This episode of the Our First Drink Podcast is all about finding ways to incorporate kindness and generosity into your life and relationship.
Our guests for this episode, Ryan and Samantha Birkicht, are the founders of OperationGenerosity.com. After moving to Madison, WI Ryan was frustrated by the hurdles he kept running into with volunteering so Samantha encouraged Ryan to start something himself.
Now, with Operation Generosity they encourage people to look for small ways to incorporate giving back into their every day lives through monthly “Kindness Challenges”.
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Ryan works for Saris Cycling Group here in Madison as the Marketing Communications and Engagement manager. He was named a member of the2015 InBusiness 40 Under 40 for his work in Marketing and Volunteering. Samantha is the assistant director at La Petite Academy and was previously the assistant volleyball coach at UW Platteville. Together they are the co-founders of Operation Generosity.
To participate in the OFD Kindness Challenge, all you need to do is:
p.s. If you liked the show will you help others find it by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?
Welcome to the very first episode of the Our First Drink Podcast! Today’s episode shares the story of Ann and Kai Martin whose nearly 10 year relationship has helped support multiple businesses, traveling around the country, and was all started with an unexpected, one-wheeled vehicle.
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Ann and Kai are one of those couples that you watch for 5 minutes and just totally get what they’re about. They’re a super creative duo that work hard and support each other unwaveringly. They have a lot of humor in their relationship and we love how they can just laugh and be goofy together through everything.
Stasia has known Ann since elementary school in Minnesota. In fact, they actually attended the same school every year, including college at Iowa State, where they both met Josh and Kai. Because of that, both Josh and Stasia had the pleasure of witnessing a lot of the start of their relationship, including some great stories.
Ann Martin is an entrepreneur who runs an amazing boutique event production company called Reve in Madison, WI and she absolutely KILLS the events she plans – we’re talking everything from couture fashion shows to immaculate weddings to community bike-in movie nights.
Kai Martin has had a great career that’s taken him all around the country. We consider Kai to be a true renaissance man – photographer, singer, and mountain biker. He does it all.
Stomping Grounds Cafe in Ames, IA
00:00: Stasia cracks herself up.
00:49: Why we started Our First Drink.
01:00: We got married at an Apple Orchard. There was a massive bonfire. And a cow train. It was awesome.
03:10: Seriously, google image search kite.
04:15: Learn more about Rêve Boutique Event Production.
04:30: Kai has literally done RAGBRAI on a unicycle.
05:11: Interview Start.
26:15: The Our First Drink Couples Quiz
36:40: Interview End.
Thank you for listening to Episode 1 of the Our First Drink Podcast! If you enjoyed the episode we hope you can share it with others that might also enjoy hearing these kinds of stories using the social media buttons at the bottom of the post.
As we mentioned in the show, please consider leaving an honest review of the show on iTunes. Every review (good or bad) is an enormous help for us as we work to make this show better for people like you.
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Special thanks Ann and Kai Martin for being our first guests and thank you for joining us on the start of this journey!
Best,
Josh and Stasia
p.s. If you liked the show will you help others find it by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?