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This week I'm doing something totally new for the pod and recording right on Jessica DeMarchis's couch in her home office (I'm still obsessed with that couch). Jessica is a licensed trauma therapist and certified life coach who runs her own one-on-one coaching practice AND The Art and Skill of Coaching, a trauma-informed company that trains and certifies coaches. Oh, and her podcast is 250 episodes deep, so yeah, she knows what she's doing!
We get into how she went from therapist's office to coaching company, the simple story trick that lets you share your journey online without oversharing, and the mental "shower" she takes after every single client. Plus, she drops a mantra about tough clients that I genuinely haven't stopped thinking about. You're gonna want a notebook for this one!
Website: https://www.jessicademarchis.com/Â
Instagram: @jess_demarchis_coaching
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This week I'm hanging out in downtown Cary with Stephen and Jessica McNulty, the husband-and-wife team behind The Refreshery, a cold pressed juice, cold brew, and matcha spot that's quickly become one of the coziest hangouts downtown. I worked from their shop for an hour before we even hit record and honestly, I didn't want to leave!
We get into why their juice is more Snapple than Suja (in the best way), how a nine-week program and a LOT of spreadsheets turned an idea into a real storefront, and why their six-year-old might be the most creative person on the payroll. Plus Jessica and Stephen share the hard lessons that got them here, and one of them comes with a pretty spicy hot take for anyone thinking about starting a business!
Location: Meridian East Chatham building, east side of downtown Cary, NC Website: https://www.caryrefreshery.com/Â
Instagram: @therefreshery
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This week I'm sitting down with Cassandra Pickett, a licensed marriage and family therapist and mental health coach for women, who I met at a networking event and immediately knew had to come on the pod. Cassandra's the voice behind Girl, You Good, a short-form podcast for women who are killing it on the outside and drowning a little on the inside, and she also runs group coaching pods where women build real support systems together.
We get into her wild path from double-majoring in dance and psychology, why she pivoted from solo therapy into coaching, a podcast story that made her cry actual tears, and a mindset shift about your first few years in business that I have never heard put better. Fair warning, we also spend a good chunk of time on raw chicken and wet hair.
Location: Holly Springs, NC
Website: cassandrapickett.com
Instagram: @cassandrapickettcoaching
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Become a Supporter of the show for as little as $3 and get exclusive access to shows early, special interviews, and updates from guests! Support the show here
This week I'm sitting down with Gabi and her mom (and best friend) Mary, the duo behind Gabi's Workforce, a Raleigh-based business that does everything from packaging and labeling to shipping and warehouse staffing for companies all over the Triangle. Gabi has Down syndrome, and after getting turned away from job after job growing up, she and Mary decided that if nobody was going to give her a real shot, they'd build the place that would.
We get into how a coffee shop dream turned into a full-blown warehouse operation, the completely random way they found their current home base, and a story involving a viral video, Kelly Clarkson, and a chef you've definitely heard of that I still can't believe is real. Gabi also fills us in on the masquerade gala they've got coming up, and yes, there is a blackjack table involved.
Website: gabisworkforce.org Instagram / Facebook (Gabi personally): Gabi's Raleigh Facebook / TikTok / LinkedIn / YouTube (Gabi's Workforce): Gabi's Workforce
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This week I'm sitting down with James Tulianofrom The Cary Report, the hyperlocal page that's basically become Cary's unofficial (but honestly, it feels pretty official) newsroom. If you live anywhere near Cary and you're not already following him, you're missing out on so much.
We get into how The Cary Report started after Cary Citizen shut down, why James took a full year off from it before coming back stronger, and why he eventually walked away from a steady paycheck to go all in. We also get into the wild story behind why there's still no grocery store at Fenton, a spot that's apparently the only one of its kind, and a whole fun tangent about the Chinese Lantern Festival you need to hear.
Website: thecaryreport.comÂ
Instagram / Facebook / TikTok: @thecaryreport
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This week I'm out in the pines of Apex with Simone and Noelle, the sister duo behind Sassool Mediterranean and their newest venture, FigMINT Farms. What started as their family's own private picnic spot has turned into one of Raleigh's most magical event venues, complete with a mint garden that produces over 2,000 pounds of mint a year, a fire pit that never stopped getting requests, and a pair of swans that had one wedding tour guest convinced something more was going on.
We get into how two sisters built a restaurant business named after their grandmother's nickname, the hard lesson that almost stalled their business before they figured out how to stop stepping on each other's toes, and why Simone says you should never pile on all the hats yourself.Â
Grab your coffee, tea, wine or any drink, and get cozy, this one's a good one.
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Become a Supporter of the show for as little as $3 and get exclusive access to shows early, special interviews, and updates from guests! Support the show here
Liz Rossilli didn't set out to become a sales expert, she grew up in it. Her dad spent seven years perfecting a metal polish formula in the family garage on Cape Cod, and Liz learned the business from the ground up, literally polishing lamps in the family antique lighting store before she ever made a sales call of her own. Fast forward through 30+ years in sales, eight cross-country moves, and a pandemic pivot, and she's now the founder of Sales Savvy, helping entrepreneurs and small business owners sell without feeling icky, sleazy, or like they're "watering dirt."
In this episode, Kayleigh and Liz get into what it actually takes to build a sales system that feels natural, why marketing without a sales foundation doesn't work, the moment Liz realized she couldn't run her business alone anymore, and the "hot sparks" theory of relationship building that'll change how you think about networking.
Resources:
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Become a Supporter of the show for as little as $3 and get exclusive access to shows early, special interviews, and updates from guests! Support the show here
This week Kayleigh sits down inside the beautifully designed walls of Raleigh WorkUp, a niche co-working space built exclusively for interior designers, builders, architects, and contractors in the Triangle. Host Hilaire Martin, founder and creative visionary behind the space, shares how growing up in the interior design world (her mom's been designing in Raleigh for 45+ years) led her to build a co-working concept unlike anything else in the city, one with CR90 color-accurate lighting, a full resource library of fabric and wallpaper samples, private offices, and even an espresso bar.
Hilaire and Kayleigh get into the meaning behind the name, the "community over competition" mindset that drives the space, and the piece of advice from a close friend that's stuck with Hilaire ever since she started her business. Plus, a solid debate about the best burger in the Triangle.
Resources:Â
Website: raleighworkup.comÂ
Instagram/LinkedIn: @raleighworkupÂ
Location: Hutton Street, Raleigh (between Hillsborough St and Western Blvd)
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Jalen isn’t just a business owner, she’s basically a one-woman wellness empire. Between Raleigh Waxologist, Holistic Harmony (facials, spray tans, holistic skincare), her podcast She Thrives 101, and her women’s health workout + guided journaling events, she’s built a whole ecosystem around helping women feel good in their bodies.
 In this episode, Kayleigh and Jalen get real about cycle syncing, hormone health nobody teaches you, the hard lesson Jalen learned about trusting employees, and why grassroots marketing beats social media every time.
Resources:Â
Raleigh Waxologist (downtown Raleigh)
Holistic Harmony Raleigh
She Thrives 101 podcastÂ
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Become a Supporter of the show for as little as $3 and get exclusive access to shows early, special interviews, and updates from guests! Support the show here
Kamar Perkins spent 13 years in the Army before building not one, but two businesses that are quietly changing lives across North Carolina. ProTech Consulting Group builds AI and machine learning solutions for federal, state, and local government (and yes, he'll explain what SAM.gov actually means). Priority Health, his medical clinics, provide addiction treatment and in-home elder care in Lumberton and Laurinburg, two areas close to his heart for reasons that get real personal, real fast.
Kayleigh and Kamar cover everything from cut sling loads (an Army phrase that applies way beyond the military) to why "find a problem, be the solution" might be the only business advice you actually need. There's also a stolen Mustang, a Moana quote that hits harder than expected, and a scholarship program giving real money to underfunded teachers.
Find Kamar:Â
LinkedIn (Kamar Perkins) | ProTech Consulting Group
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Become a Supporter of the show for as little as $3 and get exclusive access to shows early, special interviews, and updates from guests! Support the show here
From the publisher's feed
You walk past businesses every day and wonder, "How did they even start this?"
I'm Kayleigh Bain, and every Wednesday I ask that question for you. I sit down with Raleigh business…
No BS. No guru talk. Just honest conversations with people building cool stuff in the Triangle.
New episodes every Wednesday. Let's get all up in your business.
🔗Links: