Brian Forrester (left) and Kris Rhody lead Uno Mas Taqueria and they’re the guests on Ep. 371 of the Jon of All Trades Podcast, debuting September 4, 2024.

Tacos! We’re talking about tacos! And tequila! What else do you need me to write here to get you to listen to this?

Ok, fine. Uno Mas Taqueria has been on South Pearl Street in Denver and on Olive Street in Fort Collins for the last 11 years, and Brian has been with them the entire time. Kris has been there for more than 8, and that’s emblematic of the culture they’ve created where they have low staff turnover and loyal customers. You can attribute that to them wanting to be “the bosses we never had” and thinking of a successful staff as a band where you need everyone playing in tune and listening to each other.

We also talk about their Tequila Club, how small businesses are analog spaces that help create community, the challenges of operating a restaurant in Denver in 2024, and a ton more. The biggest takeaway from this is that these are a couple of really good-hearted dudes, who run their business with thought, care and success, and they’re an absolute joy to feature. I think you’ll love it too.

Check out Uno Mas Taqueria on the web, on Instagram or at their two locations:

Denver: 1585 S. Pearl St.

Fort Collins: 120 W. Olive

Available on iTunes, streaming on Spotify, on podcatchers everywhere, and at the Jon of All Trades homepage.

Rob Rover Rushing is the Co-Founder of Punk Rock Saves Lives and he’s the guest on Ep. 370 of the Jon of All Trades Podcast debuting June 26, 2024.

Rob Rover Rushing is on the road more than 300 days a year, so it was with some effort and luck that I caught him while he was home in Denver and that we were able to meet at East Fax Tap and chat for an hour. He’s the Co-Founder of Punk Rock Saves Lives.

We talk about the organization’s origins, their upcoming festival, the challenges of running an event-based nonprofit organization and a ton more. What is punk? What isn’t punk? What are the ethics of the mosh pit and how do they apply to life? Who’s playing the Punk Rock Saves Lives Festival? (Rob actually answers this question over the course of the last 10 minutes of this episode) He’s a thoughtful, caring, hardworking dude and someone I feel blessed to be in a similar orbit with.

Check out the Punk Rock Saves Lives website, the Ratio Beerworks website, and then join me for the Punk Rock Saves Lives Festival July 5-7.

Available on iTunes, streaming on Spotify, on podcatchers everywhere, and at the Jon of All Trades homepage.

Jason zumBrunnen is Co-Founder of Denver craft brewery Ratio Beerworks and he’s the guest on Ep. 369 of the Jon of All Trades Podcast debuting June 19, 2024.

Jason zumBrunnen is Co-Founder and Head Brewer Emeritus of Ratio Beerworks, a Denver craft brewery with roots in the punk rock scene and a DIY spirit. I’ve visited Ratio more times than I can count whether I’m taking people from out of town there, seeing a concert, or just plain old enjoying a pint because I happen to be in the neighborhood. I also used to host my nonprofit Mile High 100 events there. I love so much about Ratio, it’s a thrill to get to highlight them here.

I ask Jason about his punk rock roots, how to apply that to his brewery without being overbearing about it, how to differentiate yourself now that (perhaps) craft beer’s moment has peaked, where the brewery goes from here, and that terrible era of craft where every beer name was a bad pun or some vaguely offensive nonsense. I hit it off immediately with Jason, and this chat is easygoing while covering a lot of interesting ground about entrepreneurship, managing smart growth, and having to prove yourself over and over again (and why that isn’t a bad thing).

Be sure to check out all things Ratio Beerworks at their website. And join me for the Punk Rock Saves Lives Festival July 5-7.

Available on iTunes, streaming on Spotify, on podcatchers everywhere, and at the Jon of All Trades homepage.

James Hilovsky is the Creator of The Fran Dream and he is the guest on Ep. 368 of the Jon of All Trades Podcast debuting June 5, 2024.

James Hilovsky is the Creator of The Fran Dream, a franchise consulting company that matches up existing and aspiring entrepreneurs with successful franchise business opportunities. Notably, he works with a lot of retired professional athletes to match them up with opportunities as their playing career winds down. We discuss how he got into this line of work, shares with me an absolute ton about the world of franchise business, and what makes him successful.

You can find out more about James at his website. You can email him at James [at] TheFranDream [dot] com. You can even call or text him at 951-491-5983.

Available on iTunes, streaming on Spotify, on podcatchers everywhere, and at the Jon of All Trades homepage.

Jean Eddy is an author and the President & CEO of American Student Assistance, and she’s the guest on Ep. 367 of the Jon of All Trades Podcast debuting May 15, 2024.

Jean Eddy is the President and CEO of American Student Assistance (ASA) and the author of the book Crisis-Proofing Today’s Learners: Reimagining Career Education to Prepare Kids for Tomorrow’s World. During Jean’s tenure, ASA has pivoted from a 65-year history of helping students with college financing and repayment options to a new focus of helping students discover potential career paths earlier in their education journey, before financing or repayment need occur. In collaboration with the Board and her senior management team, she has successfully shifted ASA’s focus and direction to help kids – as early as middle school to – know themselves, know their options, and make informed choices about their education and career goals.

She discusses how how we help kids know themselves better and earlier, which will help set them on the path to career fulfillment. We talk about this from a number of angles. We discuss helicopter parents, how schools are funded, the need for systemic change to adapt to an evolving sensibility from both learners and businesses looking to the future for their impending workforce needs. We even spend a brief moment talking about the NBA playoffs. Jean is an incredible professional whose body of work speaks for itself, and it’s my privilege to feature her on the show. If you’d like to hear Jean on another show I produce and host, you can hear our conversation that’s largely focused on the skilled trades on Tradeswork: The Rocky Mountain Mechanical Contractors Association Podcast.

For more information about ASA and Jean Eddy, including where to find her book, please visit ASA.org.

Available on iTunes, streaming on Spotify, on podcatchers everywhere, and at the Jon of All Trades homepage.

Shawn Drotar is Senior Editor at Mile High Sports and a longtime sports media personality and he’s the guest on Ep. 366 of the Jon of All Trades Podcast debuting April 24, 2024.

Shawn Drotar is the co-host of Sandy and Shawn on Mile High Sports as well as its Senior Editor. He has an incredible resume having done turns at ESPN and USA Today nationally, and a couple of tours of The Fan and Mile High Sports here in Denver. He has incredible intellect, insight and a warm, friendly demeanor. We met just a couple of weeks ago and hit it off immediately, and since we’re in the thick of a primo slice of the sports calendar – NBA and NHL playoffs, start of baseball season, NFL draft right around the corner – I thought it prudent to sit down and chop it up with him.

On this week’s show we discuss many of the stops in his career, how the Colorado Rockies are testing his love of baseball, the rule changes implemented by Commissioner Manfred (which, it bears mention, is the clearest and most compelling defense of them I’ve ever heard), his thoughts on sports gambling, predictions for the Nuggets and Avalanche, how he’s maintained this longevity, and whatever else. Terrific conversation with a genuinely good dude who knows his stuff from top to bottom.

You can find Shawn at Mile High Sports, or on Instagram and Twitter.

Available on iTunes, streaming on Spotify, on podcatchers everywhere, and at the Jon of All Trades homepage.

Christopher Short is Quizmaster in Chief for Geeks Who Drink and he returns to the Jon of All Trades Podcast April 17, 2024.

Jeopardy! Superchamp Christopher Short returns to the show after first appearing 9 years ago in Episode 44 as part of #GeekMonth when he was but the Head Editor. I’ve always adored the whole vibe of Geeks Who Drink and used to play a ton. Then we had some damn wiener kids, go out a lot less than we used to, and I don’t visit nearly as much as I used to. But this has got me itching to get back to quizzing since the aforementioned wiener kids are now a bit more self-sufficient. That, and their daily quiz game Thrice is diabolically addictive, and I’m enjoying the hell out of that.

We talk about the development of that, the evolution of moving away from paper and pencil quizzes to an app-based scoring system, how the company navigated the pandemic – which, oh god, you’re a company where 90% of your revenue is dependent upon people showing up to bars??? – and a ton more. Christopher, as he was when I first met him 9 years ago, is thoughtful, unbelievably smart, and someone who cares deeply about preserving the unique editorial voice of Geeks Who Drink and helping the company continue to grow and evolve positively.

There are an absolute ton of ways to interact with Geeks Who Drink including on Twitch, on social media, the daily game Thrice, in bars all across the country, and a bunch of other stuff I’m forgetting. Probably the best place to start is by visiting GeeksWhoDrink.com.

Available on iTunes, streaming on Spotify, on podcatchers everywhere, and at the Jon of All Trades homepage.

Jeremiah Ludemann is the guitarist for The Frickashinas and he is the guest on Ep. 364 of the Jon of All Trades Podcast debuting April 10, 2024.

Jeremiah Ludemann is the guitarist for The Frickashinas, one of my favorite bands which is obvious since I’ve also interviewed their lead singer Justin Duran and featured them in the JOAT 50 Song Countdown. He’s also the mastermind behind 420 Punk Fest Denver, which is right around the corner. This dude and I hit it off right away – we’re both girl dads of daughters of similar ages, we’re both entrepreneurs who own our own companies, and we have what feels like the exact same music taste – so to say we had plenty to talk about would be an understatement.

We cover everything in this episode from our favorite Taylor Swift songs to how he navigates whatever scene drama exists in Denver punk to how the 420 Punk Fest came about to how irritated we are with past versions of ourselves. On an existential note, sometimes as a middle-aged man it can be hard to make new friends. I adore what Jeremiah and The Frickashinas create, but even more than that, I’m proud to call him my friend. And I’m thrilled that I get to promote his band, his festival, and just connect with a great dude who I could probably spend all day talking to about any number of topics. You get a good sense of that during this chat, I think.

Please check out The Frickashinas at their website.

More info about the 420 Punk Fest can be found here. And you can buy your tickets here.

Available on iTunes, streaming on Spotify, on podcatchers everywhere, and at the Jon of All Trades homepage.

Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough is the director of The Body Politic, and he is the guest on Ep. 363 of the Jon of All Trades Podcast debuting April 3, 2024.

Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough is the Director of The Body Politic, which airs as part of the ACT Human Rights Film Festival, presented by the Colorado State University Department of Communication Studies. Here’s a synopsis of the film:

Like many areas in the United States, the City of Baltimore has been plagued by gun violence. Amid the George Floyd uprising, Brandon Scott, a young reform-minded leader, is elected mayor. His hope is to lower violence in the city with a new public health-focused approach rather than relying only on policing as he feels others have done. With unfettered access, cameras follow him and his team of young leaders throughout their first year in city hall, unveiling an ambitious plan to lower the city’s murder rate. When opposition mounts, his commitment to his principles puts his political future in jeopardy. Will his holistic approach lead to healing and serve as a
blueprint for the rest of the nation?

Gabriel joins me to discuss the making of the film, the epidemic of violence in this country, fighting against moneyed interests at every turn, and much more. I’m proud to feature this film and its director Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough to discuss so many of the issues that plague this country.

You can see The Body Politic at The Lyric on Sunday, April 7th at 5:30 pm. More information about the film, it’s showings, and how to view it virtually can be found here. You can keep up with it on social via Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

This episode is available on iTunes, streaming on Spotify, on podcatchers everywhere or at the Jon of All Trades homepage.

Kathy Sabine is Chief Meteorologist of 9News and the guest on the 10 Year Anniversary of the Jon of All Trades Podcast debuting March 29, 2024.

My thank you to you for helping this show reach its incredible 10 year milestone is the First Lady of Denver, Kathy Sabine. She is 9News Chief Meteorologist, joined 9News in 1993, and has won boatloads of Emmys and other awards. At this point, she is a Denver institution and a delight to pretty much everyone she crosses paths with. I met her while producing her episode of Vic Lombardi’s Denver and the two of us hit it off and became pals.

On this special episode, Kathy joins me as we talk for an hour in a candid, intimate chat. And what comes through more than anything else is that Kathy’s reputation as one of the nicest, most genuine and talented people you could ever hope to meet is well-earned and 100% genuine. Kathy has the unique ability to make you feel like not only the most special person in a room you share with her, but like the ONLY person in the room with her.

We talk about her recovery from tearing her hamstring off the bone, why she still feels like she has something to prove (which is why she’s back to doing 5 newscasts a day (at 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10 pm!), our various medical histories, and a lot more. Kathy is extremely easy to talk to, and we laugh often throughout this winding chat. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed participating in it!

You can find Kathy on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

This episode is available on iTunes, streaming on Spotify, on podcatchers everywhere or at the Jon of All Trades homepage.

Jon Ekstrom celebrates 10 years of the Jon of All Trades Podcast with a special mailbag episode that airs March 20, 2024.

This is the humble space where I produce this little show of mine for 10 years and counting. I’ve got my laptop, a monitor, a mic, an ergonomic upright mouse because I think I’m getting carpal tunnel from all the podcast editing I do, my Zoom recorder, pictures of my girls, sunglasses, and some of their various knickknacks on my desk. There’s some various crap in the background – an old cat bed, a box I need to deliver to my parents’ house, a sign for my kids’ lemonade stand from last summer, some receipts from a recent business trip stacked on my printer – and I tell you this only because I spend more time here professionally than any other.

I don’t really own anything in the professional sense. Everything in this office can probably be had for less than $1,500. All I truly own is my brain, my work ethic, and my reputation. And I’ve been fortunate to find great people in the 10 years I’ve done this show. The fact that I get to connect with interesting people, ask them anything I want, record it, and share it with you is one of the greatest privileges I could ever hope to have. So, to mark the occasion of this 10 year anniversary, I thought it only fair to let some guests turn it around on me and ask me anything they wanted. What you see below are their questions asked to me verbatim along with when I answer them in the episode. I sincerely hope you’ll listen to the entire thing, but if a question especially grabs you, you know exactly where to find it.

1. Josh Penry – Episode 279 (3:30): By my recollection, you were podcasting before podcasting was cool. Question 1: Did you ever in your wildest dreams believe that podcasting would become a dominant communications medium? 2: In your opinion, would podcasting have become a dominant medium in a world where sars COVID 2 wasn’t (likely) released from a lab in Wuhan?
2. Kathy Walker – Episode 184 (7:30): What are your views on the “lane” for podcasts?   Can it be a great tool in a community to gather and share information?
3. Bree Davies – Episode 93 (10:40): What is the old Denver restaurant you would bring back to have your fave meal at one more time? What is that meal? And if you could bring back an old Denver restaurant or bar because it was your fave atmosphere/vibe, what would it be?
4. Christie Buchele – Episode 268 (14:15): What’s your go-to karaoke song?
5. Tom Breihan – Episodes 344 and 253 (17:00): What’s your worst mosh pit injury?
6. Kristin Crites – Episode 200 (19:10): Of the podcasts you have been on, as a guest, which has been your favorite?
7. Vic Lombardi – Episode 346 (21:50): Why do so many young people hate wealthy older people? What happened to revering success?
8. Peaches n’ Diesel – Episode 348 (26:05): What’s your personal slogan or motto?
9. R. Alan Brooks – Episodes 254, 241, and 140 (29:00): What’s one thing you would change in the past (either your past, or in history), and why? If you wouldn’t change anything, also why?
10. Ben Roy – Episode 251 (31:55): On your deathbed, what do you think you will most miss about your life?

That’s a damn fine cross section of weird shit to respond to! And there’s more coming! Part 2 of this mailbag comes in a blog post on Friday!

Thank you for letting me be a part of your life for the last 10 years. I am fulfilled creatively and professionally by work like this, and it’s because of you. Here’s to many more years together.

This episode is available on iTunes, streaming on Spotify, on podcatchers everywhere or at the Jon of All Trades homepage.