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Hecho Corpus Christi

Hecho Corpus Christi

By Rob George

The podcast featuring Corpus Christi's Creators Makers Doers and Builders
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Coronasode 1 - Homeschooling Tips with Homeschooling Pro Randi Hamlyn

Hecho Corpus ChristiApr 22, 2020

00:00
19:18
EP23 - Robert Cooper - Modern Day Hemingway

EP23 - Robert Cooper - Modern Day Hemingway

Welcome to Episode 23 of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s creators, makers, doers, and builders. On this episode, we visit with Robert Cooper, who recently returned from the Ukraine where he saw and recorded the Russian invasion up close and person with a group of freedom fighters. Robert is a Corpus guy, a member of the Cooper Outdoor family, responsible for many of our billboards and other signs in the area. I’ve debated whether call Robert a modern-day Hemingway, but I think the description is apt. When you visit with him, you get a sense of his wanderlust, but the most interesting part to me is his motivation for adventure. You’ll hear about that in this episode. He’s built houses here and businesses in Eastern Europe, played soccer for a semester at West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas, and created and sold the Gold Fish, where we recorded. You may recall an earlier episode, with Jessica Gignac, also recorded at the Gold Fish. She and Robert are life and business partners, and the parents of a young son.

It’s hard to put yourself in the shoes of the frontline fighters in any war zone, but Robert has done that. You can find one of his and Will’s articles on the Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-russia-ukraine-battle-in-kherson-that-had-us-filming-our-dying-words?ref=authorRobert has also started a fundraiser for the strike force he embedded with. Please donate, in the event you would like to help. https://www.spotfund.com/story/a8ad977c-5c53-4a54-837c-6b84e3be696e?SFID=L6H03b

Thank you, Robert, for coming on the show. Thank you to the Gold Fish for hosting another episode of HECHO Corpus Christi. Thank you to our infrastructure partners, Clint Tucker Homes and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Mar 25, 202201:17:14
1EP22 Aadi Home Health & Hospice

1EP22 Aadi Home Health & Hospice

Welcome to Episode 22 of the Hecho Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi's creators, makers, doers, and builders. On this episode, we visit with Kimberly, Oscar, and Clint from Aadi Home Health & Hospice. Clint and I met a couple years ago at Brewster Street after church one Sunday. We met as parents of special needs kiddos are wont to do. The things that make us unique among the population at large, bring us together. Clint and his family moved down here after investing in Aadi, and have become part of the Aadi family, as evidenced by Kimberly's and Oscar's willingness to stay on under the new management to help Aadi grow into the future. As you'll hear in this episode, one of the special things Aadi was able to do during the lockdown and early stages of the pandemic was to help other agencies with supplies and other needs. Aadi's efforts are truly a reflection of the people who live here in Corpus and in the Coastal Bend. Aadi recently moved into a beautifully-restored office on Second Street on the edge of downtown behind First Methodist Church's community garden. You can find Aadi online at www.aadihomehalth.com, and should you or a loved one ever have a need, I'm sure that after this conversation, you'll call Aadi! Thank you for taking time to listen!

Jan 28, 202201:20:08
EP21 - Richard Lomax - Second Generation Downtown General at Water Street Market

EP21 - Richard Lomax - Second Generation Downtown General at Water Street Market

Welcome to Episode 20 of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s creators, makers, doers, and builders. On this episode, we visit with Richard Lomax, the proprietor of the Water Street Market, which includes the Oyster Bar, the Executive Surf Club, the Sushi Room, the Texas Surf Museum, and now Elizabeth’s at the Art Museum. The Water Street Market is downtown’s gathering place, a city block of coffee shops (Lucy’s), casual food, sushi, oysters and fine seafood, and both The Bend magazine and Visit Corpus Christi. Richard and I were introduced by our mutual friend, Todd Hunter Jr. (thank you, Todd) and we sat down for a conversation before Elizabeth’s officially opened. Richard is the second generation of Lomaxes to run Water Street, and he walks us through his family’s Corpus story, including the growth of Water Street into the hub of downtown that it has become.

Second generation family business dynamics can be really tricky, but from all appearances, the Lomaxes have it figured out. The second generation has taken up the mantle and even expanded the original business. In fact, Richard’s brother Ben and Ben’s wife Lesley are the duo behind BUS, the Bar Under the Sun, in the old bus station downtown. Successful downtowns almost always have multi-generational businesses, and it’s exciting to see one here in Corpus.  You can follow the Water Street Market and its various business on Instagram @waterstreetmarketcc @waterstreetoysterbar @waterstreetsushiroom @executivesurfclub and @texassurfmuseum. You can find Elizabeth’s, which is now open for lunch in the Art Museum, @elizabeths_amst, and you can follow BUS @bus.corpuschristi. Thank you, Richard, for coming on the show, and Todd for the introduction. Thank you to our infrastructure partners, Clint Tucker Homes, Sawyer Audiology, and the Sound Guys. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Nov 05, 202101:10:09
EP20 - Johnny Philipello - Captain of the Buc Days Pirate Ship

EP20 - Johnny Philipello - Captain of the Buc Days Pirate Ship

Welcome to Episode 20 of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s creators, makers, doers, and builders. On this episode, we visit with Johnny Philipelo, the President and CEO of Buc Days, the city-wide celebration that includes a rodeo, parades, a carnival, a debutante presentation, and other events. Johnny and I were introduced by a mutual friend, and we sat down for a conversation shortly after Buc Days made the exciting announcement that the Wings over South Texas airshow is now going to be a part of Buc Days! Johnny walks us through his Corpus story, including how he met his wife, Katia Uriarte, through Buc Days and mutton busting. Johnny also discusses the history and leadership of Buc Days and the tremendous effort it takes from hundreds of people to make it the super successful event that it is. We also learn what is at the heart of Buc Days – providing substantial scholarship and leadership opportunities for local students while giving Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend a celebration for the whole family. This year, Buc Days runs April 29 – May 9, 2021, with the Wings over South Texas show presented on May 1st and 2nd.

I always enjoy getting the behind the scenes look at festivals and celebrations, especially those like Buc Days, and Fiesta in San Antonio, because the scale of what it takes to make these events successful is massive. Johnny ably coordinates the volunteers, staff, and leadership to year after year create a better and more exciting Buc Days celebration. You can follow Buc Days on Instagram @bucdays or check them out online at bucdays.com. This year’s celebration is April 29 – May 9. Thank you, Johnny, for coming on the show. Thank you to our infrastructure partners, Clint Tucker Homes, Sawyer Audiology, and the Sound Guys. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Mar 12, 202152:47
EP19 - Elena and Gerald Flores - Brand Builders, Pop Up Leaders, Podcast Inspirers, Taco Lovers

EP19 - Elena and Gerald Flores - Brand Builders, Pop Up Leaders, Podcast Inspirers, Taco Lovers

Welcome to episode 19 of the HECHO Corpus Christi podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s creators, makers, doers, and builders. This episode is a first…it’s the first time I’ve interviewed multi people at the same time for an episode. We have the pleasure of hearing from Elena and Gerald Flores, a husband and wife duo whose ever-expanding side hustles celebrate their culture, and favorite food. Elena is the proprietress of Sew Bonita, where the self-taught seamstress designs and sews items that reflect her heritage and her desire to motivate passionate women to chase their dreams. Gerald is the creative behind Taco Gear, a leading brand celebrating all things tacos. They host the wonderfully entertaining and inspiring podcast Sew Taco, and Elena has pioneered the pop up market Loca for Local, which begins its spring virtual pop up online on March 3 with pickup on March 6th at House of Rock. Check it out at locaforlocal.com. Not to be outdone, Gerald created Taco Chair, a video series where he films persons of interest preparing and eating their favorite taco. Gerald and Elena’s exhortation to “just start” was my motivation to start this podcast a couple years ago, and it was a pleasure to finally get to sit down with them to hear their Corpus stories. A special thank you to Randi and Steven Carroll and Driftwood Coffee for letting us crash their store to record this episode.

Gerald and Elena are always creating new products, and even new brands. Since we recorded this episode, Gerald officially branded his video production company as Tuxedo Goose Films. They are a must follow, but I’ll be frank, trying to keep up with them can be exhausting because they are constantly evolving their brands and helping others do the same. Follow them on Instagram at

@sewtaco

@sewbonita

@tacogear

On the web at locaforlocal.com and find the Taco Chair on youtube by searching The Taco Chair or Taco Gear.

Thank you again to Driftwood Coffee for hosting us. Follow them @driftwoodcoffeeco and give episode 5 a listen to hear Driftwood’s story. Thank you Gerald and Elena for the great conversation! Thank you to our infrastructure partners SoundGuys, Sawyer Audiology, and Clint Tucker Homes. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Mar 02, 202101:56:38
EP18 - Blake Snodgrass - Put me in coach, I'm ready to generate leads!

EP18 - Blake Snodgrass - Put me in coach, I'm ready to generate leads!

Welcome to Episode 18 of the Hecho Corpus Christi Podcast! Blake Snodgrass is a local digital marketing whiz and coach. He mastered the agency side of the business, including creating and deploying a $1,000,000 ClickFunnels marketing funnel, and recently launched a coaching practice to coach those interested in starting their own digital marketing agencies. Blake walks us through his journey from graphics designer at his church to coaching more than 800 individuals in his Automatic Agency program. As he says about his business, he's the bill that pays the bills. Visit automatic-agency.com to learn more! Thank you to our infrastructure partners The Sound Guys, Sawyer Audiology, and Clint Tucker Homes. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Dec 23, 202058:11
Episode 17 - Colonel Mike Sanders - Drone Program Head Pilot (a/k/a Director) at Lone Star UAS & Texas A&M - CC

Episode 17 - Colonel Mike Sanders - Drone Program Head Pilot (a/k/a Director) at Lone Star UAS & Texas A&M - CC

Colonel Mike Sanders may one day be as famous as the fried chicken Colonel Sanders. You will experience his and his team's work at Lone Star UAS at Texas A&M Corpus Christi when you receive your online orders via drone delivery. His team will be providing the data backbone, software, and potentially even hardware to all the companies that will deliver using drones. In this episode, we learn about Colonel Sanders' route to Corpus Christi and to leading the drone program. I love drones, and I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do! Thank you to Colonel Sanders, to Chief Devisser and Russell Franques for the introduction, and to our infrastructure partners The Sound Guys, Sawyer Audiology, and Clint Tucker Homes. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Nov 18, 202001:39:24
Coronasode 6 - #CurbsideChampCC - How You Can Help Sustain Downtown Corpus Christi Restaurants with Alyssa Barrera Mason

Coronasode 6 - #CurbsideChampCC - How You Can Help Sustain Downtown Corpus Christi Restaurants with Alyssa Barrera Mason

On this Coronasode, we visit with Alyssa Barrera Mason, the Executive Director of the Corpus Christi Downtown Management District. Alyssa shares the DMD's new Corona-driven initiative to safely support and sustain downtown restaurants as local businesses slowly return to regular service in downtown. Be sure to participate in the #CurbsideChampCC challenge by ordering curbside service from your go-to downtown restaurants and take this opportunity to discover some new favorites! 

May 21, 202019:39
Coronasode 5 - Personal Investment Considerations During Corona with Jeff Davidson, President of Davidson Capital Management

Coronasode 5 - Personal Investment Considerations During Corona with Jeff Davidson, President of Davidson Capital Management

On this Coronasode, Jeff Davidson, the President of Davidson Capital Management, discusses his investment strategy through the lens of the craziness we've seen in the markets as a result of COVID-19. Davidson Capital Management is a family-owned, fee-based, Registered Investment Advisor. Jeff and his brother Kyle host Money Wise every Saturday from 12:00pm to 2:00pm on 1360 KKTX in Corpus Christi (with the 12:00 to 1:00 hour also on 1200 WOAI in San Antonio). This Coronasode was inspired, in part, by the second hour of the April 25, 2020 Money Wise show, which can be found here: http://www.davidsoncap.com/category/podcast/. To learn more about Jeff and Davidson Capital Management, please visit www.davidsoncap.com or call Jeff at 800.275.2162 or 361.906.0070. 

May 01, 202001:01:43
Coronasode 4 - Stronger Together 361, Serving Local Businesses at Scale with Lisa Sutter of Vine Juice Company and Stronger Together 361

Coronasode 4 - Stronger Together 361, Serving Local Businesses at Scale with Lisa Sutter of Vine Juice Company and Stronger Together 361

On this Coronasode, Lisa Sutter of Vine Juice Company walks us through the Stronger Together 361 project. Through Stronger Together 361, she has been able to reuse 90 CC Bliss Boxes and feature a myriad of products from local businesses. You can bid on one of the boxes at www.stronger-together361.myshopify.com, and be sure to follow @strongertogether_361 on Instagram (and @thevinejuiceco too)!

Apr 22, 202034:55
Coronasode 3 - Dealing with Anxiety with Pastor Jeremy Debord

Coronasode 3 - Dealing with Anxiety with Pastor Jeremy Debord

On this Coronasode, we learn Pastor Jeremy Debord's methods for addressing anxiety. Jeremy is the pastor of City Church in Corpus Christi, and as a pastor, Jeremy has regular opportunities to guide people through times of crisis. His methodology can help each of us as we all face the uncertainties caused by this global pandemic.
Apr 22, 202049:59
Coronasode 2 - How to Build Your Business Online with Nikki Riojas
Apr 22, 202044:34
Coronasode 1 - Homeschooling Tips with Homeschooling Pro Randi Hamlyn

Coronasode 1 - Homeschooling Tips with Homeschooling Pro Randi Hamlyn

On this Coronasode, Randi Hamlyn from Indigo Laine (@indigo.laine.co) shares with us some of her tips for success turning home into school. She's been homeschooling for a number of years, and her best practices can be utilized by all of us who are now homeschooling for the first time!

Apr 22, 202019:18
S1EP16 - Marcos Flores - Senior Cheesehead

S1EP16 - Marcos Flores - Senior Cheesehead

Welcome to Season One Episode Sixteen of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Marcos Flores is our guest on this episode. Marcos runs the family business, Gulf Coast Glass Company, but you probably know him as Senor Cheesehead. Marcos may be one of the most unique Green Bay Packers fans in the country as he blends his heritage with his fandom. To help celebrate and share his love for the Packers, he created a clothing and gear line under the Senor Cheesehead brand, and as you’ll hear in this episode, Marcos breaks a bit of news about his brands! Marcos and I met through the Rise School of Corpus Christi, where our sons are in the same preschool class. The Rise School is a full inclusion school where typically-developing kids like Marcos’s son and kids with Down syndrome like my son, or other developmental challenges, are included in the same classroom with highly trained teachers. Each set of kids learns and grows with and from the other. But Marcos’s heart for people with challenges extends beyond the Rise School. He is a major runner and runs 5Ks and 10Ks with the Wings of Texas and his buddy Charlie, who also happens to be a huge Packers fan. Marcus runs these races while pushing Charlie in a special racing wheelchair so that Charlie can feel the same thrill of competition and racing that those how are self-ambulatory feel.
Marcos squeezes so much into each day, serving his family, managing Gulf Coast Glass Company, expanding Senior Cheesehead, running and training, and serving others. It’s going to be fun to hear his forthcoming podcast, so be sure to follow him on Instagram @senorcheesehead to get updates on when his show goes live! Be sure to also keep an eye out for when Marcos launches his clothing brand into its new name, but in the meantime, shop at
seniorcheesehead.com. Please follow us on Instagram too @Hechocorpus. And if you’re listening to this episode between March 2, 2020 and March 23, 2020, please head over to thebendmag.com to nominate HECHO Corpus Christi for The Locals List 2020. Click on the header for the Locals List, go to Arts, Culture, and Entertainment, and scroll down to Podcasts. Click on Nominate beside HECHO Corpus Christi. And while you’re there, take a look at all of the other local podcasts and find some news ones to listen to! Thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. Thank you for your nomination, and thank you for taking time to listen!
Mar 04, 202049:59
S1EP15 - Jordan Anderson - Title Titan and Board Leader

S1EP15 - Jordan Anderson - Title Titan and Board Leader

Welcome to Season One Episode Fifteen of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Jordan Anderson is our guest on this episode. Jordan is the local president of Stewart Title Company and was raised in Corpus Christi from the time that she was nine years old. After graduating from Ray High School, Jordan moved to Dallas, San Antonio, back to Dallas, and then home to Corpus with her husband in 2005. She is a lawyer who practiced law with a local firm for a handful of years before starting both a family and a title company in 2010. Alongside her father in law, Jordan started Bay Area Title Services, which Jordan then grew into three offices and a booming business, a business doing so well that it was acquired by Stewart Title Company. Stewart Title Company is one of the oldest and biggest title insurance companies in the country. Not only has Jordan excelled in her leadership of Stewart Title Company, she has also volunteered a tremendous amount of time locally, serving on local boards including at the Art Museum, the regional economic development corporation, the united chamber of commerce, and serving at her children’s school. Jordan’s story should inspire other local entrepreneurs that, through excellent customer service and putting others first, they too can build successful, attractive businesses here in Corpus Christi. Jordan’s experience can be duplicated and should inspire others to repeat it in the industries they are in. As Jordan has shown, Corpus is a great place for business and a great place for family. She is an excellent resource for other entrepreneurs and business owners in Corpus. You can also learn more about Jordan in the October 2019 issue of The Bend Magazine where she was profiled as one of the HER 2019 nominees. To learn more about Stewart Title, visit stewarttitle.com. Please remember to follow us on Instagram @hechocorpus and to subscribe to this podcast wherever you are listening. Thank you to Jordan for taking time to visit with us, thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Jan 22, 202049:14
S1EP14 - Matt Werkhoven - Chief Adventurer of Corpus Christi Cycle Plaza and Joy Ride Rental Company

S1EP14 - Matt Werkhoven - Chief Adventurer of Corpus Christi Cycle Plaza and Joy Ride Rental Company

Welcome to Season One Episode Fourteen of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Matt Werkhoven is our guest on this episode. Matt is the first second-generation business owner that we’ve had on the show. Matt is the general manager of CC Cycle Plaza, which he runs along with his brother. Their parents started the business in 1986 as a Kawasaki dealership, and Matt has grown it into a significant enterprise representing additional brands like Indian and Victory motorcycles, Can Am, Sea Do, Yamaha, and Mahindra. Matt also expanded the business into fleet sales, and he and his wife Natalie created a side project named Joy Ride Rentals and will be delighted to rent you a golf cart for your beach cruising needs! The Werkhoven family story is a classic great American tale, with an immigrant father who worked his way up from flipping burgers at In-and-Out Burger in California to creating and owning CC Cycle Plaza.

It’s always fun to hear stories of second-generation business owners who expanded the family business, which Matt has certainly done at CC Cycle Plaza. You can also hear the inner entrepreneur in Matt as he works to meet customers where their needs are. To get Matt on the show, I accosted him one Wednesday morning at chapel at Annapolis Christian Academy where we both have children enrolled, and I’m grateful that Matt forgave my intrusion and agreed to come on the show! Please follow CC Cycle Plaza on Instagram @cycle_plaza and Joy Ride Rental Co @joyriderentalco. Be sure to check out Joy Ride Rental’s new location at SPID and Whitecap too! It should be open in early-ish 2020. Also, please follow us on Instagram too @hechocorpus.

Thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Jan 15, 202049:43
S1EP13 - Russel Franques - Chief Facilitator of the Local Entrepreneurial Ecosystem - Director of the Coastal Bend Business Innovation Center

S1EP13 - Russel Franques - Chief Facilitator of the Local Entrepreneurial Ecosystem - Director of the Coastal Bend Business Innovation Center

Welcome to Season One Episode Thirteen of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Russell Franques is our guest on this episode. Russell is the Director of the Coastal Bend Business Innovation Center and a professor in the College of Business at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Russell arrived in Corpus Christi a few years ago so that his wife could become a Physics professor at the university. As a lawyer and CPA, his background ranges from private law practice to corporate finance in one of the world’s most preeminent companies to building a startup from the ground up. At the Innovation Center, Russell’s role is essentially that of Chief Facilitator, connecting the Center’s clients to resources from the high levels of strategy to the nuts and bolts of back office management, and everything in between. He also works diligently to keep the Center on mission while expanding its effectiveness within the multi-county area it serves. In this episode, you’ll learn all about the history of the Innovation Center, its relationship within the local small business community, and the opportunities Russell sees for growing its strategic services for local municipalities and forward-engineering business developers. Russell and the Center are key cogs in the entrepreneurial ecosystem will continue to influence it here in Corpus Christi for years to come. It’s exciting to know that he and other local, state, and national business leaders are thinking about how, and implementing ways to, grow local businesses throughout the Coastal Bend and beyond. Be sure to follow the Innovation Center on Facebook @CCBICTAMUCC to keep up with the latest events and news and to see if the Center could be your business’s next stop on the road to success! Please follow us on Instagram @hechocorpus. Thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Jan 08, 202043:58
S1EP12 - Jenni Pollock - Oyster Maven and Underwater Environment Expert

S1EP12 - Jenni Pollock - Oyster Maven and Underwater Environment Expert

Welcome to Season One Episode Twelve of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Jenni Pollock is our guest on this episode. Jenni is a marine habitat expert at the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M Corpus Christi where she is also the Chair for Coastal Conservation and Restoration. Her areas of study and practice include oyster reef restoration and Serpulid reef restoration, all along the Texas coast, but with an emphasis in the Coastal Bend and Baffin Bay. Jenni and her family moved here several years ago so that she could began working as a post-doc researcher at the Harte Research Institute. Not only has Jenni been instrumental in forming and leading the “Sink Your Shucks” oyster reef restoration program with the Water Street Restaurants, she also is a key member of Representative Todd Hunter’s mariculture advisory team which recently helped the Texas Legislature pass a new law allowing oyster farming in Texas coastal waters. That new industry will rely heavily on the research Jenni and her team have developed and continue to perform in marine habitat creation and health. So, in the not-too-distant future, you and I will need to thank Dr. Jenni Pollock for the Texas Gulf Coast oysters that we eat!

Jenni is at the forefront of exciting new industries and marine habitat restoration and health. She has been a key leader in opening Texas waters to mariculture, and she continues to develop new methods for the restoration of the reefs that we know as the Baffin Bay rocks, which are so critical for providing the habitat for the fish we love to chase in Baffin. Keep a sharp eye on the Caller-Times for news about Jenni and her research, and be sure to read the interview with her in The Bend Magazine by Kylie Cooper, which you can find in the Seafood Issue, appropriately, or on the Bend’s website. Please don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @hechocorpus. Thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Nov 26, 201901:04:22
S1EP11 - Mary Ann Cavazos Beckett - Nextgen Captain of the Caller-Times

S1EP11 - Mary Ann Cavazos Beckett - Nextgen Captain of the Caller-Times

Welcome to Season One Episode Eleven of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Mary Ann Cavazos Beckett is our guest on this episode. Mary Ann graduated from King High School here in Corpus, attended Del Mar, and now is the Editor of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times Newspaper. She rose to the top position at the newspaper through, grit, hard work, and talent, after starting out in the mailroom at 19 years old. Because my mother instilled in me that it’s not appropriate to discuss a lady’s specific age, I won’t tell you Mary Ann’s now. However, you should know that she is one of the younger editors of a major newspaper in the country. Mary Ann is also a wife and mother to two young kiddos. She takes the reins of the 137-year-old paper at a critical time for newspapers, and on this episode, she discusses some of the ways the newspaper is actively pursuing new media for storytelling and about how the Caller-Times’ talented reporters helped USA Today win a Pulitzer Prize. You’ll also learn about the Caller-Time’s foray into drone journalism and the benefits of being a digital subscriber. 

Mary Ann is a true community influencer. She has experienced nearly every facet of the Caller-Times and is the right mix of youth, experience, and willingness to learn to lead this great paper into the multi-media world that it must engage. With Mary Ann at the helm, and with its gifted staff, the Caller-Times is well-positioned to grow beyond the printed page into the fully-immersive, multi-media, community news source that will continue to serve Corpus Christi, the Coastal Bend, and the world for decades to come.  Please take a moment to visit caller.com to register for a digital subscription! You can follow Mary Ann on twitter @CallerMaryAnn.  Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @hechocorpus.

Thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Oct 10, 201901:04:36
S1EP10 - El Dusty - New Cumbia Ambassador and Cultivator of Creatives

S1EP10 - El Dusty - New Cumbia Ambassador and Cultivator of Creatives

Welcome to Season One Episode Ten of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Dusty Oliveira is our guest on today’s episode. You know him as El Dusty. Dusty is a Corpus Christi-area native who was born in Corpus proper and raised on and off in Calallen. His parents and family raised him a “melting pot of music” from East Coast rap to classical and cumbia. Dusty has been a force in downtown Corpus for nearly two decades. Dusty has had a studio in downtown since the early 2000s, and he and his wife Cecy Trevino of Chicas Rock live in downtown, right above his current studio and creative collaborative, PRODUCE. Dusty’s song Cubmia Anthem was nominated for a Latin Grammy, and he has become an ambassador for new cumbia music and for Corpus Christi all over the world. Not only is Dusty a recording artist, he also produces other artists under the Americano Label and produces concerts and shows, like Tropicoso here in Corpus at House of Rock and Peligroso in Austin. Dusty walks us into the future of the Corpus sound, made famous by legends like Freddy Fender and Selena, and now being interpreted anew by artists coming up in his wake. Dusty’s influence ranges all over the world, and he has opportunities to proselytize for Corpus in areas that few others do. He’s planted his roots in downtown, and he has opened his creative space for collaboration with other Corpus rising stars. We are fortunate to have Dusty here! Please be sure to follow him on Instagram @eldusty and to follow PRODUCE @prdc2010. And be sure to follow Cecy and Chicas Rock @chicasrock. Don’t forget to follow us too @hechocorpus. Thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Jul 25, 201949:31
S1EP09 - Daniel Benavides - Fandom Cultivator of Somewhere Texas Apparel and Corpus Christi Comic Con

S1EP09 - Daniel Benavides - Fandom Cultivator of Somewhere Texas Apparel and Corpus Christi Comic Con

Welcome to Season One Episode Nine of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Daniel Benavides is our guest on today’s episode. Daniel is a Corpus Christi-area native who was born on Christmas Eve! By day, Daniel manages logistics for an oil-and-gas supply company. By night, Daniel and his partners plan, organize, and run the Corpus Christi Comic Con and Somewhere Texas Apparel. Daniel’s passion for Corpus Christi shines through in this episode as he discusses his two ventures. We recorded this episode at The Sushi Room in the Waterstreet Market as Daniel, and his son Liam, are working at the American Bank Center to get ready for the 3rd Comic Con, which runs Saturday and Sunday, June 29th and 30th, 2019. You can buy tickets at corpuschristicomiccon.com. This year’s guests include Dean Cain, Stanley and Oscar from The Office, two Power Rangers, and many more! It’s great entertainment for the whole family, and in this episode, you’ll get a little peek behind the scenes of how it all began. 

We are fortunate that Daniel and his partners have been willing to put in the legwork and shoulder the risk of creating these opportunities for us! You can follow Comic Con on Instagram @CCTXComicCon and Somewhere Texas @somewheretexasapparel. You can also follow Daniel’s wife Meagan’s photography business @meaganbenavidesphoto. 

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram too @hechocorpus. Thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Jun 26, 201938:23
S1EP08 - Randi Hamlyn - Heritage Seamstress - Indigo Laine

S1EP08 - Randi Hamlyn - Heritage Seamstress - Indigo Laine

Welcome to Season One Episode Eight of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Randi Hamlyn is our guest on today’s episode. Randi and her family lived for a short time in South Texas, but she grew up in the Hill Country. She moved back during college and a blind date turned into marriage and now family. Randi has a creative and entrepreneurial spirit. Her entrepreneurialism was inspired by koozies, grew through her first venture, One Fine Day Mercantile, and into her current heritage leather goods business Indigo Laine. In this episode, Randi shares how a major leap of faith has brought her all the way to a partnership with a major Texas magazine. She also gives us a glimpse into the future of Indigo Laine and a behind the scenes view into her creative process. Randi and I visited in her shop on her family’s property just outside of Corpus. I wish that there was a way to scratch and sniff this episode because sitting in a shop full of leather is awesome! 

Randi’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit is spreading Indigo Laine beyond Corpus Christi. Since we recorded, she has participated in two successful markets in Dallas and will be co-hosting a special event at the Wander Inn in Round Top this weekend. It is very exciting to watch a home-grown brand take off, and that’s what we get to do with Indigo Laine. Be sure to follow her on Instagram @indigo.laine.co (laine is l-a-i-n-e). A special thanks to Amberlee Allee of Bearded Lady Creative for introducing us! You can follow Amberlee from Bearded Lady  @beardedladycreative,  and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram too @hechocorpus. Thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Jun 21, 201938:13
S1EP07 - Jessica Gignac - Proprietress of Goodness at Eleanor's and Lucy's, and Original Creator of The Gold Fish

S1EP07 - Jessica Gignac - Proprietress of Goodness at Eleanor's and Lucy's, and Original Creator of The Gold Fish

Welcome to Season One Episode Seven of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Jessica Gignac is our guest on today’s episode. Jessica is a Corpus native, who adventures outside of Corpus which have helped shape her interests in, and passion for, her hometown. Jessica is a trained fashion designer who directs her creative talents to running three local hotspots: Eleanor’s, The Gold Fish,* and Lucy’s Snack Bar. We recorded this episode in the early evening at the Gold Fish, an open-air bar in a former gas station in downtown Corpus. The background is vibrant, so it’s best to not listen to this episode at a high volume, but the background highlights Jessica’s passion for service. In fact, her passion for serving and entertaining shines across all three of her current ventures, each of which provides a unique experience in beautiful settings in Corpus. Lucy’s Snack Bar recently opened in downtown and provides a much-needed quick-stop food counter and stand-up coolers full of cold beverages and grab-and-go items. At the time we recorded, Lucy’s did not have its beer and wine license, but it does now, so you can enjoy eats and treats from Lucy’s during their regular hours! The Gold Fish anchors the corner of Mesquite and Taylor in downtown, in the former Peerless Cleaners building. It provides top flight beverage service in a laid-back atmosphere. And Eleanor’s Coffee Bar + Market encourages slowing down and gathering with friends over properly made coffees, espressos, and food. Eleanor’s also pays tribute to Jessica’s grandmother, whose inspiration still motivates Jessica. Jessica’s excitement about these enterprises, and working with her brother and their partner in the Gold Fish, is exactly the kind of passion that causes revitalization and growth! 

It’s hard to imagine successfully juggling a business and a family, but Jessica manages not just one business but three, and does so with excellence, drawing on inspiration from her family and travels. Corpus is fortunate to have a native daughter who is willing to invest so much of herself in providing unique experiences not routinely found outside of major metro areas. To keep up with Eleanor’s, The Gold Fish, and Lucy’s Snack Bar, follow them on social mediate @eleanorscctx @thegold_fish and @lucyssnackbar. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram too @hechocorpus. Thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

*Editor's Note: In January 2020, Jessica and her partner sold The Gold Fish to another local business duo, Mike Treiber and Houston Boswell, which brought The Gold Fish into the Irish Cassidy's Pub family. You can read more about it here: https://www.caller.com/story/news/local/2020/02/14/gold-fish-bar-downtown-corpus-christi-reopen-march/4759706002/

Jun 04, 201947:02
S1EP06 - Hollie Schaub - Owner and Chief Baker of Fed By Bread

S1EP06 - Hollie Schaub - Owner and Chief Baker of Fed By Bread

Welcome to Season One Episode Six of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Hollie Schaub is our guest on today’s episode. Hollie is Corpus Christi transplant who has put down family and professional roots here. Ten years ago, she and her husband, Aaron, moved from Guam. He, to be a Navy flight instructor. Her, to, well, that’s the story she shares with us on this episode. But you probably know where the story is today, where Hollie is the chief baker and owner of Fed By Bread. If you’ve listened to episode five you’ll remember that Randi Carroll mentioned that Hollie and Fed By Bread played a significant role in helping Randi’s business, Driftwood Coffee, get started. But helping local businesses get started is not all that Hollie and Fed By Bread have done. Their primary focus has been creating and selling delicious baked goods so that they can donate profits to provide meals, medical care, and educational opportunities in Rwanda and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. And not only have Hollie and Aaron grown a business to support children in Africa, you’ll learn on this episode that they have been blessed to help children even closer to their home! It’s always inspiring to hear about businesses designed with philanthropy in mind, and it’s even more inspiring to hear how Hollie and Aaron have put their passion for children into practice in their own home. Although we’ll miss them while they are in Rhode Island, we will welcome them back with open arms, and all the while, we’ll continue to enjoy delicious Fed By Bread products! Place your Fed By Bread orders at fedbybread.org and follow them on social media @fedbybread. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram too @hechocorpus. Thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And a special thank you to third grade teacher extraordinaire, Ms. Kay Watson, who, in addition to teaching the primary third grade subjects with excellence, also raises the bar and teaches third graders Latin and Chemistry! And thank you for taking time to listen!

May 21, 201940:40
S1EP05 - Randi Carroll - Owner of Driftwood Coffee

S1EP05 - Randi Carroll - Owner of Driftwood Coffee

Welcome to Season One Episode Five of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Randi Carroll is our guest on today’s episode. Seven years ago, Randi and her husband Steven, packed up their one-year-old son and moved to the land of Borat. Steven became a missionary and teacher in Kazakstan, and Randi was busy with their little boy. However, a need for community brought them home to Corpus Christi where Randi was rescued from the riptide of postpartum depression, and where she has grown their coffee roasting business from Steven’s expert roasting in a popcorn machine to a soon-to-be open storefront. Randi has a deep emotional attachment to the community Corpus Christi provides her, and she discusses the personal community side of Corpus, which is not often celebrated but is immensely valuable. Randi and I visited in her current roastery, and you’ll hear the roaster heating up in the background. The roastery doubles as the family garage, or perhaps it’s the garage that doubles as the roastery. Either way, for a coffee lover with a sensitive nose, it was coffee heaven! Thanks for listening! 

May 03, 201945:39
S1EP04 - Jordan Regas - Publisher of The Bend Magazine

S1EP04 - Jordan Regas - Publisher of The Bend Magazine

Welcome to Season One Episode Four of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Jordan Regas is our guest on today’s episode. Five years ago, Jordan was a newlywed, a newly dad, and a newly entrepreneur. Five years ago, in April 2014, he started The Bend Magazine, Corpus Christi’s premier lifestyle magazine. In those five years, Jordan, his wife, Kaley, and their team at The Bend have chronicled the happenings here in Corpus Christi. They’ve also created Brunch by the Bay, the Locals List, and the Weekly Drop, all of which you’ll hear more about in this episode. Jordan also dives into the isolation new entrepreneurs can feel, and walks us through what tools and methods he used to guide him through that launch phase of The Bend. We recorded this episode in an extra room at The Bend’s headquarters in the Water Street Market in Downtown. Jordan is sold-out on Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend, and it’s easy to get caught up in his excitement! 

Be sure to visit thebendmag.com to sign up for the Weekly Drop and to follow them on social media @thebendmag. Don’t forget to follow us on social too @hechocorpus. Thank you to our infrastructure partners the Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Apr 23, 201948:46
S1EP03 - Emily Veazey

S1EP03 - Emily Veazey

Welcome to Season One Episode Three of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s Creators Makers Doers and Builders. Emily Veazey is our guest on today’s episode. Emily and her family are somewhat new residents of Corpus Christi, but she has jumped in with both feet. She and her co-blogger Courtney Rangel, are the creatives behind the Hacienda South Texas blog, which you can find at haciendasouthtexas.com and @haciendasouthtexas on social media.  In this episode, Emily takes us behind the scenes of Hacienda South Texas, and we learn about her passion for Corpus Christi, her inspiration and interests, and, an opportunity for us to support a movement to get Trader Joe’s to come to Corpus. Also, if you listen to the end, Emily makes a big announcement about a flavorful new venture she will be opening very soon in downtown Corpus Christi. We began our recording on the beautiful patio at Hester’s in Lamar Park but we were interrupted a bit by a leaf blower, so we finished the interview inside Hester’s. Emily is really plugged in to Corpus Christi, and her excitement about its future is contagious. Be sure to keep up with Hacienda South Texas at haciendasouthtexas.com and on social @haciendasouthtexas. Don’t forget to follow us on social too @hechocorpus. Thank you to our infrastructure partners Sound Guys, Clint Tucker Homes, and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!

Apr 05, 201932:06
S1EP02 - Steven Hansen
Mar 21, 201938:15
Episode Zero - Welcome to HECHO Corpus Christi - The Podcast Featuring Corpus Christi's Creators, Makers, Doers, and Builders
Mar 21, 201900:57
S1EP01 - Monica Sawyer

S1EP01 - Monica Sawyer

Thank you for listening to the inaugural episode of the HECHO Corpus Christi podcast, the podcast that features Corpus Christi's creators, makers, doers, and builders! Our guest is Monica Sawyer. We recorded our visit on the stage in one of Corpus Christi’s landmarks, which Monica will talk about in more detail during the conversation. Monica co-founded the Que Bueno Taco Fest, and she’s the proprietor of McLeod Creative. She is the board president of CC PATCH, which is the non-profit in charge of revitalizing the Ritz Theatre in downtown. Monica publishes The One Bride Guide and she’s the developer of the VP Wedding Planner app. Monica is MonicaMSawyer on Facebook and KeepItEssential on Instagram. In this episode, Monica and I discuss an opportunity for the community to come alongside the Ritz Theatre by helping the Theatre earn a $100,000 matching grant from the Tax Increment Refinancing Zone (TIRZ) Board. I know you’ll enjoy hearing Monica talk about all the exciting things she’s involved in here in Corpus.  

Mar 21, 201938:22