August 2022

August 21, 2022

Jenna Reid, psychic medium on The John Krol Podcast

She was three years old when she realized that she had a gift, and as she evolved in her own life, so did her realization that she was meant to provide support and guidance to others. Through work with clients, workshops at venues like Kripalu, and mentoring others who have their own gifts, Jenna Reid is dedicated to helping people find their truth using her remarkable psychic gifts. “Every time you don’t listen to your gut, it’s a problem,” says Jenna who decided to go all-in on her truth after going through a tumultuous time in her life. It was a lesson learned that not living your truth will likely lead to rough roads ahead. In this episode, we delve into her process and our energetic world, including trusting your intuition and validation, human connectedness and consciousness, finding peace, remote viewing, psychometry, stigmas surrounding psychic mediumship, growth through breakups and divorce, love and money, vibration, dealing with grief, grounding, staying in touch with nature, crystals, being a Mom of teenagers, protecting your energy, gratitude as the only path out of victim mode, karma, moving on, truth and authenticity and much more. I hope you’ll enjoy my conversation with Jenna Reid.

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Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-krol/support

Kyle Bean, Tableaux Wealth on The John Krol Podcast

August 21, 2022

Kyle Bean & Matt Chester, Tableaux Wealth

You want a financial advisor who is cool under pressure and able to take excess emotion out of things, while maintaining an ability to execute. So, what better background than being a Green Beret? Kyle Bean earned his way onto the elite US Army Special Forces and served his nation on many missions over several years. Now that his military career has come to a close he decided to locate to the Berkshires with his wife and specialize in a new profession: financial advising. In this episode we get to know Kyle better, and learn about his journey here. We also cover a lot of ground with Kyle and Matt Chester of Tableaux Wealth in regard to the current economic situation, how to plan and adapt to the record inflation, the changes on returns on bonds and the death of the so-called 60/40 rule, chasing investments by Nancy Pelosi’s husband and other “whales,” learning from curious investors, growing a small firm and beginning to tell their story and how to make financial planning interesting and evening exciting for clients. I hope you’ll enjoy my conversation with Kyle Bean and Matt Chester of Tableaux Wealth. — Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-krol/support

August 21, 2022

America Lopez, community advocate, health worker, Volunteers in Medicine

On the John Krol Podcast: With such a name, it may have seemed a self-fulfilling prophecy that America Lopez would ultimately find her way to the US from her native Mexico. Today, she is utilizing her experience as an immigrant to help others who are facing many of the same challenges she faced, as a community health worker for Volunteers in Medicine and as parent liaison for the Berkshire Hills Regional School District. And she’s making a measurable impact. Inspired by the Moth Radio Hour-style of storytelling, America started a Spanish-speaking podcast and radio program Nomadas Radio that has evolved with several of her close friends and colleagues, contributing on relevant conversations on personal growth and demystifying mental health. We also discuss: missing her family in Mexico and carrying on family traditions with her new family of friends in the Berkshires, advocating for herself and co-workers in her early days before mastering English, one of the English first words she learned was “fair,” working to change systems in schools to be more friendly for non-English speaking parents to help them be involved in their children’s education, how her daughter helped her come out of her shell and making new connections in the community, Olivia’s Outlook and enjoying trails and the outdoors in the Berkshires and more. I hope you’ll enjoy my conversation with America Lopez. — Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-krol/support

Brett Westbrook on The John Krol Podcast

August 10, 2022

Early Educator and Hero Brett Westbrook on the podcast

For Brett Westbrook, being named a 2022 Commonwealth Heroine is indicative that her organization’s work is making an impact. And it’s hard to think of more impactful work than caring and educating 3 to 5 year olds, and setting the foundation of success for young people and their families. For Brett, her inspiration came during her childhood in Pittsfield when her own values and tenacity were shaped by mentors and teachers within the community’s support system. Today, teaching resilience is a core piece of a holistic approach to education, which includes a healthy dose of play as learning and clinical social-emotional support. It’s quite a time for Brett with her recent “Heroine” recognition, and by the way, she’s also engaged to married and planning a wedding. Good times! Also, in our conversation, we cover: her early years in early childhood education as a 16 year old working at Girls Inc., early childhood educators not being paid what they’re worth, challenges including language barriers and transportation, how the pandemic led to some innovation like smaller student cohorts, collaboration with the Pittsfield Public Schools including the early education career program at Taconic High School, what it’s like planning a wedding, and more. I hope you’ll enjoy my conversation with Brett Westbrook.

August 1, 2022

Billy Madewell on 300+ games broadcast and more

The road to 300+ games broadcast has been a long and winding one for Billy Madewell. Even before he started his tenure on the way to becoming the longest-serving play-by-play broadcaster in Wahconah Park history, it would have been hard to predict his path through the bowels of Taconic High School to the mound at Wahconah Park celebrating his milestone. After all, it all began with a nagging ankle injury – and ultimately a tumor in his foot – that kept him off the field and stumbling into what would become his new passion. It all started with encouragement from his friend Shane Reed, then some voice tracking, then a marathon live show at the old WTBR, to his promotion to student program director. He was floored when he had the chance to step into the booth for the former Pittsfield Colonials, and even more shocked when he got the call to do solo play-by-play for the then-new Pittsfield Suns in 2012. Over the past decade, Billy has established himself as a respected fixture for the organization and its fans, and also an enthusiastic mentor of young up-and-coming broadcasters learning the ropes. His commitment hasn’t come without personal challenges, as he courageously shares in our conversation. Billy is a nurturing husband and father. Also in this episode, we cover: a thoughtful microanalytical critique of Joe Buck, Larry Kratka’s pristine mustache, the difference between calling games on television and radio, the future of Wahconah Park, Phil Rizzuto’s play-by-play in “Paradise by the Dashboard Lights,” and putting the ego aside and “letting the moment come to you.” I hope you will enjoy my conversation with Billy Madewell. — Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-krol/support

August 1, 2022

Cassandra Sohn’s Fine Art on the Podcast

Even in her earliest days as a photographer and an artist growing up in Santa Fe, Cassandra Sohn knew that she would open a fine art gallery. Just as she had a passion for her own evolving work as a photographer, shifting from editorial and commercial to fine art, she was incredibly inspired by the work of others. Sohn Fine Art is no stuffy gallery. It’s a living, breathing space where artwork comes alive and artists are supported through workshops and more. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, including Cassandra’s own artistry, including her two publications of photography, her move to the Berkshires some years ago, NFTs and how they are impacting the art world, Cassandra’s philosophy background and schooling at St. John’s College, the fine art of selling fine art, the community of Lenox, Mass. and the local creative economy, curating at Chesterwood with outdoor mixed media work, how water has inspired her artwork, being a Mother and how her daughter is picking up some of her Mom’s skills as an artist and businessperson, and the Black Crowes at Tanglewood. I hope you’ll enjoy my conversation with Cassandra Sohn. — Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-krol/support

August 1, 2022

Photographer Eric Korenman dishes on the Podcast

It’s not the case of a doctor becoming a photographer. Instead, it’s a lifelong photographer who became a physician and then returned to his roots. After putting the camera down to dedicate his entire time and focus on becoming a radiologist and building his practice, Eric Korenman rediscovered his passion of photography when his first child was born in 2000. This time, no one could take the camera out of his hands. Eric’s passion for documenting, capturing the moment and sharing sheer authenticity has led to incredible new experiences, shoots with household names in comedy and show business, as well as lifelong friendships. His goal is for his subjects to “forget the camera is there” and he quips that his shoots are like a therapy session. The results speak for the themselves. Shooting some of the best comedians in the business in New York City began years ago because of Eric’s pure audacity to simply reach out and ask them. Being the doctor photographer has never been part of his brand (many know him much better as a photographer than a physician), it sure did help, as he mended one famous comedian’s infected toe. That’s just one anecdote that Eric shares in our conversation. We also discuss how his passion for photography helped in his decision to choose radiology, which he calls the photography side of medicine, his evolution of work from landscapes to portraits as well as fine art, his friendship with the late Gilbert Gottfried and his family, the transition from film to digital over the years, his love of podcasts and old-time radio shows, NPR, WAMC and the spoken word, raising his children in the Berkshires and much more. I hope you’ll enjoy my conversation with Eric Korenman. Check out Eric’s work on his website: www.korenman.com

Melissa Brinton on The John Krol Podcast

August 1, 2022

Melissa Brinton, singer/songwriter

On The John Krol Podcast: The unmistakeable sound of Melissa Brinton is prolifically filling a good share of the Berkshire music scene, as she performs solo and in two additional groups. She’s perhaps the busiest musician in the region. Ironically, it may have been during the lockdown that Melissa elevated to a new level as the pandemic encouraged innovation and greater creativity. Unable to play and perform in any public venue, Melissa took to social media taking requests. She responded to the requests for tunes that she likely never would have considered learning before, and put a beautiful spin on many of our favorites. That inspiration has led to an evolution of her own sound as she works on music for her third album. In this episode, Melissa performs new music that will be on her new album as well as a few covers that you’re sure to love. We also cover Melissa’s vocal education at Pittsfield High School under the legendary Gaylan Palmer, techniques for improving vocal performance, her Irish music repertoire, playing with Fanny Pack with Elaine Morel and Paul Armstrong, as well as Flight with Mary Verdi and Eileen Markland, recording with her Father and her musical brother, Christopher, folky versions of Frank Sinatra songs, inspiration from the Spotify algorithm and more. I hope you’ll enjoy my conversation and the music of Melissa Brinton.