Épisodes

  • Spanish Immersion Daycare and Preschool

    Spanish Immersion Daycare and Preschool
    Dec 19 2025
    Heather Reekie - Casa de Corazón On Working With the SBA: "Getting the SBA loan was literally the hardest thing I've ever done. And I've given birth twice, naturally." We all wish we were smarter. As we get older, it becomes more difficult to learn new things. What if children could learn new things while they have a developing brain that can handle faster education. What if you could immerse a child into an environment that helps children learn another language, eat healthy and fresh food and do it all with peers that are learning and playing alongside you? It is with questions like these that Casa de Corazón got started. Heather Reekie is the owner of the Madison, Wisconsin based Casa de Corazón. She shares her inspiring journey from speech and language pathologist to entrepreneur, detailing the transformation of an old translation office into a thriving early childhood center focused on nurturing bilingual minds and compassionate hearts. She highlights Casa de Corazón's unique approach, including their in-house app for real-time parent updates, commitment to organic meals and sustainable practices, and the importance of intercultural learning. Heather details the challenges of launching a business, the joys of fostering a strong community, and the impact of quality early education. Listen as Heather gives more insights into how passion and purpose can create lasting change, one child at a time. Enjoy! Visit Heather at: https://casaearlylearning.com/location/madison-wi/ https://www.instagram.com/casa.madison.wi/ Podcast Overview: 00:00 "Bilingual Boost at Casa" 06:54 "Acquiring a Language-Focused Property" 16:20 "Connected to Franchise Core Values" 17:17 "Eco-Friendly Childcare Practices" 23:33 Franchisee Frustration with Franchisors 29:09 "Teachers Genuinely Care Deeply" 33:39 "Raising Thriving, Empathetic Early Learners" 42:15 Playground Requirements and Safety Standards 44:48 "Overcoming Leadership and Loan Challenges" 53:19 "Staff Excellence and Parent Resources" 59:12 Infant Curriculum and Monthly Themes 01:02:37 Storm Shelter and Flags Display 01:07:09 "Elevator and Furnace Challenges" Sponsors: Live Video chat with our customers here with LiveSwitch: https://join.liveswitch.com/gfj3m6hnmguz Some videos have been recorded with Riverside: https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_5&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=james-kademan Podcast Transcription: Heather Reekie [00:00:00]: But the Casa app is special to the Casa brand and it's real time updates on what your child is doing throughout the day, including photos. So that's throughout the day innovation. Yep, yep. And so you know, like no notates when the child falls asleep for rest time or what they, you know, how much of the lunch they ate and you know when they used the bathroom or had a diaper change and that kind of thing. James Kademan [00:00:23]: Holy cow. So that's cool. Heather Reekie [00:00:26]: It's informative and just fun to interact with as well. James Kademan [00:00:35]: You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found on the podcast link found drawincustomers.com we are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie and today we're welcoming slash preparing to learn from Heather Ricci of I'm going to destroy this. But I don't mean to Casa de Corazón remotely close Casa de Corazón and I just learned is that House of Hearts. Heather Reekie [00:01:05]: House of Hearts. House of Love. James Kademan [00:01:07]: All right, very cool. So let's go on. What do you do, Heather? Heather Reekie [00:01:12]: Well, so I'm the owner operator of Casa de Corazon Madison, which is a franchise from the corporate offices which are in Minnesota and we opened almost exactly two years ago, November 15th of 2023. James Kademan [00:01:28]: Nice. Heather Reekie [00:01:28]: And so I am trying to keep. James Kademan [00:01:31]: Running the place and this place, I gotta say, this place is huge. I expected a little daycare and this is. We're in two story building. Heather Reekie [00:01:41]: Yes. James Kademan [00:01:42]: In what I would consider to be the southern heart of Madison. So we get the belt line right here and all that. So I got a lot of questions for you, so let's just knock it out first. So Heather, tell me about the Spanish immersion. Heather Reekie [00:01:54]: So that's the icing on the cake of just a really high quality childcare and preschool situation. Here at Casa de Corazón, Spanish immersion is help helping grow the synapses in the children's brain. So even if you don't go on to a bilingual or Spanish immersion elementary school after attending casa, you will have reaped the benefits of growing your brain cells by becoming bilingual or learning a second or sometimes in some cases a third language. Because what it does is it gives you multiple words ...
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    1 h et 8 min
  • Marry Money and Opportunity with Real Estate

    Marry Money and Opportunity with Real Estate
    Dec 12 2025
    Mike Zlotnik - Tempo Funding On Investment Advice: "At the end of the day the best risk mitigation strategy is prudent diversification." Investing in real estate is often thought to be a great place to grow your wealth. But often investors have other things going on and they don't want to deal with tenants, paperwork, searching out properties and all of the headaches that come with doing your own real estate investing. What if there were a way to invest in real estate in other ways? Investing in the loans other people have on real estate, or investing with a group and getting into large commercial properties with leases that run decades long? Mike Zlotnik started Tempo Funding to help investors grow their money with real estate, without needing to get their hands dirty. He shares his journey in the tech world to discovering the power of passive real estate investing, buying his first apartment in Brooklyn back in 2000, and growing into large-scale commercial projects like industrial facilities and open-air shopping centers. He explains Tempo Funding’s focus on marrying “money and opportunity,” helping individuals, often those who have exited businesses or cashed in on appreciated assets, find reliable income streams backed by real estate. Listen as Mike explains his real estate investing strategies and how they may work for you. Enjoy! Visit Mike at: https://tempofunding.com/ https://www.instagram.com/tempofunding/ Podcast Overview: 00:00 "Triple Net Leasing Explained" 03:50 "Predictable Returns in CRE Investments" 08:17 "Long-Term Commercial Lease Structures" 10:46 Ground Leases and Property Ownership 13:36 Real Estate Tax Implications Simplified 19:31 Deploying Capital for Investments 21:29 Quarterly Distribution Expectations Explained 26:18 "Low Rates, Inflation, and Stimulus" 27:41 "Understanding Capitalization Rates" 32:22 Moore's Law and AI Progress 35:29 Interest Rates and Real Estate Trends 37:13 Industrial Investment: Focus on Longevity 40:49 "Branch Closures and Lease Management" 44:39 "From Tech Exec to Real Estate" 49:21 "Real Estate Value Through Leasing" 50:00 "Value-Add Real Estate Strategies" 54:07 "Strategic Capital for Specialists" Sponsors: Live Video chat with our customers here with LiveSwitch: https://join.liveswitch.com/gfj3m6hnmguz Some videos have been recorded with Riverside: https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_5&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=james-kademan Podcast Transcription: Mike Zlotnik [00:00:00]: I had a successful career, had some exits. I was doing well, but I was a little burned out. I spent almost 15 years in technology. I had great friends. I liked it. Technology. Felt like I wanted something that I really didn't have to work all the time, something that I can make investment decisions and the money could work for me. So I discovered real estate passively in year 2000, buying my first apartment in Brooklyn. Mike Zlotnik [00:00:25]: And then I continued to buy more and passively. James Kademan [00:00:33]: You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in podcast link found at https//:drawincustomers.com We are locally underwritten by the Bank of Sun Prairie, Calls On Call Extraordinary Answering Service as well as the Bold Business Book. And today we're welcoming Slash, preparing to learn from Mike Zlotnick of Temple Funding. That's TF Management Group. Is that safe to say, Mike? Mike Zlotnik [00:01:01]: Yeah, yeah, but the easier way, people call me Big Mike. I am six four. So Big Mike. James Kademan [00:01:05]: Well, you can't tell on the screen, so. All right, that is a. That's a Big Mike. Big Mike, indeed. So, Big Mike, what is Tempo funding? Mike Zlotnik [00:01:15]: We are the best way to describe Tempo funding. We marry money and opportunity. We are a platform for folks with capital to invest, typically in real estate, kind of. I don't want to call myself exactly one trick pony, but I am mostly one trick pony. It's real estate. We have a team, we have organization that focuses real estate projects, industrial, open air shopping, multifamily, et cetera. James Kademan [00:01:42]: Okay. Mike Zlotnik [00:01:42]: And then we have folks with capital who sold businesses, they've sold highly appreciated stock, they sold bitcoin, whatever, they made their money and then now they're looking for steady, predictable income. And that's what we try to bring them. That's kind of what we do for many, many years. James Kademan [00:02:01]: You mentioned steady predictable income. And can you elaborate on that? Because sometimes in the real estate world that's not always the case. Mike Zlotnik [00:02:08]: Yeah, so today the world's changed quite a bit and we really gravitated towards predictability. I literally have an article that I wrote and a video comparing high IRRs versus ...
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    1 h et 1 min
  • The Business of Micro Greens

    The Business of Micro Greens
    Dec 5 2025
    Jessi Ricci - New Life Greens On Being Present: "It's definitely life changing when you put your phone down for a meal." In the mad rush that is our world, we often take for granted some important things. Some of those things are nutrition, flavor, time spent with friends enjoying a great meal. Celebrating the gift of life that we have instead of just rushing through it. Jessi Ricci started New Life Greens, partly as a way to help people enjoy life. In the food they eat and the people they share the experience with. At only 19 years old, she is already a successful entrepreneur. In this inspiring conversation, Jessi Ricci opens up about how her dream of becoming an environmental science teacher at UW Madison took an unexpected detour when a part-time job at an aquaponic farm introduced her to the world of microgreens. From those first nervous meetings with chefs, armed with living trays of fresh greens, to building relationships with supportive mentors and her own family, Jessi Ricci reveals how authenticity, faith, and hustle fueled her success. Listen as Jessi details what she has learned and how she has made New Life Greens a success. Enjoy! Visit Jessi at: https://www.newlifegreensco.com/ Podcast Overview: 00:00 "Microgreens: Nutrient-Dense Seedlings" 06:43 "Helping Mike Sell Microgreens" 14:19 "Choosing Business Over College" 16:58 "Defying Expectations as a Woman" 23:29 "Smooth LLC Transition Thanks Mike" 28:12 "Back Door Delivery Reflections" 35:57 "Grateful for Restaurant Connections" 40:55 "Living an Unexpected Dream" 45:45 "Intentional Dining and Presence" 49:51 "Local Restaurants Embrace Teen's Microgreens" 54:07 Blind Tasting Microgreens Experience 01:02:04 "New Life Through Faith & Food" Sponsors: Live Video chat with our customers here with LiveSwitch: https://join.liveswitch.com/gfj3m6hnmguz Some videos have been recorded with Riverside: https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_5&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=james-kademan Podcast Transcription: Jessi Ricci [00:00:00]: And I, like, came in with plants for them, like an alive plant and a cut plant. And I really do not feel like I'm pushy. I just really believe in my product, and I think it speaks for itself. Like, I don't need to talk to them. I can leave them these microgreens, and they speak for themselves. So I'll come in. Jessi Ricci [00:00:19]: And bring my price sheets and everything and a live tray of greens. Like an alive plant of greens, some cut product and. And talk to them. Just show it to them, have them eat it. And they're like, whoa, this is so flavorful. James Kademan [00:00:36]: You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link found at drawincustomers.com we are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie and today we are welcoming slash, preparing to learn from Jessi Ricci of New Life Greens. So, Jessi, how is it going today? Jessi Ricci [00:01:00]: I am doing great. How are you? James Kademan [00:01:02]: I am doing well. I'm in green. Jessi Ricci [00:01:04]: I know. I love that you're in green. I always wear green. James Kademan [00:01:07]: So you really. Jessi Ricci [00:01:08]: Yep. James Kademan [00:01:09]: That's cool. Is nature of the business. Right. Jessi Ricci [00:01:10]: But I love that you're in green, too. James Kademan [00:01:11]: Oh, thank you. Tell us the story. What is New Life Greens? Jessi Ricci [00:01:14]: Yeah. So New Life Greens is a microgreens farm based in Verona, Wisconsin, and we distribute just to the greater Madison area. And we focus on distribution to chefs, which is what kind of sets us apart. We grow specialty microgreens with chefs in mind. James Kademan [00:01:32]: All right, now I'm going to play dumb. Jessi Ricci [00:01:34]: Yeah. James Kademan [00:01:35]: Or maybe I am. Whatever. What is a microgreen? Jessi Ricci [00:01:38]: That's not dumb. I did not know what a microgreen before I started my business. So you. James Kademan [00:01:44]: Did you say when you started your business? Jessi Ricci [00:01:45]: No, before. I did not know before I started my business. James Kademan [00:01:49]: All right. Jessi Ricci [00:01:51]: Yeah. I still don't know. James Kademan [00:01:53]: These things just ship up and I sell them and. What? Jessi Ricci [00:01:56]: Yeah, yeah. The textbook definition of a microgreen is that it is a young seedling of an edible flower, vegetable or herb. So if you. Do you have a garden? James Kademan [00:02:08]: I'm going to say yes. But I mean, it's. Jessi Ricci [00:02:11]: Do you start your own plant starts or no, it's fine if you don't. James Kademan [00:02:15]: Tomatoes, you do Okay. I grow things that are very easy to grow. We're talking rhubarb, tomatoes, cucumbers, stuff that you could probably light the entire world on fire and they would still grow. ...
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    1 h et 6 min
  • Fed Up Foods

    Fed Up Foods
    Nov 28 2025
    Carrie Stevens - Fed Up Foods On the Knowing What it Takes to be Successful: "When you're setting up your business, you want to make it convenient for the customer, but also it needs to be convenient for us because if we can't maintain it then we're going to get burnt out and we can't sustain it." Thousands of pounds of produce goes to waste every year. This is due to many things, often having nothing to do with the actual taste or health of the produce. Sometimes it just isn't pretty enough. So what can be done with all of this good food that should be consumed? Carrie Stevens has a farm, butchers animals to sell and recently purchased the business named, Fed Up Foods. This is a business that takes less than pretty food and turns it into beautiful sauces, relishes and pickled produce. Fed Up Foods got its start in the local farmers markets, thanks to Wisconsin's pickle law. Carrie Stevens is building on that foundation to bring locally sourced, shelf-stable products—ranging from pickle relish and maple ginger beets to cranberry applesauce—to more retail shelves and customers. Discover the surprising details behind what it takes to buy and run a canned goods business, from PH testing and food safety to sourcing "imperfect" produce and managing labels and inspections. Listen as Carrie explains her journey and what she has learned from building her sustainable food businesses. Enjoy! Visit Carrie at:https://www.fedupfoodswi.com/ Podcast Overview: 00:00 Woman-Owned Artisanal Canned Goods 03:41 Pickle Business Journey and Growth 09:04 Pasture Management and Livestock Rotation 10:44 Horseback Observation Resolves Calf Issues 13:23 Wisconsin Food Finance Support 17:00 "Work to Eat Philosophy" 21:21 Pickling Process and Variations 22:58 "Imperfect Produce Solutions" 27:59 "Pickled Beets Worth the Effort" 30:04 "Lard Pigs, Not Lean" 32:04 "Food Business Quality Challenges" 35:50 "Product Testing & Process Authority" 40:27 Scaling Production with Co-Packer 43:41 Cost-Effective Labeling Challenges 46:33 Frozen Meat Storage Advice 50:26 "Balancing Business and Convenience" 53:47 Cranberries: Creative Uses and Recipes 55:03 "Podcast, Support, Share Sauce" Podcast Transcription: Carrie Stevens [00:00:00]: And I said, hey, why don't you try the cranberry sauce in there? Because, you know, muddled cherries kind of look like cranberries in the cranberry sauce. And I picked them up just that day from the Mr. Ayan Rousch from Roush Century Farms in central Wisconsin. He gave me a nice little tour of his cranberry farm. Organic cranberries. Fantastic. James Kademan [00:00:20]: Sounds like another podcast guest. Yeah. Yes. Carrie Stevens [00:00:22]: So, yeah, just a little cranberry sauce in your old fashioned. James Kademan [00:00:27]: How about that? Carrie Stevens [00:00:27]: Make it the rest of the way however you like, your favorite way. James Kademan [00:00:30]: Foreign. Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link fundedrawincustomers.com we are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie and today we're welcoming slash preparing to learn from Carrie Stevens of Fed Up Foods. Carrie, I'm so freaking excited. We're talking about food, which is always good. Carrie Stevens [00:01:00]: Always good. James Kademan [00:01:01]: We're talking about pickles, which is always good. Carrie Stevens [00:01:02]: Absolutely. James Kademan [00:01:03]: And we're talking business. So I feel like we got the trifecta here. Carrie Stevens [00:01:06]: Yeah, absolutely. James Kademan [00:01:07]: How's it going today? Carrie Stevens [00:01:08]: Good, good. James Kademan [00:01:09]: All right, tell us the story. What is Fed Up Foods? Carrie Stevens [00:01:12]: So Fed Up Foods is a woman owned Wisconsin based artisanal canned goods company. So I purchased the business this past August. So I'm fairly new to it. However, it has been around for about five years. So it was started by a woman in central Wisconsin and her, her background, she was a produce buyer at the food co op and, and kind of different roles like that, very involved in the farmer's market and she saw a lot of produce going to waste and that was bothersome to her. Well, you know, and if you, we also own a farm, I'll talk about that more. But for a while I was getting produce from the grocery store, feeding it to our animals when it's, you know, there's a lot of beautiful produce, but you know, what happens to that produce after they can't sell it anymore. James Kademan [00:02:03]: So you would get the stuff that was blem essentially or just didn't look pretty. Carrie Stevens [00:02:07]: Yeah, or it was too, you know, I had been there for a couple weeks and it was okay, it was going mushy or whatever. James Kademan [00:02:14]: Pigs like it, humans don't love it. Carrie Stevens [00:02:15]: Right, ...
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    56 min
  • Learn to See, Learn to Paint

    Learn to See, Learn to Paint
    Nov 22 2025
    Kevin Murphy - Evolve Artist On the Value of Learning Art Beyond Making Art: "As an artist, you require more data. And so an education trains your subconscious mind to feed the data that you need to draw and paint, rather than just the stuff you need for survival." The power of art goes well beyond pictures, sculpture and music. To simplify it down to the audio and visual alone is to miss the power that learning how to have an eye for art can offer you. Knowing how to view the world from different angles to help you create a painting is just as useful to see the world from different angles to understand all manner of perspectives. Kevin Murphy draws thought provoking parallels between learning art and mastering other complex skills, exploring how our brains process visual information and how deliberate, foundational training opens doors not just in painting, but in any creative pursuit. You’ll also hear inspiring stories of Evolve Artist students, from high school competitors to retirees, many of whom have gone on to find personal fulfillment and financial success through their art. Listen as Kevin explains how Evolve Artist systematizes the fundamentals of art to help you and other artists see the world and make it more beautiful. Enjoy! Visit Kevin at: https://www.instagram.com/evolveartist/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolveartist/ Podcast Overview: 00:00 Art Foundations and Skill Decay 10:00 "Subconscious Processing and Art" 11:02 "Understanding vs. Replicating Visuals" 19:34 "Foundations of Creating Poetry" 25:51 "Photoshop Pixel Tool Insight" 27:47 "Improving Color Accuracy Techniques" 34:24 Brush Types and Their Uses 38:49 "Quality Paints Worth the Cost" 45:41 Portrait Artist Opens a School 50:30 "Building a Frictionless Art School" 56:30 Mentorship Through Shared Experiences 01:03:33 "Knowing If It's Done" 01:04:10 "Painting Perfection and Consequences" 01:14:05 Authentic Business Adventures 01:19:04 "Gradual Pricing & Promotion" 01:22:18 Business Basics in the Program 01:30:56 "Corporate Structure Enables Success" 01:36:05 "ABA Art Site Launches" 01:37:10 "Appreciation and Positivity" Podcast Transcription:
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    Moins d'une minute
  • Property Investing Insights

    Property Investing Insights
    Nov 14 2025
    Cody Wiseman - Wiseman Capital On the Caring for Your Investments: "I don't want to be driving by that in 15 years and seeing it's a dump." Investing in real estate has many benefits, but not all investors are created equal. Cody Wiseman started investing in real estate a few years ago. Through his hard work and care he has built a portfolio, which is great. the exciting thing is that he gets compliments from his tenants and neighbors for the work that he has done to the properties, to lift the neighborhoods to be nicer places to live. Without necessarily raising rents. Affordable luxury, is what he calls it. From the challenges of his very first property renovation, to the ambitious transformation of a rundown motel into affordable luxury apartments, Cody Wiseman shares the behind-the-scenes realities of real estate: sleepless nights, hard-earned lessons, and the creative hustle required to make deals work. Listeners will get an insider’s look at how Cody Wiseman partners with local investors, the value of authentic networking—like the Madison Multifamily Meetup that he’s grown into the Midwest’s largest—and why hands-on leadership and a passionate team matter. Listen as Cody explains his philosophies on real estate investing and how you can apply them to your real estate investments as well. Enjoy! Visit Cody at: https://www.codywiseman.com/ https://Wisemancapitalgroup.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codyewiseman/ Podcast Overview: 00:00 Wiseman Capital: Local Real Estate Partner 03:30 Real Estate Investment Journey 09:09 Getting Started in Real Estate 10:55 Multifamily Real Estate Networking Event 13:39 "Learning Multifamily & Passive Investing" 18:21 Delegating While Staying Hands-On 22:16 "Journey to Affordable Housing" 23:54 Personal Standards in Property Development 26:37 Community Impact and Urban Transformation 31:08 "Hidden Costs of Rent Explained" 35:00 Property Agreement Protects Long-Term Value 38:49 "Delays, Costs, and Waivers" 40:58 "Proving Creative, Affordable Housing" 45:56 Hardee's Worker Brings Joy 46:48 "Emily Sets Event's Tone" 50:19 "Authenticity in Business Partnerships" 52:49 Navigating Challenges with Confidence Podcast Transcription: Cody Wiseman [00:00:00]: Average rents in Madison, you know, 15, 1600 bucks. Our average rent is a little over a thousand bucks. James [00:00:04]: Wow. Cody Wiseman [00:00:05]: Brand new. I market it as affordable luxury. So people are like, what, what is that? How do you do? Well, let me tell you, we have all of the amenities that you're going to have with a brand new class a ground up deal in downtown Madison. Pool, pool, fitness co working areas, bike parking and storage, dog park, dog wash. James [00:00:30]: You have found authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Today we're welcoming slash, preparing to learn from Cody Wiseman of Wiseman Capital Group. So Cody, how's it going today? Cody Wiseman [00:00:45]: Excellent. Thank you so much James for having me. I'm excited to be here. It's a beautiful studio you have and so close to home. James [00:00:51]: Indeed. So nice. Tell me a story. What is Wiseman Capital Group? Cody Wiseman [00:00:55]: Yeah, so Wiseman Capital, I founded this company back in 2022 and so we're a real estate investing firm really focused in the greater Madison area, multifamily specific. So at the end of the day what it is is we partner with everyday people to invest in real estate together. So that's, that's the beautiful thing about it is a lot of times people are, hey, how do I invest in this building that I see getting put up in Madison or these apartment buildings? They think it's just a big investment firm or something like that. But Wiseman Capital is partnering just with everyday people, a lot of local Madison people, and we run the project for them. They get investor updates. I put my own money in too, so they're investing right alongside of me. James [00:01:37]: All right, so you're talking the huge apartment buildings, the 5500 unit, whatever stuff. Cody Wiseman [00:01:42]: Yeah, maybe not quite 5500 units, but yeah. So we've got, we just opened up 129 units over on the east side of Madison. So I mean some, some consider that large medium, you know, it kind of depends. But yeah, the larger buildings where we've got an on site property manager, we actually manage our properties now in house, meaning we've got our own property manager that works for Wiseman Property Management, which is a subsidiary of Wiseman Capital. James [00:02:09]: Sure. Cody Wiseman [00:02:10]: So it gives us a little bit better control and a better resident experience when we're controlling the full asset and experience from, I like to say from lead to lease. Right. You know, if you come in and you want to inquire about living here, we want to give that great experience, fast response right away, ...
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  • The Financial Backend of Property Investing

    The Financial Backend of Property Investing
    Nov 9 2025
    Jacob Walter - VP of Finance - Patriot Properties On the Property Management Conundrum: "We look really good when everybody's making money. You know, we're always the problem when they're not." The thing about investing is that the financial part is the important part. It's all fun and games until you realize you aren't making money, or worse. This is where it pays, literally, to have a smart finance guy in your corner. Jacob Walter is the VP of finance with Patriot Properties. As the guy watching the money go in and out for themselves and clients, he is in charge of making sure the numbers are not in parenthesis in the wrong spots. Listen in as Jacob Walter shares his journey from college intern to finance executive, offering a behind-the-scenes look into the complexities of managing thousands of rental units, navigating the fast-paced real estate market, and building a team that can handle everything from apartment complexes to storage units. Whether you’re an aspiring investor, experienced landlord, or simply curious about the business of property management, you’ll hear plenty of candid advice, funny client stories, and hard-won lessons on scaling up in a competitive industry. Enjoy! Visit Jacob at: http://www.patriotpropertieswisconsin.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patriotpropertieswi/ Podcast Overview: 00:00 "Client Forgot Their Property" 05:12 "Life Insurance: Niche Necessity" 08:30 Hiring Considerations for Job Roles 11:35 "Client Forgot Their Property" 13:24 Property Deals and Financing Insights 18:08 Madison's Rental Market Trends 20:52 Real Estate Rent Challenges 24:24 "Leaky Boiler Water Feature" 28:30 "Unrealistic Deal Evaluation" 31:01 Unit Maintenance and Value Maximization 35:19 Madison Property Repositioning Strategies 36:53 Tired of Property Management 41:37 Barrack-Style Madison Property Sold 43:49 Less Competition, Greater Opportunity 46:28 "First Deal Matters Most" 50:15 "Scaling Property Management Success" 53:26 Competition and Property Pricing Factors Podcast Transcription: Jacob Walter [00:00:00]: I do have a funny story. One of my clients, he, he left for, I believe like Italy or Greece or something. He was gone for like two, three weeks. That was right. You know, when he came back was like, right when we were sending out our monthly statements and he called me, he's like, Jacob, like, I forgot I had this property. I'm like, what do you, what do you mean? He's like, yeah, you just, you guys have been handling. I haven't had to worry about it. Nice to see that there's plenty of money in the account. Jacob Walter [00:00:23]: Like, this is great. This is exactly what I want. James Kademan [00:00:31]: Have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link found@drawincustomers.com we are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie and today we're welcoming, preparing to learn from Jacob Walther, the VP of finance at Patriot Properties. Jacob, how's it going today? Jacob Walter [00:00:56]: I'm doing well, thank you. Thank you for having me. James Kademan [00:00:58]: Let's start with what is Patriot Properties? Jacob Walter [00:01:00]: Yeah, Patriot Properties, full service property management company. So we kind of joke around that if you can rent it, you know, we will manage it for you. We do. Obviously our bread and butter is multifamily. We do short term rentals. At one point we did camper van rentals. James Kademan [00:01:19]: Oh wow, you weren't joking. Jacob Walter [00:01:21]: Yeah, yeah, don't do that anymore. That was, that was an interesting time. But storage units, whatever you can rent, real estate wise, we can manage. James Kademan [00:01:32]: All right. And how long have you been with them? Jacob Walter [00:01:35]: I've been with Patriot for about five years now. Just over five years. James Kademan [00:01:39]: Sure. And tell me, VP of Finance, is that finance for internal within the company or is this more external helping investors and stuff like that? Jacob Walter [00:01:47]: So it's more internal. James Kademan [00:01:48]: Okay. Jacob Walter [00:01:49]: Obviously with property management, you're kind of a VP for finance for all the clients you have. So we have 122 different, different bank accounts, if you will, that. James Kademan [00:02:02]: Sure. Jacob Walter [00:02:02]: VP of Finance for. So it can, it poses its challenges, I bet. But you know, it's, it's, it's fun. James Kademan [00:02:09]: All right. I wonder how many people would agree with that. Like, oh, VP of Finance sounds like a blast. So how do you get in that world? How do you end up as a VP of finance? Jacob Walter [00:02:19]: Yeah, so went to college, you know, did the accounting route. Kind of bounced around a few times before Patriot Properties and how we kind of found Patriot Properties is a little ...
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  • How to Make a Living With Your Art

    How to Make a Living With Your Art
    Oct 31 2025
    Tim Packer - Tim Packer Art Academy On the Truth: "I mean the universities and colleges are failing them just miserably." We all remember being kids and making art of some kind. Water colors, macaroni pictures, maybe even some Play-Doh creatures. But did you ever think you could make a living from it? Tim Packer realized he could. In this candid conversation, Tim Packer pulls back the curtain on the realities of the art world, busting myths about the "starving artist" and explaining why most universities and mainstream art advice miss the mark for artists hoping to make a living from their passion. He details how he leveraged both his artistic talent and business savvy to grow his own career, how he turned his mentorship of a young artist into a global success story, and how his experiences inspired him to launch his online academy to help others achieve the same. Listen as Tim explains how to enjoy what you do and make some good money doing it. Enjoy! Visit Tim at: https://www.timpackerartacademy.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timpackerartacademy/ Podcast Overview: 00:00 Teaching Artists to Earn Income 07:56 "Regret, Art, and Helping Others" 12:25 Art Worlds: Villages and Markets 16:39 90s Limited Edition Print Boom 22:11 "Keys to Successful Art Sales" 30:03 "From Artist to Police Officer" 35:30 "Art, Auctions, and Breakthroughs" 39:44 "Keys to a Thriving Art Career" 43:29 "Creating Art You Truly Love" 52:39 "When to Pursue Art Full-Time" 54:13 "Turning Point in Career Success" 01:03:10 Artistic Process and Experimentation 01:04:04 Breaking Free from Comfort Zones 01:11:18 "Art, Critics, and Accessibility" 01:15:44 Art vs Commerce Priorities Podcast Transcription: Tim Packer [00:00:00]: I mean, my dream when I. Because I quit my job and walked away from my pension as a police officer when I was 40 to give this another try. My goal was if I could ever just make as much as what I would have made had I stayed and gone on pension, then it'll be a wash, right? Well, I far surpass that. But while I was in there, you know, just kind of and watching the sales go up and I was mentally crunching the numbers because this was November, and I thought, holy. Know what? I'm going to make over a quarter million dollars this year. As an artist. James Kademan [00:00:34]: You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link fund@drawincustomers.com we are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie Calls On Call, Extraordinary Answering Service, as well as the Bold Business Book. And today we're welcoming preparing to learn from Tim Packer of Tim Packer Art Academy. I'm excited we get to talk about art, Tim. So how are you feeling today, Tim? Tim Packer [00:01:04]: I'm feeling great. I'm excited to be here and thanks for having me on the podcast. James Kademan [00:01:08]: Yeah, I'm excited because I don't know if you know this or not, but I majored in graphic design. Tim Packer [00:01:13]: Oh, me too. James Kademan [00:01:14]: Way back when. I don't do anything with it now. And I just got back from Italy and it was interesting because I'm like, wait a second, I've actually painted and drawn this cathedral. Tim Packer [00:01:27]: Yeah. James Kademan [00:01:28]: And I just never knew where it was. Tim Packer [00:01:30]: Oh, this is going to be a lot of fun then, because there's going to be a lot of context on your end, and I'm sure you're going to have a lot of questions as well, which is cool. Yeah. James Kademan [00:01:37]: So let's start with the foundation. What is Tim Packer Art Academy? Tim Packer [00:01:41]: Okay. It's my online art academy. And there's a lot of, like, recorded courses where people pay just for a certain course. I can get my color and composition course or see how I paint the subjects that I paint, or I have, like, whole suites of programs on there. And then I also have, like, a mastermind program. I call it the Hungry Artist Community. And that's where they get all of my courses. Plus, every week I do a live zoom call from the students, basically from around the world. Tim Packer [00:02:11]: But I'll critique their paintings, I'll answer any questions they have about art or the business of being an artist, and I'll give them coaching Advice. James Kademan [00:02:20]: So is the idea, I guess most of your students, are they looking to do art just as a hobby or are they looking to do it as a professional? Tim Packer [00:02:27]: Yeah, that's my niche is like I've been, I am a very successful artist. I've had a really successful career as an, as an artist, as a self publisher, kind of ran my own gallery. But what I really want to do now is my new mission in life is sharing the lessons and the knowledge that I've acquired over 25 years of being a full time professional artist with other people who share ...
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