From Tennis Courts to Bird Dogs: The Chad Leonard Story | Hill Country Gundogs

What do a burnt-out tennis pro, a Georgia quail plantation, a near-death experience, and an English Cocker Spaniel named Blaze have in common? They're all part of one of the most compelling journeys in the gun dog world.

In this episode, we sit down with Chad Leonard — Texas Hill Country ranch manager turned professional gun dog trainer and co-founder of Hill Country Gundogs — for a raw, honest, and deeply inspiring conversation about dogs, faith, family, and finding your purpose.

Chad shares how a single hunt on Winfield Plantation in Albany, Georgia changed the trajectory of his life, what it felt like to stare down death alone on a ranch with no cell service, and why leaving a dream ranch job to bet on himself was the scariest and best decision he ever made.

In this episode:

● Chad's first hunt and the moment he fell in love with English Cocker Spaniels
● Life on the road — from Ohio to Georgia to New Mexico to the Texas Hill Country
● A near-fatal accident and the faith that carried him through it
● Why he walked away from the perfect ranch job to build Hill Country Gundogs
● Field trials vs. hunting dogs — what actually matters
● His friendship with Texas music legend Robert Earl Keen
● What's next for Hill Country Gundogs

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This episode is brought to you by BKKPRS. BKKPRS (Bookkeepers) helps businesses with bookkeeping, accounting, accounts receivables/payables, payroll, and fractional CFO services. Learn more at: https://bkkprs.com

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US Army veteran, Iraq combat tour, tattoo artist, restaurant owner, and co-founder of The Purple Heart Project — Chef Mark Sierra (Compadres Hill Country Cocina) sits down for a wide-ranging conversation about the road from the Rio Grande Valley to a combat zone to a Boerne kitchen that's been named the best Mexican spot in town two years running. Mark opens up about the parts of military service nobody trains you for, what cooking actually means to him, building a Tex-Mex backyard-barbecue concept that doesn't apologize for being different, and the work he and his wife Dahlia do honoring Purple Heart recipients and Gold Star families.

What we cover:

• From the Valley to the Army: growing up in La Joya, what "Mexican food" meant when it was just food, and walking into the Odessa mall recruiter asking to "blow some shit up"
• Iraq: a 15-month deployment, the 65 brothers his brigade lost, and the part of basic training that doesn't prepare you for what comes after
• Ink in a combat zone: how Mark started tattooing fellow soldiers downrange and ended up featured in National Tattoo Magazine
• Cooking as therapy: why making tortillas keeps him grounded, connected to his grandmother, and at peace when "shit hits the fan"
• Building Compadres Hill Country Cocina: dethroning the established Mexican spots in Boerne, the smoked Tex-Mex backyard-style identity, and the pricing conversations every owner faces
• The Purple Heart Project: founding it with his wife Dahlia in 2020, honoring 100+ recipients, and what the annual gala looks like — standup mode, Andy Griggs's "If Heaven," and a room going up and down all night
• The unseen weight: anxiety, breakdowns at the pit, and the morning NBC's Today Show called minutes after he hit bottom
• Advice for anyone thinking about the restaurant industry: thick skin, love the work, and why if it turns into work, you're done

Guest:

Chef Mark Sierra — US Army veteran, owner of Compadres Hill Country Cocina in Boerne, TX, tattoo artist, and co-founder of The Purple Heart Project with his wife Dahlia

Why this matters:

The Hill Country has more veteran-owned businesses than most people realize, and the stories behind them are rarely told all the way through. Mark's is one of resilience, service that didn't end with the uniform, and a kitchen built around the food he grew up on. If you've eaten at Compadres — or you're thinking about supporting a Purple Heart Project event — this is the conversation that gives every plate and every gala more weight.

If you enjoy this episode:

• Share it with a neighbor or a veteran in your life
• Subscribe and leave a review
• Visit Compadres Hill Country Cocina in Boerne, TX
• Learn more about The Purple Heart Project at https://purpleheartpro.org

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by BKKPRS. BKKPRS (Bookkeepers) helps businesses with bookkeeping, accounting, accounts receivables/payables, payroll, and fractional CFO services. Learn more at: https://bkkprs.com

Connect:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thicketpodcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4z9NNpxM6sJqbR1bPR729v

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Lifelong Kendall County resident J.C. Taylor (VP of Strategy, Texas Star Nut and Food Company) lays out pragmatic, local-first solutions for water, mobility, and emergency services while protecting property rights and the Hill Country character. We cover why Kendall County’s steady 3.5% annual growth since 1990 demands action, not slogans—and how to corral growth near existing corridors, partner with the state before it decides for us, and fund the right fire/EMS coverage as neighborhoods expand. J.C. also shares his family business journey scaling a national food brand and opens up about sobriety, faith, and service—and why he’s running for County Commissioner (Precinct 2).

What we cover:

● Water, for real: reservoirs, a possible county water utility district, rainwater harvesting tax abatements, and long-horizon desalination tradeoffs
● Mobility > gridlock: practical connectors, Hwy 46/I‑10 pressure relief, and planning that concentrates development instead of sprawling it everywhere
● Emergency services: when volunteer fire works, when it doesn’t, and options for county-run staffing vs. ESDs in hot spots (Bergheim, Comfort, Tapatio)
● Growth math: Kendall County’s ~3.5% compounded growth since 1990—why “do nothing” isn’t neutral, and how free-market principles and personal responsibility still guide good policy
● Property rights and conservation: using tools like easements strategically (and where they fall short if we ignore supply and infrastructure)
● Personal: J.C.’s path through recovery (since 2017), family loss, and a deepening faith that fuels public service

Guest:

J.C. Taylor — Kendall County resident, business leader, and candidate for County Commissioner (Pct. 2)

Why this matters:

Local politics shapes daily life—roads, water, safety, and how your community grows. If you live in Kendall County or the Texas Hill Country, this conversation helps translate passion into practical action.

If you enjoy this episode:

● Share it with a neighbor
● Subscribe and leave a review

Sponsor:

This episode is brought to you by BKKPRS. BKKPRS (Bookkeepers) helps businesses with bookkeeping, accounting, accounts receivables/payables, payroll, and fractional CFO services. Learn more at: https://bkkprs.com

Connect:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thicketpodcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4z9NNpxM6sJqbR1bPR729v

Facebook: https://facebook.com/Thicketpodcast/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thethicketpodcast

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thicketpodcast

X: https://x.com/thethicketpod