Hill Of Beans with Ezra and Casey

"Still Me"

"Still Me"
Welcome to the HILL OF BEANS PODCAST
Hosted by Ezra Hill & Casey Lucas with special guest, Kristin Nelson 
What happens when the world keeps moving — but your body can’t?"Still Me" is a podcast about losing mobility, but never losing yourself.
Each episode features raw, moving conversations with individuals navigating life after physical limitation. Whether from accident, illness, or gradual decline, this show gives voice to those re-learning how to live, love, work, and move through a world not always built for them.
What it means to adjust, adapt, and still show up, this podcast is about more than disability — it's about dignity, humor, identity, and rediscovery.
Expect real stories. Hard truths. Quiet victories. And proof that even when you stop moving the way you used to — you’re still you.
Because motion may stop. But meaning doesn’t.
Produced and Recorded Live at JoeAkeStudios®

"Father, Daughter, Foundation"

"Father, Daughter, Foundation"
Welcome to the HILL OF BEANS PODCAST
Hosted by Ezra Hill & Guest Alivia Hill
What happens when a proud father and his ambitious daughter team up to talk about life, purpose, and giving back?
You get "Father, Daughter, Foundation" — a heartfelt, real-talk podcast that bridges generations through stories of growth, community impact, and the journey of building something bigger than yourself.
Alivia Hill shares unfiltered conversations about her experiences navigating college life, being involved with a nonprofit, and balancing ambition with heart — all with her dad cheering her on, asking tough questions, and sometimes learning a thing or two himself.
Penny's Flight at Indiana University Bloomington  https://pennysflight.org/ 
 
🎓 College stress,💡 Big dreams,🤝 Community service,❤️ And the bond that keeps it all grounded.
From family values to fundraising challenges, from dorm life to making a difference — this podcast is about more than just growing up. It's about growing together.
Listen in. Be inspired. Do some good.
Produced and Recorded Live at JoeAkeStudios®

"Split Decisions" Part III

"Split Decisions"  Part III
Welcome to the HILL OF BEANS PODCAST
Hosted by Ezra Hill, with special guest, LeLyne Joyner Edens MA,LMFT,MHS, get ready for a three part deep dive podcast series.
LeLyneJoyner@yahoo.com   www.lelyne.com 
Love, leases, and late-night fights over who left the dishes.Welcome to the Hill of Beans 3 part special release podcast where we untangle the big questions behind modern relationships — especially the messy, unfiltered ones like: Should we move in together? Should we stay together? Or should we get out before we split a Netflix account?
Hosted by EZRA HILL ,this special release 3 episode series dives into raw, funny, and revealing conversations about:💔 Divorce and what it teaches you🏠 Living together: test drive or train wreck?🧠 Emotional baggage vs. shared closets❤️ The real deal on cohabitation, commitment, and calling it quits
 "Split Decisions" brings humor, heartbreak, and hard truth to every side of love.
Relationships are hard. Moving in makes them harder. Let's talk about it.
Produced and Recorded Live at JoeAkeStudios®

"Split Decisions" Part II

"Split Decisions" II
Welcome to the HILL OF BEANS PODCAST
Hosted by Ezra Hill, with special guest, LeLyne Joyner Edens MA,LMFT,MHS, get ready for a three part deep dive podcast series.
leylynejoyner@yahoo.com  www.lelyne.com 
Love, leases, and late-night fights over who left the dishes.Welcome to the Hill of Beans 3 part special release podcast where we untangle the big questions behind modern relationships — especially the messy, unfiltered ones like: Should we move in together? Should we stay together? Or should we get out before we split a Netflix account?
Hosted by EZRA HILL ,this special release 3 episode series dives into raw, funny, and revealing conversations about:💔 Divorce and what it teaches you🏠 Living together: test drive or train wreck?🧠 Emotional baggage vs. shared closets❤️ The real deal on cohabitation, commitment, and calling it quits
 "Split Decisions" brings humor, heartbreak, and hard truth to every side of love.
Relationships are hard. Moving in makes them harder. Let's talk about it.
Produced and Recorded Live at JoeAkeStudios®

"Split Decisions" Part I

"Split Decisions"
Welcome to the HILL OF BEANS PODCAST
Hosted by Ezra Hill, with special guest, LeLyne Joyner Edens MA,LMFT,MHS, get ready for a three part deep dive podcast series.
LeLyneJoyner@yahoo.com   www.lelyne.com 
Love, leases, and late-night fights over who left the dishes.Welcome to the Hill of Beans 3 part special release podcast where we untangle the big questions behind modern relationships — especially the messy, unfiltered ones like: Should we move in together? Should we stay together? Or should we get out before we split a Netflix account?
Hosted by EZRA HILL ,this special release 3 episode series dives into raw, funny, and revealing conversations about:💔 Divorce and what it teaches you🏠 Living together: test drive or train wreck?🧠 Emotional baggage vs. shared closets❤️ The real deal on cohabitation, commitment, and calling it quits
 "Split Decisions" brings humor, heartbreak, and hard truth to every side of love.
Relationships are hard. Moving in makes them harder. Let's talk about it.
Produced and Recorded Live at JoeAkeStudios®

“Pizza Mix-Ups, Vintage Hustles, and Why Nashville Feels Like the New Hollywood”

Welcome to The HILL OF BEANS Podcast
Hosted by Ezra Hill and Co Host Lauren Ashby
“Pizza Mix-Ups, Vintage Hustles, and Why Nashville Feels Like the New Hollywood”
What do two soggy pizzas, a DoorDash fail, and a vintage Carhartt jacket have in common? In this episode, we unpack chaotic late-night food orders, the booming secondhand clothing business, and how Nashville is turning into the new Hollywood—for musicians and fashionistas alike. We get real about Gen Z style trends, fast fashion waste, why quality American-made clothes are making a comeback, and what it really takes to run a vintage side hustle. Add in a little bourbon talk, some awkward bachelorette party shirts, and a story about a stomach band scandal—and you’ve got one wild (but insightful) ride.
Produced and recorded at JoeAkeStudios_copyright©2025_EZERA_HILL

Cake Before Dinner and Other Bad Decisions

Welcome to The HILL OF BEANS Podcast
Hosted by Ezra Hill and Co Host Lauren Ashby
Cake Before Dinner and Other Bad Decisions
It’s Monday, we’re tired, and yes—someone ate their dessert before dinner at the Lincoln Day banquet. From awkward handshakes with politicians to speaking with high schoolers about trade careers (and dodging prom drama), this episode dives into small-town chaos, real talk about work vs. college, and confessions that may shock our friends—especially the one about not actually graduating from Purdue. Catch up with us as we reflect, overshare, and laugh our way through another unpredictable week.
Produced and recorded at JoeAkeStudios©2025

Brick by Brick: A Restaurant Owner’s Journey Through Greenwood

Folktale Event Center in Greenwood, Indiana
"Brick by Brick: A Restaurant Owner’s Journey Through Greenwood"
Welcome to The HILL OF BEANS Podcast Hosted by Ezra Hill
From the Fryer to the Front Office: A Restaurant Owner’s Journey
Meet Chef Mark Henrichs of The Revery Part 2
Revery owner and chef Mark Henrichs honed his craft in Michelin-starred restaurants and innovative eateries in New Orleans, Sonoma, Chicago, New York and Indy before creating the immensely popular Revery in 2014 in downtown Greenwood and now Folktale Event Center
One of our proudest transformations was the Folktale Event Center. The building itself is nearly a century old, and when we first stepped inside, you could feel the history clinging to the air. It had that quiet, stubborn resilience that only time can create. We named it Folktale because every brick, every beam seemed to hold a piece of someone’s story. Weddings, reunions, community gatherings—it’s a space designed not just for events, but for new memories to take root, layered on top of the old.
But with those stories come surprises—some romantic, some expensive. Plumbing from the 1920s. Electrical that hasn’t met code since Eisenhower was president. We’ve found newspapers sealed in the walls, and once, an old safe no one could crack. These buildings require care, creativity, and a good contractor on speed dial. But when you bring one back to life, the community notices. Locals stop in not just for a meal, but to share their memories: “I had my first haircut in this building,” or “My grandma used to bring me here when it was a bakery.”
Then came COVID.
Everything stopped. Empty dining rooms. Silent kitchens. But those old buildings—they’d seen tough times before, and we weren’t going to be the ones to let them go dark. We pivoted hard: curbside service, family-style meals to-go, pop-up events in the parking lot. I delivered food myself, often in the middle of the night, just to keep moving. It wasn’t pretty, but it kept us going. And somehow, through the fear and the hustle, our little restaurants—and the Folktale Center—held strong. Maybe it’s something about their bones—built to last.
Coming out of that storm, we didn’t just rebuild—we expanded. We took what we learned and opened new locations, still in buildings with history, still in places where stories are waiting to be revived. That’s what makes it all worth it. We’re not just cooking—we’re caretakers of Greenwood’s past, shaping its future one plate, one event, one gathering at a time.
This life? It’s not easy. But it’s real. It’s rooted. And if you listen closely to the walls, you’ll realize you’re not in this alone.
Produced and recorded at JoeAkeStudios©2025

From the Fryer to the Front Office

Welcome to The HILL OF BEANS Podcast Hosted by Ezra Hill
From the Fryer to the Front Office: A Restaurant Owner’s Journey
Meet Chef Mark Henrichs of The Revery
Revery owner and chef Mark Henrichs honed his craft in Michelin-starred restaurants and innovative eateries in New Orleans, Sonoma, Chicago, New York and Indy before creating the immensely popular Revery in 2014 in downtown Greenwood.
Running a restaurant isn't just about serving great food—it's about surviving the grind. As a longtime restaurant owner, I've worn every hat imaginable: head chef, dishwasher, bookkeeper, marketing manager, HR department, and therapist-in-chief. In this business, you don’t clock out—you adapt, solve, hustle, and lead, all while chasing a vision that no one else can see as clearly as you do.
The daily grind starts before dawn and ends long after the last customer has gone. Inventory orders, employee scheduling, vendor negotiations, health inspections, online reviews—it’s a never-ending dance that demands grit and grace. One moment you're fixing a leaking sink, the next you're calming a stressed-out server or charming a regular who's been coming in for years. You learn to live on adrenaline, coffee, and instinct.
Then came COVID.
Nothing could’ve prepared us for the shock. Overnight, dining rooms went dark. Staff were scared. Customers vanished. Revenue dropped to zero, but the bills didn’t stop. I had to pivot fast—switch to takeout, build an online presence, offer delivery, and somehow keep morale alive. I remember personally driving meals to customers just to stay afloat. Some nights I questioned if we’d make it. But the community rallied, my team showed up, and we clawed our way back, one order at a time.
That struggle taught me more about business than any good year ever could. It forced us to streamline, innovate, and tighten our culture. When the dust settled, we emerged leaner, stronger, and surprisingly—more connected.
Today, we’ve not only survived but expanded. We’ve opened new locations, hired new leaders, and brought our brand of service and flavor to more tables than ever. But I’ll never forget the hard days. They taught me resilience. They reminded me that success in this industry isn’t just about food—it’s about people, persistence, and heart.
This life isn’t for the faint of heart. But for those willing to sweat, serve, and stay the course—it’s the most rewarding ride there is.
Produced and recorded at JoeAkeStudios©2025
 

"Sugar Mamas and the Grind Behind the Apron"

Welcome to The HILL OF BEANS Podcast Hosted by Ezra Hill
Podcast Title:"Sugar Mamas and the Grind Behind the Apron"
Tired of late nights, low tips, and chasing tables? Maybe it’s time to chase something sweeter. In "Sugar Mamas and the Grind Behind the Apron" host Ezra Hill and a panel of lively guests serve up the real hustle behind food service — and share insider strategies on how to find that sugar woman who could make all those rough shifts worth it.
Ezra sits down to swap stories with Sara Janisse Brown, and Lauren Ashby about the restaurant grind — nightmare customers, insane rush hours, hilarious mistakes — and then shifts gears into smart, bold talk about finding women who appreciate ambition... and aren't afraid to invest in it.
Expect laughs, real advice, unfiltered service industry survival tips, and the occasional guide on moving from chasing checks to cashing in on charm.
Behind every server is a story. Behind some stories... is a sugar woman.
Tip your servers. Find your blessing. Tune in!
Produced and recorded at JoeAkeStudios©2025