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🎙️ EPISODE 44 — "Entering In"
Featuring Krissy Buck, Chair of Digital Wichita

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This episode is sponsored by Vu Events! Jovana Vu and her team make events feel like actual events — corporate gatherings, milestone celebrations, weddings, and everything in between. Find them at vueventplanning.com or @vueventplanning on socials.

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AI isn't coming. It's already here — and it's entering in whether you're ready or not.

Jen and Rachel are live at WSU Tech's NCAT Campus with their friend of nine years, Krissy Buck — Chair of Digital Wichita and Director of the ShockStarter program at WSU Tech. What started as a conversation about AI-powered marketing turned into something bigger: a story about showing up, building community, and what it actually looks like to bring emerging technology to the middle of the country without leaving anyone behind.

Also: tabs. So many tabs.

🚀 DIGITAL DAY 2026 — June 18 & 19 | Wichita, KS
Mission Control: AI-Powered Marketing for the Modern Brand

This year isn't about why you should use AI. It's about how — with actionable steps you can implement the moment you leave NCAT. Speakers include Luis Rodriguez, Angie Callen, Mike Allton, Brian Piper, Dennis Yu, Jeff Sieh, Scott Simson, Mandy McEwen, and Michael King.

Day 1 (June 18): Full day summit at WSU Tech's NCAT Campus
Day 2 (June 19): Hands-on AI Agent Workshop with Dennis Yu at Groover Labs — limited to 100 seats!

🎟️ Get tickets at digitalwichita.com

📖 Want to prep before you go? Read the Digital Day Dispatch newsletter on LinkedIn every Thursday — we're breaking down each speaker and what they're covering.

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IN THIS EPISODE:
→ Krissy's origin story — from nervous attendee to Chair of Digital Wichita
→ What ShockStarter is and why it matters for Wichita's future
→ Why Social Media Day had to become Digital Day
→ How to start small with AI (SpongeBob's resume is involved)
→ The tabs open situation that got completely out of hand
→ The wedding party reveal that connects all the dots

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FIND KRISSY:
TikTok: @MidwestCottageKS
LinkedIn: Krissy Buck
Digital Wichita: @digitalwichita

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BEFORE YOU GO:
🛍️ Merch is live — Uncorked and Slightly Unhinged & Messy is My Polished (10% of profits go to Ballet Wichita 🩰)
📲 Subscribe on Spotify & YouTube
💜 Thank you to our sponsor Vu Events — vueventplanning.com

So THIS happened. 🥂

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No guest. Just Jen and Rachel, a bottle of rosé, some very big news, and the return of one of the OG segments.

Episode 43 has a lot going on: Jen paid off her student loans (HALLELUJAH). The Trend Decoder made its triumphant comeback. The whole Cole family had a Music Man moment. And Rachel officially became a Swifty — live on air. Reputation precedes her, indeed.

📱 TREND DECODER IS BACK

Listener Tracy requested the comeback and we delivered. Jen reads each trend cold, Rachel guesses what it means, and then we riff. Rachel has zero prep. That is the whole point.

Trend #1 — “Hallelujah”: Justin Bieber’s Coachella performance spawned this wholesome gratitude trend — list things you love, add “hallelujah.” We made our own list on air. Top entries: paid off my student loans, cold pillow at bedtime, perfectly poured glass of wine, and chicken wings landing in ranch. (Rachel’s contribution. No notes.)

Trend #2 — “My Top 5 Horror Stories”: Not actual horror films — people list real-life fears and everyday icks that feel like a horror movie. Rachel’s guesses went immediately to being eaten alive and trapped underground cannibalism. She got there eventually. Two points out of three.

Trend #3 — The NYT Taylor Swift Interview: The New York Times Magazine named Taylor one of the 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters. In a 30-minute video interview, she talked songwriting, rant bridges, and how Reputation didn’t land until 6–7 years later — specifically calling out “...Ready For It?” Which, not coincidentally, is tonight’s Hits Different song.

🎉 THE BIG PERSONAL WIN

Jen paid off her undergraduate student loans today. First thing this morning. After nearly 20 years. She sat with it for a minute. We all should.

🎻 THE MUSIC MAN — A WEEKEND IN TWO ACTS

Tim’s favorite musical came to Broadway in Wichita. Friday night: Jen and Tim went, then debriefed over cocktails at Goldfinch. Saturday: Tim’s mom Brenda, Jen’s sons Nick and Nathan, and Tim’s son Riley and his girlfriend Hailey all went together — followed by a family dinner at Sabor (get the salmon). Nathan is the theater kid fresh off a Broadway trip to NYC. Nicholas plays trumpet in band. The Music Man was made for this exact family moment.

Shoutout to our local loves: Broadway in Wichita, Goldfinch, and Sabor.

🎵 HITS DIFFERENT: “...Ready For It?” — Taylor Swift

From Reputation (2017). Assigned to Rachel. Timed perfectly with the NYT interview drop.

Rachel’s take: queen energy, the bass drop kills, and it should be licensed to EDM shows with laser lights immediately. She is filing this under party songs that hit. Also: she officially declared herself a Swifty. We knew this would happen.

Jen’s take: hype song since day one. Volume all the way up. Not six or seven years — since the beginning.

📣 BEFORE YOU GO

• Request a Hits Different song — drop it in our comments or DMs!
• Merch is live: Uncorked and Slightly Unhinged & Messy is My Polished (10% to Ballet Wichita 🩰)
• New merch dropping this summer — we have an inkling.
• Next episode: Krissy Buck, Chair of Digital Wichita, joining us live from WSU Tech’s NCAT campus for everything Digital Day 2026.

Follow + subscribe on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts.

🥂 And we’ll see you next time

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Episode 42 is a just-us episode — and honestly? Those are some of our favorites. Road trips, boutique hotels, anniversary adventures, Record Store Day, and Taylor Swift's "Elizabeth Taylor." Also Easy Cheese. There's a whole Easy Cheese moment. Just go with it.

🎲 This or That: Travel & Adventure Edition

Travel and adventure themed this week — and the conversations went exactly where you'd expect (and several places you wouldn't).

🚗 Road Trip Rituals & The Magic of Going Somewhere

Jen has been on the road two weekends in a row — Oklahoma City and then Kansas City for her and Tim's second anniversary. There's something about being in a car, she said, that makes everything feel more honest.

Rachel also reminded us all of the legendary Unwritten rain window moment from the girls' trip to see Hannah. If you know, you know. 🌧️

🍺 Brewery Hopping as a Love Language
A thing Jen forgot to mention during road trip rituals — and then immediately remembered:

Tim and I always, always stop at breweries on our road trips. If it's a lunch stop, it's a brewery with food. If it's a bathroom stop, we're finding a brewery on the way.

🏨 The Aida Hotel, Kansas City — A Full Gush

Jen booked a one-bedroom suite at the Aida Hotel in Kansas City's arts district (just around the corner from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, home of the famous giant shuttlecocks — more on that in a moment).

The Aida also has a sister hotel called the Truitt. Both are highly, highly Jen-approved.

🏸 The Shuttlecock Situation (It's Fine, It's Fine)

So. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is famous for its giant badminton shuttlecock sculptures on the lawn.

Jen mentioned them. Rachel did not know that shuttlecock was the actual name for the birdie in badminton. A brief but enthusiastic vocabulary lesson followed. Several things were said that cannot be unsaid.

🎶 Hits Different: "Elizabeth Taylor" — Taylor Swift

This week's song: "Elizabeth Taylor" from Taylor Swift's Life of a Showgirl album, chosen by Jen in honor of the Record Store Day release.

💿 Record Store Day Victory

Mills Records in Kansas City is known for over-ordering Taylor Swift releases on Record Store Day. Jen has now successfully scored two vinyl records there:

• Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (several years ago)
• Elizabeth Taylor — the special Record Store Day single (this weekend ✅)

📣 Before You Go

• Got a Taylor Swift song you want Rachel to react to? Send it our way 🎶
• Thinking about Kansas City? The Aida Hotel. You're welcome.
• Want to be a guest on the pod? We're always open — reach out!
• Merch is live — Uncorked and Slightly Unhinged & Messy is My Polished (10% of profits go to Ballet Wichita 🩰)

And as always...

🏸 Shuttlecocks are real and they are hilarious

🥂 Cheers to the chaos

💖 And we'll see you next time

So THIS happened.

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This week's episode went somewhere really special. Jen and Rachel sit down with Jennifer Short — hairdresser, breathwork facilitator, Human Design devotee, and one of the most quietly extraordinary humans in Wichita — inside her salon, Colour Thairapy, for a conversation about transformation, permission, and what it actually means to build a life that feels like yours.

From Hutchinson to Wichita. From the salon chair to the breath mat. From performing loyalty for everyone else to finally giving it to herself. Jennifer's story is the kind that sneaks up on you and then hits somewhere deep.
Grab your wine. This one's worth savoring.

In This Episode

This or That: Wellness Edition - Jennifer joins Jen and Rachel for a wellness-and-mindset-themed round of This or That — and the conversation goes places none of them planned. Highlights include:

Jennifer's complicated (and hilarious) history with journaling — including why written evidence once felt dangerous

Jen's journals thrown in the dumpster by an ex — and Tim's Valentine's Day gift that brought it full circle

Why "outgrow the room or build a bigger one" turned into a full philosophy of life

The moment everyone realized they'd basically agreed on everything — and somehow still had plenty to say

From Hutchinson to Wichita: A New Identity - Jennifer started doing hair in 1997 in Hutchinson — and for years, she was "just a hairdresser," even when she owned the business. Moving to Wichita in 2018 changed everything. She talks about:

Why Hutchinson spoke small to her — and how she believed it

What it felt like when Wichita saw her differently

How COVID gave her clarity instead of taking something from her

The Hive, Human Design & Finding Belonging - Joining The Hive Wichita in 2019 cracked something open. Jennifer shares:

What it felt like to finally be in a room where people truly saw her

Reframing her ADHD brain from a flaw to manage to a superpower to lead with

Being a 2/5 Manifesting Generator — and what it means when people project answers onto you before you've spoken

Breathwork, Sovereign Inhale & the Cellular Shift - Jennifer describes her breathwork journey as "quiet and cellular and permanent" — and unpacks what that actually means:

The difference between masculine and feminine breathwork approaches

How the breath gets us out of our minds and into our bodies

How Sovereign Inhale was born — and what it looks like to offer it to others virtually and in groups

The Soft Life & The Permission Question The question "Who were you waiting for permission from?" stopped the room. Jennifer's answer:

Why building a soft life is the bravest thing she's ever done — and why "soft" doesn't mean easy

The Chair and the Breath Mat Are the Same Work - People ask how a salon and a breathwork practice belong together. Jennifer's answer is always the same: they were never separate. Both are about sitting with a woman in the middle of her becoming and saying — I see you. You are safe here. Let's figure out who you're stepping into next. She's been doing that work since 1997. She just finally has the language for all of it.

🔗 Find Jennifer Short
Colour Thairapy — salon, right off Douglas across from Naftzger Park, Wichita
Sovereign Inhale — breathwork + coaching, virtual and in-person
Instagram: @sovereigninhale
Website: sovereigninhale.com

🛍️ Merch Shop Uncorked and Slightly Unhinged and Messy is My Polished
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We did something a little… unexpected this time.
We went LIVE. 🎥✨

Before Episode 39 even dropped (lol), we decided to test new software, hit “go live” across platforms, and just see what happens.

And honestly? It felt very on-brand.
Because this episode is all about stepping into the moment, embracing a little chaos, and letting the night unfold exactly as it’s meant to.

✨ What We’re Getting Into:
Our first-ever LIVE podcast recording (across THREE platforms 😳)
Rouge: The Heartspring Gala recap—an unforgettable night of impact and artistry
Jen’s birthday weekend (aka… beautifully unhinged in the best way)
What we’re most excited for with Ballet Wichita’s Breaking Barriers
It Hits Different: Taylor Swift’s “22” (and what it actually means now)

🎲 This or That: Main Character Energy Edition
We kicked things off with a live round of This or That… and somehow ended in a tie (which hasn’t happened in a while 👀)
A few favorites:
Gala glam vs cozy chaos
Red carpet entrance vs slipping in unnoticed
Planned outfit vs last-minute magic
Group photos vs candid chaos
Statement piece vs understated chic
Final verdict:
We’re cozy chaos girls… with a deep appreciation for a glam moment.

💃 Rouge: The Heartspring Gala
An absolute moment.
From the lighting to the performances to the overall energy, this night delivered:
Red-lit, immersive atmosphere
Aerial performers + dancers transforming the space
A packed dance floor (which is no small feat 👏)
A live auction that had the entire room locked in
And most importantly…
✨ Nearly $1 million raised for Heartspring
The stories shared throughout the night were powerful, emotional, and deeply human—a reminder that behind all the beauty and celebration is life-changing work.

🎂 Birthday Weekend Shenanigans
Where do we even begin…
This weekend had:
A content re-do that turned out even better than planned
Nails, hair, and full glam prep (a full-day production)
Dancing the night away at Brickyard with A Band in Kansas
Barefoot moments (because… heels 😅)
Surprise run-ins with friends that made the night even more fun
And then…
Sunday said: we’re not done yet.
Royals game + Uno battles (with aggressive smack talk)
Patio hangs at Hopping Gnome
A full-circle moment watching Jen’s boys perform (cue emotional damage 😭💛)
The takeaway:
Exhausting. Joyful. Completely worth it.

🩰 What’s Next: Breaking Barriers
We’re heading back to the B-29 Doc Hangar for Ballet Wichita’s Breaking Barriers—and based on what we’ve already seen…
We know:
It’s going to be powerful
It’s going to be emotional
It’s going to be one of those shared experiences that sticks with you

🎶 It Hits Different: “22” – Taylor Swift
This one hit in two different ways:

Rachel’s take:
Fun, girly, carefree energy… until it takes a turn into “bad decisions but make it fun” territory 😅

Jen’s take:
Pure nostalgia
Late nights, laughter, and that “nothing matters except this moment” feeling

Big realization:
Feeling “22” isn’t about age—it’s about energy.

🥂 The Moment That Matters
We closed on something that really stuck:
Being in the moment is a balance.
Yes, we capture content.
Yes, we document.
But the real magic?
✨ Putting the phone down
✨ Feeling it in real time
✨ Letting the moment actually be yours

📣 Let’s Keep It Going
Got a Taylor Swift song for Rachel? Send it our way 🎶
Watched the live? Tell us how it felt
Want more of this chaos? Same 😌

And as always…
✨ Be in the moment
🥂 Chee

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This week on So THIS Happened, we’re recording live from Home2 Suites in Delano with the incredible Jamie Seipel, Director of Sales for Home2 Suites Delano and 2026 Visionary of the Year candidate for Blood Cancer United.

What starts as a conversation about fundraising quickly becomes something much deeper—about saying yes before you feel ready, stepping into something bigger than yourself, and discovering just how powerful community can be when it rallies around a cause.

For Jen, this episode is especially meaningful—a full-circle moment reflecting on her own candidacy back in 2016… and what it looks like to now sit across from someone stepping into that same journey.

And yes… we also talk about:
Bitchy Bingo
Adult Prom (with DJ Panda 💃)
A dunk tank situation that feels mildly unhinged (in the best way)

💃 In This Episode, We Cover:
Jamie’s journey from Visit Wichita to Home2 Suites Delano
What drew her to Blood Cancer United—and why she said yes
The emotional moment it became real
The unexpected confidence that comes from asking for support
The power of community (and Wichita showing UP)
Behind-the-scenes of planning multiple fundraising events
How this experience is already changing her
Why this campaign is about so much more than fundraising

🎲 This or That: Fundraising Edition
We kick things off with a themed round of This or That, including:
Silent auction vs. live auction chaos
Bingo night vs. trivia night
Boots & Buckles vs. Adult Prom
Plan the event vs. show up and enjoy
Spoiler: strong opinions were formed… and defended 😄

🎉 Jamie’s Event Lineup (aka The Tour 👏)
Jamie is not playing small—she’s bringing the entire city along for the ride.
Here’s what’s coming up:
⚾ Baseball Game (April 3)
Featuring a powerful first pitch moment from Honor Hero Zach
🎱 Bitchy Bingo (April 9)
A little sass, a lot of fun
🤠 Boots & Buckles @ WAVE (April 19)
Country vibes, live music, and big energy
🏃‍♀️ Run for Blood Cancer (April 25)
5K + 1-mile fun run at Exploration Place
🧠 Wichita-Themed Trivia Night (April 30)
Come for the fun, stay for the unexpected facts
🍷 Adult Prom @ The Boathouse (May 14)
90s/2000s theme + DJ Panda = absolute chaos (the good kind)
💦 Poker Run + Dunk Tank (May)
Dive bar crawl meets “who are we dunking today?” energy

❤️ Why This Matters
Blood Cancer United supports patients and families right here in Wichita—and every dollar raised stays local.
Last year alone:
💰 $264,000 raised by Visionary candidates
💰 Over $500,000 given back to local families
This isn’t just about events.
It’s about impact, advocacy, and showing up when it matters most.

🙌 How You Can Get Involved
Attend an event
Donate directly to Jamie’s campaign
Share with your network
Show up however you can
Because every little bit truly does count.

🥂 Favorite Moment
“I thought people liked me… but would they actually show up for me?”
Turns out… they would. And they did.

✨ Closing Thoughts
This episode is a reminder that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do…
is say yes before you feel ready.
Because you never know what kind of impact is waiting on the other side.

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🥂 In This Episode

This week, we’re stepping into the spotlight and pulling back the curtain…

• Jen shares her experience seeing Hadestown (and why it stuck with her long after the final note)
• We dive into Heartspring’s mission ahead of the Rouge Gala—and why this organization is so special
• A sneak peek at Ballet Wichita’s Breaking Barriers
• Hits Different: Getaway Car by Taylor Swift
• Plus: a This or That that turns surprisingly introspective (because… of course it does)

🎭 Under the Lights: Hadestown Review

Jen takes us inside Broadway in Wichita’s production of Hadestown—and WOW.

From haunting vocals to a story rooted in mythology, love, and sacrifice, this one hit deep.

Highlights:

• A fully sung-through production (no dialogue, all music)
• Standout performances (Hermes as narrator stole the show)
• Themes of love, trust, and fate that leave room for interpretation

And maybe the most special part?
Sharing the experience with her mom—and realizing how powerful live theater can be when it means something.

❤️ Beyond the Spotlight: Heartspring + Rouge Gala

We’re honored to be guests at the upcoming Heartspring Rouge Gala, and after Jen’s behind-the-scenes tour, this organization left a lasting impression.

What makes Heartspring so impactful:

• Serving children with autism and developmental needs
• A whole-child approach (education, therapy, life skills)
• Supporting families—not just individuals
• Drawing families from across the country to Wichita

From classrooms to residential living spaces, it’s not just care—it’s community.

As we said in the episode: It’s easy to show up for the sparkle… but what stays with you is the purpose behind it.

🩰 What’s Next on Stage: Ballet Wichita

Next up, we’re heading to the same venue (hello full-circle moment 👀) for:

Breaking Barriers

A powerful performance inspired by the Dockum Sit-In, blending history, movement, and emotion.

📍 B-29 Doc Hangar
📅 April 3 & 4

We already know this one is going to be feel-it-in-your-chest kind of moving.

🚗 Hits Different: Getaway Car

This week’s song: Getaway Car by Taylor Swift

And WOW… this conversation went places.

We talked about:

• Fast, fiery relationships that feel electric… but don’t last
• Being someone’s escape—and realizing they were yours too
• The difference between love, timing, and emotional survival

The takeaway?
Sometimes the “getaway car” isn’t the destination…
It’s just the thing that helps you move forward.

✨ Final Thoughts

This episode is all about contrast:

🎭 Being seen vs. figuring it out
✨ Glamour vs. meaning
❤️ Performance vs. purpose

Some moments are meant for the spotlight… and some quietly shape who we become.

🥂 Next Episode Tease

We’re joined by Jamie Seipel of Blood Cancer United (formerly LLS) to talk about her Visionary of the Year campaign and how Wichita is showing up for a powerful cause.

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🍷 Episode Summary
What if the next big idea didn’t come from Silicon Valley… but from right here in Wichita?

In this episode, we sit down with Tracy Hoover, founder of Groover Labs, to talk about what it really takes to build something from the ground up and why you might not have to leave home to do it. From her background in big tech to creating a space where founders, developers, and creatives can collide and collaborate, Tracy shares how Groover Labs is helping shape the future of innovation in Kansas.

We explore the realities of entrepreneurship, the power of being surrounded by other builders, and the idea that sometimes what a city needs most isn’t more talent… it’s a place for that talent to come together.

Because big ideas? They’re not limited by geography. They’re just waiting for the right environment to grow.

🥂 In This Episode

• Tracy’s journey from Hewlett-Packard and startup leadership to founding Groover Labs
• The moment she realized Wichita needed a physical hub for builders and founders
• What Groover Labs actually is (and why it’s so much more than coworking)
• The role of space, tools, and proximity in accelerating ideas
• Why startups don’t just need funding… they need structure and support
• Inside the ACCEL-KS program and how it’s helping founders across Kansas
• Real examples of builders creating, prototyping, and refining ideas at Groover
• The truth about Midwest talent and why people are choosing to stay
• How community fuels innovation in ways you can’t replicate alone
  
  

💡 Key Takeaways

You don’t have to leave to build something big.
The narrative that success only exists on the coasts is shifting and Wichita is part of that story.

Ideas need more than inspiration. They need infrastructure.
Groover Labs exists to give founders a place to actually build, not just brainstorm.

Funding helps, but guidance changes everything.
Programs like ACCEL-KS show that mentorship, structure, and feedback can be just as valuable as capital.

Community is the multiplier.
There’s something powerful about being surrounded by people who are also in the messy, in-progress stage of building.

🔥 Memorable Moments

• The realization that Wichita didn’t lack talent… it lacked a central place for that talent to connect
• Founders evolving from modifying products to creating original prototypes
• The idea that even founders who didn’t receive funding still gained clarity and direction
• The energy inside Groover Labs when multiple builders are working and collaborating at the same time
  
  

🔗 Resources + Links

• Groover Labs — learn more, explore membership, and get involved
• ACCEL-KS — supporting early-stage founders across Kansas
  
  

🍷 Join the Conversation

Have you ever felt like you had to leave your city to chase something bigger?

Or have you seen something incredible being built right where you are?

We’d love to hear your story. Come join the conversation with us.

⭐️ If You Loved This Episode…

Share it with a friend, tag us on social, or leave a review. It helps more people discover conversations like this one.

And as always…

So THIS Happened. 🍷✨

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