As The Clown Turns: From Holiday Oil

The Pod Mill
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Business

As the Clown Turns is the official podcast of Holiday Oil, Utah’s beloved family-run gas station brand. Each episode invites listeners behind the counter and into the stories that have shaped this legacy business across generations—sharing the milestones, challenges, and everyday moments that built a trusted local institution grounded in quality, integrity, and genuine community care. Blending professional insight with the warm, lighthearted spirit that defines the brand, the show celebrates how Holiday Oil has stayed true to its values while keeping things fun along the way. Whether you’re a longtime customer, a fellow business owner, or simply enjoy stories of family, grit, and good old-fashioned service, tune in and discover what keeps this Utah classic turning strong.

Episodes

  1. 2d ago

    Kind of a Big Deal: James Peterson on Resilience, Titles, and Selling Donuts

    In this episode of As the Clown Turns, James Peterson—President of Holiday Stores and the guy everyone calls “Big Deal”—joins us for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from a Copperton childhood and a Bolivia mission to the realities of running a multi-entity retail operation. He opens up about the long road from payroll clerk to CFO to COO to President, the emotional weight of the title, navigating an owner’s Alzheimer’s, and the 17-week bodybuilding prep that took him from 248 to a stage weight of 203.5. It’s equal parts leadership masterclass, personal resilience story, and reminder that the same guy who can hold a company together at 3 a.m. after a traumatic incident will also happily show up as Velma or Princess Leia when the situation calls for it.

  2. 6d ago

    Intentional Friends: How Circles Breaks the Cycle of Poverty

    Mike Wagstaff sits down with Amber Ferre of the Wagstaff Legacy Foundation and Kelly Parker of Circles Salt Lake to explore how a simple volunteer dinner sparked a lasting partnership that helps families permanently move out of poverty. Kelly shares the Circles model—built on intentional friendship, community dinners, and practical resources—along with powerful stories of circle leaders who rebuild confidence, stability, and hope for their children. Listeners also hear how Holiday Oil customers and team members fuel this work through the foundation, and how anyone can get involved by sponsoring a Thursday meal, becoming an ally, or supporting circle leaders.

  3. Oct 16

    Holiday Oil + Thanksgiving Heroes: Community Service, Nonprofit Food Drives & Doing Good This Thanksgiving

    In this episode of As the Clown Turns, Mike Wagstaff sits down with Amber Ferre, managing director of the Wagstaff Legacy Foundation, and Rob Adams, founder of Thanksgiving Heroes, to explore Holiday Oil’s longstanding commitment to community service. Rob shares the powerful story behind the organization he built after a childhood of hardship and a promise to his mother, along with the practical logistics of feeding thousands of families each year through volunteers, partners like Associated Foods, and a growing national network. The conversation highlights themes of integrity, paying it forward, leadership through service, and how small acts of generosity can create lasting ripples of hope and connection.

  4. Oct 2

    Making a Better Sandwich For the Future with Chef Bradd Bosley

    Holiday Oil is leaning into food, and this episode introduces Chef Brad Bosley, the company’s first director of food, alongside president James Peterson. Brad traces the path from a Northern Michigan farm kitchen to Johnson & Wales, product development, and convenience, then lays out how Holiday can leave stereotypical gas-station food behind with fresher, assembled-on-site breakfast and a drive-thru that can compete with quick-serve restaurants. James and Mike talk through Cottonwood distribution, store-level training, and a longer bet on owning more of what they sell so the brand is less dependent on fuel.

  5. Sep 18

    Just a Normal Wagstaff Family Conversation with Uncle Steve Wagstaff

    Mike Wagstaff sits down with his Uncle Steve—Jerry’s little brother by twelve years—for a family-eye view of how the Wagstaffs got into gasoline and how Holiday Oil actually started. Steve walks the map from King Street and educated nightcrawlers at a three-pump Frontier station to Magna, Beeline and Husky leases, a bobtail truck stuck on the railroad tracks, and the day a nineteen-year-old bought his first stop on a handshake and a ten-thousand-dollar down payment. The result is equal parts origin story and cautionary tale: the clown on the sign has deep roots, family and fuel make a high-octane mix, and the little brother who lived it still tells it better than anyone.

  6. Sep 5

    The Clown Behind The Clown with Ned Perry

    With one of the most iconic and memorable logos in Utah and across the Wasatch Front, Holiday Oil continues to look back on it's amazing history with an integral piece of that history: Ned Perry. Ned was the original graphic artist who conceptualized the smiling clown logo over 50 years ago. They just don't make them like they used to.

  7. Sep 5

    The Game of Work: Chuck Coonradt, Holiday Oil, and the Scorecard That Still Pays

    Chuck Coonradt, the mind behind The Game of Work, sits down with Holiday Oil to unpack how a few simple scorecards turned “Fill to Play” into the company’s commission backbone and still shape the way stores keep score today. He traces an unglamorous path from bagging potatoes for a bicycle in Albert Lea to measuring labor in West Coast groceries, then explains the lunch-bell epiphany that still stings: people will sweat harder for a pickup game than they will for a paycheck unless you give them feedback, goals, and a field of play. Darwin and Mike help him land the punch line that rear-view-mirror accounting never won a championship, and Chuck leaves the room with the Platinum Pledge: coach better than you are being coached.

  8. Aug 21

    No One Works Harder Than Grandpa with Randy Needs Part 2

    Listen in to the great conclusion to the episode with Randy Needs, amazing executive from Holiday Oil.

  9. Aug 21

    No One Works Harder Than Grandpa with Randy Needs Part 1

    Holiday Oil has such a legacy of innovation, hard work and customer service over the years. Today, Mike sits down with one of the people who set the tone for the entire company, Randy Needs. Randy brings old school customer service and has help usher Holiday into the future by always emphasizing customer relationships and service that doesn't stop.

  10. Aug 21

    A Man of Few Words with Scott Wagstaff

    In this episode, Scott shares his lifelong journey in the oil and convenience store industry, highlighting lessons learned from real estate, store management, and strategic site selection. Including everything from sweeping the floors of the early stores to delivering cases of oil around, Scott literally has Holiday Oil in his blood and that connection shines through. His insights reveal the importance of patience, methodical planning, and teamwork in building a successful business.

  11. Aug 7

    Sitting Down with One of The Holiday Architects Part 2

    Darwin and Mike wrap up their amazing conversation detailing the incredible origins and industry defining trends that started right here at Holiday Oil

    Sitting Down with One of The Holiday Architects Part 2

  12. Aug 7

    Sitting Down with One of The Holiday Architects Part 1

    Welcome to As The Clown Turns hosted by Holiday Oil's own Mike Wagstaff. Mike lends his great voice and business history as he sits down with one of the company Architects in Darwin Sorensen. Tune into this amazing episode to hear about great topics such as the first inclusion of the Big Swig, first 32 oz plastic cup and thinking about bringing Chevron on board.

    Sitting Down with One of The Holiday Architects Part 1
  • 12 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

As the Clown Turns is the official podcast of Holiday Oil, Utah’s beloved family-run gas station brand. Each episode invites listeners behind the counter and into the stories that have shaped this legacy business across generations—sharing the milestones, challenges, and everyday moments that built a trusted local institution grounded in quality, integrity, and genuine community care. Blending professional insight with the warm, lighthearted spirit that defines the brand, the show celebrates how Holiday Oil has stayed true to its values while keeping things fun along the way. Whether you’re a longtime customer, a fellow business owner, or simply enjoy stories of family, grit, and good old-fashioned service, tune in and discover what keeps this Utah classic turning strong.

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