The John Krol Podcast / The Blend

Water is everything. It touches every bit of our lives and our communities, in our physical and mental health, recreation and our economy. Leslie Gabriel's connection with water became clear at a very young age and then evolved over time, ever reimagining the relationship at every turn. His professional life led him to water, creating a successful business with water testing and filtration systems. Today, he wants our region to celebrate and maximize the potential of water as an asset for residents and tourists, alike. The concept of "blue spaces" which has been successfully implemented in many other communities across the country, has immense potential for health benefits, recreational opportunities, tourist attractions. In this episode we also cover the healing properties of water, Leslie's work in the water industry, why the bottled water industry is a bit of a "scam," the hospitality industry's push for toxic-free waterways, Leslie's podcast And So It Flows, and much more.

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Leslie is an H2O activist, author, content producer, event producer, podcaster, water enthusiast, marketing maven, ambassador for water and public speaker about the pressing need of water sustainability and the need to transform our relationship to water to a state of love and respect. After beating lifelong chronic skin rashes and other ailments, by simply using pure water to detox my body and mind, I am a passionate believer in the power of water. A majority of my time is spent on what he considers the most important movement of modern times, The Water Sustainability Movement. Leslie Gabriel is also proud father of, who he calls, his "Not So Little People" - Kyla Elianna Gabriel (29) and Jeremiah Noah Gabriel (25). I am also a distance runner, hiker, skier, kayaker, camper, traveler and dancer.

Cara and John roll-out their online sales training program and philosophy behind it, what happens with the diamond engagement ring when a married couple splits (they have experience), ways that small businesses can expand their markets by using online tools. John and Cara have a solution for that, and we look forward to demystifying it and helping people begin an exciting new journey in online sales. Cara Krol is the author of Fairy Slippers and Molly Saves the Bees: https://www.fairyslippers.info/books In addition to being an author, Cara is an energy healer and intuitive coach. Her website for her business Balance & Bliss Wellness is https://balanceandblisswellness.com John Krol is a consultant, digital marketing expert and the owner of One Eighty Media marketing agency: https://oneeightymedia.com/ a longtime radio/television and podcast host and producer.

John and Cara are raising a family of five kiddos between the ages of 8 and 15, making it all work!

John shares his vision for Pittsfield and differentiates from the status quo in making change in the city - including putting families first, curbing skyrocketing taxes, creating desperately needed financial transparency in the city with an independent internal auditor, revitalizing the downtown, having a clear vision with downtown police foot patrol and a sense of urgency to position Pittsfield as the culturally rich hub of the Berkshires, improving city services, having a respectful, professional leader as mayor to work at elevating city staff and more!

It's a passion project that has been brewing since the mid-1990s for Gina Coleman, whose encounter with the legendary Odetta left a powerful impression. The moment when Gina and Odetta connected, sang side-by-side and locked together in harmony was a seminal moment in her career. This inspiration will come full circle in the form of a live album to be recorded May 12th and 13th in Studio 9 at the Porches Inn. The switch to acoustic and performing folk standards will be a switch for the Misty Blues. But pushing to the edges of the blues genre is nothing new for the band. And anyway, as Gina explains in this episode, African-American folk music is most certainly blues in her book. This performance and upcoming album comes on the heels of Misty Blues' most recent album "Outside the Lines," which includes a rich array of familiar voices and performers from the Berkshires and beyond. Gina and her band have not skipped a beat, not even during the pandemic, when they remarkably released three albums with the band members recording virtually. The beat goes on for Gina, and as someone who admits she basically doesn't sleep, there is surely more to come. We love it! Also in this episode we cover: the story of meeting Odetta at the Bottomline club in New York City as a guest of Arlo Guthrie, the decision to make this tribute a live album, growing up on the Bronx as hip hop and rap came on the scene, musical influences, including Motown and salsa, the earlier band Cole Connection and their acoustic funk style, a part in a Williamstown Theatre Festival production as a gospel singer that led to a transformative transition to blues, the rich variety of blues music, Gina's songwriting process and how much of it comes while she is driving, why she once utilized answering machines in her songwriting process, her son Diego choosing music as a major at Williams College, the evolution of Misty Blues from a blues tribute band to producing original music, the story of Charles Neville performing on an album, Gina's 27 years coaching rugby at Williams College and why the sport inspires her, performing at Firefly in Lenox and more.

I hope you'll enjoy my conversation with Gina Coleman.

When he saw too many kids without a focus and without something to do, especially as opportunities were fewer and farther between amid the pandemic, Dashine Moore took the steps to establish the Beat the Streets basketball program. Now in its third year, Dashine sees the value of the evolving program continue with the cost of traditional summer camps continuing to rise out of the reach of many young people and their families. Galvanizing the support of various nonprofits to make it all come together, Dashine has a particular drive to give back to the community as his own path has been a long and winding. This included five and a half years of incarceration. That experience is a lesson he shares with young people in the program to urge them to make better choices. His time away from his sons in prison also makes it all that sweeter to see the success of his boys, one in prep school and one who just won a state championship as a member of the Taconic High School basketball team. Dashine has a powerful story and I appreciate having the opportunity to share it in this episode. Also, we cover: Kicks for Kids and the support of Barrington Stage Company, the power of role models, legendary youth advocates Manny Slaughter, Shirley Edgerton and Valerie Hamilton, a community center, mentorship programs, financial literacy, his experience at Norfolk prison in Boston, his business Mr. Feets, the economics of sneakers, flipping sneakers, selling paintings, bringing back the Gather-In and more.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Dashine Moore.

Families with kids simply want more fun things to do in the Berkshires. Melissa and Ken Fawcett have shown that filling a part of this niche can be hugely successful, as the indoor playground, Ready Set Play, has been just about fully-booked for weekend parties from the very beginning when they opened in October 2022. Responding to the clear demand for working families seems to be a great business model for the couple, as their first venture Ready Set Learn was immediately successful. The demand was so high for their pre-K education and play center, they opened a second location. Interestingly, Melissa's jump into private business came when she ran into a bit of a roadblock as a teacher in the public schools. Hoping to move from teaching fourth grade to kindergarten or first grade, the transfer never happened. The rest is history, as Read Set Learn was born - first on Virginia Avenue, and then to a converted church at the corner of Dalton Ave. and Benedict Road. The second location on Wendell Avenue came next. We love Melissa and Ken's entrepreneurial spirit and her ability to turn their passion into new offerings, and in the case of Read Set Play, a new attraction to the Berkshires. In this episode we also cover: preparing children for the rigor in kindergarten and infusing more play, play is learning, remodeling a 100-year old church, the demand for quality pre-K education in the region, the reduction of recess time in public schools, the demand for more fun things to do for families in the Berkshires, the process of finding commercial real estate in the Berkshires, trampoline parks, laser tag, go-carts, the logistics of setting up Ready Set Play - the delivery, unloading and construction of the indoor playground (like a massive IKEA furniture build), booking 21 parties every weekend, the possibilities for the former Bed, Bath & Beyond space, living a dream as entrepreneurs and modeling that for their kids, taking calculated risks, the support of Nancy Shulman (formerly) of the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network and more.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Melissa Fawcett.

It was deeply ingrained into his soul as a child as he listened to the jukebox at his Uncle John's, and with early vinyl records in the 1970s. That sound mesmerized young Tim Dupree and his early fascination with 50s and 60s rock n' roll, then soul and Motown music, never ceased. What also never left him was the love of the sound of vinyl, and over the years he has accumulated over 20,000 records and LPs. Today, as the warmer sound and tactile aspect has popularized vinyl again, DJ Pup Daddy (Tim's stage name) has carved a strong niche in the market with his use of those old (and sometimes new) records. And, by the way, that old jukebox was handed down to him and it remains proudly in Tim's home, along with a number of the vintage turntables and other equipment he has restored. I love this conversation with Tim, as he has truly followed his passion to make it a career. Also, in this episode, we cover the longevity (or lack thereof) of vinyl, CDs, 8-Tracks, cassettes, Tim's process of DJ'ing a party and "it's always spontaneous," growing up using walkie-talkies with his brother playing the role of DJ, back playing and "cue burn" on the turntable, direct drive vs. belt-driven turntables, why Tim shies away from working first weddings, scanning the dump and Goodwill for equipment, tube amplifiers, challenges and opportunities for downtown Pittsfield, dog sitting on the side and more.

I hope you'll enjoy my conversation with Tim Dupree (aka DJ Pup Daddy).

For the love of the game. Steve Kotski has dedicated himself, not only as a Dad and coach, but as the president of the National League division of Pittsfield Little League. For him, his passion was solidified back when he was a kid as a baseball and hockey player rising through the ranks and forging lasting friendships and a solid work ethic. Today, he works to instill those values in the players on his team and in the 9-12 year olds throughout the league. And at the same time, in a day in age when Little League has become quite competitive, it's important to make sure the kids have fun! In this episode, we cover: the specialization of youth sports vs. playing multiple sports throughout the year, the different characteristics of the American and National divisions in Pittsfield Little League, maintaining fields and the volunteers and coaches who do it (including Steve), tryouts for Little League (they're coming up this weekend!), the culture of travel teams, all-star teams, the Jimmy Fund tournament, 1791 and Pittsfield as the home of baseball, teaching resilience in kids and getting back up and swinging again after striking out, advice for parents and coaches, drills for parents to help kids with mechanics, Steve's wife Amy's role in supporting the team and league, and her amazing business Designer Consigner at the Allendale Underground, the return of Legion ball, Lou Orazio and the success of the Berkshire Adult Baseball League, and much more!

I hope you'll enjoy my conversation with Steve Kotski.

It was a concept that brought so much joy to their own family on vacations in the past, Heather and Jeff King knew that it was a business ripe for success in the Berkshires. After nearly three years open, a second location and further expansion into other locations, Shire Donuts just continues to put smiles on the faces of happy customers. And why not? Who doesn't love a great donut? It's just one of the recent ventures that Heather and Jeff have taken together after decades of working the traditional salaried 40-hour per week jobs. The other, being real estate, came when they were nudged along by their friends and colleagues Jay and Jennifer Nocher. True to form, Heather and Jeff work as a team leading with their own particular strengths as they focus on building long-term relationships for buyers and sellers. As they look to expand Shire into other retail locations, they are also considering the move into south county, and Great Barrington, in particular. We also cover in this episode: managing customer service with, often, long lines of customers (especially when the shops first opened), quality control "Heather-approved" donuts and training their workers ("donut artists), the product marketing and selling itself through social media and world-of-mouth, Heather and Jeff's first date at Ye Olde Forge, the dynamics of the current real estate market, tricks to keep donuts fresh after purchase (hint: it includes a container and a piece of bread), the value proposition of being open just three days per week, Dunkin' and Donut Man, expanding offerings of coffee with their partner Currency Coffee, working with their daughters Lauren and Chloe and more.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Jeff and Heather King.

Merging the mission of her company into full alignment with her authentic true self took a powerful leap of faith. This was a particularly bold move in the no-nonsense profit-driven industry of financial advising. But, for Alexandra Dest Renders, "it was time to get real." Those were the words of her husband, and business coach, Pascal Renders, who threw down the gauntlet and challenged her. In spite of more than three decades of great success in her industry, Alexandra was still "fragmented" and her business didn't truly reflect herself as an individual who is "deeply sentient, highly intuitive, and very sensitive to other humans." Today, her firm Willow Investments for Loving Change stands on her core values. She believes that "capitalism is not only ripe for a change but it is necessary for the well-being of humanity." That's a far cry from the classic Gordon Gekko "greed is good" philosophy, which we discuss in this episode. We also cover: the masks that are often worn in the corporate and business world, particularly on Wall Street, being vulnerable, following your inner compass, Alexandra's early professional successes and being a "closet" intuitive, quietly combining her analytical and psychic abilities, the launching on her new newsletter the "Economic Intuitive," the continuing weakening of the dollar (petro dollar), the emerging importance of local community sustainability, the ongoing challenges in the housing market amid the high cost of building materials, the spiritual experience in Grand Central Station that led her to the Berkshires, her journey from a diagnosis of MS to full health utilizing natural healing, taking the leap into starting her own business years ago, her vision for leadership and the partnership with her husband, Pascal, helping develop more leaders, and much more. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Alexandra Dest Renders.

Five years ago, Aimee Marshall signed and lease on a single space in Crawford Square and remarkably opened for business three days later. True to form, she's continued the brisk pace and grown to now four spaces where she and her team teach 54 classes per week. Part of her secret sauce is staying ahead of the curve to benefit her clientele. This is particularly important in the world of health and fitness where people are often looking to switch it up and try a new discipline or new program. From RUMBLE to Kick Zumba, Yogalates, FUSION, R.I.P.P.E.D. and more, Aimee is gaining new certifications as quickly as new programs are rolled out. The business is so busy that Aimee's husband, Tim, has taken on a role also teaching early morning classes before going to work. And every bit helps, as Berkshire Fitness and Wellness Center runs classes from 5:30a until after 6p. It's a labor of love and business success story in downtown Pittsfield. We also cover: the desire to stay healthy throughout the holiday season and not waiting until New Year's, the healing arts, reiki, infusing energy work and rest into a weekly regimen, dietary constitution, lobbying the governor to open fitness centers during the lockdown, the value of working out in groups, doing business in downtown, Aimee's early athletic life and success in cross country running and her entry into the work of fitness in college. 

I hope you'll enjoy my conversation with Aimee Marshall.

When you take the leap to New York City to make it in the acting and modeling world with no backup plan, it takes guts. It also takes an ability to adapt quickly and follow the opportunities and paths that one would never have imagined. For Chelsea LeSage it meant solidifying her position as the go-to Lady MacBeth for various production companies in the city, and then carving a undeniable niche in the horror genre. She is a demon slayer in the 21st Century Demon Hunter and also plays the role of an actual demon in the film Bishop's Cove. Growing up, she never liked the idea of modeling, but that was another shift she made as she found her way. Teaming up with friends at We Speak Model Management, she's a part of a movement putting realistic body image at the forefront by putting models first and holding open conversations with brands around authentic representation. Today, Chelsea is now in the process of taking greater control and has evolved into roles as director, producer and a small business owner - operating multiple production companies and "finding peace in the chaos." We also cover: the "golden era of Taconic Theatre" with Jess Passetto, balancing the books and running a small business, falling into the horror genre, the mythos of demons, Shakespeare and Lady MacBeth, the NYC culture, gentrification, tearing her ACL during a modeling gig, the alternative version of John Wilkes Booth, growing a thick skin in the modeling world, the evolving and changing of the modeling industry, maintaining her Instagram account, Currency Coffee, Starbucks, Dunkin', playing the clarinet, guitar, banjo, bassoon and other instruments.  I hope you'll enjoy my conversation with Chelsea LeSage.

For Evan Valenti, working at Steven Valenti's Menswear was at first a way to earn some extra money while following his dream of being a radio broadcaster. But, it wasn't long until he discovered he had a great knack and, ultimately, a love for the all things menswear. However, this isn't simply a case of following in his Father's footsteps. Instead, Evan has brought a new angle to this legendary downtown business taking calculated risks on new trends, adapting to an ever-changing marketplace, and getting through to the other side of the monumental challenges presented by the pandemic. We cover a lot of ground quickly in this episode, including Evan's decision to choose menswear as a career, his working relationship with his father Steven and a mutual respect that strengthens the business, surviving the pandemic restrictions and making it through to the other side, dress pants that feel like comfy sweatpants (I can vouch for how amazing they are), how the Amazonification of the world has actually strengthened Valenti's niche in the marketplace, bike lanes, Evan's work in radio, his brother Michael J. Valenti's work with Sherman Baldwin on a remarkable time in Berkshire County radio, a great Gene Shalit anecdote when he appeared on the show, techniques of interviewing guests, what Star Wars trilogy to introduce first to kids, the entrepreneurial spirit of the Valenti family, including his mother Carolyn, and more.

I hope you'll enjoy my conversation with Evan Valenti!