Shows
Growth + ExitGrowing and Selling a Wholesale BusinessRob Stepen is a Certified Business Performance Advisor at Insperity, a leading human resources and business performance solutions company. With decades of experience as a business owner, he helps organizations improve efficiency, accelerate growth, and drive revenue. Outside of Insperity, Rob serves on nonprofit and academic advisory boards and supports initiatives that foster entrepreneurship and local engagement. In this episode… Business growth often introduces new challenges: hiring the right people, navigating expansion opportunities, and adapting to unexpected market shifts. So how can leaders make informed decisions at each stage without losing momentum? According to...
2026-05-0634 min
H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music SceneROB STEPEN JOINS ILLINOIS ROCK HALL BOARD: 2 Standing Ovations + Cheap Trick TiesRob Stepen is back — and this time, it's not a catch-up. He was just elected to the Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame board, and the story behind it starts with a night where The Generations walked into a room full of Cheap Trick fans… and left with two standing ovations.Plus: Rob isn't just on the board — he's leading the charge to rebuild the tornado-damaged Route 66 museum. We dive deep into the 2026 national Rock and Roll Hall of Fame debate (does Wu-Tang belong? what about Sade?), reveal the 2026 Illinois inductee class (Koko Taylor, Survivor, The Flock, American Breed, The Bo...
2026-05-0648 min
H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music SceneRob Stepen Returns on HOGPOD Chicago Local Music Podcast: Generations, Epiphany & Super Bowl 🎸Ever rediscover a lost cassette from the '90s Chicago scene and end up booking a Canadian musician by mistake? Rob Stepen is back on Hogpod Chicago Local Music Chat spilling all that and more in this must-watch episode! Dive into nostalgic tales like rotating gigs at legendary spots (Riverbend, Broken Oar, Monaco's in McHenry, Dark Crystal Lounge in Crystal Lake, Neighborhood Inn) while chasing bands like Joey and Sam DeMarco who packed houses back then. Hear the wild story of finding a 1990 Fugitive tape with a Joey DeMarco shoutout, and the hilarious Facebook mixup that led to booking...
2026-03-0353 min
H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music SceneBus Stop Blues w/ Kevin Purcell & Road Bill | Hogpod Chicago Music PodcastThis week on the Hogpod Chicago Music Scene Podcast, we dive deep into Chicago blues with Kevin Purcell and Road Bill from the award-winning band Kevin Purcell & The Nightburners and the Bus Stop Blues radio/podcast show on 98.3 FM The Life.Hosts Mike “Bongo” Orfanos, Pete Jansons, and Chris “Rhodesy” Rhodes welcome Kevin Purcell (harmonica virtuoso, vocalist, songwriter blending Chicago blues with Southern rock) and Road Bill (sound engineer, roadie, and co-host of Bus Stop Blues) for stories from the road, musical influences, band history, and more Hogpod chaos.Topics include:🎸 Kevin's background in Chicago blues and Southern rock swagger🎤 Th...
2026-02-101h 32
H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music SceneElectric 5 🎤 Chicago's Electric String Rock Revolution | Hogpod Chicago Music Scene PodcastThis week on the Hogpod Chicago Music Scene Podcast, we're cranking it up with Electric 5 🔥 — Chicago's badass all-female electric string quintet that's straight-up redefining rock with live-only, no-backing-tracks shred on electrified violins & cellos! Led by violin beast Adia (Experience Hendrix winner + Steve Vai Best in Shred champ), they turn Metallica, pop hits, and more into pure string chaos. 🎻⚡Hosts Bongo Mike Orfanos, Chris "Rhodesey" Rhodes, and Pete Jansons dive in with Adia, Dusan, and Carlista Tran on:🎸 How a wedding gig sparked this genre-smashing live powerhouse🎻 Cellos as bass + rhythm = full band sound with ZERO tracks (mind blown!)🔥 Adia's wah-wah violin solo...
2026-01-131h 04
H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music SceneFrancois Smit 🎸 From South Africa to Empress | Hogpod Chicago Music Scene PodcastThis week on the Hogpod Chicago Music Scene Podcast, we welcome Francois Smit — guitarist for Empress and a rising force in Chicago’s rock scene.Hosts Mike “Bongo” Orfanos, Mike Dermont, Pete Jansons, and Chris “Rhodesy” Rhodes talk with Francois about:🎶 His journey from South Africa to Chicago’s music scene🎸 Life in Empress with Tamara Woodruff, Alex James, Bill, and Sean🎤 Carnival life stories, first U.S. impressions, and food discoveries🏟️ Chicago live music vs. South Africa’s scene🎧 Enjoying the show? Support Hogpod on Patreon and help us keep the Chicago music stories alive! / hogpod Are you a band, club owner, or booker and want...
2025-09-021h 04
H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music SceneRob Stepen 🎸 Lost Tapes, Steve Albini & Joey’s Song | Hogpod Chicago Music Scene PodcastThis week on the Hogpod Chicago Music Scene Podcast, we welcome Rob Stepen — Chicago rocker, storyteller, and frontman of The Generations. Rob’s story is incredible: in 1985 he recorded songs that sat forgotten for nearly four decades in his attic. Thanks to legendary producer Steve Albini, those long-lost tapes were restored and re-released as the album Alternate View.Hosts Mike “Bongo” Orfanos, Mike Dermont, Pete Jansons, and Chris “Rhodesy” Rhodes are joined by booker Beth Miller to dive into Rob’s journey — rediscovering his analog reels, working with Albini, honoring Flock violinist Jerry Goodman, playing iconic venues like the Des Pla...
2025-08-261h 37
Daily Influence349. Harmonizing Music, Leadership, and Purpose: A Conversation with Rob StepenIn this inspiring episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Rob Stepen, a talented musician, band leader, and passionate community advocate. Rob shares his professional journey and using music as a vehicle for positive change, leveraging his band’s talents to support meaningful causes like Joey’s Song, a nonprofit dedicated to epilepsy awareness.Listen in as Rob discusses the importance of teamwork within his band, the value of servant leadership, and the power of collaboration to overcome creative challenges. He reflects on how his experiences—both on stage and behind the scenes—translate to valuable...
2024-11-2625 min
Inside BS ShowHow to Improve Your Business Performance | Rob Stepen | 512Insperity is a company that helps businesses with their human capital management. On this episode of The Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo interviews Business Performance Advisor Rob Stepen. Rob shares the value of Insperity's services, and he shares valuable business advice. Join us for this compelling interview. Chapters:00:00 How to improve your business performance01:05 What does Insperity do?03:07 How does Insperity's co-employment model work?04:24 What are the different business services Insperity provides?06:49 How does Rob find his clients?08:43 What you should know if you want to start a business15...
2022-06-1033 min