Twin City Tales Podcast

Twin City Heating, Air, and Electric

Our podcast is dedicated to sharing the inspiring journeys of local entrepreneurs, professionals, and community members—highlighting their backgrounds, growth, and contributions to the Twin Cities. Driven by a father and son bond, we aim to empower guests to promote themselves and their passions, fostering pride, visibility, and a sense of community within the diverse fabric of the Twin Cities.

  1. Sep 28

    Brent Fox: Navy Veteran, Martial Arts & Real World Self Defense

    What does it really mean to be prepared? On this episode of Twin City Tales, Wymond Wong sits down with Brent Fox, founder of Fox Defensive Training, to talk about the experiences that shaped his approach to self-defense, awareness, leadership, and life. Brent grew up in small-town Minnesota before joining the Navy shortly after high school. What began as a decision made by a young man from Minnesota turned into more than two decades of service in the Navy and Navy Reserve. His military career took him around the world and included experience working in emergency and disaster management in Japan. Along the way, Brent also became deeply involved in martial arts, personal protection, security, and emergency preparedness. But Brent's approach to self-defense is about much more than learning how to fight. Wymond and Brent talk about how much real self-defense happens before anything ever becomes physical, why awareness is so important, how fear can affect decision-making, and why confidence can sometimes mean knowing when you do not have to fight at all. They also explore Brent's introduction to martial arts, what he learned by training in different fighting systems, how Fox Defensive Training developed, and how decades of real-world security experience have influenced the way he teaches today. Brent shares what he personally pays attention to when walking into a parking lot, restaurant, store, or unfamiliar environment, as well as what he hopes students leave his classes with mentally, not just physically. The conversation also touches on leadership, trust, responsibility, and the importance of taking care of the people around you. From small-town Minnesota to military service, martial arts, emergency preparedness, security, and teaching others how to become more confident and aware, Brent's story is one built around preparation and responsibility. Learn more about Brent and Fox Defensive Training at: FoxDefensiveTraining.com Listen to Twin City Tales on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow Twin City Tales on Facebook for episode clips, upcoming guests, and more stories from around the Twin Cities. Twin City Tales is Powered by Twin City Heating, Air & Electric. You Can't Go Wrong with Wymond Wong.

  2. Sep 21

    Thomas Jackson: From Chemical Engineer to PAR365 Golf

    What happens when you discover something later in life and realize you've been looking at it the wrong way all along? On this episode of the Twin City Tales Podcast, Wymond Wong sits down with Thomas Jackson, co-founder of PAR365 Golf in Roseville, Minnesota, to talk about entrepreneurship, family, golf, and the unexpected experiences that can completely change the direction of your life. Thomas grew up on the South Side of Chicago in the Chatham neighborhood, attended Whitney Young High School, and eventually earned a chemical engineering degree from the University of Michigan. His professional career took him into the food industry, where he spent more than 20 years working with companies including Kraft, Land O'Lakes, and Target, contributing to products and brands that people encounter every day. But golf wasn't part of the picture. Growing up, Thomas never really saw golf as something meant for him. It wasn't a sport he was introduced to in the same way as others, and the traditional image of golf never particularly appealed to him. Then came the pandemic. What started as a way to get outside and spend time with friends became something much more meaningful. Thomas discovered that golf could be music, laughter, friendly competition, trash talking, and a chance to reconnect with people. It wasn't necessarily about being good at the game. It was about the experience of playing it together. During a family trip to Ohio, Thomas and his wife, Mercedes, visited an indoor golf simulator. On the long drive back to Minnesota, an idea started forming. What if they could create a place that captured everything Thomas loved about golf while making the game feel welcoming to people who might never have considered playing? That idea became PAR365. Located in Roseville, PAR365 brings together indoor golf simulators, food, drinks, music, and a social atmosphere designed to make golf more approachable, accessible, and enjoyable. Wymond and Thomas talk about the journey from Chicago to Minnesota, chemical engineering to food product development, and corporate America to building a business with his wife. They explore the challenges of entrepreneurship, adapting when an original business plan needs to change, raising a family while building a company, and the lessons Thomas hopes his children learn from watching their parents take a chance on something they believe in. The conversation also explores belonging, opportunity, and how discovering something later in life can sometimes allow you to see possibilities that others have overlooked. From the South Side of Chicago to the University of Michigan, corporate America, and eventually PAR365 in Roseville, Thomas Jackson's story is about more than golf. It's about creating opportunities, bringing people together, and refusing to let your past experiences define what you're capable of doing next. CONNECT WITH THOMAS JACKSON & PAR365 PAR365 Golf: https://www.par365golf.com/ 2655 Patton Road Roseville, MN 55113 ABOUT TWIN CITY TALES Twin City Tales is hosted by Wymond Wong and features conversations with the people behind the stories. From entrepreneurs and community leaders to athletes, creators, business owners, entertainers, and people who have simply lived an interesting life, Twin City Tales goes beyond what someone does to discover how they became who they are. Remember, you can't go wrong with Wymond Wong on your Twin City Tales Podcast. POWERED BY TWIN CITY HEATING, AIR & ELECTRIC Twin City Tales is proudly powered by Twin City Heating, Air & Electric. https://www.twincityheatingandair.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TwincityHeatingandair/ https://www.youtube.com/@twincityheatingandair

  3. Sep 14

    Beth Riegger: From Business Owner to Fairy Godmother of Tech

    Sometimes the career you end up building starts with a problem you never planned on having to solve. On this episode of the Twin City Tales Podcast, Wymond Wong sits down with Beth Riegger, founder of Fairy Godmother of Tech, to talk about entrepreneurship, reinvention, websites, networking, technology, artificial intelligence, and everything she learned while building a business of her own. Beth grew up primarily in Moose Lake, Minnesota, where her parents owned a hardware store. Long before she became an entrepreneur herself, she was already getting a front-row look at small-business ownership and the work that happens behind the scenes. Her own career would take her through sales, mortgages, and eventually ownership of a spa. Then came a difficult partnership breakup. The experience forced Beth into a new chapter, and one of the problems she needed to solve was her website. Instead of waiting for somebody else to figure it out, Beth started learning how to do it herself. She watched videos, took courses, followed people online, experimented, made mistakes, and kept learning. Eventually, other business owners began asking her for help. What started as figuring out her own technology problems became Fairy Godmother of Tech, a business built around making websites and technology easier for entrepreneurs to understand and use. Wymond and Beth talk about the lessons she learned from her "business divorce," choosing business partners, building a company without a traditional mentor, and the unexpected loneliness that can come from entrepreneurship. Beth also shares why networking became so important to her and how involvement in BNI gave her something beyond referrals: relationships, connection, leadership opportunities, and a community of other business owners. Then they get into websites. Beth explains why a website should do more than simply look good. It should help explain what you do, guide potential clients toward taking action, and essentially work for the business around the clock. They discuss her VIP Website in a Day, why some traditional website projects drag on for months, and what business owners should be asking before spending thousands of dollars on WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, hosting, SEO, plugins, or another complete redesign. The conversation also turns toward artificial intelligence and the changing way entrepreneurs work. Beth talks about using Claude to evaluate goals and new ideas, even allowing AI to challenge her when she may be getting distracted by another entrepreneurial "bright shiny object." Can AI become an accountability partner? Where should business owners embrace technology, and where does the human element still matter most? Wymond and Beth also explore learning outside of traditional education, reinventing yourself after setbacks, entrepreneurship later in life, and whether someone who has spent decades building things can ever truly retire. From growing up around a family hardware business in Moose Lake to becoming the Fairy Godmother of Tech, Beth's story is a reminder that sometimes the thing you are forced to learn becomes the thing you were meant to teach someone else. CONNECT WITH BETH RIEGGER Fairy Godmother of Tech: https://fairygodmotheroftech.com/ ABOUT TWIN CITY TALES Twin City Tales is hosted by Wymond Wong and features conversations with the people behind the stories. From entrepreneurs and community leaders to creators, business owners, athletes, entertainers, and people who have simply lived an interesting life, Twin City Tales goes beyond what someone does to discover how they became who they are. Remember, you can't go wrong with Wymond Wong on your Twin City Tales Podcast. POWERED BY TWIN CITY HEATING, AIR & ELECTRIC Twin City Tales is proudly powered by Twin City Heating, Air & Electric. https://www.twincityheatingandair.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TwincityHeatingandair/ https://www.youtube.com/@twincityheatingandair

  4. Sep 7

    McCrae Olson: Life After Big Brother, Filmmaking & Finding What’s Next

    What happens after the cameras stop rolling? On this episode of the Twin City Tales Podcast, Wymond Wong sits down with McCrae Olson, the Minnesota native Big Brother fans came to know as the “Pizza Boy” from Season 15. Long before Big Brother, McCrae was already fascinated by cameras and storytelling. Growing up around St. Francis and Oak Grove, Minnesota, he developed a love for filmmaking, studied video production, worked at QCTV, and began building a creative career. Then an almost spur-of-the-moment audition at the Mall of America changed everything. McCrae entered Big Brother as a superfan, won the first Head of Household and Power of Veto, and spent 84 days living in a house where cameras and microphones captured nearly everything. Wymond and McCrae revisit what it was actually like living inside that environment, how different the game felt compared to watching it from home, and the surreal experience of finally leaving the house and discovering that the outside world had continued moving while millions of viewers had been watching theirs. They also talk about returning to Minnesota, suddenly being recognized in everyday life, and trying to figure out what comes after an experience like Big Brother. But McCrae’s story did not begin or end with reality television. Today, his creative interests continue behind the camera through photography, video production, podcasting, editing, and his longtime passion for filmmaking. McCrae talks about the projects and experiences that brought him back into creative work and why, if given the opportunity, he would still love to write and make movies. The conversation expands into Minnesota’s film community, social media, modern marketing, nostalgia, authenticity, and the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence. McCrae and Wymond discuss using AI as a tool without allowing it to replace creativity, why audiences may eventually place greater value on work they know was created by real people, and why staying adaptable matters in an increasingly automated world. From a Minnesota kid playing with cameras, to the Big Brother house, to finding his way back behind the camera, this episode explores who McCrae Olson is when Big Brother isn’t watching. CONNECT WITH McCRAE OLSON Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/mccraechum ABOUT TWIN CITY TALES Twin City Tales is hosted by Wymond Wong and features conversations with the people behind the stories. From entrepreneurs and community leaders to athletes, creators, entertainers, and people who have simply lived an interesting life, Twin City Tales goes beyond what someone does to discover how they became who they are. Remember, you can’t go wrong with Wymond Wong on your Twin City Tales Podcast. POWERED BY TWIN CITY HEATING, AIR & ELECTRIC Twin City Tales is proudly powered by Twin City Heating, Air & Electric, a locally owned Minnesota home service company serving homeowners throughout the Twin Cities. https://www.twincityheatingandair.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TwincityHeatingandair/ https://www.youtube.com/@twincityheatingandair #McCraeOlson #BigBrother #BigBrother15 #TwinCityTales #WymondWong #Filmmaking #RealityTV #MinnesotaPodcast #Minnesota #Filmmaker

  5. Aug 31

    Shannon Starry: Leadership, Relationships & the Business Behind Four Point Construction

    Shannon Starry of Four Point Construction joins host Wymond Wong on the Twin City Tales Podcast for a conversation about career evolution, leadership, relationships, business operations, and the experiences that shape how we serve others. Shannon’s professional journey has crossed several industries, including banking and financial services, accounting, real estate, business operations, management, and professional networking through BNI. Those experiences eventually led her into the construction industry and her work with Four Point Construction. Based in Circle Pines, Minnesota, Four Point Construction serves homeowners, property owners, and communities throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding areas with roofing, siding, gutters, storm damage restoration, commercial roofing, windows, doors, insulation, decking, and other exterior construction services. In this episode, Wymond and Shannon talk about the lessons that carry from one chapter of a career into the next. They explore leadership, communication, relationship-building, operations, professional growth, and why strong systems and genuine connections matter in business. Shannon’s story is also a reminder that careers do not always follow a straight line. Experience in banking can strengthen your understanding of business and people. Real estate can deepen your perspective on homes, property, and relationships. Networking can teach the value of connection. Operations brings those skills together through people, processes, communication, and execution. Whether you work in construction, real estate, operations, entrepreneurship, leadership, or simply enjoy learning more about the people behind Minnesota businesses, this episode offers another look at the experiences that shape the professionals serving our communities. CONNECT WITH SHANNON STARRY & FOUR POINT CONSTRUCTION Four Point Construction Website: https://4ptco.com/ Four Point Construction Contact: https://4ptco.com/contact/ Shannon Starry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonstarry/ FOLLOW TWIN CITY TALES Podcast Website: https://twin-city-tales-podcast.cohostpodcasting.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61574674384654/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twincitytalespodcast/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4CMNpdMlcuXmXwAxr1a7c4 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/twin-city-tales-podcast/id1832492674 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twincityheatingandair Twin City Tales is hosted by Wymond Wong and powered by Twin City Heating, Air & Electric, a locally owned Minnesota home-service company serving homeowners throughout the Twin Cities. TWIN CITY HEATING, AIR & ELECTRIC https://www.twincityheatingandair.com/ Remember: You can’t go wrong with Wymond Wong on your Twin City Tales Podcast.

  6. Aug 24

    CJ & Katy Norman: From Real Estate Investing to Building Norman Homes

    In this episode of Twin City Tales, host Wymond Wong sits down with CJ and Katy Norman, the husband-and-wife Realtor team behind Norman Homes at Pemberton RE, for a conversation about real estate, investing, entrepreneurship, marriage, and building a business together in Minnesota. CJ and Katy are based in Mound, Minnesota, and work throughout the Lake Minnetonka area, the western suburbs of Minneapolis, and the greater Twin Cities. But their path into real estate started before Norman Homes. CJ moved from the Chicago area to Minneapolis in 2017 after spending years in corporate sales and strategy. Purchasing a side-by-side duplex in Minneapolis became a turning point that helped lead him toward a career in real estate. Katy also came from a corporate and software sales background and purchased her first duplex in Minneapolis in her twenties. Growing up around real estate investing gave her an early perspective on property not only as a place to live, but also as a long-term financial decision. Together, CJ and Katy turned those experiences into Norman Homes, where they now help people buy, sell, and invest throughout the Twin Cities with a particular focus on Mound, Lake Minnetonka, and the western suburbs. Wymond talks with CJ and Katy about their individual journeys into real estate, investing in property, working together as a husband-and-wife team, building Norman Homes, serving clients through major life decisions, and what they have learned from creating a business together. There is also a podcast connection between the three of them. CJ and Katy host Key Conversations, their own podcast through Norman Homes, where they discuss real estate, homeownership, local businesses, and conversations with professionals throughout the Twin Cities. This time, CJ and Katy move from the hosts' chairs into the guest chairs to share more of their own story. At its heart, this conversation is about more than buying and selling houses. It is about taking opportunities, learning through experience, building something together, and creating a career around relationships, communication, and helping people make important decisions with confidence. If you are interested in Twin Cities real estate, Lake Minnetonka real estate, Minnesota Realtors, real estate investing, duplex investing, husband-and-wife businesses, entrepreneurship, local business, homeownership, or stories about the people building businesses and communities throughout Minnesota, this episode of Twin City Tales is one to watch. CONNECT WITH CJ & KATY NORMAN / NORMAN HOMES Norman Homes Website: https://www.norman-homes.com/ Learn More About CJ & Katy Norman: https://www.norman-homes.com/get-to-know-cj-and-katy-norman-homes Norman Homes YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@normanhomes Key Conversations Podcast: https://www.norman-homes.com/key-conversations-podcast-cj-katy-norman THIS PODCAST IS POWERED BY TWIN CITY HEATING, AIR & ELECTRIC Twin City Tales is powered by Twin City Heating, Air & Electric, your trusted home comfort experts serving homeowners throughout the Twin Cities. Whether you need heating, cooling, electrical, indoor air quality, water heater, water softener, water treatment, or home comfort service, Twin City Heating, Air & Electric is here to help keep your home safe, comfortable, and running the way it should. Twin City Heating, Air & Electric Website: https://twincityheatingandair.com/ Twin City Heating, Air & Electric Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwincityHeatingandair/ Twin City Heating, Air & Electric YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twincityheatingandair

  7. Aug 17

    Missy Wilson: Royal Supply, Career Reinvention, COVID & Rebuilding From the Ground Up

    Royal Supply owner Missy Wilson joins Wymond Wong to share how she went from juvenile corrections and disability services into an industry she knew almost nothing about, bought into a business during COVID, navigated a difficult family-business split, learned to repair commercial cleaning equipment herself, and rebuilt Royal Supply from the ground up. On this episode of Twin City Tales, host Wymond Wong sits down with Missy Wilson, owner of Royal Supply, for a story about career reinvention, family, entrepreneurship, resilience, and learning to lead when you don’t have all the answers. Missy grew up in Crystal, Minnesota, four houses away from the fire station where her dad worked for 23 years and on land with deep family roots. Her grandparents once farmed inside the Crystal city limits, and some of Missy’s earliest memories include working around the farm and selling tomatoes. Her first career had nothing to do with janitorial supplies. After earning a sociology degree, Missy worked in juvenile corrections and later spent more than a decade supporting adults with disabilities. Those years taught her lessons about people, patience, service, empathy, and perspective that would eventually follow her into entrepreneurship. Then came an unexpected opportunity to become involved with Royal Supply. Missy bought into the company in April 2020—just as COVID was changing the world around her. Less than a year later, a family member and business partner left the company, creating another major turning point. Missy suddenly found herself trying to protect the business, maintain customer relationships, learn an industry she was still new to, and determine whether she could actually make it work. Instead of walking away, she went to work. Missy began calling manufacturers and suppliers and asking them to teach her. She learned the products, the equipment, the customers, and eventually the technical side of the business. Today, Missy can work hands-on with commercial cleaning equipment herself, including vacuums and floor scrubbers. Royal Supply currently provides repair services for automatic scrubbers, carpet extractors, floor machines, vacuums and numerous other types of cleaning equipment. She and Wymond also discuss what it means to build a business with family, lessons she learned from watching her mom become an entrepreneur, the relationship she maintains with Royal Supply’s previous owner, and the difficult realities that can arise when family and business collide. The conversation goes deeper into imposter syndrome, self-doubt, loneliness in entrepreneurship, customer service, resilience, courage, and finding an advantage inside the very obstacles that once seemed capable of stopping you. Missy also reflects on what she wants Royal Supply to become, the reputation she hopes to leave with customers, and—more personally—what she hopes her children someday remember about how she built the business. Royal Supply is currently a woman-owned janitorial supply and cleaning-equipment business based in Elk River, Minnesota. The company emphasizes expertise, customer service and building lasting relationships. Learn more: https://royalsupplymn.com/ Twin City Tales is powered by Twin City Heating, Air & Electric.

  8. Aug 9

    Tim McIntosh: From Gophers Baseball to MLB, and Twin Cities Real Estate

    This episode of Twin City Tales is dedicated to the memory of legendary University of Minnesota baseball coach John Anderson. Host Wymond Wong sits down with longtime friend and fellow Hopkins High School graduate Tim McIntosh for a conversation that spans Minnesota baseball, Major League Baseball, friendship, mentorship, career transitions, and the next chapter after professional sports. Tim’s baseball journey began in Minnesota before taking him to the University of Minnesota, where he played under Coach John Anderson. During the summer of 1985, Tim starred for the Chatham A’s in the Cape Cod Baseball League, hitting .392 while leading the league in batting average, hits, and doubles. He returned to the Gophers the following spring and put together a standout 1986 season, earning First Team All-Big Ten honors and Big Ten Tournament MVP before the Milwaukee Brewers selected him in the third round of the MLB Draft. Tim eventually reached the Major Leagues and played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Montreal Expos, and New York Yankees. His unforgettable 1985 season on Cape Cod was later recognized with induction into the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame in 2017. In this conversation, Tim and Wymond revisit their shared roots at Hopkins High School, Tim’s years playing for the Gophers, the influence John Anderson had on his development and life, and what it took to reach professional baseball. They also explore a part of an athlete’s story that is often talked about far less: what happens when the game ends. Tim shares his transition out of professional baseball, how he found his way into real estate, the story behind his first real estate sale many years ago, and how the lessons he learned through baseball continue to influence the way he approaches relationships, competition, preparation, and service today as a REALTOR® with Edina Realty. At the heart of this episode is a conversation about baseball, friendship, mentorship, transition, and finding purpose in the next chapter. CONNECT WITH TIM McINTOSH Facebook: Tim McIntosh Major League Realtor Edina Realty: https://www.edinarealty.com/tim-mcintosh-realtor About Tim: https://www.edinarealty.com/tim-mcintosh-realtor/about ABOUT TWIN CITY TALES Twin City Tales shares the journeys of Minnesota entrepreneurs, professionals, athletes, community leaders, and people with stories worth telling. Hosted by Wymond Wong. Twin City Tales is powered by Twin City Heating, Air & Electric. #TwinCityTales #TimMcIntosh #JohnAnderson #GopherBaseball #MinnesotaBaseball #MLB #CapeCodBaseball #MinnesotaGophers #TwinCities #MinnesotaPodcast

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Our podcast is dedicated to sharing the inspiring journeys of local entrepreneurs, professionals, and community members—highlighting their backgrounds, growth, and contributions to the Twin Cities. Driven by a father and son bond, we aim to empower guests to promote themselves and their passions, fostering pride, visibility, and a sense of community within the diverse fabric of the Twin Cities.

Information

  • Creator
    Twin City Heating, Air, and Electric
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    61
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 783143
  • Show Website
    Twin City Tales Podcast