Business. Casually.

Jack Micetich is a teacher at Coal City High School but also the founder of Small Town Theatrics. Jack and I are friends and former co-coaches with the Coal City Speech team. Today we chat about his latest production, Hairspray which OPENS TONIGHT, how he got into theater, what role I can play in a potential upcoming musical, but we also get a little deep as we talk about mental illness. Check out the episode- it's a can't miss.And check out Hairspray this weekend at the Coal City Performing Arts Center.  

Riley Nevin will be a Junior at Coal City High School where he plays football, runs track, and participates in Footnotes, Madrigals, plays, and musicals. He plays Link Larkin in the upcoming Hairspray and was recently cast as Radames in the 2020 All State Production of Aida. We chat on each of those roles, his dream role(s), and what he's planning to do after high school.

Josh Lacy is the youngest guest to date. I had the pleasure of coaching this young man in speech (though the episode will reveal that I’ve forgotten for how long). Josh has been in 8 Small Town productions to date. We talk about that, secondary math, his thoughts on the Beatles, and his amazing body transformation. And I lie to his face about the podcast not picking up trains (which it definitely did on this recording day).

Ann Gill serves on the Board of Directors for Small Town Theatrics. You may also know her as the Editor for the Coal City Courant. She talks about how she came to be a Small Town board member as well as a journalist (fun fact- it’s not what she started school to be). This is a great mini-Small Town Theatrics history lesson and we find out what Ann’s favorite musical is! …...we also get some of the loudest Coal City trains captured on the podcast to date and I try to take credit for the invention of live tweeting.

Cindy Starks is the PR director for Coal City Public Library. Today we talked about how she placed in the state shorthand competition in high school, how she got into and worked 28 years in the law field, many of the awesome things the Coal City Library has going on, and about her Cinder Ridge hole-in-one!

Gideon Blustein is the Member Outreach Manager and Local Governmental Affairs Director for our local association of REALTORS but more than that is a wealth of knowledge on so many things. He is vitally important to my career and an awesome, humble advocate of all of us (property owners and renters). In a new longest episode-to-date we chat about his beginnings, some of the unique jobs he has held, businesses he created, rehabbing homes, and so many other things. Gideon is someone you can talk to forever and never slow down. We chatted for over 2.5 hours.....here's a little less than half of that. Enjoy! 

Tabitha Boshears is an Independent Living Advocate with Disability Resource Center in Joliet. Tabitha, a Coal City native and resident chats about wrestling in a school as a girl, the advocacy and teaching she does for Disability Resource Center, and we get sidetracked for too long talking rock music. Also, we hit on her weight loss, slight fear of flying, and one word to describe her sense of humor in what is to date, by far the longest episode.  

Amanda Hiller runs MYLA (Morris Young Leaders in Action). Today she chats with me about some of the good the organization is doing currently as well as an outlook for the future. She also chats about the cute inspiration for a tattoo, I diagnose how she got to naming her sons, she plugs Hot Springs, Arkansas, and shares what she deplores about herself.

This week’s guest is Ryan Bonarek of Lori Bonarek Realty. Ryan filled in on the fly for an illness cancellation and didn’t disappoint. We chat on growing up in Coal City, what it’s like to be a newer REALTOR in Grundy county (and work with your mom), organ donation, and why he’s afraid of birds. This was possibly the most casual of all Business Casually chats to date (including a moment where I remember that Roald Dahl wrote James and the Giant Peach but forgot Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). 

Elena Cabral is the Executive Director for the Grundy-Three Rivers Habitat for Humanity. We chatted about what work Habitat does locally, about next Thursday’s Radio-a-thon (DONATE!), motorcycle riding, and her love of haunted elevator videos (and a creepy exchange with a ghost). She almost slipped out of here without telling her can’t-miss story of how a brain aneurysm led to her volunteering with Habitat. This is a must listen.

Brittney Kaluzny joined me to talk about some of the work she does with her Hope Helps foundation. I'm honored that the busiest person I know took time to have a little chat. We also chatted on beekeeping, home schooling, and where she would start if she had to downsize her life. Chances are that you know Brittney or of her work, and it's certain that if that isn't already the case that you will want to in about a half hour. 

Chad White is the owner of Influence Salon in Morris. Today we chat about going to nursing school, leaving nursing school to start beauty school, wig making, and his idea of perfect happiness. 

This week’s guest is the very busy Carrie Tinucci-Troll. Carrie is the first REALTOR I’ve had on. And while she is a great, highly endorsed REALTOR at Lori Bonarek Realty, we don’t talk about that too much. We DO talk about going from a big high school to a small college, studying abroad in Spain (and getting bed bugs while there), and what she thinks about on the rare times she’s alone in the car.

Today I sat down with Chef Jacob Larson. We joined our chat already in progress right after talking about podcasts joining in progress. We talk about getting into the culinary world, get the rundown on Rogue Farm to Curbside Kitchen, his pet pigs, and find out which three celebrities he'd invite to a dinner party. It's the longest episode to date but never drags.  

Jacqueline Arroyo is one of the co-owners of Rogue Farm to Curbside Kitchen food tuck. Today we talk about why she would move from San Diego to Coal City, her pet pigs, and what kind of salad dressing she would be (you know, if she HAD to be salad dressing). Enjoy Jacqueline!

This week’s guest is Christy Kelly of Rodan and Fields (christykelly.myrandf.biz). Christy is ridiculously positive, both in-person and in her social media presence and is definitely someone you want to listen to and follow. Today we talk about what it was like to move to Coal City from Westmont just as she started high school, how she got in (and out) of the dental industry, and her love of Very Cavallari.

Christina Van Yperen is the director of the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce. Today we chat on her career in journalism, get the details on what her job at the Chamber entails (and what a Chamber of Commerce does), talk about being a travel bug, and find out if she’s a hunter or a gatherer. The answer may surprise! Enjoy Christina.

Sarah Beach is the second generation owner of Sunshine Garden Center in Diamond (2850 Division, to be precise). Today we talk a little bit about what it was like growing up in a small business environment and what led Sarah to get into the family business. I try, somewhat unsuccessfully, to pin down all the things she’s involved with outside of work but I succeed in stumping her on a couple Batman related questions. If you know Sarah, you know that her sidekick, Liv, is usually around. Today was no different and she added some spice to this episode!

Craig Smith, along with his mom, is part of the dynamic duo that runs Rolando’s Furniture and Appliances which has operated in some form in Coal City since 1960 when it was Western Auto. Craig was recently awarded an Entrepreneur of the Year award through Grundy County Chamber of Commerce. Today we talk about his music background and botched scholarship, why he came back to town, what he's doing in his free time these days, and find out what you really want to know; whether he prefers cats or dogs. 

Katie Ludes is a reading specialist for grades 2-5 in Coal City for Coal City Unit #1. She is also my wife and mother of my three children. Business. Casually. sat down and talked, somewhat awkwardly, about who she is, how she got to where she did, and just what the heck a reading specialist does. And we find out that she has an irrational dislike for Wyoming.