Mind Your Business - A Podcast Series produced by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce

Last week, over 170 attendees gathered in Boone for the Vision Northwest North Carolina economic development summit.

The afternoon session was highlighted by a Small Business Case Study that included Booneshine Brewing Company & Stick Boy Bread Company. In this week's extended edition of Mind Your Business, listen as Carson Coatney, Michelle Bollman, and Tim Herdklotz discuss the vision and values they have set for these businesses, and how that impacts their ability to recruit and retain top talent.

Mind your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The radio show airs each Thursday morning at 10:05AM on WATA (1450AM/96.5FM) in the High Country.

The podcast version of the program is made possible each week by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and sponsored in part by Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.

Support the show

NASCAR All-Star race week is in full swing in North Wilkesboro, and the eyes of the sports world are focused on Northwest North Carolina. This is more than just a race on the NASCAR schedule. This week represents a nostalgic visit into the past, pulling out a regional calling card, and using the spirit of cooperation to fuel a week's worth of activities that will pave the way for future events that will benefit the entire area.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Linda Cheek, President of the Wilkes Chamber of Commerce, and one of the key organizers of the events that led to the return of racing to North Wilkesboro. She'll share details about how the conversation started, what made this effort different that previous attempts to revive the track, and how so many people and things came together in a short period of time.

For up-to-date race week information, visit NorthWilkesboroSpeedway.com

Mind your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The radio show airs each Thursday morning at 10:05AM on WATA (1450AM/96.5FM) in the High Country.

The podcast version of the program is made possible each week by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and sponsored in part by Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.
 

Support the show

Chamber members unite for The Lifesaver Event, an educational event designed to inform individuals about the processes that are beneficial to understand when tackling life events. 

Discussions will be led by qualified representatives in the fields of Medicare, Social Security, Estate Planning and Processing, Tax Planning, and Market Investments.

The event will be held Friday, May 19 & Saturday, May 20 at the High Country Home Builders Association office in Boone. The conversations are free to the public, but registration is required.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we'll get an event preview from Jason Sirmon and Billie Jo Lister, two of the local panelists and organizers who will be providing information throughout this two-day window.

Mind your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The radio show airs each Thursday morning at 10:05AM on WATA (1450AM/96.5FM) in the High Country.

The podcast version of the program is made possible each week by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and sponsored in part by Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.

Support the show

North Carolina celebrates its annual Small Business Week, as declared by Governor Roy Cooper. Over 990,000 small businesses employ 1.7 million workers across the State.

Business North Carolina magazine recently released its Power 100 list for 2023, highlighting the State's most influential private-sector business leaders. We'll recognize those on the list with ties to the High Country and Northwest region. We also saw a strong showing of Vision Northwest North Carolina alumni on this year's list.

We'll also unveil the next round of breakout session panelists for Vision Northwest North Carolina on this week's show. Who among them are the next leaders to show strong examples of business success in the Northwest region, and how can they help motivate the next wave of business growth for our area?

Mind your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The radio show airs each Thursday morning at 10:05AM on WATA (1450AM/96.5FM) in the High Country.

The podcast version of the program is made possible each week by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and sponsored in part by Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.

Support the show

The State of North Carolina continues to move through the budgeting process, with the State Senate expected to announce their spending plan within the next few weeks. Funding for early childhood education remains one of the hot topics in this year's budget debate and has been a focal point of budgets released by Governor Roy Cooper and the NC State House.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we'll hear an update on the process from Elisha Childers, Executive Director of The Children's Council of Watauga County. We'll also hear about an upcoming fundraiser, A Night at Firerock Station, which will raise money for more targeted family support and early childhood services in Watauga County.

Event details: A Night at  Firerock Station

Mind your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The radio show airs each Thursday morning at 10:05AM on WATA (1450AM/96.5FM) in the High Country.

The podcast version of the program is made possible each week by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and sponsored in part by Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.

Support the show

The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its 7th annual 4 Under 40 Awards on Thursday, April 6, 2023 at the Appalachian Theatre in Downtown Boone.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we hear from each of the award recipients, and learn more about their impact on the High Country community.

Mind your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The radio show airs each Thursday morning at 10:05AM on WATA (1450AM/96.5FM) in the High Country.

The podcast version of the program is made possible each week by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and sponsored in part by Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.

Support the show

Community conversations can be impactful when it comes to creating change. A common theme for businesses across Northwest North Carolina centers around the ability to recruit and retain staff. Approaching these approaches "the same old way," is not providing the best results when it comes to filling positions and fostering longevity. What are the questions you should be asking as you are looking to build your team? What are employees of today valuing most when it comes to picking a career pursuit?

On this week's Mind Your Business we preview the 4th annual Vision Northwest North Carolina economic development summit, set for May 25th in Boone. The theme of this year's event centers around Returning and Retaining Today's Workforce. We'll examine some of the main community conversations around educational attainment and how asking the right questions of your staff can lead to a more efficient way of doing business in the future.

Mind your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The radio show airs each Thursday morning at 10:05AM on WATA (1450AM/96.5FM) in the High Country.

The podcast version of the program is made possible each week by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and sponsored in part by Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.

Support the show

As the calendar turns to April, festival season in the High Country is getting closer every day. Dozens of arts festivals will take place over the next several months, bringing visitors to the area while adding to the quality of life local residents get to experience each day. 

On this week's Mind Your Business,  we discuss the dynamics of festival season, and how each event works together to create a "destination" for arts enthusiasts across all genres. We'll also get a sneak peek at the 39th season of An Appalachian Summer, which just announced their slate of shows and performances set for June 24-July 29.

Mind your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The radio show airs each Thursday morning at 10:05AM on WATA (1450AM/96.5FM) in the High Country.

The podcast version of the program is made possible each week by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and sponsored in part by Appalachian Regional Healthcare System. 

Support the show

Thursday marked final passage in the NC House for Medicaid expansion, leaving only Governor Roy Cooper's signature, and an approved State budget from improving access and affordability of healthcare to 600,000 North Carolinians. 

The process to get to this point was a long one, filled with enough gridlock and partisan politics to last a lifetime. How could this process better reflected the needs of rural North Carolinians?

On this week's Mind Your Business, we discuss the art of consensus building, and how taking conversation to decision-makers could give a fighting chance to advancing other key community issues, like childcare access, affordable housing, infrastructure improvements, and other similar topics.

We also give a listen to a timely excerpt from our sister podcast, Reaching Your Peak, where Christopher Chung of EDPNC talks about the value of building consensus, and what to expect in terms of economic development priorities in rural North Carolina in the years to come.

Mind your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The radio show airs each Thursday morning at 10:05AM on WATA (1450AM/96.5FM) in the High Country.

The podcast version of the program is made possible each week by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and sponsored in part by Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.

Support the show

News of Silicon Valley Bank's collapse late last week jolted the banking industry and sent many people's anxiety levels to an elevated state as they contemplated the ramifications of more financial turmoil.

As this story continues to evolve on a national scale, having local context of the associated impacts of this recent instability is important for business owners and residents alike.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Brian Greer, Watauga Market President of LifeStore Bank. He explains the steps that led to the demise of Silicon Valley Bank, while also sharing the differences between banks like SVB compared to community and regional banks that are more prevalent in our marketplace. While providing reassuring remarks about confidence in the community banking system, Greer also explains the types of benchmarks in your personal or business banking habits that should motivate you to talk with your banker or financial planner, so potential issues can be avoided.
 
If you have questions about your coverage, or would like to learn more about FDIC insurance and how it works, we encourage you to access the following resources: 

• Understanding Deposit Insurance
• FDIC Deposit Insurance FAQs
• FDIC Calculators

Support the show