What happens when the wars end and the welcome home fades? For thousands of veterans across Kansas, coming home is only the beginning of a much longer mission—rebuilding a life, finding community, and navigating a world that often doesn't understand what they've been through. This week, with Veterans Day approaching, we sit down with James Seipel, District 1 Community Service Chairperson for the American Legion Auxiliary Post 421, to talk about the changing face of veteran organizations, the push to reach younger post-9/11 veterans, and the very real costs—visible and invisible—that service members and their families carry long after deployment. From a Hy-Vee parking lot food drive that brought a Vietnam veteran to tears, to the heartbreaking loss of a cousin to veteran suicide, to an American Legion post in Alaska where younger vets gather to play Magic: The Gathering—this conversation is a reminder that supporting those who served isn't just about parades and free meals. It's about showing up, listening, and meeting people where they are. Highlights James explains the difference between the American Legion Auxil, the VFW, and the American Legion Auxiliary—and how recent eligibility changes have opened the auxiliary to sons, grandsons, fathers, and grandfathers of veterans Only 40% of post-9/11 veterans enroll in VA healthcare, meaning 60% are going without earned benefits The Battle Buddy Linkup program, launched October 10, specifically targets post-9/11 veterans who aren't showing up at traditional post meetings James shares the heartbreaking story of his cousin Cameron, a specialist with the 101st Airborne in Afghanistan who died by suicide—and how it fuels his mission today An American Legion post in Alaska draws younger veterans by hosting Magic: The Gathering game nights, proving outreach means meeting veterans where their interests actually are A Vietnam veteran walked up to a food drive at Hy-Vee in Topeka and handed over a $100 bill, explaining how much receiving packages from home meant to him when he was overseas James defines burn pits—the military practice of burning trash at overseas posts—and explains how toxic exposure from burn pits is this generation's Agent Orange Gus shares a story about encountering a B-2 bomber "Spicy Dorito" silently circling above him and his dad near Kanopolis Dartography lands in Rooks County, where three separate tornadoes struck the town of Codell on the same date—May 20—three years in a row (1916, 1917, and 1918) The story of Clarence Gilbert, an airmail pilot born in Plainville, Kansas, who became the first airmail fatality when his parachute failed over Illinois in 1924 Chapters 0:00 — Kansas Aviation Buzz 2:14 — Welcome and Veterans Day Focus 3:42 — Meet James Seipel 4:16 — Legion vs. VFW vs. Auxiliary 5:37 — James' Military Family Roots 6:55 — Why He Joined the Auxiliary 8:05 — District One and Changing Veteran Groups 10:37 — Community Outreach and Unit Programs 11:37 — Battle Buddy Linkup for Post 9/11 Vets 13:19 — Misconceptions and Gender Shifts 14:52 — Suicide Loss and PTSD Awareness 17:05 — Partnerships and Unmet Needs 20:39 — Supporting Veteran Families 22:05 — Food Drive Story That Hit Home 24:22 — Veterans Day in Kansas 25:14 — Burn Pits Explained 26:14 — Reaching Younger Veterans 27:17 — Is America Keeping Its Promise? 29:29 — VA Enrollment Gap 31:03 — How to Volunteer Locally 32:30 — Why Join These Groups 34:32 — Is War Worth It? 39:29 — Hosts Reflect on Veterans Day 41:25 — Dartography: Rooks County 42:03 — Woodston Name Origin 44:38 — Codell Triple Tornado 45:37 — Plainville Airmail Tragedy 47:46 — Next Dart Throw 48:34 — Wrap Up and Credits Resources Mentioned American Legion Auxiliary American Legion  Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Fili Creative  Forge Podcast Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

How do you know when it’s time to stop pushing and shut your side hustle down? Every guru online says keep going, success is right around the corner. But sometimes the right move is to quit, and nobody wants to talk about that. So let’s face it head-on. I’ll walk you through four tests that tell you whether it’s really time to let a side hustle go: you hit your goal, you hit your stop-loss number, you gave it a full 90 days with no traction, or you wouldn’t start it again today. Then we get honest about what keeps us hanging on: sunk costs, our identity, the fear of letting clients down, and worrying about what our kids will think when Dad stops. I’ll also share the story of the funny engineering T-shirt business my wife and I started, and why we shut it down. The business failed. We didn’t. And if you’re there, neither did you. Finally, I’ll lay out how to close a business cleanly, from the client note to the last bank account, and what you get to keep long after the doors are shut. HIGHLIGHTS If your side hustle met the goal you started it for, it’s okay to wind it down and get your balance back. Four tests: success, the stop-loss limit, the 90-day traction test, and “Would I start this business today?” Sunk cost is a gambler’s trap. Don’t keep throwing time and money at something just because you already have. Your business isn’t your identity, and nobody is thinking about you as much as you fear. Stopping isn’t teaching your kids to quit. It takes courage to start, and it takes courage to stop. The business failed. You didn’t. It has no bearing on your worth or your value. Shut it down cleanly: talk to your family, finish commitments, refund deposits, refer clients to someone you trust, and don’t ghost. Close the money: final invoices, pay vendors, cancel subscriptions, set aside the tax bucket, then close the account. Save your data: CRM export, testimonials, photos, and your evidence folder. Pick a last day and don’t keep “just one client” on the side. You keep the skills, the proof people paid you, your network, and a clearer sense of your why. You didn’t lose two years. You got an education in being a business owner. CHAPTERS  00:00 Maybe it’s time to quit  01:13 Test 1: You hit your goal  02:35 Test 2: The stop-loss limit  02:53 Test 3: The 90-day traction test  04:06 Test 4: Would I start it today?  04:43 Why we hang on: sunk cost  05:36 Why we hang on: identity  06:23 Why we hang on: letting people down  07:00 What will my kids see?  07:57 Our funny T-shirt business  10:08 The business failed. You didn’t.  11:06 How to shut it down cleanly  12:33 Closing the money  13:11 Keep your receipts and data  14:05 Mark the last day and let it go  15:13 What you get to keep  17:09 Give yourself space to reflect  18:01 Your call to action RESOURCES MENTIONED The Side-Hustle Dad, Episode 2 The Side-Hustle Dad, Episode 6 Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, 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 thing standing between Kansas and a top-tier health ranking isn't resources, or funding, or even policy — but a failure of imagination? Ed O'Malley and Susan Kang dig into Chapter 18 of Leading Health, welcoming back Hutton Company CEO Ben Hutton for a wide-ranging conversation on why bold vision creates the kind of healthy pressure that drives real progress, and why "average and proud of it" might be the most dangerous mindset of all. Highlights Kansans told the Kansas Health Foundation, through extensive listening, that a lack of bolder vision was holding back progress on things people say they care about. Examples of bold organizational vision discussed: the Kansas Jayhawks aiming for a national title every season, the Wichita YMCA striving to be the best YMCA network in the world, and the University of Kansas Health System's vision to provide the best patient care in the nation. Ben Hutton shares the origin of Hutton Company's "Make no little plans" mural, quoting 1909 Chicago city planner Daniel Burnham. The conversation distinguishes "casting" a bold vision (the visionary's role) from "embracing" it (everyone else's role) — a key reason the chapter is titled embrace bold vision, not cast bold vision. Ben explains how trust and enablement allow teams to act on a leader's bold ideas, even when the leader can't execute them personally. Ben shares two examples of "healthy pressure" driving better outcomes: expanding Hutton's services beyond construction, and publicly committing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for his brother's 40th birthday. Discussion of the "art and science" of setting a vision that's bold but achievable — including a comparison of state-level America's Health Rankings movement versus the static nature of county-level rankings. Closing takeaways: bold vision must create a demand for forward action, and statewide progress requires growing the percentage of organizations actively embracing capital-H health, not a single dramatic leap. Chapters 0:48 — Setup 2:23 — Why Bold Vision Matters 5:38 — Authority and Big Goals 9:00 — Ben Hutton Joins 9:39 — Make No Little Plans 11:35 — Beyond Best Practices 16:19 — Casting Versus Embracing 22:21 — Healthy Pressure Stories 25:46 — Realistic Bold Visions 31:34 — Scaling Bold Vision Statewide 33:05 — Takeaways and Next Chapter Resources Mentioned With Purpose — Ben Hutton's podcast America's Health Rankings — the national ranking referenced throughout the conversation 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/leadinghealth Continue the discussion with these resources: Book Clubs Speakers and Workshops Share Your Story And be sure to subscribe, and drop a comment to let us know what you think.

How does it feel to hold a billion-dollar telescope at the end of a robotic arm, floating above the Earth, knowing you're about to let it go and change our understanding of the universe forever?  We sat down with someone who did exactly that — not once, but twice. Steve Hawley grew up in Salina, Kansas, decided he wanted to be an astronomer in third grade, and went on to fly five Space Shuttle missions over a 20-year career at NASA. He deployed the Hubble Space Telescope on STS-31, serviced it on STS-82, and launched the Chandra X-ray Observatory on his final flight. He's one of the only people — maybe the only person — to have worked on Hubble in space and then used it for research back on the ground. We talked about everything from his Kansas roots and KU education, to the terrifying pad abort on Discovery's maiden voyage, to the Hubble Deep Field, dark matter, the future of space telescopes, and the deeply personal story behind his new memoir, Eyes to the Stars: A Memoir for the Space Shuttle Generation. Steve also shared stories about his father — a Presbyterian minister who became, in effect, the astronauts' chaplain — giving the invocation at the Challenger memorial service and writing messages for crews spending Christmas in orbit. This is a conversation with a Kansan who helped write some of the most important chapters in the history of space exploration. We think you'll understand why it was a pivotal moment for us. HIGHLIGHTS • Steve recounts spotting a Starlink launch streaking across the Kansas sky near Colby — and nearly running off the road. • The third-grade science unit that sparked a lifelong passion for astronomy, and the fifth-grade launch of Alan Shepard that opened the door to the idea of people in space. • How Steve fought to keep the astronomy major alive at KU after the sole astronomy professor retired. • The fateful bulletin board posting at UC Santa Cruz: NASA was hiring a new role called "mission specialist astronaut." • Steve's gut-wrenching decision to walk away from a prestigious postdoc in South America for a two-year astronaut candidacy with no guarantees. • The dramatic pad abort on Discovery's maiden flight in 1984 — main engines fired, then shut down at T-minus four seconds, followed by a hydrogen fire no one could see. • Operating the Canadarm to release Hubble into orbit, and what it meant to Steve as an astronomer to be the person who let it go. • Returning to Hubble seven years later on STS-82 and finding it scorched, peeling, and weathered — and why servicing missions kept it alive for decades beyond its planned lifetime. • The Hubble Deep Field: a 10-day exposure of a seemingly empty patch of sky that revealed 1,200 galaxies — and rewrote our understanding of how full the universe really is. • Dark matter and dark energy make up 95% of the universe, and we still don't know what either of them is. Steve calls that "progress." • The "Hubble Tension" — two independent ways of measuring the age of the universe that don't quite agree, and what that discrepancy might mean for physics. • Why Steve initially said no to flying the Chandra mission — and how his boss persuaded him to change his mind. • Steve's father, a Presbyterian minister, serving as a de facto chaplain to the astronaut corps — delivering invocations at the Challenger memorial and writing Christmas messages for crews in orbit. • The deeply personal story behind Steve's memoir: weekly Zoom calls with his younger brother during cancer treatment, and how those conversations became a book. CHAPTERS 0:00 — Starlink Sky Surprise 1:24 — Podcast Welcome and a Pivotal Moment 2:59 — Meet Steve Hawley 4:04 — Third Grade Astronomy Spark 6:34 — Kansas Roots and KU Path 8:57 — From Telescopes to NASA Offer 12:41 — Applying to Be an Astronaut 19:28 — Facing the Risk of Launch 20:27 — Discovery Scrubs and Pad Abort 27:17 — Deploying Hubble in Space 32:28 — Servicing Hubble and Aging Signs 34:22 — Keeping Hubble Alive Long Term 36:05 — Was Servicing Always the Plan 36:53 — Management Over Missions 37:47 — Back to Space Again 38:41 — Chandra and Great Observatories 40:25 — Last Landing Reflections 41:36 — Science From Orbit 42:21 — Hubble Tension Explained 45:14 — Dark Matter and Dark Energy 47:19 — Ground vs Space Telescopes 49:22 — Hubble Deep Field Shock 52:08 — Early Universe Mysteries 54:17 — Robots vs Astronauts 56:34 — Why Hubble Captivated 59:03 — Memoir: Eyes to the Stars 1:03:16 — NASA Chaplain Dad 1:06:23 — Kansas Sky Perspective 1:08:13 — Post Interview Wrap 1:09:29 — Launch Abort Addendum 1:11:20 — Credits and Sign Off RESOURCES MENTIONED Eyes to the Stars: A Memoir for the Space Shuttle Generation Fili Creative  Forge Podcast Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

What’s the room you’ve been avoiding because you don’t feel ready for it yet? As of October, I’ve stepped into a new role as CEO of The Women’s Network, and I’m still leading The Thread. That means I’m walking into a space where I don’t have it all figured out and choosing to show up anyway. So for the rest of the year, we are pulling together the moments from 93 episodes that have stuck with us most, organized around a different theme each week. We’re kicking off with the theme that started it all: showing up messy. You’ll hear the story behind my “show up” bracelet and a cheer tryout I’ll never forget. Therapist and confidence coach Emily Stevens explains why confidence starts with self-compassion, not faking it. My friend Jenna Bottolfsen shares how she left corporate HR, came back around to entrepreneurship, and found the “five seconds of insane courage” that led her to buy Wallace Associates. And I close with a pep talk I recorded this summer about getting your dream out of your Notes app and into the world. Highlights: Why the next step always feels scary, no matter how much success you’ve had The rooms most worth being in are the ones where you feel least qualified The kinder you are to yourself, the more confident you’ll be, and saying it out loud matters Can’t say “I love myself” yet? Start with “I’m okay with myself” “Face it till you make it”: what would the future version of you be doing today? A first attempt that doesn’t work out isn’t the end. You can try again You don’t need courage forever, just five seconds to hit send or walk in the door The most dangerous place for your dream to live is in your head, your journal or your Canva account Shorten the timeline: what could you do in the next year instead of the next five? Chapters:  00:00 Big news: my new role at The Women’s Network  01:56 A season of curated themes  02:28 The “show up” bracelet (Ep. 3)  05:14 Comfort zones and the cheer coach lesson  09:07 Emily Stevens: confidence starts with self-compassion (Ep. 37)  14:27 Fake it vs. face it till you make it  17:42 Jenna Bottolfsen: second chances and insane courage (Ep. 72)  24:21 Do the Thing pep talk (Ep. 77)  31:16 Your turn to show up Resources mentioned: The Women’s Network: https://womens-network.org/ Little Words Project: https://littlewordsproject.com/ Global Leadership Summit: https://globalleadership.org/ Emily Stevens: https://laidbackachievers.com/ Jenna Bottolfsen, Wallace Associates: https://www.wallaceassociates.com/ The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware: https://www.amazon.com/Top-Five-Regrets-Dying-Transformed/dp/140194065X Ep. 3, Just Show Up: https://alotwithaudra.transistor.fm/3 Ep. 37, The Confidence Cure with Emily Stevens: https://alotwithaudra.transistor.fm/37 Ep. 72, The Importance of Detours with Jenna Bottolfsen: https://alotwithaudra.transistor.fm/72 Ep. 77, Do The Thing: https://alotwithaudra.transistor.fm/77 Share where you’re showing up this week, DM me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audradinell/ Want to learn more? The Thread Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn This 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.