What happens when a kid from Lindsborg, Kansas follows his heart to a cloud forest in Ecuador — and then returns after staying for nearly 20 years? Tanner Johnson's answer to that question is one of the most unexpected, quietly profound stories we've heard. He built a bamboo house, married into a local family, taught English to kids from kindergarten through 12th grade, and somewhere along the way, picked up a knife and started carving wood. Now he's back in Kansas, reunited with his family, and using his art to honor the memory of Jewish people lost to the Holocaust — one face at a time.HighlightsPodcast listener Greg Victors (the Wichita Wardancer) inspired a collaboration with Manhattan High School Orchestra director Cody Toll — exactly the kind of cross-Kansas connection Ask A Kansan was made to createTanner grew up in Lindsborg, studied anthropology at K-State, and ended up in an Ecuadorian cloud forest as a volunteer on a bird study — and never really leftHe lived for years with no internet, no foreigners within 50 miles, and learned Spanish entirely by immersion in a rural communityHe built his own bamboo house, asked for his wife's hand from her brothers (her father had passed), cleared nearly two acres of land with his 90-something-year-old grandfather-in-law, and planted 110 trees during a pandemic military lockdownGrowing violence and crime in Ecuador in 2023 pushed him to bring his family back to Kansas — they got married here, bought a house, and are now all togetherHis daughters arrived in Kansas with almost no English and had to sink or swim in the school system — and thrivedHis woodcarving specialty is realistic faces, with a particular focus on honoring the memory of pre-Holocaust Jewish communities, inspired by Roman Vishniac's photography book A Vanishing WorldA face-to-face encounter with antisemitism solidified his decision to pursue a degree in Jewish studiesHe's carved over 650 pieces in five years — all by hand, no power carving toolsSydney debuts the new podcast segment: Fart or Art?Chapters0:05 — A Surprise Ask A Kansan Connection1:23 — Meet Tanner Johnson3:23 — From Hobby to Woodcarver5:16 — Lindsborg Roots and Music6:37 — Anthropology to Ecuador11:08 — Choosing a Life Abroad12:51 — Forest Life and Family16:34 — Pandemic Reality Check19:07 — Back to Kansas Together23:24 — Finding Woodcarving Style25:58 — Tools and Tropical Hardwoods26:58 — Relearning the Knife27:25 — Counting 650 Carvings28:25 — Finding Purpose in Memory32:01 — Art Form and Antisemitism35:11 — Choosing Jewish Studies36:54 — Spiritual Beliefs Explained39:11 — Hand Tools and Roughouts41:07 — Where to Find Tanner43:12 — Hosts Reflect on the Interview44:04 — Fart or Art Game52:20 — Episode Wrap and PlugsResourcesTanner Johnson Woodcarver — tannerjohnsonwoodcarver.comTanner on Instagram — @tannerjohnsonwoodcarverA Vanished World by Roman Vishniac — the photography book that shaped Tanner's Holocaust memorial carving focusZen Mind Jewish Mind — the book Tanner credits for shaping his spiritual perspectiveLearn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

What if your second act isn't about changing your life — it's about finally showing up in the one you already have?Monica Packer, founder of the About Progress podcast and a certified habits and identity coach, joins me to talk about the version of personal growth nobody talks about: the quiet, internal kind. Monica spent years as a self-described aspiring perfectionist — achieving on the outside while disappearing from herself on the inside. What she discovered in her 30s (after two early midlife crises and a decade of recovery) is that sustainable growth doesn't come from hustle or apathy — it comes from progress. And it starts by asking: do I even know who I am?We talk about why perfectionism isn't just about striving — it's just as alive in the people who've stopped trying. We explore Monica's "Do Something List," the three Cs of change (curiosity, compassion, and courage), why habits built for men don't work for women, and what it means to stop waiting for arrival and start trusting the process.HighlightsMonica's "costume life" realization at 30 — loving the life she'd built but not recognizing herself in itWhy perfectionism lives on both sides of the spectrum: the overachiever AND the person who's given up tryingThe connection between ADHD, all-or-nothing thinking, and the perfectionism spectrumWhat the "Do Something List" is — and why never completing it is the whole pointWhy there is no arrival, and the mantra that will help you stop waiting for oneThe Three Cs of Change: curiosity, compassion, and courageWhy popular habit methods fail women — invisible labor, less time, less energy, less predictabilityThe inner comparison monster: comparing your current self to a past version of yourselfIdentity isn't static — and that's actually freeingChapters1:03 — Introduction & episode premise1:28 — Meet Monica Packer2:55 — The "costume life" realization: living life on the sidelines8:35 — Perfectionism as a spectrum — it's not just overachieving12:40 — Starting the experiment: the internal and external work14:06 — The Do Something List18:46 — There is no arrival: the transformation lies in the process22:30 — The Three Cs of Change: curiosity, compassion, and courage26:34 — Sticky Habits: the book written for women, not men31:08 — Comparison and the inner critic33:52 — Where to connect with Monica35:02 — Identity keeps evolving — and that's a good thingResourcesSticky Habits: A Woman's Guide to Reclaim Happiness, Ditch Perfectionism, and Create Habits That Last by Monica Packer — pre-order at stickyhabitsbook.comDo Something List free training: aboutprogress.com/dslAbout Progress podcast on Apple or SpotifyWant to learn more?The ThreadBe sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedInThis show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

Most service providers feel uncomfortable with marketing because they think it's about pushing products on people. But what if the real problem is simpler than that? Marketing is just about getting the right message to the right person at the right time — and when you nail all three, it stops feeling slimy and starts feeling like genuine service.Today we break down a powerful three-part marketing framework you can apply immediately, whether you're posting on social media, running ads, or reaching out to potential clients. If your posts are getting crickets, this is likely why — and here's how to fix it.HighlightsMarketing vs. sales: why these are two completely different conversations and why you need to treat them that wayYou don't need a marketing budget to start — you need practice communicating your valueThe biggest mindset shift: failing to tell people how you can help them is actually failing themThe "Right Person, Right Message, Right Time" framework — the lens for every piece of content you createHow to identify your ideal client by looking at the common threads among your existing customersWhy your message should focus on transformation — the before and after — not on being everything to everyoneTiming is everything: how to identify the exact moment a potential client is most ready to hear from youReal examples: from music production to home renovation to wedding photography — how timing applies across industriesHow to put all three pieces together when building a social media post, ad, or any marketing contentChapters0:00 — Intro & Marketing Mindset Reset0:57 — Marketing vs. Sales: Understanding the Difference2:05 — No Budget Needed: Marketing Is About Practice2:55 — The Right Person, Right Message, Right Time Framework4:24 — Step 1: Finding the Right Person6:55 — Step 2: Crafting the Right Message9:20 — Step 3: Reaching Them at the Right Time13:18 — Putting It All Together13:52 — Wrap-Up & Next Episode PreviewBe sure to subscribe and leave us a review!For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dadRemember, build the business, but be the dad!This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

What if the biggest barrier to better health in your community isn't a lack of resources, but a set of assumptions you didn't even know you were making?In this conversation, co-hosts Ed O'Malley and Susan Kang are joined by returning guest Kenny Wilk of the University of Kansas Health System. Together, they unpack how hidden assumptions — about who should be involved, what needs to be done, and how fast progress can happen — quietly shape how people in authority think and act. Wilk shares candid stories from his time in the Kansas Legislature and offers a fresh lens on exercising leadership. This conversation will challenge you to surface the assumptions driving your own work before they become "premeditated resentments."HighlightsThe three most common assumptions the 30,000 make when tackling complex health challenges, and why each one can derail progress.The critical difference between adaptive and technical challenges. Kenny Wilk's hard-won insight from the Kansas Legislature: don't ask people to change their minds; give them new information so they can make a new decision.How sharing information to ‘slow things down’ can help a group go farther, together. The "sidewalk story" is a simple metaphor that reframes how we see ‘work’ being done. The danger of bringing people together only to present a baked solution, and what to do instead.Chapters0:47 —Leading Health Review, Preview and Big Picture. 3:02 — Chapter Eight insight: "Closing the Health Gap Is a Leadership Challenge Because Our Existing Assumptions Fail Us"4:55 — The three common assumptions the 30,000 make6:28 — The quick fix trap8:37 — Technical vs. adaptive: a broken bone example11:14 — Kenny Wilk joins the conversation12:18 — The water debate: a lesson from Kenny's first year in the legislature14:52 — Defining "assumption" — and why we're all starting from different places15:56 — You have to slow down to go far16:22 — Getting up on the balcony to examine assumptions17:52 — New decisions, not mind changes19:13 — How authority can create space for assumption-surfacing21:05 — Why leaders jump straight to solutions22:59 — From kitchen table to campaign trail to governing — three different phases24:27 — Technical vs. adaptive challenges in practice27:13 — What authorities must do differently on adaptive challenges30:46 — The sidewalk story: seeing the invisible work of adaptive leadership33:50 — Takeaways and preview of the next episodeResources MentionedKansas Health RankingsUniversity of Kansas Health SystemKansas Leadership Center (KLC)Leading Health is an invitation to move the needle on Health in Kansas, and we invite you to join us in leading the way. Don’t have a copy of Leading Health? Claim your copy and learn more about the movement at kansashealth.org/leadinghealthAnd be sure to subscribe, and drop a comment to let us know what you think.

What if the entity structure everyone online is telling you to choose doesn’t fit your business goals? Social media has created a flood of misinformation about business structures — LLCs, S corps, C corps — and most of it is either oversimplified or flat out wrong. The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The right entity depends on your income, your industry, your family situation, and your long-term goals. Here's a breakdown of each structure, when it works, and when it doesn't — so you can stop following trends and start following strategy.HighlightsA single-member LLC does not automatically save you taxes — it is treated as a sole proprietorship for tax purposes and you still file a Schedule C on your personal returnOnce your LLC earns more than $50,000 in net income, it may be time to look at converting to another entity to reduce self-employment taxesOperating businesses (not passive real estate) pay self-employment tax of 15.3% on all net earnings under an LLC — both the employee and employer sideA sole proprietorship and the business owner are legally the same person, meaning zero liability protection — but it has one powerful use caseIf you have kids under 17, a sole proprietorship family management company lets you pay them with no Social Security, Medicare, or unemployment taxes — as long as wages stay under the standard deductionThe S corp shines when your net income exceeds $50,000 — you pay yourself a reasonable salary, and only that salary is subject to self-employment taxesThe Social Security wage cap in 2026 is $184,500 — above that, only Medicare tax continues to applyFix-and-flip real estate investors can benefit significantly from the S corp by separating their earnings into wages and distributionsPassive rental real estate should stay in an LLC — putting it in an S corp could trigger unnecessary self-employment tax exposureSeasonal businesses with unpredictable revenue may struggle to justify and consistently pay a reasonable salary, making the S corp a poor fitC corps are a separate tax-paying entity at a 21% flat rate — and distributions are taxed again as dividends (double taxation)C corps work best for venture-backed companies with multiple investors who do not want annual K-1 pass-through tax implicationsThe goal is not to choose the trendiest entity — it is to choose the one that aligns with your goals, your structure, your plans, and your tax strategyChapters0:48 – Incorporation Myths Online1:17 – LLC Basics and Protection2:10 – LLC: When It Works2:51 – LLC Income Threshold Issues4:32 – Sole Proprietor Pros and Cons5:47 – Paying Kids Strategy (Family Management Company)6:43 – S Corp Tax Savings Explained8:18 – S Corp Best Use Cases9:43 – When S Corp Fails11:20 – C Corp Double Tax Reality13:39 – Choosing the Right EntityResources MentionedEpisode 2 – Full breakdown of the S corp: dos, don'ts, and everything you need to knowSchedule C – IRS form used by sole proprietors and single-member LLCs to report business income: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-schedule-c-form-1040K-1 (Form 1065 / 1120-S) – Pass-through tax document issued to partners and S corp shareholders: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-schedule-k-1-form-1120-sWant to keep more of what you earn? If you’re a 7-6-5 business owner ready to move from financial chaos to CFO-level comfort, visit www.simplifymynumbers.com to schedule a call with our team. Subscribe and leave a review on Apple or Spotify to help us grow the community, and be sure to share this episode with a fellow founder.This show is designed to be used for educational and informational purposes. For your own situation, be sure to contact a tax professional directly.This show is part of the ICT Podcast network. For more information, visit ictpod.net