Suburban Folk

My guest is Kelsey Komorowski, founder of Komo.  Komo is a consulting company that works with students and parents to build students' learning and critical thinking skills.  We chat about what is good and bad about the "traditional" school model and how it can be improved.  We focus on the skills to be developed that make a better learner, both in school and in a career.  Finally, we end with a fun conversation about travel and how...

In this week's episode I highlight the greatest lesson and habit I gained from the pandemic.  Work from home flexibility allowed for more time spent with family and less reliant on child care.  Quality time spent with kids in the form of picking them up from the bus or coaching their  sports team is the best reward from a flexible schedule.  I also encourage listeners to consider "interactive entertainment" such as playing sports o...

My guest is Eric Geier, President of Puresurance.  We talk about the good and bad of the "typical" American health insurance policy and why people can get confused and frustrated with their policies.  Eric walks through how his company offers an alternative model that starts with underwritten policies that require health screenings, much like life insurances policies.  We trade stories and tactics to keep costs low, no matter what ...

In this episode, I talk about how my family pivoted our travel plans during COVID and focused more on domestic travel.  Specifically, we were able to enjoy Yellowstone National Park, the Smokey Mountains and Maui, HI in place of cruises and international destinations.  We were so happy with all of these trips and absolutely encourage folks to consider these destinations in your travel plans, especially while restrictions are still ...

My guest is Brian Haney, Founder and VP of The Haney Company.  We talk about the current state of the stock market and other investments that are at record highs while facing the uncertain times during the pandemic.  We highlight the fact that there are more options for how to invest than ever before and the importance of diversification.  Brian emphasizes the importance of investment vehicles that are tax advantaged.  We end with ...

In this solo episode, Greg gives his best tips for DIYing a kitchen remodel.  He starts by talking about what to consider for both base cabinets and wall cabinets.  He recommends the discount cabinet company Cabinets To Go to save money on well-constructed cabinets.  He shares lessons learned in hanging wall cabinets and the frustrations of putting up crown molding.  He ends with ideas for flooring and backsplashes while recommendi...

My guest is Natalie Garramone, owner and principal consultant at ONE EIGHTY, a firm focusing on conflict resolution and mediation.  We discuss the reasons for conflict arising at work and how we can be best positioned to productively resolve issues.  She stresses the importance of listening and striving to understand others' points of view.  We, then pivot to dealing with conflict at home with friends and family.  She emphasizes si...

In this solo episode, I talk about the parts of a bathroom remodel to consider doing yourself without a contractor.  I walk through the process of replacing a toilet, sink, and installing a tile floor.  I also talk about some of the specific instances where it might be best to hire a plumber.  The episode is not intended to cover all steps, but to show that with a little confidence, a homeowner can tackle many projects without hiri...

My guest is Chris Habig, co-founder of Freedom Healthworks.  We talk about the concept of direct care in which patients subscribe directly to a doctor and pay directly for services without the need for a third party insurance.  Our discussion covers some of the history of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its intent, challenges in achieving transparent billing, and other frustrations patients and providers face in the US Healthcare...

My guest is Renee Exelbert, Psychologist and Trainer.  Renee returns to the show to talk about ways that people can look after themselves and others while surviving through the pandemic.  We talk about diet, exercise and mental health.  For each area, a consistent theme of giving yourself slack while avoiding doing too much at once.  We also discuss ways that you can modify your old routine that has been disrupted with some new sug...

My guest is Larry Jorgensen, author of the new book Return to the Coca-Cola Trail.  Be sure to check out Larry's first appearance on the show discussing the first book in this series.  In the newest installment, he highlights additional towns with notable Coca-Cola history, where to find collectibles and murals and signage featuring the company.  We also talk about the connection Coca-Cola has made with Christmas as well as some fe...

My Guest is Amy Mahjoory, real estate investor, author and coach.  She walks through her journey from 9 - 5 job to real estate investing.  She emphasizes the importance of having the right systems and teams in place to be successful.  She describes how she accomplished this through using coaches to help her learn more quickly and through networking.  We also discuss how networking is key to raising capital.  Finally, she talks abou...

My guest is Paul Fagan, host of the Financial Dads Podcast.  We talk about the different options for college and what we have considered so far to help guide our children towards the best choice.  We also give our perspectives about why college is so expensive.  Then we highlight some savings strategies as well as using the 529 plan to help save for your child's college if you intend to do so.  The primary lesson is that there is n...

My guest is Drew Vernon, Marketing Director for Tonies.  Tonies features the Toniebox, which is an audio player that pairs with Tonies that play children's songs and stories.  There are also Creative Tonies that allow kids and their parents to record their own ideas, load them to the Tonie, and play it back on the device.  Drew talks about the advantages of technology without a screen allowing kids to use their imaginations more fo...

My guest is Wayne Veldsman, president of Vel.Consulting and host of the Journey to Legacy Podcast.  Wayne talks about his journey as a business owner and what skills it takes to become an entrepreneur.  We talk about the importance of networking, communication, and problem-solving.  He points out that nearly all information needed to solve a problem is available online, but encourages considering coaches or experts to decrease the ...

My guest Sonni Abatta.  She is the host of We've Gotta Talk with Sonni, a podcast, talk show and blog.  We talk about her transition from a television news personality to her current career.  The primary factors for her decision center around family and health considerations.  We discuss how corporations can help accommodate new mothers and how people can stay aware of their relationships and health to know when change is needed.  ...

My guest is Dan Cuprill, CFP.  He is a Certified Financial Planner, author, and podcaster.  We talk about what to look for when choosing a financial advisor as well as whether or not a person actually needs an advisor.  For those that are already advisors or thinking about becoming one, Dan talks about some of the pitfalls that can harm an advisor business - taking on the wrong clients, focusing on product pushing, and ignoring the...

My guest is Sean O'Toole, founder of Property Radar.  The site provides public data for real estate investors to contact owners of potential off-market deals.  We talk about the basics of real estate investing and some of the pitfalls that new investors fall into.  Sean also compares real estate investing to stock market investing and what he views as risk in each.  Overall, the mission of Property Radar is to level the playing fie...

My guest is Cinnia Curran Finfer, author of Confession of a Helmet-Free Childhood: True-ish Tales of an Analog Upbringing.  In the book, Cinnia recounts 13 stories from her childhood that both convey the sign of the times and also parallel experiences that many of us have had as children.  We focus in on what life was like growing up in the late 60s and early 70s and how it compares to today's environment.  We point out some of the...