Small Town Secret Sauce

#15 Here's an incredible story about how scratching a creative itch and following the breadcrumb trail can lead you to an unexpected entrepreneurial journey. Shawn Porter is the founder and owner of GhostStop, which manufactures and sells equipment for ghost hunting and paranormal investigations worldwide. They have been in business for 17 years — yes, 17 years! (As of 2024.) If you've ever seen a...

#14 Coach Kaila Jones helps women create empowering mindsets to discover their true potential. She is a pure being of light who speaks wisdom with every word and leaves a lasting impact on the people she meets, including yours truly. As a fellow coach, I had a blast with this deep, soulful, winding conversation. We discussed neuroscience, habits, mindsets, gut feelings, overcoming mental resistanc...

#13 Jason Fowler is the President and Co-Founder of Land & Table. This grassroots non-profit is on a mission to help create a thriving and resilient local food system in the Lynchburg Virginia region and revitalize connections between local food, land, and community. Jason is an old soul and a kindred spirit after my own heart. We dive deep into the ways consumer society has led us into isolat...

#12 Shelley Blades is the Executive Director of Lynchburg Grows, a 7-acre non-profit farm in the heart of Lynchburg, VA. Their mission is to "work with our community to provide access to healthy food and afford purposeful jobs to individuals with disabilities." This beautiful marriage of passion and contribution immediately caught my attention, and I was eager to know more. After learning the full...

#11 Klaire Maranto is the founder, owner, and chef of Klaire's Kitchen, a meal-prep service in Lynchburg, VA. Following her passion for hospitality and healthy living, Klaire saw an opportunity to serve others by creating a business that offers affordable, convenient, healthy meals to nutrition-minded individuals short on time. As you will hear, Klaire has incredible drive, a nose for business, an...

#10 Many locals I've spoken with credit Ashely Kershner as instrumental in turning around downtown Lynchburg, VA, since her arrival in 2016 as the Downtown Lynchburg Association (DLA) Executive Director. This non-profit group has been working "as the champion for downtown revitalization for 25 years," and with Ashley's vision, tenacity, endless drive, and commitment to community, the rubber has re...

#9: Ken Arpino is the Executive Director of Wolfbane Productions, an incredibly talented, wickedly entertaining theatre company located in the tiny town of Appomattox, VA. Wolfbane brings big-time Broadway-quality programs to the small stage, and they do so in their own unique, quirky way. What began as a school project in the summer of 2008 by Ken’s husband, Dustin Williams (the founding Artistic...

#8: Oliver Russell is the founder of Marsh Roots Seafood, a retail market in Lynchburg, VA, selling fresh seafood from the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia, which are a four-hour drive away. His story was the spark of inspiration to create this entire podcast. What caught my eye was (a) he is selling fresh seafood so far from the coast in a mountain town where his business is a unicorn, and (...

#7: Angelina Dawn is an incredibly talented poet, actress, and author based in Lynchburg, VA. She is also the Executive Director of The Listening, a non-profit whose mission is to empower, change, and save lives through the performing arts and engaging the community. Their saying is, “If you had a room full of people willing to listen to you, what would you say?”As you will hear, finding her authe...

#6: Kathleen Davis is a comedian who, along with her wife Gail, moved to Lynchburg, VA, in late 2020. Her insatiable curiosity and hilarious sense of humor led her to create "Curious History Tours.” These tours dive deep into Lynchburg's wildly colorful past, delivering jaw-dropping trivia that will sometimes make you cringe but often make you laugh. Kathleen is a welcoming and caring person who u...

#5: Najee Koncept is a local hip-hop artist in Lynchburg, VA, who has been in love with writing lyrics and performing since childhood. His wisdom extends well beyond his years, and he shares his journey through life transparently and authentically, from his struggles to his triumphs, and by doing so, he gives those in his community permission to do the same. He is constantly moving forward and wor...

#4: Amy Corbett is the co-founder and CEO of All Belong Co., a vacation property rental company based in Central Virginia, whose company values emphasize welcoming and belonging for people from all walks of life, as well as diversity and authenticity. Amy and her husband, All Belong Co. co-founder Marc, are self-described "accidental entrepreneurs" who turned a devastating moment in life that left...

#3: Following your gut can be difficult, especially when it involves making massive changes in your life. Otherwise, everyone would be doing it. It tests you and your resolve. The same was true for Amy and I who faced a parade of roadblocks and second guessing that stood in between us and our dream of relocating to a small town that we absolutely fell in love with. For show notes, visit the websit...

#2: Making massive transformations in life is not easy, or everyone would be doing it. Change is hard. The mind resists change. So, to help your mind become an ally, you need to dig deep to discover what you most want and why. I believe that crazy, scary, soul-filling goals are how we find that extra gear to face the challenges that go along with chasing our dreams. But the right tools can help ke...

#1: In 2022, my wife, Amy, and I decided to chase our dreams and create the life we wanted in a small town, trading in 24 years of big-city living. When we discovered the town that would become our new home, I was struck by the incredible community spirit, particularly the small businesses and community organizations that were integral to the community fabric. I wanted to know more about how these...