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Next Up Chicago

Next Up Chicago

Written by: Farukh
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Spotlighting young Chicago creatives, entrepreneurs, and hustlers.

© 2025 Next Up Chicago
Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Social Sciences
Episodes
  • E10 - Madison Burger - Bacterial "Vegan" Leather and the Future of Fashion
    Feb 21 2024

    After a long hiatus we have Madison Burger on the show to discuss her work researching and cultivating bacterial leather. We talk about how she got into the field, the newest trends in leather alternatives, her work with Plant Chicago, and her work with Chitown Bio.

    It's a super informational episode and Madison provides a nuanced and highly informed take on the alternative leather industry.

    Chapters:
    0:00 - Introducing Madison
    1:47 - Welcoming Madison
    6:08 - Fun Facts on the Leather Industry
    11:21 - Alternative Leather Durability
    14:23 - Discussing MycoWorks
    16:54 - Pinatex
    17:54 - Differences Between Alternative Leather & Real Leather
    20:24 - Looking at Bacterial Leather Samples
    21:00 - Pellicle
    27:00 - Madison's Work with Plant Chicago
    30:00 - Developing Tissue Paper Alternatives
    33:00 - Disrupting the Traditional Industries
    43:18 - Tanning Process Explained
    45:00 - Jennifer Doudna
    48:30 - Discussing the Ethics of Gene Editing
    51:00 - Madison's Work with Chitown Bio

    Links:
    ChiTownBio- https://chitownbio.org/

    Plant Chicago- https://www.plantchicago.org/

    Collective Fashion Justice- https://www.collectivefashionjustice.org/

    Madison Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/madisonwildsburger/

    Madison LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/madison-wilds-burger-578583141/

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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • E9 - Greg Franklin - Amazing Race S35 Winner
    Jan 22 2024

    To kick off 2024 we have Greg on the show to talk about his experience participating in season 35 of the Amazing Race. We talk about the challenges, what it was like off camera, how life has changed since the show, and his future work with Wired, and his life in general.

    It's a fun chat with a great guy who is Chicago through and through. Always great to see Chicago's own making big moves all over the world.

    Chapters:

    1:09 - Introducing Greg

    14:47 - Interacting with the other racers

    19:00 - Talking about the physically laborious challenges

    23:00 - Skydiving for the first time ever on the show

    28:00 - John's quotes from the show

    33:04 - Get the express pass?

    38:00 - Life after the race

    44:00 - Interacting with other CBS reality show contestants

    49:00 - Talking about good food in Chicago

    54:00 - Why yellow?



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    58 mins
  • E8 - Sid - Hobbyist and Rug Tufting Extraordinaire
    Dec 22 2023

    This week we have Sid on the show to discuss her hobbyism, how it helps cope with the modern world, her experience moving from Texas to Chicago, and her journey to starting a rug tufting business. It's a fun and very interesting conversation, so check it out.

    Sid is the owner of Cherry Basket Studio and makes beautiful rugs. You can see their work here:

    https://cherrybasketstudio.com/
    https://www.instagram.com/cherrybasketstudio/
    www.etsy.com/shop/cherrybasketstudio

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    1 hr and 3 mins
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