#134: Business Brewed Right with Switchback's Bill and Craig
Release Date: 07/06/2021
#178: Grit Gets It Done with Doug Lewis
Learning Life with Jon Tota
Doug Lewis is a 2-time Olympian, 8-year member of the US Ski Team, and in 1985 won the first ever World Championship medal for an American in downhill. And he grew up right here in the Green Mountains, cutting his teeth at Middlebury's Snow Bowl, then honing his skills at the GMVS Ski Academy at Sugarbush. After a great run on the US Ski Team, Doug returned to Vermont to attend UVM and to later co-found ELITEAM, a sports camp hosted at Killington Mountain School, that helps young athletes reach their highest potential. Listen to a great conversation with Doug on his journey through his...
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#177: Ready for Anything with Alex Hernandez
Learning Life with Jon Tota
In this episode, Jon sits down with Alex Hernandez, President of Champlain College, who was recently inaugurated as just the 10th President in Champlain's long history. Alex's vision for the college is centered on a theme of “readiness,” as he outlines plans to build a better future for students, the college, and Vermont. Jon talks with Alex about how education creates opportunity and what he thinks our institutions must do to get students ready for their future. Learn more about Champlain College here:
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#176: Laughing Matters with Jason Lorber
Learning Life with Jon Tota
In this episode, Jon sits down with Jason Lorber, the Founder and President of Aplomb Consulting, where they help people facilitate change in their lives and businesses. Based in Burlington, VT, Jason is also a standup comedian who served four terms in the Vermont state legislature. We talk about change, how comedy can help through the process, and why everyday citizens should get involved in politics now. Learn more about Jason and Aplomb at
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#175: High Times in Vermont with Bridget Conry
Learning Life with Jon Tota
In this episode, Jon sits down with Bridget Conry, founder of High Fidelity and host of the new High Fidelity podcast show. Bridget is an herbal practitioner and cannabis industry educator, advocate and entrepreneur based in Burlington, VT. High Fidelity intends to explore the intersection of cannabis, wellness, culture and the arts through insightful conversations with industry experts and thought leaders from all disciplines. Learn more at We discuss the history of cannabis in Vermont and the current events around adult use legalization just this...
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#174: A Blast from the Past with Beth Hill
Learning Life with Jon Tota
This week, Jon sits down with Beth Hill. Beth is the President and CEO of Fort Ticonderoga, the historic 2,000 acre destination overlooking Lake Champlain and educating visitors since 1909. Beth has a passion for history and a long career in the development and management of historical sites. In this episode, we discuss the importance of learning from our history, why sense of place matters today and how legendary historical sites like Fort Ticonderoga can scale into the digital age. There’s so much we can learn from Beth about our own local history and the value of...
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#173: Uncommon Farming with Will Raap
Learning Life with Jon Tota
This week, Jon sits down with Will Raap. Will is a pioneer in sustainable, regenerative farming in Vermont and the entrepreneur who founded Gardener’s Supply Company, spearheaded the start of the Intervale Center and, most recently, is transforming the Nordic Farm in Charlotte into Earthkeep Farmcommon. In this week’s episode, we discuss Will’s entrepreneurial journey as well as his latest innovation in agriculture, Earthkeep Farmcommon — a regenerative agricultural ecosystem that is organic, carbon-negative, sustainable and educational. You can learn more about...
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#172: Rev Into Wellness with Sarah DeGray
Learning Life with Jon Tota
This week, Jon sits down with Sarah DeGray, founder of REV Indoor Cycling. REV is a place of community and wellness, and is a no-judgment zone that helps you achieve your fitness goals through supportive coaching and an uplifting environment. Sarah founded REV Indoor Cycling 10 years ago in Burlington, Vermont, and has some excellent advice to offer entrepreneurs. In this week’s episode, Sarah discusses her experience with indoor cycling, and how her passion for music, as well as being an athlete, inspired her creation. She also explains how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted REV, the...
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#171: Be Your Best with Kimberly DuBrul
Learning Life with Jon Tota
This week, Jon sits down with Kimberly DuBrul, a certified business, life and mindset coach who has been coaching for almost 20 years. Kimberly is a Founding Member of the world wide John Maxwell Team of coaches, speakers and trainers and was one of 12 people chosen to make up the very first President's Advisory Council (PAC). She has also received the PCC title through the International Coach Federation (ICF), which is one of the top credentials available in the world of life coaching. In this week’s episode, Kimberly takes listeners along her journey of coaching and how her experiences...
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#170: Developing Vermont with Cassie Polhemus
Learning Life with Jon Tota
This week, Jon sits down with Cassie Polhemus, CEO of the Vermont Economic Development Authority. VEDA helps provide financing solutions to Vermont businesses in order to keep companies running and growing, and support the vitality of Vermont’s economy. In this week’s episode, Cassie talks about her journey to Vermont, how VEDA works daily to help Vermont businesses reach their goals and the unique challenges and advantages to being a Vermont entrepreneur. You can learn more about VEDA at
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#169: Get In The Flow with Dr. Rob Williams
Learning Life with Jon Tota
In this week's episode, we have Vermont serial entrepreneur, Professor, and friend of the show Dr. Rob Williams. Whether you know him from the Yak it to Me Burger stand, teaching at University of Vermont and Champlain College, or as a major voice on Vermont Independent Radio, Dr. Rob always shares something new and interesting. Rob sits down with Jon to discuss Peak Flow, a course to teach the Wim Hof Method, a breathing, cold exposure, and focus technique designed to help you live a better life. You can join an exclusive Peak Flow course in Burlington on Saturday, July 9th at...
info_outline"I guess I've always had a sense of wanting to involve everybody into the brewery from the very beginning. I was kind of well-known in the early days, when I was out on the floor working right next to everybody and if anyone asked, "why are we doing this?" they learned to maybe not ask those kinds of questions because they'd get about a half hour a conversation with me explaining that particular ingredient or that particular temperature on the mash profile for the beer."
What makes Switchback Brewing Co special? From the classic Ale to the Karsten Lager, Citra-Pils and the IPA, and now their first Double IPA and Smoked Beers, it's not just the hops, it's the process, and more importantly, the people.
This week Jon sits down with Bill Cherry and Craig Wilkinson, the president and production manager of Switchback, to talk about the Flynn Ave-based brewer's 100% employee ownership setup, running for five years now, via an Employee Stock Ownership Plan.
Listen to learn how a passion for beer and a passion for people has guided this local business through it's nearly 20-year history.