No Excuses with Deanna Parrish

📈 Is that gray-wash furniture really a better buy than a well-made antique?

If you’re furnishing, renovating, or decorating a lake house, it’s hard to know which pieces and upgrades will last.

Realtor Deanna Parrish talks with Birmingham interior designer Mark Kennamer, who builds each home around the antiques and heirlooms his clients already own.

Hear why classic pieces outlast trends, how to mix antiques with modern design, where renovation upgrades add character, and how to hire the right designer.

🎙 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✔️ Gray-wash and whitewash furniture trends are giving way to antiques 

✔️ Modern lamps and mirrors beside antiques make a room feel collected 

✔️ Hand-hewn wood floors can be dressed up with fine fabrics and antiques 

✔️ Painted finishes don’t belong on fine pieces of furniture 

✔️ Renovation upgrades: wallpaper or wood paneling adds character affordably 

✔️ Durable fabrics and rugs make a home easier to live in with kids and pets 

✔️ Hiring an interior designer starts with browsing their work on Instagram 

🎧 HOSTED BY: Deanna Parrish

👤 GUEST: 

Mark Kennamer – Birmingham, Alabama residential interior designer and founder of Mark Kennamer Design. He pairs antiques with modern art, bespoke lighting, and rich textiles, and his work has been featured in Southern Accents, Southern Home, and Better Homes and Gardens. He has also served as a tastemaker for the Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Antiques at the Gardens. 

⏳ Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Birmingham Interior Designer Mark Kennamer 

• 01:02 - How to Blend Heirlooms With Modern Decor 

• 03:09 - Smith Lake Homes: Casual, Low-Maintenance Design 

• 04:38 - Make a New Home Feel Like It’s Been in the Family 

• 05:40 - Antique vs. New Furniture: Which Lasts Longer? 

• 07:38 - Overly Decorated? How to Edit a Full Room 

• 12:08 - Kitchens, Baths & Windows: Renovation Priorities 

• 17:30 - Does Interior Design Help a Home Sell Faster? 

• 19:27 - Smith Lake Buying Tips for Birmingham Buyers 

• 21:33 - Kid- and Pet-Friendly Fabrics, Rugs & Finishes 

• 24:16 - Customer Service & the House Beautiful Show House 

• 27:41 - Choosing an Interior Designer: Instagram & Interviews 

💡Key Questions Answered in This Episode

Q: What keeps interior design clients coming back for years?

→ A: Consistent customer service, according to Mark Kennamer, a Birmingham residential interior designer, who keeps clients in the loop and projects moving as seamlessly as possible. He estimates 90% of his clients are repeat clients.

Q: How do I know if an interior designer is the right fit for me?

→ A: Narrow your list, then interview them to make sure you click. Mark says the relationship matters just as much as the design work.

Q: When do people usually bring in a designer for a new lake house?

→ A: Usually after buying, unless it’s new construction built from the ground up. Mark says clients often call him once they’ve already bought the lake house.

Q: How can I make my home feel fresh before selling without a full renovation?

→ A: Change out light fixtures, lamps, or cabinet hardware, and replace countertops if the budget allows. Deanna Parrish saw one listing look brand new after a refresh of 10-year-old light fixtures and countertops.

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH MARK KENNAMER:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-kennamer-389669384/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markkennamer/?hl=en 

• Website: https://www.markkennamerdesign.com/

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH DEANNA PARRISH:

• Website: https://deannaparrish.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-parrish-42655616/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanna.e.parrish_realtor/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithlakeproperty

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

#NoExcusesPodcast #DeannaParrish #MarkKennamer #InteriorDesign #AntiqueFurniture #HomeRenovation #LakeHouse #SmithLake #AlabamaRealEstate 

📈 Should rural Alabama welcome data centers? A state senator weighs the jobs, the power grid and the payoff for small towns.

Host Deanna Parrish, who has pitched sites to power companies and worked in oil and gas, continues her talk with Alabama State Senator Matt Woods of Senate District 5. Matt shares what he’s learned about data centers, why grid capacity worries him most, and what relocating buyers find in West Alabama.

You’ll hear how data centers could reshape rural Alabama, what draws families and retirees to West Alabama, how to see past rural stigmas, and why Walker County’s growth is already underway.

🎙 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✔️ Data center fears are often fueled by misinformation 

✔️ Data centers need guardrails, just like any other industry 

✔️ Grid capacity limits can cost a state major industrial projects 

✔️ Senior property tax freezes help retirees budget with confidence 

✔️ Faith communities often double as rural community centers 

✔️ Rural Alabama stigmas fade once investors visit in person 

✔️ Walker County growth shows in Cordova, Jasper and the lake project 

🎧 HOSTED BY: Deanna Parrish

👤 GUEST: 

Matt Woods: Alabama State Senator for Senate District 5, covering Walker, Fayette, Lamar and parts of Tuscaloosa and Jefferson counties. A Jasper businessman with his family's Jasper Auto Sales, he previously served as an Alabama state representative and spent five years on the Alabama Community College System board of trustees. 

⏳ Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Part 1 Recap: Sen. Matt Woods 

• 00:44 - Data Centers: Jobs, Water & Myths 

• 03:01 - Power Grid: 100 MW Promised, Then 25 

• 06:19 - Data Centers as a Rural Lifeline 

• 08:11 - PSC Overhaul & New Energy Secretary 

• 10:32 - Highway 17, I-65 & Northern Beltline 

• 14:02 - What Agents Should Tell Buyers 

• 16:05 - Education, Free College & Faith 

• 18:13 - Rural Alabama Myths & Building Trust 

• 22:17 - “More Than Our Fair Share” 

• 25:09 - Don’t Wait to Move to Walker County 

• 27:40 -Selling Rural Land Sight Unseen 

💡Key Questions Answered in This Episode

Q: How can data centers ease the strain on the power grid?

→ A: Alabama State Senator Matt Woods of Senate District 5 says data centers can ease grid strain by producing some of their own power on site or close by, through natural gas, solar or a combination that works. He calls on-site generation “a no-brainer,” so load does not have to be throttled up or down in ways that affect residential customers.

Q: Who benefits when a large data center comes to a rural area?

→ A: Local businesses benefit, according to Matt Woods, who names mom-and-pop shops, grocery stores, convenience stores and restaurants as the places that could boom. In his hypothetical example, one large project could put 1,500 to 2,000 workers on site at any one time for the next 10 years.

Q: Why are out-of-state buyers moving to Walker County, Alabama?

→ A: Out-of-state buyers are moving to Walker County because their buying power is so much better than up north or out west, according to Matt Woods. He has heard buyers say they can get a 100-acre farm for what a 1,500-square-foot house on a half-acre lot cost them in Chicago.

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH MATT WOODS:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-woods-20680883/

• Facebook: Campaign → https://www.facebook.com/VoteMattWoods

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH DEANNA PARRISH:

• Website: https://deannaparrish.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-parrish-42655616/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanna.e.parrish_realtor/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithlakeproperty

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

#NoExcusesPodcast #MattWoods #WalkerCounty #DeannaParrish #JasperAlabama #WestAlabama #SkilledTrades #CareerTech 

📈 Should your kids have to leave home to build a good career? In Walker County, the answer depends on jobs, skills, and what comes after coal.

Host Deanna Parrish talks with Alabama State Senator Matt Woods of Senate District 5. A Jasper businessman and former state representative, Matt spent 5 years on the Alabama Community College System board of trustees and grew up in a blue-collar coal-mining family in Oakman.

You'll hear which jobs AI can't replace and how career tech trains students, why outdoor recreation helps recruit employers, how coal country plans beyond the mine, and what it takes to make West Alabama land build-ready.

🎙 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✔️ Jobs AI can't replace: welders, plumbers, pipe fitters, electricians

✔️ Blue-collar gap: 3 retirements reported for every 1 replacement

✔️ Career tech diplomas teach math through shop classes

✔️ Outdoor recreation like fishing and trails helps recruit employers

✔️ Coal country should diversify jobs before the mine runs out

✔️ Hilly terrain makes industrial site prep costly

✔️ Infrastructure bonds fund projects without paying all upfront 

🎧 HOSTED BY: Deanna Parrish

👤 GUEST: 

Matt Woods: Alabama State Senator for Senate District 5, covering Walker, Fayette, Lamar and parts of Tuscaloosa and Jefferson counties. A Jasper businessman with his family's Jasper Auto Sales, he previously served as an Alabama state representative and spent five years on the Alabama Community College System board of trustees. 

⏳ Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Cold Open: Jobs AI Can't Replace

• 00:36 - Meet Sen. Matt Woods: Roots & Small Business 

• 06:54 - Walker County Lake & Real Estate 

• 13:12 - Career Tech: 3 Retiring, 1 Replacing 

• 18:40 - Free College & the Case for Career Tech 

• 21:56 - Coal Bill: Diversifying Beyond Coal 

• 26:22 - Site Prep, SEEDS Act & Bonds 

• 29:50 - West Alabama: Location & Low Taxes 

💡Key Questions Answered in This Episode

Q: How can a small town keep its young people from moving away?

→ A: Alabama State Senator Matt Woods of Senate District 5 says a small town keeps its young people by creating good-paying job opportunities and a safe community, so children don't have to leave to find a good quality of life. He speaks as a father raising his daughter in Walker County.

Q: Where can students in Walker County get career technical training?

→ A: Students in Walker County can get career technical training on Industrial Drive in Jasper, which Matt Woods calls one of the most robust workforce training corridors in Alabama, home to the Drummond Center and, across the street, Bevill State Community College. Bevill State's partnerships include Alabama Power, with training in HVAC, weatherization, solar panels and EV technician work.

Q: Why shouldn't every student be pushed toward a 4-year degree?

→ A: Matt Woods says not every child is meant to get a PhD, and while his own four-year degree has been useful, he believes he probably could have made more money doing other things. He adds that doctors and attorneys are still needed, but so are people who can fix an air conditioner that isn't blowing cold.

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH MATT WOODS:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-woods-20680883/

• Facebook: Campaign → https://www.facebook.com/VoteMattWoods

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH DEANNA PARRISH:

• Website: https://deannaparrish.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-parrish-42655616/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanna.e.parrish_realtor/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithlakeproperty

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

#NoExcusesPodcast #MattWoods #WalkerCounty #DeannaParrish #JasperAlabama #WestAlabama #SkilledTrades #CareerTech 

📈 What do investors need to know before putting money into a small town?

On No Excuses, host Deanna Parrish, who works directly in real estate marketing in Alabama, continues her conversation with Renee Sides, Director of Economic Development for the City of Cordova, Alabama. Renee walks through how her office builds toward Main Street Alabama status, supports existing local businesses, and evaluates a 387-acre development project that would be Cordova's first new subdivision since the 1960s.

If you're weighing whether a small town is worth your investment, this episode shows you exactly what to look for.

🎙 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✔️ Building every new project to a formal downtown standard now makes future certification faster later 

✔️ Underground power lines survive storms that snap overhead lines and cause lasting outages 

✔️ A defined region's shared natural landmarks, like rivers or mountains, can anchor a town's whole identity 

✔️ Copying another city's downtown rarely works as well as borrowing single ideas and adapting them 

✔️ A single donated parcel of land can turn into a fully booked community facility within a few years 

✔️ Selling a development plan to local boards and councils matters as much as writing the plan itself 

✔️  A long-term relationship with one city contact protects a business owner's future plans better than a one-time deal 

🎧 HOSTED BY: Deanna Parrish

👤 GUEST: 

Renee Sides is the Director of Economic Development for the City of Cordova, Alabama; she previously owned the Cedar House shop in Cordova and chaired the city's industrial board before moving into economic development, bringing a background in construction, supply chain logistics, and inventory management software. 

🚀 If you want to stop losing leads to faster-responding competitors and lock down your local market, this episode gives you the blueprint!

⏳ Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Recap: Part 1 With Renee Sides 

• 00:53 - Quality of Life as Economic Strategy 

• 06:15 - Downtown Walkability, Small Business 

• 08:38 - Cane Creek & Natural Resources 

• 15:20 - Tourism & Recreation Revenue 

• 20:22 - Tourism Without Copying Big Cities 

• 25:01 - Nonprofits, Churches & Government 

• 28:09 - $5.5M Infrastructure Project 

• 31:59 - "Growing or Dying": Taking Risks 

• 33:14 - Leading 1,875 Residents 

• 40:02 - Next Milestone: 387-Acre Project 

• 43:54 - Advice for Small-Town Investors

• 46:51 - Closing & Where to Find Renee

💡Key Questions Answered in This Episode

Q: How can a small town prepare to become an official Main Street community before it even has a downtown?→ A: Renee Sides, Director of Economic Development for the City of Cordova, Alabama, says Cordova is building every new project to Main Street Alabama's criteria in advance, so it can submit its application the moment it has the buildings and infrastructure needed to qualify.

Q: Why should small towns move their power lines underground?→ A: Renee Sides says underground power prevents the kind of widespread outages Cordova experienced when a storm broke its overhead lines, since buried lines can't be damaged the same way.

Q: What should a small town figure out first before trying to build a tourism economy?→ A: Renee Sides says a town should first figure out who it truly is and who it wants to be, identify its real assets, and build a plan around those instead of copying what another city has done.

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH RENEE SIDES:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-sides-630453276/

• Website: https://cordovaal.org/

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH DEANNA PARRISH:

• Website: https://deannaparrish.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-parrish-42655616/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanna.e.parrish_realtor/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithlakeproperty

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com

#NoExcusesPodcast #RuralEconomicDevelopment #SmallTownInvesting #QualityOfLife #CordovaAlabama #ReneeSides #DeannaParrish 

📈 What does it take to bring $1 million into a town of under 2,000 people?

On No Excuses, host Deanna Parrish, who works directly in real estate marketing in Alabama sits down with Renee Sides, Director of Economic Development for the City of Cordova, Alabama. Renee shares how a 20-year comprehensive plan, a $6.4 million road-paving grant, and one well-timed PowerPoint pitch turned into real, measurable wins for a small rural town.

If you lead or love a small town, this episode is a working playbook for turning limited resources into lasting growth.

🎙 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✔️ A 20-year plan keeps every project decision aligned with community goals 

✔️Steep or unusable land can become valuable trail infrastructure 

✔️ Trusted teams need the right people in the right roles 

✔️ Federal grants can fund major infrastructure without raising local taxes 

✔️ Youth workforce programs build both career skills and community trust  

✔️ One well-placed pitch to the right official can unlock major funding 

✔️  Beautification projects deliver high impact for very low cost 

If you're building, leading, or investing in a small town, this episode is your blueprint, listen now and follow No Excuses for more 

🎧 HOSTED BY: Deanna Parrish

👤 GUEST: 

Renee Sides is the Director of Economic Development for the City of Cordova, Alabama; she previously owned the Cedar House shop in Cordova and chaired the city's industrial board before moving into economic development, bringing a background in construction, supply chain logistics, and inventory management software. 

🚀 If you want to stop losing leads to faster-responding competitors and lock down your local market, this episode gives you the blueprint!

⏳ Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Lives Lost, Housing Lost 

• 00:32 - Meet Renee Sides of Cordova, AL 

• 01:32 - From Retirement Plans to City Leader 

• 05:34 - Cordova's 20-Year Comprehensive Plan 

• 06:40 - Turning Steep Land Into Trails 

• 13:03 - Rural Development Mistakes to Avoid 

• 15:06 - Why Towns Skip Certified City Planners 

• 16:50 - The Pipeline Fight Common Sense Won 

• 19:09 - Nick Saban's Team-Building Lesson 

• 20:15 - Cordova Wiped Away: The Real Story 

• 25:32 - AmeriCorps: Training Local Youth 

• 28:35 - The Pitch That Won $1 Million 

• 31:30 - $6.4M RAISE Grant Repaves Roads 

• 39:38 - Beautification on a Small Budget 

• 41:16 - Competing for Private Investment 

💡Key Questions Answered in This Episode

Q: How can small towns win state and federal grants for local projects?→ A: Small towns win grants by building direct relationships with state economic development officials and pitching a specific, concrete community need: Cordova, Alabama secured a $1 million commitment for a middle school robotics facility this way, through the Appalachian Regional Commission, matched by the Board of Education.

Q: What is a comprehensive plan in local economic development?→ A: A comprehensive plan is a long-term strategic document: in Cordova's case, a 20-year plan built over 18 months, that every proposed project is measured against to confirm it matches what the community said it wanted.

Q: Why do rural communities struggle to grow economically? A: Rural communities struggle to grow because most local leaders are part-time, staff resources are stretched thin, and towns rarely invest in personnel who can write and manage the federal grants needed to fund long-term projects.

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH RENEE SIDES:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-sides-630453276/

• Website: https://cordovaal.org/

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH DEANNA PARRISH:

• Website: https://deannaparrish.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-parrish-42655616/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanna.e.parrish_realtor/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithlakeproperty

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

#NoExcusesPodcast #RuralEconomicDevelopment #SmallTownRevitalization #CordovaAlabama #ReneeSides #DeannaParrish 

📈 Why would Paul Kennedy turn down a six-figure donor for something else instead?

Continuing from Part 1, this half gets into harder questions: how do you tell 260 churches in a county of 65,000 that duplication hurts more than it helps? What happens to families raising kids and aging parents at once, with no plan?

Host Deanna Parrish and Paul Kennedy, President of the Walker Area Community Foundation, dig into running a $150 million fund, the math behind America's nonprofit funding gap, and the story of a retired resident whose skill set and network turned out to be worth more than their money.

_____________

🎙 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✔️ Understand the "sandwich generation" squeeze and its rising financial toll

✔️ Learn why funding duplicate nonprofits can hurt more than help

✔️ See how volunteers rebuilt 121 homes for free after 2011

✔️ Find out why your taxes may not fund your local food pantry

✔️ Learn how to give to a cause through time or skills, not just money

✔️ Get a behind-the-scenes look at Walker County's growing HDCI campus

_____________

⏳ Key Questions Answered in This Episode :

Q1: How do community foundations prevent nonprofits from duplicating the same services?

→ A (EN): They prevent duplication through a formal grant review: reviewers check whether other organizations offer a proposed service before funding is approved. If similar work exists, they won't recommend the grant unless the applicant proves they're meeting an unmet need.  

Q2: What is the "sandwich generation" squeeze?

→ A (EN): The sandwich generation squeeze is the strain on adults raising kids and caring for aging parents at once, without the family support networks larger families once had. Paul Kennedy calls it "untenable," risking families going broke meeting both needs at once.  

Q3: Why can't nonprofits alone solve poverty and homelessness in the U.S.?

→ A (EN): Nonprofits can't solve it alone because, per a report Paul Kennedy cites, if every U.S. nonprofit pooled its resources into those programs, funding would only last 16 weeks. National need far exceeds combined charitable capacity, making the gap unfillable by nonprofits alone.

_____________

⏳ Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Recap: What Happened in Part 1   

• 01:06 – Ideal Community & Disaster Recovery  

• 03:50 – Avoiding Duplicate Nonprofit Efforts 

• 06:15 – Walker County's 260 Nonprofits Problem 

• 08:20 – Government & Outside Partnerships 

• 15:08 – 16 Years of Interns as Ambassadors   

• 15:42 – Walker County vs. Mountain Brook Pride  

• 21:43 – Advice for Families Leaving a Legacy  

• 23:23 – The $10 Donation That Made Him Cry  

• 24:34 – More Than Money: Repurposing Resources  

• 30:16 – Homelessness & the 16-Week Funding Gap   

• 35:30 – How to Find and Support WACF  

• 39:28 – Storytime: Uncle Max and Southern Roots  

• 45:30 – Expanding HDCI & Keeping Young Talent 

_____________

🎧 HOSTED BY: Deanna Parrish

👤 GUEST: 

Paul Kennedy is a registered forester and President of the Walker Area Community Foundation, a role he's held 19 years after 14 years running his own nonprofit. He has grown the endowment from $10M to $150M and spearheaded the $100M+ Heman Drummond Center of Innovation (HDCI) in Jasper, Alabama. 

_____________

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH PAUL KENNEDY:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-kennedy-b5a6204/

• Instagram: Company → https://www.instagram.com/walkerareacommunityfoundation/?hl=en

• Facebook: Company → https://www.facebook.com/walkerareacommunityfoundation

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH DEANNA PARRISH:

• Website: https://deannaparrish.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-parrish-42655616/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanna.e.parrish_realtor/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithlakeproperty

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

#NoExcusesPodcast #WalkerCountyAlabama #CommunityFoundation #JasperAlabama #PaulKennedy #NonprofitFunding #Philanthropy

📈 What if rebuilding a struggling town starts not with a windfall, but a $10 donation and a promise never to touch the principal?

That's the operating philosophy behind the Walker Area Community Foundation (WACF) and it's turned a $10 million endowment into more than $150 million in community investment. For anyone trying to understand what actually moves the needle in a small Alabama town, this episode breaks it down in plain numbers.

Host Deanna Parrish sits down with the man who's run WACF for 19 years to unpack how disciplined, long-term investing not one-time grants funds lasting change, from food security programs to a $100 million career and technical education center.

🎙 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✔️ How a $10 million endowment grew into a $150 million community investment engine

✔️Why WACF never spends its principal and what "seed corn" has to do with it

✔️ The real reason 85% of local food pantry visitors are seniors raising grandchildren

✔️How a weatherization program can free up $300/month for a struggling household

✔️ Why a $100 million career center is being built to close a local skills gap

✔️ How one overlooked donor became a lifelong giver simply by being asked

✔️ What turned Walker County's reputation from embarrassment into local pride

🎧 HOSTED BY: Deanna Parrish

👤 GUEST:

Paul Kennedy is a registered forester and has served as president of the Walker Area Community Foundation for 19 years. He previously built and ran his own nonprofit for 14 years before joining the foundation, and he has led its endowment growth from $10 million to $150 million while spearheading the $100+ million Heman Drummond Center of Innovation (HDCI) in Jasper, Alabama.

🚀 If you want to stop losing leads to faster-responding competitors and lock down your local market, this episode gives you the blueprint!

_____________

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH PAUL KENNEDY:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-kennedy-b5a6204/

• Website: https://www.wacf.org/

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH DEANNA PARRISH:

• Website: https://deannaparrish.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-parrish-42655616/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanna.e.parrish_realtor/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithlakeproperty

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

#CommunityFoundation #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #SmallTownRevival #WalkerCounty #JasperAlabama #EconomicDevelopment #NoExcusesPodcast

How did a rural Alabama school district get featured in the New York Times and the Singapore Times? Supt. Dennis Willingham explains. 

Deanna Parrish, a realtor with Magnolia Land and Homes and a registered land professional with over 35 years of experience in oil, gas, and mineral transactions, hosts No Excuses to help buyers and investors make informed decisions in the Jasper and Smith Lake area. 

In this episode, Dr. Dennis Willingham unpacks how Walker County's 5-year strategic plan, $90 million career tech center, and partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce and Alabama Power are shaping the future of the county from new schools to real job pipelines for graduates. 

🎙 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✔️ How a 5-year strategic plan turned Walker County into an internationally recognized school system 

✔️Why school district reputation directly affects home values and buyer confidence 

✔️ What the $90 million career tech center means for welding, HVAC, and cybersecurity training 

✔️How FEMA-approved storm shelters are redefining school safety in tornado-prone Alabama 

✔️ How free college access through dual enrollment is changing outcomes for local families 

✔️ How Chamber of Commerce and Alabama Power partnerships create real job pathways for graduates 

✔️What infrastructure signals commercial developers watch for before building in an area 

🎧 HOSTED BY: Deanna Parrish

👤 GUEST: 

Dr. Dennis Willingham is the Superintendent of Education for Walker County Board of Education and an adjunct professor at the University of West Alabama, with over 20 years of K-12 experience as a teacher and administrator. He also serves as an executive coach for Alabama superintendents and is a certified Cognia Lead Evaluator. 

🚀 If you want to stop losing leads to faster-responding competitors and lock down your local market, this episode gives you the blueprint!

_____________

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH DENNIS WILLINGHAM:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-willingham-160a65b9/

• Website: School →  https://www.walkerschools.org/

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH DEANNA PARRISH:

• Website: https://deannaparrish.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-parrish-42655616/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanna.e.parrish_realtor/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithlakeproperty

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

#CommunityFoundation #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #SmallTownRevival #WalkerCounty #JasperAlabama #EconomicDevelopment #NoExcusesPodcast

📈 On this episode of No Excuses, host Deanna Parrish talks with the two people keeping small-town radio alive in Jasper, Alabama: Jonathan Timmons, owner of WJLX Radio, and James Phillips, host of "Live at Nine." Neither of them planned to run a radio station but after the sudden loss of longtime owner Brett Elmore, they stepped up anyway. 

🎙 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✔️ How a stolen AM transmitter almost cost WJLX Radio its FCC license 

✔️Why an obscure FCC rule ties a station's FM signal to a working AM transmitter 

✔️ What it really takes to run a small-market station as owner, engineer, and salesman all at once 

✔️How to step into an industry with zero prior experience and make it work 

✔️ Why real community journalism means telling people's stories, not chasing "hard news" 

✔️How small-town radio builds loyalty without chasing national ratings 

✔️ What keeps local radio relevant against algorithmic playlists and endless podcasts 

✔️How turning failures into lessons keeps a small business moving forward 

🎧 HOSTED BY: Deanna Parrish

👤 GUEST: 

Jonathan Timmons is the owner and manager of WJLX Radio in Jasper, Alabama, a former U.S. Marine Corps communications specialist who also owns Timmons Infrared, a thermal imaging company for industrial and commercial real estate. 

James Phillips is a 30-year veteran of print, radio, and broadcast journalism who now hosts "Live at Nine" on WJLX Radio. 

🚀 If you want to stop losing leads to faster-responding competitors and lock down your local market, this episode gives you the blueprint!

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👉🏻 CONNECT WITH JONATHAN TIMMONS & JAMES PHILLIPS:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/timmons-infrared-llc

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timmonsinfrared/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timmonsinfraredllc/

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH DEANNA PARRISH:

• Website: https://deannaparrish.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-parrish-42655616/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanna.e.parrish_realtor/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithlakeproperty

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

📈 Ever wonder why potential clients choose other local businesses before they even find yours? Host Deanna Parrish sits down with Mason Sanders, founder of Tier 1 Marketing, to break down the exact digital playbook local service businesses need to dominate their market.

🎙 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✔️ Why search visibility beats raw skill when winning local service contracts

✔️ How to fully optimize your Google Business Profile to win the map pack for free

✔️ Why immediate speed-to-lead responses turn missed calls into booked clients

✔️ How small businesses use AI automation to level the playing field against top competitors

🎧 HOSTED BY: Deanna Parrish

👤 GUEST: Mason Sanders – Founder, Tier 1 Marketing

Mason Sanders is the founder of Tier 1 Marketing, an Alabama-based digital agency helping businesses maximize their online visibility. He specializes in local SEO, paid advertising, streaming TV ads, and AI-powered automation to drive measurable results and growth for his clients. 

🚀 If you want to stop losing leads to faster-responding competitors and lock down your local market, this episode gives you the blueprint!

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👉🏻 CONNECT WITH MASON SANDERS & Tier 1 Marketing:

• Website: https://tier1marketing.net/

• Email: [email protected]

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tier1marketing/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masonraysanders/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/masonraysanders/

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH DEANNA PARRISH:

• Website: https://deannaparrish.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-parrish-42655616/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanna.e.parrish_realtor/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithlakeproperty

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/