The Grit to Growth Podcast

When Jennifer Johnson’s health forced her to rethink food, she didn’t just adapt — she transformed her entire lifestyle and eventually built a thriving business from it. In this episode, Levi Te Slaa chats with Jennifer about how a personal dietary shift turned into Gluten Free Please, a beloved gluten-free baking mix company that’s making waves in kitchens everywhere.
Jennifer shares her journey from 25 years in banking to becoming a full-time entrepreneur. She talks about the challenges of navigating food allergies, the real story behind starting her business, and the products people can’t get enough of — like her double chocolate brownie mix and nostalgic Pizza Hut-style pizza crust.
They also discuss the growing awareness around gluten-free living, how Jennifer is building a community around her brand, and what’s ahead in 2026 — including a new website, YouTube tutorials, and the surprising success of her new gluten-free sourdough bread.
 
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In this inspiring conversation, Jill Janecke shares how her roots on a Minnesota hog farm laid the foundation for a lifelong mission to serve rural communities through mental health care. Jill opens up about the grit it took to launch Rising Hope Counseling in Pierre, South Dakota, with just one client—and how it’s now grown to 30 locations across four states.
We dive deep into how understanding the brain and building awareness can be transformational not just in therapy, but in leadership, work culture, and daily life. Jill shares the power of EMDR therapy, why “hope” became the heart of her practice, and how therapy in rural America is evolving through hybrid and telehealth models.
Whether you’re a therapist, a leader, or someone who believes in second chances and strong communities, this episode will move you.
 
 
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What does it take to lead a medical team through a child’s emergency and be a calm, confident presence for families during their worst moments?
In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, host Levi Te Slaa sits down with Dr. Donald “Don” Ellis, a pediatric emergency medicine physician now based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Don shares his journey from Delaware to building a pediatric emergency program in the Dakotas—something he describes as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve an underserved region.
Don unpacks what makes pediatric emergency care so unique, how it differs from general emergency medicine, and why he insists on a first-name basis with his team to eliminate barriers to communication when seconds matter. From the launch of a new pediatric ER wing to the role of "Child Life" specialists and an upcoming emergency medicine residency, Don’s work is reshaping healthcare access for children in the Upper Midwest.
 
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What do NFL players, firefighters, and everyday adults all have in common? They want to move better, feel better, and live pain-free. In this episode, Levi Te Slaa sits down with Mark “Coach Rozy” Roozen, a veteran strength and conditioning coach with a remarkable journey spanning NFL sidelines, hospital wellness centers, and high school gyms.
Coach Rozy shares how his upbringing in small-town South Dakota shaped his passion for movement and health. You'll hear how he brought American football to Europe, built strength programs in Texas and South Dakota, and developed Live Pain Free—a program helping professionals overcome repetitive use injuries.
Whether you're an elite athlete or just want to pick up your grandkids without pain, Coach Rozy has insights for you. He breaks down how patterns, progression, and practical programming can transform performance and wellbeing across all ages and professions.
 
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In this heartfelt episode, Levi sits down with Abby Lawrence, founder of Two Pines Therapy and Connection Center, to explore what it really means to heal, connect, and show up for others—and ourselves—when life gets hard.
Abby opens up about her deeply personal journey from corporate America to starting a private practice after the sudden loss of her father. She shares how personal pain shaped her mission and how connection—not just therapy—is at the core of true healing.
Listeners will hear about:
The story behind the name "Two Pines"
Abby’s experience navigating grief, sudden change, and starting a business
The powerful therapies used at Two Pines, including EMDR, EFT, CBT, DBT, and ACT
How Abby helps clients reconnect with themselves and others in a disconnected world
The lessons she's learning as a mental health provider and business owner
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, Levi welcomes two powerhouse women in the field of functional medicine: Dr. Cheryl Bones and Dr. Jessica Pearson, co-founders of Prairie Roots Health. From their unexpected connection in South Dakota to launching a thriving clinic together, their journey is anything but ordinary.
Dr. Pearson shares her shift from a high-intensity military career as an OBGYN to embracing holistic health after COVID sparked a personal transformation. Dr. Bones reflects on her path from chiropractor to functional medicine advocate and business owner, driven by her passion to uncover the root causes behind health challenges.
Together, they explain how their clinic focuses on individualized, root-cause care—helping patients optimize health through nutrition, stress management, gut health, lifestyle changes, and personalized plans, not just prescriptions. They also share insights on balancing science and lifestyle, the power of collaboration, and why they don’t want clients to need them forever.
 
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In this heartfelt and insightful episode, Levi Te Slaa sits down with Hope Norland, Operating Director at Cornerstone Caregiving, to talk about the power of support, dignity, and proactive care in the lives of seniors and their families.
Hope shares her personal journey—from being an English major to becoming a leader in home-based senior care. She opens up about her experience in hospice care, the emotional rewards of helping families reclaim time with their loved ones, and the importance of shifting from reactive caregiving to intentional care planning.
They explore:
The emotional and practical toll caregiving can have on families
What “activities of daily living” really mean in a home care context
The qualities that define a great caregiver
Why families should start care conversations early
How Cornerstone Caregiving supports clients in staying home safely and with dignity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

From a garage sale Stephen King novel to publishing alongside Stephen King himself, Doug Murano’s creative journey is a masterclass in perseverance, passion, and pivoting when life deals you a “bad hand.”
Doug opens up about his South Dakota roots, how a pandemic-era closet became his first home office, and the early sparks that led him to editing, writing, and eventually founding Bad Hand Books. He shares what it’s really like behind the scenes in indie publishing, how a moment of personal crisis sparked his company’s powerful name, and why horror has always been his home genre.
Key Takeaways:
Why Doug abandoned law school just 9 days before it began
How he pivoted during a layoff with four young kids to create a business
The story behind “Bad Hand Books” and what it stands for
His dream-come-true project collaborating with Stephen King
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

Levi Te Slaa sits down with Dr. Abigail Polzin—ER doc, former AirMed Medical Director, and current program director for the newly launched emergency medicine residency at USD Sanford. They talk about her journey from Utah to Wisconsin to South Dakota, her time in the air as a flight medicine leader, and what it takes to build an innovative training program in a part of the country that has long needed it.
You'll hear about:
Why Abigail fell in love with emergency medicine
How her team handled 14,000+ flight patients over a decade
What makes South Dakota’s new residency program so impactful
How rural healthcare differs from big-city medicine
The emotional toll—and reward—of ER work
What aspiring ER docs need to succeed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

What happens when a renowned atmospheric scientist turns his attention to cattle ranching? In this episode, Dr. Patrick Zimmerman—founder and CEO of C-Lock Inc.—shares how his journey from environmental research to agricultural innovation is helping reshape animal agriculture around the globe. From pioneering emissions monitoring systems to revolutionizing how ranchers measure efficiency, Dr. Zimmerman opens up about the power of data, science, and respect for ruminant animals.
He discusses how early work at the National Center for Atmospheric Research led him to develop technology that bridges biosphere-atmosphere science with real-world applications for farmers and ranchers. Listeners will hear the fascinating story of how his company, C-Lock, evolved from a carbon accounting concept into a global leader in precision livestock monitoring—with clients across 50 countries and counting.
Whether you’re a rancher, a scientist, or someone curious about sustainable agriculture, this episode unpacks big ideas in an approachable and practical way.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.