In this episode of Cool Change, Chuck sits down with Mindy Crosato, founder of Decadent Creations Bakery and The Collective Kitchen in Hillsboro, Oregon.

If you live in the Portland area, there’s a good chance you already know her work. Mindy has built a reputation for excellence through years of consistency, creativity, and care. She’s earned awards, media recognition, and national attention, including a win on Food Network’s Chopped.

This conversation goes deeper than accolades.

Chuck and Mindy explore what happens when something you love becomes something you’re responsible for. They talk about the shift from artist to leader, the loneliness that can come with growth, the emotional cost of recognition, and the internal evolution required to sustain excellence over time.

They also talk about pressure, intuition, experimentation, staying grounded, and why lasting things are often built through small steps taken with conviction.

If you’ve ever felt called to build something meaningful, or wondered what it takes to keep going once the dream becomes real, this episode is for you.

In this episode I talk with C.R. Celona, a digital media management and influencer marketing expert who is doubling down on a platform that promises to revolutionize and simplify volunteering and social impact.

The platform is called Cluster, and it’s a way to connect with like-minded people in cities all over the world to effect positive social impact. It also helps influencers and brands mobilize people to volunteer in a simple, easy and fun way.

Beyond the platform, we uncover the story of how his father and two other men helped shape his worldview in very memorable and lasting ways.

Cluster is an app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Sarah Retzer spent more than two decades as an engineer, and has pivoted to start her own business. She retired in June 2020 from Boeing, and is now a full time certified mindfulness trainer.

In this conversation, she shares some of her observations about what people are struggling with these days, along with some straightforward approaches to creating more of the life you want to experience.

This marks the one-year anniversary of the podcast! Join me for 15 minutes as I share a few key learnings and insights from the past year, and let you know what’s in store in the coming year of Cool Change.

In this episode, I break down the meaning of “Cool,” and the meaning of “Change” as I’ve grown to understand from my guests over the past 12 months.

Chrissy McNair is passionate about helping caregivers live fully in the face of challenging life circumstances. Whether you’re caring for an aging adult, a special needs family member, or anyone else that deserves your energy, time and attention, you'll need to be resilient. After all, you don’t want to just “make the best of things” — you want to thrive and help the others around you do the same.

She’s the author of the upcoming e-book “Special, Too” and she’s offering a free copy to the first 50 Cool Change listeners to pre-order it by emailing her at chrissymcnair1@gmail.com.

Author, business founder, speaker, and wildly successful nerd, Aaron Hillegass shares his story of cool change with a comedic bent. Be prepared to take some notes, because this conversation is full of wisdom and great ideas about how to design your life, and why you should “not follow your dreams.”

You’ll learn why you don’t want to be the “pot holder lady in the Christmas Fair of life.”

In this episode I’m joined by Rilla Delorier as we discuss how one simple strategy has the potential to bring more meaning, joy and mindfulness into your everyday existence. It’s so simple, in fact, that most people will overthink it.

We also wrestle with the balance between efficiency and getting things done (checking things off your list) vs paying attention and enjoying the small moments that make up our days.

Finally, we talk about the difference between speed and rushing, and how the two affect your peace of mind and effectiveness.

Tough time deciding what to do next? Been on the fence for a while? Making big life decisions isn’t always easy, and living in the in-between can be stressful.

In this episode, Chuck and Rilla discuss the power of deciding on a course of action, and how your decision mindset and immediate next actions can powerfully determine how your new path will manifest.