Beyond The Square :: The Oxford Pod

Ashley Freeman Episode Show Notes Ashley Freeman never set out to build one of Oxford’s largest short-term rental management companies. Before Velvet Ditch Villas, many people around Oxford knew her simply as Coach Ashley. But after a difficult season of life led her to begin renting her own home, what started as a way to make some extra income quickly grew into something much bigger. In this conv...

What happens when a coffee shop becomes about much more than coffee? Brad Akin spent years working in college ministry before he and his family opened Shadrach’s Coffee in Oxford. Today, they operate two drive-through locations and the Rad Shack food truck on the Ole Miss campus. In this conversation, Brad shares how coffee became an unexpected career, why Shadrach’s puts such an emphasis on knowi...

In this episode of Beyond The Square, Blake sits down with Pam Swain, President and CEO of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce. Pam has been with the Chamber for more than two decades, and in this conversation she shares how a Southern Miss graduate from the Pine Belt found her way to Oxford, what the Chamber actually does, and why she believes Oxford is such a unique place to live, wo...

Today's conversation is with Micah Ginn, Associate Athletic Director for Sports Productions and Creative Services at Ole Miss. Micah and I first met as freshmen at Northeast Mississippi Community College. After graduating from Ole Miss, he headed to Los Angeles with dreams of working in entertainment. Somewhere in those years he realized the part he loved wasn't being in front of the camera, it wa...

After a few years away, Beyond The Square returns with a fresh season of Oxford stories. I'm Blake Thompson, and after nearly two decades in Oxford, I've learned the real stories of this town aren't just what happens on the Square or in a sports stadium. They're the people building things, fixing things, and steadily shaping what this place is. Two new episodes drop January 29th, then new conversa...

Today's interview is with Elizabeth Randall who is the found and president of Randall Commercial Group. RCG serves their clients and their commercial real estate investment needs through market analysis, research, and a team approach. RCG is based out of Oxford but has offices across the country. But Elizabeth loves Oxford! She's a product of the Mississippi Delta and Ole Miss. She and her husband...

Hello, Hello... Glad YOU are here for Beyond The Square the Oxford Podcast where we talk with the people of Oxford, MS to hear their stories and about being a part of our community. Because we believe that it's truly the people that make Oxford what it is. As always I'm your host, Blake Thompson. If you're not already following the show on Twitter, find it at @TheOxfordPod and you can also follow...

This episode features Allison Layton who is a licensed professional counselor and Marriage/Family Therapist with Cornerstone Counseling here in Oxford. We talk through the importance of counseling and therapy, the benefits of it for both individuals and couples, and a few barriers that some people have to overcome to seek counseling for themselves. She talks of the needs she sees in her clients an...

Today's episode features Brad Freeman who is the Director of M-Trade Park , our sports complex on the northwest side of town. A quick note to mention that this conversation was recorded over a year ago... and it was actually the day after the new naming ceremony where FNC Park became M-Trade Park. So as you hear us talk of that change and all, be aware that it was very new news. Brad Freeman grew...

On the latest episode of Beyond The Square :: The Oxford Pod we have Dr. Marvin King who has been a part of the Oxford and Ole Miss community for over seventeen years. He came to Ole Miss in 2005 after earning his PhD in Political Science from North Texas and a BA in Government from UT Austin. Dr. King has a dual appointment as a political science professor as well as an African American Studies p...

Bradley Roberson is now in his second year as Superintendent of the Oxford School District. He has previously served the district as a math teacher, coach, athletics director, principal, and assistant superintendent. This interview appeared a couple of weeks ago on The Oxford Charger Podcast and was a follow up to a conversation in summer of 2021 linked here . In this conversation Mr. Roberson sha...

So here we are with Beyond The Square :: The Oxford Podcast . But who is Blake and why is he launching this podcast? That's me! And listen to the episode and I'll tell you why. But the TL;DL is I love living in Oxford and the people here. I love hearing their stories. And I love podcasting! (I had a successful Friday Night Lights Podcast that I started back in 2009). So I decided to combine the tw...

Welcome to Beyond The Square :: The Oxford Podcast Oxford, Mississippi is full of interesting people, businesses, and places. Lots of food, art, music and more. On this podcast we will take a look at the many sides of Oxford, by highlighting one story at a time. So join us on this new journey. Subscribe and tell your friends. It's gonna be great!