The Confluence Cast

This week, we’re shopping local. On the occasion of the holiday season, we sat down with two people immersed in the movement. First up, Timothy Wolf Starr discusses the recently rebranded Small Business Beanstalk, now called Connects Columbus. Then, Lynn Stan, co-founder of Celebrate Local, has a wide-ranging conversation on the inherent difficulty in quantifying the value of buying, shoppin...

Stop asking why and start asking how. That’s the lesson from comedians Amber Falter and Brian Doney. We talk this week about the Columbus comedy scene, how they work, and their current tour. Shownotes Brian Doney Shrunken Head Whiskey Bear Comedy Shadowbox Live Hashtag Comedy Big thank you to our sponsor this week,  Art Makes Columbus Columbus Makes Art . The post Comedy in Columbus appeared...

Get a breakdown of the local election issues and candidates before going to the polls. Shownotes: Columbus Voted Bond Issues Columbus City Schools Levy COTA Levy The post Fall 2016 Local Election Preview appeared first on The Confluence Cast .

We’ve talked about what it’s like to run your own business and be an entrepreneur. But what if you’re just getting started? This week, representatives from ECDI talk about how they help businesses get going and the financing options that they have available. Our first interview is with Founder & CEO Inna Kinney, who shares the story of ECDI and talks about the classes, assistance, and programs...

Columbus is home to the nation’s largest resident theater company, Shadowbox Live. Meta-performer Amy Lay sits down to talk about her craft, the importance of play, and why she chose Columbus. Shownotes: Shadowbox Gallery of Echoes The fourth wall David Mack Big thank you to our sponsor this week, Art Makes Columbus Columbus Makes Art . The post Shadowbox’s Amy Lay appeared first on Th...

There are three things that matter in real estate: location, location, location. While that adage is true, there are a couple more things to know about the Columbus real estate market. In this week’s episode, we are talking with Marc Conte from the Downtown Special Improvement District to talk about the real estate landscape in Downtown — how it changed, how it’s growing, and why we have som...

Starting a business isn’t easy. Truly knowing your role in it is harder. Compton Construction CEO Blake Compton talks about the lifecycle of being a business owner and the virtue of coaches and mentors. Shownotes: Brexton Construction Columbus Building and Zoning Services Columbus Area Commissions Columbus Small Business Concierge Proposal for Pavey Square  |  Current Pavey Square Plan Colum...

How do you take your coffee? You sure? We sat down with two roasters, Crimson Cup and Brioso Coffee , to talk about what makes a good cup of coffee, a bad cup of coffee, fair trade, and a little about running a small business. Shownotes: Specialty Coffee Association of America Coffee Quality Institute Crimson Cup Innovation Lab Seven Steps to Success The Columbus Coffee Experience Big thank you to...

How can students be empowered?  The Dick & Jane Project  thinks they have a solution: songwriting. Their literacy program partners middle school students with professional musicians to create radio-ready songs; and a little confidence in the process. Shownotes: Dick & Jane Week The songs Maza Blaska didi Betsy Ross The post The Dick & Jane Project appeared first on The Confluence Cast...

How can we make Columbus a true hub for visual art? We tackle that and more with artist and educator Bryan Christopher Moss in this week’s episode, recorded live at Independents’ Day. Shownotes: Donks CCAD Billy Ireland Cartoon Research Library Wexner Center for the Arts Columbus Museum of Art Pages Program Leap Before You Look: Black Mountain College Jeff Smith Aminah Robinson Big tha...

Formerly known as AIDS Resource Center Ohio, Equitas Health is a state-wide organization that seeks to be the gateway to good health for those at risk of or affected by HIV/AIDS, for the LGBTQ community, and for those seeking a welcoming healthcare home. We sat down with Bill Hardy, president and CEO, to discuss the history of the organization, its evolution, what it does, and get details on their...

When a group of people that are dedicated to making Columbus awesome get together you get a festival with more than just beers and bands. Independents’ Day , coming up September 17th and 18th in Franklinton, puts the creative spirit of Columbus on display. Organizers Adam Brouillette  and Patrick Locy talk about the festival’s origins, evolution, and why they do it. Shownotes: Independ...

It was not a good summer for movies. That’s according to Hope Madden , Columbus Underground’s movie reviewer who, in anticipation of the unofficial end of the summer movie season, talks this week about the dearth of big-budget films that came out this season and a couple of gems that are worth your time. Also on tap this week, a short interview with John Daugherty, the Executive Direct...

What’s it like to own a restaurant and what drives people to do it? This week, we sat down with two restauranteurs with very different perspectives. First up, Sangeeta Lakhani, co-owner of  The Table  who speaks from her perspective on dealing with customers, employees, and the city. Then, an interview with Joe Deloss, founder and head fryer of  Hot Chicken Takeover  (currently the reigning...

People like the idea of living without a car. Why don’t they? This week’s episode has it’s foundation in an interview  Cleve Ricksecker , the executive director of the two  Downtown Special Improvement Districts  (SID). We discuss SIDs, commuter culture in Columbus, and have a frank discussion about the race and class lines here. Cleve’s passion for a transit-based lifestyl...

The creative amalgam that is  Counterfeit Madison  inspires many in Columbus. We talk about her  upcoming show , how the show came to be, how Counterfeit Madison came to be, the Columbus music scene, and other things around town that you should be checking out. Resources: What Happened Miss Simone   on Netflix Nina , the Nina Simone biopic Counterfeit Madison Meets Nina Simone: A Celebration of Bl...

How do you rebuild after you lose everything? We sit down with Robert Grimmett, the founder and CEO of  Robert Mason Company , to discuss day-to-day operations, how Robert Mason got started, how it evolved, and how it was rebuilt after a shocking loss. Big thank you to our sponsor this week,  Best Bites: Tacos  on Aug 18th.  Tickets on sale now . The post Robert Mason Company appeared first on The...

For our inaugural episode, we’ve decided to do a deep dive on Issue One, the ballot measure to add ward representation to City Council. We sat down with representatives on both sides of the issue. First up, Whitney Smith, co-chair of  Represent Columbus , the grassroots organization that wrote, gathered signatures for, and is introducing the charter amendment petition. Then, we speak with Br...

Our theme song by Benji Robinson, AKA  Reptile Fiction . The post Theme Song appeared first on The Confluence Cast .