Guild Stories

Andy Rieger, president of J. Rieger & Co., shares with us what it was like bringing a KC-based family business back to life even when he didn't want to. Ninety-five years after it closed, J. Rieger & Co. is a globally distributed distillery rooted in legacy but built for what's to come. Tune in for what started as a trip into a restaurant to fulfill a promise Andy made to his dad and turned into the building of an empathetic, curious, and experience-driven brand.

Cody Isabel finds purpose in helping others find happiness and intention in their own lives. He's the developer of My Companion, an AI Trauma app that teaches trauma survivors practical neuroscience and psychology tools to improve their mental health. His love for the human body started in middle school and led him to study Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience at Simpson College. Cody has always used his knowledge to help others understand highly complicated concepts, starting with teaching classmates how to cram for tests. Set aside some time to digest this conversation. It's one of self-exploration, powerful teaching, and practical ways to improve your own mental health. Check out Mind, Brain, Body Lab on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more of Cody's valuable mental health tips and insight.

Scott Horstmann shares his journey on hiring for heart, accountability, and the type of leadership that wells up inside a person. Scott owns Christian Brothers Roofing and has broken his own business coaching rules when it comes to hiring family. His family-operated business offers its customers more than integrity but a level of service Scott and his team will never leave to chance. You’ll love this authentic story of a shoe salesman who made his way to entrepreneurship.

Stan Hays loves barbecue, feeding people, helping in times of need. His organization, Operation BBQ Relief, has fed over 10 million meals to people in need in their nearly 12 years of existence. When disaster strikes, they are quite often the first organization into town, bringing meals (incredible, comfort type meals) to people who need it most. Those who have been decimated and discouraged. It's an incredibly brave organization that we loved learning about, and are so excited to see where they go in the coming months! (hint: they're building a camp in the Ozarks for first responders and their families who have experienced traumatic events). Stan's story is strong and courageous, and his heart to make an even bigger impact is contagious.

Max Malldorf is a German national who fell in love with America as a foreign exchange student. He's now a master brewer at POG brewery south of Kansas City. He is candid about how discomfort has been a vehicle for change in his life, and we were honored to hear his story.

Josh Cress is a therapist and founder of Ampersand Counseling in Liberty, MO. Our conversation goes quickly into the vulnerable, discussing his journey "inward" toward self-awareness. It's a treacherous but rewarding road that many men and women have traveled (particularly since Covid disrupted life as we know it in March of 2020). Josh is a brilliant, empathetic, and vulnerable man, and fellow Swiftie. We hope you find the conversation helpful on your own journey. His practice's website is: https://acg-kc.com/.

Author, leader, thinker, and man of deep care and humility - Brent Beshore shares his story with us this week, and we could not be more grateful to hear his heart. Brent shares, among other things, what it's like to walk through pride and into humility, his opinions on "health bros" and their bad takes on ice baths, and many other lessons he's learned along the way.

Trent Raines is a partner at Collected Living, where he has taken his love of building and brought it into the workplace for this incredible design firm. Throughout his career, Trent consciously has pursued work that makes him come alive. And like any empathetic leader, this road has been a journey of self-awareness and self-discovery. And we are so honored to hear his story.

MJ Mitchell, CEO of Resto Athletic, has a riveting story: learning to lead a massive global organization at a young age, revolutionizing the custom performance apparel manufacturing industry, all while giving his team members the dignity of a living wage for their skilled labor. Justin and MJ discuss leadership, redemptive entrepreneurship, how to become a horizon painter, and much more. We are so excited to share this conversation with you.

"Do you mind if I pray before our conversation," Chris asked before we hit record. Chris started the conversation with intention, clarity, and surrender. And what resulted was mind blowing. We're humbled to share this dialogue, and the glimpse into the deep parts of Chris' story. One of triumph, transformation, and truth. His bravery, his resilience, and his purpose is on full display here. And it's beautiful. Hit play, and be inspired.

Rebecca Kidwell has a huge heart, an incredible academic pedigree, and deep humility. She has used her intellect as an engineer to start the LEARN Science and Math Club for students in the Kansas City area. That club has gone on to pioneer and develop mobile machines that help students with disabilities experience motion and play with their peers. Where they belong. She is an incredible person that we are honored to know, and are so excited to share her story with you.

Jeremy Parsons is a lot of things: a father to three growing young men, a lover of the wild places in Western Colorado (where he grew up), films by Tarantino and Wes Anderson, the comedy of John Mulaney and Patton Oswalt, and ordering more of the adventurous selections on a restaurant’s menu. He has traveled the world as a documentary photographer, falling in love with humanity along the way. In 2020, he joined the Guild team, recently assuming the role of Director of Story at Guild Collective in 2022. Jeremy and Justin sat down and had a candid talk about what it's like to be 42, to have kids leaving the home, the wounds they have carried since childhood, and aging into new perspectives on life, religion and mistakes. The result is a heart-felt and life giving conversation.

Who is Guild Collective? What does it mean to be "human first"? Why does Guild Collective exist? Why does story matter? Racheal Burnett, COO at Guild Collective, and Jeremy Parsons, Director of Story at Guild Collective join Justin to have a transparent and enlivening conversation, getting to the heart behind what drives GC and how we got here.

Kemet Coleman is an urbanist, artist, entrepreneur, and activist, to name a few. Born and raised a KC native, Coleman grew up in a household motivated to seek justice for our city. After dabbling in music and theatre, he found his path through an urban studies class. This father of three thrives on helping KC see itself in a creative way and for who we really are. "The cultural identity that is soaking into the soil of the city enhances the city's cultural identity." Take a listen as Coleman describes: -How to approach creating art and storytelling -Using music, beer, and art to uplift and awaken our city -Overcoming suburbanization and geographic racism on the East side of KC -Making gentrification dollars work for everybody -The vital role of mobility in a city and its tie to wealth and innovation -Follow Kemet on Instagram at: @KemetColeman -Find Kemet’s band on twitter at: @ThePhantastic -Discover his work by checking out: -2000 Vine -Vine Street Brewing -Enginuity -Kemmet Creative -Troostival

A discussion on swimming upstream to create work that matters with team members Devin Simmons, Director of Digital Marketing, Racheal Burnett, VP of Creative, and Colin Potter, VP of Business Operations. In the past 5 years, our team has grown from one guy with a laptop to 12 kind, brilliant people. It’s a plane being built in flight, and the biggest thing we’ve learned: work with good humans that want to do good work. Listen in as we discuss: -Where story and strategy intersect -The importance of listening in storytelling -The discipline of taking time off -Finding work-life harmony -Addressing the scarcity mindset and the endless hustle -The difference between real work and staying busy -Letting go of your ego to provide your team opportunity to grow -Swimming upstream to tell every brand’s story with integrity

Hear from Bronson, Cory, and Justin as they dive deep into mindset and what it takes to work through the fear that leads to scarcity thinking.

Hear from Professor Dave Geenens, author and professor at Benedictine College, on his journey of building businesses on the pillars of virtue and challenging the status quo. Geenes incorporates counter-cultural business practices to make money while making your business one that benefits everybody. In our discussion, he imparts his wisdom on: -Expanding your comfort zone to create opportunities -Re-defining leadership as “the art of maximizing cooperation” -Challenging the old ideology that business is only about maximizing shareholder wealth -Getting back to our moral foundation -Combining virtues with virtues of faith to develop businesses that address social justice and responsibility Check out one of his four books: “Truth in the Transcendent Business” “Nothing is Free” “Leaders Slip” “Arise, Life-Changing Truths for the Tormented Leader” Contact Geenens through his blog or by sending him an e-mail.

Hear from Bronson Ko and Cory Scheer, past guests of the Guild Stories podcast, in a new monthly format called The Orchard. This will be an evolving dialogue where Bronson, Cory, and Justin meander through a variety of topics including leadership, wellness, community, entrepreneurship, mindset, emotional health, marketing, technology, creativity, and whatever else may emerge. This month’s conversation dives into: Disappointing others at a rate they can handle Competing frameworks within organizations Extending and receiving mercy Fixing yourself vs. focusing on yourself Leading with a deeply rooted, strongly fortified identify Being a Chief Reminding Officer Emitting fragrance, not toxicity And a lot more. This month’s inspiration: Bronson – How to Run Your Business By THE BOOK by Dave Anderson Justin – CODA (Apple TV+), Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown

Hear from Eric Bartlett, co-founder and partner at Northland Injury Law, as he shares lessons in building an intentional brand, including: Standing out in a cluttered industry segment The importance of disarming and comforting clients through clear communication and education Using external feedback as a mirror for your business How COVID revealed an opportunity to shift and expand his firm’s marketing efforts, even as it took a toll on his personal health Building systems and processes to enable scale within a business Check out Eric’s firm at www.northlandinjurylaw.com

Hear from Beth Anne + Russ Branden, partners in life and part of the partnership group at Built Interior Construction. They share their philosophy on: And much more.