Kudzu Project

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Sometimes, the key to understanding our own backyard lies in understanding what exists beyond it. Michael Arrowood of Explore Henderson County joins Nick on the Kudzu Project for a conversation about Henderson County, North Carolina's history and character, and how travel helps us see familiar places with fresh eyes. What begins close to home opens into a broader discussion about curiosity, discovery, and how the more we learn about the world around us, the better we understand the place we call home. 

Welcome to Rhythm & Brews — held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from June-October, Rhythm & Brews transforms South Main Street in downtown Hendersonville into a community gathering place filled with music, food trucks, local beer, wine, and cider, and thousands of people enjoying a summer evening together. Learn more at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/rhythm-brews-concert-series.

The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC.

Support the show

The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

Drop us a line.

Brett Werner isn't running a conventional campaign — his daughter's chalk art downtown begs voters to "Bet on Brett." The political outsider, father, and downtown Hendersonville resident is taking a grassroots, low-tech approach to his bid for City Council. He's doing it the old-fashioned way: meeting people face to face, hanging out at farmers' markets, and listening to people's concerns in real life. Originally from South Florida, Brett brings experience from the private sector and two terms on Hendersonville's Board of Adjustment. In this episode of the Kudzu Project, we talk about what brought him here, what inspired him to enter local politics, and how he weighs in on the issues facing the city today. For more information about Brett's campaign, visit https://betonbretthvl.com/.

Welcome to Rhythm & Brews — held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from June-October, Rhythm & Brews transforms South Main Street in downtown Hendersonville into a community gathering place filled with music, food trucks, local beer, wine, and cider, and thousands of people enjoying a summer evening together. Learn more at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/rhythm-brews-concert-series.

The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC.

Support the show

The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

Drop us a line.

Travel is about more than the places we visit. It's about the people we meet, the experiences we carry with us, and the ways in which a journey changes how we see the world around us, literally and figuratively. In this episode of the Kudzu Project, Nick talks with Marilyn Ball, host of the Speaking of Travel podcast. Together, they reflect on their own adventures and explore why travel is such a formative part of our lives. Because in the end, it's not really about the destination ... it's about the journey ... and who we become along the way. For more information about the Speaking of Travel podcast, visit speakingoftravel.net. 

Welcome to Rhythm & Brews — held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from June-October, Rhythm & Brews transforms South Main Street in downtown Hendersonville into a community gathering place filled with music, food trucks, local beer, wine, and cider, and thousands of people enjoying a summer evening together. Learn more at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/rhythm-brews-concert-series.

The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC.

Support the show

The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

Drop us a line.

Few communities have been tested like Canton, North Carolina. In just a few short years, the mountain town endured the shuttering of its century-old paper mill, devastating floods, and the widespread destruction brought on by Hurricane Helene. In this episode of the Kudzu Project, Nick sits down with Mayor Zeb Smathers to talk about this Appalachian town's crisis, resilience, community identity, and the grave task of building a future beyond the mill.

Welcome to Rhythm & Brews — held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from June-October, Rhythm & Brews transforms South Main Street in downtown Hendersonville into a community gathering place filled with music, food trucks, local beer, wine, and cider, and thousands of people enjoying a summer evening together. Learn more at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/rhythm-brews-concert-series.

The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC.

Support the show

The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

Drop us a line.

Austin Rhodes says he never expected to lead a movement. But the Edneyville berry farmer and beekeeper has found himself at the center of the growing local debate over Flock Safety camera systems in Henderson County, North Carolina.

In this episode of the Kudzu Project, Austin tells Nick why he believes the license plate readers raise serious questions about privacy, surveillance, government overreach, and personal freedom. He shares what drew him to the cause, what he has learned along the way, and why he is urging local residents and elected leaders to take a closer look.

Welcome to Rhythm & Brews — held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from June-October, Rhythm & Brews transforms South Main Street in downtown Hendersonville into a community gathering place filled with music, food trucks, local beer, wine, and cider, and thousands of people enjoying a summer evening together. Learn more at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/rhythm-brews-concert-series.

The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC.

Support the show

The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

Drop us a line.

Jerry Smith has spent much of his life serving Hendersonville, North Carolina ... from teaching and coaching generations of students to representing the community for 14 years on City Council, including a term as mayor pro tem. Now, the longtime public servant and lawyer is making his case to become Hendersonville's next mayor. Jerry joins Nick to discuss the lessons he carried from the classrooms, sidelines, and courtrooms into City Hall, what he learned during his years on City Council, and his vision for Hendersonville's future.

For more information about Jerry Smith's campaign, visit jerrysmithformayor.com.

Welcome to Rhythm & Brews — held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from June-October, Rhythm & Brews transforms South Main Street in downtown Hendersonville into a community gathering place filled with music, food trucks, local beer, wine, and cider, and thousands of people enjoying a summer evening together. Learn more at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/rhythm-brews-concert-series.

The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC.

Support the show

The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

Drop us a line.

For more than six years, Mike Andress has been helping to unearth the people, places, and stories that make the Southern Appalachian Mountains so unique. As the host of the Exploration Local podcast, he has taken listeners into mountain towns, along winding trails and rivers, and into conversations with the people whose lives and missions are deeply rooted in this region. Mike joins Nick to talk about how the podcast began, what he has learned after cranking out scores of episodes, and why some of the best stories and adventures can be found within a short radius of home.

For more information about the Exploration Local podcast, visit https://explorationlocal.com.

Welcome to Rhythm & Brews — held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from June-October, Rhythm & Brews transforms South Main Street in downtown Hendersonville into a community gathering place filled with music, food trucks, local beer, wine, and cider, and thousands of people enjoying a summer evening together. Learn more at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/rhythm-brews-concert-series.

The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC.

Support the show

The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

Drop us a line.

Originally from Austin, Texas, Jason Livengood now calls Asheville, N.C., home, and works with AMP Sales & Marketing Solutions, helping businesses reach local audiences through WLOS and an evolving mix of television, streaming, and digital media.

In this episode, Jason joins Nick for a wide-ranging conversation about life, happiness, and his belief that we shouldn’t postpone joy. They also explore the changing television landscape, whether traditional TV is losing its relevance, and why Jason believes it still offers businesses a powerful—and often more affordable than expected—way to connect with customers.

Welcome to Rhythm & Brews — held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from June-October, Rhythm & Brews transforms South Main Street in downtown Hendersonville into a community gathering place filled with music, food trucks, local beer, wine, and cider, and thousands of people enjoying a summer evening together. Learn more at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/rhythm-brews-concert-series.

The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC.

Support the show

The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

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Nobel Prize-winning economist Peter Howitt joins the Kudzu Project for a fascinating conversation about technology, obsolescence, and the forces that shape our ever-changing world. The Canadian-born economist received the prestigious prize in 2025 for his work on the theory of "Creative Destruction," the necessary but often painful process by which new ideas, technologies, and industries replace the old.

Now residing in Hendersonville, N.C., Howitt discusses the research that earned him one of the academic world’s greatest honors, what creative destruction means for ordinary people, and how innovation, artificial intelligence and even politics can influence the economy of the future.

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/economic-sciences/2025/howitt/facts/

Welcome to Rhythm & Brews — held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from June-October, Rhythm & Brews transforms South Main Street in downtown Hendersonville into a community gathering place filled with music, food trucks, local beer, wine, and cider, and thousands of people enjoying a summer evening together. Learn more at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/rhythm-brews-concert-series.

The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC.

Support the show

The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

Drop us a line.

Jeff Groh has never held elected office, yet he believes that's exactly what Hendersonville needs. In this episode of the Kudzu Project, Nick sits down with the City Council candidate to discuss why he's entering local politics after a career in engineering, technology, and small business ownership. Groh shares his thoughts on limited government, fiscal responsibility, local business, public safety, and preserving Hendersonville's character as the community grows.

To learn more about Jeff Groh's campaign, visit https://www.groh4council.com.

The Kudzu Project welcomes candidates from across the political spectrum and provides guests with equal opportunities to discuss their views and priorities. If you'd like to be interviewed, please email [email protected]. 

Welcome to Rhythm & Brews — held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from June-October, Rhythm & Brews transforms South Main Street in downtown Hendersonville into a community gathering place filled with music, food trucks, local beer, wine, and cider, and thousands of people enjoying a summer evening together. Learn more at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/rhythm-brews-concert-series.

The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC.

Support the show

The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.