BallstonConnect Podcast

Arlington is known generally as an affluent area, but our community is also very civic-minded. 

In this episode of BallstonConnect, Tina Leone chats with Lisa Fikes, the Executive Director of Volunteer Arlington. Find out what drives people to volunteer, the personal and professional benefits of volunteering your time and talents, and what opportunities are available in Ballston and Arlington. 

The highly anticipated VIDA Fitness opening in Ballston is right around the corner, so it's the perfect time to find out about our new neighbors at 4040 Wilson Blvd. 

Tina Leone chats with Richie Poe, the General Manager of the new VIDA Fitness in Ballston. Find out what makes this company's culture so unique, why they chose Ballston for their first location outside D.C., and what festivities to expect at their grand opening. 

In the same way clothes reflect your personality, neighborhoods and cities can also have a unique style all their own. In this episode of BallstonConnect, Tina Leone chats with two style and fashion experts, Sapna Delacourt and Leigh Evans Ramadan, to find out what defines Arlington style.

They discuss how Arlington style differs from D.C., which lifestyle elements have impacted our clothing choices, and where you can shop local and stay on-trend. 

Sapna Delacourt is a fashion and lifestyle influencer, known for her popular blog, Lunch With a Girlfriend. 

Leigh Evans Ramadan is a lifestyle influencer and editor of Arlington Stylebook.

What does leadership actually mean? Is a great leader born or made? To find out the answers to these age-old questions, Tina Leone chats with Karen Coltrane, the President & CEO of the Leadership Center for Excellence. 

Find out what makes the most effective leader, the psychology behind good leadership, and how the Leadership Center for Excellence helps professionals of all experience levels improve their leadership skills. 

It's a new year, and while many may be making resolutions for their personal health, most of us tend to forget about our financial health. 

In this episode of BallstonConnect, Tina Leone is joined by Christine Searle, the owner of Searle Business Solutions, and a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and the National Society of Tax Professionals. 

Christine explains how we can set and reach financial goals in the new year, and what we should look out for in the coming tax season. 

What is a Chamber of Commerce, and why is it important for businesses in our area? 

In this episode of BallstonConnect, Tina Leone continues her discussions with Arlington's women CEOs and entrepreneurs. Tina is joined by Kates Bates, the CEO of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. We find out how Kates took the lead role at the Chamber at only 29 years old, how the Chamber acts as a resource for businesses of all sizes, and what role the Chamber played during the pursuit of Amazon. 

The long-awaited BASH Boxing has already become the newest fitness craze in Ballston, but how did this boutique boxing studio get its start? Continuing our series with women entrepreneurs, Tina Leone chats with the BASH powerhouse and founder, Alex Trakas.

Alex reveals how her ambition led her to leave the world of dance for the emerging industry of group fitness, where she finds her motivation, and what advice she'd give someone looking to break out on their own. 

With some of Ballston's biggest developments either completed or in their final stages, Tina Leone and Samantha Baker of the Ballston BID take a talking tour of the transformed neighborhood. 

Find out the stories behind Ballston Quarter and Ballston Exchange, the updates on 4040 Wilson Blvd, plans for the Carpool location, and more. 

Your wedding day may be one of the most important days of your life, but it can also be the most stressful event you've ever planned. What are the do's and don'ts of wedding planning, and do these even apply to modern brides? 

Tina Leone continues her discussions with Arlington's awesome women entrepreneurs with Virginia Perry, the founder of VP Consulting Event Design and the Multi-Property Catering Sales Manager for the Residence Inn Ballston. 

We find out what every bride should invest in, how Virginia found the motivation to branch out on her own, and how she learned her own worth in a competitive industry. 

Specialty networking groups are growing in popularity with Arlington's career-minded population and one of the most well-known in Northern Virginia is the women-only Awesome Women Entrepreneurs, or AWE. Many of Arlington's elite women in business are members. 

In this episode of BallstonConnect, Tina Leone chats with the founder of KB Concepts and the co-founder of the AWE, Karen Bate. Karen discusses the benefits of women-only networking, the state of the county for entrepreneurship, and why women are leaving the corporate world in higher numbers to work for themselves. 

Karen Bate is also the co-host of the AWE Podcast on WERA 96.7 FM. You can hear her program and learn the stories behind Arlington's impressive women entrepreneurs every Thursday at 10 AM. 

View upcoming AWE Events