The Best of LKN

In this episode, I sit down again with Michal Bay at Merino Mill to learn the inspiration behind Alino Pizzeria. Michal shares the story of how he realized a need for high-quality casual family dining at Merino Mill, and that it only made sense to open a pizzeria. Pizza is after all one of America’s favorite foods!  But, Michal wasn’t content with the idea of opening just any pizzeria at Merino Mi...

I have a great conversation lined up for you with Hazel Jillian Pacion. She’s the owner of Dog Training By Hazel, a small business based in Huntersville that has actually grown and prospered during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Hazel moved to the Lake Norman area several years ago from Michigan to work in the NASCAR industry as an event planner and producer. She began her dog training business as more o...

In this episode, I sit down with Gabby Sillyman. She is the co-owner along with her sister, Savannah, of the Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop in Birkdale Village. We’ve been buying pies there since their opening in early Spring of this year for many of our special occasions with family and friends. I’ve been really looking forward to connecting with Gabby and featuring Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop on the podcas...

In this episode, I’m really excited to bring you a conversation with the owners of LKN Images, Kathleen and Ed Martin. Kathleen is a top photographer in the Lake Norman and Charlotte metro areas. Her areas of expertise include high school senior photos, as well as family, sports, dance, and business photography. Her husband Ed joined the small business a few years back after selling his company to...

Here we are at episode 72 of The Best of LKN podcast, and we have an amazing guest for you to meet. Abby Kircher began her entrepreneurial journey at just 15 years old. She was inspired to begin creating her own nut butter spreads after reading the label one day on a jar of peanut butter. Abby loved peanut butter, but didn’t want to consume a product that was full of unhealthy additives and preser...

If you’ve been following this production for a while, you’ll remember back in the Spring of this year Lake Norman Currents magazine wrote a piece about this podcast. The article appeared in the March 2021 issue with the title “The Power of Storytelling.” I gotta tell you I was really honored that they thought enough of what we’re doing here at The Best of LKN to write about it and share a little o...

In this episode we’re featuring an organization that was started during the pandemic, and has been recognized by several of our esteemed guests here on the podcast. Chad Macy has merged his lifetime love for sports and fitness with a deep passion for helping kids work toward a life that is balanced. “Let’s get moving!” is the motto for Chad and his team, and Chad’s concept has grown exponentially...

In this episode, we’re featuring a new small business in Mooresville that is delivering a chef-driven fine dining experience to your door. 55 Prime was founded by Chef Peter Olsacher in 2021 to provide an alternative to traditional meal prep services for an underserved luxury market. Chef Peter brings 40-years of professional culinary experience to 55 Prime, and a career that has spanned continent...

I finally have the opportunity to feature one of the coolest small businesses in the Lake Norman area - in fact, one of the coolest small businesses anywhere! Davidson Provision Company is located in the heart of downtown Davidson right on Main Street. Owner Matt Santos founded Davidson Provision Company after leaving a successful career in technology and investment banking. The self-proclaimed “c...

In this episode, we’re featuring The Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Davidson College. The Director of the Jay Hurt Hub, Liz Brigham, joins me to share her background and the story of how she made the move with her family back to Davidson to lead the Hurt Hub in building an inclusive community of entrepreneurs and innovators. It’s an innovative and entrepreneurial episode 67 of...

In this episode I sit down with Dan & Ben Schiermeyer, the owners of Suds & Shine Car Wash in Cornelius, and Affordable Mini-Storage of Statesville. What interests me most about their story is not only that they’re siblings that are now business partners, but that they also started their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic! While many businesses declined in the past 12 months, Dan and...

Brittany Pomeroy is the founder of Flourish Together. Brittany founded Flourish Together in the middle of the pandemic as a commitment to helping organizations make a lasting, meaningful impact on people by creating environments where transformation can grow, thrive, and survive. Her work has been driven by a passion to bring a wholistic, human approach into the workplace while accelerating meanin...

In this episode, we’re featuring the Northwestern Mutual Lake Norman office. The office is led by Lynn Bowser, who joins us along with her associate Cara Cremeans. Lynn shares the story of her entrepreneurial journey, why she chose to partner with Northwestern Mutual, and some insights into the financial services industry as a whole.  We talk a lot about values, women in business, and the satisfac...

We’ve had the real honor of featuring several local and nationally recognized nonprofit organizations on the podcast. We especially love the nonprofits whose missions are to improve the lives of children and families in need - organizations like “The Pinky Swear Foundation” and “The Addison Hutchison Foundation.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations like these faced a real challenge when it...

In this episode, I sit down with Michal Bay, the owner of the amazing Merino Mill in Mooresville. This is a conversation that I’ve really been looking forward to sharing, because Michal has such a great story. Born in a small Mesopotamian village along the Euphrates River, Michal's entrepreneurial journey has taken him across Asia to Europe and to the United States.  Michal tells the story of...

As you know by now, we feature the best and brightest Lake Norman entrepreneurs, small business owners, freelancers, and nonprofit organizations on this podcast. In this episode, we're featuring one of the top producing real estate brokers in the Lake Norman area. Actually, one of the top producers in the entire Charlotte metro area.  Phil Puma founded Puma & Associates Realty in Corneliu...

In this episode, we’re really pleased to be featuring a conversation with Deborah Young, owner of The Deborah Young Studio in Cornelius. Deborah is a professional photographer that has been in the photography industry for over 40 years. Many of our listeners already know Deborah - she’s been creating your family portraits, wedding photos, and headshots here in Cornelius for nearly 30 of those year...

I have a really great episode lined up for you. I’m finally able to feature one of my favorite restaurant brands, Famous Toastery. The founder and CEO of the company, Robert Maynard, joins me to share a little of his background, and the inspirations behind the Famous Toastery concept. Robert also shares some really valuable insights into the journey of an entrepreneur, along with some sage advice...

A few weeks ago we published a blog article featuring some really amazing local boutiques to procure some beautiful gifts for Mother’s Day. I was really proud of the businesses we were able to feature in that article, especially since the owners of each of those businesses have been guests here on the podcast. But, as I proofread the article, I realized we were missing one important category - an...

The weather is warming up and that means boating season is here! Hey friends, welcome back to the podcast. In this episode we’re talking about boating with the owner of Freedom Boat Club Lake Norman, Jeff Weir.  Freedom Boat Club is the world’s oldest and largest membership boat club with over 30 years of experience. Members have access to over 275 locations in the U.S., Canada, and France. Freedo...

In this episode, the team at Mbrace Studio joins me to share their thoughts on the wildly popular book: Atomic Habits, by James Clear. If you listened to the special 50th episode on the podcast, you’ll recall my plans to have a bonus episode every month where I invite previous guests back onto the podcast to discuss one of their book recommendations. This is our first attempt at such an episode, a...

In this episode, I’m sharing with you a conversation I had with the owner of Lake Norman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Robin Smith Salzman. Robin and her husband Jack have built one of the premier automotive dealerships in North Carolina since moving to the area 18 years ago. But, the focus of our conversation in this episode revolves around another topic that’s near and dear to our hearts - animal res...

I noticed back in January of this year that one of Charlotte’s most prominent law firms had expanded into the Lake Norman area with the opening of a new office in Cornelius. Sodoma Law specializes in the area of family law, and the firm has made quite the name for itself over the past 12 or so years.  Nicole Sodoma, the founder and principal attorney at Sodoma Law, has received accolade upon accol...

In this episode, we’re featuring Davidson Lands Conservancy - a local nonprofit that focuses on preserving the area’s most important natural assets for future generations. The organization’s executive director, Dave Cable, joins us to share the story of what he describes as a calling to pursue a career in the preservation of natural resources. From the stewardship of important natural resources in...

As you know by now, we do love to feature thoughtful nonprofit organizations on the podcast, in addition to the best small businesses in the area. I have the honor of sharing the story of the Addison Hutchison Foundation with you today. The foundation is based on Mooresville and was created to honor the memory of 11-year old Addison Hutchison. Addison’s Dad, Shane Hutchison joins me to talk about...