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Create Community Wisconsin

Create Community Wisconsin

Written by: Rubina Martini
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About this listen

Create Community is a podcast interviewing entrepreneurs to discover how they center community through their life's work in Central Wisconsin. This podcast is hosted by entrepreneur, creative director and community member, Rubina Martini. This project is brought to you by CREATE Portage County, whose mission is to accelerate creativity, connection, and collaboration to advance vibrant and welcoming communities.

HOST: Rubina Martini

https://rubinamartini.com/

PROJECT FUND: CREATE Portage County

https://www.createportagecounty.org/

MUSIC: Ellie Jackson

https://elliejackson.bandcamp.com/

CREATE Portage County
Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Storytelling in Business | Zach Strenger
    Aug 7 2025

    Zach Strenger is co-owner of Thousand Lumens and Daisy Lounge, both located in downtown Stevens Point. Zach is a UWSP alumni with a passion for storytelling. He loves food and mixing drinks and love pushing boundaries in my kitchen and at his bar. When not at work you can find him hiking, kayaking, and reading.

    Mentioned in the show:

    Daisy Lounge

    Thousand Lumens

    Ruby

    Great Northern

    Mill Creek Garden

    Lonely Oak

    The Guild

    Father Fats

    Segura Mushrooms

    Elbow Room

    Guu’s

    Siren Shrub

    Bill Koepke Team Early AF and Pearl Street Gym

    Liberation Farms

    Whitefeather Organics

    Farmshed

    Weak Ties Mark Granovetter

    J. Murray 1944

    Midwest Renewable Energy Association

    Chamomile Nusz

    Stevens Point Area Co-op

    Landmark Cafe Amherst

    Alex Grant

    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
  • Business Co-Parents | Lyn Cuirro
    Jun 26 2025

    Lyn (they/them) became a community member of Stevens Point after moving here 10 years ago. Well, that's not true - they moved here from Milwaukee 10 years ago but they didn't become a member of the community until they got a job at the Stevens Point Area Co-op and realized there was more to the city than just the university's campus. After 5+ years in this area, starting a number of organizational and business ventures, and buying a house with their wife, they can fully say that this city has become their home.

    Lyn is a co-owner of Bound to Happen Books. They are a former co-owner of Process General Store. Lyn graduated from UWSP and Mid-State Technical College, studying accounting. They are also a member of Socialist Alternative, an international socialist organization that struggles for democratic socialism across the globe.

    To learn more about community members and organizations mentioned in the show:

    Bound to Happen Books: https://www.boundtohappenbooks.com/

    Emy J's Coffee: https://www.emyjscoffeehouse.com/

    Fed Up Foods: https://www.fedupfoodswi.com/

    Midstate Technical College: https://www.mstc.edu/

    The Pearl Street Gym: https://www.thepearlstreetgym.com/

    Stevens Point Area Co-op: https://www.spacoop.com/

    Studio B Pilates: https://studiobpilates.net/

    This show was created, produced, hosted and edited by Rubina Martini.

    https://rubinamartini.com/

    This show is funded by CREATE Portage County. https://www.createportagecounty.org/

    MUSIC by Ellie Jackson

    https://elliejackson.bandcamp.com/

    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
  • Go on a Walk | Bill Koepke
    Apr 1 2025

    William was born and raised in Wisconsin. As a child he was either at home on a trout stream or roaming the woods at Grandma's on the Wisconsin river. Moving to Stevens Point for a sports medicine degree seemed a no brainer. The river, community, and place kept him and his partner Marissa in the area after graduation.

    Over the last ten years William has managed a few community wellness spaces in Stevens Point. Most recently a collaboration with Stevens Point Counselor Steve Johnson from Advocate Psychotherapy Services. "Steve and Bills most excellent adventure" is the Pearl Street Gym where they blend mental health training with seasonal fitness, and instead of selling supplements they provide space to engage with other Stevens Point businesses.

    Bill is also involved in The Prairie Chicken Project is a citizen lead and supported group that exists: to promote and support projects that advocate or improve Greater Prairie Chicken or grassland habitat in central Wisconsin.

    This is a fund of the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin. A tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 1982 to provide scholarships and grants to organizations and projects that improve the quality of life in Portage and Waushara counties.

    William was one of the first user members of Create Portage County and is a regular at Levitt concerts in the park. William and his bank (Incredible bank) are annual supporters of the Midstate nontraditional student emergency fund trap shoot. Where all funds raised are used for assisting students with emergencies that would normally pressure them to need to quit school.

    Upcoming Events:

    April 5th, 2025 | Bucket Ruckus Seminar: https://www.bucketruckus.cc/

    April 19th, 2025 | CREATE House Party: https://www.createportagecounty.org/party

    Mentioned in the show:

    Pearl Street Gym: https://www.thepearlstreetgym.com/

    Advocate Wellness: https://www.advocatewellnessservices.com/

    Lonely Oak Farm: https://lonelyoakfarm.net/

    Fed Up Foods: https://www.fedupfoodswi.com/

    Bound to Happen Books: https://www.boundtohappenbooks.com/

    Lyna Matesi | Women Trailblazer Podcast: https://www.uwsp.edu/podcast/women-trailblazers/

    Becoming an Outdoors-Woman with Peggy Farrell https://www3.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/bowWI/Pages/default.aspx

    Frances Hamerstrom | https://womeninwisconsin.org/profile/frances-hamerstrom/

    This show was created, produced, hosted and edited by Rubina Martini.

    https://rubinamartini.com/

    This show is funded by CREATE Portage County. https://www.createportagecounty.org/

    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
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