I Digress Podcast

John Gadd is on fire. Seriously! John and 20 others, were set on fire in a brilliant marketing stunt for his company, Hotcards. Beyond being a very successful and creative entrepreneur, there’s so much more to this guy. His story is filled with passion, challenges and a drive to help those around him reach their potential that will inspire the hell out of you!

Dave Phinney. What can I say about “The Bad Boy of Blending” that hasn’t been said? The dude is the highly respected, uber-creative founder and winemaker of the juggernaut wine brand, Orin Swift. But here’s a tidbit none of y’all knew, he attributes his becoming a winemaker to an encounter with a prostitute. Boom! But seriously, he’s an amazing guy with a big story and an even bigger heart. So, pour a glass of Orin Swift and enjoy!

Roy Tuscany’s story has traversed some gnarly peaks and rough valleys. From competitive skier, to being paralyzed, to becoming the founder of High Fives Foundation, and much more, Roy’s journey is one we can all learn from.

Galen Gifford…friend, father, husband, pilot, bathroom attendant, and co-founder of the super positive hat company, Big Truck. Yup, this episode is gonna be #funfirst!

Whitney Powell is an adventurer, media producer, endurance athlete, and Olympic hopeful coxswain. Put that all together and you have a badass human determined to live life her way. Get ready for a story of owning the outcome and not compromising…Whitney’s energy is contagious!

Dustin Wilson has ridden a wave of hard work and opportunity to becoming a member of one of the most exclusive groups, Master Sommeliers. The beautiful thing about this guy is that he is so much more than this title. Enjoy his story of perseverance, humility and good fortune…did I mention he was in a movie?Check out Dustin’s super slick wine shop Verve Wine, with locations in NYC & SF.

When the residents of Napa and Sonoma Counties went to bed on October 8th, they never expected that when they woke up, they’d be in the midst of one of the largest wildfires in US history. This is the story of the North Bay fires and how a community united.

Barbara Viteri is a mom, wife, entrepreneur, but to those in the interior design world, she’s the HBIC at Designerlebrity. From a kid growing up in the Marcy House Projects to a woman controlling her destiny, Barbara’s story is unexpectedly raw and compelling…and at times silly.

Marc Hans is one of the most dynamic people I’ve come across. Although a self-proclaimed “shitty student”, Marc has taken those early difficulties and flipped the script to live live a fulfilled and purposefully life. Oh, did I mention the dinosaurs? Buckle up for a wild ride!

Jonathon Kendall has charisma and conviction to the max. As the COO of MentorBox, he’s personally gleaned wisdom off of the likes of Ryan Holiday, Tim Ferriss and Mo Gawdat. There’s a lot to learn from this one….be prepared to be challenged.

Jen Rulon is a triathlete with an inspiring story that started with her as a small town dreamer in Whitewater, Wisconsin and led to fulfilling her lifelong goal in Kona, Hawaii. What happens along that journey is fascinating. Shamu anybody?

Hardy Wallace, aka @dirtysouthwine, is a great dude on a serendipitous journey. The wines he makes at Dirty & Rowdy Family Wines are raw and reflect his unique personality. Yet it’s the softer side of Hardy which I really found endearing. Cheers!

Stephanie Sheldon is the the electrifying founder of Indie Foundry & The Cleveland Flea.In Part 2 of our discussion focuses on a problem that has impacted her, as well as many other men and women, throughout their lives…misogyny.

Stephanie Sheldon is the the electrifying founder of Indie Foundry & The Cleveland Flea.In Part 1: Indie, Stephanie discusses how she came to find her calling and start two companies that have delivered significant value to the people she helps and the town she loves.

Michael Venn is a director and filmmaker. He joins us to discuss his soon to be released documentary, The Heroin Effect, as well as, Trump, addiction, the role music played in his development, being a single-father and much more.

Jade Davis, VP of External Affairs for the Port of Cleveland, talks about the significant role mentorship played in his life, the challenges of reurbanization, Cleveland, Amazon, and much more.

Natalie Bowman Lee, the capricious owner and winemaker of Vinum Ferus in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, discusses wine, what she’s learned thus far as an entrepreneur, taking risks, Mother Nature, and a bunch of other stuff. This is a fun one!

Tina Godfrey Hurley discusses her journey from carefree to amputee and how the obstacles she’s overcome have unlocked the perspective, focus and growth needed to deal with obstacles she’ll face in the future.

Andrew Zelman, CEO of Cleveland Scene, discusses the risk of purchasing and leading a print media company in the social media age. He also offers perspective on where Cleveland has been, where it’s going, and what Scene is doing to help drive promote progress.

Michael “Howell Monk” Nguyen is the mercurial wine marketer with a story about tattoos, wine, Instagram, community & discrimination which everyone should hear.