Unlocking the Law

Brandon Grysko

Unlocking the Law with Brandon Grysko pulls back the curtain on real-world legal stories that business owners don't hear until it's too late. Blending engaging true cases, hard-earned lessons, and candid legal insight to help business owners, CEOs, and executive directors avoid costly mistakes. Join us every episode as Brandon unpacks the "how" and "why" behind legal pitfalls that can derail a company.  Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Listening does not create an attorney–client relationship.

Episodes

  1. May 8

    A Lawyer Answers the Questions Livonia Actually Wants to Ask

    Most people never ask a lawyer a question until they absolutely have to. Our team posted in the All Things Livonia Facebook group and asked:  "What legal questions are actually on your mind?" In this special Q&A episode, we covered: → Why the Sears building is still standing → Why workers' comp can cut you off mid-treatment → Medicare vs. Medicaid and what actually pays for assisted living → When municipalities can claim an undue burden → Why public opposition to a development isn't a legal reason to deny it → And so much more! Thank you so much to the All Things Livonia Facebook group for contributing to this episode of Unlocking The Law! *Chapters* 0:00 - Introduction & Episode Overview 1:21 - Livonia Community Q&A Begins 2:57 - Elder Law: Medicare vs. Medicaid for Assisted Living 5:39 - ADA Compliance and Municipal Obligations 9:19 - Workers' Comp: Why Employers Can Stop Paying Benefits 13:57 - The Sears Building: Condemnation and Eminent Domain 24:38 - Who Owns the Fence Between Properties? 27:26 - How Speed Limits Are Set in Michigan 30:28 - Why Cities Settle So Many Lawsuits 44:43 - Zoning Violations and Selective Enforcement 49:42 - Can Cities Stop Corporations from Buying Housing? 52:45 - Vacant Properties and Builder Responsibilities 55:41 - City Audits and Public Financial Records 57:55 - Wrap-Up and Upcoming Episodes ~~~ This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLC https://www.thefgfirm.law/

    59 min

  2. Apr 24

    Faith, Failure, and Building a Company From Scratch | Dillon England

    Dillon England started a podcast on a whim because his wife suggested it. He had two mismatching microphones and a camera that cut out every 30 minutes. But afterwards, he knew he wanted to be in podcasting for the rest of his life. Dillon had worked in 100% commissions insurance sales and started a video editing company.  Both didn't turn out the way he wanted, but it all lead him to discovering what he was destined to build... In our episode, we covered: → Why Dillon thinks using "I'm a Christian" as a sales pitch is a red flag → How faith shapes the way he runs his business day to day → What agency contracts actually need to protect you → When AI is good enough for legal questions → Why the failure you lived through might be the reason you succeed now Dillon built something real by failing at a lot of things first. But the thing that kept him going was a belief that the work itself was the point and that it wasn't about him. Dillon, thank you for being the guy behind so much of what makes this podcast work, and for finally sitting in the guest chair. You are open, honest, and authentic - loved every minute of our conversation! *Chapters* 0:00 - Welcome to Unlocking the Law 1:12 - Meet Dillon England: Podcast Producer, Entrepreneur, Christian 3:38 - Dillon's Business Journey 4:12 - $300 the Month He Got Married 5:20 - When COVID Hit, Everything Falls Apart 5:47 - The One Episode That Changed Everything 9:07 - How 313 Media Company Was Born 15:04 - Faith Journey: Adopted Into a Christian Home 18:26 - Dealing With Doubt and What Helped 21:23 - Why Creation Makes More Sense Than Nothing 25:34 - The Difference Between an Entrepreneur and a Christian Entrepreneur 34:06 - Has Faith Ever Conflicted With Business? 40:41 - Everyone's Mad All the Time: Social Media and Real Conversation 42:53 - Legal Issues in the Podcasting World 54:33 - What Startups Should Do When They Can't Afford a Lawyer 58:11 - AI as a Legal Resource: How Far Can You Take It? 1:01:15 - Wrap-Up and Where to Find Dillon ~~~ This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLC https://www.thefgfirm.law/

    1h 3m

  3. Apr 10

    What Happens To A City When the Police Department Falls Apart | Tyler Vines

    Tyler Vines has been on the Livonia Police Department for nearly 14 years. He's been in patrol the whole time. Two months ago, he became president of the Livonia Police Officers Association. He walked into that role and straight into a crisis. Twenty-nine officers left the department in 2025. They hired five. The station they work out of is a patchwork of two buildings from the 1960s bolted together with a section added 40 years later. HVAC systems that require a call to DPW to adjust. Boilers breaking down with no parts available. A urinal pipe that leaked into the wall for weeks before anyone found it. The city is spending up to $400,000 a year just to keep the place standing.  And in August, residents will vote on a millage renewal that funds officer wages, benefits, training, and equipment for the entire public safety department, police and fire alike. We covered: - What the millage actually funds and why the police station construction is a separate issue - How understaffing creates a feedback loop that drives more officers out - Why renovation isn't feasible and what a new building would actually require - What the union's priorities are heading into contract negotiations Livonia has a reputation for being one of the best departments in the state. The people there are good at their job. They show up. The question is whether the city is going to give them the tools to keep doing it. Tyler, thank you for coming in to record. This is exactly the kind of conversation Livonia residents need to hear before August. *Chapters* 0:00 - Welcome to Unlocking the Law 1:22 - Tyler Vines Introduction and Career Background 2:07 - The Grappling Hook Device: Livonia's New Pursuit Tech 4:19 - Police Chases, Liability, and Why Departments Are Pulling Back 6:09 - The Union's Priorities: Millage, Contract, and the New Station 7:08 - What the Millage Actually Funds (And Why Fire Is in the Conversation) 10:58 - Inside the Failing Building: What Officers Are Actually Working In 14:05 - Why Renovation Isn't Feasible 16:21 - Operating Under Construction: What It Actually Looks Like 18:44 - The Staffing Crisis: 77 Officers for a Department Budgeted for 107 22:20 - What Understaffing Actually Does to the Officers Who Stay 24:23 - Why Livonia Still Has a Reputation as One of the Best Departments Watch the Livonia PD Grappler Deployment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMFXpTfy3zc ~~~ This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLC https://www.thefgfirm.law/

    28 min

  4. Mar 27

    The Fight for Livonia's Future | Brandon McCullough

    Brandon McCullough has built his political reputation on saying exactly what he thinks. Sometimes, he told me, that's gotten him in trouble. When the millage proposal was shot down in August, Brandon was in the middle of it, putting his strong opinions out online. When the dust settled, he had to sit with the reality that the city he grew up in still needed a new police station and a community that no longer fully trusted the people trying to build it. Through that process, Brandon learned the hard way that humility in a leadership role goes further than being right. In our episode we cover: → What it cost to build the Northville Township essential services complex → Why the process of the Livonia police station debate mattered as much as its outcome → What's at stake if the operating millage doesn't pass → The state housing affordability bills and why local leaders are pushing back hard → How to actually move development east and what's stalling Livonia's corridors Brandon, thank you for your honesty and for your genuine care for this city. *Chapters* 0:00 - Introduction: Brandon McCullough and the Unlocking the Law Podcast 1:46 - Brandon's Career Background: Public, Private, and Nonprofit 2:08 - Northville Township's New Essential Services Complex 6:19 - How the Project Was Funded: Brownfield Money and Debt Service 7:04 - Livonia Police Station: What's Actually on the Table 9:24 - The Failed Millage and the New Council's Approach 12:31 - The Operating Millage: Why It Has to Pass 21:02 - Brandon's History Advocating for the Police Department 27:07 - Politics, Compromise, and the 24-Hour Rule 28:01 - Rotary Park Pavilion: A Win Nobody Wants to Admit 31:18 - State Housing Affordability Bills: Keep It Local 36:08 - The Real Housing Problem in Livonia: Senior Residents and Uncapped Taxes 41:13 - Infrastructure Capacity and Why Zoning Bills Miss the Point 47:58 - The Meijer Development: A Case Study in Getting It Right 53:42 - Pushing Development East on Plymouth Road 56:28 - Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Brandon ~~~ This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLC https://www.thefgfirm.law/

    58 min

  5. Feb 20

    The Suburb That Secretly Controls Michigan Politics | Jay Murray

    Jay Murray is a contributing writer at the Michigan Enjoyer who holds White House press credentials and has spent the last two years covering Livonia from the inside. He's lived there almost his entire life.  He loves the city... but he's also watched it stall. What he's found in Livonia surprised him... A suburb that still looks like 1982. A political machine dating back decades that still shapes Wayne County. Residents organizing in yellow shirts to protest chicken restaurants, car washes, and gas stations while an abandoned Sears building rots with dead animals inside. A city council caught between angry crowds and the law. In this episode of Unlocking The Law, we cover: → Why NIMBYism in Livonia has crossed into the absurd → The Sheetz gas station fight that nearly triggered a major lawsuit against the city → What's really going on inside the abandoned Sears building at 7 Mile and Middle Belt → And so much more! Something specific that stuck with me from my talk with Jay is how easily nostalgia becomes resistance. People aren't always fighting against something new; sometimes they're just holding on to what's familiar, even when what's familiar is a decaying building with no plan. Jay, thanks for coming on and bringing so much energy and honesty! *Chapters* 0:00 - Intro 0:42 - Meet Jay Murray 4:00 - Why Livonia Quietly Shapes Michigan Politics 6:41 - The Grand Rapids Police Chief & the HBO Series 10:10 - What Is NIMBYism? And Why Is It Exploding? 13:18 - The Sheetz Gas Station Controversy 18:28 - Playing Both Sides: The Attorney's Perspective on Development 19:09 - Why Livonia Still Looks Like 1982 22:01 - Chicken Restaurants, Car Washes & Private Property Rights 28:04 - Zoning Law 101: What Cities Can and Can't Block 36:33 - The Abandoned Sears Building (and What's Living Inside It) 46:29 - Blight Enforcement: What Can the City Actually Do? 48:01 - A Homeless Man's Story and Suburban Safety 52:13 - What Would Make Jay Murray Put On a Yellow Shirt? 56:22 - Michigan Enjoyer Live Event & Closing ~~~ This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLC https://www.thefgfirm.law/

    1 hr

  6. Feb 4

    Why Most People Fail at Starting a Nonprofit (And What Actually Works) | Veronica Cruz

    Veronica Cruz runs two nonprofits almost entirely on volunteer power, and she's seen people start with fire in their hearts and a cause they believe in... but very quickly reality hits. ✕ The paperwork takes months.  ✕ The IRS moves at a snail's pace.  ✕ Volunteers don't show up. ✕ Board members burn out. ✕ Grant applications get rejected. In our episode, Veronica walks through what actually goes into building a nonprofit that lasts: → Why diversifying your board's skills matters more than friendship → How to structure funding so you're not scrambling every December → The compliance steps most founders miss Starting a nonprofit requires a great vision and mission, but it also means building systems that outlive your own involvement. Thank you Veronica Cruz for taking the time to talk! *Connect with Veronica* https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-cruz-445a4a4/ Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 2:14 - Meet Veronica Cruz 3:27 - What GG's Playhouse Actually Does 4:45 - Why We're Talking About Nonprofits Today 5:49 - The Reality of Starting a Nonprofit from Scratch 8:13 - Closing Down Nonprofits: When Vision Runs Out 9:36 - Board Governance and Why Skills Trump Friendships 11:25 - The All-Volunteer Model: Challenges and Structure 13:04 - Avoiding Board Member Burnout 14:20 - Running a Nonprofit Like a Business 16:05 - How Long Does It Actually Take to Get Started? 18:55 - Funding Opportunities for New Nonprofits 21:24 - Standing Out in a Crowded Donor Landscape 23:04 - The Grant Competition Nobody Talks About 26:36 - Monthly Donors vs One-Time Appeals 28:54 - Why Raffle Licensing Is More Complex Than You Think 32:16 - Partnering With Other Nonprofits for Licensing 35:43 - Tax Implications of Raffle Prizes 36:50 - Advice for Anyone Starting a Nonprofit 38:22 - Legacy Donations and Creative Funding Models 42:00 - Making Donations Convenient: Tech and Payment Options 43:44 - Best Practices for Board Meetings and Policy Review 49:04 - Final Thoughts: Building Nonprofits That Last ~~~ This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLC https://www.thefgfirm.law/

    51 min

  7. Jan 21

    Remote Work Broke Non-Competes (And Nobody Updated the Law) | Adam Klug

    Recruiter Adam Klug knows what really happens when non-competes enter the hiring conversation. Adam has seen four-year restrictions kill otherwise perfect job offers and he's learned that most people who sign these agreements never actually read them. Our conversation gets into the mechanics of non-competes: what courts actually enforce, why geography clauses written in the 1980s don't make sense in a remote work world, and how one three-way negotiation between an old employer, new employer, and the employee caught in the middle actually worked out. I break down the legal side of non-competes:  → The "blue pencil doctrine" that lets judges rewrite your agreement.  → The difference between non-competes, non-solicits, and non-poaching clauses.  → Why continued employment counts as legal consideration even when it feels like coercion. We also talk about what most business owners never do: dust off their employment documents and ask whether they still make sense. 0:00 Introduction 1:23 Meet Adam Klug: Recruiting in Tight Labor Markets 5:02 Defining Non-Competes and Restrictive Covenants 8:24 Michigan's Blue Pencil Doctrine Explained 11:05 When Non-Competes Kill Job Offers 14:01 The Legal Concept of Consideration 16:07 Warm and Fuzzies vs. The Breakup 25:44 Alternatives to Non-Competes: Non-Solicits and Non-Poaching 29:56 Non-Disparagement in the Social Media Age 35:19 Will There Ever Be a National Standard? 42:06 Best Practices for Recruiters Navigating Restrictions 53:00 Helping Candidates Understand Their Current Agreements 1:03:08 Why Companies Need to Dust Off Their Documents 1:06:43 Closing Thoughts ~~~ This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLC https://www.thefgfirm.law/

    1h 9m

  8. 11/25/2025

    Employment Practices & Liability Insurance

    Host Brandon Grysko is joined by Risk Consultant Kefentse Mandisa for an honest, practical conversation about Employment Practices & Liability Insurance. They discuss what it covers, where employers get burned, how claims actually unfold, and why documentation, early reporting, and risk management matter more than most businesses realize.

  9. 10/27/2025

    5 Things Your Attorney Hates to Hear

    In the first episode of Unlocking the Law with Brandon Gryskoo, attorney and host Brandon kicks off the series by breaking down the top five phrases every lawyer dreads to hear from a client - and why they matter.  From "I already signed it" to "This should be quick and easy," Brandon shares real-world insight that helps demystify the attorney-client relationship.

    16 min
  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Unlocking the Law with Brandon Grysko pulls back the curtain on real-world legal stories that business owners don't hear until it's too late. Blending engaging true cases, hard-earned lessons, and candid legal insight to help business owners, CEOs, and executive directors avoid costly mistakes. Join us every episode as Brandon unpacks the "how" and "why" behind legal pitfalls that can derail a company.  Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Listening does not create an attorney–client relationship.

Information

  • Creator
    Brandon Grysko
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Unlocking the Law

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