Whiskey & Wisdom

Chris and Sadie Busch join Whiskey & Wisdom in Surf City to share their wild journey from Hawaii to New York, North Carolina, and eventually Costa Rica. After a rapid Coast Guard transfer during COVID, financial pressure pushed them to rethink their future and start investing in real estate. They talk through their first rental property mistakes, lessons from long-term rentals, Airbnb strategy...

Chill Pretty is more than a boutique. It is a one-stop salon, boutique, and community space built around style, connection, and making women feel welcomed. On this episode of the Whiskey and Wisdom Podcast, Chris Kellum and Tyler Yaw are on location in Surf City, North Carolina with Amber and Michelle, the owners of Chill Pretty Boutique. Chill Pretty is more than a boutique. It is a one-stop salo...

Kingdom Athlete Founder Kellie Schiller joins Tyler Yaw and Chris Kellum on the Whiskey & Wisdom Podcast to share how a simple faith-based clothing brand evolved into a thriving community movement centered around fitness, faith, and purpose. Kellie discusses launching Kingdom Athlete during her husband's military deployment, overcoming repeated rejection from local gyms, hosting her first fitn...

Chris Kellum and Tyler Yaw welcome back wedding photographer Leigh Roberts for a candid conversation covering sobriety, wedding industry trends, photography hot takes, and what happens when a wedding professional plans her own wedding. Leigh shares her journey of being sober for one year and seven months after a major health scare, discussing the lifestyle changes, nutrition adjustments, supplemen...

What does it take to build one of Wilmington's most talked-about coffee brands? On this episode of Whiskey & Wisdom, Tyler Yaw and Chris Kellum sit down with Caitlyn Goff, owner of Grounds of Grace Coffee Truck. From canned lattes and coffee flights to seasonal flavors and faith-driven branding, Caitlyn shares how she built a growing business that has become a community favorite. We discuss so...

What started as a few moms getting together for movement and connection has grown into one of Wilmington’s fastest-growing postpartum fitness communities. On this episode of Whiskey & Wisdom, Chris Kellum and Tyler Yaw sit down with Brooke Pereira, founder of The Mamalates Group, to talk about motherhood, postpartum fitness, community building, and helping moms feel less alone after having kid...

Nom Nom Nom’s Rob Stang on Gnomes, New York-Style Deli Life, and Building Community in Wilmington On the Whiskey and Wisdom podcast, Chris Kellum and Tyler Yaw welcome guest Rob Stang of Nom Nom Nom, tasting Penelope Havana whiskey and discussing drink preferences. Rob shares his background from upstate New York, years in retail management, and his shift to entrepreneurship with his wife, leading...

Most people see wrestling as just a sport. They’re missing the point. In this episode of Whiskey & Wisdom , we sit down with John Mills, Southeast NC Wrestling Rep for Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), to break down what’s really happening on the mats—and why it matters far beyond competition. From the rapid rise of girls wrestling to the deeper impact of mentorship, discipline, and fait...

Abbye is back—and this episode doesn’t hold back. After just a year, Abbye made the decision to sell Ibis. But that was only part of the story. Between running two businesses, navigating a major life transition, and facing a cease-and-desist that’s forcing The Starling to change its name , this might be her most pivotal season yet. We break down: Why she sold Ibis (and what most people don’t under...

Plea Deals, Murder Cases, and the Reality of Criminal Defense Cape Fear Criminal Defense joins Whiskey and Wisdom to break down how criminal cases really work. Drawing from his experience as a public defender, prosecutor, and defense attorney, he explains plea deals, burden of proof, jury selection, murder cases, North Carolina’s death penalty, and the real-world pressures of defending clients whe...

High-Risk Auto, Underinsured Homes & Legacy: Insurance Wisdom with Jacob Carroll | Whiskey Wisdom Podcast On the Whiskey Wisdom Podcast, co-hosts Tyler and Chris welcome Jacob Carroll, owner and agent of Superior Insurance, while they sip a 115-proof Yellowstone barrel pick and discuss flavor, seasons, and living near the coast. Jacob shares his move from Florida to North Carolina after a seve...

The Quiet Shift Ending the Bourbon Boom The script explains how bourbon’s decade-long boom—marked by soaring prices, scarcity, secondary-market flipping, and “hunting” culture fueled by online communities—has begun to shift quietly rather than crash. Once overlooked in the 1980s and 1990s, bourbon surged in the early 2010s as consumers sought authenticity and tradition, turning hard-to-find bottle...

From Marine Aviator to Podcast Studio Owner: Rich Cardona on Unfilter, Podcasting for Business, and Client Acquisition Tyler and Chris Kellum host the Whiskey Wisdom Podcast at Unfilter in Wilmington with owner Rich Cardona, a retired Marine helicopter pilot who left Amazon, explored entrepreneurship, and built a podcasting and video business that evolved from remote work into a physical studio de...

Inside Cinch: Wilmington’s New Billiards Bar with Cocktails, History, and Hands-On Buildout On the Whiskey and Wisdom Podcast, Chris Kellum and Tyler talk with Haley and Joe in a new location, Cinch in downtown Wilmington. Joe and Haley describe opening Cinch on December 5 after signing the lease in June and completing a roughly six-and-a-half-month buildout that transformed the former Christmas s...

In Tyler Yaw's newest project. He breaks down why Lent is so much more. Lent as the Original 40-Day Grit Challenge: Leaving the Arena for the Throne Tyler opens the Applied Faith Podcast by noting that Ash Wednesday marked the start of Lent and challenges listeners not to treat Lent as a watered-down inconvenience or failed resolution. He frames Lent as a 40-day training ground meant to step out o...

Whiskey Tasting Adventures with Blind Barrels: Featuring Dr. Chris In this episode of the Whiskey and Wisdom podcast, co-hosts Chris Kellum and Tyler are joined by special guest Dr. Chris to explore the latest quarterly release from Blind Barrels. The trio embarks on a blind taste test of four distinctive bourbons and whiskeys, including a 12-year single malt and a cask strength wheat whiskey. Alo...

This week we bring back Austin Wolfe, owner of Digital Wave Media. We discuss business, burgers, podcasting and more.

Building Balanced Wellness with Kelly Jones In this episode of the Whiskey & Wisdom Podcast, co-hosts Tyler and Chris Kellum welcome wellness content creator Kelly Jones. They discuss Kelly's journey into health and wellness, her experience with starting new fitness regimes like 75 Hard and half-marathon training, and her dedication to maintaining a holistic balance in life. The trio also shar...

From Brunch to Beverage: The Rise of Grind with Gratitude In this episode of the Whiskey Wisdom Podcast, co-hosts Tyler and Chris are joined by special guest Ty, the dynamic owner of Brunches and the THC beverage company Grind with Gratitude. Ty dives into the inspiring origins and rapid growth of Grind with Gratitude, a company founded to provide a healthy alternative to alcohol with THC-infused...

From Jewelry to Real Estate: Patrick Giarelli's Journey of Optimism and Success In this episode of the West Western Podcast, co-hosts Tyler Yaw and Chris Kellum are joined by special guest Patrick Giarelli, a former jewelry professional turned real estate investor. The conversation covers Patrick's career trajectory, starting from his early days at Reed's Jewelers to his current endeavors in real...

Whiskey and Wisdom: A 2025 Podcast Recap and Whiskey Review Welcome back to the Whiskey and Wisdom podcast! In this episode, co-hosts Chris Klum and Tyler discuss their journey over the past three years and share some highlights, including an increase in their audience and ranking on various platforms. The hosts review 'Will It Pot Still Reserve' whiskey, sharing interesting facts about its produc...

Whiskey Talks and Life Transitions: Catching Up with Sean Bats In this episode of the Whiskey Wisdom Podcast, hosts Chris Klum and Tyler reunite with special guest Sean Bats, who previously appeared in their 2022 episodes. They reminisce about their earlier studio and discuss the numerous life changes Sean has experienced, including his transition from the mortgage world to working in private secu...

Exploring Penelope's Project X: The Frontier of Experimental Bourbon In this episode of Whiskey & Wisdom, host Whiskey Dan delves into Penelope's Project X, an avant-garde whiskey initiative aimed at pushing the boundaries of bourbon. Project X is where Penelope experiments with unconventional blending ratios, rare barrel finishes, high proof levels, and innovative aging processes. Highlighted...

Whiskey & Wisdom Podcast feat. Meg Fournier

Rebranding, Home Care, and Finding Your Purpose with TJ Dunn Welcome back to the Whiskey and Wisdom podcast! Hosts Chris Kellum and Tyler reunite with one of their favorite guests, TJ Dunn. In this episode, they discuss the podcast's rebranding, their new studio, and their decision to expand beyond whiskey. TJ shares his journey from working in insurance to owning Synergy Home Care, a franchise pr...