EVRYBDY in CLT

Robbie sits down with Kayleigh Ruller — Charlotte-raised, New York-based food and travel writer — for a wide-ranging conversation that defies easy categorization. They cover her New Jersey roots, her Charlotte schooling tour (eight schools, no kidding), a gap year in LA chasing acting, and the long winding road that led her to bylines in Food & Wine, Condé Nast Traveler, and Eater. But the real conversation is about something bigger: dopamine thresholds, external validation, the gray area in life, and what it means to pursue vs. run. One of those conversations that throws the question list out the window — in the best way.

About Kayleigh Ruller:

Kayleigh Ruller is a food and travel writer whose work has appeared in Food & Wine, Condé Nast Traveler, Eater, Charlotte Magazine, the Charlotte Observer, and SouthPark Magazine. A Charlotte native who studied at UCLA and made her bones writing about California's restaurant and wine world, she now splits her time between New York and Charlotte. By day she works in marketing for a luxury travel agency; by night (and weekends and stolen hours) she's reporting, pitching, and building toward a life centered on food, travel, and the communities that form around both. She also runs a personal Substack called Don't Mind Me, where she writes beyond the byline.

Where to Find Kayleigh

Instagram: @kayleighruller

Substack: Don't Mind Me

Published work: Food & Wine, Condé Nast Traveler, Eater, Charlotte Observer, SouthPark Magazine

Timestamps:

0:21 — Charlotte roots: born in Jersey, raised in Ballantyne, eight schools deep

2:40 — Deferring Chapel Hill for a gap year in LA to pursue acting

3:08 — Why acting is the least accessible creative outlet

6:32 — The dopamine threshold theory and what growing up performing does to your brain

7:11 — External validation as a career path — and why she walked away

9:12 — Moving to UCLA, studying bio-anthropology, and writing for the Daily Bruin

14:37 — Improv, public speaking anxiety, and her dad's advice about slowing down

20:15 — So what do you do? Leading with "writer" and building toward something multifaceted

21:56 — Food as performance, hospitality as art — what actually lights her up

22:42 — Freelancing in Charlotte, working at Rosemont, moving to New York for stability

25:56 — Black-and-white thinking, the gray area, and years of therapy to find the middle

29:36 — Running away vs. pursuing: how do you trust yourself enough to leap?

31:00 — Italy, dopamine, and realizing too much of a good thing isn't a good thing

36:17 — Self-help to fiction: learning lessons from messy characters instead of textbooks

38:00 — Wisdom shed vs. wisdom earned — and the limits of telling people what's coming

44:52 — "How'd I do?" Robbie gets graded

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Don’t forget to subscribe to EVRYBDY in Charlotte on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with your network.

Charlotte Locals – Get Featured on the Podcast! Are you doing something interesting in the Charlotte community? We’d love to hear your story! Reach out to be featured on the EVRYBDY in Charlotte podcast.

Businesses – Need Podcast & Video Services? For businesses in Charlotte, NC looking for high-quality podcast and video production, EVRYBDY Studios offers professional services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us to learn more!

In this episode, we sit down with Rick Thurmond, the driving force behind Charlotte's transformation into a thriving music city. Rick takes us through his fascinating journey from sports writer in Tallahassee to his two decades at Charlotte Magazine, and eventually to his current role at Charlotte Center City Partners where he founded Music Everywhere CLT. We dive deep into the challenges and opportunities of developing Charlotte's music ecosystem, from supporting independent venues to changing the city's late-ticket-buying culture.

Rick shares the inspiring story behind Confluence Music Conference, the Carolinas' premier music industry gathering that's becoming Charlotte's answer to South by Southwest. He talks about the moment he realized Charlotte needed a dedicated music conference, the unexpected growth they've experienced in just three years, and his vision for the future. We also explore what makes Charlotte unique as an emerging music city, the importance of buying tickets early to support local venues, and why industry professionals from across the country are taking notice of what's happening here.

Whether you're a music lover, an industry professional, or simply someone who cares about Charlotte's cultural development, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at the intentional work being done to put Charlotte on the map as a creative capital. Rick's passion for building community through music is infectious, and his insights remind us that everyone has a role to play in supporting the local music scene.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Don’t forget to subscribe to EVRYBDY in Charlotte on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with your network.

Charlotte Locals – Get Featured on the Podcast! Are you doing something interesting in the Charlotte community? We’d love to hear your story! Reach out to be featured on the EVRYBDY in Charlotte podcast.

Businesses – Need Podcast & Video Services? For businesses in Charlotte, NC looking for high-quality podcast and video production, EVRYBDY Studios offers professional services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us to learn more!

Lauren Goodell joins the show to discuss her journey from enterprise sales at Microsoft and Salesforce to founding Zinnia, an AI-powered sales platform built around human-first selling.

She and Robbie explore the evolving role of AI in sales, the importance of genuine connection, and why technology should amplify—not replace—human relationships.

A thoughtful conversation for founders, sales leaders, and anyone navigating growth in an increasingly automated world.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Don’t forget to subscribe to EVRYBDY in Charlotte on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with your network.

Charlotte Locals – Get Featured on the Podcast! Are you doing something interesting in the Charlotte community? We’d love to hear your story! Reach out to be featured on the EVRYBDY in Charlotte podcast.

Businesses – Need Podcast & Video Services? For businesses in Charlotte, NC looking for high-quality podcast and video production, EVRYBDY Studios offers professional services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us to learn more!

On this episode EVRYBDY in CLT, Robbie Shaw sits down with AI expert and StealthX founder, Drew Burdick.

Robbie and Drew dive into the future of AI and whether it will be the world changing business tool that many hope for or the not so popular doom and gloom sci-fi movie! Drew is a self proclaimed techno optimist and predicts (and hopes for) the former.

Drew expands on why his company chose podcasting as a core business driver and how it has fundamentally changed client relationships.

He shares his strategy for generating A+ quality content consistently and the immense value of aligning with trusted production partners like EVRYBDY Studios.

This conversation is a must-listen for any business owner looking to educate around AI and the use of podcasting as a serious marketing and lead-generation tool.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Don’t forget to subscribe to EVRYBDY in Charlotte on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with your network.

Charlotte Locals – Get Featured on the Podcast! Are you doing something interesting in the Charlotte community? We’d love to hear your story! Reach out to be featured on the EVRYBDY in Charlotte podcast.

Businesses – Need Podcast & Video Services? For businesses in Charlotte, NC looking for high-quality podcast and video production, EVRYBDY Studios offers professional services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us to learn more!

This episode features Nicole Sodoma, the founder of Sodoma Law, detailing her remarkable journey of building a regional legal powerhouse. After an unconventional start—leaving high school at 16—Nicole opened Sodoma Law 17 years ago on a whim. She quickly scaled the firm from two people to over 40 lawyers across seven offices. Nicole offers candid insight into the complexity of Family Law, explaining that attorneys must act as psychologists for clients in emotional crisis, and stresses that being a great lawyer is fundamentally different from being a great business leader.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Don’t forget to subscribe to EVRYBDY in Charlotte on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with your network.

Charlotte Locals – Get Featured on the Podcast! Are you doing something interesting in the Charlotte community? We’d love to hear your story! Reach out to be featured on the EVRYBDY in Charlotte podcast.

Businesses – Need Podcast & Video Services? For businesses in Charlotte, NC looking for high-quality podcast and video production, EVRYBDY Studios offers professional services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us to learn more!

This episode features journalist Michael Graff, founder of The Charlotte Optimist. Graff shares his unconventional career path, which began with the ambition to get free admission to Orioles games as a sportswriter. He details his shift from sportswriting to becoming a defining feature writer for Our State magazine, where he traveled North Carolina's 100 counties. Graff discusses how his work is fundamentally driven by learning and finding the "universal truth" in every story, aiming to connect with readers on a deeper, human level.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Don’t forget to subscribe to EVRYBDY in Charlotte on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with your network.

Charlotte Locals – Get Featured on the Podcast! Are you doing something interesting in the Charlotte community? We’d love to hear your story! Reach out to be featured on the EVRYBDY in Charlotte podcast.

Businesses – Need Podcast & Video Services? For businesses in Charlotte, NC looking for high-quality podcast and video production, EVRYBDY Studios offers professional services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us to learn more!

This episode features journalist Michael Graff, founder of The Charlotte Optimist. Graff shares his unconventional career path, which began with the ambition to get free admission to Orioles games as a sportswriter. He details his shift from sportswriting to becoming a defining feature writer for Our State magazine, where he traveled North Carolina's 100 counties. Graff discusses how his work is fundamentally driven by learning and finding the "universal truth" in every story, aiming to connect with readers on a deeper, human level.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Don't forget to subscribe to EVRYBDY in Charlotte on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with your network.

Charlotte Locals – Get Featured on the Podcast! Are you doing something interesting in the Charlotte community? We'd love to hear your story! Reach out to be featured on the EVRYBDY in Charlotte podcast.

Businesses – Need Podcast & Video Services? For businesses in Charlotte, NC looking for high-quality podcast and video production, EVRYBDY Studios offers professional services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us to learn more!

Host Robbie Shaw welcomes Chef Dorji Tshering and Sara Reeves, the creative forces behind the new Charlotte tasting menu restaurant, Sora. Chef Dorji shares his incredible culinary journey, which began in Bhutan, included French and Italian training in Sydney, Australia , and led to learning the detailed art of sushi from a pure master in Connecticut , eventually working for culinary legends like Chefs Masaharu Morimoto and Masa Takayama in New York.

Sara, a Charlotte native, discusses her family's heritage as one of the first Chinese restaurant families in the city and her unique choice to work two full-time jobs: as a Registered Nurse and as a restaurateur. Together, they detail the eight year journey to bring the vision for Sora, a restaurant dedicated to turning dinner into a memorable "experience" and a "moment in time" to life in a beloved Charlotte neighborhood.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 

Don’t forget to subscribe to EVRYBDY in Charlotte on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with your network.

Charlotte Locals – Get Featured on the Podcast! Are you doing something interesting in the Charlotte community? We’d love to hear your story! Reach out to be featured on the EVRYBDY in Charlotte podcast.

Businesses – Need Podcast & Video Services? For businesses in Charlotte, NC looking for high-quality podcast and video production, EVRYBDY Studios offers professional services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us to learn more!

In this inspiring episode of EVRYBDY in CLT, host Robbie Shaw sits down with Dr. Joy Davis—author, scholar, and researcher of high-achieving women—for a raw and uplifting conversation on identity, resilience, and growth. Joy shares her personal journey through motherhood, loss, and career pivots, exploring how life’s hardest seasons can become catalysts for reinvention and purpose. From navigating grief to embracing bold new chapters, Joy reveals how women can honor their complexity while defining success on their own terms.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How motherhood and career shaped Joy’s view of high achievement 

✅ The life events that led her to redefine identity and success 

✅ Why embracing pivots and reinvention is essential for growth

✅ The importance of grace, forgiveness, and self-care for high-achieving women

Guest Bio: Dr. Joy Davis is a writer, professor, and researcher whose work focuses on high-achieving women and the intersections of identity, motherhood, and success. Through her teaching, writing, and speaking, Joy empowers women to embrace their full complexity and pursue bold, purpose-driven lives.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 

Don’t forget to subscribe to EVRYBDY in Charlotte on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with your network.

Charlotte Locals – Get Featured on the Podcast! Are you doing something interesting in the Charlotte community? We’d love to hear your story! Reach out to be featured on the EVRYBDY in Charlotte podcast.

Businesses – Need Podcast & Video Services? For businesses in Charlotte, NC looking for high-quality podcast and video production, EVRYBDY Studios offers professional services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us to learn more!

In this episode of EVRYBDY in CLT, host Robbie Shaw sits down with Liz Brigham, Director of the Hurt Hub at Davidson College, to talk about her journey from corporate leadership roles to championing innovation, entrepreneurship, and community building in higher education.

Liz shares how her experiences in business, the arts, and academia have shaped her vision for creating spaces where students, entrepreneurs, and creatives can collaborate and thrive. From forging partnerships with local businesses to supporting Charlotte’s creative economy, Liz offers insights on leading through change, fostering inclusive environments, and preparing the next generation for the future of work.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How the Hurt Hub connects higher education with the business and creative communities

✅ Why cross-disciplinary collaboration is key to solving big problems

✅ Leadership lessons Liz has carried from corporate to campus

✅ How community partnerships expand opportunities for students and entrepreneurs

✅ The evolving role of higher education in workforce development

Guest Bio: Liz Brigham is the Director of the Hurt Hub at Davidson College, where she leads programs and partnerships that connect students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and the greater Charlotte community. With a career spanning corporate leadership and academic administration, Liz is passionate about building inclusive, innovative ecosystems that support both economic and creative growth.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Don’t forget to subscribe to EVRYBDY in Charlotte on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with your network.

Charlotte Locals – Get Featured on the Podcast! Are you doing something interesting in the Charlotte community? We’d love to hear your story! Reach out to be featured on the EVRYBDY in Charlotte podcast.

Businesses – Need Podcast & Video Services? For businesses in Charlotte, NC looking for high-quality podcast and video production, EVRYBDY Studios offers professional services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us to learn more!