Explore every episode of the podcast Passion Pod
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 229 DJ Tambe | 15 Jun 2026 | 00:48:46 | |
Chris Johnson sits down with tattoo icon and 3-time Ink Master champion (and current judge!) DJ Tambe at the Middle of the Map Tattoo Convention in Des Moines, Iowa. DJ gets candid about his road to sobriety, what it was really like competing on Best Ink and Ink Master, the hardest judging decisions he's ever had to make, getting paid $50,000 by Subway, living in a house with 20 tattoo artists, and what it felt like to finally get the call to be a judge. If you love tattoo culture, comeback stories, and behind-the-scenes TV drama — this one's for you. Follow DJ Tambe: @DJTambe Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@passionpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Passion-Pod-100063883543053/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRARBmS0h7W2Eh00Y8uyNtA | |||
| Episode 228 Bobby Johnson | 01 Jun 2026 | 01:11:14 | |
Ink Master Season 15 winner Bobby Johnson sits down with Passion Pod for one of his most candid interviews yet. From the truth about what he actually took home after taxes on the $250k prize, to the flash challenge he'd do all over again, his most meaningful tattoo ever, how he went from skateboarding to tattooing, the wild origin of his "Glendale Bully" name, and the one regret he has from his entire time on the show — this conversation goes deep. 🏆🖤 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a new episode of Passion Pod! 📲 Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@passionpodofficial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Passion-Pod-100063883543053/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRARBmS0h7W2Eh00Y8uyNtA | |||
| Episode 219 The Schizophrenic Hippie | 09 Mar 2026 | 01:27:56 | |
What’s the difference between hallucinations and delusions—and what does schizophrenia actually feel like day to day? In this episode, mental health advocate and influencer Kody Green (aka “The Schizophrenic Hippie”) shares his story of addiction, incarceration, diagnosis, medication, and recovery—plus the often-misunderstood “positive vs. negative symptoms,” stigma, and how families can support a loved one in psychosis. Featuring: Kody Green aka The Schizophrenic Hippie (motivational speaker, podcaster, author of Minds Over Meetings). Follow Passion Pod + Kody: Instagram: @passionpod TikTok: @passionpodofficial YouTube: Passion Pod Facebook: Passion Pod | |||
| Episode 129 Jacob Blaeser (Drones/Media) | 15 Jan 2024 | 00:40:35 | |
Jacob Blaeser is a drone pilot, media relations specialist, podcast host, entrepreneur, and much more that chooses to call Brainerd, Minnesota his home. Jacob attended school for broadcasting and quickly found work in his field of choice, sports. His first interview was with Brett Favre! Talk about being thrown to the wolves. Jacob's career blossomed from interviewing professional athletes after games to owning one of the world's premier drone videography companies. His company Blaze Air MN has worked with massive clients including the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas, but they still work with smaller companies in the midwest as well. They make content for everything from real estate to sporting events to music festivals and more. Not to mention that he is also the host of the Listen Local podcast which covers all the happenings in his hometown. Jacob has an endless amount of stories to share, and in this episode he shares some of his favorites with us. In this episode we discuss living in the midwest, chasing your dreams, interviewing celebrities, negotiating contracts, overcoming mistakes, navigating an evolving industry, and so much more. | |||
| Episode 128 Sam Tallent (Comedian/Author) | 08 Jan 2024 | 00:49:06 | |
🎙️ Welcome to another episode of the Passion Pod! Join your host, Chris Johnson, as he sits down with the one and only comedy sensation, Sam Tallent! 🎭 Chris and Sam dive into the world of comedy, share hilarious anecdotes, and discuss the passion behind the punchlines. From Sam's early days in stand-up to the triumphs and challenges of a comedic career, this episode is a rollercoaster ride of humor and heart. Sam Tallent, known for his razor-sharp wit and unique comedic style, brings his A-game to the Passion Pod studio. Discover the inspirations behind his comedic genius, the ups and downs of life on the comedy circuit, and the moments that shaped him into the hilarious performer we know and love. Sam even opens up about his experience on @joerogan and a little known fact about @WillSmith that could only come from working with him directly... Whether you're a comedy enthusiast or just in need of a good laugh, this episode is a must-listen! So, grab your headphones, hit play, and get ready to LOL with Chris Johnson and the incomparable Sam Tallent on the latest edition of the Passion Pod. Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share the laughter with your friends – because everyone could use a little more comedy in their lives! 🤩🎉 #PassionPod #ComedyGold #SamTallent #ChrisJohnson #LaughOutLoud #PodcastFun #ComedyMagic ✨ | |||
| Episode 127 Wyatt Eiden (Content Creator) | 01 Jan 2024 | 00:51:10 | |
Wyatt Eiden in a Wisconsin based content creator known for his short form interview style content. Wyatt grew up in Chippewa Falls, WI and still resides in the area today. However, he now spends a lot of his time traveling the world creating content for his own social media platforms as well as for various brands and organizations. He first began to build a name for himself on TikTok (@wyatteiden 3M followers) back in 2020 and has seen exponential growth not only on that platform, but also on Instagram (@wyatteiden 277K followers) and YouTube (@wyattei 788K subscribers). Wyatt is known for the videos that he creates of himself quizzing and giving challenges to people, primarily drunk college students, outside bars and venues in exchange for prizes. The results are hilarious and very addicting to watch. With seemingly countless videos across all of his platforms you could easily get lost for hours watching his content. In this interview we discuss how to make a career as a content creator, how to get leverage brand deals, staying true to your values, navigating a unique personal life, how to build an audience, and much more. | |||
| Episode 126 Lepus Tattoos (@lepus_tattoos) | 04 Dec 2023 | 00:50:23 | |
Danni (@lepus_tattoos) is a non binary tattoo artist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They recently opened their own tattoo studio along with a few other tattooers called "Cozy Camp Collective" (@cozycampcollective). In this interview we discuss growing up as an artist in a tiny town, overcoming learning disabilities and health issues, earning a master's degree purely for yourself, finding your community in a male dominated industry, what goes on behind the scenes of the social media screen, and much more. | |||
| Episode 125 Twelve Vultures curiosities shop (Adam DeJarlais) | 27 Nov 2023 | 00:48:55 | |
Adam DeJarlais is the sole owner of Twelve Vultures curiosities shop located in Minneapolis Minnesota. Adam grew up in northern Minnesota collecting rocks and now collects and sells some of the most unique items you're ever likely to see. Twelve Vultures has everything from taxidermy of peacocks, to human teeth, to vintage medical tools, and so much more. It really is the type of place that you need to experience for yourself. Tune in and hear where it all started for Adam, how he built his unique career, and what to expect from Twelve Vultures in the years to come. | |||
| Passion Pod Episode 124 Dessa backstage at The Pablo Center | 20 Nov 2023 | 00:43:59 | |
Dessa is a multifaceted language artist who splits her time between Minneapolis and New York City. Dessa grew up with dreams of having her writings published, but found that to be a difficult task at the start. She instead began entering poetry slams in Minneapolis, which in turn introduced her to the twin cities rap scene. Not long after she became an official member of the hip hop collective Doomtree. Dessa and the rest of Doomtree put out a ton of records together over the years. All the while Dessa's solo career blossomed and she began putting out her own solo records through their record label. It's been more than 15 years since those early albums and her career has evolved beyond measure. She's had books published, was featured on the Hamilton mixtape, did a Ted Talk, hosted a podcast with the BBC, performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, and so much more. Tune in and find out... | |||
| Episode 123 Shelly Mosman (Portrait Photographer) | 13 Nov 2023 | 00:48:41 | |
Shelly Mosman is a twin cities based portrait photographer. Her career began over 30 years ago, but she really found her own lane back in 2011. Her series "Animal Child" is stands out as something truly unique in the extremely oversaturated field of photography. Tune in and hear how she developed her own style, how she maintains her creative energy, how she navigates an ever growing industry, and much more. | |||
| Episode 122 Reza the Illusionist backstage at The Pablo Center | 23 Oct 2023 | 00:42:43 | |
Chris Johnson interviews world renown illusionist Reza in the greenroom backstage at The Pablo Center. Reza grew up in the small town of Brookings, South Dakota, but eventually found a home in Branson, Missouri. Reza has toured and performed all over the world in front of massive crowds alongside stars like Steve Aoki and Trace Adkins , but his success didn't come over night. Reza discovered magic at the age of 6 and was immediately obsessed. How did he get to where he is now? Tune in and find out. Reza the Illusionist has appeared on many major programs including Duck Dynasty, MTV, NBC, FOX, PBS Netflix, Penn and Teller, and many more. | |||
| Episode 121 Alexander Denning @thealexanderdenning (Ex Convict turned model/entrepreneur/content creator) | 31 Jul 2023 | 00:58:59 | |
Alexander Denning aka Alexander the Great is a Minnesota based male model, influencer, content creator, and entrepreneur. Alexander had a rough time growing up and getting into more than his fair share of trouble. Run ins with the law grew more and more serious before he made a big mistake, and a split second decision changed his life drastically. After spending over a handful of years in prison he eventually found his new identity and turned his life around. When talking with him now his smile and friendly demeanor make it almost hard to believe the troubled past that he has. With a fresh chance at life Alexander has really made the most of it. His modeling career kicked everything off for him and now his creative endeavors seem to have no limits. In the episode we discuss his troubled past, what led to that fateful night, why he was sentenced to prison time, how he handled prison life, what changes need to be made to the prison system, how to become a male model, the power of social media, the limitations people place upon themselves, and much more. | |||
| Episode 120 Milo Rubin @saucedlikemilo (Fashion Designer) | 24 Jul 2023 | 00:56:01 | |
Milo Rubin is a clothing designer and creative entrepreneur based in New York City. Milo started his clothing brand Takin Over when he was only 14 years old. With his high school career coming to an end a new chapter is about to begin. His journey will be one you want to follow along with. He's accomplished incredible things already, but he's really just getting started. In this episode we discuss how to start a brand, what tool are available to solo entrepreneurs, how to build a clientele, how to make custom apparel, what design tools are available, how to generate consistent sales, and so much more. | |||
| Episode 218 Ryan Ellingson (Baseball Influencer) | 02 Mar 2026 | 01:01:04 | |
Former college baseball player turned baseball influencer Ryan Ellingson joins the Passion Pod at Kwik Trip in La Crosse, Wisconsin to share how he went from travel ball and college baseball to building a creator career—landing brand deals with MLB, the Minnesota Twins, and getting sent to MLB All-Star Week, including on-field access for batting practice just feet from Shohei Ohtani. We also talk Twins fandom, baseball culture, and what it takes to turn baseball content into a real business. Follow Chris / Passion Pod: Instagram: @passionpod TikTok: @passionpodofficial Facebook: Passion Pod YouTube: Passion Pod | |||
| Episode 119 Walker Ryan (Pro skateboarder/Author) | 17 Jul 2023 | 00:49:18 | |
Walker Ryan is a New York City based professional skateboarder and author. Walker grew up in northern California skating from a young age. By the time he was in high school he was traveling from his small home town to San Francisco to skate the big city. Unlike most professional skateboarders he enrolled in college after graduating high school and that was when he career finally took off. His skateboarding career has lasted over a decade and had a ton of ups and downs, but no one can deny his impact on what people thought was possible. I mean, have you seen his switch backside flips?! Walker has travelled to countless countries and put out more than a dozen top notch video parts. He went pro for Organika skateboards, and has ridden for SOVRN, Circa, DVS, Spitfire, Thunder, and a bunch of others over the years. Walker has always been a creative mind and eventually published his first book titled "Top of Mason" in 2020. His most recent novel titled "Off Clark" came out at the end of 2020 and is available to ship worldwide. He also co founded his own company called "Old Friends" that began as a small brand selling hats and t shirts. Old Friends has now evolved into a brand that focuses on fitness and helping skaters stay in tip top shape with their physical therapy and exercise routines designed specifically for skaters by skaters. In this episode we discuss all of this and much more. | |||
| Episode 118 @imjarons (Content Creator) | 13 Jul 2023 | 00:45:32 | |
imjarons is a comedy content creator based in Chippewa Falls, WI. In just a couple short years he has grown a presence online to include over 3.5 million followers on tiktok and 450k on Instagram. This is the first time imjarons has ever done a long form interview such as a podcast and this is your chance to see who is really behind all the wacky GoPro videos that so many people can't stop watching and hear his story. | |||
| Episode 117 John Poveromo @johnpoveromo (Comedian) | 10 Jul 2023 | 01:02:01 | |
John Poveromo is a Jersey based comedian and podcaster. John has been performing stand up comedy his entire life and started his on podcast called Dystopia Tonight during the shutdown of the pandemic. Since being able to tour again he now balances both. Oh yeah, he's also a cartoonist who even put out his own book. John's positive attitude and humor are infectious to say the least. I even got to watch him perform a set later on in the night and was laughing nonstop. In this episode we discuss dropping out of college, building a career as a comedian, touring the country, how to start a podcast, the life of an entertainer, and much more. | |||
| Episode 116 Landon Conrath @landon.conrath (Singer/Songwriter) | 03 Jul 2023 | 00:42:13 | |
Landon Conrath is a singer/songwriter based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I met Landon when he performed at "The Sandbox" which was a garage venue at our mutual friends old college house. Since then his career has exploded. With over 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify he has taken to the road and been almost nonstop touring all over the country since we met. In the episode we discuss his musical background, writing his first song, Spotify playlists catapulting his career overnight, making music with his friends, navigating business and relationships, and much more. | |||
| Episode 115 Maffyuu of Phony PPL (Drummer and Producer) | 26 Jun 2023 | 01:24:44 | |
Matthew Byas aka Maffyuu is a drummer, producer, and an original member of the popular band Phony Ppl based in Brooklyn, NY. Maffyuu is also the son of hip hop legend DJ Jazzy Jay and was destined to play music from a young age. Maffyuu and the core members of Phony PPL met and formed the group when they were all still in high school and have since signed to the major record label 300 Entertainment, performed all over the world, and have even had features from names like Megan Thee Stallion and Joey Bada$$. Despite performing together for over a decade and all the success they've had Phony PPL still has so much ahead of them. In this episode we discuss growing up in a musical family, being classically trained as a percussionist, how the band Phony PPL formed, where his name Maffyuu came from, similarities between fighting games and playing music, how to learn new skills from YouTube, how to stay on the same page as a band, getting cosigned by celebrities, performing for Quincy Jones, and so much more. | |||
| Episode 114 Erik Ross (Artist) | 19 Jun 2023 | 00:47:05 | |
Erik Ross is an Austin Texas based artist known for his unique paintings of characters that are easily recognizable as his own. I met Erik randomly in Los Angeles over a year ago and we kept in contact in case I was ever planning to visit Austin. Erik's art career has taken off over the last handful of years and he is finally having his first big show this coming June. Tune in and hear how he went from playing college baseball and telemarketing to having his work shown all around the country and making his art his career. | |||
| Episode 113 DJ Kam Bennett | 13 Jun 2023 | 00:53:07 | |
DJ Kam Bennett is an established DJ based in St. Paul, MN. Kam grew up in St. Paul, but has grown his career far outside of just the midwest. He started out DJing parties while still in high school. When he got the call from Lil Bibby to be his DJ his career really took off. Since then he has worked with a ton of big names in the music industry and played shows all over the country. These days he has settled back in Minnesota to raise his daughter and have a bit more consistency, at least for the moment. | |||
| Episode 112 SonReal (Music Artist) | 05 Jun 2023 | 00:49:49 | |
SonReal is a Canadian music artist known for his unique mix of hip hop and folk music. He originally gained mainstream attention when his hit music video "Everywhere We Go" reached over 400k views in it first week back in 2013. Since then he got signed to a major record label, moved to Los Angeles, and put out several successful albums. In more recent years though he moved back home, got married, and is now a father of 3. His most recent album "Nobody's Happy All The Time" features more singing and guitar than some of his previous work and preaches a personal and meaningful message. We recorded this interview backstage in the greenroom before his show in St. Paul, MN while he was on his first tour since before the pandemic. Make sure to check out the new album, and keep your eyes peeled for a ton of new music that is on the way. | |||
| Episode 111 Michael Sieben @sieben_up (Thrasher Editor, Illustrator, Writer, Entrepreneur) | 29 May 2023 | 00:45:07 | |
Michael Sieben is an Austin, Texas based illustrator and the current managing editor of the hugely popular Thrasher Magazine. He is also the co owner and artist behind Roger Skateboards. Michael grew up skateboarder and earned himself a bachelors degree in fine art before finding his way into the skateboard industry. From making little local zines for fun to writing and editing the most successful skateboard magazine of all time, Michael has a lot of stories to share. | |||
| Episode 110 Sprig of That (Folk Trio) | 17 Apr 2023 | 01:00:53 | |
Sprig of That is a tabla, fiddle, and guitar trio that play midwest-raised and globally inspired acoustic folk music. The band consists of Krissy Bergmark on tabla, Isabel Dammann on violin, and Ilan Blanck on guitar. Sprig of That came to Eau Claire and performed at Forage as part of the All Ears Listening Session series. I was lucky enough to catch their live performance and record an interview with each member after the show. With the recent release of their new album "Bloom", there was plenty to talk about. In this episode we discuss how to form a band, how to come up with a good name for a band, how to improvise when performing live, how to maintain a band when the members live in different places, how to balance work life and touring, how to find your own sound, and much more. | |||
| Episode 217 R.A. the Rugged Man | 23 Feb 2026 | 00:58:07 | |
Legendary underground rapper R.A. the Rugged Man sits down at First Avenue in Minneapolis for a raw, hilarious, and heartfelt interview. We talk touring with Atmosphere/Slug, signing a major-label deal as a teen, getting blackballed from shows, the story behind “Uncommon Valor,” wild concert moments, and his passion for filmmaking (including Bad Biology and Suicide Disco). If you’re into underground hip hop, rap history, and real artist stories—this one’s for you. Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: @passionpod TikTok: @passionpodofficial Facebook: Passion Pod Website: https://passionpod.org | |||
| Episode 109 Sol @solzilla (Radio Interview) | 10 Apr 2023 | 00:24:50 | |
Sol is an established hip hop artist based in Seattle. He has been a full time musician for over a decade and recently went on a cross country tour with his friend and fellow music artist SonReal. I was able to catch him before his show in St. Paul for this interview. | |||
| Episode 108 Adam Accola (Colab EC & Converge Radio) | 09 Feb 2023 | 00:41:20 | |
Adam Accola is one of the main people running Colab EC and is also a member of the board of directors for Converge Radio. My show originally premiered on Converge Radio several years ago and has been a weekly, and now twice a week, radio show ever since. Converge Radio is Eau Claire's local independent station that plays a wide variety of music, talk shows, and much more. Colab EC is Eau Claire's premier collaborative co working space. Since Adam and I have spent so much time working together on various things over the years it just made sense to finally have him on the show. | |||
| Episode 107 The Gully Boys @gullyboysband | 26 Dec 2022 | 01:06:36 | |
The Gully Boys are a 4 piece band based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They performed at the Brickhouse in Eau Claire, WI on Saturday December 3rd 2022. I was able to sit down with all 4 of them to record this interview before their performance. In these interviews we discuss how the band was formed, touring the country, playing covers, winning Minnesota's "Best New Band" in 2018, adding a 4th member, recording music, and much more. | |||
| Episode 106 Daniel Donato @thedanieldonato (Cosmic Country) | 12 Dec 2022 | 00:58:05 | |
Daniel Donato is a guitarist and singer/songwriter originally from Nashville, Tennessee. Daniel started busking at the age of 14 and grew his skills considerably when he started playing in the famous Don Kelly band while still in high school. At first his dream was to become a studio musician and play on every major country record, but instead he felt the need to start creating his own music. Still only 27 years old Daniel has become a force to be reckoned with in the industry. His band "Cosmic Country" is really something you need to see in person to fully understand how special they are. Thankfully they have been on tour after tour almost non stop for some time with no end in sight. In this episode we discuss how the crew came together, how to carve your own path, ways to slow down, and why it's all worth it. | |||
| Episode 105 Willy Santos @willysantos (Pro Skateboarder, Coach, Entrepreneur) | 05 Dec 2022 | 00:38:00 | |
Willy Santos is a professional skateboarder from San Diego, California. Willy's skateboarding career has spanned decades with too many incredible moments and stories to ever tell in one sitting. In this interview we discuss sending in his one and only sponsor me tape, meeting Tony Hawk at a schoolyard, getting courted to ride for Birdhouse, skating in the first X Games, owning a skateshop, building his board brand (Willy's Workshop), Couch Curb pillows, coaching olympians, and so much more. | |||
| Episode 104 Lawrence Lanoff @lawrencetheenergymaster (Director, Author, Tantra Master, Chakra Master) | 28 Nov 2022 | 00:58:31 | |
Lawrence Lanoff, or better known as Lawrence the Energy Master, is a renowned director, author, tantric expert, and shaman. Lawrence grew up in New York and had a pretty crazy childhood to say the least. His career spans decades with way more to cover than possible in one interview. This episode will really get you thinking and open your mind to new ways to look at life. | |||
| Episode 103 Lorraine D'Alessio @lorrainedalessio (Owner of D'Alessio Law Group) | 21 Nov 2022 | 00:56:28 | |
Lorraine D'Alessio is a Los Angeles based model turned lawyer. Lorraine grew up in Canada and began modeling while still attending high school. From a young age she was already flying all over the world to work. Trying to deal with all the immigration laws and regulations every time she got off the plane wasn't exactly the easiest thing to handle. Lorraine chose to continue her education and became a lawyer in order to help talented individuals navigate the same challenges she had to in the past. She started her own law firm and things have really taken off since. Tune in and hear about the side of the industry that nobody talks about. | |||
| Episode 102 Monsee @monseeworld (Creative Director) | 14 Nov 2022 | 00:49:03 | |
Monsee is a creative director from the east coast that works and resides in Los Angeles, California. He's worked with countless big names including Ciara, JoJo Siwa, Beanie Segil, Travis Barker, etc. He's also good friends and works with Mikaila Murphy and Courtney Sanderson who were both guests on the show previously. Tune in and hear his journey from drawing sabertooth tigers as a kid to directing music videos for some of the best in the business. I bet you didn't know he used to work for the Smithsonian. Yeah, that is only one of the many stories you're going to want to hear. | |||
| Episode 101 Lauren Abraham @laurenabraham (Model, TV Host, Fitness Instructor) | 07 Nov 2022 | 00:50:38 | |
Lauren Abraham is a Los Angeles based model, tv host, fitness instructor, professional athlete, and somehow much much more. Tune in and hear her journey from growing up as a sponsored snowboarder to where she is today. Her story is inspiring and full of twists and turns. We share it all from being injured so bad she was in a wheelchair, recovering from addiction, hosting major sporting events on tv, becoming an international fitness model, and so much more. | |||
| Episode 100 Margo Graff @itsmargograff (Actress, Model, Action Performer) | 31 Oct 2022 | 01:31:17 | |
Margo Graff is an actress, action stunt performer, producer, model, and so much more. She grew up in Minnesota, but has lived and travelled all over the world before making Los Angeles her home. Her story is both horrifying and inspiring at the same time. After years and years of bullying, abuse, and 2 near death experiences, she found martial arts as a way to heal and empower herself. Now at age 30 she is in the best shape of her life and is making all of her dreams a reality. | |||
| Episode 216 Tommy G | 16 Feb 2026 | 01:22:35 | |
Tommy G is a Milwaukee-based documentary maker with over 3 million subscribers on YouTube, and his work takes you everywhere—from Grand Theft Auto stories and street-level chaos to investigating some of the worst prisons in the United States… and even exposing Scientology for what it is. In this conversation, we get into what it really takes to tell stories that hit hard: earning trust, walking into uncomfortable places, staying safe, and keeping your humanity when the internet only wants the “craziest clip.” Tommy’s got that rare mix of curiosity + courage, and I think you’re going to leave this episode feeling fired up to chase the stories you’re meant to tell. If you’re into documentaries, investigative storytelling, or just hearing how someone builds something massive by following their obsession—this one’s for you. Watch the full episode, and let me know your favorite moment in the comments. Subscribe for more Passion Pod interviews with people who turned their passion into a real-life career. Listen to Passion Pod on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Passion Pod / Chris: Instagram: @passionpod TikTok: @passionpodofficial Facebook: Passion Pod | |||
| Episode 99 Greg Eubanks @gbanksinla (Real Estate) | 24 Oct 2022 | 00:54:44 | |
Greg Eubanks is a Los Angeles based Real Estate agent who was born and raised in Minnesota. Greg made the tough decision to hit reset on his life after he graduated from the U of M to make the move to Los Angeles with nothing but a dream. It's been a long journey from sleeping on couches to where he is today selling homes in Beverly Hills. Tune in and learn a few things about hard work and determination from one of the best. | |||
| Episode 98 LASKA @laskatheband (Pop-Folk band) | 17 Oct 2022 | 01:13:43 | |
LASKA is a 6 piece Pop-Folk band with members based in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Los Angeles. The group was originally formed by three sisters from Baldwin, Wisconsin that grew up playing music together from a young age. In this episode we interviewed 4 of the members (Bex Morton, Mookie Morton, Hannah Morton, Evan Middlesworth) one at a time at Driftless Sound Studio in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. In these interviews we talk about growing up playing violin, building a community around their music, living in Los Angeles, songwriting, and their newest album Endless Patcher. | |||
| Episode 97 Justine Monae @justine_monae (Talent Manager) | 10 Oct 2022 | 00:49:15 | |
Justine Monae is a Los Angeles based talent agent and owner of her own talent agency, Justine Monae Management. Justine was working for a bank while teaching twerk classes with a friend years ago when her career path managing talent of all kinds began. Imagine negotiating a contract worth over $100,000 with no prior experience or knowledge of how this stuff works going into it. Justine isn't one to back down from a challenge. Her career blossomed from there. Tune in and find out how... | |||
| Episode 96 Bryson Roatch @brysonroatch (Creative Director) | 03 Oct 2022 | 01:01:19 | |
Bryson Roatch is a creative director based in Los Angeles California. He started his career working with his older brother Jacoby Shaddix's band Papa Roatch. After proving himself as a valuable asset to the band he eventually became their full time creative director. From there his career really took off. While he is still the creative director for Papa Roatch he now works with multiple clients. His client list now consists of a ton of big names including The Struts, Tom Morello, Steve Aoki, Three Days Grace, and many more. Tune in and get inspired by his incredible journey. In this episode we discuss growing up with a rockstar, struggling with your identity, work life balance, being a self taught creative, cold calling clients, how to stay ahead of trends, how to go viral, why touring full time isn't always the goal, how to build a name for yourself, and much more. | |||
| Episode 95 Miguel Pichardo @9ichardo (Artist) | 26 Sep 2022 | 00:52:07 | |
Miguel Pichardo is a fine artist based in Los Angeles, California. Miguel hasn't done very many long form interviews like this, so I was honored to be given the chance to share his story. He only became a full time artist 5 years ago after a hard fought life until that point. Have you ever died before? Miguel believes that he has, and it changed his life completely. Tune in and hear the whole story. | |||
| Episode 94 Rikki Hixx @rikkihixx (Hollywood Hairstylist) | 19 Sep 2022 | 00:44:28 | |
Rikki Hixx is a Los Angeles based hairstylist originally from St. Louis, Missouri. Rikki was a bit of a late bloomer and spent a long time bouncing around jobs and cities before finding his calling cutting hair for Hollywood types. In this episode we discuss growing up somewhere that you don't fit in, tattoo apprenticeships, wanting to be a rockstar, what hard work looks like, and how you go from $5 haircuts on a military base to $115 haircuts for movie stars. | |||
| Episode 93 Derrick Fox @chefderrickfox (Celebrity Chef) | 12 Sep 2022 | 00:59:59 | |
Chef Derrick Fox is known around the world as the punk rock chef as well as the 2nd place contestant on MasterChef Season 6. He is back on tv for MasterChef season 12. Derrick grew up playing the drums in a successful rock band. His band was touring around the country as the number one unsigned band on MySpace before he decided to switch his focus to food. When he was selected to be a contestant on MasterChef he became a household name overnight. Unfortunately he didn't have much of a plan at the time for what to do after the show was over. This time around he is ready with his new cookie brand freshly announced called Epic Mega Cookie Co. Tune in and hear stories of cooking for Seth McFarlane, playing drums on pots and pans, instant messaging thousands of people to come to shows, touring the country as an unsigned band with no help, and so much more. | |||
| Episode 92 Dominique Dafney (Green Bay Packers) | 05 Sep 2022 | 00:47:06 | |
Dominique Dafney is NFL player that plays the Tight End position for the Green Bay Packers. I took the short drive from Eau Claire to Green Bay to record this podcast with him during his spare time while he was attending OTA's. Although he was born in North Carolina he spent most of his childhood growing up in Des Moines, Iowa. Growing up he was involved in all kinds of things from every sport out there to musicals and even tap dance. While in high school he started to zero in on his dream of playing football in the NFL. His collegiate journey was crazy enough as it is, but having the pandemic hit just as he was trying to get his first NFL contract made things even more complicated. Despite all the challenges he's now found himself catching touchdowns from Aaron Rodgers himself as a member of the Green Bay Packers. | |||
| Episode 91 Jake LaCoste (Music Artist) | 16 Jul 2022 | 01:38:53 | |
Jake LaCoste is a Wisconsin based Rap/Hip Hop artist with his own brand Throttle Clan. He grew up in my hometown of Eau Claire, WI. He started rapping at a young age, but unfortunately also started abusing drugs at a young age too. His journey has been full of ups and downs. He's always made music, but stayed a struggling artist for a very long time due to his struggles with addiction. After going sober several years ago his path has completely changed. Now an advocate for sobriety, healthy values, fitness, family, and chasing your dreams his music has changed along with it. It's time he became the role model for his kids and fans the way he always wanted to me. Tune in and hear an inspiring story of redemption. It's never too late to get your life on track and start chasing your dreams... | |||
| Episode 90 Fuller Moe (Apparel Designer, Online Educator) | 20 Jun 2022 | 01:17:11 | |
Fuller Moe is a Chippewa Falls native that attended college at UWEC in my hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He is a designer and educator that has worked with countless household names in the music industry including Childish Gambino, Snoop Dogg, Paul McCartney, Miley Cyrus, and more. He grew up heavily into the music scene playing in bands and designing tees. While still in college he had already started designing for big name bands including Paramore and New Found Glory. Realizing he was already doing the job he was going to school for, he dropped out and moved down to Florida to take a full time design job. For years he grew his skill set and worked with larger and larger names before eventually going solo. A lot has happened during his journey and his stories are worth hearing that's for sure. Tune in and hear us discuss how to design band merch, how to work with bands, how to find work online, how to grow a following on social media, how to use Facebook ads effectively, how to build working relationships, and so much more. | |||
| Episode 215 Cleen Rock One | 09 Feb 2026 | 01:03:38 | |
In this episode of The Passion Pod, we sit down with tattoo icon and Ink Master fan-favorite Clean Rock One—widely known as one of the most televised tattooers in Ink Master history. Filmed at the Minneapolis Arts Tattoo Festival, Clean opens up about the real stories behind his name, his early days in graffiti, getting arrested, almost joining the army, and how tattooing became his life. We also get into the behind-the-scenes reality of Ink Master: auditions, casting, producer strategy, what it’s like living on set, how the critiques are filmed, how much contestants get paid, and why “doing great tattoos” isn’t enough to survive reality TV. Clean shares his favorite and least favorite Ink Master tattoos, what he wishes the show rewarded artistically, and how TV fame changed the kinds of clients he attracts. Plus: Clean talks about selling Golden Skull Tattoo in Las Vegas (and passing it to his son), building the Chrome Gypsy Compound in Kewanee, Illinois (a school turned into a tattoo shop/bar/arcade/event space), and his goal to turn it into a must-see art destination. Featured Guest: Clean Rock One Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: @passionpod TikTok: @passionpodofficial | |||
| Episode 89 Grace Reiter (TikTok Comedian) | 13 Jun 2022 | 01:00:23 | |
Grace Reiter is a TikTok star from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Grace has always been quirky and funny, but just before the pandemic hit one of her videos went viral. That video now has more than 13 million views and her following has grown to 1.7 million on the platform. With those kind of numbers she must be funny right? Yup, I can vouch for her there. At the time of this interview she had just returned from her first big job out in Los Angeles. Grace, along with 6 other big TikTokers, had just finished recording for a new skit based show on TikTok called Stapleview. With that experience under her belt she now plans to move out to Los Angeles full time to pursue acting and comedy. Doing stand up on Drew Barrymore's show didn't hurt either. In this episode we discuss how to grow on TikTok, how to get a manager, how to find acting jobs, working at Ace Hardware, how to go viral, how to make a career on social media, and much more. | |||
| Episode 88 Brett Freund @bfreundly (Ceramics Artist) | 06 Jun 2022 | 01:08:27 | |
Brett Freund is a ceramics artist originally from Pittsburg that is now based in Minneapolis Minnesota. He's earned a graduate degree in ceramics and built a name for himself in the industry. His work is instantly recognizable with his unique signature style that you would have to see for yourself to truly appreciate. Brett was kind enough to welcome me into his home and let us record this episode inside his studio. In this episode we discuss what it takes to be a full time artist, ceramics residencies, getting a graduate degree, how to apply for art grants, side hustles, and the life of someone pursuing their passions. | |||
| Episode 87 Josh Remter (Motocross Racer) | 30 May 2022 | 01:00:43 | |
Josh Remter is a Wisconsin based motocross racer and influencer. Josh has been racing for nearly his entire life as early as he can remember. Spending every weekend at the race track with his family has given him some really unique experiences. The motocross community really isn't all that big yet so he was able to meet a ton of big name racers over the years. He's even spent time hanging around with the most famous of them all, Travis Pastrana. Tune in and hear how he started racing, how he had a motocross video go viral, how to balance school and racing, how to find time to race motocross while having a full time job, how to find sponsors for motocross, how to find a paid apprenticeship, how to build a social media following, how to build a personal brand, and so much more. | |||