Get Deep

Wesley Otto & Aaron Jones
  • 4.8 (23)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Get Deep Podcast, where premium spirits meet quality conversations! Join ridiculously good looking co-hosts, Aaron Jones and Wes Otto, as they interview interesting people and dive deep into their stories.

  1. Ep146 Sheryl Meshke

    JAN 14

    Ep146 Sheryl Meshke

    Sheryl Meshke: Leading America’s Dairy Cooperative, One Block of Cheese at a Time In this episode of the Get Deep Podcast, we sit down with Sheryl Meshke—President and CEO of AMPI (Associated Milk Producers Inc.), the nation’s largest farmer-owned dairy cooperative specializing in American-style cheese. From humble beginnings on a Good Thunder farm to leading an operation that markets 10% of the nation’s American cheese, Sheryl’s story is one of grit, generational values, and strategic leadership in the world of agriculture and food systems. Sheryl reflects on her small-town upbringing, growing up alongside her brothers on the family farm—doing chores, operating equipment, and learning firsthand the work ethic that would shape her path. With deep roots in 4-H and public speaking, she credits her high school speech coach with instilling the confidence that carried her into journalism, communications, and ultimately, executive leadership. We dive into Sheryl’s unique path from newspaper reporter to agricultural publisher, and how a timely connection launched her career at AMPI—an organization she’s helped lead through market volatility, innovation milestones, and literal fires. From creating the Dinner Bell Creamery brand to becoming a global exporter of processed cheese, Sheryl shares what it means to steward a farmer-owned cooperative through rapid change while keeping values at the center. She also walks us through the realities of milk as a 365-day commodity, the importance of young leadership on AMPI’s farmer board, and the role cooperatives play in America’s food future. Stick around for insights into rural leadership, food systems, and the “trophies” AMPI proudly puts on the mantle—from cheese competition medals to feeding families across the globe. 🎙️ Brought to you by our episode sponsors: ⁠Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery & Distillery⁠, Community Bank Mankato, South Central Small Business Development Center, and ⁠iWealth⁠. #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #SherylMeshke #AMPI #DairyLeadership #WesOtto #AaronJones

    1h 27m
  2. Ep145 Justin Montemurno

    JAN 7

    Ep145 Justin Montemurno

    Justin Montemurno: Systems, Strategy, and the Power Behind the Power In this high-voltage episode of the Get Deep Podcast, we sit down with Justin Montemurno—a Southern Minnesota native whose journey from wrench-turning teen to global infrastructure strategist is anything but ordinary. Justin shares his story of growing up in St. James, tinkering with engines, learning from uncles, and developing the work ethic that would power a career spanning technical sales, engineering, and global energy infrastructure. We dive into Justin’s early experiences in manufacturing and process improvement at Kato Engineering, where he helped redesign workflows that massively increased output—and caught the attention of leadership. From there, he took the leap into technical sales, finding his sweet spot translating complex systems into strategies clients could actually understand. Now working with IPS, Justin operates at the intersection of business development, engineering, and hyperscale infrastructure, helping to design and deliver the massive power systems that fuel data centers, cloud computing, and the AI revolution. He breaks down exactly what a data center is, why power demand is spiking globally, and what it all means for the future of tech—and your electric bill. This episode is packed with insight on leadership, problem-solving, power systems, and the long game of building infrastructure that keeps the modern world running. 🎙️ Brought to you by our episode sponsors: Chankaska Winery, Community Bank Mankato, and iWealth #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #JustinMontemurno #PowerInfrastructure #DataCenters #WesOtto #AaronJones

    1h 43m
  3. Ep144 Rachel Wilke & Molly Jones

    12/31/2025

    Ep144 Rachel Wilke & Molly Jones

    Rachel Wilke & Molly Jones: Breaking Cycles and Building “Therapy is Cool” In this personal and powerful episode of the Get Deep Podcast, we sit down with Rachel Wilke and Molly Jones—licensed therapists and co-founders of Therapy is Cool, a Mankato-based mental health practice focused on helping children, families, and entire generations heal. Rachel and Molly share their winding paths into the world of therapy—from childhood experiences and early career burnout to their first meeting at a local mental health center, where their shared vision for a new kind of practice began to take shape. The two bonded over a belief that therapy should be approachable, proactive, and rooted in long-term impact. Together, they explore intergenerational trauma, emotional patterning, and the life-changing power of understanding your own coping mechanisms. Rachel also opens up about her experience working in high-intensity environments across multiple states, her family’s battle with infertility, and how those experiences shaped her empathy and drive. We also dive into the behind-the-scenes journey of building Therapy is Cool—including how the South Central SBDC helped them turn their vision into a thriving private practice. Throughout the episode, Rachel and Molly share practical tools for managing stress, anxiety, and mental health in the workplace—reminding us that therapy isn’t just for when things go wrong. It’s a tool for anyone, at any time. 🎙️ Brought to you by our episode sponsors: ⁠Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery & Distillery⁠, Community Bank Mankato, South Central Small Business Development Center, and ⁠iWealth.⁠ #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #TherapyIsCool #MentalHealthMatters #RachelWilke #MollyJones #WesOtto #AaronJones

    1h 50m
  4. Ep143 Ritchie Schaefer

    12/23/2025

    Ep143 Ritchie Schaefer

    Ritchie Schaefer: Hive Minds, Bee Drama, and the Rise of B2B Honey In this episode of the Get Deep Podcast, we sit down with Ritchie Schaefer—beekeeper, entrepreneur, and founder of B2B Honey. A Mankato native with a love for agriculture, Ritchie takes us deep into the world of bees, hives, and honey with a mix of science, passion, and raw honesty. Ritchie’s path to business ownership was anything but conventional. After studying ag at North Dakota State and spending years in agricultural sales, he was moved to start beekeeping following the sudden passing of a young beekeeper whose hives were kept on his family’s farm. That moment sparked a personal transformation—and a new calling. Now the founder of B2B Honey, Ritchie shares how he built his operation from the ground up, starting at the Mankato Farmers Market and Schell’s Brewery before scaling into a migratory beekeeping business, with hives moving between river valleys in Minnesota and heading south for the winter. Along the way, he’s faced steep learning curves and major setbacks—including losing bees in California and a particularly angry hive incident that required help from the fire department’s water truck (no flames, just a creative rain simulation). We dive into the fascinating social structure of bees—how they pick homes, the ruthless competition to become queen, and what makes hive life tick. Ritchie also treats the hosts to a tasting of his ever-expanding product line, proving that honey is just the beginning. 🎙️ Brought to you by our episode sponsors: ⁠Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery & Distillery⁠, Community Bank Mankato, South Central Small Business Development Center, and ⁠iWealth⁠ #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #WesOtto #AaronJones

    1h 39m
  5. Ep142 Paul Bunkowske

    12/17/2025

    Ep142 Paul Bunkowske

    Paul Bunkowske: A New Chapter Shaped by Collecting and Community In this heartfelt episode of the Get Deep Podcast, we sit down with Paul Bunkowske—the founder of Bunk’s Card Corner, Mankato’s go-to destination for sports cards, Pokémon, Disney memorabilia, and more. Paul shares his honest and powerful journey from struggling with alcoholism to finding purpose and community through sobriety. Recovery was not the end of the story—it became the starting point for purpose, community, and a new direction. That path eventually led him into the world of trading cards and to launching his own business. Paul opens up about his early years selling cars across the Midwest, his lifelong love of sports, and how that passion became the fuel behind Bunk’s Card Corner. What started as a personal interest grew into a retail and wholesale operation that has become a hub for collectors, hobbyists, and fans of all ages. Now, Paul is preparing to open a brand-new storefront next to Crumbl Cookies off Adams Street in Mankato. The space will be Minnesota’s largest dedicated trading card retail location and the central home for his growing wholesale business—exciting news for the local collecting community and for small business in Southern Minnesota. Tune in for a raw, honest, and uplifting conversation about recovery, the joy and obsession of collecting, and what it takes to turn passion into purpose—and a business that brings people together every day. 🎙️ Brought to you by our episode sponsors: ⁠Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery & Distillery⁠, Community Bank Mankato, South Central Small Business Development Center, and ⁠iWealth⁠ #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #WesOtto #AaronJones

    1h 18m
  6. Ep141 Colleen VanBlarcom

    12/11/2025

    Ep141 Colleen VanBlarcom

    Colleen VanBlarcom: McDonald’s Operator, Legacy Builder, and Culture Champion In this episode, we sit down with Colleen VanBlarcom—owner/operator of 11 McDonald’s restaurants across Southern Minnesota. With a career spanning four decades and roots in one of McDonald’s most storied family lineages, Colleen shares what it takes to lead a growing, values-driven organization under the Golden Arches. From scrubbing floors as a teen to managing multi-unit operations in Mankato, Owatonna, Waseca, Medford, and Eagan, Colleen’s story is steeped in grit, growth, and generational wisdom. She opens up about her father’s early days with McDonald’s—back when there were just over 200 locations nationwide—and how his legacy shaped her path as both a business leader and community builder. Colleen reflects on small-town adjustments, lessons learned from corporate legends, and how a surprise visit from Ray Kroc changed the course of her family’s journey. She shares insights on leadership, problem-solving, and what it takes to maintain a strong culture in one of the world’s most recognizable brands. And in a Get Deep exclusive, Colleen reveals the future location of Mankato’s newest McDonald’s restaurant—news you’ll hear here first. Stick around for a heartfelt conversation about service, resilience, and the human side of fast food—plus powerful stories about her team’s impact through the Ronald McDonald House Charities. 🎙️ Brought to you by our episode sponsors: ⁠Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery & Distillery⁠, Community Bank Mankato, South Central Small Business Development Center, and ⁠iWealth⁠ #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #McDonalds #ColleenVanBlarcom #BAMCO #WesOtto #AaronJones

    2h 2m
  7. Ep140 Ashley & Nick Rehder

    10/15/2025

    Ep140 Ashley & Nick Rehder

    Ashley and Nick Rehder, Founders of Ruby Ranch Barn: Join us for a conversation with Ashley and Nick Rehder, founders of ⁠Ruby Ranch Barn⁠, a nine-acre property just east of Pemberton, Minnesota, where education and community meet in fresh, hands-on ways. In this episode, Ashley and Nick share about their journey building Ruby Ranch from a dream into a space for connection and experiential learning, hosting workshops, events, and summer camps for all ages. They talk about Little Rubies, their preschool/kindergarten farm and nature program for ages 3-6, that uses nature as the daily classroom, complete with animal interaction, garden and pond time, and walks through their trials. They also open up about integrating their personal home on the farm into the operation, pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into a fast flip that expanded what they could offer to the community. As Ruby Ranch continues to grow (with 29K followers on Instagram!), Ashley and Nick reflect on the values that drive their work, the joy of seeing people connect through nature, and how they’re helping redefine what learning looks like in Southern Minnesota. 🎙️ Brought to you by our episode sponsors:  ⁠⁠⁠Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery & Distillery⁠⁠⁠, ⁠iWealth⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Community Bank⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠South Central MN SBDC⁠ #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #WesOtto #AaronJones #RubyRanch #LittleRubies #farmandnatureschool

    1h 49m
  8. Ep139 Art Westphal

    10/01/2025

    Ep139 Art Westphal

    Art Westphal: Coaching Legend and Advancement Leader at Bethany Lutheran Join us for an in‑depth conversation with Art Westphal, a cornerstone of Bethany Lutheran College athletics and institutional advancement. Over decades, Art has shaped programs as head coach of both baseball and men’s basketball, led as athletic director, and now pours his passion into advancing the college mission as a Senior Development Officer.  In this episode, Art reflects on resurrecting Bethany’s baseball program in 1984, earning multiple Coach of the Year honors in Region XIII, and building winning basketball teams that claimed division titles and state tournament berths.  He also shares what it was like balancing coaching, administration, and campus life through transformational years at Bethany. Now in advancement, Art discusses the shift from the court to stewardship—how he channels lessons from coaching into fundraising, alumni relations, and institutional growth. We also explore his roles in community foundations, the joys of mentorship, and the legacy he hopes to leave.  🎙️ Brought to you by our episode sponsors:  ⁠⁠Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery & Distillery⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Community Bank⁠⁠ #AaronJones #WesOtto #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #BethanyLutheran #ArtWestphal #CollegeAthletics #Advancement

    2h 13m
See All (146)

4.8
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

The Get Deep Podcast, where premium spirits meet quality conversations! Join ridiculously good looking co-hosts, Aaron Jones and Wes Otto, as they interview interesting people and dive deep into their stories.

Information

  • Creator
    Wesley Otto & Aaron Jones
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    146
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Wesley Otto & Aaron Jones
  • Show Website
    Get Deep

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