The Lone Star Plate

Austin based musician Jo James joins me in this episode to discuss his music, how it was to appear on The Voice, and why we get nostalgic about the good old days of mixtapes and boomboxes.

Jo has a new single out called “Love Right Now,” which is inspired by a special cause, and he is planning to release a new EP later this year.

We talk about the isolation and how it pushes him to focus on the marketing side of his work. He explains the importance of having a team and being ready to invest in his own music.

Jo’s guitar is never far away and I couldn’t wait for him to play his latest song on my podcast.

I enjoyed this guy’s immense talent and I hope you enjoy too!

With bars and restaurants being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the businesses in Texas that sell mixed drinks a.k.a. cocktails, are facing a major setback.

With the current law, they are not allowed to sell cocktails “to-go.” Thus their already historical losses are even bigger than they would be otherwise.

But Kareem Hajjar, a restaurant lawyer from Austin, has decided to change this and help the spirits industry survive through the Margs For Life TX campaign.

In this interview, Kareem explains what he does, and how a temporary legal solution can help businesses in Texas stay solvent in these unprecedented times.

I’m all in for supporting this cause. And if you love restaurants and want to get your favourite drink from your favourite bartender, you too should support this campaign.

Because special times call for special rules.

Today, we are joined by the musical legend Ray Prim. 

There’s no question of Ray’s skill on the guitar, but what you might not know about him is how absolutely hilarious he is too. If you want to have a good giggle, Ray’s the guy to talk to. 

We have a talk about how the current situation with Coronavirus has affected him as a musician, as well as in his personal life. 

We also talk about the different ways that the virus has affected daily life for everyone, and how some people are taking it more seriously than others. 

Finally, Ray gives us a real treat with an exclusive song that he shares with us right here on the podcast. 

”It’s only April! If I can just make it. What’s my plan for the future? Just to make it out of 2020” – Ray Prim

Normally, if something goes wrong it’s not too much of a problem, we just turn to our insurance companies and get compensation. 

But what happens when it goes wrong for everyone at the same time, and our insurance companies say they can’t help us? 

Today, we’re joined by Joel Paprocki who is a risk management expert and entrepreneur. We talk about how responsible insurance companies are for damages caused by the virus, and the rights that people still in work have.

No one knows how long this will last, but we all know nothings ever going to be the same. We talk about the long lasting effects this pandemic is going to have on the food industry, as well as the world as a whole.

I’m reminded of how fortunate I am to live in such a fantastic community and to have all that I do. This is a time to appreciate what we have, and notice what’s really important.

My talk with Joel was incredibly informative, and we both remembered the importance of laughter…

”More now than ever we realise how much we all depend on each other. ” – Joel Paprocki

Today we are joined by Sam Lash, the director of Farm to Table. 

Farm to Table offers restaurants in Austin a direct connection to local farms and their produce.  But with restaurants shutting down, the number of their orders have dropped drastically. 

In order to adapt to the current crisis, the company started delivering fresh local food directly to consumers. This has turned out to be extremely successful, and it is likely that they will carry on the service after the crisis is over. 

This innovative move is a classic example of how restaurants are having to shift their business models in order to survive. 

We talk about the effects isolation is having on us personally, as well as how it’s had an everlasting effect on his business…

”Do it right, do it safe, and make it work for the public.” – Sam Lash