Sincerely, Your Small Business

ABOUT CHRIS LEBLANC (OWNER + FOUNDER): Chris LeBlanc has led Nola Builds since 2014. Originally from New Orleans- hence the name- he loves how “Nola Builds” naturally starts a conversation and reflects both his roots and his approach to community-focused work. Chris studied at Louisiana Technical College and PVCC before graduating from the UVA McIntire School of Commerce, blending hands-on constru...

Amy Shawley Paquette is a Virginia-based painter inspired by the natural world. Each one of her paintings begins with a walk in nature, taking in the environmental elements and collecting memories and experiences to apply to her work. Birds are her primary subject matter and she loves pairing them with botanical, landscape, and texture elements. She works from her own photos to create colorfully d...

Lauren DiFrank is the owner of Bella Ballerina Highland Creek, a Bella Ballerina franchise serving families in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Since opening the studio four years ago, she has built a thriving community centered on helping young children grow in confidence, creativity, and a love of dance. A cancer survivor and widow, Lauren also serves on the Board of Directors for the 24 Foun...

Christina Martin (Chris) is the baker and owner of Florosa, a commissary bakery & flower farm based in Charlottesville, VA. A third-generation Nicaraguan American, she draws on her heritage to create Latine and Hispanic–inspired pastries, pan dulce, and desserts that honor traditional foodways while reflecting the landscapes and seasons of Virginia. She bakes with locally milled flour, eggs fr...

Christian is the founder of More Than A Cup, a premium mobile coffee bar serving the Charlotte Metro area. Starting in high school and throughout college, Christian worked in private clubs serving weddings, baby showers, and more. In college he studied civil engineering.  After two years with a civil engineering firm, Christian realized the moments that moved him weren't behind a desk. They w...

Caroline Addington is the founder of Blue Ridge Barbell, a community-driven gym in Charlottesville, Virginia. After years as a personal trainer, she opened the gym local lifters had been asking for: one full of focused training, genuine community, and good vibes. Caroline's work sits at the intersection of strength training, business, and community building. She's passionate about entrep...

This episode originally aired in September of 2025. Enjoy! On this episode, discover how Ryan opened a vegan eatery, Botanical, amidst the challenges of the pandemic. You'll hear about the importance of community, the power of confidence, and the joy of creating a supportive environment for both staff and customers.  Ryan Becklund is the owner of Botanical in Charlottesville and Bar Botanical...

In this episode, Allie shows her dedication to community support, quality, and how those have also coincided with her personal growth. Listen to this chat to hear wisdom about resilience, adaptation, intentionality in business, and the importance of community (in both life and business).  From Allie: 4 phrases or words to best describe me because I’ll choose an even number (4) over an odd (3) any...

Linda Livernois is an award-winning makeup artist and beauty expert specializing in makeup for film and photography with a special focus on luxury bridal makeup.  With a love of high fashion, luxury beauty, and art, Linda brings her trained eye to create beauty that is timeless and elegant. Her work has been published in Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, Carats and Cake, and many other publicatio...

A local to the Charlotte Metro area for 13+ years, Eden Estabrook has had a passion for writing for as long as she can remember -- even making a career out of it as a communications specialist! With Arnie the Armadillo Goes to Antarctica and Arnie the Armadillo Goes Backpacking in Brazil, Eden has been sharing her love of learning and literacy with the next generation since 2023. Listen to hear th...

Dr. Rachael Carreon is a pediatric physical therapist, Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, and infant development expert with over 12 years of experience. She specializes in supporting babies with oral ties and feeding challenges, torticollis, plagiocephaly, body tension, and gross motor delays. As a mom of two, Rachael understands the worry that can come with early feeding and milestone concerns...

Jennifer Iskat Frankoski is a Doctor of Physical Therapy. She is a Board Certified Physical Therapist with clinical experience in an Orthopedic Residency Program and advanced pelvic floor training. Jennifer is a certified Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist (PCES).  She is also Certified in Dry Needling. She is currently in the process of studying for additional certifications in orthopedics...

In this episode, Rebecca shares her journey of building a private therapy practice in Charlottesville, focusing on her specialty, EFT, and how she maintains her well-being while managing things like boundaries and the ebbs and flows of business.  Big takeaways: The challenges of starting and managing a small private practice Importance of niching down to gain confidence and clarity The duality of...

In this episode, Patsy Lupton shares her journey of balancing the demands of running a small business, raising two kids, and nurturing herself in the middle of it all. Listen as she shares her honest experience around resilience, support systems, and more. Big takeaway moments: Patsy describes her transition from a highly planned approach to the current state of "winging it" in her busin...

Jennifer Bryerton, MaEd is the founder and publisher of CharlottesvilleFamily Magazine and VirginiaSummerCamp.com. For 25+ years, she's built award-winning niche media brands and helped small local businesses increase visibility through strategic marketing, SEO, content, and creative community partnerships. Jennifer specializes in helping local businesses leverage their stories to attract lon...

Freddy is an inspirational speaker, social-emotional learning (SEL) mentor, health and wellness trainer, educator, author, and founder of The Love No Ego Foundation. For schools, universities, and the corporate world, Freddy's Love...No Ego philosophy serves as the foundation for success, strengthening the motivation needed for change, igniting intuitions, identifying and removing egotistical...

Garrett Tichy is a Charlotte-based entrepreneur who co-founded Seemingly Overzealous Ice Cream, an inclusive, allergy-friendly brand that takes fun very seriously. He previously founded Hygge Coworking (acquired in 2023) and co-founded SMPL, a software company acquired in 2020. His work centers on building businesses that bring people together and doing it the honest, behind-the-scenes way. Jessic...

Brittany was born and raised on a farm in Crozet, Virginia, founded by her great-grandfather, J.T. Henley. She spent her childhood days outdoors in the orchards, riding horses through the fields, and learning from Henley’s avid passion and instruction around wildlife conservation. His influence inspired Brittany to pursue degrees in both Wildlife Biology and Agriculture. After university, she cont...

Patrick, a native son of Albemarle County, first found his inspiration where most cooks do—at home. Patrick grew up in a farmhouse in North Garden, where family meals and fresh ingredients from the garden shaped his childhood. He moved to New York City to work in the art world, but a business trip to the Galicia region of Spain and a small Michellin-starred restaurant there named Casa Marcelo insp...

Rob Wooten is a multidisciplinary designer and artist who is currently the creative director and partner at Convoy , a Charlottesville/Richmond-based design and development studio, and a curator and collaborator with Trailhead Creative at Home Fire Gallery . This gallery focuses on local artists and designers. Illustrator and writer at Hanging Moon Comics (an upcoming comic book) and founder of De...

Senlin Means is a trans woman and anti-fascist activist, co-owner of The Beautiful Idea and owner of F12 Infoshop. In her spare time she runs Charlottesville Harm Reduction and reads lots of books. She lives with a dog, a cat, and a snake in her hometown of Charlottesville VA. In this interview, hear Senlin's thoughts and experiences on: - learning what it means--and how--to be happy in the c...

Alexandra de Guzman, a Charlottesville-based coach, brings over 20 years of competitive tennis experience. Originally from New Jersey, she was a top-five sectional junior and a USTA national doubles champion. She went on to play NCAA Division I tennis at William & Mary, where her team ranked as high as #8 nationally. After earning a B.S. in Kinesiology with a minor in Art and Art History, she...

Jenn Baellow founded Kindred Cville to create a supportive space where new parents can prepare for birth and navigate postpartum and early parenthood with confidence. Her journey began with fear and anxiety during her first pregnancy, but through prenatal yoga, breathwork, and the guidance of her doula, Kelly Cox, she discovered the power of movement and mindfulness in birth. Now a DONA-trained do...

In today's episode, we explore what it's like to: have a variety of interests and skills, take a mindful approach to social media (in a way that's more conducive to real-world connections), and remember that you can't be everything to everyone. Brittany Fan is a graduate of the University of Virginia and a visual artist based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Having a love of all t...

Carrington is a lover & an artist devoted to sharing wisdom on harmonious living in the countryside. She earned her Bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy and African-American & African Studies in 2018 from the University of Virginia. Her current work focuses on motherhood, mycology and metaphysics. Other than writing, you can find her foraging in the mountains with her family or baking a vegan...