The Best of LKN

Katelyn Stromolo and Kelley Tovias sit down with me to share the design and marketing philosophies that are the driving forces behind their company, The Molo Group.  Regular listeners of this podcast will recognize several of the names we bring up during our conversation. Names like Simon Sinek, Seth Godin, and Jenna Kutcher.  Katelyn and Kelley share the story of the Molo Group, as well as some a...

Hey Lake Norman, welcome back to the podcast. In this episode, we’re going to introduce you to a local startup that’s helping to make yoga a little more accessible to us mere mortals. Rosie Schepisi sits down with me to share the story behind her startup, Soul Strap. Soul Strap is a Yoga accessory that assists users who struggle with balance and mobility to achieve those impossible yoga stretches....

You know, if there’s anything I love more than an intentional business that starts in a garage, it’s an unintentional business that starts in a garage. How about an idea so innovative that it hardly requires a sales and marketing department. That’s exactly what happened at Huck Cycles, a local small business founded right at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. A story of grassroots entrepreneu...

In this episode, I’m shining a spotlight on Dove House Children’s Advocacy Center in Statesville. Dove House Children’s Advocacy Center is a fully accredited 501c3 nonprofit organization that supports the investigation, prosecution, and therapy and follow-up of reported child sexual abuse and assault cases in Iredell and Alexander counties - all from their safe and child-friendly facility. Beth Mc...

In this episode, Andrea Sharp the co-founder of Mbrace Studio returns to discuss Whole30 with me. Whole30 is a 30-day lifestyle makeover that revolves around changing our relationship with food. Andrea is a Whole30 coach and has completed 13 Whole30 resets herself over the years, as well as guided many students through their own Whole30 reset. Andrea is coaching me and my wife through our first Wh...

Hoptown Brewing Company in Mooresville, NC was founded by a local couple that were crazy about craft beer. I call them reluctant entrepreneurs because honestly, it sounds to me like they were really content with retirement. But, as is often the case, the best small businesses are the ones that were founded by individuals that have a passion and love for their craft, not just for the chase of the a...

Hey everyone, welcome back to The Best of LKN - Lake Norman’s #1 small business podcast and online resource. I’m super excited to be bringing you episode 101 of the podcast and setting the bar for the next 100 episodes with one of the most iconic brands to ever launch right here in the Lake Norman area. Burn Boot Camp began in a parking lot in Huntersville just 10 years ago and quickly grew to one...

We made it to episode 100 of the podcast! Listen in as we share news about our sponsors, the story of how and why we launched The Best of LKN back in May of 2020, and some of our plans for the coming year.  This is a quick 15-minute solo episode with just the host of The Best of LKN.  We are proud to be the best small business podcast in the Lake Norman area of North Carolina! Thanks for following...

We’re featuring SoundVision in Mooresville - a technology, automation, and networking company. SoundVision is simplifying life through technology in homes and businesses across the Lake Norman and Charlotte areas. What really makes this episode unique is that I was able to record my conversation with the leadership team at SoundVision in person. SoundVision has converted one of the spaces in their...

Robert Hackney founded The Charlotte Business Group 5-years ago after a career change led him to notice a gap in the Charlotte area’s business networking scene. CBG began as a monthly casual “happy hour” gathering and has since grown into the Charlotte area’s largest private professional network.  Charlotte Business Group celebrates its 5-year anniversary next week, on March 17th, 2022, at the Gra...

In this episode, I sit down with Adam Bratton, the founder of MJ Bratton - a strategic business and marketing agency - and Human Powered Movement, an organization with a mission to facilitate greater human-powered experiences in all of us. Adam and I talk at length about his entrepreneurial journey and the path that led to opening his own marketing & consulting agency in 2019. Adam shares his...

In this episode, I sit down with Jami Svay, a super talented and highly sought-after celebrity makeup artist based right here in the Lake Norman area. Jami was referred to me by our mutual friend, Ivy Robinson - the founder and principal at Ivy Robinson Events, the highly acclaimed wedding and event planning agency in Charlotte.  During our conversation, Jami shares the story of her entrepreneuria...

In this special episode, I sit down with Martha Honeycutt, she is the Mentors for Mom Program Director at the ANSWER Scholarship nonprofit organization based in Charlotte. ANSWER Scholarship’s mission: To mentor and prepare mothers of school-age children to achieve a college education and inspire them to be role models of academic, personal, and professional success for their children. ANSWER Scho...

In this episode, I sit down with the owner of Bluebird Bridal in Huntersville, Erin Connair. Erin shares with me the inspiration behind her bridal shop, which she opened back in 2016, and how she was able to bring her love for fashion and the wedding industry together to create a beautiful local brand. We talk a bit about the challenges of doing business during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how she a...

In this episode, I sit down with the owner of The Bungalow Market in Cornelius. Owner Greta McCoy shares the story of her small business journey, and how she was inspired to bring a boutique home furnishings and furniture shopping experience to the Lake Norman area. It’s a finely furnished episode 93 of The Best of LKN podcast. Enjoy getting to know Greta McCoy, owner of The Bungalow Market. The B...

In this episode, I sit down with the founder and principal at Laurel Belle Photography and Brand Design, Laura Tompkins. Laura shares the story of her entrepreneurial journey, as well as some great insights into the value of high-quality brand imagery and content curation. Laura has worked with several local Lake Norman businesses and nonprofit organizations that have been featured here on the pod...

In this episode, we’re featuring Launch LKN. This is an organization that I’ve been really hoping to feature on the podcast for a long time. I think the best way to describe Launch LKN is to simply quote the copy on their website. Here’s what I found on the launchlkn.com “our story” page: Launch LKN is a collaborative community of entrepreneurs, educators, mentors, and community leaders dedicated...

In this episode, I sit down with Charlie Curtis, the Lake Norman Metro President for United Community Bank. Charlie shares of few of the details behind UCB’s recent acquisition of Aquesta Bank. We discuss the vision for United Community Bank’s expansion into the Lake Norman market, and what it means for local small businesses and former Aquesta clients. Aquesta Bank has been recognized by several...

Joining me are the founders of Fifty Fifty Marketing & Creative - a brand development and marketing agency based right here in the Lake Norman area. Laura McGuire and Jason Clewell founded the agency after many years working at a large advertising agency, and after forming their own successful e-commerce business: HipStik Legwear. I do love talking about creative marketing strategies and conce...

Joining me for this episode is the reigning Mrs. North Carolina America, Tara Allmendinger. If you’ve been following the podcast for a while, you may remember last year we featured a conversation with the 2020 Queen, Ashley George of Davidson. Tara is also a Lake Norman area resident, and so we reached out to her and invited her to join the podcast for a conversation about her journey as Mrs. Nort...

Cornelius residents Laura and Aaron Aguilar join me to share the story of their entrepreneurial journeys and the formation of their own business partnership: Aguilar Design Studio. Laura shares her background in interior design, and how merging these talents with Aaron’s work as a general contractor has enabled them to bring their own full-service design-build concept to the Lake Norman area. We t...

Welcome back to the podcast. I really do feel lucky to have had so many really great guests on the podcast over the past year and a half, all of our guests are special. Now, having said that, let me just say that I have a real treat for you in this episode. Our guest first joined us back in the Fall of 2020 for The Best of Charlotte podcast - our sister production featuring conversations with foun...

Joining us for this episode are two of the founders of First Turn Innovations in Cornelius. First Turn Innovations is an engineering and prototype lab made up of the best and brightest in their fields. Their goal is simple: to help entrepreneurs advance their brilliant ideas from concept to testing. The team at FTI boosts your idea, provides access to startup capital, and helps connect you with a...

In this episode, we’re featuring a conversation with one of our favorite non-profit organizations - Lake Norman Humane.  Lake Norman Humane rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes companion animals. Their vision is of a community where pets are safe and healthy in loving homes. Lake Norman Humane works to keep families and their beloved pets together whenever possible through an array of programs and...

Hello everyone and welcome back to The Best of LKN podcast. I have a great conversation lined up for you with the owner of Pedego Electric Bikes of Lake Norman, a new boutique electric bicycle shop located in Cornelius. Grace Kennedy is the co-owner along with her husband Tom of Pedego Electric Bikes of Lake Norman. Grace and Tom just opened their shop in 2021 and are super excited about the small...