From 350 to 10,000 Mums: Sam Taylor of Treasure Gardens on Building a Floral Empire in Missouri

From 350 to 10,000 Mums: Sam Taylor of Treasure Gardens on Building a Floral Empire in Missouri

The central theme of this podcast episode revolves around the remarkable journey of Sam Taylor, affectionately known as the "Cosby flower girl," who embodies the spirit of community and entrepreneurship in rural Missouri through her establishment, Treasure Gardens. In our engaging conversation, we delve into her innovative segment, "Tipsy Tuesday," which serves to blend gardening wisdom with a dash of whimsy, thereby fostering a local following that thrives on both knowledge and camaraderie. Sam shares her personal narrative, which reveals how her passion for horticulture blossomed from humble beginnings, ultimately leading her to create a flourishing business that resonates with the community. We explore the intricate challenges faced by small business owners, particularly in the realm of agriculture, emphasizing the dedication required to cultivate both plants and relationships within the community. This episode not only highlights the art of gardening but also underscores the importance of perseverance and creativity in building a vibrant local culture. Takeaways: * The podcast episode highlights the journey of a local entrepreneur who runs a gardening business, emphasizing the importance of community support. * Listeners are introduced to the unique gardening segment called 'Tipsy Tuesdays', which combines gardening tips with an entertaining format. * The episode discusses the challenges of running a small business, including the necessity of balancing multiple roles and responsibilities. * Listeners learn about the significance of soil health and the importance of proper watering techniques for plant care. * The podcast emphasizes the emotional connection to gardening, describing it as therapeutic and creatively fulfilling for the gardener. * The host and guest explore the impact of artificial intelligence on creativity and event planning in the context of small business ownership. Links referenced in this episode: * treasuregardensinavenuecity.com [https://treasuregardensinavenuecity.com] * ginas-cafe-and-catering.com [https://ginas-cafe-and-catering.com] * greaterthanfinancial.com [https://greaterthanfinancial.com] * elcrawfordconstruction.com [https://elcrawfordconstruction.com] * northcentralmissouricollege.edu [https://northcentralmissouricollege.edu] * scooterscoffeeandpancakes.com [https://scooterscoffeeandpancakes.com] Companies mentioned in this episode: * Treasure Gardens * Greater than financial * Woolman family's Deluxe Truck Stop * Gina's Cafe and Catering * E.L. Crawford Construction * North Central Missouri College * The Savannah Campus * Scooter's Coffee and Pancakes * Puffs and Suds * Hy-Vee * Coolcrest * Orlando Lakes The 39/94 Podcast - New episodes every week! Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The3994Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@The3994Podcast] Learn more about supporting The 39/94 Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/cw/The3994 [https://www.patreon.com/cw/The3994] Our sponsors: * North Central Missouri College ncmissouri.edu [https://ncmissouri.edu] * Scooter's Coffee Savannah & St. Joseph scooterscoffee.com [https://scooterscoffee.com] * Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop woolmanfamilytruckstop.com [https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/] * Gina's Cafe & Catering ginascafecatering.com [https://ginascafecatering.com] * E.L. Crawford Construction elcrawfordconstruction.com [https://elcrawfordconstruction.com] * Greater Than Financial https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/ [https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/]

Reviving the Andrew County Fair: Rodeo, Parade, Livestock Shows & Community Traditions

For generations, county fairs have brought communities together—and the Andrew County Fair Board is working hard to make sure that tradition continues. In this special bonus episode of The 39/94, Jodie sits down with Bryce Howard and Lindy Holt of the 2026 Andrew County Fair Board to discuss the exciting events planned for this year's fair and the volunteers working behind the scenes to make it happen. From the Roy & Lucille Leeson Memorial Rodeo and the Fair on the Square to livestock shows, the parade, community church service, car show, tractor pull, and more, Bryce and Lindy share how they're working to rebuild the fair into a celebration that offers something for every generation. The conversation also highlights the importance of agriculture in Andrew County, youth involvement through FFA and 4-H programs, and the role local volunteers and sponsors play in keeping community traditions alive. In this episode: • The history and revival of the Andrew County Fair • What to expect at this year's rodeo • Livestock shows and opportunities for local youth • The Fair on the Square, parade, car show, and tractor pull • Why agriculture remains vital to Andrew County • Farm safety and sharing the road with farm equipment • The volunteers and sponsors making it all possible • How community members can get involved Whether you're a lifelong fair-goer or have never attended before, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of Andrew County's biggest summer traditions. Learn more about fair events, schedules, volunteer opportunities, and parade registration through the Andrew County Fair Board. The 39/94 Podcast - New episodes every week! Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The3994Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@The3994Podcast] Learn more about supporting The 39/94 Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/cw/The3994 [https://www.patreon.com/cw/The3994] Our sponsors: * North Central Missouri College ncmissouri.edu [https://ncmissouri.edu] * Scooter's Coffee Savannah & St. Joseph scooterscoffee.com [https://scooterscoffee.com] * Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop woolmanfamilytruckstop.com [https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/] * Gina's Cafe & Catering ginascafecatering.com [https://ginascafecatering.com] * E.L. Crawford Construction elcrawfordconstruction.com [https://elcrawfordconstruction.com] * Greater Than Financial https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/ [https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/]

From St. Joe to Hollywood: Robert Maxfield on Sound, Storytelling, and the Novel That Brings It All Home

What does it take for a kid from St. Joseph, Missouri to spend four decades capturing the sound of Hollywood's biggest stories — and then come home to tell one of his own? This week on The 39/94, we sit down with Robert Maxfield — known in St. Joe as Bobby, known on set as Max, a production sound mixer and boom operator whose credits include Mission Impossible, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, Twister, Hawkeye, and Four Christmases. He's a two-time contributing Emmy Award winner, a Mizzou grad, and a St. Joseph native who traded ski lifts in Colorado for a career behind the mic in Hollywood. In this conversation, we cover a lot of ground: the adventurous spirit that took him from KKJO radio in St. Joe to promotional TV work in Savannah, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida before landing on the set of The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking — his first film. We talk about what it was like to work alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman on Twister, to mix scenes with Christian Bale, Jack Nicholson, and Shirley MacLaine, and to witness Tom Cruise arrive on the Mission Impossible 3 set with the energy of a man who runs entirely on rocket fuel and the words "attack, attack, attack." But what brings Max back to northwest Missouri — and to this podcast — is Joe Town, his debut novel. It's the story of an economist who returns to a fictionalized St. Joseph looking for answers and discovers that the data never had them. It's a book about open learning, systems thinking, curiosity, humility, and the kind of community identity that doesn't disappear — it waits. We talk about Joseph Rubidoux and why St. Joe's geography was always its destiny. We talk about what the city has forgotten and what it already knows. And we talk about Max's bigger dream: a TV series that puts St. Joseph on the map the way The Walking Dead put Senoia, Georgia on the map. This one is big. Pull up a chair. In this episode: * How a restless kid from St. Joe became one of Hollywood's go-to sound professionals * Behind-the-scenes stories from Twister, Mission Impossible 3, and Stranger Things * What Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Bill Paxton taught him about showing up * The origin story of Joe Town — and why now is exactly the right time for it * What "open learning" means and why Max believes it's the key to St. Joseph's future * Why the history of St. Joe isn't just something to remember — it's a launching pad Connect with Robert Maxfield: Find him on Facebook to learn whenJoetown: A Town Relearning What It Already Knew becomes available. The 39/94 Podcast - New episodes every Thursday. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The3994Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@The3994Podcast] Learn more about supporting The 39/94 Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/cw/The3994 [https://www.patreon.com/cw/The3994] Our sponsors: * North Central Missouri College ncmissouri.edu [https://ncmissouri.edu] * Scooter's Coffee Savannah & St. Joseph scooterscoffee.com [https://scooterscoffee.com] * Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop woolmanfamilytruckstop.com [https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/] * Gina's Cafe & Catering ginascafecatering.com [https://ginascafecatering.com] * E.L. Crawford Construction elcrawfordconstruction.com [https://elcrawfordconstruction.com] * Greater Than Financial https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/ [https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/] * Hair By Morgan Hontz https://www.facebook.com/hairbymorganhontz/ [https://www.facebook.com/hairbymorganhontz/]

Navigating Grief and Growth with Northwest Missouri's Wakefield Hare

Wakefield Hare is known throughout Northwest Missouri as a financial advisor, community leader, teacher, mentor, and pastor, but this conversation goes far beyond business and finance. In this episode of The 39/94 Podcast, Wake reflects on losing his father in a plane crash at just 14 years old and how that experience shaped his faith, perspective, and understanding of what truly matters. We discuss raising children in a small town, the value of community in an increasingly disconnected world, and why grief, responsibility, and hardship often become some of life's greatest teachers. Wake also shares insights from his work with Greater Than Financial, the Savannah Parks Board, Fillmore Christian Church, and the Andrew County Foundation, offering a thoughtful perspective on leadership, stewardship, and investing not only financially, but emotionally and spiritually in the people and places around us. Along the way, we explore artificial intelligence, church attendance, purpose, legacy, and one of Wake's most powerful reminders: nobody sees your flaws the way you do. The things we obsess over are often invisible to everyone else. What people remember is the impact we make. This is a conversation about faith, community, resilience, and the quiet ways ordinary people help shape the places they call home. Topics include: • Losing a parent at a young age • Grief, faith, and resilience • Raising children in a small town • Leadership and community involvement • The future of AI and human connection • Financial stewardship and purpose • The Savannah Parks Board and Andrew County Foundation • Why perfectionism keeps people from pursuing their calling • Building a meaningful life through service and relationships Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The3994Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@The3994Podcast] Learn more about supporting The 39/94 Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/cw/The3994 [https://www.patreon.com/cw/The3994] Links referenced in this episode: * greaterthanfinancial.com [https://greaterthanfinancial.com] * savannahparksboard.com [https://savannahparksboard.com] * fillmorechristianchurch.com [https://fillmorechristianchurch.com] Our sponsors: * North Central Missouri College ncmissouri.edu [https://ncmissouri.edu] * Scooter's Coffee Savannah & St. Joseph scooterscoffee.com [https://scooterscoffee.com] * Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop woolmanfamilytruckstop.com [https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/] * Gina's Cafe & Catering ginascafecatering.com [https://ginascafecatering.com] * E.L. Crawford Construction elcrawfordconstruction.com [https://elcrawfordconstruction.com] * Greater Than Financial https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/ [https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/]

From a Bet to a Movement: Justin Alvarez and the Measly Mile Mafia

What if one measly mile a day could change your life? For Justin Alvarez, it started as a simple bet between friends in 2022. Today, nearly 900 people in Northwest Missouri are running at least one mile every single day — and St. Joseph has quietly become the run streak capital of the world, with more active run streaks than New York City. Justin is one of the founders of the Measly Mile Mafia, an online running community headquartered at River Bluff Brewing in St. Joseph, MO. In this conversation, he shares how he went from 280 pounds and unable to finish a mile to over 1, 513 days into a run streak — and why the transformation he's most proud of has nothing to do with the number on the scale. In this episode we talk about: * The bet that started it all and how four guys turned into nearly 900 members * Why 40 days passed before Justin finished his first mile — and what kept him going * The three reasons people join the Mafia and actually stick with it * How the community has changed lives — including some who have broken a cycle of addiction * The two members who didn't miss a single day, even after giving birth * Side quests, milestone shirts, and what 377 names on a wall really means * Why St. Joe may officially be the run streak capital of the world * What Justin envisions for the Measly Mile Mafia in the next five years Whether you've never run a day in your life or you're deep into your own streak, this episode will make you want to lace up and show up. Want to join the Measly Mile Mafia? 🔵 Facebook: Search Measly Mile Mafia (private group) 🟠 Strava: Search Measly Mile Mafia Rules: Run at least one mile, finish under 20 minutes, post your proof daily. The 39/94 Podcast is proudly supported by 🎙️ 🛞 Wollenman's Family Deluxe Truck Stop [https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/] 💼 Greater Than Financial [https://greaterthanfinancial.com/] 🍗 Gina’s Café [https://ginascafemd.com/] ☕ Scooter's Coffee [https://www.scooterscoffee.com/] 🐶 Pankake's Pups & Suds [https://www.facebook.com/cpankake/] The 39/94 Podcast is Northwest Missouri's community podcast - sharing the stories of the people, businesses, and experiences shaping our area. 🎙️ Subscribe so you never miss an episode and become a Patreon to support this adventure here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/The3994 [https://www.patreon.com/cw/The3994] Our current individual supporters: Kelly & Kathy Crawford, St. Joseph MO Harold & Carole Johnson, Savannah MO Karen Rudolph, Auburn CA Follow, comment and share on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok! Interested in becoming a sponsor? Email us at The3994podcast@gmail.com