Atlanta Born & Brand

Thank you so much to everybody who listened to season one of Atlanta Born & Brand. We told 25 incredible stories that hopefully introduced you to a local brand that you can latch onto, support, and encourage for years to come. We are taking a month or so off from new episodes, but will be releasing several "Best of" compilations in the meantime, featuring snippets from our favorite season one...

This is a look behind the curtain at our company, Connext Media. We’ll tell you about its beginnings at a conference in Atlanta, the wild long-term goals we have, and all about our journey from a one-man operation to a small business supporting the families of several Atlanta natives. You’ll also get the rare opportunity to go inside the head of the spouse of an entrepreneur, which you definitely...

In a culture dominated by technology and constant communication, it’s easy to forget that we live in a country filled with natural beauty and adventure. In fact, there are 58 national parks all over the US, each presenting a new opportunity for exploration.  Today, we’re talking to David Yarbrough, one of the founders of ‘Merica Clothing company, whose tagline is inspired by adventure. The co...

We live in a world today where we constantly look for ways to save time or speed up our lives as much as possible. There are some things in life that are just worth doing right, and taking the time it takes to go the extra mile. Gino's Classic Barber Shoppe is an example of what can happen when you take the time to master your craft. Gino Teyf was born in the Soviet Union, but he left the country...

If you get on I-85 in downtown, and drive about 30 miles to the northeast, you find your way to Gwinnett County. Known for years as a family-friendly suburb with good schools, great restaurants and bars were not exactly a part of that reputation. That narrative is beginning to change with the rise of the counties’ respective towns like Suwanee, Duluth, and Lawrenceville, among others. But what sta...

As a former EMT and personal trainer, Dr Jessica Propes does not fit the stereotypical mold of what you might expect from a chiropractor. Unless, of course when you think chiropractor you thought of Jiu-Jitsu and cross-fit. That’s right, Dr Jessica lives the life-style of the majority of the people she takes care of, and athletes, along with fitness minded clientele have flocked to the brand she’s...

To celebrate our 20th episode we are releasing the first installment of our "Best Of" series. Occasionally, we will spotlight an earlier episode that resonated with the audience. Today, we're circling back to Michael Tavani from Switchyards. The company is growing and recently announced big plans to expand its concept all over Atlanta. As for Tavani, he’s now been a part of building a few business...

In 2019, Atlanta is a major player in national culture. Whether it’s music, film, or business, there’s a ton happening in our city. That’s where Brandon Butler and his team at Butter ATL come in. Butter is a new-media company that spawned from a local digital agency, and they describe themselves as Atlanta’s culture channel. Brandon is the team’s executive director, and as you’ll learn from hearin...

Will discovered Cigars as a teenager and became fascinated with the opportunities they created, Whether it was a celebration, or just good conversation. But like a lot of industries, the cigar world was a bit of an exclusive club, and that’s where Good Cigar co. sees a big opportunity. What if there was a brand that rejected the stuffy, exclusive nature of the old cigar guard and offered a solutio...

Everybody has a story, and in 2019, a lot of those stories have incredible photography to go with them. But how do we tell those stories, how do we share them effectively with the world? Today, we’re talking to Luke Beard, founder & CEO of Exposure. The company’s website describes exposure as the simple way to create and share your unique photo stories. But as you’ll learn today, while certain...

Today, we’re going back to school. Literally. Several months ago we got an awesome email from Michael Chasteen in Cobb County. Michael has a background in marketing, but in his new career, he serves as a high school teacher at Campbell High School in Smyrna. But this isn’t your typical high school experience necessarily. At Campbell, Michael is part of a program called work-based learning, where t...

We’ve all had that friend, you can probably picture them well. They’re the funny one of the bunch and at one point or another, you probably thought to yourself, they should do stand-up comedy, without giving it much thought. Our guest today knows that it isn’t quite that easy. Joel Byars is a Georgia native, and a rising star in Atlanta’s growing comedy scene. But overnight success is not the norm...

Sports bars and chain restaurants are a dime a dozen, even in Atlanta. But today, we’re sitting down with a couple small business owners who are trying to take the corporate cookie cutter model and turn it on its head. Todd DiMatteo and Ryan Skinner are owners at Good Word Brewing and Public house in Duluth, and they want to replace the monotony of the chain with a unique look and feel, and some g...

For a lot of people, college is the time where they set the stage for their entire career. Jody Stephenson was doing just that, but she didn’t necessarily know it yet. On this episode Jody tells us how she built a babysitting business in her college dorm room, and nearly 20 years later has impacted the lives of countless college students and young families all over Atlanta. This is the story of Si...

If you walk around the city these days, there seems to be a new-found pride in all-things Atlanta. From the music scene, to the local sports teams, and certainly local brands, ATLiens are embracing the culture of the city in a big way. What better way to show pride, than with a t-shirt? Brian Rohr grew up in Alpharetta, and despite finding his way to California after college, he saw an opportunity...

David Clapper, and Eric Van De Steeg, or Dutch as he is better known, crossed paths in the radio industry in Atlanta. They shared a love for the outdoors and teamed up to create what they say is the 1st Campervan Rental and Concierge service in the southeast. You may bump into their fleet on the road, and it’s hard to miss. The vans are bright orange, with the companies name proudly emblazoned on...

Jason Longshore is the color analyst for our MLS Cup champion Atlanta United’s radio broadcast. He’s also the co-host of a daily soccer talk show network called Soccer Down Here. As we got to know him, one thing became clear about Jason. He is definitely a creator … and soccer in the south, is the startup he’s dedicated his life to. Find out more about Soccer Down Here at www.soccerdownhere.net. F...

Wander North Georgia is a retail store in the small town of Clayton, Georgia, tucked in the mountains just south of the North Carolina border. It’s tempting to call it an outdoor lifestyle shop, but that doesn’t take into account the beer selection, the ice cream parlor, or the bocce ball court that make this place truly one of a kind.  And would you believe it all started with a blog, an ins...

Karissa Tuttle, owner of Simply Done Donuts, is a native of Dallas, TX.  After coming to Atlanta in her twenties, she went from corporate America, to food truck operator, to restaurant owner in nearly the blink of an eye. She did it all with a product that may fit in the palm of your hand, but packs a big flavor punch. In the process, she helped put a special Atlanta spin on a classic guilty...

Dan Duncan is a co-founder in a top-down creative agency and startup incubator called Oust, right here in Atlanta. But his story goes so much deeper than that. Oust is actually the fifth startup Dan has helped build, and he loves launching businesses so much, he’s pretty much making a career out of it.

Jerry Channell is a part of a growing community of makers in the region. His business, OSleeper Mfg Co, creates beautiful pieces of custom furniture for homes and businesses. We caught up with him in a coffee shop near his shop in Gainesville, Georgia. And it wasn’t long before we noticed a theme. The shop was filled with tables, barn doors, and wall art, all with the OSleeper brand etched on it p...

One of the building blocks of a standout brand is a great logo, or better yet, a great identity. Identity is Scott Fuller’s specialty. As owner of The Studio Temporary, Fuller uses his graphic design talents to help other businesses create a look and feel that will push their brand to the next level. www.thestudiotemporary.com Follow him on social media @studiotemporary

Jaquan Cummings is one of Atlanta’s top photographers. If that doesn’t sound familiar, you might know him as QuanATL. At just 24 years-old, Quan has already established himself as one of the best in his craft in Atlanta. He’s caught the eye of a huge community on social media with shots of him sitting on the edge of skyscraper rooftops several hundred feet in the air. We talked to him about those...

Fred McGill is the co-founder of SimpleShowing, a real estate startup disrupting one of nation’s biggest industries by putting the consumer in the driver’s seat. The company launched in Atlanta in early 2017, and is making waves on a few fronts. With modern technology, in many cases you the consumer are doing the work of finding your next home. Using the SimpleShowing app, you can schedule a time...

John Elijah Richards is the founder of In God We Must, a lifestyle apparel brand here in Atlanta. We talked with him about growing up around Atlanta, turning his back on the easy path to pursue a life on the road in music, and a battle with his health that was so dire, he had few options but to start a company.