The Moment You Knew: Recent Episodes
Josh Dunnington and John Stapleton
With Josh behind the mic and Stapes behind the scenes, these two suburban dads hope to provide some distraction from the daily stresses of this crazy world we live in.
The Moment You Knew is proud to welcome in Ike Reilly, an American singer-songwriter, musician, and writer as well as frontman and founder of the rock band the Ike Reilly Assassination. From his hometown of Libertyville, Illinois, Ike joins Josh to discuss the seamless transition of his three boys joining his band on a recent Midwest tour, his new album “Because the Angels” and being more present on stage and in life.
You won’t get a better bar room story as Goose Island brewer Quinn Fuechsl joins Josh in the studio to talk about the moment he knew his passion for home brewing would lead to a dream job, and how his thirst for travel led him to get married over and over and over to the love of his life. Draw yourself a cold one and listen in.
Self-described relentless optimist Maggie Rimnac joins Josh in the studio to talk about the moment(s) she knew life can change in an instant, and how building deep and meaningful connections through social media - the medium of which she is an expert - can bring people closer together.
Professional photographer Kelly Fitzgerald joins Josh in the studio to discuss her extraordinary process for creating modern portraits designed to look perfect in your home and what it takes to capture lifelong memories from behind her lens.
Singer-songwriter-guitarist Phil Circle returns to The Moment You Knew to chat with Josh about his new music school, his wife’s West Coast ascent, and what it takes to dedicate yourself to your craft. Welcome back, Phil, it’s great to have you with us.
Episode #31 (Part 2) is the conclusion of Josh sitting down with John Wiedeman, play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Blackhawks on WGN Radio. In this special two-part episode, find out about The Moment John Knew he loved hockey, The Moment He Knew he wasn’t ready for college, The Moment He Knew he wanted to be in broadcasting and The Moment He Knew he’d made it to the big time. With so many moments, it had to be two parts!
Episode #31 (Part 1) has Josh sitting down with John Wiedeman, play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Blackhawks on WGN Radio. In this special two-part episode, find out about The Moment John Knew he loved hockey, The Moment He Knew he wasn’t ready for college, The Moment He Knew he wanted to be in broadcasting and The Moment He Knew he’d made it to the big time. With so many moments, it had to be two parts! Enjoy Part 1, and join us for Part 2.
Jean Draper joins Josh to share her inspirational story of triumph over tragedy, of power and perseverance, and what it took to overcome an unimaginable injury with the support of her family, friends, and World-Class athletes by her side.
David Cox joins Josh for a story of darkness and light, of overcoming an unfathomable experience with strength, perseverance, and the desire to make his life and other’s lives better. David’s narrative is a uniquely enigmatic one - unlike one you have ever heard - as he reveals The Moment He Knew he would be OK. Settle in; share in his strength and believe in our universal need for love.
Recording artist and concert singer Jeremy Stolle, currently starring in the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera, joins Josh to recall The Moment He Knew that his voice would carry him to the heights of the musical theater world. With over 13 years in Phantom and countless theater credits (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, A Tale of Two Cities, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast and more), Jeremy also tours to sold out performing arts centers the U.S. and China with his amazing Broadway Band "The Unreachable Stars” and in his solo show “No More Talk of Darkness” featuring music from his solo album, “In the Moment.”
Enjoy this captivating conversation about the power of music when the momentum and the moment are in rhyme.
In an impromptu post-Father's Day episode, John joins Josh as his guest to talk about fathers, fatherhood, and The Moment He Knew that he and his wife would add to their family through adoption.
Writer, book lover, educator, performer, and creative renaissance man Michael Leali joins Josh to discuss The Moment He Knew he would be a writer and what it feels like to have his life reflected on the page in his first book THE CIVIL WAR OF AMOS ABERNATHY (HarperCollins 2022). With a Masters in Fine Arts focused exclusively on writing for young readers, Michael teaches English I, ACT/SAT Prep, and Creative Writing at his alma mater Oswego High School (Illinois), and gives our listeners a lesson in life, love, and the importance of being seen. Class is in session.
Kelly Lowman joins Josh in the studio to discuss The Moment She Knew she would take control over her weight and the issues that surrounded it. In a deeply inspiring and revealing conversation, Kelly shares how the path leading to bariatric surgery was paved in difficulty, and that it was the right decision for her; forever changing her life and the lives of those around her.
18-year-old Hannah Alcaro joins Josh on Episode 24 for a funny, heartwarming, and insightful conversation about The Moment She Knew she wanted to become a teacher. Hannah is the first guest to ask to be on TMYK, and Josh is glad she did. Get ready to smile and laugh a lot. Years from now, some lucky elementary students will be doing the same.
Under a new single-host format, Josh welcomes in a blast from the past in the form of Chris Gutierrez as he discusses his days on the road with Arma Angelus, a Chicago-based hardcore punk band. Seemingly never at a loss for words, Chris brings you into his world of scraping by, playing his heart out and discovering his starting point for bigger things ahead.
The end of a rough week finds Stapes in the studio with Josh chatting about family visits, daughters and their birthdays, and getting Mom high. Grab a glass of coffee and enjoy this brief episode whose length felt right for The Moment. After all, there's a lot to be said for brevity.
In Episode #21, Jon and Josh talk with Joe Bryant, founder, and owner of the groundbreaking fantasy football information website, Footballguys.com, co-founder of Bryant Boats, and founder and owner of Black Eyed Joe's BBQ. Joe discusses the formation and continued transformation of Footballguys.com, a site with over 500,000 subscribers. He also leans in about Texas and Tennessee barbeque and how he and a vast group of selfless volunteers help those in need at Knoxville's Lost Sheep Ministry, meeting people at their humanity while embodying the power and grace of giving back. Oh, and they sneak in a bit about The Avett Brothers for good measure. Enjoy!
Episode 20 of The Moment You Knew is a fascinating look into the life and teachings of singer/songwriter/guitarist, award-winning author, music coach, and founder of GBA Records, Phil Circle. Phil shares his deeply insightful stories of gratitude, his unique way of communicating through music, and his ongoing efforts to making the world a better place.
A big thank you to TMYK subscriber Dan Kirsten for introducing us to Phil, his vocal teacher. We’re so grateful you sent Phil our way. With that, TMKY is happy to award Dan 1 million internet points for making a momentous connection. Congratulations, Dan!
Sometimes, you just need a break. Josh and Jon welcome in Jennifer Reinecke to The Moment You knew to talk about the time in her life where she needed to “pause to live” as she embarked on a solo journey across Europe to recharge her mind and spirit. We likely all want to do something like this, so enjoy hearing from someone who actually did.
Pop a wheelie or pop a cold one; either way, ride along with Josh and Jon as they welcome in Robb Zbierski to talk about The Moment He Knew he would start his amazing side hustle, Beers For Gears. Beers For Gears is a home-based bicycle repair shop where you can make part of your payment to the master bike tech with your favorite adult beverage. Climb aboard, clip in and gear up for an intoxicating episode of The Moment You Knew.
J.R.R. Tolkien wrote “Not all those who wander are lost”. Julia Knippen said “I started liking the idea of running my own business… as opposed to waiting for someone to come find me." Josh and Jon are joined by New York-based voice-over actor and SoundVine Studios owner/audio engineer Julia Knippen as she recalls the professional journey that led her to a place called happiness. Oh, and she sounds fantastic!
In this episode, Josh and Jon are joined by Spence Siegel as he shares his thoughts on RelationTrips (listen to TMYK Episode 4 with his father, Author and Travel Guru, Jeff Siegel), and how the adventurous and sports-loving pair strengthened their father-son bond as they traveled to every Major League Baseball park and every National Basketball League stadium over an 11-year period. Spence recalls The Moment He Knew he wanted to be a Play-by-Play broadcaster, and the journey that led him to feel at home on the road and behind the mic.
In arguably the sweetest episode yet, Josh and Jon are joined by Heather Henkel, franchise owner of the Arlington Heights Kilwins, located in the heart of the village’s vibrant downtown community. Heather reveals The Moment She Knew that her “Wonka DNA” would lead her to satisfy the sweet tooth of all who venture into her shop to enjoy a delightful variety of chocolates, fudge, delicious treats, and 24 flavors of ice cream. We hope you enjoy this delicious confectionary conversation as much as these three friends enjoyed their time together. Ear candy at its finest.
This fascinating episode finds Jon and Josh talking with Dave Schwarz, owner of Signature Production Group in St. Charles, Illinois, as they discuss The Moment He Knew he would lead his company in 2020 down an unforeseen path as the global pandemic took its hold on the world. Dave shares the moments that prepared him for this first-of-its-kind transformation in a tale of determination, foresight, leadership and love. Yes, love. Enjoy.
Josh and Jon are joined by John to recap Season 1 of The Moment You Knew, a fond look back at each episode and the stories that made our podcast special.
Jon and Josh are joined by Kevin Reed, a 12-time Ironman competitor, marathon runner, and ultra-endurance athlete as he discusses The Moment He Knew he was NOT going to qualify for the Ironman Hawaii, the 140.6-mile journey that presents the ultimate test of body, mind, and spirit. Kevin is a husband, a father of four girls, and a middle school teacher. In his free time (or lack thereof), he loves to run and cycle. Starting with marathons over twenty years ago and progressing to triathlons when he sought another challenge, Kevin shares why he thrives on competition, pushing his body to its athletic limits and the sense of accomplishment he feels when he completes these races. On this episode of The Moment You Knew, Kevin ponders whether his competitive Ironman days are over, or if he might still someday achieve his ultimate goal of qualifying for the Ironman Hawaii.
Josh and Jon sit down and talk with Austin-based Corporate Storyteller, Christopher Martin, a four-time Emmy Award winner, a Peabody award winner, a long-tenured 60 Minutes and CBS primetime documentary producer, a producer for legendary journalist Dan Rather, an alum from The Oprah Winfrey Show, a producer for The Dr. Oz Show, owner of Lever Media LLC, and a marketing megaphone for business success. Chris shares The Moment He Knew when he wanted to be a storyteller, and how his stories have impacted the lives of those who have shared theirs and viewed by millions of people around the world.
Josh and Jon are joined by Cheryl Procter-Rogers and learn about The Moment She Knew she was A Step Ahead. With over 40 years of experience in the Public Relations field, Cheryl reveals the genesis of her Minority and Women-Owned Business, A Step Ahead Consulting and Coaching, and her experiences in the public relations and executive coaching worlds. Cheryl had a lot to share, and the guys loved every minute of their time with her; they know you will, too.
Jon and Josh talk with tattoo artist David Libert about The Moment He Knew someone’s body could be his canvas. David leaves an indelible mark as he discusses his early love for art, the ins and outs of the tattoo trade, and what drew him to become a tattoo artist.
Language comes in many forms, and some are difficult to master. Josh and Jon talk with Stacy Shein Stapleton, a master American Sign Language Interpreter, about The Moment She Knew that she wanted to change her career and serve the deaf community as a profession.
Josh and Jon talk with Jourdain Fisher, a New York-based writer/actor/comedian, about The Moment He Knew he had a “tight five” – five minutes of standup gold – and what it took to achieve that material and showcase it on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. A rising star with an impeccable work ethic, Jourdain was born and raised in North Carolina and started doing standup comedy at the age of 17 to avoid working for his family’s funeral home. His smooth demeanor and quick wit and are what drives Jourdain’s hilarious takes on everything from his family to social observations.
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Jeff Rogers: The Moment You Knew your humor and storytelling skills had applications beyond the usual formats. Jeff Rogers is a comedian, emcee, author, keynote speaker, actor, game show host and more, which provided many paths to many moments.
Jon and Josh talk with Jeff Siegel, author of the book RelationTrips, a heart-warming and practical manual for parents, guardians, aunts, uncles and anyone else seeking to enhance their relationship with a child. Part memoir, part guidebook, RelationTrips explores why a road trip is the perfect mobile bonding vehicle and how to get started on the “road” to road trip transformation.
Life is good if you have great friends, but if one of those friends is a well-respected doctor, life is even better. Jon and Josh speak with Dr. William Moran and find out when the moment Bill knew he wanted to care for others in his community, and what life is like caring for those in nursing homes and COVID-19 clinics.
The moment you knew you could create art that others would want to own. Jess Dougherty, a.k.a. The Mother Potter, joined Josh and Jon to talk about all things pottery and tell her story about finding her creative outlet.
Chris Gutierrez - The Moment You Knew your idea for a non-profit business was a viable one.
Jon and Josh talk with Christopher Gutierrez; author, spoken word artist, hairstylist, 15-year-old punk rock kid trapped in an adult’s body, and co-founder of The Catcade with his partner Shelly Casey.
Check out The Catcade at https://www.thecatcade.org/
Welcome to The Moment You Knew, a podcast where long-time friends Jon and Josh talk with people about turning points in their lives that have helped shape their journeys. With their buddy Stapes making everything work behind the scenes, these three suburban dads hope to provide some distraction from the daily stresses of this crazy world we live in.