Shows
Topeka InsiderFrom Topeka to Netflix: Inside Million Dollar Secret | Kevin MoranzWe sit down with professional Supercross racer Kevin Moranz to unpack how he landed on Netflix’s Million Dollar Secret and what the game feels like when you do not know who has the money or what anyone’s secret agenda is. We talk through “Backpack Gate,” kill shots, clue strategy, and the behind-the-scenes reality TV rules that make paranoia feel logical. • How Kevin gets connected to reality TV casting through social media work for sponsors • How Million Dollar Secret works with boxes, a hidden million dollars, votes, and shifting power • Why Season 1 knowledge can mislead you when...
2026-06-1243 min
Topeka InsiderHow 3D Printing Could Make Housing Attainable Again In Topeka | Chris StemlerWe sit down with Chris Stemler of Trident Homes to hear how a giant concrete 3D printer is being used to build a real home in Topeka. We dig into why attainable housing is disappearing, how infill lots could help, and what it takes to earn trust with a construction method most people have never touched. • Chris’s Topeka roots and the career path from consulting to real estate investing • The Beacon renovation and how historic projects exposed the pace problem • The moment concrete 3D printing clicked and the step-by-step path to permits • How the wall system wo...
2026-05-2953 min
Topeka InsiderThe Truth About Startups Nobody Talks About in Topeka, KS | Austin RobersonWe talk with Austin Robertson about why people sit on great ideas, what it really takes to build a startup, and how pain tolerance shows up as a practical skill. We also dig into how ClassKid survived COVID, a lawsuit, and a full code restart, then how AI is changing SaaS while still requiring real product thinking.• buying domains and why ideas stall for years • the fear of failure and reputation risk that blocks action • building ClassKid for kids’ activities and after-school programs • surviving COVID churn by giving value first and adding Zoom tools • handling...
2026-05-151h 26
Topeka InsiderFrom Professor to President: Leading Washburn Forward | Dr. MazachekWe sit down with Washburn University President Dr. JuliAnn Mazachek to trace her path from professor to president and what she refuses to lose as Washburn grows. We dig into affordability, campus expansion, and why real connection still beats a purely online future. • Her backstory from Topeka roots to engineering to business and an accounting PhD • What a PhD in accounting really trains you to do • Why internal leadership growth is rare and why it helps Washburn • How planning shifts when technology and AI move fast • Campus space limits with housing as the biggest constra...
2026-05-0142 min
Topeka InsiderHow Raising Cane’s Turns First-Time Guests Into Caniacs In Topeka, KS | Kansas Leadership TeamWe sit down with the Raising Cane’s Kansas leadership team to unpack how “one love” turns chicken fingers into a loyal fanbase in Topeka and beyond. We talk training, culture, community work, and the small operational choices that make the experience feel identical every single time. • leadership starting in the restaurant as fry cook and cashier • earning collars and building credibility through hands-on training • pandemic lessons and respect for restaurant operations • what “one love” means and why fans call themselves Caniacs • the origin of the Raising Cane’s name and the Cane mascot story • why Top...
2026-04-1744 min
Topeka InsiderInside Trash Mountain Project: Topeka Leaders, Global Impact | Dave HenryWe sit down with Dave Henry, executive director of @Trashmountain , to unpack how local-led partnerships transform communities living on the edges of trash dumps. We trace his path from pastor and professor to nonprofit leader, and why education is the non-negotiable engine of long-term change.• scale of dump communities worldwide and daily survival work• why TMP partners with local Christian leaders instead of sending staff abroad• countries served and how language access and culture shape impact• core supports such as nutrition, medical access and education• education protected through funding cuts and its long-term outcomes•...
2026-04-0348 min
Topeka InsiderHow Unified Leadership Across The City Is Transforming Topeka | Molly HoweyWe share how a unified partnership model accelerates real wins for Topeka, from downtown housing to an aviation jobs strategy at Forbes Field. We also dig into Washburn’s rapid growth, youth sports momentum, and how small signals turn visitors into residents and founders.• How the Chamber, tourism, economic development, and downtown teams work as one• Visitor-to-resident pipeline and new immigrant-founded businesses• Housing demand across affordable, market-rate, and executive segments• Six-year downtown apartments deal with modern amenities• Shift to holistic economic development focused on place• MRO hangar strategy at Forbes Field and job creation
2026-03-2030 min
Topeka InsiderRecruiting, Culture, and Competing for Championships In Topeka, KS | Brett BallardA fast start meets a firm identity as Coach Brett Ballard shares how Washburn rebuilt around culture, clarity, and community support. We dig into Lee Arena’s $8M renovation, recruiting with purpose, and why process beats outcomes on the path to March.• returners setting standards and new players buying in• high expectations after Elite Eight and forging a new identity• Lee Arena renovation and game-night atmosphere• campus facility upgrades and practice quality• coaching highs, stress, and teaching life through sport• process over outcomes and daily controllables• recruiting pitch built on people, resources, and c...
2026-03-0630 min
Topeka InsiderFrom Topeka, KS To 61 Million YouTube Views | Andy McKeeWe trace Andy McKee’s path from Topeka guitar classes to a 61 million view breakout, touring the world while keeping family first. He plays Drifting and Africa live, explains fingerstyle, alternate tunings, and shares advice for learners and working musicians.• switching from electric riffs to solo acoustic fingerstyle• discovering altered tunings and percussive guitar• the YouTube front-page moment and CandyRat strategy• collaborations with Josh Groban, Toto circles, and Prince• composing by ear and arranging songs for one guitar• timing, practice habits, and practical learning advice• touring model, stage presence, and audience connection•...
2026-02-201h 06
Topeka InsiderFrom Wyoming To Washburn: Building Teams & Culture In Topeka | Lora WestlingWe talk with head coach Lora Westling about building a program on high standards and real care, recruiting with intention in the portal era, and why joy and discipline can live side by side. Stories span Wyoming winters to Washburn wins and the energy of a campus that shows up.• Path from Wyoming to Washburn and coaching roots• People-first coaching and teaching the college athlete• Defining success beyond social media and comparison• Discipline as care and meeting players where they are• Recruiting tips, film, camps and playing with energy• Transfer portal, NIL and shifting...
2026-02-0650 min
Topeka InsiderChampionship Culture & Mental Health Movement | Damon ParkerWe sit down with Coach Damon Parker to trace how a girls’ wrestling experiment became the largest team in the world and why a funeral changed his path toward founding the Jones Project. The conversation moves from culture and leadership to mental health, ownership, and hope.• Building a program that prioritized family, voice, and belonging• Why girls’ wrestling exploded and how leadership sustains it• Turning down trophy talk to focus on culture• The single‑parent stat and what support looks like• Student leaders holding teammates and coaches to account• The resignation, grief, and the birth of t...
2026-01-231h 07
Topeka InsiderMovement With Meaning: Running, Teaching, & Community In Topeka | Paul WagnerWe trace Paul Wagner’s path from a shared professorship at Washburn to leading the Sunflower Striders and unpack how Topeka’s running scene grew from race-first to community-first. Practical training tips, trail highlights, and the real costs of putting on local races round out a lively, useful conversation.• why a shared teaching role made space for family and service• how running clubs shifted from PR chasing to social connection• conversation pace, run‑walk, and simple plans that work• Topeka routes from Deer Creek to Lake Shawnee and Shunga• trail running skills, fueling, and staying pres...
2026-01-091h 04
Topeka InsiderTK Business Magazine To Compass: Building Community-Driven Marketing in Topeka | Tara DimickWe trace Tara Dimick’s path from Washburn to TK Business Magazine and Compass, exploring how a premium print brand thrives alongside a full-service agency that acts like an embedded marketing team. Along the way we unpack entrepreneurial mindset, hiring creatives, and why Topeka’s underdog energy fuels real growth.• TK Business Magazine acquisition story and evolution• Why print still works when quality is high• Advertiser-funded model and multi-channel distribution• Letting experts lead and avoiding micromanagement• Building Compass as a plug-in marketing department• Strategy, content, media buying, and execution end-to-end• Entrepreneur strengths, failure...
2025-12-2652 min
Topeka InsiderLighting Up Our Community: Inside Topeka Zoo Lights | Cynthia McCarvelWe sat down with Cynthia McCarvel, Strategic Partnerships Director at the Topeka Zoo, to unpack how Zoo Lights grew from a winter idea into a citywide tradition. From 28 miles of LEDs to volunteer crews, soundscapes, igloos, and access programs, we trace the people and plans behind the glow.• role of strategic partnerships and community ties• why a small zoo is a strength for families• memberships and reciprocal discounts driving value• origins, growth, and yearly redesign of Zoo Lights• scope and logistics of power, LEDs, and frames• corporate and school volunteers wrapping trees and testing...
2025-12-1230 min
Topeka InsiderHow Learning Languages Builds Community And Opportunity | Dr. Pilar MejíaWe trace Pilar’s path from Columbia to Topeka and explore how language, culture, and community shape learning. Dual language classrooms, the seal of biliteracy, and the difference between language needs and disabilities take center stage with practical tips for families and curious adults.________________________________________0:35 - Meet Dr. Pilar Mejía And Her Journey3:25 - From Fashion To Education In Kansas6:08 - Degrees, Endorsements, And Kansas Schools10:24 - Language, Culture, And Family Roots12:25 - Accents, Dialects, And Spanish Varieties14:50 - Life In Topeka And Why She Stayed18:40 - What Topeka Needs: Languages And...
2025-11-281h 06
Topeka InsiderBeyond the Comments: What It Really Takes To Communicate For Topeka | Dan GarrettWe talk with Dan Garrett, Director of Communications and Media Relations for the City of Topeka, about how a modern city communicates through storms, potholes, rumor mills, and the daily work that rarely makes headlines. He shares practical tools residents can use, why tone matters online, and where Topeka is quietly moving forward.• path from TV reporter to city communications lead• what city PR covers across social, media, and web• potholes versus construction trade‑offs and winter patching• SeeClickFix for reporting issues that get real responses• managing the 100‑year snow and a misunderstood police action
2025-11-1448 min
Topeka InsiderFrom Bean To Bar: How Hazel Hill Builds Flavor, Wins Awards, And Serves A City | Nick XidisWe sit down with Hazel Hill’s Nick Xidis to explore award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate, the craft behind single origins, and why serving people is the true business model. From sensory tasting tips to cocoa market shocks, we dig into flavor, process, and community.• family heritage from Greek immigrant chocolatier to Topeka maker• where to buy Hazel Hill and seasonal gifting cycles• single-origin cocoa, inclusion bars, and flavor terroir• full bean-to-bar steps from ferment to temper• how to taste chocolate like a pro with simple method• small business mindset: service before product• cocoa price spik...
2025-10-311h 07
Topeka InsiderHow The Topeka Community Foundation is Driving Lasting Change | Marsha PopeWe talk with Marsha Pope about how the Topeka Community Foundation grew from a $10,000 idea to a $120 million engine for local change and why the team moved from quick fixes to upstream solutions. We explore impact investing, mental health, housing, and the power of data to guide funding.• Origin story of the Topeka Community Foundation and Junior League roots• How donor-advised funds stay local and responsive• Endowments, spending policy, and grant making basics• From apples to upstream: reframing health through zip code data• Social determinants of health and Shawnee County mapping• Mental health, hous...
2025-10-1740 min
Topeka InsiderFrom Advisors Excel To The Mall: Why Topeka Is Worth It | Cody FosterWe sit down with Cody Foster, cofounder of Advisors Excel, to unpack how a back-office platform grew to support hundreds of advisers, why he’s betting on West Ridge Mall, and what it takes to lead through scrutiny and slow timelines. The conversation moves from annuities to anchor tenants to the quiet rituals that keep leaders grounded.• AE’s model as the back office for independent advisers• Simple explanation of annuities and retirement income• How AE earns: thin margins, scale, managed assets• Culture, events, and building a service-first team• Handling criticism and narrowing feedback that...
2025-10-031h 12
Topeka InsiderTopeka Insider: The Journey of a Local Podcast's First Year | Justin & JonThe Topeka Insider podcast celebrates its one-year anniversary with a special episode featuring hosts Justin and Jon being interviewed by their behind-the-scenes producer, Gabriel from Butel Media Group.• Justin and Jon share the origin story of how Topeka Insider came to be, including Justin purchasing the domain five years before they started• The podcast began as a mission to change Topeka's perception problem by highlighting amazing local people• Both hosts bring different perspectives – Justin as a lifelong resident and Jon as a transplant who fell in love with the city• The team discusses their continuous...
2025-09-191h 18
Topeka InsiderSmall Town Roots to CEO of Greater Topeka Partnership | Molly HoweyMolly Howey, newly appointed CEO of the Greater Topeka Partnership, shares her vision for economic development and community growth in Topeka. With 14 years of experience in the organization, Howey brings both institutional knowledge and fresh perspective to continue the momentum building in Shawnee County.• Born and raised in Overbrook, Howey graduated from Washburn University and now lives north of Topeka• The Greater Topeka Partnership encompasses four entities: Go Topeka (economic development), Visit Topeka (tourism), Downtown Topeka, and the Chamber of Commerce• Economic development in Topeka focuses on creating prosperity through quality employment, workforce development, entrepreneurism, and bu...
2025-09-0548 min
Topeka InsiderThe Connector: How Plug and Play Bridges Startups and Corporations | Lindsay LebahnLindsay Lebahn, Director of Plug and Play Topeka, shares how global innovation is thriving in America's heartland by connecting entrepreneurs, corporations, and investors through their unique accelerator program. • Plug and Play operates 62 locations globally with Topeka focusing on animal health and ag tech• The accelerator connects startups with MVPs to corporate partners, mentors, and universities• Their founder's first investment was trading office space above his rug shop for equity in Google• Startups going through the program are typically working on technologies 5 years from market• Topeka offers unique advantages including affordable housing while still being near...
2025-08-221h 08
Topeka InsiderThe Long Game: 20 Years From Walk-On To Washburn University Head Football Coach | Zach WatkinsZach Watkins shares his journey from Washburn walk-on linebacker to head coach, revealing how his 20-year connection to the program shapes his coaching philosophy and vision for the future.• Coming full circle from player to head coach at Washburn University• Building a program on five pillars: family, accountability, discipline, toughness, and respect• Completing over 2,000 hours of community service in five months• Creating accountability groups and football nights at every campus sport• Managing 36 scholarships across a roster of 125+ players• Developing relationships with every player through individual meetings• Recruiting philosophy: "If you're good enough, they'l...
2025-08-0851 min
Topeka InsiderThe Long Game: 20 Years From Walk-On To Head Football Coach | Zach WatkinsZach Watkins shares his journey from Washburn walk-on linebacker to head coach, revealing how his 20-year connection to the program shapes his coaching philosophy and vision for the future.• Coming full circle from player to head coach at Washburn University• Building a program on five pillars: family, accountability, discipline, toughness, and respect• Completing over 2,000 hours of community service in five months• Creating accountability groups and football nights at every campus sport• Managing 36 scholarships across a roster of 125+ players• Developing relationships with every player through individual meetings• Recruiting philosophy: "If you're good enough, they'l...
2025-08-0851 min
Topeka InsiderThe Sky's No Limit for Topeka's Development | Curtis SnedenCurtis Sneden, Director of Development at the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority (MTAA), shares exciting developments happening at Topeka's two airports and their adjacent industrial park. He reveals plans to bring commercial airline service back to Topeka Regional Airport, with flights potentially starting in early 2026 to destinations like Orlando, Las Vegas, and Phoenix.• The MTAA operates both Topeka Regional Airport (formerly Forbes Field) and Philip Billard Airport, plus an industrial park with development potential• Data shows approximately 1,400 Topekans drive to KCI daily, creating strong market demand for local commercial air service• Airlines have shown significant interest in Top...
2025-07-251h 09