The LoCo Experience

I was introduced to Micah Johnson by Jeffrey Beyle, one of my guests during Season 1 of The LoCo Experience (Episode 29 if you wanna check it out), and one of my spies in the Boulder area.  By spies I mean those who think of me when they meet someone with an interesting business journey to share, and a lot of value to share with the business community through a podcast conversation like this one!  

Micah is what most would call a serial entrepreneur, with multiple starts and exits, and some failures.  Micah’s largest business venture to date was GoFanbase, Inc., a social media marketing and community-building strategy firm based in Nashville, which focused on multi-location businesses such as auto dealerships and restaurants.  After growing his team to over 100 employees, he and his wife Alane made the decision to exit and search for a next chapter.  After years of focus on efficiency and teams and automations at GoFanbase  (and a choppy merger integration) the pair was left with skill sets essential to their current venture - Workday Ninjas!  

Workday Ninjas helps their agency and B2B service business clients remove roadblocks to scaling through tools like Monday.com, Asana, and ClickUp.  Having utilized Monday.com for the past 3 years, and currently undergoing a database conversion to the CRM tool offered by Monday, this was an intriguing opportunity for me to learn more about the kinks and capabilities of the platform from an expert - and ultimately uncover principles of efficiency, communication, and building high-functioning teams.  I learned a lot, and had a lot of fun, and I’m confident that you will enjoy my conversation with Micah Jonnson.  

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Diana Rogers Jaeger joined me for an uplifting conversation and shared her fascinating life and career journey that led her to Northern Colorado in 2022.  Diana is the founder and owner of Love to Appreciate Consulting, and recently released a new book - “Let Go of the Rope - Create Unlimited Confidence”.  Love to Appreciate was founded in 2017, and is focused on helping companies keep their best and brightest.  Initially Diana was particularly focused on creating a work environment that Millennials would be attracted to and wish to remain a part of.  Over the seasons, Diana has developed her practice to become a “cultural designer” who helps companies design an integrated and appreciated workforce.  

Diana and her siblings have a fascinating life story, beginning in the Philippines as the children of an American father and Filipino mother.  As they were preparing to move to America, their father was murdered - and their mother was a prime suspect!  The murder remains unsolved, and the children never saw their birth mother again.  They departed the Philippines to move to America as a set of five, initially moving in with their aging grandparents - and eventually all being adopted into a previously childless family in the community - and living and learning a life of outdoor adventure and can-do attitude from their adoptive parents.   

Diana is a dynamo - all the energy and smarts and wit you could find in a 5’ 1” package, and she shares abundantly from her topical expertise in appreciation and confidence cultivation. She is a great representative of one of Northern Colorado’s strongest import markets - smart, capable, and purpose driven individuals working hard to make their corner of the world a better place.  So please enjoy, as I did, my conversation with Diana Rogers Jaeger.  

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

I was introduced to Peter Yu by a mutual friend, as the liberty-minded person’s best pick for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.  Peter has a great record of success in both big and small business, fell just short in his race for Colorado’s 2nd District in 2017, and has remained active in the political sphere since his first run.  Peter is the first American-born child of a Chinese family, who arrived together in 1969 with six children, no money, and no English skills. They lived in cramped conditions, often with other families, and worked entry-level roles in food and hospitality until a turn of fate brought their family to Loveland in the mid-70’s, as owner-operators of the only Chinese restaurant in town at the time and for many years. 

Hard work (and underpaid child labor) kept the restaurant alive through some of the lean years, and though Peter’s parents never tasted financial fortune they saw 5 of their 7 children finish college, and all 7 build successful businesses and careers - truly their American Dream.  Peter mostly grew up in that restaurant, and has a unique perspective as the often only Asian kid in every class or school.  He was a star football player in his day, but his stature and the laws of physics made a pro career impossible!  

Peter is in a crowded field for this primary race, a group of 11 that includes the (in)famous Lauren Boebert, who is attempting to move over from the more-competitive 3rd District.  Peter is a great interview and has my endorsement.  He’s a fast thinker, has dug into all the essential issues of our region and our time, and is a great conversationalist.  Further, he’s fully invested in the causes of liberty and the American Dream, and I know you’ll enjoy, as I did, my conversation with Peter Yu. 

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Tim and Danielle Jordan joined me in The LoCo Experience studios on March 5, 2024 - just 4 days removed from concluding the sale of a pair of legacy businesses in Northern Colorado - Palmer Flowers and Paul Wood Florist, locally owned since 1976 and 1933, respectively.  They sold to one of the largest flower enterprises in America - Family Flowers, a privately owned company that operates legacy flower shops all across the country..  

I met Tim in the spring of 2015, soon after he and Danielle had purchased the majority stake in Palmer Flowers from its founder, Spiro Palmer.  Spiro became one of my first banking clients when I moved to Fort Collins in 1999, and I was initially shocked that he’d pass his legacy along to such a young guy!  The more I got to know Tim however, the more I came to understand what a fine decision Spiro had made, and I’ve kept a patient but consistent bug in Tim’s ear about how much he’d love to be in a LoCo Think Tank chapter!  This last fall when we caught up over lunch, Tim shared that it was probably never going to happen - as he and Danielle operate the businesses in a tandem effort, and if he was in a peer advisory chapter he’d feel off-balance with her and what has worked for them for since they started their first business together while still in college.  

Disappointed but charmed by his respect for his partner, and intrigued to get to know Danielle a bit more, we scheduled a podcast conversation.  After a postponement due to illness we landed in this timely spot, just days removed from their biggest business transaction to date.  Tim and Danielle have been together since high school in Albuquerque, NM, and came to Fort Collins to attend CSU.  Tim is full of business ideas and marketing talent, and Danielle keeps a sharp eye on the numbers, and together they’ve run as many as 5 businesses at a time!  They’re also kind and charming, smart and savvy, and I know you’ll enjoy, as I did, my conversation with Tim and Danielle Jordan.  

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Justin Follin came all the way from Austin, Texas to Fort Collins a few weeks ago - not to be on the show, but to visit his younger brother Sean - my guest on Episode 134, who introduced him to me as a potential guest.  Both brothers are in the strategic planning industry, which I found fascinating, and Justin had a fresh book out in 2023 - titled as you might guess - Be a Better Team by Friday.  The book brings together strategic planning and high performance coaching and psychology, and does it all in a readable and actionable 200ish page format.  

While Sean has been in the strategy planning industry almost since he entered the workforce, Justin’s route to the calling has had more twists and turns.  He earned his BA in Philosophy from UNC Chapel Hill, and there witnessed high performance coaching in action for the first time, with Roy Williams quickly turning around the UNC men’s basketball team in his first year on staff.  Justin has pursued journeys in music and music production, teaching children and directing theater for The Khabele School, and high performance coaching - initially with musicians, poker players and other various misfits as a way to pay the rent while also playing music.  As his reputation grew and referrals abounded, he found the complexities of business to be more intriguing, and the budgets more robust, and he co-founded BLUECASE in 2016.  

I’m honored to have longform conversations with incredibly talented, interesting and abundance-minded individuals, and my conversation with Justin was no exception.  Please join me in learning a spoonful of “Be a better team by Friday” and much much more, with my guest and new friend, Justin Follin.  

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

My guest today was Shani Canillas, Owner and Editor of The Scout Guide Fort Collins.  The Scout Guide is a visually appealing coffee table kind of book, featuring classy storytelling pictorials of gold standard local businesses.  It’s a franchise that has a strong foundation in the Southeast part of the country, but is increasingly spreading west.  Shani picked up her first guide in Bozeman, Montana, and the organization grew from 82 to 90 established communities in 2023.  

Shani acquired the Northern Colorado franchise in the summer of 2023, venturing out from a long career of making an impact with local stand out companies such as OtterBox and Safebuilt.

Shani is also a mother and a fiancé, and we explored how her life events shaped her career trajectories.  We talked about discernment in crafting the make up of such a publication, or of a LoCo Think Tank chapter, and we talked about some of the interesting businesses and community impact stories that will be part of this first edition.

I am always amazed by the stories of those who leave a comfortable six-figure income to venture into an entrepreneurial life of uncertainty.  Shani is an amazing example of that, and I’m certain that you will enjoy, as I did, my conversation with Shani Canillas.

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

If you tuned in for our bonus episode last week, you’ll know that today’s episode is a bit of a change-up from our normal routine.  I met Viktor Bjerre a few weeks back, while recording the bonus episode on Greenheart Exchange, and he later followed up with an expression of interest to learn more about podcasting.  This led to a get-to-know phone call, and soon after an invitation by me to him to serve as Guest Host of The LoCo Experience, interviewing your regular Host, Curt Bear.  The occasion is the 10th anniversary of LoCo Think Tank, the primary sponsor of the show!  I’ve often said that my special talent is identifying special talent, and I’m proud to say I wasn’t wrong about Viktor!  

The LoCo Think Tank story is full of twists and turns and big decisions, and Viktor did an amazing job in his very first podcast conversation - as the host!  You’ll get in the time machine and go back to Curt’s native North Dakota, and journey through a career in banking but always full of bright ideas and community connections.  So please enjoy this special episode, a very fine conversation between Guest Host Viktor Bjerre and the Founder of LoCo Think Tank and Host of The LoCo Experience, Curt Bear.  

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Many who know me in Northern Colorado know that my wife and I have a fondness for hosting exchange students, and for the past 2 years, our outlet for getting these students has been an organization called Greenheart Exchange.  I’m joined today by a Regional Manager and the Regional Director of the organization, Lisa Melville Peterson and Lasha Crowell Seaman - and they also brought along several exchange students for short get-to-know conversations.  

Greenheart’s foundation is youth exchange, but these ladies unfold the behind-the-scenes and share their motivations and craziest experiences along the journey.  The youth share openly about their motivations to sign up for international exchange, and how the experience has compared to their expectations.  

This is a bonus episode, because it doesn’t fit the format of our typical experience episodes, and it’s more of a human interest story.  However, this conversation was a catalyst for a truly loco experience for one of the students.  Tune in for our next episode when Viktor Bjerre, a 15-year old student from Denmark, plays the part of Guest Host on The LoCo Experience and interviews me, your host, in recognition of the 10-year anniversary of LoCo Think Tank! 

Please enjoy this bonus episode, all about Greenheart Exchange!  

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Aaron Everitt was back in the studio for our quarterly check-in, fresh off a trip to Boston visiting a college with his son.  We started our conversation with a whiskey taste test, featuring Blanton’s Bourbon gifted me by Mat at Wilbur’s, Smoke Wagon Uncut the Younger Bourbon, and Stellum Rye Whiskey.  We talked about Boston and some Founding Father stories, we talked about the border crisis and Ukraine funding, and we talked about new developments at Logistics Co-op, Aaron’s company and sponsor of The LoCo Experience Podcast.  

And - we talked about @loanlyhipster - Aaron’s X handle - and the incredible amount of content he has created on that platform the last few months.  There are now 35 of Aaron’s recent essays with accompanying video on the Loanly Hipster’s X page, each of which is 5 to 15 minutes long, and each minute takes about an hour all-in!   He’s been writing about light topics like WAR, INFLATION, and GOVERNMENT’S GOD COMPLEX, among many others.  Some of his posts have referenced the Independent candidacy of RFK, Jr., and the RFK campaign has taken notice - sharing and reposting several by this point, and Aaron has over 3 million views on X in January - if he gets over 5 million he can monetize!  

We didn’t talk much real estate this time, but filled our conversation with controversial topics and common sense - which you don’t often hear in a public forum - so I hope you’ll tune in to my latest conversation with Aaron Everitt!

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Mandy Mullen’s previous episode (Episode 91) is The LoCo Experience podcast most-listened episode!  It’s an inspiring journey of a chubby post-college wife, then mom, growing her passion for running and fitness and community until it sprung forth as Run Windsor, a community-driven race series in the Windsor, CO region.  At the time of that recording, she was just sealing the deal to buy a pair of legendary races - the Wild West Relay from Fort Collins to Steamboat Springs, and the Flaming Foliage Relay from Idaho Springs to Beuna Vista.  

For this big bite of new endeavors, Mandy partnered with her longtime co-director to form Run Colorado Relays.  These multi-day traveling circuses were a far departure from her bread and butter community races, but they pulled both off without major hitches, and nearly doubled participation from 2022.  Between those two fall events, Mandy took part in a pair of elite events, including her second Leadville 100 finish.  I’m exhausted and inspired when I hear Mandy tell stories, and don’t tell but she’s one of my favorite members of LoCo Think Tank.  As with our first episode, we get real about mental health, and relationship challenges, and the joys and challenges of entrepreneurship.  Please join me and enjoy this conversation with the always inspiring and entertaining Mandy Mullen.  

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain