Who's This For

Michael Perry on writing, singing, mentoring, and John Prine’s cigarette guy

“Michael Perry is the kind of author who makes you scrap your lead sentence five times when you write about him. His prose is so full of poignant adjectives it’s like a silage-stuffed silo at the end of autumn – warm, pungent, and ready to nourish.” Me - 2014 Catching up with Michael Perry is a true joy. He’s someone I’ve been honored to know for a little over 15 years and I respect the good gracious out of him. In our discussion we chat about noticing things and interacting with society, finding our own joy and journeys, and beautiful mentors we have met along the way. We also talk about rural and urban life in a way people don’t very often in my opinion and that’s the community you find in them. That community oftentimes doesn’t look like you or may not even believe things you do, but they are dear and have lessons they teach along the way. I’m beyond thrilled for you to hear this chat, so give yourself an hour and enjoy.

Steve Slocum and Megan Bies on making cancer care feel human through speaking to people where they are at

As this podcast has evolved, I’ve realized I’m interested in talking to people who are helping make sense of this journey through life, including the shit we're scared to death of.That’s what made this conversation with Steve Slocum and Megan from Green Bay Oncology so compelling to me.Throughout our chat, we explore rural cancer care in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula, communicating difficult information with empathy, and the challenge of making large healthcare systems feel personal and approachable.We also discuss the Cancer Covered podcast, how patients process fear and uncertainty, and why communication matters so much when people are making life altering decisions.It’s a conversation about trust, humanity, and the people working to make sure no one feels alone during the hardest moments of their life and I’m glad to welcome you in.

Robyne Robinson on Twin Cities news, emotional equity, and sharing the buzz with Prince

When I decided to focus on this podcast and invite guests who have intrigued me throughout my life, Robyne Robinson was at the top of that list. Not only was she a news anchor I admired on KMSP, she’s also someone I knew was fostering the art scene in my early 20s through her galleries. So this discussion wasn’t just a treat, it was the full meal. Throughout our chat, we explore art scenes in Minnesota and New Mexico, Robyne’s remarkable career in news and art, and a concept she defines as “emotional equity.” This is the buy-in we all feel when we see something beautiful in public that we identify with when a place becomes part of who we are. It’s not just a philosophical idea, it’s the foundation behind placemaking in architecture and urban design. It’s a conversation about how we see ourselves in the places we live and I’m glad to welcome you in.

Matty Staudt on podcasting with love and being immortalized in Cars

It’s not often I get to talk with someone that helped shape mediums I genuinely love. So my chat with Matty Staudt was a thrill. Matty co-founded Stitcher before the iPhone era, helped launch the iHeartRadio Podcast Network, and now works with creators through Creator X helping connect smaller shows with brands that actually fit their audiences. He’s someone who has seen podcasting from the very beginning and is still thinking carefully about where it’s going. I’d especially encourage you to listen to this one if you’ve ever thought about starting a podcast yourself, or if you just want to hear how someone who’s spent a career in radio and podcasting thinks about connecting with an audience in a real way.

Jim McGuinn On Finding Your Voice In Radio And Life

For nearly forty years Jim McGuinn has been a familiar voice, playing amazing music on the radio. He has introduced countless bands, programmed stations that shape entire music scenes, and carried a name that is not the one he was born with. In this conversation for Who’s This For we sit down to talk about what it means to be yourself when a microphone is always in front of you. Jim tells the story of how a first boss suggested his real last name was “too ethnic,” and how choosing McGuinn set the stage for a lifetime of radio. From there we move into the craft of being on air as he explains how to speak naturally when every second is planned, how to keep your excitement honest, and why good radio is like telling a story at a party. Jim shares his approach to programming, the balance of surprise and comfort that keeps a station alive, and the philosophy he calls the “spoke and wheel.” We also look ahead at the future of broadcasting, talking about artificial intelligence as a tool that can help but should never replace the human connection that draws people to music in the first place. This episode is for anyone who creates music, podcasts, brands, or experiences and wonders how to stay true to themselves while still performing for an audience. Jim’s insight is a reminder that authenticity is not an accident. It is a skill and a choice, and it can make a voice on the radio feel like a friend in the room. Find Jim: xpn.org/ [https://xpn.org/] Find this Podcast: linktr.ee/WhoIsThisFor [https://linktr.ee/WhoIsThisFor]