The Daily Grind Podcast 🎙

Welcome to the Daily Grind! Your weekly goal-driven podcast featuring host Kelly Johnson. Established August 2019 in Chicago, IL. Currently based in Portland, OR.

Q: Tell us more about the Daily Grind.

A: The Daily Grind is a weekly goal-driven podcast hosted by Midwest native Kelly Johnson, motivating YOU on your ‘daily grind.’ Every episode she sits down with a startup founder, business owner, sports professional, industry expert, or social media influencer giving you everyday tips and key takeaways to reaching your goals. Make every day count and as always, keep up the grind! 

Q: How did the Daily Grind become created?

A: Kelly realized her story was unique and inspiring. With her outgoing personality and through interviews with colleagues, industry experts, and working professionals across all industries, Kelly thought it would be interesting to share their ‘daily grind’ and what they do and how they achieve their goals by being efficient, productive and best practices in everyday life.

Podcast Episodes

Releasing a new podcast episode every week!

S5 Episode 46: Annette Sollars | Optician | President | Eye Want 👁 The Daily Grind

“Give of yourself to other people and have the respect for them. Give of yourself as much as you can.” on the Daily Grind ☕️, your weekly goal-driven podcast. This episode features Kelly Johnson @kellyfastruns and special guest Annette Sollars @e3.llc! With over 20 years of experience, Annette Sollars, The Eyewear Dominatrix, is a distinguished industry expert and licensed optician, boasting a prolific career that spans lens labs, surgical assistance, and optometry. Her multifaceted expertise includes being a licensed contact lens technician, a skilled photographer capturing the inside of the eye before and after surgery, and a low vision fitter of medical devices, specializing in magnifiers for individuals with low or no vision. S5 Episode 46: 3/12/2024 Featuring Kelly Johnson with Special Guest Annette Sollars Audio Credit Intro: Draw The Line Mastered by Connor Christian Follow Our Podcast: Instagram: @dailygrindpod https://www.instagram.com/dailygrindpod/   Twitter: @dailygrindpod https://www.twitter.com/dailygrindpod   Podcast Website: https://direct.me/dailygrindpod   Follow Our Special Guest: Website: https://www.eyewanteyewear.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/e3.llc/ — Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dailygrindpod/support
  1. S5 Episode 46: Annette Sollars | Optician | President | Eye Want 👁
  2. S5 Episode 45: Scott Holden | Founder | Business Owner | Mind Trek
  3. S5 Episode 44: Taylor Ross | Founder | Furniture Designer | Chronicle Home Furniture
  4. S5 Episode 43: Nate Robert-Eze | Founder | Author | Coach | VSN
  5. S5 Episode 42: Layshia Clarendon | WNBA | Professional Basketball Player 🏀 | Los Angeles Sparks

Listen on your preferred podcast platform!


What does the “daily grind” mean to you? Leave a quick response and review of The Daily Grind and what the ‘daily grind’ means to YOU!

Our Podcast Team

Kelly Johnson
🎙 Podcast Host
📍From Milwaukee, WI
📚 University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Kansas
🗣 The term “podcast” is a mashup of iPod and broadcast — it was coined by a journalist in 2004.
Melanie Valente
🎙 Event Marketing
📍From Manasqaun, NJ
📚 University of Maryland – College Park
🗣 The Eiffel Tower can be 15 cm taller during the summer, due to thermal expansion.

Aidan Donaldson
🎙 Business Strategy
📍From Toronto, Canada
📚 Durham College
🗣 Polar bears have black skin. And actually, their fur isn’t white—it’s see-through, so it appears white as it reflects light.

Liley Tovey
🎙 Social Media Marketing
📍From Springfield, OR
📚 Oregon State University
🗣 Studies show that dogs are among a small group of animals who show voluntary unselfish kindness towards others without any reward. (Another fun fact – I love dogs!)
Max Mensch
🎙 Sports Marketing
📍From Sag Harbor, NY
📚 University of Maryland – College Park
🗣 If you were to fold a piece of paper 42 times, you would be able to reach the moon.
Gretchen Hoffman
🎙 Social Media Marketing
📍From Eugene, OR
📚 University of Oregon
🗣 Competitive art used to be a sport in the Olympics! The categories were: Architecture, Literature, Music, Painting, and Sculpting.

Do you want to work for the Daily Grind?