Business Voices

In this episode of Business Voices, Juneau Chamber Executive Director Becca Parks sits down with Rain Coast Data Director Meilani Schijvens for a wide-ranging conversation about business, entrepreneurship, and the power of good information.

Meilani shares how an early business failure helped shape the discipline and focus behind the company she runs today, a data and economic publications firm focused largely on Southeast Alaska. The conversation explores how data can help communities cut through the noise, understand where the economy is headed, and make better decisions about housing, tourism, health care, the workforce, and long-term planning.

The episode also gets into the realities of running a business in Juneau: taking the leap, building trust, relying on relationships, doing excellent work, and creating a reputation so strong that opportunities begin to come through the door.

From AI and federal data interruptions to Juneau’s evolving economy and the very different housing challenges facing Southeast Alaska communities, this episode is a reminder that numbers are not just numbers. In the right hands, they tell the story of who we are, what is changing, and what we need to pay attention to next. 

In the first episode of Business Voices, Juneau Chamber Executive Director Becca Parks sits down with Eric Forst of the Red Dog Saloon, one of Juneau’s most recognizable businesses and a cornerstone of the downtown visitor economy.

Eric shares the long and colorful history of the Red Dog, from its early days as a postwar saloon with sawdust floors to its move down Franklin Street and its evolution into one of Alaska’s best-known destination bars. The conversation follows Eric’s own path to Juneau, how he and his wife first became involved with the business, and what it has taken to preserve the Red Dog’s character while continuing to grow.

This episode is also a thoughtful look at tourism, local business, and the balance between tradition and change. Eric talks about the importance of employees, the value of keeping the guest experience personal, and why the Red Dog has resisted becoming too polished or too automated.

From Wyatt Earp’s gun and old piano recordings to winter prime rib, cruise season crowds, and the role tourism plays in supporting Juneau’s broader economy, this conversation captures the story of a business that is more than a saloon. It is part of Juneau’s identity. 

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