"What's Next?" With Steve Blasen

This podcast was buried in our vault and was originally recorded on December 7, 2021.
I had the pleasure of conversing with one of my newer clients, Stephen Green. A career assessment in the 8th grade thought he would be a good realtor, and look at that, coming full circle after a career in city government. Stephen retired in 2019, after working 35 years in city government. Throughout the years, he has helped friends in real estate and was encouraged to pursue real estate full-time. In just a few years after retirement, Stephen got his real estate license and wrote two books about real estate. One informational book for the buyer and one for the seller. With each sale, Stephen gives back to the community such as the food/harvest bank, seniors, and the homeless. Grandfathered-in taxes, customer leads, social media, cloud brokers, Peninsula growth, and limited housing supply are just some of the topics we cover. I hope you enjoy this podcast.

Check out his blog at:

https://move2monterey.com/blog

Click the link below to get a copy of The Complete Guide to Buying a Home by Stephen Green

https://stephengreen.book.live/

Christopher became a client in 2022 and I did not know too much about him. We have had great conversations, so I thought let’s do a podcast! Now throughout the podcast, Christopher refers to himself as a “ski bum,” however he is far from it. Hailing from Vermont, he worked in the service/restaurant industry for many years which allowed him to ski in some amazing places. From Jackson Hole to Durango, he eventually got into Hotel and Property management. Now retired and rooted in Boulder Creek soon to be Big Sur, he has his mind set on even more traveling. It was very refreshing to have healthy dialogue about politics, education, learning, extreme weather, work, religion and etc. with Christopher. That is why I love doing podcasts hoping to inspire healthy dialogue. I hope you enjoy this podcast! 
Originally recorded May 17, 2022

I’ve known Mark for a little over 10 years now. He came to me looking for pain relief at my first studio in Old Town Salinas. He believed in my craft so much that he offered to help create Live Well’s internet presence and take it out of the stone age. It wasn’t easy but we did it.  I hardly see the guy now that he is living in Colorado but man when I do, it is always a great time.

Mark grew up in agriculture, with both of his parents working in the agricultural Industry in and around Salinas CA, and is knowledgeable in horticulture and growing. He attended college at Cuesta College, then Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida with a wrestling scholarship, was in the ROTC, and eventually joined Air Force Pararescue. He is 3rd generation military in his family. Flying planes, jumping out of planes (over 50 military jumps, aside from over 150 civilian jumps,) pararescue in Alaska and along the South border of the United States. Mark shared his journey of determination and commitment to acquire the coveted beret of the Air Force PJ. His life experiences and familial roots heavily influence the moves he makes in life. As an entrepreneur, business owner, father, Youtuber, cannabis expert, flat earth theorist and so much more, there is no subject too taboo, and no stone left unturned in this podcast. If you are interested in some of Mark's businesses, check out the following links below:

https://perfectgardens.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/PerfectGardens

Instagram: perfect_gardens

This podcast was recorded February 22, 2022

Mandy is a newer client and when she told me she was into Roller Derby, I just had to know more. We had such a fun time recording this podcast with Mandy Carswell aka Mad McWrath #713 and Kristen DeMers aka Stevie Hits #10, skaters for Monterey Bay Roller Derby. These ladies really enjoy the sport, and you can hear it in this podcast! I know little about roller derby and these ladies break down the sport; from different positions, practices and scrimmages, rules, and how to score. Mandy and Kristen talk about the comradery within the roller derby community, managing life and roller derby, battle wounds, and the overall joy they have for Roller Derby. Monterey Bay Roller Derby has an 8-week boot camp for anyone interested in learning roller derby, no experience is necessary, and all levels from beginning to advanced are welcome. With Marina’s ice rink closed, they now practice at the Monterey County Fairgrounds hoping for a permanent place to call home once again. Thanks for listening. Be sure to like, subscribe, and share!

If you are interested in learning more about Monterey Bay Roller Derby and future events, check out their social media sites below!

https://www.montereybayrollerderby.org/

https://www.facebook.com/MontereyBayRollerDerby

Instagram - mbrollerderby

Recently meeting Anthony, I was fascinated his roots are 10,000 years strong and I had to know more! Monterey County was once home to 7 different tribes, the Mutsun tribe was one of the biggest. Anthony’s Great Grandmother Ascención Solórsano was a medicine woman, a storyteller, and historian. When she was dying, she had a vision of an angel that was going to save Mutson history. That angel turned out to be John Peabody Harrington – an American Linguist and Ethologist. With a second wind, Ascención spent an additional five months with John preserving tribal history. Much of the history was lost in archives but has been recently retrieved. Now Anthony is working towards re-recognition from the Federal government, bringing community awareness, and acquiring land for preservation of the Mutsun Tribe for all of us on earth to enjoy. If you are interested in learning more, donating, or getting involved, check out the website and contact information below.

https://www.mutsuntribalfoundation.com/

email: [email protected]

I hope you enjoy the podcast!

Remember to like, share, and subscribe!

Recorded May 12, 2022

I met Chuck last year after his wife referred him to Live Well Therapeutic Massage for his back pain. This happens all the time, I get to talk with my clients and find their lives interesting! Chuck is no exception and here we are doing a podcast! He is the owner of Esquin Wine and Spirits and shares the journey of how he got to where he is today. From golf instructor to working in Alaska during the pipeline boom, he never shied away from hard work, and new opportunities. He attributes a lot of his success to the values instilled by his mother and family growing up. Vita Migliore is a wine created by Chuck and dedicated to his grandparents, who immigrated from Italy to the United States for a better life for his family.
Podcast recorded February 22, 2022

When I met Rick last year, we traded war stories about making stupid decisions when we were young. I am amazed by his positivity, family values, and work ethic. He has an inspiring story to tell, and I asked him to join me in What’s Next. This young man in his late 20s has worked hard to be where he is today. A mistake in his early 20s made him rethink his path. By educating himself and surrounding himself with people who promote positive change, Rick really worked hard mentally and physically to overcome adversity. We talk about so many things, from family to the difficulties of running a business with the current supply and chain woes. I hope you all enjoy this podcast. This podcast was recorded February 15, 2022.

Growing up, both Russ and I wanted to be like Jacques Cousteau and after hearing some of Russ’s experiences, I wanted to get him on a podcast. Russ knew he wanted to be an oceanographer, but life took him in other directions before it eventually brought him back to his dream. From being a competitive mountain biker to obtaining a degree in forestry and fighting fires, then becoming a backcountry wilderness ranger with so much in between, Russ found his way to diving and oceanography. Diving all over the world, Russ shares his knowledge of diving and underwater photography! Great conversation! Originally recorded December 21, 2021.

Growing up in my father’s lumbar company, it is not a surprise I was instantly intrigued by Mr. Tad Mason. He has been in forest management since 1979, after graduating from Berkley with a degree in Forestry. Tad is a consultant in the private sector and finds markets for undervalued forest material (small limbs, top of trees, small trees) after logging and forest thinning. Finding companies who need forest biomass to create feedstock to renewable energy – creating steam to power turbines rather than burning coal. Fascinating stuff! We talk about his time lobbying in the halls of Congress as a member of the Quincy Library group, climate change, the rise in forest fires, the very important snowpack! I hope you like this podcast!

Recorded January 18, 2022

While vacationing in Monterey during wintertime, Adam became a client of mine right before the pandemic started. I knew very little about what he did until now. He truly has a passion for clean tech, renewable energy, and the ocean. One of his early projects was the overseeing of Europe’s largest wind park. A Clean Tech angel investor and venture capitalist with 20 years of experience, we cover a lot of ground in this podcast! How he got started, what he has accomplished, and what he currently has in the works. You do not want to miss this one! Originally recorded on January 17, 2022.