Connect Raleigh

After a quiet pause, Connect Raleigh returns with a reflection on why these conversations still matter.

In this short standalone episode, host Chuck Belden shares why he stepped back, what brought him back, and why the stories of the people building their lives and work in Raleigh matter more than ever. It’s not about growth, headlines, or hype, it’s about people, perspective, and the feeling of belonging that keeps this community connected.

It's not what you know....it's who you know. The Connect Raleigh networking group gives professionals in Raleigh a way to network socially while expanding their professional sphere by focusing on building quality relationships. It's also a fantastic opportunity to highlight who you are, what you do and most importantly...why you do it!

Jolene (Jo) Fender is a French Canadian expat that chose to move to North Carolina after getting a taste of snow birding during her maternity leave. She homeschools her 3 kids and started her own secular homeschool co-op to serve over 30 families currently here in the Triangle. She splits her time as best as she can between homeschooling, managing the co-op, creating social media content and helping others build a community of homeschoolers around them. If she's not doing any of that, you may find her out running, playing soccer, listening to true crime podcasts or camping.
After the episode please connect with her to learn more about her experience living here in the Triangle or about her Homeschool Co-Op: @littlefenders on Instagram

A conversation with Billy Richardson is a good conversation to have. He's lived all around the county but chooses to call Raleigh home. He's a veterinarian, financial + business + soccer coach and really passionate about connecting to other humans and building strong relationships where we can help each other grow. He has a strong desire to gain understanding and perspective from the people he meets as we "do life" together. Originally from Elizabethtown, KY he grew up on the backside of Churchill Downs which ignited his interest and desire to become a veterinarian at the age of 12. He's practiced as a veterinarian in Florida, Charlotte, Los Angeles, and back to Raleigh to open Trinity Animal Hospital in Holly Springs on April 5th, 2016. He then sold the business, hit the pause button on veterinary medicine in June 2021 and has been exploring other opportunities along the way and what does it mean to be an entrepreneur.

Check out the chat with Billy, go try some of his favorite places around Raleigh and then give him a follow @billydvm because he would love to get to know you and share a good cup of coffee with you.

Today on the Connect Raleigh podcast we get to be Connect Durham...sort of. Our guest Michelle Johnson is with us today to talk about all that is going on around Durham including her brand spanking new DIY studio called Nailed It.

I'll also talk a teeny tiny bit about what in the world is happening in the real estate market because it seems to be a little all over the place.

If you're looking for more things to do in The Triangle or for more reasons to move here, dig into this podcast.

Nailed It’s 32nd location in Durham, NC, is owned and operated by Michelle Johnson, a West Virginia native of Filipino descent. Motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic she, with the help of her husband Russell, fulfilled a life-long dream of owning her own businesses in the spring of 2022. Having lived in Durham for more than twenty years, she was ready to be a more intregal part of the community and provide a fun, inclusive experience in south Durham. In the retail section of the store you will find other small businesses selling their handmade goods in addition to the gifts and signs made in-house. In Michelle’s spare time you will find her planning a special event or family get-away.

After you give it a listen, please connect with Michelle at:

https://durham.naileditdiy.com 

https://www.facebook.com/NailedItDIYDurham
https://www.instagram.com/naileditdiydurham/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-johnson-b798784/

And if you want to learn more about the process of buying or selling real estate, or working with a real estate agent, Let's see if we might be a good fit to work together. Take a look down there. 👀

To start with, Michael or Mike as I'm allowed to call him, is a good friend of mine and the kind of guy that you just enjoy being around. He's smart, he's kind, he's funny, a great dad and husband and a HUGE music geek which is kind of cool. He's a partner with NC Planning where he serves as an attorney and business advisor with over twenty (20) years of experience focusing his practice on the representation of individual and business clients and lending institutions in the areas of corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, business planning, commercial lending and contracts. I am licensed to practice in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

He's regularly represents business clients ​in a variety of matters including corporate and other entity formation, company start-ups, mergers, business acquisitions and sales, joint ventures, employee incentive/deferred compensation planning, commercial lending and loan closings, resolution of shareholder disputes and corporate restructuring. In the M&A space, Michael has successfully served as counsel to clients in a variety of industries including, without limitation, professional practice owners (dentists, doctors, lawyers, etc.), construction, industrial/manufacturing, franchises and medical equipment, effectively and efficiently closing deals ranging in size from $50K-$10MM+ 

As a natural extension of his business transactional work, he also effectively serves as outside general counsel to corporate clients and professional practices, assisting in a breadth of matters ranging from contract review, revision and negotiation to complex corporate planning and dispute resolution.

After you listen in on this one, give Mike a connect at:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-a-burger/

Firm: https://ncplanning.com/ also on FB and IG search Nc planning 

Cheyenne is a local mom, entrepreneur, and content creator. She runs Triangle Families Explore, a media resource connecting families to high quality experiences in the triangle. Cheyenne is currently in the process of opening her first brick and mortar business, Little Oak Collective, a children's consignment store and community space. She's passionate about connecting community and creating intentional spaces for families. 

Her perfect Raleigh day would be brunch at Jubala, mountain biking one the trails near Falls Lake, and drinks at East Bower Cider Co. When she chose to move to Raleigh a huge driving factor of her decision was the desire to be a part of the growth and culture of the city. She felt like Raleigh was approachable enough to go after their dreams and they were right! 

Check her out online at:

@trianglefamiliesexplore 
@littleoakcollective_raleigh 
@alevinsonadventure 
https://www.littleoakcollectiveraleigh.com

Brandon Baker is the President/CEO of First Tee of the Triangle and has served in the role since 2013. Prior to moving to the Triangle to join First Tee in 2010, he held a variety of roles in the youth development space spanning from programming to marketing and communications in the youth development space. He holds a M.S. in Recreation, Parks, and Sports Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, and despite being born in Maryland and spending years in Virginia, considers the Triangle home! 

Brandon is a certified Master Executive through First Tee, a member of the Triangle Business Journal's 40 Under 40 Class of 2016, and the publication also recognized him as a CEO of the Year recipient in 2021. 

In his spare time, Brandon enjoys playing golf, good breweries, and spending time his significant other and their two furry family members. Make sure you connect with Brandon at the following:

@Bakerbl (Instagram) 
@FirstTeeTriangle (Instagram + Facebook) 
LinkedIn - First Tee — Triangle 
www.FirstTeeTriangle.org

And after the episode check out some of his favorite spots around the Triangle at:

The Village District

Gizmo Brewing

Lonerider

Trophy

Shelly Lake

NCSU

NC Museum of Art

Marbles

UNC

Duke

Shaw University

St Augustine's University

NC Central University

Old Chatham Golf

Raleigh Golf Association

Pine Hollow

Raleigh Country Club

Lonnie Poole Golf Course

Wendell Falls

Farmhouse Cafe

North Hills

Danny Rosin is the president of Brand Fuel a brand merchandising agency that delivers brand experiences, ecommerce, inspiration and results while having fun along the way. And that right there seems to be the key to everything important in Danny's life...doing big things while having a blast doing it. I think that is the big take away here. At least it was for me. The conversation with him really helped me look at everything important in my life through another lease and I hope it will for you too.

He serves on the board of A Place at The Table, Raleigh’s only “pay what you can” café which is one of the most talked about businesses on this Podcast in Raleigh. I must be surrounded by some really awesome people with many of them sharing a common love of this place so if you've not been there...get there asap. He is on the executive team for The Harvard 100. He is the active co-founder of Band Together, a nonprofit that has donated $12 million to 108 local nonprofits through live concert experiences. Like the title says, he's a Big Time Do Gooder and having a fun time doing it all.

Rosin is a tireless community builder who likes starting organizations doing things that matter which is another reason why I connect to him. He is a pathological optimist, hopelessly falling in love with most everyone he meets. His core competencies are in philanthropy, music, sales and marketing and “familying.”  He is married with two daughters who are 14 and 17 and has come to grips with the idea that well-behaved women rarely make history. Truth right there. And today on the Pod we get to talk about all of this and more. You don't want to miss this one.

While listening, go ahead and connect with him online at: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/dannyrosin⁠  ⁠https://twitter.com/DannyRosin⁠  ⁠https://www.brandfuel.com/⁠ ⁠https://bandtogethernc.org/⁠

And after the episode, run by some of his favorite people and places around town and see Danny's version of Raleigh.

321 Coffee

Gabi's Grounds

Carroll's Kitchen

Dix Park

Pour House

Kings

Local 506

Innovate Raleigh

Creative Mornings

Fuck Up Nights

Lincoln Theater

Duke Gardens

NCSU

UNC

Umstead Park

Citrix Cyle

Courtney is the owner of a small business in Raleigh called Raleigh Cheesy where they make custom cheese and charcuterie boards for catering options as well as they have a retail location you can pop in for some take home goodies or an educational class. They sprung on the market during Covid and built a very successful business by plugging into and serving their community. Check out Courtney's story and then give her a follow @raleighcheesy on Instagram and Facebook as well as their online presence at www.raleighcheesy.com

And after that go check out her favorite places around the Triangle and get a feeling for why she loves it here!

Blind Barbor

Urban Air

North Carolina Zoo

Getaway Houses

Fenton

Colletta 

Jolie

Plum

Cortez

Lake Johnson

Village District

Duke Gardens

NC State Arboretum

Le Farm

Fount

Wilmington, NC