Get Deep Podcast

Aaron Jones and Wes Otto
  • 4.8 (24)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Join Aaron Jones and Wes Otto on the Get Deep Podcast as they sit down with the people shaping Southern Minnesota and beyond, sharing their journeys, hard-earned lessons, and the moments that matter most. Part of the Connect Podcast Network, the show brings long-form, real conversations that go beyond surface-level stories—offering insight, perspective, and a deeper look at the people driving our region forward. Proudly supported by our sponsors—Vanderberg Clean, Community Bank, and Chankaska Creek Winery and Distillery—whose support helps make these conversations possible.

  1. Ep148 Emily Giddings

    APR 27

    Ep148 Emily Giddings

    Emily Giddings: Curiosity, Confidence, and the Business of Feeling Better In this episode of the Get Deep Podcast, we sit down with Emily Giddings, founder of Giddie Skin Med Spa, for a conversation that goes well beyond skincare. From a homeschooled upbringing to a passion for travel—and even raising buffalo—Emily has always followed her curiosity. That same mindset shows up in how she’s built her business and approached an industry that’s constantly evolving. We dive into the world of medical aesthetics, including the innovation shaping the field today. Emily shares insight into advanced treatments—from skin-focused services to more specialized offerings like vaginal rejuvenation and treatments for penile dysfunction—breaking down what these services are, who they’re for, and why conversations around them are becoming more normalized. We also explore the artistic side of her work and the level of trust required between provider and patient—how outcomes aren’t just about technique, but about understanding the person, making thoughtful decisions, and helping people feel confident in their own skin. Emily also shares the story behind her new location on St. Andrews Drive and what this next chapter means for Giddie Skin. 🎙️ Brought to you by our episode sponsors: Vanderberg Clean, Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery & Distillery, and Community Bank #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #MinnesotaBusiness

    1h 25m
  2. Ep147 Josh Vanderberg

    FEB 28

    Ep147 Josh Vanderberg

    Josh Vanderberg: Building a Business Leaders Can Trust In Episode 147 of the Get Deep Podcast, we sit down with Josh Vanderberg—President and CEO of Vanderberg Clean and a second-generation leader in Southern Minnesota’s janitorial industry. Josh’s story begins in Mankato, learning the business from his grandparents, founders of Sharon’s Cleaning Service in the 1970s. But early in this episode, he opens up about something far more personal—his mother’s mental health struggles and how those challenges shaped his resilience, faith, and drive to build something stable and meaningful. Today, Vanderberg Clean is far more than a residential carpet cleaning company. Over 90% of its work serves commercial clients across Southern Minnesota. Under Josh’s leadership, the company delivers more than a clean environment—it delivers confidence. Confidence that your facility will be handled professionally. Confidence that your space will remain secure. Confidence that the job will be done right, every time. We also dive into scaling, culture, and Josh’s commitment to learning from leaders in every industry to continually improve his team and systems. This is a conversation about faith, growth, resilience, and building a company local leaders can trust. 🎙️ Brought to you by our episode sponsors: Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery & Distillery, Community Bank, and South Central Small Business Development Center #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #MinnesotaBusiness #Entrepreneurship

    1h 39m
  3. 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, ⁠iWealth⁠, and South Central Small Business Development Center #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #MinnesotaBusiness #DairyLeadership

    1h 27m
  4. 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 hyper-scale 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 Creek Ranch, Winery & Distillery, Community Bank, and iWealth #GetDeepPodcast #SouthernMinnesota #MinnesotaBusiness #DataCenters

    1h 43m
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
See All (148)

4.8
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

Join Aaron Jones and Wes Otto on the Get Deep Podcast as they sit down with the people shaping Southern Minnesota and beyond, sharing their journeys, hard-earned lessons, and the moments that matter most. Part of the Connect Podcast Network, the show brings long-form, real conversations that go beyond surface-level stories—offering insight, perspective, and a deeper look at the people driving our region forward. Proudly supported by our sponsors—Vanderberg Clean, Community Bank, and Chankaska Creek Winery and Distillery—whose support helps make these conversations possible.

Information

  • Creator
    Aaron Jones and Wes Otto
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    148
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Aaron Jones and Wes Otto
  • Show Website
    Get Deep Podcast

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