Cookin' Up A Story w/ Aaron and Joe Aaron

When Jeff Attlesey was 27, he found he needed heart surgery and was presented with a choice. They could go through his chest or through his groin. For obvious reasons, he chose his chest. That left him with scars, ones that he wears proudly, which often causes him to go around in various states of undress. 

Listen to Jeff discuss why he didn't retreat into victimhood and instead embraced nudity, why Martinez needs a second house for his boots, and why all the crew feels the way they do about jeans on this installment of Cookin' Up a Story. 

Jeff Attlesey was born with a rare medical condition, but neither he nor his parents let that stop him from living his life. He played in the dirt as a boy, raised hell as a teenager, and went to work as an adult. He also may have robbed a grocery store somewhere in there. 

As an adult, his condition didn't improve and life added a number of other health conditions to his plate. That still didn't stop him from living. Listen to him tell his story as he Joe, Joe, and Rich discuss his upbringing, dirt bikes, robbery, and tuna patties on this episode. 

After landing in Arkansas and mostly settling down, Jake Latvala continued his journey with Walmart, putting in almost 20 years. In his downtime, though, his passion was woodworking. That passion led him to buy a sawmill, which radically changed the trajectory of his career. There was one constant that had been with him since his early days driving a forklift in the Walmart distribution center in Redding, California, and that propelled his new venture to success. Jake was and is never afraid to work harder. 

Growing up in Redding, California, Jake Latvala didn't have many goals beyond bonfires and keggers with his friends. After high school, he weighed his options and decided it was either the military or a job driving a forklift at a Walmart distribution center. He went with Walmart and ended up moving to Virginia and then Northwest Arkansas. 

Given his lust for life, he got some cuts and burns along the way, though he always kept moving up. Listen to part 1 of Jake's story in this episode of Cookin' Up a Story. And as always, if you get value for it, don't hesitate to reach out and let us know how you can provide some value in return, whether it's your time, treasure, or talent. 

In part 2 of the latest edition we discuss BBQ, TikTok, and marketing with Nick Parsons. Hear how he turns $1 into $3, legally, why small farms like to work together rather than compete, and why people buy great stories rather than great products. 

Listen, enjoy, and reach out to share your time, treasure, or talent with us. Cookin' Up a Story is all about value for value and we enjoy the value you provide us as much as you enjoy the value we provide to you. 

Before there were influencers, there were sportsmen, cameramen, and producers capturing the outdoors so enthusiasts could learn more about techniques and gear, as well as just watching people pursuing the activities they loved. Nick found his opportunity in that environment, which took him from California to Oklahoma. 

Once there, he began exploring his love of BBQ and his career took a few twist and turns, though always ones that led him up. Listen to him and the crew discuss his background, professional life, and discuss slacks on this episode. Link in comments.