My Response to the Magical Teenage Idol
Are We Here Yet Podcast
Transcript taken from This week, a break from our work solving all the problems of small scale developers in rural America. Besides, our work relies on the success of tech entrepreneurs just as much as it does with municipalities, small business owners, manufacturers and advocates. So it’s big tech and entertainment that’s got my mind captured this time around. ’s recent Substack on left me in my own stream of consciousness, reliving then to now and our slip into idiocracy with MAMLMs (modern advanced machine learning models). What’s specifically got me frustrated is...
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Empowering Gig Workers
Are We Here Yet Podcast
Empowering Gig Workers Tamara Laine is the founder of MPWR, a fintech services platform launching in 2026 to serve the some 80 million global gig economy workers. This isn't the first founding experience for Tamara, here she is MPWR will focus on providing lending and support tools to gig economy workers who up until now face significant challenges accessing the financial services that W2 workers typically take for granted. Their reach could be vast, Tamara is focused on the domestic market but also has her eye on markets in Africa and Asia where gig economy workers...
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The Later Days of Big Bands: From the Culture Desk
Are We Here Yet Podcast
The Later Days of Big Bands: From the Culture Desk Join co-hosts Joshua Michael Stewart & Scott Graves on a musical look at just what all those Big Band musicians were doing decades after the end of the Big Band Era. The popular culture phenomenon of swing music did not end when the record deals started drying up. The spectrum and synthesis of styles, the premium musicianship and the comradery between bands and fans continued to the present date. We bring you more than a dozen recordings in their whole from the seventies to now including mostly musicians and bands still...
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What’s to Come in 2026
Are We Here Yet Podcast
Cohosts Ryan Munn and Scott Graves delve into what’s on the horizon in Vermont tech in 2026. Talk of BETA Technologies recent IPO and its consequences on employment opportunities was high among the list of other companies mentioned that we’re watching in the upcoming year. The list includes OnLogic, former podcast guest , Lightshift Energy and more. If you didn’t make the conversation this time around, have no fear. We’re watching YOU, too! A look at the upcoming year cannot be had without some meaningful conversation on artificial intelligence, advanced...
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Rural Housing Report: New Ideas from Otis, MA
Are We Here Yet Podcast
Rural Housing Report: New Ideas from Otis, MA We’re joined by , a fifth generation citizen from the Berkshire hamlet of Otis, MA. After listening to Stacey tell us in detail about the town’s greatest assets we’re feeling good about the resiliency of small town New England. Alongside her neighbors Stacey is engaged in garnering new ideas to solve Otis’s housing challenges in the most direct way possible, by listening to what your neighbors have to say. We’ve been gathering some compelling stories of economic development and housing this year from...
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Lean Into Success Lean Real Estate’s Michael Cohen
Are We Here Yet Podcast
is a partner and founding member of a successful investment firm buying directly from owners. The team at Lean applies lean manufacturing principles to real estate investment, which has helped the team of three stay focused and well disciplined in every aspect of their operation. Learn from Michael how to apply lean principles to your operation in our episode, plus understand more about the Burlington, Vermont real estate market. Burlington is one of Vermont’s highest performing markets for increasing value as is Chittenden county as a whole, which has been good for...
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New England Equity Collective Transforms Lives One Neighborhood at a Time
Are We Here Yet Podcast
is a realtor who recently donned the hat of a developer and non-profit leader. What makes this remarkable is the model of her new venture, . The NEEC is targeting families across a wide spectrum of backgrounds for co-living in pocket neighborhood developments combining services like art and music therapy with a more affordable and desirable place to live. Listen in if you are a non-profit leader looking to discover how to refine your model. Listen in if you are a new urbanist looking for an intentional design to a pocket neighborhood. Listen in if you care about innovation...
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Hypnotic Boogie: Re-discovering the Hill Country Blues
Are We Here Yet Podcast
The Hill Country Blues is, in effect for many of us, a form of early american music that is hiding in plain site. Take one part, fife and folk from the british isles,another part west african polyrhythms. Mix european balladeering with caribbean hypnotic rhythms. What begins as drum and fife music deep in the hills of northern Mississippi and Alabama blended with other blues from the region then heavily influenced the likes of Rock legends like Bo Diddley. We're re-discovering what Hill Country blues is all about. I'm joined by 2025 Massachusetts beat poet...
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Our 200th Episode
Are We Here Yet Podcast
Robert Reich wrote on his substack for September 16, One study found that of Americans expect a second civil war to happen “in the next few years,” even if the specifics vary according to one’s politics and imagination. On the other hand, unlike the Civil War of 1861-1865, no particular issue — like slavery back then — pulls the nation apart. While immigration, crime, abortion, and LGBTQ+ rights are controversial, none of these seem to elicit the anger and passions that might generate civil war. Nor are we enduring an economic calamity, pandemic, world war, or other national...
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A Housers Report from Rural New England
Are We Here Yet Podcast
Darren Sherburne is Associate Broker of Four Seasons Sotheby’s Fairlee VT office and an active houser developing a variety of properties in the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont. Darren reports on the current housing challenges in his region and gave us plenty to think about regarding how to get more of your housers started, where the funding can come from, what policy measures could improve our situation in Vermont and Northern New England. You’ll appreciate Darren’s focused intent on successful building, successful housing.
info_outlineEmpowering Gig Workers
Tamara Laine is the founder of MPWR, a fintech services platform launching in 2026 to serve the some 80 million global gig economy workers. This isn't the first founding experience for Tamara, here she is speaking with Nasdaq in 2023 regarding an earlier experience with Card Shop Live.
MPWR will focus on providing lending and support tools to gig economy workers who up until now face significant challenges accessing the financial services that W2 workers typically take for granted. Their reach could be vast, Tamara is focused on the domestic market but also has her eye on markets in Africa and Asia where gig economy workers proliferate.
This sector is one we’ve been following at the podcast for some time. Our parent company SMGraves Associates has been advocating for support opportunities by new services providers through their accelerators and economic development programming.
Tamara also gave us her perspective on artificial intelligence beyond just its beneficial use through her work, a discussion you don’t want to miss.
In her own words
‘I started my career in documentaries and journalism, which taught me so much about human behavior and intent. Every day was fast-paced, but, more importantly, it was filled with talking to people about their problems, conflicts, or solutions. I learned that unique personalities brought unique solutions to every situation. Now as a team leader, I see the value of every teammate's perspective, insights, or roadblocks and how that could be something to utilize for growth.’