WGN - The Download with Justin Kaufmann Podcast

It’s the “The Download on Chicago Business” sponsored by Signature Bank. Tonight, Justin speaks with Bon Bon Vie‘s Shari Williams and Printful CEO Davis Siksnans about Shari’s T-shirt company and why her success can be attributed to outsource printing and fulfillment to print-on-demand company Printful. Shari and Davis talk about where the idea for the T-shirt business comes from, how Shari was able to get her work into the hands of celebrities, how she was able to keep up with demand […]

It’s the “The Download on Chicago Business” sponsored by Signature Bank. Tonight, Justin speaks with Nina Barrett, owner of the great Evanston bookstore Bookends & Beginnings.  Nina talks about her latest book, “The Leopold and Loeb Files: An Intimate Look at One of America’s Most Infamous Crimes,” the early days of the Printers Row Lit Fest, the vibrant community of Chicago booksellers, the health of independent bookstores in Chicago, what an independent bookstore can offer that a big chain cannot, competition […]

It’s the “The Download on Chicago Business” sponsored by Signature Bank. Tonight, Justin speaks with Major Behavior advertising agency founder Ken Erke about the future of advertising. Ken talks about why he decided to start his own agency, the importance of staying ahead of advertising trends and hiring the best people, how much the advertising world has changed over the years, the way data is used to target consumers, how brands are rethinking the way they advertise, why mobile is at […]

It’s the “The Download on Chicago Business” sponsored by Signature Bank. Tonight, Justin speaks with Nick Wesley and Phil Nicodemus of Urban Rivers to talk about their vision for the Chicago River, the importance of maintaining the habitat of the Chicago River, why we need to find new ways to engage the rivers in our region, what makes the Chicago River unique, the innovation behind the “trash robot” and their goal of the Wild Mile, a mile-long floating park located on […]

Ben Bateman, Mark Reilly and Kristian Harloff join Justin on Extension 720 to discuss the Movie Trivia Schmoedown. Ben, Mark and Kristian talk about the loyalty of their audience, how the Schmoedown is part show and part contest, when they realized this concept was taking off, the general fascination people have with movies and trivia, the challenge of finding people who are both good at trivia and good at performing, how trivia as a sport is evolving and their live […]

Tonight on Extension 720: How to make it. Lake Bell has made a name for herself as an indie filmmaker. But next week, she debuts a network sitcom. We talk about her life in Hollywood. Also, Brother Ali is coming to Navy Pier this weekend. The indie rapper from Minneapolis explains his career and how his faith has helped him navigate. We take a trip to PolyScience in Niles, get introduced to the Movie Trivia Schmoedown and head to Rogers […]

“Off the Record” is a series of conversations with prominent Chicagoans in their communities. Tonight on Extension 720, Justin is joined by Heartland Cafe co-owner Katy Hogan at Royal Coffee in Rogers Park. Katy talks about how the neighborhood is changing, the amount of businesses that are being forced out by rising rents, the revolutionary streak that still exists in Rogers Park, what it means to her that they are tearing down the Heartland Cafe, Maria Hadden unseating Alderman Joe […]

The amazing writer, director and actor Lake Bell joins Justin on Extension 720 to discuss her new sitcom, “Bless This Mess,” which debuts on ABC on Tuesday, April 16th. Lake talks about the process of getting the series made, if there is a little bit of reality in the show, the challenge of making the “fish out of water” storyline fresh, wanting the show to be inclusive and not mean spirited, the differences between working on an independent project and […]

It’s the “The Download on Chicago Business” sponsored by Signature Bank. Tonight, Justin speaks with PolyScience President Philip Preston about being at the forefront of temperature control manufacturing. Philip talks about how he became involved with PolyScience, the many different applications for precise temperature control, how temperature control has influenced the culinary industry, the importance of looking for emerging markets, the challenges of being president of a manufacturing facility, the drive for continuous improvement, the amount of time it takes to […]

It’s Lower Wacker Live with Justin Kaufmann! This is the podcast that makes fun of the news and can also get you from Lake Shore Drive to 290 in like 5 minutes. Today’s top stories include Chicago’s Inspector General finding the city’s gang database disorganized and outdated, Chicago shootings being up in April, Governor J.B. Pritzker’s graduated income tax amendment passing a Senate committee, the Cubs losing to the Pirates, the Sox being swept by the Rays, the Bulls ending […]