Jake Luehrs is in the spotlight this week. Jake is a real estate coach and trainer, and in this episode, he opens up about the challenges he faced in his early life and career.Jake takes us through his struggles with depression and anxiety. He shares how he worked through those challenges and offers some advice for listeners going through similar experiences. "The more I pushed it away, the more intense it got."Jake believes that everyone goes through periods of depression and anxiety at some point in their lives and that letting those feelings work themselves through rather than resisting them is essential."I think the biggest challenge that people have is they feel like they need to do it on their own. And I think that that's where we get ourselves into trouble."Apart from his journey, Jake also talked about his love for sports and how it helped him become more social and make friends. And, of course, his unique story of meeting his wife in college."I try to be just as much a listener as a talker. And I think that's been a big part of my success, both personally and professionally."This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration to overcome personal challenges.Chapters: 1:18 Jake's background as a successful real estate professional12:05 What Jake learned about depression21:54 Jake's first job -- delicious. 36:30 The first date with the women who would be his wife47:15 What people saw in him that he didn't see in himself49:54 It's time to just be honest. A lot of people you think are happy, aren't. Connect with Jake: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakeluehrs/

This week William and Sarah Huffman sit down with John Hodnett, a member of their real estate team, A Good Life Group.In this episode, John chats about his journey before getting into real estate and how much he loves old-school retail. But the big wake-up call was when his marriage fell apart. He never thought he'd be there at that point in his life. That's when he realized that he had the chance to create anything he wanted. Nobody was going to tell him what to do. So, like his dad, who retired from the clothing biz and started a consulting company until he was 93, John knew he couldn't quit. He needed to find something he could do for as long as he wanted in any way he wanted. And that's why he's back in real estate.Reach out to John: https://agoodlifegroup.com/

Join us on Life Behind the Highlight Real as we sit down with Carrie Chang, a St. Paul native and CEO of the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors. Carrie's journey as an adoptee and her drive to succeed is a fascinating story of determination and resilience. She shares her childhood experiences, including her love for sports, music, and the saxophone, and her passion for reading The Wall Street Journal at age 13. Carrie also opens up about her proudest achievements as the CEO of the Minneapolis Area Realtors, including the team she's built and the impact they've made on the community. This episode is an inspiring and uplifting conversation about leadership, teamwork, and the power of perseverance.Chapters::45 What does Carrie Chang do?1:15 Carrie from South Korea to St. Paul. How did that happen?8:45 Shortcut to knowing your 9's times table9:30 Middle school hits and things change for Carrie. 10:45 Kickin' back with the Wall Street Journal at... 13?21:00 College time... why she didn't apply to the Ivy League and where she ended up going29:30 How sports intertwined in her life34:45 Her first job as a baby sitter. She loved kids...until40:30 Out of college and her first "real" job43:00 It's time to meet her husband53:45 How long she's been at the Minneapolis Area Realtors and what she's most proud ofLearn more about Carrie Chang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriejchang/

Aaron Bourdage is the owner of Northern Fire Grilling and BBQ Supply, a local barbecue shop in Minnetonka. Northern Fire Grilling and BBQ Supply offers everything you need for grilling and barbecue, including meats, seafood, rubs, over 100 sauces, grills, smokers, and heavy equipment for those serious about their grilling. Aaron was born in Duluth, Minnesota, but his family moved around a lot, including Colorado and New Mexico. His father was a Marlboro Man and a pilot and owned a classic car dealership in Farmington, New Mexico. Aaron's house was next to a dirt runway, surrounded by classic cars and airplanes. He spent his childhood riding anything with an engine. Today, Aaron will share the story of his youth, including moving out of the house at 16, moving to Minnesota at 20, touring with his band, and finally meeting the love of his life and opening the BBQ shop. This is definitely part 1 of Aaron's fun story. Chapters:2:58: Aaron was born in Duluth but ended up in Farmington, New Mexico, surrounded by cars and airplanes... cool. 6:08 A shithead in elementary school. 9:05 Why is his life like "Smokey and the Bandit."11:40 Time for some pickin' on the banjo12:38 He switched to bass for the band14:11 Mom used to take us to the gun store21:09 Why college was never in the picture22:00 Why and when did he quit high school32:50 The move back to Minnesota, and the band grows45:42 Time to figure things out after Tracy gets pregnant46:32 Evan was born, and Aaron's world changed. 47:44 How his love for BBQ started and how the shop opened49:47 How he met Missy453:11 How he takes care of his long beard1:03:28 Sarah's favorite device from Aaron's store1:05:19 Aaron's advice for anyone wanting to become an entrepreneurAaron runs Northern Fire Grilling & BBQ Supply. Reach out to them at https://northernfirebbq.com/.

This episode William and Sarah look at at 2022. A couple of minutes were dedicated to the business, but the majority of this episode was spent diving deep into a health journey they both started 2 years ago. Even though they both dislike the thought of working out, they accepted it as a part of their life, with reasons that go way beyond what you may assume.This is a William and Sarah you may not have known before this episode. Chapters3:10 How was William and Sarah's fitness journey for 2022?5:50 Did will reach his fitness goals? And was the goal helpful?8:24 Let's talk about meal prep10:49 Sarah's weightloss journey12:48 Why Sarah still finds it tough to shop for clothes, but it's getting easier14:50 Why William's farting and burping has significantly faded16:39 William opens up about an issue that put him into the Mayo Clinic at age nine. 19:00 William and Sarah head back to Mayo, a visit that pissed Sarah off20:30 Oops, they were right. 22:45 They shop with an app. How's that going?23:30 Poop talk.24:35 Advice for anyone that has a Pelaton in their home that they haven't used

Mark Neal spent close to two decades building an Ohio sports radio station from the ground up, and today he's going to share the story of how having nothing can be your biggest asset. It turns you into a creative, hungry, and hard-working scrapper. Which is how he built a young format into a powerful force in his market. Did we mention that Mark is also William and Sarah's neighbor? Oh yeah -- there are some stories to share about that, too!Coming up:1:41 His early life growing up with teachers22:23 College newspaper in the late 90s, and how he got into his first radio station25:22 His first radio show31:35 Becoming a program director and clearing house32:56 His biggest and only asset is him34:16 How he got to know Jim Tressel46:24 Not a lot of success meeting women, so it's time to try something out-of-the-box56:16 Getting married57:57 Leaving radio for his wife's job101:52 Advice for anyone wanting to get into radioKeep up with the podcast here: www.lbthr.com

We are nerding out BIG TIME with our buddy David Arbit this week. David is the Director of Research for MAR, Minneapolis Area Realtors. He's the guy that makes sense of all of the real estate numbers agents use to get you into homes. And this guy's passion for numbers goes way beyond Excel. It goes straight to getting people into their dream homes and making our cities strong. But before we get into all of that, we dive into David's life, including:6:33 The early life of David Arbit9:32 His go-to Sega game15:10 His role in the Minneapolis area Realtors Association17:21 His college days20:11 His dad owns 100 of them!23:49 How his passion for city planning began28:47 How David met his wife38:16 When he worked with a future State Representative who had a Mickey Mouse lunch box40:19 Where he learned to be so comfortable in front of a crowd42:52 David passes some love to William and Sarah's understanding of the stats43:42 David's WHY behind his passion50:11 What makes every day different for DavidFind David Arbit here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidarbit/

Dave Lawson returns to Life Behind the Highlight Real to finish up his journey to this point in his crazy life. In episode 45 Dave, Will, and Sarah took a deep dive into radio of the past and present. Dave spent over two decades as an on-air personality and talked about how what drove him into the business no longer exists. That left no time for thing Sarah was looking for -- how he met his wife...oh, and that bout with cancer over the last year. So let's revisit Dave and get the rest of his Life Behind the Highlight Real. To learn more about Dave and Digital Legend, head here: www.DigitalLegendMedia.com, or call (919) 757 2592

Ep 49: A "Compelling and Rich" Conversation with Will's Nemesis,  Matt WandzelMatt Wandzel is a real estate agent and bitter enemy of Will Huffman's. Even though Matt is a terrific human being, Will can't stand him. Why? It all comes out in this episode, along with:5:45 Growing up in Golden Valley14:08 Car accident -- no time for the emergency room30:40 Getting started in photojournalism33:48 His partnership with the Navajo Nation35:01 His contribution to the Smithsonian46:17 Rug talk. Selling rugs and an appreciation for quality rugs. 48:47 Matt's transition into real estate53:52 Matt's obsession with cycling begins1:02:01 Matt's bike shorts -- why?1:08:31 Will... are you serious? And top five restaurants.  Matt's info!Phone: 612 240 9403Website: https://www.edinarealty.com/matt-wandzel-realtor/sell-your-home

We are hitting on some heavy life topics today with our friend, Payton Barthel. Payton tells her story of abuse, drug addiction, treatment, relapse, and meeting the love of her life. You've already been introduced to Payton's family. In episode 28, we interviewed her mom, Jamie, about teen pregnancy, and her love for Sonic Chili Cheese Dogs. And in episode 2 we interviewed her sister, Jorie. Both interviews can be found here: https://www.lbthr.com/But today, buckle up because Payton is going to take you on quite a ride. 11:48 Smoking and drinking by age 11? 12:47 Tried to kill herself with Benadryl24:05 The story starts to plummet - Abusive relationship and rape. 30:59 Emergency appendix surgery in England introduces opioid addiction. 35:40 Cocaine comes into the picture. 37:56 How she justified her drug use, and her college years. 42:22 The professor noticed. 51:08 The breaking point in college1:02:33 Heading off to treatment1:04:56 Post-treatment - Payton has a treatment boyfriend. The relapse begins. 1:09:37 Paton overdoses again1:15:09 She's either going to die or get clean1:18:22 Back out to Colorado1:29:07 Caleb enters the picture. Perfect timing. 1:37:27 Clean and sober. Has she ever felt the desire to go back?1:43:28 It's been a journey. But she's proud of herself. 1:44:35 What to do if you think you're heading down Payton's path?Catch up on past episodes of Life Behind the Highlight Real: https://www.lbthr.com/