The Grit to Growth Podcast

In this episode, host Levi Te Slaa sits down with Mason Leiseth—a South Dakota native, mechanical engineer, and manufacturing leader—to explore how the U.S. can reclaim its place in the global industrial economy.

Mason shares how his upbringing on a family farm and early exposure to fabrication set the stage for his passion for manufacturing. From his work at Twin City Fan to growing a machine shop in Huron, SD, Mason has worn many...

In this episode, Levi Te Slaa sits down with Meg McNeese — South Dakota rancher turned organizational change expert — to explore what leadership really means in today’s fast-moving world. Drawing from her deep experience across industries like mining, construction, and hospitality, Meg shares how she’s learned to balance the “in-the-dirt” work with high-level strategy.

She opens up about how Rose Group International began almost by...

From small-town roots in Minnesota to high-tech entrepreneurship in Sioux Falls, Noah Vandal shares how his hands-on curiosity and engineering background led him into the world of AI and healthcare. Joined by Dr. Joseph Yoon — a physician and health informatics expert — the two reveal how faith, shared vision, and innovation led to the creation of Speech Sage, a company using AI-powered conversational tools to improve patient commu...

In this episode, Levi Te Slaa sits down with Jacob Limmer, founder of Cottonwood Coffee in Brookings, South Dakota, and consultant with The Prosper Group. Jacob shares how a passion for sustainability led to farming, which eventually brewed into a successful coffee business. He opens up about the early struggles with funding, lessons learned from expanding too quickly, and how he evolved from barista to business strategist.

Jacob a...

In this powerful episode, Levi sits down with Nick Yost, the founder and medical director of BodyOpt, to explore her extraordinary path from a small-town South Dakota farm to launching one of the region’s fastest-growing wellness and aesthetics clinics. Nick shares how her early days living on yachts, flipping homes, and running a craft beer bar evolved into a full-blown commitment to functional medicine and regenerative health.

Yo...

Kelly Ewart grew up in Texas, served as an Army nurse, and later put down roots in western South Dakota. In 2019 she took a leap from ER shifts to business ownership, investing her savings into a Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Spearfish so she could build something alongside her kids. She walks us through validating a rural market, leveraging a veteran franchise discount, battling through an SBA loan (and a major injury), insisting on a...

In this uplifting conversation, Tia walks us through her unconventional career path—from selling jeans on commission to landing an entry-level dental assistant role with zero experience, then earning credentials at night and stepping into leadership. She explains how Neighborhood Dental Care scaled to 11 locations while keeping patient-first care and quality at the center. Tia also opens up about sending her oldest to college, why ...

Host Levi Te Slaa sits down with Barry Sackett, managing partner and long-time advisor to business owners across the Midwest. Barry traces his path from a family of lawyers to roles as in-house counsel, controller, CFO, and now managing partner. He explains why his work is really about building trust in every transaction—often before legal issues turn into lawsuits.

Barry digs into the realities entrepreneurs face: scaling themselv...

Joel breaks down how Five Star Call Centers supports companies as a true BPO partner—sometimes supplying full-stack customer experience (recruiting, training, tech, QA), other times filling specific gaps like staffing or process design. He explains the five traits they look for in great partners, why seasonality matters, and how their 99% work-from-home team across small-town America delivers world-class care. We dig into practical...

What happens when a fifth-generation South Dakota farmer and a former Air Force operations leader come together to tackle one of agriculture’s most misunderstood crops? In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, Levi Te Slaa sits down with Johnathan Peterson (CEO) and Karll Lecher (COO) of Dakota Hemp to unpack the true potential of industrial hemp in South Dakota and beyond.

John shares how Dakota Hemp got its start in 2021, t...

Levi sits down with counselor and community leader Shane Gerlach to explore the heart behind his work at Carroll Institute and his longtime passion for youth mentorship. Shane shares the moment his wife nudged him back to school, the three traits he believes drive lasting success — honesty, humility, and vulnerability — and how he helps clients take ownership of the only things they can truly control: how they think, feel, and act....

In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, host Levi Te Slaa sits down with architect and Bush Fellow Patricia Acevedo Fuentes to explore how design can shape more inclusive and connected communities. With over 20 years of experience, Patri shares her journey from Puerto Rico to South Dakota and the lessons learned from working across diverse cultures.

You’ll hear Patri’s perspective on why architecture is not just about the fi...

What does it take to build a thriving medical practice in the growing field of aesthetics? In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, host Levi Te Slaa sits down with Dr. Lornell Hansen, founder of Lasaderm and Physicians Vein Clinics, to talk about his journey from family medicine to becoming a leader in aesthetic medicine.

Dr. Hansen shares how he balanced long nights in acute care while building his first clinic, what it tak...

In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, host Levi Te Slaa welcomes Mason Schramm, founder of The Move Group in Yankton, South Dakota. Mason shares how a rough first home-buying experience inspired his journey into real estate — and how it became his mission to help others avoid the same mistakes.

Mason talks candidly about turning a personal financial misstep into a thriving business built on advocacy, education, and trust. ...

What does it take to grow from small-town South Dakota roots to leading global projects and government contracts? In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, Levi Te Slaa sits down with Dr. Rachel MK Headley, CEO of Rose Group International, to explore her path from geographer to entrepreneur, and how she helps organizations navigate their biggest transitions.

Rachel shares the story of leaving her longtime career in science to ...

What if you could sell your business, real estate, or even Bitcoin — without getting crushed by capital gains taxes? In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, host Levi Te Slaa sits down with Brett Swarts, founder of Capital Gains Tax Solutions, to unpack how entrepreneurs, investors, and high-net-worth individuals can legally defer taxes, diversify wealth, and multiply freedom.

Brett explains how the Deferred Sales Trust work...

How does someone go from milking cows to managing multi-million dollar real estate projects?

In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, host Levi Te Slaa sits down with Owen Reimer, founder of Stone Shore Capital, to explore his two-decade journey from growing up on a dairy farm in rural Canada to building over $100 million in real estate development projects.

Owen opens up about the lessons he learned from early financial loss...

In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, host Levi Te Slaa sits down with Jon Brudvig, a leading biotech researcher specializing in lysosomal health — a cellular recycling system critical for treating rare diseases, improving longevity, and preserving health as we age.

Jon shares how he went from running a Sioux Falls coffee shop to earning a PhD in biology, pioneering drug development at Amicus Therapeutics, and educating th...

In this episode, Levi Te Slaa sits down with Chris Van Dusen—a seasoned operator, investor, and marketer—who has built and scaled brands from scratch, led three successful exits, and now serves as a Senior Partner at Salico Capital. Broadcasting from Huntington Beach, California, Chris shares how he went from “accidental entrepreneur” to leading strategic growth investments for top-tier clients.

Chris walks us through his journey f...