Main Street Business Insights

Join host Matt Wagner as he welcomes Kaycee McCoy, co-owner and creative lead at Pawsnickety Pets in Norfolk, Virginia. Kaycee and her best friend, Shizuka Benton, launched the all-natural and organic pet supply business in Norfolk at the start of the pandemic, but have used their combined talents – Kaycee's passion for all-things marketing and Shizuka’s penchant for operations and management – to...

Join host Matt Wagner as he welcomes David West, director of Premier Retail Marketing and based in Adelaide, South Australia. David is a leading expert in commercial district management and a key figure behind Australia’s Main Street movement, as chair of Main Street South Australia. In this inaugural international episode, Matt and David explore the nuances of Main Street revitalization, comparin...

In this episode, Matt chats with Tee Rowe, the President and CEO of America’s Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC). The centers offer training, advice, and resources to help small business owners thrive in their communities.  Tee has dedicated over 30 years to supporting small businesses. He started his journey working with the Committee on Small Business in the House of Representatives and...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt interviews Patrice Hull, the owner of Stuff We Wanna Say Custom T-Shirts and Apparel and c2bn / Created to be Noticed, based in Atlanta, Georgia.  Patrice began her career in corporate health insurance, but after being laid off just before Christmas, she decided to pursue her passion. She bought a heat press and printer, started designing and...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sat down with Mindy Bergstrom, owner of Cooks Emporium, Nook & Nest, Z.W. Mercantile, and The Recipe, all located in downtown Ames, Iowa.  Mindy’s passion for entrepreneurship at an early age watching her parents run their own business. She started her first business while in college, designing websites for other small business owners. Aft...

In this Main Street Business Insights episode, Matt sat down with Kristin Smith, chef and proprietor of The Wrigley Appalachian Eatery in Corbin, Kentucky. As a fourth-generation Appalachian Main Street merchant partnered with a strong passion for the local food movement, Kristin began her path to entrepreneurship by working at her family farm selling heritage pork and dry-aged beef at the local f...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt talks with Joshua and Jared Ravenscraft, co-founders of New Frontier, a sustainable apparel brand in Morehead, Kentucky.  Today's episode celebrates sustainable, artisan fashion with Joshua and Jared Ravenscraft, brothers and co-founders of New Frontier. Despite the fashion industry's global impact on carbon emissions, New Frontier stands out...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt talks with Mileyka Burgos-Flores, CEO of the Allapattah Collaborative CDC in Miami, Florida, the only designated Main Street community in Miami. Mileyka is also this year’s recipient of the Mary Means Leadership Award.  Allapattah, one of Miami’s oldest and most diverse neighborhoods, is home to Little Santo Domingo, revitalized by Dominican i...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt chats with Ross Chanowski, owner and founder of NuMarket. NuMarket is a leader in crowdfunding solutions for small businesses with a focus on food services.  Ross's journey from studying marketing and behavioral psychology to graduating from the London School of Economics sparked his passion for "social entrepreneurship." He founded NuMarket o...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt talks with Ebenezer Akakpo, a designer and jeweler who owns Akakpo Design Group and Maine Culture in Westbrook, Maine. Ebenezer recently won an award from Discover Downtown Westbrook's Paper City Pitch Contest in May 2024.  Ebenezer's businesses blend artistic design with cultural heritage. His jewelry company, Akakpo Design Group, honors his...

Welcome to another episode of Main Street Business Insights! In this conversation, Matt explores the story of Elements: Books Coffee Beer, nestled in the heart of Biddeford, Maine, with co-owners Katie Pinard and Michael Macomber.  Rewind to 2010, when Michael returned to his hometown, juggling a master’s degree and the elusive quest for the perfect destination workspace to work on his dissertatio...

In this special episode of Main Street Business Insights, recorded in front of a live audience during the Main Street Now Conference, Matt sat down with Alycia Levels-Moore, owner and founder of ASL Creative Firm and POLARIS, an event and co-working hub, based in Birmingham, Alabama.   Alycia moved to Birmingham’s Woodlawn neighborhood roughly a decade ago, and shortly after started volunteering i...

In the last episode of season two of Main Street Business Insights, tune in as host Matt Wagner breaks down how to understand and synthesize local market data.  While market understanding can feel daunting, it’s not only a purely data-driven exercise. While data plays a crucial role, effective market analysis goes beyond just crunching numbers. It's a blend of science and art, requiring a deep und...

"In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Glen Ellis, owner of Sycamore Education, Dominion Catalyst Services, and Milady Coffeehouse in Fremont, Nebraska.   Glen started his career working in programming and software development for international corporations, but after around 20 years, was feeling unfulfilled with the work. From there, he started volunteering at his...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derek King and Jaime Courtney of Shoalwater Seafood, and Shane Thomas, Tribal Council Vice Chair of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe. Located in Tokeland, Washington, Shoalwater Seafood grows oysters using a system that can stand up to the strong winds, rising sea levels, and difficult weather of the Hood Canal. In 2018, Shoalwat...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Casey Woods, Executive Director of Emporia Main Street in Emporia, Kansas.  In their conversation, they discuss how Casey’s journey to becoming a Main Street director, his focus on entrepreneurship, how he creates new opportunities for local business owners, and how other Main Street leaders can drive economic development in the...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Nicole Fleetwood and McKinzie Hodges, co-owners of Scratch Made Bakery in Amarillo, Texas. Scratch Made Bakery was selected to be featured on the podcast through a nomination from Beth Duke, Executive Director of Center City of Amarillo, an Accredited Main Street organization.    Nicole Fleetwood opened the bakery in 2012 on his...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights , Matt sits down with Tiffany Fixter, owner of Brewability , an inclusive craft brewery and pizzeria that employs adults with disabilities based in Englewood, Colorado. Brewability was also awarded a Backing Small Businesses grant in 2023 through American Express and Main Street America.   As a former special education teacher, Tiffany has a heart f...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Bobby Boone, founder and Chief Strategist of &Access. Based in New Orleans, &Access creates data-driven and design-centric retail real estate solutions for historically excluded entrepreneurs and under-invested neighborhoods.  Bobby has a strong background in economic development and real estate. Prior to founding &A...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Jennifer Jones, co-owner of Good Times Coal Fired Pizza and Pub in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Located in historic Big Stone Gap Main Street, Good Times is a coal-fired pizzeria and pub, music venue, and community gathering place. In the heart of Appalachian coal country, the coal-fired pizzeria also nods to the area’s unique herit...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Janet Hurn, co-founder of Future Ready Consulting in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Future Ready Consulting is a technology-focused marketing consulting firm, specializing in supporting small business owners with digital skills. Janet was also one of 10 small business coaches who provided free training to small business owners in rural area...

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derrick Braziel, owner of Pata Roja Taqueria and co-founder of MORTAR, in Cincinnati, Ohio.  In their conversation, they discuss Derrick’s origins as an entrepreneur, which began in 2014 with the launch of MORTAR, an organization that enables historically marginalized entrepreneurs to access the resources needed to start and run...

Welcome to Season 2 of Main Street Business Insights! In our first episode of the season, you’ll hear from host Matt Wagner about his predictions for the small business landscape in 2024. This episode focuses on the macroeconomic technology and societal trends that he believes will impact the work of Main Street leaders and the businesses we seek to nurture and support. Given the topics and guests...

We’re hard at work on season two, capturing fresh conversations with business owners around the country. In the meantime, we wanted to put out some bonus episodes with highlights from season one. Each of the three bonus episodes will focus on a different theme, and will be released in the weeks leading up to the launch of season 2 in late January. In this bonus episode, you'll hear from small busi...

While we work on season two, capturing fresh conversations with business owners around the country, enjoy the second of three bonus episodes, featuring some of our favorite moments from season one. This week’s episode we’ve gathered some of the best advice we heard from entrepreneurs and community leaders across the country. First up is Christina Hollerbach, second generation owner of her family’s...