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🔈 Some new B.S. is here with... Keri Larsen Kujala! 🔈 In this episode, we dig into her humble beginnings as a cheerleader, turned professional G.R. Rampage dancer, turned... ‘eye-candy’ for an Elvis Costello concert? Then we pivot, or as Keri likes to call it “turning Pos de Bourree,” to her current career at Special Occasions, LLC. Find out why she and her biz partner started an event company just prior to a pandemic and how events are still produced and catered. Lastly, stick around for some insightful questions about her ‘date-ability,’ and find out how her modeling career was boosted by kid’s toilet accessories.Listen now on Apple podcasts and Spotify! All the cool kids are doing it... 😊

In this episode of  Absolute B.S., Brad and Steve talk with local sportsman and culinary master, Christopher Wessely.They explore  hot topics such playing sports to make friends, delicious opinions on hipster food preparation, the meaning of real hibachi, and the fact that Eggs Benedict does, in fact, suck. Don't @ us.

Happy New Year from Absolute B.S. with Brad and Steve. Coming out of whatever that was last year, we’re starting out 2021 with an ABS-mini! Spotlighting local businesses, for this ‘divergence’ we’re talking to GreenFrog Stills and Motion, a local resource for photography and videography. Join us, Jeff Hage and Seth Thompson,  for a brief look into the how’s and why’s of their business, how they’ve survived a pandemic, and why in 2021 captured images will be more important than ever! It’s a little dose of B.S. to tide you over. 

Absolute B.S. with Brad and Steve is back in the studio, and we’re social distancing hard! This time we are joined by the philanthropic force that is Chris Andrus. Entrepreneur, brew-master, and ‘dough’ maker extraordinaire, Chris opens up about bad music, how ‘not’ to act in a restaurant, and why being a philanthropic business isn’t a hard as you might think. Sit back, take your mask off, and be educated! 

Absolute B.S. with Brad and Steve is back in the studio. Sitting roughly 5’9” away, we are joined by the indomitable force that is, Guillermo Cisneros. Join us as the Director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce takes us on a journey from Mexico to Spain-onto Portugal, and then the Home Depot. It’s about personal struggle, pandemics, and Superman. It’s also the first time we leave a guest speechless with one of our “Are you Dateable” questions.

Day 3,122 of a global pandemic finds us talking to the spirited Angela Nelson, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Vice President of Multicultural Business Development at Experience Grand Rapids. There’s that, and an exhaustive list of other leadership positions, entrepreneurial goals achieved, and life accomplishments. One of Grand Rapids ‘50 most influential women’ breaks down, marketing a city during a pandemic, thoughtfully addresses the civil unrest in the country, and proves to be our most ‘datable’ guest yet! 

Absolute B.S. continues in quarantine with Shaun Shira, Major and Planned Gifts Director at the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. Not a big ‘fruit in my beer’ kind of guy, Shaun gets into all things ‘pandemic!’ From new approaches to philanthropy planning to the convenience of curbside pickup; we’ll talk masks, we’ll talk social distancing, and we’ll talk about how Shaun seems to be the only person to lose weight in the past few months. Mow your lawn and give a listen.

Absolute BS Season 2 Episode Episode 9We’re back…mostly...with our laptops and social distancing. Join us as we speak to restaurant provocateur Paul Lee, and get to hear all his B.S. Take a moment of needed levity and learn how this entrepreneur broke the mold: starting a restaurant revolution in Grand Rapids. From inception to movie inspiration to how food service is going to pivot post-pandemic, your B.S. is served.  

A Pre-Quarantine Swansong. The Cascade Community Foundation’s CEO Justin Swan drops by just ahead of the Covid-19 quarantine to share some insights, some Corona Lights, and some strategy on donating in a time of crisis. It’s sumo babies, Christian artists, and animal testing. Give it a listen. You’ve got nothing else to do. 

Absolute B.S. begins an epic journey as we talk to Jon O’ Connor, co-founder of Long Road Distillers! From humble beginnings in a garage, we trace the Long Road story from Grand Rapid’s West Side, all the way to its newest tasting facility located in *REDACTED* (you’ll have to listen to find out where!) From being a First Ward Commissioner to the burdens of new fatherhood, Jon’s candid demeanor and penchant for singing karaoke Dolly Parton songs, paints a portrait of a man with strange taste.

A true leader and influencer in every sense of the word…..according to LinkedIn…maybe: Jaime Counterman Foundation Director at Metro Health, strolls into the booth and launches into commentary, opinions, and what she thinks her superpower is. We also find out what she’s not passionate about and what haunts her thoughts 98% of the day. Listen in and see where this one takes us. 

This episode finds us improvising our way through the quizzical mind of Laura K. Traxler, Director of Membership Development at the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce. With a sharp attitude, and an explosive ‘twerk,’ -this hairdresser turned manager throws all the passion, energy, and ‘can-do’ attitude she can at us.

It’s movies, music, and madness as we speak to President of Studio C and Celebration Studios- J.D. Loeks. With a firm eye on taking over the entertainment industry in Grand Rapids, J.D. speaks to the legacy of a family business, explains the origin of the ubiquitous ‘Wilhelm’ scream in cinema, and tries to use philosophy to duck our ‘dating’ questions. 

Petrit Rudi CTO at Designvox, blasts into our studio to record a harrowing tale of greed, lust, and revenge! Actually, none of that-but he does describe growing up in wartime Kosovo, and his eventual escape from Kosovo with saxophone in hand. There’ll be dancing, there’ll be drums, and there will be a bastardization of the English language like only a young Albanian can. Borat would be proud! You don’t know as much about Albania as you think you do, so lean in and get cultured. 

Absolute B.S., Brad and Steve gets cute with our next guest David Darling of Creston Industrial Sales. Extremely datable, but extremely unavailable, David challenges our notions of crappy movies, Care-Bears, and what it means to be part Native American in America today. Strap in for some frozen-yogurt mixed with a healthy dose of B.S. 

Kicking off Season 2 of Absolute B.S., Brad and Steve get set on fire by the relentless energy of our first guest of 2020. There’ll be food. There’ll be baskets. Join us as we take a ride on the BCW to find out the power of ‘Electronica’ music, why school uniforms are a must, and just how ‘basic’ a Grand Rapids leader can be!

For the Season One finale, Absolute B.S. takes two on at once: the powerhouse team of Jamiel Robinson and Jonathan Jelks! Robinson and Jelks are taking Grand Rapids, the Midwest, and the country by storm with too many enterprises to count. From restaurants to sparkling wines, they’re using their time and talent to redefine, well, everything. Listen in as we chat about hip-hop, Madonna, ‘sassy confidence’, and the life-long friendship which drives these serial entrepreneurs to pave the way for future generations.

With an award-winning smile and a real life law degree, Luis (Louis) Avila speaks his truth about his predilection for wrestling, what it’s like to be on nearly every board in Grand Rapids, and why he prefers the music of SlipKnot when he wants his wife pleased. Also, “The Book of Morman,” Give a listen, give a like, and give this hometown hero a chance to redefine how you think of him.

On this episode, we sat down with Megan Sall, Public Administrator for the City of Wyoming. We’ll learn a little about the G.R. dating scene, being of Korean decent living in Allendale, Michigan, and, of course, which country is more culturally profound: North Korea or South Korea? Also, Megan’s taste in movies is highly questionable…

Executive Director of Community Engagement at Ferris State University, Tony Baker amuses us with his academic approach to life, raising kids, and Meijer. We also break down the idea of being too ‘woke,” as best as us three can…