefully. Don’t think you have the only solution.”

We also explore the process of bringing a multi-parish community together through a unified window theme rooted in Matthew 25. Father Tim reflects on the committee’s vision to portray the Corporal Works of Mercy through modern day people, encouraging all who enter the sanctuary to see themselves in the parable.

00:00 Welcome & Guest Intro: Father Tim Kummerer 

00:49 Father Tim Shares His Ordination Story 

10:30 Father Tim Shares Defining Moments in His Priesthood 

17:04 Inside the All Saints Window Project

26:58 The Window Theme Explained: Based on Matthew 25 with Modern Clothing & Contemporary Style 

45:01 Discussing the Blend of Liturgical Art with the New Stained Glass 

47:23 Final Thoughts & Closing Discussion