Coffee & Grit

About Coffee & Grit

🎙️ Welcome to Coffee & Grit, where stories are served information with soul! Dive into the wild terrain of entrepreneurship & visionary leadership with Jason Tracey as he nterviews resilient individuals who have conquered the jungle of business and community impact. Each episode is jam packed with powerful insights and inspiration to fuel your own journey. Join us as we sip on tales of triumph, perseverance, and the indomitable human spirit. Subscribe now and let's brew success together, one story at a time! ☕💼 #CoffeeAndGrit #Entrepreneurship #VisionaryLeadership #PersonalDevelopment Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/coffee-grit--5708348/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/coffee-grit--5708348/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss).

Publisher

Loud Mouth Studio

Category

business · business · education

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

11 Feb 2020

Latest episode

19 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

274 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   19 Oct 2026

   Breaking Cycles & Building Legacies

   Three years ago, I connected with JJ Verbovsky after reading a Facebook post he wrote called "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly." That post led to his first appearance on Coffee & Grit, where we talked about his life, the challenges he'd experienced, and the journey that brought him to where he was. Three years later, JJ is back, and this conversation is about what happens next. How do we take the experiences that shaped us, learn from them, and become more intentional about the person we're choosing to be? JJ is preparing to become a father, growing Lakehouse Studios, and continuing to work through the patterns, relationships, and beliefs that have influenced his life. In this episode, we talk about: Breaking generational cycles and building a different future Mental health, self-awareness, and learning to live in the present Recognizing the leaf people, branch people, and root people in our lives Protecting your creativity and passion while growing a business Setting boundaries without losing your desire to help others The responsibility we have to make a difference in the lives of people around us Throughout our conversation, we explore how growth isn't about erasing your past or pretending the difficult experiences never happened. It's about recognizing what those experiences taught you, deciding what you're going to carry forward, and what you're going to leave behind. Whether it's the family we're raising, the relationships we're building, the work we're passionate about, or a complete stranger who needs someone to listen, we're constantly creating the legacy we leave behind. Breaking cycles isn't just about what we stop doing. It's about what we choose to start doing differently. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/coffee-grit--5708348/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/coffee-grit--5708348/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss).

2. 

   19 Oct 2026

   They Don't Care What You Know Until They Know How Much You Care

   What if the most important thing you could give your family isn't something you can buy, but the peace of mind that comes from knowing they'll be taken care of? In this episode of Coffee & Grit, I sit down with Blake Williams of the Herndon Family Agency, Farm Bureau Insurance, in Brighton, Michigan, for a conversation about family, loss, legacy, relationships, and what it really means to make a difference in people's lives. Blake is someone I've gotten to know through the Livingston County business community and Difference Maker Bootcamp. I've actually shared his story many times because it's such a powerful example of how our personal experiences can become the very reason we do what we do. After losing his father, Blake experienced firsthand what happens when a family isn't as financially protected as they thought. For a long time, he struggled with sharing that story because he didn't want anyone to think less of his dad. But when he began looking at it from a different perspective, he realized his experience could help other families avoid the same situation. That shift became a big part of his purpose, and it's why one of his statements is so powerful: "So many people bring casserole dishes to a funeral. I want to bring a check." This conversation goes well beyond insurance. Blake is a husband, father, and incredibly active member of the Livingston County business community who has built his career around relationships, trust, and genuinely helping people. We talk about why he chose a career that allows him to be present for his children, how his father's influence continues to shape him, and why taking the transaction out of the interaction can completely change the way we do business. We also get into his experience with Difference Maker Bootcamp and how discovering the power of his own story helped him become more confident, visible, and intentional in the way he connects with people. Because at the end of the day, being a Difference Maker isn't about what you sell. It's about the people you impact, the relationships you build, and what you leave behind. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/coffee-grit--5708348/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/coffee-grit--5708348/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss).

3. 

   5 Oct 2026

   What About All These People You've Already Met?

   Some people walk into a networking room looking for customers. Steve Zyskowski looks at the room and sees relationships that might still matter years from now. Steve, founder of Caerusnet and now four time Coffee & Grit guest, is back for a conversation that starts with networking but becomes something much bigger. We talk about the relationships that have grown around us over the years and the crazy ways they continue to intersect. A golf outing turns into a friendship and eventually a client. Someone you recognize from social media becomes part of your circle. A person offers to invest in someone they barely know simply because they believe in them. And sometimes the opportunity you've been searching for is already sitting in the room. The problem is we're often so focused on meeting the next person that we forget about all the people we've already met. This conversation is about taking the transaction out of the interaction, investing in people without knowing what you're going to get back, and understanding that you have absolutely no idea which relationship may someday change your business, your community, or your life. Maybe the best evidence of all of it is the relationship Steve and I have built ourselves. This one isn't really about networking. It's about people. Real Stories. Real Data With Soul. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/coffee-grit--5708348/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/coffee-grit--5708348/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss).

Who has been a guest on Coffee & Grit

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• John Collins
• Dean Ditto
• Perry Hamilton
• Taurence Hill
• Matt Pastor

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

237,344

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 81 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

82

Social presence

91

YouTube

82

Engagement

71

Contact Coffee & Grit

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Coffee & Grit