In this episode of Buying Local, Mike Nelson sits down with Neelo Jaikeran, co-owner of Queensbury Billiards & Café, to discuss building a family-friendly billiards hall, restaurant, and event venue in Queensbury, New York. Neelo shares how she and her husband, Kevin, turned a passion for pool into a growing local business known for leagues, tournaments, private events, and authentic Caribbean and Guyanese cuisine. Learn about entrepreneurship, community networking, local business growth, and what it takes to run both a pool hall and a full-service restaurant in Warren County.

Learn more about Queensbury Billiards & Café at queensburybilliards.com and follow them on Facebook and Instagram!

00:00 Introduction and meeting Neelo Jaikeran

00:49 What is Queensbury Billiards & Café?

01:51 Bringing Caribbean food to Queensbury

03:18 Why Kevin started a billiards hall

04:20 Leaving a banking career for entrepreneurship

04:58 Transitioning into the business full-time

05:53 Wearing every hat as a small business owner

06:49 Networking through local chambers of commerce

08:40 Authentic Guyanese and Caribbean menu items

10:19 Learning the restaurant business from scratch

12:10 Family-friendly billiards and community engagement

13:02 Pool leagues, tournaments, and local competition

15:00 Private parties, team building, and special events

16:44 The challenge of marketing a local business

17:58 Why networking matters for entrepreneurs

19:08 Growth, future plans, and business outlook

19:39 Where to find Queensbury Billiards & Café

21:43 How good is Neelo at pool?

22:19 Final thoughts and community appreciation

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#QueensburyNY #SmallBusiness #CaribbeanFood #WarrenCountyNY #BuyingLocal

What if your business never missed another lead, email, or customer call? In this episode of Buying Local, Mike Nelson sits down with Christopher Crowd, Founder of Severus AI, to discuss AI receptionists, workflow automation, AI agents, and how small businesses can use artificial intelligence to save time, improve customer service, and scale without adding overhead. Chris shares real-world examples of AI-powered phone systems, automated workflows, email management, and the future of personal operating systems for entrepreneurs. Whether you're a solopreneur, contractor, service business, or growing company, this conversation offers practical insights into how AI is changing business operations today.

Connect with Christopher Crowd on LinkedIn and learn more about Severus AI at severusai.com.

00:00 Introduction & Meet Christopher Crowd

00:48 Chris's Background in Software Development

02:28 Building Custom AI Workflows for Small Businesses

03:41 Never Miss Another Lead with AI Phone Systems

05:06 How Conversational AI Receptionists Work

07:16 Can Customers Tell They're Talking to AI?

09:18 AI Scheduling and Calendar Management

10:38 Common Business Workflows Being Automated

12:16 Saving 10+ Hours Per Week with AI

12:55 The Biggest Limitation to AI Adoption

15:16 Solving Email Overload with AI Agents

17:02 AI Agents vs ChatGPT, Claude & Gemini

20:02 Semi-Autonomous AI Systems Explained

24:40 Will AI Replace Employees?

28:29 How AI Helps Businesses Scale Faster

32:15 Upcoming Severus AI Products

34:49 The Vision for a Personal AI Operating System

36:34 How to Connect with Severus AI

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buyinglocal.us

Facebook: facebook.com/buyinglocalny 

Instagram: instagram.com/buyinglocalny 

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LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/buyinglocal/ 

#ArtificialIntelligence #SmallBusiness #BusinessAutomation #AIForBusiness #Entrepreneurship

What if every child could learn to read—even those who are nonverbal? In this episode of Buying Local, special education teacher and literacy specialist Lauren Leuzinger shares how structured teaching, communication devices, and a "presume competence" mindset are helping autistic students unlock literacy and independence. Learn why reading is never out of reach, how AAC devices support communication, and what parents and educators can do to create meaningful learning opportunities.

Connect with Lauren by sending her an email at [email protected] and learn more about Nourishing Minds Tutoring at nourishingmindstutoring.com.

00:00 Introduction to Lauren Leuzinger

00:51 Lauren's role as a special education teacher

02:20 Teaching communication and language development

04:29 How Lauren found her calling in special education

06:49 The structured TEACCH teaching approach

08:31 Why literacy became Lauren's passion

09:24 Can nonverbal students learn to read?

11:08 Real-world literacy success stories

13:42 Making reading fun and stress-free

14:35 Understanding AAC communication devices

18:13 How educators assess understanding in nonverbal students

19:19 "Behavior is communication," explained

21:10 Supporting new special education teachers

23:28 The biggest literacy misconception Lauren wants to change

25:29 Resources for teaching literacy at any age

27:30 Literacy opportunities for autistic adults

30:16 Why spelling unlocks communication potential

33:54 "Presume competence" and setting high expectations

34:34 How to connect with Lauren and Nourishing Minds Tutoring

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Website: buyinglocal.us

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Facebook: facebook.com/buyinglocalny

Instagram: instagram.com/buyinglocalny

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/buyinglocal/

Mike Nelson sits down with Steve Miraglia, Market Manager and Board Secretary of the Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association, to discuss the 2026 market season, local vendors, Peach Fest, community events, and why Ballston Spa continues to be one of the Capital Region's most vibrant destinations.

Learn how the BPA supports local businesses, attracts visitors downtown, and creates experiences that bring residents and visitors together throughout the year. Whether you're looking for fresh produce, artisan goods, live music, family activities, or local food vendors, this episode highlights everything happening at the Ballston Spa Farmers' Market and beyond.

Connect with Steve and learn more about the Ballston Spa Farmers' Market at ballston.org/farmers-market.

00:00 Introduction and Meet Steve Miraglia

00:27 What the Ballston Spa BPA Does

01:12 Supporting Downtown Businesses

02:08 Why Ballston Spa Continues to Grow

03:55 Membership Benefits and Community Involvement

04:57 Major BPA Events Throughout the Year

05:53 Movies in the Park and Summer Concerts

06:16 The Popular Way We Were Car Show

08:17 How the BPA Organizes Community Events

09:31 Ballston Spa Farmers' Market Overview

10:26 Vendors, Food Options and Live Music

11:28 Why Ballston Spa Has Such a Unique Small-Town Feel

12:20 Market Size and Vendor Participation

13:24 Local Farms and Longtime Market Vendors

14:17 How Peach Fest Helped Grow the Market

15:34 Why New Businesses Choose This Market

17:02 New Vendors and Yoga at the Market

18:34 Peach Fest and Autumn Fest Return in 2026

20:24 Craft Vendors, Soaps and Artisan Products

21:27 Opening Day Details and How to Attend

22:02 Where to Follow the Market and Get Updates

Follow Buying Local:

Website: buyinglocal.us

X (Twitter): x.com/buyinglocalny

Facebook: facebook.com/buyinglocalny

Instagram: instagram.com/buyinglocalny

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/buyinglocal/

In this episode of the Buying Local podcast, Mike Nelson sits down with Chris and Ron to uncover how everyday Americans are combating the affordability crisis by repairing their credit scores. Discover expert strategies for disputing report inaccuracies, understanding credit utilization, and taking back your financial buying power.

To learn more about improving your financial health, visit Chris Mastantuono and Ron Monaco at Requalify 360: requalify360.com.

0:00 Introduction to the Buying Local Podcast

0:24 Meet Chris and Ron

1:20 Introducing Requalify 360

3:26 How Credit Impacts Affordability

4:57 The Credit Coaching Process

6:50 Why Free Credit Apps Are Stale

9:16 Credit Score Compression Explained

11:01 The Impact of Credit Utilization

12:05 Turning Car Rejections into Solutions

14:42 Overcoming the Fear of Checking Credit

16:38 Deep Dive: The Credit Audit

18:27 Formulating a Financial Blueprint

20:53 The Missing Education in Financial Literacy

23:45 Building a Path to Financial Freedom

26:35 How to Start Responsibly

29:37 Where to Find Requalify 360

In episode 75 of the Buying Local podcast, James Bruchac returns to the show to talk about over 30 years of youth camps, survival education, and cultural storytelling at Ndakinna Education Center. From wilderness skills to Native traditions, he shares how hands-on outdoor experiences are shaping more confident, capable kids in today’s world.

Learn more about Ndakinna Education Center and their programs at ndakinnacenter.org.

0:00 Welcome back James Bruchac

1:10 Celebrating 30+ years of youth camps

2:20 How the camps grew organically

3:05 Core skills: shelter, fire, and nature awareness

4:18 Summer camps overview and age groups

5:29 Teaching fire-making safely

6:06 Creating a full sensory outdoor experience

7:00 Family ancestry and Abenaki heritage

8:33 Preserving stories and cultural knowledge

9:42 Why these skills matter more than ever

10:10 Post-COVID growth and shifting age groups

11:10 Martial arts programs and expansion

12:41 Student and athlete success stories

14:22 Sunday Survival Series and adult classes

17:17 Field trips, community programs, and events

22:11 Summer camp logistics and how to sign up

In episode 74 of the Buying Local podcast, Author Jay Ingleston returns to the show to talk about his latest book, “Just for Today: Small Words for Heavy Days”, his evolving writing process, and the emotional impact of creating work centered around grief, growth, and connection. The conversation dives into everything from self-publishing and AI tools to the challenges of writing fiction and the mindset shifts that have shaped his career.

Find Jay Ingleston and his books on Amazon, and follow him on social media by searching “Jay Ingleston” for his latest writing and content.

0:00 Intro and Jay’s return to the show

2:00 Audiobooks, AI voices, and recording struggles

4:00 Writing challenges, dyslexia, and early books

6:00 Commas, punctuation, and evolving as a writer

8:00 Using AI for editing and proofreading

10:00 How Jay’s writing process has changed over time

12:00 Editing struggles and maintaining story continuity

14:00 Writing fiction vs. quote-based books

17:00 Developing his psychological thriller

19:00 Burnout, breaks, and the writing grind

21:00 The emotional impact of “The Dad Clock”

23:00 Letting go of outcomes and mindset shifts

26:00 Grief, loss, and personal experiences shaping writing

28:00 Reading excerpts from Just for Today

30:00 How the grief book came together

33:00 Book performance, rankings, and validation

36:00 Self-publishing challenges and Amazon process

38:00 TikTok growth and content strategy

40:00 Where to find Jay and closing thoughts

In episode 73 of the Buying Local podcast, host Mike Nelson sits down with Bethanie Lawrence to explore how the World Awareness Children’s Museum is bringing global culture and creativity to kids in the local community. They dive into nonprofit leadership, navigating challenges like the pandemic, and the importance of arts education in childhood development.

Learn more about Bethanie Lawrence and the World Awareness Children’s Museum on their website at worldchildrensmuseum.org. You can also find them on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn by searching for the World Awareness Children’s Museum.

0:00 Intro and guest welcome

2:00 History and mission of the museum

4:00 What makes the museum unique (arts vs STEM focus)

6:00 Age ranges and who the museum serves

8:00 Bethanie’s background and move to the area

10:00 Becoming executive director

12:00 Leading through the pandemic

14:00 Running a nonprofit like a business

16:00 Revenue streams and community support

18:00 Leadership style and managing teams

20:00 School partnerships and outreach programs

22:00 Annual gala and fundraising efforts

24:00 How local businesses can contribute

26:00 Summer hours and tourism impact

28:00 Summer camps and youth programs

30:00 Final thoughts and how to get involved

In episode 72 of the Buying Local Podcast, Mike sits down with Brandon Dewyea as she shares how her work as a stylist and wellness professional helps people feel more confident, organized, and mentally at ease. From decluttering your environment to experiencing vibroacoustic therapy, this conversation explores how rest and simplicity can transform your daily life. 

Find Brandon on her website at findyourmoxie.net or email her directly at [email protected] to book a session.

0:00 Intro & guest welcome

0:30 Brandon’s background & business (Moxie)

1:10 From personal training to styling & organization

2:10 Discovering vibroacoustic therapy

3:00 What vibroacoustic therapy actually is

4:30 Benefits: anxiety, sleep, nervous system reset

6:00 What a session feels like

7:10 Choosing tracks & first-time experience

9:55 What you hear during a session

11:00 Frequencies & how they affect the body

12:30 Meditation, relaxation & shutting off your mind

14:30 Adding red light therapy

16:45 Locations & how sessions work

18:40 How Brandon ties all her services together

22:50 Business philosophy & trusting the process

24:45 Where to find Brandon & closing thoughts

In episode 71 of the Buying Local podcast, host Mike Nelson catches up with creative powerhouse Todd Bailey to discuss his fascinating evolution from a performing musician to a Forbes-published photographer and fractional CMO. They dive deep into the impact of AI on content creation, the wild world of muscle cars, and why small businesses benefit immensely from fractional marketing leadership.

You can connect with Todd and check out his extensive portfolio at tbphotopix.com.

0:00 Introduction and Welcoming Todd Bailey

0:43 Todd's Creative Journey: From Music to Photography

1:36 Evolving into Video and Digital Marketing

3:07 The Value of High-Quality vs. Mediocre Content

4:29 Getting Published in Forbes Magazine

5:34 The Ingenuity of Composite Team Photography

7:46 Balancing Photo, Video, and Marketing Services 

9:48 Navigating AI in the Content Creation Space 

13:37 The Dangers of Bad AI Headshot Generators 

15:50 Saratoga Auto Museum and the Don Yenko Muscle Car Project

18:35 Thoughts on the Tesla Cybertruck

19:28 Returning to Music: From Retirement Homes to Rock Shows

21:46 Working with Big Brands vs. Small Businesses 

23:25 Exciting Video Projects: Hanging off Trucks and YouTube Channels 

26:12 What is a Fractional CMO and Why Do You Need One?