The Good for Business Podcast with Eric & Colin Krieger

Good for Business - Episode 28 - Andrew Benton This episode's guest is Andrew Benton, owner of Benton's Maintenance and Mechanical. He shares his journey from homeschooling to running a successful HVAC, plumbing, and electrical business. He started working with his dad at a young age, honed his skills through various jobs, and eventually founded Benton's. The company has grown from a one-truck ope...

Good for Business - Episode 27 - Josh Gillis of Catfish Alley Studios This episode's guest is none other than Josh Gillis, owner of Catfish Alley Studios, where our podcast is produced and recorded. Gillis discusses his journey from growing up in Columbus, Mississippi, to owning a full-service downtown music studio. He shares his educational background, including a business degree and a Master's i...

Good for Business - Episode 26 - Adel "Mr. John" Musa of United Deli In this episode, Mr. John, also known as Adel Musa, shared his journey from Yemen to the U.S. Now here in Columbus, MS, he operates United Deli, which noted food critic Stafford Shurden has called "The Best Deli in Mississippi." Musa moved to Seattle in 1992 where he worked at his stepfather's deli before moving to New York and t...

Good for Business - Episode 25 - Joe MacGown, From Ants to the Arts Joe MacGown, a Starkville Mississippi artist and former entomologist, discusses his journey from early childhood art to his current role as an art promoter and retreat owner. He highlights his work at Mississippi State, his international art shows, and his transition to retirement. Joe's MacGown Art Retreat (M.A.R.S) hosts visitin...

Good for Business - Episode 24 - USAF Col. Jesper Stubbendorff In this week's episode, Colin Krieger interviews Colonel Jesper Stubbendorff from Columbus Air Force Base about the base's operations and community engagement. Stubbendorff shares his background, including his Swedish heritage and Air Force career. He discusses the base's pilot training program, which aims to produce 1,500 pilots annua...

Good for Business - Episode 23 - Spike Harris from MSMS In this episode of the Good for Business podcast, host Colin Krieger sits down with Spike Harris, Admissions Coordinator for the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS), to uncover the incredible story of this unique public residential high school. Listeners will discover why MSMS is more than just a school - it's a transformati...

Good for Business - BONUS Ep - Stephanie Jones Presents Zumba in Pink Stephanie Jones, First Lady of Columbus, talks about the fourth annual Zumba in Pink event coming up this Saturday at the Riverwalk from 11 to 1! This event helps to raise awareness about breast cancer. It is free and open to the public. Host Colin Krieger is a top Realtor and home restoration specialist in the Golden Triangle r...

Good for Business - Episode 22 - Historian Shannon Evans Shannon Evans is a local Columbus historian and host of the Tombigbee Tales podcast. Evans discusses her upcoming book series on historic properties in Columbus, Mississippi. She has planned seven books so far, with two releasing together in November and subsequent releases monthly. Evans shares her background, including her mother's role as...

Good for Business - Episode 21 - John Almond: The Completely Unreasonable Man Behind the Dreamcenter Golden Triangle In this episode, community champion John Almond shares his transformative journey from a troubled child in California to becoming the Director of the Dream Center of the Golden Triangle in Mississippi. He discusses his early struggles with drugs and alcohol, his military service, an...

Good for Business - Episode 20 - This Episode is Terry Long In this episode, we talk with Terry Long, Regional Director for Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux in Mississippi. Long discusses his journey from washing dishes at $25 per shift in 1994 to managing and growing multiple locations of the national franchise. He highlights the challenges of managing staff during busy football weekends and the impact...

Good for Business - Episode 19 - Courtney Harris This episode features Columbus icon Courtney Harris, owner of I Am Courtney, a beauty concept and consulting firm. Harris discussed her journey from working at Hardee's in 1996 to becoming a third-generation hair stylist. She highlighted her experience in various food service roles, her transition to cosmetology, and her success in managing and owni...

Good for Business - Episode 18 - Autism Awareness with the Rowdy Foundation In this special episode, Scott and Whitney Ferguson, co-founders of the Rowdy Foundation, discuss their organization's mission to support families with autism in North Mississippi. They started the foundation after their son Myers' 2017 diagnosis, aiming to provide resources and events for the community. Their first event...

Good for Business - Episode 17 - Wesley Stewart  This episode's guest is Wesley Stewart, organizer of the Festival of the Fae. Stewart shares his journey from military service to organizing events in Columbus, Mississippi. His last festival, held just four months after conceptualization, attracted over 3,000 attendees despite the rain. Future plans include a medieval-themed wrestling event as part...

Good for Business - Episode 16 - Keyton Blocher, Fighting for His Life In this episode, host Colin Krieger interviews Keyton Blocher, a 26-year-old cancer patient who is sharing his journey with Hodgkin's Lymphoma while managing a rare heart condition. Keyton discusses his diagnosis, treatment challenges, and his mission to create awareness through his "Legacy Dad" social media project. Blocher, d...

Good for Business - Bonus Episode 5 - Women's Comedy at First Methodist The Good for Business podcast features an interview with Roz Merchant, the children's and youth director at First Methodist Church in Columbus, Mississippi. Roz discusses an upcoming ladies-only event on September 14th at 2 PM, featuring comedienne Carrie Pomerolli, who will also give a testimony and perform a comedy set. The...

Good for Business Episode 15 - Yaakov Weinstein Our guest this episode is Yaakov Weinstein, a life coach and firefighter; he shares his journey from New York to Starkville, Mississippi. He discusses his early jobs, including working for his father for $1 an hour and his struggles with carpentry and electronics. Weinstein recounts his troubled youth, including rehab and homelessness, and his eventu...

Good for Business - Episode 14 - The Mason Honnoll Music Show In this special episode of the “Good for Business” podcast, host Colin Krieger sits down with Mississippi Mason (Mason Honnoll) for an in-depth conversation about his musical journey, from his gospel roots in Columbus, Mississippi, to performing across the South and navigating the realities of the modern music industry. Mason shares sto...

Good for Business Episode 13 - Michael Franzese This week's guest is Michael Franzese, a former mobster turned born-again Christian, shares his life story with Columbus 2717 and the Good for Business Podcast. Franzese dropped by for an interview during a recent talk in Columbus, Mississippi in August. In the interview, he details his challenging upbringing, which was marked by his father's high-pr...

Good for Business - Bonus ep 3 - Ryan Munson and Josh Gillis   In this episode of the Good for Business podcast, host Colin Krieger interviews Ryan Munson and Josh Gillis discuss their upcoming singer-songwriter contest this Saturday, August 30th, featuring ten local artists, with some awesome celebrity judges presiding over the contest. The winner receives $500, recording time, and a chance to pe...

Episode 12 John Klosterman (and Murph) In this episode of the Good for Business podcast, host Colin Krieger interviews John Klosterman, a Mobile, Alabama native with a rich background in the restaurant and food service industry. John shares his journey from working in his family's restaurant business to becoming a food and beverage director for the Robert Trent Jones golf trail. After 23 years in...

Good for Business - Episode 11- Rick "Sonic" Johnson Rick "Sonic" Johnson, a retired Air Force pilot and current entrepreneur. Sonic shares his life journey from growing up in Ohio and Louisiana to becoming a C-130 pilot, serving 23 years in the Air Force. After retirement, he transitioned into public affairs and eventually started a business in air purification technology. Host Colin Krieger is a...

Hagan Walker, CEO of The Glo Companies In this episode of the Good for Business Podcast, Colin sits down with Hagan Walker, the innovative founder of Glow, a Starkville-based company that transformed from making light-up drink cubes to creating sensory toys that are changing children's lives. Born out of a Mississippi State University entrepreneurship project, Glow has grown to sell over 1.2 milli...

This week's guest is healthcare entrepreneur and community leader Amy Bogue. She shares stories of lessons learned from two decades of growth in business throughout North Mississippi and Alabama. Bogue champions both coaching and personal growth at every level of her organization, and recently has formed a firm that focuses on educating individuals and businesses on how to fight human trafficking....

Today, we have a bonus episode with Ward 2 Councilman Roderick Smith, where he's talking about the upcoming East Columbus Day! This is a great community event with music, food, and good times all around! Come on out on Saturday and pass a good time.  222 Lawrence Dr starting at 3PM; music starts after 4; admission is free. Host Colin Krieger is a top Realtor and home restoration specialist in the...

Our guest today is Dustin Nichols, better known to most in West Alabama and the Golden Triangle as "Big Worm." Nichols shares heartfelt tales of struggle and redemption, from fighting drug and alcohol abuse to learning to walk in faith. His fascinating career path took him through service in the restaurant business and car sales to running dope and even manufacturing Spandex. This man, who once fo...