Small Town Secret Sauce

#40 Lauren Rosenau is a professional wedding photographer based in Lynchburg, VA, who has been capturing wedding day stories for 16 years. Her style is narrative, organic, effortless, energetic, and full of all the little life moments that make up the big day. Although based in Central Virginia, Lauren's clients are from all over the United States, and some even ask her to travel to exotic locatio...

#39 Cari and Seth Reed are the wife and husband team behind Remington Ranch, a regenerative farm located 30 minutes outside of Lynchburg in Gladys, Virginia. Regenerative farming is a term that basically means working in harmony with Mother Nature instead of against her. The chickens, pigs, turkeys, and lambs are humanely raised without chemicals or GMOs. These animals also enjoy the grasslands an...

#38 My guest today is Leidra McQueen. Not only does she have one of the coolest names, but she also heads up one of the coolest organizations: Lynchburg Beacon of Hope. This non-profit has been empowering young dreamers and seekers since 2011, preparing them for the big stage, both literally and figuratively. Beacon's mission is to "inspire Lynchburg's youth to pursue post-secondary education...

#37 Jessica Coleman is the founder of Creekside Therapeutics, a collective of talented, compassionate mental health professionals here in Lynchburg, VA. Their door is open to everyone, but there's a special place in their heart for the queer and neurodivergent members of the community. I discovered Jessica and her team simply because of a post from a local difference maker, Kathleen Stafford....

#36 On today's show, I am not the host. Instead, I am being interviewed by former guest and all-around amazing human being Ken Arpino, the executive director of Wolfbane Productions here in Lynchburg. Ken is sharp, funny, and came loaded with great questions like...- What was your a-ha moment that inspired this podcast?- What is one spot in Lynchburg where you instantly feel at peace and why?- If...

#35 Stephanie Fees is the creator and owner of Scratch Pasta, a fresh pasta shop here in Lynchburg, VA. She is also the creator and owner of The Flour District, an artisan bakery, cafe and teaching kitchen, located right next door where my wife, Amy, is the COO.These two businesses are shining examples that, yes, you can elevate style and taste and thrive in a small town that's dominated by chain...

#34 John Seinar is the current owner of Bikes Unlimited, Lynchburg, Virginia's oldest bicycle shop, which opened in 1967. John took over the current downtown location in January 2020 and recently opened Trailhead, a cozy, casual bar and restaurant right next door. What originally attracted me to this story was the bike shop's longevity, which is no small feat, especially in a small town. I also wa...

Myke Barron is the President of Black Stag Group, which operates White Hart Cafe in downtown Lynchburg, VA, alongside his business partner Vic Stanley, Jr. The White Hart is affectionately known as "Lynchburg's Living Room" and has become a cultural center for performing arts and music, especially on their famous Open Mic nights. I have frequented the White Hart so many times since moving to Lynch...

#32 Sam and Robb Foster are the delightful wife and husband team behind Frostfire, the newly opened sauna and cold plunge spa in downtown Lynchburg, VA.As someone who has used cold exposure for many years now, I was stoked to discover this stellar addition to the local holistic health and wellness scene. I couldn't wait to dive into Sam and Robb's story, especially as first-time business owners br...

#31 Michelline and Jawansa Hall are pillars in the Lynchburg, VA, community and have served it in many, many ways for most of their adult lives. They are such a delightful, loving couple with a huge heart for each other and the good of the folks living in the Hill City. Michelline and Jawansa have worn a number of hats over the years, from their marketing firm, Blackwater Branding, to a variety of...

My guest is Marc Schewel, whose family name is well-known in Lynchburg and other small to mid-markets across Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia, thanks to Schewel’s Home Furniture and its 50+ locations. This family business was founded in 1897, making it one of the oldest furniture retailers in the United States. It is currently owned and operated by Marc and his brother Jack, 4th generat...

#29 Sue Ott Rowlands is the President of Randolph College, a small Liberal Arts school set on an idyllic campus in Lynchburg, VA.Since arriving in mid-2022, Sue has infused Randolph College with her generous, creative spirit, her passion for the liberal arts, and her love of collaboration and community. And for the 2024-25 academic year, enrollment has reached its highest level since 1969!!! This...

#28 Dr. James Coleman wears many, many hats, but every single one of them shares the same fabric - service to his community. This man is a pure being of light who has been serving the fine folks of Lynchburg, VA, for over 3 decades. Dr. Coleman previously held the Chair and Vice Chair positions for Lynchburg's City School Board and served the Lynchburg Planning Commission. He has also played a key...

#27 Elise Spontarelli is the Executive Director and co-founder of Vector Space - a non-profit makerspace and community workshop here in Lynchburg, VA, which she and her husband Adam founded back in 2015.A makerspace is quite literally a space in which you can make something. Or, as my tour guide Randy pointed out, at Vector Space, you can make almost anything! This 22,000 square foot shop is fille...

#26 Tori Garris is the creator and star of the sweet, wholesome kids' show Torbee, a program that is all about slowing things down in a fast-paced world. Tori is a transplant, just like me. She and her husband relocated from Chicago to Lynchburg, VA, 5 years ago. Since then, she became inspired to revive her professional acting career and develop a program for children, which launched on YouTube i...

#25 Dr. Sterling Wilder is the founder and Executive Director of Jubilee Family Development Center in Lynchburg, VA. The center is celebrating 25 years of serving the community's underserved youth. Dr. Wilder and Jubilee immediately caught my attention when researching Lynchburg as a potential new home for my wife and me because of our desire to get more involved in the community. And when I decid...

#24 On today's show, I am going to tell the We Story, one year later, about what happened over the last 12 months since my wife Amy and I decided to burn the boats and trade San Francisco, our home for 24 years, for a small town in Central Virginia with no established network or jobs lined up. Are we crazy? Sort of, but in the most fun kind of way! 🥳Our journey is still unfolding in Lynchburg, VA...

#23 Jared Hesse is a Master Barber and the owner of Gentleman John's, a throwback classic barber shop in the heart of historic downtown Lynchburg, VA, where he and his team create a sophisticated yet timeless experience for a man's haircut and shave. But there's so much more to this business and this amazing human being. Jared has such a welcoming, caring, nurturing spirit and incredible depth of...

#22 Jessica Wells found her calling, and the world of Lynchburg, VA, is better off for it. She owns the Happy Waffle, a food truck that serves sweet and savory waffles on a stick while also spreading positive vibes and mental health awareness. Jessica's family tragedy led her down a path of inner healing, personal growth, and discovering some of her deepest passions. Through her work in therapy, J...

#21 Megan Huffman is the Director of Community Outreach for the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation. She is also the driving force behind Share Greater Lynchburg, a platform that creates a one-stop shop to easily connect the region's non-profits with local neighbors and businesses. But there's so much more to it than that. In short, Share Greater Lynchburg makes it effortless to get involved an...

#20 Daryl Calfee is the owner of Penny Lane Properties, a local design, development, and construction group in Lynchburg, VA. Several of my past and future guests highly recommended him for the show."Unstoppable," "Visionary," "Highly Creative," "Out of the Box Thinker," "Always Thinks About Maximizing His Time & Talents for the Community," and "Desire to Serve & Elevate Marginalized Neigh...

#19 Phinees Robert, professionally known as "Phinestro," is a film composer and music producer living in Lynchburg, VA, where he is currently an Artist Resident at the Academy Center of the Arts. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Phinees' compositions have been featured in major ad campaigns for Nike, Aeropostale, and Buxom Cosmetics, as well as TV shows such as Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Phinee...

#18 In this episode, I share five key themes for success and joy that are consistent with each of my guests, no matter what industry they operate in or their backgrounds. These themes have shown - to me - a framework for creating the kind of passionate, meaningful life that lights up the soul and makes a profound impact in the community. Even if your path is not one of entrepreneurship or communit...

#17 Dave Henderson runs on service, whether through his restaurants or the non-profits he works with. Dave has a huge heart and cares deeply for his teams and the community they serve. He brings intentional hospitality into his business approach and into the way he treats every single person, no matter if they are a customer, a member of his staff, or some guy asking him to be on a podcast 🤓 You...

#16 Geoff Kershner is my guest today and yet another visionary. As the Executive Director of Lynchburg's Academy Center of the Arts and host of the Small Town Big Arts podcast, Geoff sees the power of the arts as a way to connect and strengthen the community. The key is to create an inclusive and diverse space for everyone, including those who are marginalized. With this intention, the arts can be...