We Never Met

In this episode, Sam meets Maggie Murphy and Sissy Butner, the owners of Clover, a Milwaukee-based plant shop. They chat about Sissy moving to Milwaukee from Kansas City, massive snowstorms, how they met, selling plants on Instagram, why they love plants, educating the public, having two brain aneurysms, pricey plants, Lake Michigan, and parenting a plant.

In this episode, Sam meets the owner of The Toffee Club and Away Days Brewing Co, Pete Hoppins. They chat about growing up in Liverpool, his early love of football, supporting Everton, going a to traditional English boys school, designing football kits at Nike, streetwear, opening an English pub in Portland, pub culture, toffee, Tim Howard visiting the pub, and starting a brewery.

In this episode, Sam meets the CEO and co-founder of Working Draft Beer Company, Ryan Browne. They chat about his father’s home brewing, making beer for university faculty in Alabama, growing up in Colorado, the national growth of craft brewing, starting a brewery in Madison, the community around beer, touring craft breweries, first dates, the beers that are hardest to make, and art.

In this episode, Sam meets the co-owner of the screen printing and embroidery business, Indelible Ink, Phoebe Valenti. They chat about moving from New York to Portland, starting the screen printing and embroidery business, the vibe of New York City, traffic and commuting, going to art school, working as a carpenter, turning points in life, having kids, sales, and doing what your passionate about.

In this episode, Sam meets artist, illustrator, designer, and author, Jason Heglund. They chat about writing and illustrating children’s books, his back-and-forth pursuit of drawing, architecture, his enjoyment in drawing monsters, creating his own business, drawing with his kids, creating characters from food photos, Fred the Ghost, developing his art brand, and unicorns.

In this episode, Sam meets musician, singer-songwriter, and artist, Taylor Kopp. They chat about being a jazz studies major in college, his past bands, songwriting in a remote cabin, turning points in life, his connection with nature, growing up and living in Oregon, balancing music and family, touring, music as therapy, grief, and listening to full albums.

In this episode, Sam meets artist and painter, Katie Martin. They chat about moving all over the country, surfing, being inspired by nature to paint, marine biology, her daily life as an artist, where her style comes from, perfectionism, living in Vermont, selling her work, why she creates with acrylic and canvas, and the learning business side of art.

In this episode, Sam meets Nat West, owner, and founder of Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider. They chat about Nat’s past career in IT, starting cider making from a surplus of apples, having the largest cider library in Portland, his experimental ciders, starting a business out of his garage, lifting a house and building a basement, accepting challenges, hosting open potlucks, the cider that put him on the map, selling his cider in Japan, and being an ordained minister.

In this episode, Sam meets analog collagist, Laura Weiler. They chat about how she got into collaging, the collage community, beginners gap, anxiety, her background in photography and film, abstract art, imposter syndrome, secretly collaging, vulnerability, collage pieces that turned a corner for her, her love of finding source material, and creating seamless work.

In this episode, Sam meets the Vice President of Water Stewardship at The Water Council and the Director of Alliance for Water Stewardship in North America, Matt Howard. They chat about water sustainability, the history of water technology and science in Milwaukee, Lake Michigan water folklore, his prior work at the US Department of Commerce, The Water Council, working as the Sustainability Director for the City of Milwaukee, being a member of the 2028 Olympic Organizing Committee, systems thinking, and winning federal awards.