Paul Martin is a former NHL Hockey & U of M Gophers defensemen. Paul co-founded Shine a Ligh7, a non-profit focusing on youth mental health organizing events, funds and programs to provide youth to express their musical outlets. Enjoy! Please donate and support our mental health fundraiser HERE - [https://crowdfund.umn.edu/campaign/Backpocket](http…

Mark Dowdle is a great friend, reoccuring guest, and ultra marathon athlete. Mark discusses his recent accomplishment running 484.5 miles and raising $53k in 9 days during his Love Like Laurie Legacy run, his enthusiasm behind his recent “Run and Plunge” events he’s been doing with Embrace North, and we look ahead to the big ideas to come for 2023.…

Emily Rooney is a dear friend we met freezing our asses off together when we took plunges in the ICE COLD Cedar Lake with Embrace North in Winter ‘22. We talk to Emily about her career working in professional sports with the Vikings, Seattle Krakken and now THE Big Ten Conference. We gain fruitful insight on her mental health journey and touch on h…

The boys of BP have officially launched their $50,000 mental health fundraiser with the Masonic Childrens Hospital in the Twin Cities. They catch everyone up to speed on how the fundraiser came to be and how it is going. They also reflect on the accomplishments this year with the DNP and spill a little tea about the MASSIVE things coming in 2023 - …

Jeff Cole is a renowned pop culture artist who is the cofounder of Ikonick (a motivational canvas wall art company backed by Gary Vee & Scooter Braun) and creator of Sneaks of Nature (a web3 sneaker inpspired franchise). Jeff is a from the suburbs of Chicago and knew he was going to be a artist as early as the age 5 or 6. Decky sits down to discuss…

Parker Olson is the founder of Forij - a functional mushroom company providing food products in grocery stores all around the country! Decky catches Parker on his travels accross the country in his Forij Van and they discuss the "fake it til you make it" creation of the company, why Parker has a pair of shorts in police custody in LA, and why it's …

After many months of being away, we are back! With the Date Night Podcast Season 2 recently wrapping up, the boys are back in the studio to discuss what's new in their lives and within the company. We share some of our favorite DNP Season 2 memories, talk about what's changed, and look ahead to the future of Backpocket. Enjoy!…

Don Liimatainen is the CEO and founder of the Best Christmas Ever organization, a local Minneapolis nonprofit that helps families in need have an amazing Christmas. Last year Backpocket and Straight Candid worked with the Best Christmas Ever organization and the community raised over $10,000 for a local family in need! Your kindness paid for gifts …

Shawn Gold is the CEO and founder of Pilgrim Soul, an education and cannabis brand meant to stimulate creativity. Shawn has so much experience working with huge brands and has used his wisdom and knowledge to build his own company. Listen in to learn more about his brand, his relationship advice, and what pushes him to keep chopping wood. Enjoy!…

Ben Zaver is the founder of Seeq, a brand new protein powder that is a clear, crisp and refreshing alternative to traditional thick and milky protein shakes. Throughout the quarantine of 2020, Ben spent countless hours working on creating the product as well as establishing his brand. We have fun throughout this podcast creating content ideas and h…

Chad Heegaard is the founder Cheegs Apparel - A sustainably sourced, ethically made business apparel for the modern man. Chad's hunger for adventure drove him away from the corporate world and eventually led him to Athens, Greece where he biked around the Balkan countries. Shortly thereafter he made his way to China to teach English and ultimately …

This week on the show we welcome Kris Clewell, adventurer and author of his upcoming novel The Primrose Triangle. We talk about car ego, creating adventures while traveling, being a father, the process of writing a novel, and so much more. We hope you enjoy!

Andrew and Declan catch up and reflect on their summer as they trade stories on bringing energy to the dance floor at weddings (now that they've both attended one). Decky also finds himself in a pecular spot at the Nuclear power plant in AZ and if you listen to that story on the podcast please be aware that the information spilt in that story is co…

Sam Harper is the co-founder of Hippy Feet, an eco-friendly sock brand that donates a pair of socks for each pair purchased. He is celebrating his 5 year anniversary! With well-over 20,000 pairs of socks donated, Hippy Feet also helps the community by employing 16-24 year olds who are experiencing homelessness. Hippy Feet wears the title of "tree-h…

Michael and Tyler are the founders of Content Machine, a comedy sketch brand that is taking off on social media (check out their TikTok)! BFFs since 4th grade, Michael and Tyler have been making hilarious and creative sketches for over 10 years. They discuss the process behind their work and some of the stories they've used for inspiration. Enjoy!…

We introduce our newest project, Finding Felony, that we HIGHLY ENCOURAGE you to go check out when it releases hopefully next week (thank you to Apple Podcasts for the delay) and we deliver an inside look at how our journey to Mars is going. Enjoy!

Hannah Perez is the founder of Awake Social, a marketing agency focused on helping small businesses. She recently returned from living the van life on a trip from Minneapolis to Yellowstone seeing Sioux Falls, the Badlands, Rapid City, and the Devil's Tower along the way. She discusses everything she experienced from the trip and about other life e…

Jordyn Woodruff is an assistant strategist at Hearts & Science and a TikTok guru. In the midst of the pandemic last year, Jordyn started creating TikToks on entertainment news around unconventional celebrity TikTokers, AKA "U-listers". It wasn't always easy, as the growth was slow at the beginning, but she stuck to it and continued to chop wood unt…

Patrick is the founder of The Harrier, a running culture apparel brand and former founder of the infamous, short-lived "Too Good for the MIAC" apparel brand. He is also a long-time listener of the Backpocket and has been listening regularly for almost 300 of our episodes. He first tuned in while he was in Bulgaria where he was teaching at a foreign…

Austin is a good friend and founder of Jochum Strength, a strength and conditioning facility focused on training athletes across the greater Twin Cities area and online across the world. Austin recently just moved into his brand new gym after spending his first 3 years in a 400 square foot gym that most nights he slept out of (he can now admit this…

TWINSICK is the infamous DJ duo that headlined Boatche**a 2021. Alex Ingalls & Casey Schnieder started TWINSICK back in 2019 after they met at a Two Friends concert where Alex was shooting video and Casey was opening as a solo act (his former artist name was simply, Casey Audio). We recap the insanity that was Boatche**a 2021 and we dive into how t…

From speed shades to CO2 cannons, we cover everything you can expect to see at the Boat Party That Got A Cease And Desist From Coachella. We cover the itinerary and perks aboard, so listen up and get pumped! We're stoked for performances by Twinsick and Bayo and just a downright rowdy time. Huge thank you to our title sponsors, Low Fuel & UNRL, and…

Brandon is the head of content at Ikonick, a canvas art company centered around motivation and inspiration. He recently closed the doors on his former marketing agency, Social Butterfly, and took on this new venture with Ikonick. He paacked his bags and relocated to Scottsdale, AZ. This podcast is a conversation between Declan and Brandon as they u…

John Inserra, father of host Andrew Inserra, recently founded a non-profit organization called For Our Shared Humanity (FOSH). FOSH was created to shape and share an educational, cross-generational voice focused on strengthening the indivisibility rooted in the common ground upon which we all walk. The FOSH mission is to inspire, promote and educat…

Joe Koezly is a digital creator and photographer who simply started out as an average teenager wanting to learn the ins and outs of design tools to make graphics of athletes. From networking after high school, to working at Social Butterfly, to his current position as photographer and social media content manager at Team IFA, Joe shares insights fr…

Getting a cease and desist from Coachella is actually the coolest thing that's ever happened to us. Listen to the full back story as to how it developed and our new plan of attack. OH AND BY THE WAY WE SOLD OUT THE BOAT PARTY THAT GOT A CEASE AND DESIST FROM COACHELLA. Enjoy!

Declan Goff is first and foremost, a man named Declan. He works for Skor North as the Executive Producer of two Minnesota sports shows, manages social media and often co-hosts covering Minnesota sports teams. Men named Declan are few and far between, but when they find each other, they band together. They ride or die. Listen in for the ultimate Dec…

Kristina joins Dec on the pod as the official first guest in the RV mobile studio (a name will be later developed). After clearing the air of a few nervous farts, these two dive in on how their paths collided in the last year and has now culminated to these two living in an RV in the middle of the desert. Enjoy! Buy your Boatchella tickets HERE…

After 3 years in our attic studio on the third floor of our home (commonly known as Colfax Lanes), we have officially moved out of our studio. This is our first in person podcast in awhile as Decky is back in the sandbox for the weekend. Catch up with how Dec's new living situation is as of February, Jack's issues with his bladder, and Matt's issue…

Wells Brose is a Minnetonka LEGEND, quite literally speaking to us from a boat on the lake. Wells is the co-founder of UffDa Adventures, the ultimate pedal pub on water, creator of the Breast Cancer fundraising initiative, Tonka Tatas, and all-around giving and kind-hearted person. He touches on the Minnesota Nice stigma, accepting and overcoming f…

Callan Faulkner is VP of Experience at Kennedy Rowe Collective, level-headed business woman, mentor, and advocate for female entrepreneurs. Former University of St. Thomas student, Callan played on the soccer team and majored in business after switching from sports health science. Callan's love for startups has catalyzed her personal and profession…

Ben Sarbacker is a Social Media Specialist, ultimate meme guy, and integral part of the Date Night Podcast production. Ben is also the creator and co-host of Sarby Studios YouTube channel and podcast. Attending Iowa State for college, Ben majored in Marketing, worked with his first marketing agency, and began to learn more about who he is throughou…

Matthew Gorzlancyk traveled from Wisconsin to Argentina with his bicycle after graduating college. He talks positivity and maintaining sense of mind in taking on and overcoming challenges. Matthew has a unique outlook on life filled with passion and excitement surrounding the way he takes on each day. The thoughts he speaks are inspiring and though…

Patrick Hardie is the host of Top 5 Podcast and one of the first kings we've hosted in the making of Season One of Date Night Podcast - Kings and Kweens. He's an Advertising Strategist at Media Bridge Advertising and has a love for theater and music. Patrick is outgoing, headstrong, well-spoken, and beyond. Enjoy!…

Ann and Lo are the cofounders of the Minny Hustlers, a fitness brand with workout guides for anyone and everyone. They launched the brand in 24 hours after Minnesota shut down gyms for the second time in November 2020 and they've had a CRAZY journey since then. These ladies have so much passion behind what they do and we're excited to share that to…

Alexandra Zauner is the founder of a new mother empowerment community, Embolden, and host of Creating Ripples Podcast, a podcast focused on cultivating community and providing inspiration through uplifting and intimate conversations. Alex is a new mom and General Manager at Alchemy in Highland Park. She previously worked at Summit Orthopedics worki…

This week we chat with Emma Sievers, founder of BA Women - a community that connects badass women who aim to go beyond limits and hold conversations for what's possible through experience. Emma started the company in 2018 with her first BA Women conference in Minneapolis that had over 200 in attendance. Hear how Emma pivoted her business and greate…

We welcome Patton Fitzpatrick this week to talk football, stocks, trading in sports, and the impact of word of mouth advertising. Patton is a good friend of ours and fellow University of St. Thomas alum who is cofounder of a a trading company called SimBull. Another topic Patton touches on is focusing on making decisions for his life and learning t…

How do you win in the podcast industry? How do you remain confident in yourself and the content you're putting out? We're here to answer these questions and more. We discuss taking time to find what value podcasting has for both you and your listeners. Another huge topic we touch on - believing in yourself and being your authentic self. Enjoy!…

Devin is the founder of 6th Floor Trading - an exclusive community of high level & driven trading professionals all excelling towards the same goal. We dive into ALL things stonks, crypto, and how to build a portfolio. If you are someone like us who is new to the world of trading in the stock market, then this podcast is entirely for you. Enjoy! Si…

Take a walk down memory lane with us as we celebrate our 300th episode! We had the opportunity to talk to multiple guests about our favorite Backpocket moments! Guests include... Carol Inserra - 12:55 Back for her third appearance on the podcast, Carol talks to us about being with us from the very the beginning. Not only is she Andrew's mother, she…

After a successful first round of call-ins last week from members of the community discussing things they have recently started, we host another 6 people this week! Guests include... Clara Cott (9:07) - Co-founder of Speak Pet Board, a modern button training for pets Michelle Dolezal (19:22) - Co-owner of It Girl Jewelry and founder of Mischelly Me…

This week we take 7 different call-ins from our interns (people who follow along with and share ideas and takeaways from The Backpocket) - to discuss what they created in 2020. We hear from... James Farrow (10:40) - Channel Sales Development Representative at Arctic Wolf Julian Cavin (22:30) - Founder of Low Fuel Inc., an app-based company that bri…

Mark Amick is a Chiropractic Student at Northwestern Health Sciences University and a good friend of ours. He manages classes along with the internship he recently started. We talk power tools, high-stress moments and external pressure, self-improvement, and card games to name a few. Listen to find out what about 2020 shocked Mark, his newfound tim…

Lauren Pahl has been our intern since February of this year, executing content coordination and various marketing tasks for The Backpocket. In addition to marketing work, she has helped with putting on Boatchella over the summer and helped with much of the work that went into Best Christmas Ever. Lauren is a junior at the University of St. Thomas s…

Jason Kunz, the cofounder of Best Christmas Ever, joins the show as we detail our story raising $10,000 for a local Minneapolis family and delivering gifts to them this past Saturday. The emotions were buzzing before, during and after the big drop and all of that and much more is detailed within this very podcast. Enjoy! DONATE TO HELP SUPPORT HERE…

Andy's Embrace North 31 minute ice bath experience left everyone inspired and helped raise more than $2,000 for our Best Christmas Ever charity. We discuss how our promotion efforts have been as we prepare for our BIG surprise day. On our surprise day we will deliver all the gifts to our local family in need and we are feeling ALL of the emotions. …

This week we discuss how, with the help of the Backpocket community, we achieved our initial goal with Best Christmas Ever and raised $5,000 for the family in need that we selected to surprise. We've now extended our goal to shoot for the stars and raise $10,000 before it's time to purchase their gifts. Hear about how we tried to record a podcast t…

Dec and Andy provide some early reflections on the year and, overall, how great it's been (honestly). We pour a shit ton of gratitude into this episode and some of it makes sense and some of it you'll be left thinking "why were they thankful that THAT happened this year?" Enjoy. DONATE to our Best Christmas Ever page! This will help support a famil…