Laquisha Jackson has been cooking for people for most of her life. Jackson was seven years old with her grandmother asked her cook for her siblings. Jackson accepted the responsibility of being the family chef because she has always had a heart for service. Today that heart full service allows Jackson to bring the joy of food to our community through her catering company, Soulful Kitchen. However, it does not stop there. Jackson also transformed Soulful Kitchen into a platform to address food insecurity through her charity hope for the hungry, while also educating the next generation of chefs through the Getting Ahead Program. Please welcome Laquisha Jackson to the Many Hats Podcast.

The love of music is rooted deep in Chris Rizik’s soul. His mother, who lived to be 101-years-old, was an opera singer. She and her husband raised a large family where everybody could carry a tune. Growing up in Flint in the 1960s and 70s meant that Chris heard a lot of Motown, and he loved all of it. One of his strongest musical memories came in 1972 when he saw the Spinners and Temptations in concert. Imagine that! Chris went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Michigan State University and a law degree from the University of Michigan. He married, raised a family and became an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. However, the love of music – and soul music in particular – never left. Chris now gets to share his passion for music with the world through Soultracks.com, the world’s largest online source for all things Indie and classic soul music which he founded in 2003. I’ve written for Soultracks since 2007. If there’s one thing Chris and I can talk about – besides the Wolverine’s national championship winning men’s basketball team and my Hoosier’s national championship winning football team, it’s music. We’re gonna do just that on this episode of the Many Hats Podcast.

About Chris Rizik: Chris is the founder and publisher of SoulTracks.com, America’s most popular soul music online magazine. Chris has also played a quarter century role in the development of technology, entertainment and entrepreneurial companies around the country, with a special focus on investment and inclusive growth in Michigan.

Chris is known around the world for his efforts to bring soul music, in all its forms, to music lovers. Formed in Chris’s kitchen in 2003, SoulTracks has become the “go to” site for soul music news, reviews, and the bridging of classic and modern soul. This year, articles on SoulTracks will be viewed three million times by soul music fans in more than 100 countries.

Chris is also the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Renaissance Venture Capital Fund, a fund that has been hailed nationally as a new type of venture capital vehicle: one that drives not only financial success, but positive impact on underrepresented geographies and people. Chris’s work has helped attract over three billion dollars of investment into Michigan startup companies, and has become a national model for impact investing. He has also taken a leadership role in community organizations designed to advance inclusive growth in Detroit, including TechTown, Invest Detroit, and the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan.

For Jetta McKinstry, the kettle corn that’s become the treat of choice at wedding receptions, birthday parties and for a snack while watching TV at home was divinely inspired. She had not been a big popcorn or kettle corn eater as a young person. However, after praying for inspiration and direction after many years of working as a school bus driver for the South Bend Community School Corporation, God directed her to make the food that has been her life’s mission and passion for the past two years. Jetta learned the process of making kettle corn, as well as how to run a business from the ground up and every time doubt crept in, a satisfied customer provided validation. Today, Jetta’s Kettle Corn brings joy to people throughout Michiana and around the country. Please welcome Jetta McKinstry, owner and creator of Jetta’s Kettle Corn to The Many Hats Podcast. If you want to buy Jetta’s Kettle Corn or to learn more, visit jettaskettle.corn or call her at 574-203-0938. Jetta’s email is jettaskettlecorn@gmail.com.