Rounding The Bases With Joel Goldberg

Brian Roland is a social entrepreneur and self-proclaimed coffee guru who has unearthed the secret to a successful life. It’s a simple recipe with just one key ingredient, and that’s people. Turns out people are also the secret to a successful business, which has been the focus of his company - Abenity - since day one. Abenity’s social mission is sponsoring hundreds of impoverished children and donating more than a million dollars in humanitarian aid.

In a world that often asks how much can I make, my guest today asks how many people can I serve? Isaac Wambua, founder and CEO of Dynamo Methods, emerged from humble beginnings in a Kenyan village. With grit and determination, he learned English, immigrated to America and has built a business from the ground up that solely focuses on helping others. Isaac is a believer that in life, people can choose to run away from pain or to go after fulfillment.

A special guest joins the show as Joel Goldberg chats with his younger brother, Marc Goldberg. Marc's passion is closing educational opportunity gaps. He began his career as a member of the Peace Corps, then spent over 10 years supporting adult education in Portland, and now he is the Principal and CEO at Skills Strategy Consulting as well as host of the podcast, All In: Student Pathways Forward. Listen to hear the ways Marc changes the lives of those around him. (And who was the better son growing up...)

We my know what a brand is, but how about the concept of a "cult brand"? I’m referring to the select group of companies that have established a loyal, almost fanatical consumer base. And expertise in what makes them iconic is exactly where Chris Kneeland has found his success. As the co-founder and CEO of the Cult Collective,Chris has worked with some of the most recognizable brands on the planet empowering businesses to become remarkable.

Kenny Randle is someone who has built a career around the potential of people. As a collegiate hall of fame track star turned NFL football player, he’s no stranger to the influence a great coach can have. But it's when a coach can find a way to simultaneously harness natural talent while also tapping into latent abilities that the magic happens. As the Regional Vice-President of a leading HR firm, he has played a critical role in matching candidates to positions, putting both on the path to success.

Mental health is no laughing matter, but with our guest Frank King, the topic somehow provides a way to feel at ease together regarding a heavy subject. Frank is equal parts humorist and survivor. As a veteran comedian and Tonight Show writer, he has a strong brand of sharp witted humor. By coupling that with serious real life situations like suicide and depression, both of which Frank has suffered, he is able to boldly - yet respectfully - start discussions in ways that have never been done.

Showing support to our brothers and sisters in arms is something Joel Goldberg takes to heart. An important cause no matter the time of year, but as we move into the holidays, it’s especially vital to show appreciation to those on deployment. Operation Uplift is a local organization with the mission of sending holiday care packages to the men and women who choose service over self. VP and Director of HR from Yarco Property Management, Mickey Carlson joins Joel to share more about this incredible cause.

If you’ve ever used your cellphone to put video on the internet, Adam Fichman is the one to thank. That’s right, his first company - a garage start-up in college, called 1dawg, pioneered the entire process and introduced it to the world. He is a tech savant and sometimes-irreverent internet prodigy, who bears many claims to fame. Fast forward to the present, Adam is the President and Founder of Lifted Logic, a KC-based media company specializing in everything from graphic design to print to web.

Carol Espinosa is a firm believer that growth is made possible when shared with others. Her first priority in life is pursuing her own happiness, while helping others achieve theirs along the way. Carol Espinosa is the founder of Freedom Interiors, which specializes in workspace design. The positive influence of her work is evident in the experience of her clients as well as among her team, where freedom is more than a word, it’s a way of life.

Cam F Awesome is one of the most decorated boxers in US history. Cam reaped the benefits of being a storied boxer, but the cards weren't always stacked in his favor, which is how he learned to shuffle the deck and make necessary changes in his life. He went from being a professional boxer to living a life in a van traveling the country. Shuffling the deck helped Cam find his way to becoming a speaker keynoting for organizations on diversity and cultural awareness and living his life to the fullest.

Today on Rounding the Bases we will hear the story of the man behind the stories. By harnessing the power of public media, Kliff Kuehl - President and CEO of Kansas City PBS - has realized his goal of keeping high-quality storytelling local. With an eye towards reinvigorating tradition, his leadership can be credited with bringing radio, social and digital reading platforms into the mix.

Jeff Cloud is an expert in MRO, otherwise known as maintenance, repair and operations. Just as his company excels at customizing these solutions, he’s the type of leader to apply them at the human level. He is the President, CEO and third-generation owner of IBT Industrial Solutions, a place where culture is paramount. Jeff understands that strong culture is rooted in strong tradition. And because of it, he is determined to keep IBTs family-centric founding values at the forefront to his modern-day team.

Mike Kilkenny is President and CEO of Taylor Forge Engineered Systems in Paola, KS. He is a University of Illinois alumni and has served in many capacities during his 35+ year tenure with Taylor Forge, as well as several professional affiliations over the course of his career. He believes that small manufacturing businesses are the key to growth in our country, and is always looking for good, hard-working people to help advance that initiative.

If you’ve ever used your cellphone to put video on the internet, Adam Fichman is the one to thank. That’s right, his first company - a garage start-up in college, called 1dawg, pioneered the entire process and introduced it to the world. He is a tech savant and sometimes-irreverent internet prodigy, who bears many claims to fame. Fast forward to the present, Adam is the President and Founder of Lifted Logic, a KC-based media company specializing in everything from graphic design to print to web.

Adriana Bates is a woman who does business in style while breaking down barriers. Her reputation for being a powerhouse at the closing table is preceded only by her reputation for doing it all with impeccable fashion, both figuratively and literally. She is the Co-Founder, Partner and self-proclaimed "Leader of Awesomeness" of Clear KC LLC. She is passionate about the client experience educating and empowering each client to make decisions perfectly tailored to their lifestyle and financial goals.

Mike Swanson’s 43rd year working in Major League Baseball will be his last as he heads into well-deserved retirement. The long time media relations executive worked for the San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks and his hometown Kansas City Royals. In part 2 of his interview with Joel, "Swanee" discussed some of his favorite stadiums, leaving a family legacy, retirement plans and he shared insight into players like Tony Gwynn, Randy Johnson, Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez.

Renowned in his industry, Mike Swanson has spent 43 years working in Major League Baseball, the last 15 as Kansas City Royals’ Vice President-Communications & Broadcasting. Known as “Swanee” throughout the industry, he has worked for the San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks and his hometown Royals. In 2002, Swanee earned the prestigious Robert O. Fishel Award for Public Relations Excellence. Swanee was a part of two World Series winners, and is retiring following the 2021 season.

Terin Humphrey is a former olympic gymnast who won two silver medals for the U.S. team in Athens in 2004. She's a two time Hall of Fame Inductee, Missouri's first Hall of Fame Gymnast, a 2-time NCAA Individual Champion on Bars and an 11-time All American. Terin is a public speaker with the hopes of sharing her story of being a survivor of sexual assault and helping change laws to help survivors find the courage to come out and find their voice.

Greg Graves knows a thing or two about creating an amazing place to work. He is the former CEO and Chairman of 100% employee owned Burns & McDonnell Engineering & Construction Company. During his 13 years in the role, Burns & McDonnell grew employment 400% and revenue 1000%. His proudest accomplishment as CEO was the company being named one of Fortune Magazine’s 100 Best Places to Work 10 times. Now retired, Greg is the author of the book "Create Amazing", amongst other impressive endeavors.

Providing access...the most important aspect of Dan Smith and Charon Thompson's business, The Porter House KC, which is an inner-city based co-working community that provides entrepreneurship access and resources to underserved populations in the Kansas City Metro area. The two former college fraternity brothers have run businesses together for years and now their mission is to be a bridge for underrepresented individuals that typically don't have access to the entrepreneurial dream.