Bar Pod
Bars are one of the few businesses that don’t let you lie to yourself for very long. The numbers are real. The feedback is immediate. The mistakes are expensive. Bar Pod is a podcast about what it actually takes to build and run bars—and by extension, any small, creative, high-risk business—without the hype, the shortcuts, or the guru nonsense. Hosted by brothers Ryan and Chad, Bar Pod is a candid, conversational series about ownership, operations, and the long game of building something that lasts. Ryan handles the day-to-day reality of running multiple bar and hospitality concepts, while Chad brings the perspective of someone balancing bartending, ownership, and family life. Together, they talk through real decisions, real mistakes, and real lessons learned the hard way. This isn’t a how-to manual and it’s not a highlight reel. It’s an honest look at what works, what doesn’t, and why most good ideas live or die on execution. Episodes explore everything from finances and branding to staffing, burnout, risk tolerance, and knowing when to push—or when to walk away. Bars are just the lens. The lessons apply to anyone who’s started a business, thought about starting one, bought a building, managed people, taken on risk, or tried to design a life with more freedom and fewer illusions. Bar Pod is thoughtful, practical, occasionally irreverent, and grounded in experience. If you care about building things in the real world—and doing it without pretending it’s easy—pull up a stool.
Episodes
The week started with a cold, a cone of shame, and a surprise: people peeking downstairs to find out if that really is a studio under the bar. It is—and we put it to work, riffing through a freeform session where bar life meets real life, complete with an AI-made opening jingle that somehow lands between catchy and classy.
We dive into the craft you can taste but rarely see. Clean beer lines, monthly maintenance...
Ever felt like the universe is charging a 3 percent convenience fee on your patience? We get into the real-life chaos of running bars while the front counter gets tiled, the producer’s out, and someone just flipped us off at a three-way stop. From there we dive into what actually speeds up service on a Saturday night and why the placement of an ice machine can make or break your bottom line.
We also get honest a...
The best nights don’t just happen—they’re designed. We’re making Bar Pod a weekly ritual and opening the doors with a crisp NA beer taste test, a splash of top-shelf tequila, and a real look at how guests’ habits are shifting after dry months. We talk about why even sober streaks still bring people to the bar, where NA options make sense for business, and how to keep the vibe without tanking margins.
From there ...
The Work Before The Work
Recorded just two hours before Paddle Bar's opening day for the 2026 season AND the first day of construction on Tiques - talk about timing.
Construction starts tomorrow - but not the fun kind of "starting." We're talking about all the unglamorous prep work that happens before you swing a hammer: pricing out inventory, coordinating contractors, making lists of lists, and endless...
Ryan and Chad are back from vacation and ready to overshare. This episode bounces from Key West bar crawls to Colorado mountain hangovers, with plenty of detours into the glamorous world of bar ownership—and by glamorous, we mean cleaning toilets and counting liquor bottles at 2am.
The guys get into why running a bar is basically 90% janitorial work with better stories, how winter storms turn your customer base into hiber...
The podcast journey begins reflecting on the successes of 2025, the impact of alcohol industry losses, the rise of non-alcoholic beverages, the influence of bars on community and culture, the debate on live music in bars, favorite bars in Key West and Colorado, exploring ski resort bars. The hosts express excitement for the future and the return to the bar after vacation.
Takeaways
- Insights into Bar Culture and Custome...
The podcast hosts introduce the second episode and discuss the location and format of the podcast. They share personal experiences, including water heater troubles and construction work. The origin of Paddle Bar is revealed, and the hosts discuss the challenges and successes of opening the bar. They also share a humorous bar story of the week and discuss industry trends and challenges in the bar business. The conversatio...
In the first episode of Bar Pod, brothers Ryan and Chad pull up a stool and set the tone for the series. They talk candidly about their different roles in bar ownership, how they each ended up here, and what it’s really like to run bars behind the scenes. This episode isn’t about giving advice—it’s about laying the groundwork: why this show exists, what they’ve learned so far, and what listeners can expect as they dig in...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com