What if the best hiking in Kansas has been right under your nose the whole time?Jeri Brungardt co-founded Women Hiking Kansas and Beyond in 2019 with a simple idea: stop losing track of friends who wanted to tag along on hikes and just make a Facebook group. What happened next surprised even her. Twelve strangers showed up to that first hike — none of them personal friends — and the group has grown to over 12,000 followers since. Jeri shares how the group scouts trails, what gear actually matters, why rattlesnakes dictate their summer schedule, and how hiking has become an unexpected source of community for women going through life's hardest moments.HighlightsWomen Hiking Kansas and Beyond started in 2019 and now has over 12,000 Facebook followers — grown entirely organically with no paid advertisingThe co-founders personally hike every trail before taking the group, checking parking, safety, and seasonal hazards like rattlesnakes at Horse Thief CanyonThey use the AllTrails app to discover new trails across the stateThe group is open to any female 12 and older; their oldest participant is in her upper 80s and outpaces most of the groupMonthly hikes are free; overnight trips charge a $20 fee managed through EventbriteTheir annual September trip to Estes Park, Colorado has been running every year since 2020Jeri recommends hiking poles for everyone — they reduce strain on your back and help probe water crossingsAlways bring sunscreen, a hat, water or electrolyte drinks, and a small first aid kitThe group has attracted women from 12 different states to their Colorado tripCindy Kuhnauer, the co-founder, also runs Fearless and Female, a self-defense business out of WichitaSydney defends Spangles with her whole chest (and eats it in the Walmart parking lot so her kids don't find out)Chapters0:00 — Madeline's softball ear muff situation2:13 — Podcast intro2:49 — Meet Jeri Brungardt3:25 — How Women Hiking Kansas and Beyond got started5:06 — How they pick trails and scout locations safely7:10 — What "hiking" actually means for this group8:02 — Upcoming Salina hike (Marty Bender Nature Area + Audubon Society)9:18 — Beginner tips: gear, shoes, water, and safety13:32 — Age range and the community the group has built15:31 — Jeri's personal hiking backstory17:17 — Favorite trails in Kansas17:07 — Trail diversity across Kansas19:57 — Jeri's backstory and career at Wesley Medical Center22:34 — The health benefits of walking23:52 — Beyond Kansas: Estes Park, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas City26:26 — How much work goes into running the group (+ Eventbrite)31:04 — Rapid fire: shoes and hats32:27 — Weather safety and what to do when it's 100 degrees33:59 — Rails-to-Trails and connecting with other hiking groups36:42 — Hiking with kids and different trail personalities39:45 — Future plans for the group43:25 — How the group grew through COVID and the power of one Facebook page47:55 — Stories From a Hat: parking lots, prairie dogs, Spangles, and soup flights53:34 — Outro and where to find Ask a KansanResourcesWomen Hiking Kansas and Beyond — Facebook Group AllTrails — alltrails.com — trail-finding app mentioned by JeriKanopolis State ParkElk City State ParkMonument Rocks / Castle RockTallgrass Prairie National PreserveFearless and Female — self-defense business run by co-founder Cindy Coughenour, based in WichitaLearn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

What if the key to growth this summer was intentionally chasing no's? That's exactly what I've been doing — and it's changing how I approach risk, rejection, and going after what I want in business and life.After working with a coach last fall on vocational dreams, I was introduced to a goal that stopped me in my tracks: collect 100 no's. The idea is simple but powerful — the more asks you put out there, the more opportunities you create. This episode unpacks that concept, explores why "no" is actually clear and kind, and walks through how I've gamified rejection for myself this summer using a tracking spreadsheet.HighlightsRejection doesn't mean you're not good enough — it means "not right now" or "not for me," and those are two very different thingsA "maybe" is actually worse than a "no" — a no is clear, and clear is kindReframing "no" as a doorway to an eventual yes from somewhere else shifts everythingThe Summer of 100 No's has two goals: get comfortable taking risks, and get okay with rejectionCollecting 100 no's means you'll likely find 10 yeses — and those yeses move your business forwardThe mistake in my first business wasn't the branding or the website — it was avoiding the ask out of fear of rejectionWhen I started The Thread, I did it differently: I ran a focus group before building anything and made the ask to everyone I metMarketing pulls people to you; going out and asking brings people in — and that's the skill worth developingChapters0:00 – Summer of 100 No's1:45 – Gamify Rejection2:10 – No Is Clear & Kind3:18 – Spreadsheet and Asks4:22 – Two-Part Goal6:59 – Expect Yeses Too7:34 – First Business Lesson10:55 – Building The Thread12:21 – Challenge and Wrap UpResources MentionedSummer of 100 No's SpreadsheetConnect with Audra on LinkedIn — @AudraDinellWant 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.

Your website is your digital business card, and when it's built with the right framework, it introduces you, builds trust, and converts visitors into paying clients — even while you sleep. Here's exactly what needs to be on it.HighlightsWhy you have five seconds (or less) to capture a visitor's attention — and what to say in that windowThe difference between a portfolio and social proof, and why you need both on your siteHow to build a landing page that's easy to scan, scroll, and act onWhat supporting pages (About, Services, FAQ, Case Studies) actually do for your buyersWhy your call to action should appear everywhere — and why there should only be oneThe shift from SEO to AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and how AI is changing how clients find youThe fastest tools to build your website today, including AI-powered buildersWhy "done" beats "perfect" — and how to iterate your way to a great site over timeChapters0:19 – Website As Business Card1:14 – Avoid the Perfectionism Trap1:59 – Hook Visitors in Five Seconds3:50 – Portfolio: Show Your Proof5:44 – Reviews & Testimonials7:15 – Landing Page Layout7:55 – Extra Pages for Detail9:29 – One Clear Call to Action11:52 – AI Search & Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)16:06 – Tools to Build Fast18:38 – Publish Then Iterate20:53 – The Two-Hour Website Challenge21:13 – Holiday Break & Wrap UpResources MentionedSquarespace – Drag-and-drop website builder with templatesWix – Drag-and-drop website builder with templatesShopify – E-commerce platform for product-based businessesChatGPT – AI tool that can help draft and build website contentClaude – AI tool that can help draft and build website contentGemini – AI tool that can help draft and build website contentBe 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 does it look like when a hairstylist with no business degree decides to stop doing hair and start building an empire? Kristin Kienzle did exactly that. After spending her entire career behind the chair, Kristin opened her first Utopia Modern Salon Suites location simply wanting a place to finish out her career. What happened next surprised even her. Within months, demand was so high she needed more space — and more support. Now with three locations (and an expansion underway), Kristin shares the unfiltered truth about becoming a business owner later in life: the capital fears, the naysayers, the mindset battles, and why everything you've already lived through is actually your greatest advantage. If you've been sitting on an idea, this conversation will push you off the fence.HighlightsKristin spent her entire post-high school career as a hairstylist, working in every type of salon setting — and never imagined herself as a business ownerApproaching 50, she started asking: What does my second act look like? — and the answer was building a space where she could keep doing hair while others could tooShe didn't set out to grow beyond one location; it was the demand from her community that drove expansionIt took over a year of coaching before Kristin truly began to see herself as a business owner — not just a service providerSurrounding yourself with the right support team early (attorney, accountant, coach) is one of the most important moves a new second-act entrepreneur can makeCapital fear is real — but Kristin learned that capital is available; the work is in finding itThe people who love you most will often give you the most reasons NOT to take the leap — learn to filter that advice"What you focus on, you create more of" — Kristin's sticky-note reminder that mindset isn't a one-time fix; it's daily workSkiing analogy: whichever direction you look, that's where you go — in business and in lifeTrusting yourself means looking back at everything hard you've already survived — and realizing this is nothing compared to that85% of what we worry about never happens; and of the 15% that does, most people say it wasn't as bad as they fearedThe "stacking wins" approach: do one thing, and it leads to the next — before you know it, you've built something realTelling people your plans holds you accountable and can be the push you need to actually executeBusiness owners are always working — even when no one sees themChapters0:34 — Welcome and Intro to Kristin Kienzle1:18 — Kristin's Second Act Story3:26 — Becoming a Business Owner4:32 — Building Support Systems5:41 — Fears, Capital, and Naysayers8:21 — Mindset, Focus, and Confidence11:13 — Grit and Trust Yourself13:10 — The Glamour vs. the Grind14:44 — Just Do It and Stack Wins17:22 — Closing Gratitude and TakeawaysResources MentionedUtopia Modern Salon Suites — Kristin Kienzle's business (salon suite rentals)Suite Independence - Kristin Kienzle's podcast, available on Apple, Spotify and YouTubeWant to get more help from Lee with your business? Visit her website: https://leegray.actioncoach.com/This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network. For more information, visit ictpod.net.

For centuries, history has been passed down through the stories of our lived experiences. And in this episode you’ll get a taste of the remarkable life of Jim Gray — The Cowboy — and this conversation might just be the most unexpected one we've had yet.Jim Gray is a rancher, historian, author, and director of the Jansen Museum in Geneseo, Kansas — a town of about 220 people in Rice County. He takes us from the wild cattle towns of 1860s Kansas all the way to a blinding white light on a rural road in the summer of 1972. Whether he's riding the Chisholm Trail or piecing together a collection of UFO drawings in a repurposed farmhouse museum, Jim sees the Kansas prairie as a place that communicates with those willing to listen.HighlightsA severe hailstorm recently devastated Salina — lost movie theater, closed mall, shattered pool railings — and the aftermath brought a wave of out-of-state dent repair hustlers trying to bribe Sydney at the permit officeJim Gray grew up three miles east of Geneseo and comes from a long line of livestock people whose family ranch in Rice County is still operating todayA music teacher once told young Jim to ditch the cowboy hat — his voice would take him farther. He didn't listen, and he has no regretsJoseph McCoy's stockyards in Abilene (1867) transformed Kansas: cattle shipments went from 35,000 head to 300,000 in just four years before the town literally ran the drovers offIn 2011, Jim helped organize a modern cattle drive from south of Caldwell to Ellsworth — 300 head, three weeks, chuck wagons, and a near-runaway that cost him his canteenHollywood cowboys (think Yellowstone) don't match reality — real cowboys Jim has known are shy, polite, and would never cuss around a womanJim's book centers on Ellsworth, where the phrase "a man for breakfast" meant killing someone — and where Civil War veterans once dragged outlaws out of their beds to restore orderIn late July/early August 1972, Jim and his wife-to-be experienced a blinding white light that filled their car and retracted up into the sky — followed by a massive dust devil that came straight down Main StreetThe Janzen Museum in Geneseo preserves the collection of Dr. Elmer D. Janzen — minister, chiropractor, ventriloquist, auctioneer — who amassed 8,000 family history slides and an entire room of UFO materials, including technical drawings of flying saucers by a Nickerson mechanical arts teacher named John DeanJim built a medicine wheel on his pasture 25–30 years ago, aligned to the equinoxes, that he says has taught him as much about the circle of life as any college classKansas UFO Day is June 27th (a Saturday) at the Jansen Museum in Geneseo, featuring vendors and the "Martians and Market" pop-upThe hosts played "Beam Me Up, Kansas" — a segment preparing extraterrestrials for life in the Sunflower State, covering tornado sirens, I-70 crosswinds, the Kansas State Fair parking situation, and which Kansan should negotiate first contact (Jason Sudeikis got a strong vote)Chapters0:04 — Hailstorm Fallout in Salina1:20 — Dent Repair Hustle Stories3:27 — Meet The Cowboy, Jim Gray4:54 — Becoming The Cowboy7:05 — Falling for Kansas History9:01 — Abilene Stockyards Revolution13:22 — Modern Chisholm Trail Drive (2011)18:19 — Cowboy Work Then and Now23:03 — Hollywood vs. Real Cowboys23:57 — Ellsworth Wild West Tales27:19 — Gunfight Myths and Reality28:25 — The 1972 UFO Encounter31:19 — Museum Founder & UFO Links (Dr. Elmer D. Janzen)32:29 — Doc Janzen's Slide Archive33:12 — The UFO Room Origins34:19 — Museum Neglect & Revival35:39 — Did Janzen Believe?37:26 — Distant Horizons Prairie38:51 — Medicine Wheel Wisdom41:17 — Kansas UFO Day & Visiting the Jansen Museum42:48 — Roswell: Cowboys and Aliens43:49 — Hosts Reflect on Jim45:39 — Beam Me Up, Kansas (Segment)47:27 — Alien Questions: Tornado Sirens49:30 — Driving I-70 Survival Guide50:38 — Which Kansan Negotiates with Aliens?52:05 — Which Kansas Town Has the Most Alien Energy?53:40 — Share Your UFO Story54:47 — Episode Wrap & AnnouncementsResourcesGeneseo City Museum — https://www.geneseomuseum.com/Kansas UFO Day — June 27th (Saturday) at the Jansen Museum, Geneseo, KS https://www.geneseomuseum.com/copy-of-aboutSend your UFO story: info@askakansan.comLearn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net