The Charleston Marketing Podcast

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. You can’t fake a great live experience, and you definitely can’t fake what people remember after they leave. We sit down with Laura Kate Whitney, founder and chief experience officer at Goodco, to talk about what it really takes to build experiences that feel personal, meaningful, and worth showing up for in Charle...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. A great drink story is never just about what’s in the can. We’re joined by serial entrepreneur and attorney Toni Gilliard, the founder behind Tipsy Lady, a Caribbean-inspired ready-to-drink canned cocktail line built from her own recipes and backed by a clean-ingredient mindset. We talk about what it really takes t...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Most workouts promise a better body. We’re more interested in what happens when movement gives you your people. We sit down with Gillian Zettler , co-founder of The Drop In , to talk about building a Charleston wellness studio that treats connection as the mission. Gillian shares how the loneliness epidemic and the...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Charleston is easy to love for its charm, food, and coast but that surface story can hide what’s actually being built here. We sit down with Jason Brown and Reagan Falvey from the Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA) to pressure-test a big claim: is Charleston becoming a real innovation hub that can earn...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. A personal brand can open doors, but only if it’s built on something real. We sit down with Analise Healy , Miss South Carolina Collegiate America and a project manager at Momentum Marketing, to unpack what it actually looks like to grow your career while your life is increasingly public. From the “how does the cro...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Most marketing advice still starts with “get more leads.” We want to start somewhere more honest: the accounts you already know can change your year if you build the right relationships. That’s why we brought on Sloan Newman, author of The Relationship Revolution and an account-based marketing leader working in glo...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Most people talk about “fixing healthcare” from the outside. We wanted the view from inside the machine. So we sat down with Todd Headley, CEO of the Zucker Institute for Innovation Commercialization at MUSC, and Bob Crutchwell, Managing Director of the 1824 Fund and the South Carolina Health Innovation Fund, to un...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. If you’ve ever wondered why some creators feel instantly trustworthy while others feel like walking ads, this conversation puts language to it. We’re joined by Charleston creator and consultant Barb Skidmore, the voice behind Blushing Alpacas and the owner of Outside Center Consulting, to talk about what authentici...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Tech problems rarely start as tech problems. They start as messy decisions, unclear ownership, and tool sprawl that quietly turns into risk. We’re joined by Charleston-based business and technology advisor Elliott Friedman, who’s lived on every side of the table: founder, operator, CTO, and now a trusted guide for...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. AI is moving so fast that most teams feel like they’re drinking from a fire hose, but the real advantage still comes from fundamentals: solid cloud architecture, clear data flows, and a plan that ties technology to business outcomes. We sit down with Will Horn of GDNA, an experienced technologist and AWS partner, t...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Search is turning into a single question, ad platforms keep getting more expensive, and “going viral” still does not guarantee sales. So what actually cuts through the noise and drives growth for a real business in Charleston? We sit down with Joe Brugman, Director of Sales and Strategy at Media Beast Marketing Gro...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Craving a story where smoke, music, and community share the same plate? We sit with Aaron Siegel, founder of Home Team BBQ, to trace how a fine-dining chef built a family-first barbecue brand that reimagined what a neighborhood joint can be. From the ingenious “Kid Alley” that won over parents to the creative freed...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. The energy in Charleston’s tech scene isn’t hype—it’s momentum you can feel. We kick off Silicon Harbor Hot Take with Dig South founder Stanfield Gray to map the forces turning a coastal city into a serious launchpad for scalable startups. From the origin of “Silicon Harbor” to the nuts and bolts of building a summ...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. A coastal city with global ambitions—this conversation with Soloinsight CEO Carter Kennedy shows what it takes to scale identity governance from Charleston into 41 countries while keeping culture, speed, and profitability intact. We open with the simple promise behind complex infrastructure: connecting visitors, co...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Curious cities don’t stand still, and Charleston is proof. We sit down with Tyler Wright Friedman, the guide behind Walk and Talk Charleston, to unpack how a walk can become a window into power, preservation, and the pulse of a modern Lowcountry city. Tyler maps out the three pillars she believes define the Charles...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Want to see what credibility looks like under pressure? We sit down with broadcaster and FEMA reservist Leyla Gulen to unpack the real work behind “overnight” stories, the human stakes of crisis communications, and why attention without accuracy is a losing game. Layla traces her arc from ballet hopeful to radio gr...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Big flavor meets big vision. We sat down with Marcus, founder and CEO of the Black Food Truck Festival , to unpack how a community-first idea became a 20,000-person destination weekend that’s now measured at $10.2 million in economic impact for Charleston. He traces the journey from a post-pandemic launch to a two-...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. What if thinking about death could make your life and work lighter, clearer, and more intentional? We sit down with life and death coach Merridith Crowe to explore how memento mori—the simple, ancient reminder that we will die—can sharpen your choices today. This isn’t a gloomy detour. It’s a practical map for how...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Ever been asked “So, what do you do?” and felt your answer wobble? We sit down with strategist, mentor, and playwright-composer Thomas Heath to map a cleaner, kinder path to growth: start with foundational messaging, show up in real community, and set boundaries that protect your energy. Thomas breaks down why most...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. What happens when a poet decides to film an entire album live, open a song to the internet, and then knit twenty artists into a single five‑minute piece? We invited Charleston’s own Christian Morant to share how he balances heart‑first art with smart, sustainable marketing without losing the soul of the work. Chris...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. A fired-then-flourishing designer, a flying carriage horse, and a city that rewards creative grit—this conversation with Andrew Barton is a masterclass in turning curiosity into a career. We swap polished origin myths for the real story: cold calls from a phone book, a first agency break with a so-so portfolio, and...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. What happens when the spirit of Christmas meets the grit and growth of Charleston? We sit with Santa Smiley to explore how a city of parades, tree lightings, and school snow machines turns tradition into connection. From Hotel Bennett teas to James Island’s lights, we map the rituals that make the Lowcountry feel l...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. A 200-year-old newsroom building a modern growth engine isn’t a story you hear every day. We sit down with King & Columbus president and Post and Courier CRO, Chase Heatherly, to explore how a legacy media brand built a nimble, independent agency that treats branding and performance like partners, not rivals. F...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Come for the bass lines, stay for the blueprint of a modern creative business. We sit with Umphrey’s McGee bassist Ryan Stasik to trace how a college-born jam band built a 27-year career on improvisation, fan collaboration, and unapologetic DIY marketing. If you’ve ever wondered how to grow without giving up contro...

How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas. Ever wish the phone picked up itself and sounded like your best-trained staffer? We sit down with Bob Hilscher from Workforce Wave to explore how conversational AI is stepping in where IVRs fail, turning missed calls into booked revenue and repeatable service. From boutique hospitality to national home remediation,...