Austin Community Capital

What does it mean to truly welcome someone? Join host Austin Clemens and Austin icon CK Chin as they deconstruct the art of hospitality. From Michelin-starred secrets to the deep cultural roots of "sharing rice," this episode is a masterclass in making people feel like rock stars. Learn why CK Chin believes in "clearing the ledger of generosity" and how you can bring more inten...

What does it take to find the soul of a city in the middle of a gold rush? In this episode, native Austinite and luxury real estate titan Kody Hall reveals the grit behind the glamour. You’ll learn the secret to navigating Austin’s exclusive off-market deals, how an "athlete’s mindset" can transform your career, and why the best investment you’ll ever make is in the people around your di...

What if your story is the most valuable asset you own? In this episode, host Austin Clemens sits down with Michelle Savage, the powerhouse founder of Sulit Press and a true pillar of the Austin creative community. Michelle shares her journey from a nomadic childhood to becoming the city’s premiere mentor for aspiring authors. You’ll learn why vulnerability is your greatest strength, how to build a...

What if the best leadership lessons didn’t come from a textbook, but from inside a mascot suit? Join host Austin Clemens as he sits down with Keith Lewis , founder of VeraSpark and author of Sparking Your Inner Leader . In this soulful conversation, Keith Lewis shares his journey from a fifth-generation Texas grocery family to becoming a world-class coach for top executives. Discover how to reclai...

Join host Austin Clemens and legendary entrepreneur Chris Taylor as they dive into the "scrappy" soul of Austin. From running a turtle ranch in rural West Virginia to bootstrapping Square Root for fifteen years, Chris shares the raw, unvarnished truth about what it takes to build a thriving business without losing your mind—or your community. You’ll learn how to "manifest serendipit...

Step into the rhythmic heart of Austin with legendary musician and DJ Topaz McGarrigle . In this episode, we explore how a kid busking on 6th Street became the leader of the intergalactic Golden Dawn Arkestra and the co-founder of the iconic Sahara Lounge . You'll hear the raw truth about the "redneck hippie" roots of Central Texas, the hustle of the global music scene, and how Topaz...

What happens when you sit down with the man who helped build the world’s most influential creative stage? In this episode, host Austin Clemens talks with Hugh Forrest , the visionary behind the evolution of SXSW. You’ll learn why "human creativity" is the ultimate currency, how to navigate the changing landscape of Austin, and why physical connection is the secret ingredient to any successful vent...

What if your real estate agent cared more about your nervous system than your closing costs? In this episode, 8th-generation Texan Desiree Gutierrez reveals why she views home-buying as a spiritual "peeling" process. You’ll learn how to "touch your spirit every day," why the kitchen is the hub of human survival, and how to find deep community wisdom in the most unexpected place...

What if your neighborhood felt like a "best friend row" instead of a collection of strangers? In this episode, we sit down with Sara D Morell , the visionary developer behind "Sanctuary" and the Epic Cool Team . Sara shares her incredible journey from experiencing homelessness as a child to building eco-luxury mini-cities that prioritize human connection. You’ll learn how to tr...

Step into the time machine with Austin native and design icon Janna Paulson . From her childhood adventures in the unpaved creeks of Wiltshire Woods to her decades-long career shaping the interiors of the city's most notable residents, Janna shares what it truly means to have "roots" in Central Texas. You'll learn the invaluable business lessons she inherited from her developer f...

What happens when a Silicon Valley engineering leader decides to become Austin's "cultural ambassador"? Join host Austin Clemens as he sits down with Joey Trevino , the man behind the legendary Octopus House in Bouldin Creek. In this episode, you’ll learn how Joey Trevino transitioned from building tech giants like Chime to building a home that serves as a love letter to Austin's...

Can a dance floor actually save your life? This week, we sit down with the incomparable Beth Coffey , Austin's own "Ambassador of the Texas Two-Step." After a catastrophic car accident in 2004 left her with a broken neck and a shattered identity, Beth Coffey found redemption in the neon glow of Austin's most iconic dance halls. From coaching Sylvester Stallone to teaching the two-step in Amsterdam...

Is there dignity in the "dirty" jobs? Brandon Downer, co-founder of Pink’s Window Cleaning, joins Austin Clemens to discuss why he traded a corporate trajectory for a squeegee and a bucket. In the heart of Austin, where the "cowboys and hippies" find common ground at Barton Springs, Brandon Downer is crafting a legacy built on clarity. As the co-founder of Pink’s Window Cleanin...

What does it mean to "pour into people" when the stakes are high? This week, Austin Clemens sits down with Ana Ruelas , the powerhouse Managing Partner of The Agency Austin and co-owner of Austin Woman Magazine . Ana shares her raw journey from moving 10 times in 10 years to sacrificing her own income to save her team’s jobs. You'll learn the secrets of her "Circle" philoso...

They say it’s lonely at the top. Phyllis Snodgrass is here to make sure it doesn’t stay that way. Phyllis Snodgrass has spent her life building things that actually matter. While most of Austin was busy obsessing over valuations and tech exits, Phyllis was in the trenches of the real world—running Austin Habitat for Humanity during a housing crisis and leading Chambers of Commerce across the state...

Ben Wolff is a study in contrasts. He is a guy who cut his teeth in the chaotic, bass-thumping world of nightclub promotion, only to trade it in for the sharp suits and sharper spreadsheets of a McKinsey consultant. Most people pick a lane; Ben paved a new one right through the Texas Hill Country. He is the co-founder of Onera and Oasi , brands that are effectively rewriting the script on what a h...

Megan Mrazek used to run toward the fire. As a corporate "fixer" for global behemoths, her office was the war room, her currency was crisis, and if you saw a disaster on the evening news, chances are she was the one behind the curtain, smoothing the edges. She was the person you called when things fell apart. But then, she did the hardest thing imaginable: she walked away. She traded the adrenalin...

Catherine Woodiwiss isn't just planning parties; she is waging a quiet war on the numbness of modern life. In a world where "connection" usually means a double-tap on a screen, Catherine is an "experience architect" who demands you feel something real. By day, she runs design research for Texas’ most beloved brand, H-E-B. By night, she is the orchestrator of Austin’s most i...

Meet Brian Cronin. He's a "deep end" operator who sees the world differently than the rest of us. Before he was the Vice President of NOVO Construction, shaping Austin's physical skyline, he was a traveler who backpacked through 65 countries, selling lollipops in the schoolyard and painting houses to fund his education. He's kind of a guy who gets a job offer while standing i...

Bob Pearson isn’t just an executive; he’s a cartographer of the human spirit in a digital age. Today on the Austin Community Capital Podcast —we're bringing in a titan. Bob's the guy who walked into the fire of massive corporate crises at Dell and Novartis and walked out with a simple, radical philosophy: do the right thing. He’s a global healthcare titan, a tech visionary teaching the nex...

Cherie Werner is not just an Austin icon; she is the force of gravitational love that grounds this city's electric, high-velocity startup scene. Often dubbed the "Startup Mama of Austin," Cherie embodies hospitality maybe more than anyone you know. But the path to becoming Austin's premier tastemaker of community was forged in a childhood longing for home and belonging. In this raw and wholesome c...