Friendly City

In this episode, Mark sits down with Nikita, owner of Grace Hill Construction, for a conversation about what it really takes to build a good home today. Nikita shares his story of growing up around hard work, learning construction through his first home build, and eventually starting his own custom home building company. The conversation gets into why good homes cost so much, the difference betwee...

In this episode Mark sits down with Kyle Glenn, a certified financial planner and exit planner, to talk about the human side of building and leaving a business. They discuss why many business owners are not prepared to sell, the difference between lifestyle and enterprise businesses, how money affects identity, and why your purpose has to be bigger than what you do for work.

In this episode, Mark sits down with Haima Askari for a conversation about identity, meaningful work, culture, language, convenience, and travel. Haima shares his perspective on photography, Kurdish-American identity, preserving culture in America, and why language creates such a deep sense of belonging. They also discuss happiness vs. fulfillment, America’s obsession with convenience, the future...

In this episode of Friendly City, Mark sits down with meteorologist and content creator Grant Coleman (   / cole_front   ) and his wife for a conversation that starts with weather and content creation but evolves into something much deeper: creativity, marriage, purpose, and building a life together. Grant shares how a childhood fear of thunderstorms turned into a fascination with weather, eventua...

This week on Friendly City, chef and former restaurant owner Mikey shares the real story behind building Mashita — from identity and belonging to burnout, family, and learning when to walk away. We talk about chasing dreams, the realities of running a restaurant, how Covid changed people, and why building something meaningful matters more than chasing a dollar. Follow Mikey https://www.instagram.c...

In this episode, I sit down with Joe Holmes to talk about what people get wrong about artificial intelligence, how AI agents are changing work, and why the future of AI is going to be more personal, more powerful, and much stranger than most people realize. Learn more from Joe:Building AI Agents for Beginners: https://www.edx.org/learn/artificial-intelligence/davidson-college-building-ai-agents-fo...

Heidi Dove, founder of Village to Village, joins us to discuss her work in fostering community self sufficiency through a Christian organization. We talk about the challenges of starting a nonprofit organization and the importance of effective nonprofit leadership. This conversation highlights how their efforts address global issues, making a tangible impact one village life at a time. Great Commu...

In this episode, Nik Tucker shares his journey from chasing validation, success, and a party lifestyle to finding real purpose, identity, and transformation. We talk about mental health, self-improvement, faith, and why most people are fixing the wrong things in their lives. If you’ve ever questioned your purpose, struggled with your thoughts, or felt like something is missing—this conversation is...

History usually feels like something that already happened. Clean. Organized. Inevitable. But the reality is… it didn’t feel that way at all. In this episode, I sit down with Travis—a Revolutionary War reenactor who takes his craft very seriously—to talk about what was actually happening during 1776. Not the version we learned in school, but the moments where everything was uncertain, messy, and v...

In this episode, we sit down with Amelia Schmid, a truly confident woman who lives life on her own terms, which we find incredibly inspirational. We discuss how to be confident and the power of embracing your authentic self. This conversation is packed with motivation for anyone looking to cultivate a more confident mindset. Follow Amelia https://www.instagram.com/amelia.schmid.photo/

Indi Hewavita is a prosthetist and orthotist at Valley Orthotics and Prosthetics, and his journey to this work is anything but ordinary. From tracking grizzly bears in Montana to building artificial limbs in the Shenandoah Valley, Indi found his calling at the intersection of craftsmanship and human connection. In this episode, we talk about what it means to lose a limb — and the fear, grief, and...

Brand designer Vika Samoylov shares her journey from childhood creativity to building a design business.

In this episode of Friendly Founders, we sit down with Julie Katykhin to talk about personal branding without bragging, storytelling without ego, and why consistency—not perfection—is what actually builds trust, community, and momentum over time. We explore the human side of real estate—the emotional weight clients carry, the pressure agents face behind the scenes, and why boundaries, integrity, a...

In this episode of the Friendly City podcast, we dive into the world of business and creativity with Leigh, a seasoned business coach and advocate for creatives. Lee shares their journey from law school to becoming a guiding force for artists and entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of vulnerability, communication, and personal growth in business. Discover how understanding your role, embraci...

In this episode of Friendly City, I sit down with the owner of Mr. J’s Bagels, a Harrisonburg institution serving the community for more than 35 years. We discuss the business’s origins, its transition of ownership, and the strategic decisions that have shaped its growth.

In this episode, I sit down with Mary, the Brand Manager at With Simplicity, a clean skincare and makeup company based in Harrisonburg. For the last seven years, she’s been behind the scenes rebranding the company, building its marketing engine, growing affiliate partnerships, and navigating the chaos of the beauty industry.

The conversation explores the journey of With Simplicity, a clean beauty brand founded by a mother who transitioned from a stressful job to entrepreneurship.

In this conversation, Nathan Khaligh shares his journey as a creative entrepreneur, discussing the challenges and rewards of owning a business. We go deep on the importance of believing in oneself, the power of storytelling in creative media, and the need for effective marketing strategies.

In this episode, we dive into the transformative journey of Stachy, a builder who navigates identity, faith, and entrepreneurship.

In this conversation, Holden shares his journey as a photographer and entrepreneur, emphasizing the importance of community, intimacy, and serving others through work. He discusses how his perception of work has evolved, focusing on the idea that work should be for the benefit of others rather than just for personal gain. Through personal stories and experiences, he illustrates how photography can...