The Best of Charlotte

Welcome back to The Best of Charlotte podcast.  We have another beautiful small business located in Southend to share with you. The Golden Carrot fine jewelry shop is a retailer of fine jewelry with a delicate aesthetic, handmade by independent designers.  Founder and owner Nicole Corriher joins the podcast to share the story of her entrepreneurial journey. Nicole discusses the inspiration behind...

In this episode, we’re featuring a highly successful clothing company based in Southend Charlotte. OMJ specializes in crafting high quality and great fitting clothing for sophisticated professionals. Much more than just a clothing company, though, OMJ is really a unique lifestyle brand. Founded and created in 2013 by Felipe Ho and Bradley Rhyne, OMJ has received numerous accolades on the local and...

I’m really excited to bring you this episode featuring one of Charlotte’s most iconic small business brands - Modern Salon and Spa. Modern Salon and Spa has been serving the Charlotte area for 32 years as a place of well being, pampering their guests with the finest personal care service, and creating a haven of pure relaxation.  The founders of Modern Salon and Spa join me to share the story of t...

In this episode, I’m featuring a conversation with a really sweet local small business that’s serving up some amazing gourmet kettle corn. It’s Poppin Gourmet Kettle Korn is located in the 7th Street Public Market in the heart of Uptown Charlotte. Owner Janelle Doyle joins me to share the story of leaving corporate life to pursue her passion for owning a small business. I do love talking with fell...

In this episode we’re featuring an amazing local Charlotte nonprofit that is serving our city’s homeless community. Emmanuel and Adrienne Threatt, the founders of Hope Vibes and builders of the Hope Tank, join us to share the story of their innovative nonprofit. Listeners, you’ll want to pay close attention to the story of how Emmanuel was inspired to create the Hope Tank - it’s really awesome, yo...

In this episode, I sit down with the President and Creative Director at BooneOakley, David Oakley. Boone Oakley is a highly successful advertising agency headquartered right here in Charlotte. Their motto: We give ambitious brands an unfair advantage. David shares the story of how the agency started with what was seemingly one of the biggest blunders in advertising history. A “blunder” that actual...

In this episode, I’m joined by Shaynah Jerrell. Shaynah is the CEO and head coach at the Aquatic Team of Mecklenburg, or ATOM as it’s known. Atom is a year-round swim program located in Charlotte. In our discussion, Shaynah shares ATOM’s passion for creating the right space for kids to be successful, and fostering an environment where champions are inevitable. The organization’s mission extends be...

In this episode, I’m featuring a conversation with Davita Galloway. Davita is a creative thought leader, and entrepreneur, and change agent, and a speaker. Her works ranges from creative studios to nonprofits, and she is one of the most influential personalities in the Queen City. We discuss her many projects, including DUPP&SWAT, costuming, Crownkeepers, and Hue House – a creative marketing a...

We’re featuring a beautiful small business located in the heart of center city at the 7th Street Public Market. Orrman’s Cheese Shop has been recommended by several of our guests, both on The Best of Charlotte and The Best of LKN (Lake Norman) podcasts. Orrman’s is a local cheese shop that takes immense pride in their robust selection of local and regional cheeses and thoughtfully curated selectio...

In this episode I chat with Ohavia Phillips, a Charlotte media personality, influencer, community advocate, speaker, and host of her own talk show – the Oh Show Live. Ohavia chats with me about her entrepreneurial journey, leading with love, and all things community. This conversation had me smiling from start to finish and I know you’re going to love getting to know Ohavia – enjoy! Links: IG: @oh...

I’m extremely honored to be sharing with you in this episode a conversation with one of the most prolific entrepreneurs and talented business minds in Charlotte – Shawn McAllister.  Shawn began his entrepreneurial journey here in Charlotte at age 21 by founding the Gin Mill tavern, and has since been involved with the construction of over 200 bars and restaurants in the area, development of luxury...

Let’s talk about healthy meals with Chef Hannah Riley, the owner of Alternative Chef based in Charlotte and serving the greater Charlotte and Lake Norman areas. Chef Hannah provides services such as lifestyle meal plans, corporate and event catering, personal chef services, and private dinners. Chef Hannah helps her clients treat their bodies right without missing out on their favorite dishes. A t...

It’s a new year (thank God) and while we’re all busy setting out to put our new year’s resolutions into action, I thought it would make great sense to talk about donuts. Not just any donuts, Your Mom's Donuts – Courtney Buckley joins me to share the story of Your Mom's Donuts shops in Charlotte and Matthews. Enjoy! From their website: “Your Mom’s Donuts is a craft donut shop serving the...

In this episode, I’m featuring the super dynamic fitness studio - West Kept Secret. Owners Marissa West and Heidi Hillman join me to share the story of their fitness and entrepreneurial journeys, as well as the details of their trademark high intensity fitness training methodology. This is a high-energy episode 16 of The Best of Charlotte podcast – enjoy my friends! https://westkeptsecret.co/ http...

Miranda Mounts is the creator of the wildly popular Instagram food blog @wheretoeatcharlotte . Since starting her blog just two years ago, she has amassed more than 25,000 followers. In this episode, Miranda shares some insights into the process of producing a successful restaurant blog, how launching imperfectly may be the key to success in any long-term endeavor, and also the not-so-glamorous si...

In this episode, I circle back to a business originally featured in episode 2 of this podcast – Emerson Joseph – A mens grooming lounge located in the heart of uptown Charlotte. In episode 2, I had a conversation with the owner of Emerson Joseph – Zach Edwards. We discussed the origins of Emerson Joseph (also known as “EJ”) and many of the attributes that really make it such a unique experience fo...

As a small business owner, I have always had a fascination with marketing. Effective marketing is, of course, essential to the success of any business. In this episode, I have an interesting conversation with Corri Smith – she’s the owner of a highly successful creative marketing and PR firm here in Charlotte called Black Wednesday. Corri shares a lot of insight into effective marketing for small...

In this episode, I have a conversation with Jobrent Austin-Diehl. Jobrent is the owner of Infinity MedSpa and Wellness in SouthPark, Charlotte’s premier medical spa. Jobrent shares a bit about the inspiration for founding her MedSpa, and how she and her team have continued to serve their discerning patients with their amazing talents – even during this crazy year. We also talk about their annual B...

In this episode, I sit down with returning guest, Monika Nessbach. Monika is the owner and principle designer at designbar - a commercial interior design firm based in Charlotte. Monika was also a guest back in April 2020 in episode 5, just as things were getting really complicated around here. It was great to catch up with Monika in this episode and learn how she and her team have coped with the...

Welcome Cork Vault to the podcast! Owner Bill Bounds joins me for a conversation about his background and the inspiration behind his wine storage business. Cork Vault is a unique business in the Charlotte area, and I think you’ll love the concept. Enjoy! From the Cork Vault website: “ Cork Vault offers convenient and secure wine storage close to the heart of Charlotte. Our gated facility has a bio...

In this episode, I sit down with Ivy Robinson to talk about her amazing career in the wedding and event planning industry. Ivy has planned weddings for some of the highest profile couples and celebrities in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Ivy shares the story of how she began this career, and gives us a real inside look at the realities of life as a wedding planner. Ivy also shares so much of...

Welcome Stript Home Organizing to the podcast! Owners Renee and Jolene join me to talk about their previous careers and the inspirations behind starting their home organizing business. Since founding the business, they've helped hundreds of homeowners - from celebrity athletes to busy professionals and retirees - fall in love with their homes again with their professional organizing processes...

In this episode, I catch up with Chris Elkins - co-owner of the Run For Your Life running stores - to find out how Run For Your Life has coped with the challenges of 2020. We talk a lot about the highs and lows of business this year, and how Run For Your Life adapted quickly to provide an online shopping experience for their loyal customers. Chris also shares some insights into the challenges of o...

Welcome back to the podcast. In this 7-minute solo episode, I describe the inspiration behind rebranding the podcast and give you a hint of what to expect going forward. Thanks for joining The Best of Charlotte! Follow along on Facebook and Instagram: FB: https://www.facebook.com/thebestofclt IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_best_of_charlotte/ Support the show

In this episode, I interview Monika Nessbach, Leader and Chief Interior Designer at designbar – a fresh and creative commercial and residential interior design firm. Monika shares the story of her entrepreneurial journey, and how she exited the corporate world to follow her vision of building a business of her own. Her vision began with a passion for creative interior design, and grew into a busin...