Guild Stories guildstories

Andy Rieger, president of J. Rieger & Co., shares with us what it was like bringing a KC-based family business back to life even when he didn't want to. 
Ninety-five years after it closed, J. Rieger & Co. is a globally distributed distillery rooted in legacy but built for what's to come.
Tune in for what started as a trip into a restaurant to fulfill a promise Andy made to his dad and turned into the building of an empathetic, curious, and experience-driven brand.

Cody Isabel finds purpose in helping others find happiness and intention in their own lives. 
He's the developer of My Companion, an AI Trauma app that teaches trauma survivors practical neuroscience and psychology tools to improve their mental health. 
His love for the human body started in middle school and led him to study Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience at Simpson College. Cody has always used his knowledge to help others understand highly complicated concepts, starting with teaching classmates how to cram for tests. 
Set aside some time to digest this conversation. It's one of self-exploration, powerful teaching, and practical ways to improve your own mental health.
Check out Mind, Brain, Body Lab on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more of Cody's valuable mental health tips and insight. 

Scott Horstmann shares his journey on hiring for heart, accountability, and the type of leadership that wells up inside a person.
Scott owns Christian Brothers Roofing and has broken his own business coaching rules when it comes to hiring family. His family-operated business offers its customers more than integrity but a level of service Scott and his team will never leave to chance. 
You’ll love this authentic story of a shoe salesman who made his way to entrepreneurship. 

Stan Hays loves barbecue, feeding people, helping in times of need. His organization, Operation BBQ Relief, has fed over 10 million meals to people in need in their nearly 12 years of existence.
 
When disaster strikes, they are quite often the first organization into town, bringing meals (incredible, comfort type meals) to people who need it most. Those who have been decimated and discouraged.
 
It's an incredibly brave organization that we loved learning about, and are so excited to see where they go in the coming months! (hint: they're building a camp in the Ozarks for first responders and their families who have experienced traumatic events).
 
Stan's story is strong and courageous, and his heart to make an even bigger impact is contagious.

Max Malldorf is a German national who fell in love with America as a foreign exchange student. He's now a master brewer at POG brewery south of Kansas City. He is candid about how discomfort has been a vehicle for change in his life, and we were honored to hear his story.

Josh Cress is a therapist and founder of Ampersand Counseling in Liberty, MO. Our conversation goes quickly into the vulnerable, discussing his journey "inward" toward self-awareness. It's a treacherous but rewarding road that many men and women have traveled (particularly since Covid disrupted life as we know it in March of 2020).
 
Josh is a brilliant, empathetic, and vulnerable man, and fellow Swiftie.
 
We hope you find the conversation helpful on your own journey.
 
His practice's website is: https://acg-kc.com/.