Karissa went across states on the inter-webs to have this powerful conversation with Ryan Botner.
Who is Ryan? For over 17 years, Ryan Botner has been positively impacting the lives of thousands of people through his motivational speaking, HIGH-Level Sales, and business consulting. A true entrepreneur, Ryan has started and operated numerous businesses producing TENS of millions of dollars in revenue. Now his life purpose is to spread his message to the world.
Ryan and Karissa have a powerful conversation about the past spanning business, success, failure, addiction, brokenness, and finally healing + growth.
Karissa Dunham sat down with Seran Otterson from Rumi Wall Design.
From painting tiles to creating and painting custom murals to being featured in Europe's most popular tile magazine. Seran’s journey is full of depth, culture, and creativity. This conversation goes far beyond the paint and into the heart of her story — her openness, her travels, her love for art, and the passion she shares through everything she creates.
From the wealth of knowledge she’s gathered across countries to the heart she brings to Minnesota, this episode is filled with insight, inspiration, and connection that will keep you listening until the very end.
One of our favorite takeaways is that sometimes it’s the people you don’t agree with who help you grow the most. When you take the time to have those open conversations and truly understand where someone is coming from, you realize you can still care deeply even when you see things differently.
🎧 Tune in to this week’s episode of Shining Light on Minnesota and let Seran’s journey remind you how much beauty there is in following your passion and learning from every person you meet along the way.
#ShiningLightOnMinnesota #PodcastDrop #MinnesotaCreatives #RumiWalls #ArtInspiration #Community #LocalStories #Growth #Connection
💡This week we decided to switch things up and give the opportunity for our listeners to meet our team!
Karissa is joined by the marketing team, John Brickweg, who produces Shining Light on Minnesota.
They discuss backgrounds, origins, and experiences.
🎨 Finally, two announcements were made at the end of the episode! Listen to learn more.
Enjoy!
Today, Karissa Dunham sat down with Emmanuel Wheagar — author of Modern Servant Leader and a Minneapolis business owner who truly lives out what it means to lead with purpose.
In this episode, Emmanuel shares his inspiring journey and what has shaped him into the leader he is today — from the influence of faith and family to the lessons learned through humility, mentoring others, and giving back to his community.
Together, they dive into what true leadership looks like: serving first, leading with integrity, setting intentional goals, and lifting others up along the way. Emmanuel’s insights are a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t about position or recognition — it’s about impact and heart.
This conversation is full of wisdom, authenticity, and inspiration for anyone striving to grow personally and professionally.
Host Karissa Dunham sat down with Lee Dorholt from Fluid Interiors for a conversation that goes way beyond business. From Shriners Children’s work worldwide, to first responders and veterans, to the simple power of picking up the phone and saying, “I care”—this episode is full of wisdom, kindness, and lessons on making a real difference. 🌎💡
Take a listen—you’ll walk away inspired and maybe even ready to make someone’s day better.
#ShiningLightOnMinnesota #Leadership #Inspiration #Kindness #MinnesotaVoices #MakingADifference
This week, Host Karissa Dunham had the privilege of sitting down with Trisha Miller, owner of Ah-sirt Body.Beauty.Balance in Zumbrota, MN.
We covered so much during our conversation, from health and wellness to the ups and downs of small business ownership, the importance of really listening to your body, and how finding the right instruction can completely change your results. Trisha also shared the value of Pilates, the role of proper technique, and how personal training can make a real difference. 🙌
We even dove into women in business, hair and nail salons, farming, and the journey of balancing it all. So many life lessons came forward from struggles and setbacks to successes, and the power of staying true to yourself.
And yes… I even got to try the reformer 👀. Trisha gave me a full tour of her beautiful studio space, equipment, and even shared how she offers rentals or will come to you. Such an inspiring episode with so much to take away truly grateful for the chance to shine a light on Trisha and her story!
#ShiningLightOnMinnesota #HealthAndWellness #WomenInBusiness #Pilates #MinnesotaSmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #MindBodyBalance #SmallBusinessSpotlight #CommunityStrength #WellnessJourney
This week on Shining Light on Minnesota we had the absolute honor of sitting down with Kelly Williamson and Lisa Bailey—two powerhouse executives who completely blew me away with their knowledge, strength, and perspective. 🙌
We dove into:
🔹 Marketing & sales roles
🔹 The challenges of today’s tough job market
🔹 Their long careers of success and how that experience shapes their job search today
🔹 The importance of examining your skills, the way you present your value, and how to keep growing through transitions
One of the biggest takeaways? Sometimes you have to step back and take a real, honest look at yourself. That can mean getting coaching, re-marketing yourself, and even relearning who you are—not just professionally, but personally. It’s powerful, uncomfortable at times, but necessary for real growth. 💡
It was such a real, eye-opening conversation about resilience, transition, and finding new ways to rise in today’s market. 🌟
On this week’s podcast we sit down with Jendayi Berry of Jendayi Berry Art. Jendayi is more than an artist—he’s also a business owner running his own painting and wallpaper company, JBA Jendayi Berry Art. His passion for fine art really shines through, but what makes this conversation so good is how far we go beyond just the art itself.
We talk about the grind and the beauty of business ownership, what it’s like to navigate contracts and construction, the importance of mentoring and networking, and how small businesses build community. Jendayi also opens up about family—his wife, his kids, and everything they’ve got going on—and how that all ties back into his work and purpose.
It’s a conversation about art, business, storytelling, and life all wrapped into one.
We had the absolute honor of welcoming two extraordinary heroes on today’s episode, Colonel B. Wayne Quist and Dr. Steve Lansing from Veterans Empowered Inc.These two are more than veterans; they are lifesavers, heroes, advocates, and authors who are making a real difference in the lives of those who have served.💥 They've co-authored three powerful books (soon to be FOUR!) written to support veterans battling PTSD, with the upcoming release specifically for spouses of service members.
📚 Every book is given away for FREE to those who need it most — our veterans and warriors in crisis. You’ll hear their inspiring stories of military service, their time in Vietnam, and the incredible impact they’re making today.🙏 Right now, they’re seeking support to help fund the next book. Let’s help them continue this life-saving mission.🔗 Learn more or donate: https://www.vetsempowered.org/
We’re excited to share a powerful conversation with Collins Oppong, founder of Beyond Seasons Golf Tournament and Beyond Media Entertainment.
We discussed how golf is becoming more than a sport—it’s becoming a movement. Although Collins only recently picked up golf himself, he quickly discovered how much it offers: from personal focus and stress relief to networking and building community. Now, he’s on a mission to make golf accessible, welcoming, and inclusive for everyone—especially young people and those who’ve never seen themselves represented on the course.
We talk about how golf can be a space for mentorship, growth, and connection—and how the sport can (and should) belong to all of us.
Rachel Edwards is the Founder & CEO Insperai Inc. This company "is the leader in Personality Intelligence, bringing next-generation insights to how individuals, teams, and organizations understand and optimize human potential."
Karissa and Rachel had a wonderful conversation ranging from personal value to finding success in business.
It was an absolute pleasure to have Rachel on the show and we hope you enjoy the conversation.
Matt Kading is a Regional Sales Manager at 3M Films with a strong background in the graphic space. He has been with 3M just shy of 20 years. It's safe to say he truly knows his company. It's also true that he knows his clients needs, and that he truly is someone who listens.
Matt and Karissa discuss his career, window film, and present day adventures. There was a lot to cover, especially because of the long established relationship between our companies.
We greatly appreciate, Matt, here at Sun Control and we were so excited to have him on the podcast.
Erica Haataja and Ali (Alexandra Ohland) are the powerhouse duo behind this young, ambitious, women-owned post-construction commercial cleaning business making serious waves in the male-dominated construction field. They're not afraid to hold their own, and it shows.
Nordic Shine is prompt, professional, and consistently leaves every job cleaner and better than expected. They're always pushing to try new things, growing their name, adding more crew members and positions so Erica can step even further into her role as Boss Lady, CEO, and wear all the hats she's meant to.
They just added a new van to the fleet, and they’re only getting started. Our conversation was full of laughs, inspiration, and real talk about what it takes to build a business that truly shines. Don’t miss this one.
Recorded remotely at the historic Interlachen Country Club, this is our first ever podcast live on the course! Our guest who Karissa Dunham get's to sit down with? None other than Dr. Luke Benoit — founder of Ryp Golf, creator of RypStick, and one of the leading minds in golf swing mechanics, motor learning, and speed training.Dr. Benoit isn’t just a coach — he’s a Ph.D. whose research dives deep into how golfers actually learn and retain better mechanics.
In this episode, we unpack some game-changing ideas that form the foundation of his new book, “The 7-Step Swing Change™”, and the newly launched Ryp Ignite Coaching Program — a powerful one-two punch designed to help golfers at every level finally break through plateaus. We cover a ton, including:
What makes this episode different is that it doesn’t just tell you what to do — it digs into how your brain actually learns motor skills and what that means for your golf game.
🧠 Whether you're trying to gain 10 mph in swing speed, finally fix that over-the-top move, or better structure your practice sessions, Dr. Benoit shares insights that could truly change your trajectory.
🎧 The episode is LIVE NOW on all platforms.
📺 Bonus content (including drills and visual breakdowns) is dropping soon on YouTube.
From Spanish Immersion School to working in the corporate-commercial world and then back to his roots, Scott Carlson joins Karissa on this week’s episode of Shining Light on Minnesota.
Scott shares about his journey of striking out on his own,traveling, and building a career, starting a family of his own and how, ultimately, that has lead him back to his family’s business, where he joined the team this year at A.C. Carlson Appliances.
Scott's story is one of meaning and drive and we're so excited to share it with you!
What an honor of a Mother Trucker! 💥 We had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the one and only ODB retired pro wrestler, TNA legend, food truck queen, and all-around powerhouse 💪🔥
She’s our latest guest on Shining Light on Minnesota, and trust us you do not want to miss this one.
We go deep into it all:
🏆 TNA wrestling & championship belts
🔥 Life on the road
👊 4 individual championships, 1 tag team title and a whole lot of hustle. She didn’t just compete she proved she was equal, not just another pretty face, but a force built on determination and hard work.
🍖 BBQ & the birth of the famous ODB’s Meat & Greet food truck
🚚Life after the ring and what’s next!
From her Minnesota roots to the wrestling ring to feeding fans across the country, Jessie Kresa is a force. Hit play and hear why she’s not just a wrestling icon but a true inspiration.
🎧 Episode out NOW stream it wherever you get your podcasts!
#ShiningLightOnMinnesota #ODB #JessieKresa #WrestlingLegend #FoodTruckLife #WomenInWrestling #MinnesotaStrong #PodcastDrop #MeetAndGreet #shininglight #podcast #podcasters
Erik Haugen, a leader of people, a natural trainer, and head of sales teams joins Karissa on this week's episode to discuss life and business. Erik takes us through his journey of developing in the corporate world to striking out on his own offering contracting and coaching services.
We're riding the wave of inspiration from our latest episode of Shining Light on Minnesota! Karissa Dunham had the privilege of sitting down with two of the strongest people she's ever met—Denis St Martin and his incredible wife, Anne—founders of the Pompe Warrior Foundation. Their journey is nothing short of awe‑inspiring: navigating the maze of Big Pharma, stepping into the world of rare diseases, and fighting every day for little Leo’s progress. Their courage, resilience, and unwavering hope will move you. More importantly, you’ll learn how you can join the fight, support the Pompe Warrior Foundation, and help fuel the next chapter in Leo’s story. Let’s shine a light together and make a real difference! #ShiningLightOnMN #PompeWarriorFoundation #HopeInAction
Jeff and Karissa sat down a few weeks ago to discuss White Bear Glass and the glass industry as a whole!
Karissa sits down with Evan Peterson from Sonus Interiors this week to discuss business, military experience, and growth!