The Charlotte Ledger Podcast

After more than 20 years in Charlotte’s corporate banking world, Kristen Winkle Beck made the leap into the nonprofit sector. Today, she leads Social Venture Partners Charlotte (SVP), a venture philanthropy organization that supports emerging nonprofits by combining grant funding with business expertise and professional networks. Beck says many nonprofits are started by passionate community member...

How do you get more done in a world that never stops pulling at your attention—without burning out? In this episode, we talk with Brie Chrisman, the founder and CEO of Boss Co Ops , who brings her background in operations, project management and Six Sigma expertise to share practical strategies for boosting productivity while keeping your sanity intact. Brie explains why our brains get overwhelmed...

In today’s workplace, your online presence is just as important as your resume. LinkedIn has become a cornerstone of how careers grow: it’s where opportunities surface, reputations are built and connections turn into fruitful business relationships. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Amy George of Charlotte-based By George Communications talks with The Ledger’s Tony Mecia about how p...

Being good at your job isn’t enough. At some point, every professional is asked to step out from behind the spreadsheets, codes or reports and communicate — whether it’s presenting to leadership, giving feedback to a colleague or rallying a team around a shared vision. That’s where careers are made or stalled. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, The Ledger’s Tony Mecia talks with Lou...

When Charlotte-based entrepreneur Gilberto Bergman describes asbestos removal, he makes it sound like a mix of science, construction and public health. His company, Bergman Brothers Staffing, provides trained, certified workers for jobs that require the safe handling of hazardous materials like asbestos, lead and mold. These jobs, he explains, aren’t just dirty or technical — they’re lifesaving. “...

Maintaining strength and mobility isn’t just about looking fit—it’s about preserving independence, health and quality of life as we age. Muscles naturally begin to change around midlife, with metabolism slowing and the body losing some of its ability to build or maintain mass. Without attention, that shift can lead to less strength, more fatigue, and a higher risk of chronic conditions. But expert...

Arthritis is one of the most common conditions people face as they age, often bringing pain, stiffness and limits on mobility. But while many assume it’s an unavoidable part of getting older, experts say there are steps people can take to slow its progression and even reduce the risk of developing it in the first place. From lifestyle choices like exercise and weight management to newer treatment...

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is presented by OrthoCarolina , a leading orthopedic care center based in Charlotte. For more information or to book an appointment with an expert, visit OrthoCarolina.com . This episode is a recording of the first session of the free “ Move Well, Live Well ” webinar series, brought to you by The Charlotte Ledger and OrthoCarolina. This summer, we’re br...

Lewis Donald, better known as “Sweet Lew,” is the classically trained chef behind Sweet Lew’s Barbecue in Charlotte’s Belmont neighborhood. After two decades in fine dining and country clubs, including an apprenticeship at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, Donald traded white tablecloths for wood smoke in 2018, opening a counter-service spot dedicated to Carolina barbecue and community. At Sweet Le...

Before Doug Madar helped launch Carolina Crown into one of the world’s top drum and bugle corps, he was simply a young music enthusiast captivated by the intensity and precision of the activity. Though he never marched himself, Madar became a lifelong supporter and, in 1990, co-founded the Fort Mill-based corps with just 57 members, homemade uniforms and used horns. Today, Carolina Crown is celebr...

Off the coast of North Carolina lies one of the world’s most treacherous stretches of sea — a place where shifting shoals, sudden storms and centuries of shipwrecks have earned it the name “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” In July 2025, The Charlotte Ledger ran a series with that same name — researched and written by journalist Mark Washburn — that explores the region’s lore through wartime sinkings, d...

Running a large parks system in a fast-growing county might sound overwhelming, but for Nick Walker, it’s exactly the kind of challenge he was looking for. The former Memphis parks director took over as head of Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation in February 2025 and now oversees more than 290 parks, greenways and facilities across 22,500 acres. Since arriving in Charlotte, Walker has been gett...

What happens when a major foundation suddenly triples its giving?  In this episode, we talk with Tom Lawrence, CEO of The Leon Levine Foundation , about the decision by the 3rd-largest foundation in the Carolinas to boost its annual grantmaking to $100 million.  Ledger editor Tony Mecia talks with Lawrence and board chair Michael Tarwater about how the move fulfills Leon Levine’s longtime vision,...

Running a business with your sibling might sound like a challenge, but for Amoura and Avery Carter, it’s become their secret weapon. The Charlotte-based sisters co-founded AC Creative Collective, a firm offering marketing and learning and development services across the Carolinas. With complementary skills — Amoura in strategy and operations, Avery in design and messaging — the two are helping bus...

Joy Callaway started her career in marketing, but after rediscovering her childhood love of storytelling, she traded spreadsheets for stories. Now the Charlotte-based author has seven books to her name, including two new releases in very different genres: a World War I-era historical novel set in west Charlotte called “The Star of Camp Greene,” and a contemporary romance rooted in small-town charm...

As North Carolina employers grapple with a tight labor market and rapid technological change, community colleges are stepping up to meet the demand, and more students are taking notice. Enrollment at the state’s two-year colleges jumped 8.3% this spring compared with the previous year, outpacing the national average. John Loyack, vice president of economic development for the North Carolina Commun...

Charlotte’s hospitality and retail scene is changing rapidly, but what’s really driving the evolution?  Industry experts agree that Charlotte’s hospitality market is thriving but becoming more competitive, with new players entering the scene and raising consumer expectations. Neighborhoods like South End have been pivotal in putting Charlotte on the map. However, the suburban retail market is now...

Before Susan Evren became the executive director of the Go Jen Go Foundation, a Charlotte nonprofit supporting families facing breast cancer, she was no stranger to pushing limits. A passionate ultrarunner, Evren has completed grueling 50k races — events that test not just endurance, but mental grit. Evren’s journey on the trail has informed her approach to nonprofit work, she says. Just as every...

Before Grace Weisiger could join her family’s four-generation business, The Weisiger Group (formerly Carolina Tractor and Equipment), her parents told her she needed to gain some experience in a different industry. In 2014, while still a student at the University of Georgia, she received a call from a friend of a friend, who had a cryptic pitch: “I can’t tell you what we’re doing, but we’re starti...

Charlotte celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence on May 20, 2025, at a ceremony and re-enactment in uptown Charlotte. Watch the full celebration, with commentary and interviews by co-hosts Tony Mecia and Cristina Bolling of The Charlotte Ledger — with impromptu guests including former county commissioner Matthew Ridenhour, planning commission member Clayton...

If you've ever tuned into Charlotte’s NPR station in the mornings, you've probably heard the soothing voice of Marshall Terry. But you probably don't know much about him otherwise. In an era marked by building personal brands, influencers and oversharing on social media, Terry is refreshingly old school. He doesn’t post on social media, and he rarely talks to media interviews outside of his job. O...

Did a group of Charlotte patriots really declare independence from Britain more than a year before the rest of the colonies? Or is the tale of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence — the “Meck Dec,” said to be signed on May 20, 1775 — just a case of wishful thinking and poor recollections? As the 250th anniversary of the Meck Dec approaches, this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast looks...

Joanna Beck has an eye for identifying inefficiencies. She helps businesses see their potential for improving their operations. She founded Beck Insights, a business consulting and strategy firm, with the mission to help businesses recognize their challenges and make the necessary changes to thrive.  In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Beck sits down with podcast host Steven Dunn to t...

In a world where the disparity between different socioeconomic classes is increasing, organizations like United Way of Greater Charlotte play a critical role in forging paths toward greater economic mobility for future generations. United Way of Greater Charlotte is one of the Charlotte region's largest health and human services nonprofits. The nonprofit stands at a unique confluence of the public...

In a time of economic turbulence and market volatility, understanding where things stand—and where they’re headed—feels more important than ever. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia talks with economist Mark Vitner. Vitner, a longtime Charlotte-based economist formerly with Wells Fargo, is now chief economist for Piedmont Crescent Capital, a boutique economic...