Old Town New World

We talk with Ryan Sanderson about his entrepreneurial journey and growing Rock Hill coffee company, Knowledge Perk into a business with locations and partnerships across South Carolina. Ryan shares how his early ventures, community involvement, and focus on building relationships shaped his approach to entrepreneurship and helped Knowledge Perk expand into new markets.

Ryan Sanderson is the founder of Knowledge Perk and an entrepreneur based in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He has launched and grown multiple businesses, including an earlier trash service designed to employ people with autism. Ryan also serves as chair of the Gravity Center Foundation, where he works to provide mentorship, education, and resources to entrepreneurs in York County.

We talk with Caroline Lewis, founder and CEO of The Farmers Feed, about strengthening the connection between local farms and the communities they serve. Caroline shares how her background in marketing and social media led her back home to Rock Hill and inspired her to help farmers and agriculture-focused businesses tell their stories, reach new customers, and become a bigger part of the local economy.

Caroline Lewis is a Rock Hill native as well as founder and CEO of The Farmers Feed, a business focused on helping farmers and agriculture-related organizations connect with their communities through marketing, storytelling, education, and partnerships. After studying at Tulane University, Caroline worked in social media, retail, and technology in Washington, D.C., and New York before returning to Rock Hill and launching The Farmers Feed.

We talk with Chad Williams, a longtime Rock Hill community leader and former York County Council member, about his campaign for South Carolina Senate District 15. Chad shares how his experience on the Rock Hill Planning Commission, County Council, local boards, and as a small-business owner shaped his approach to public service. We talk about political polarization, the importance of listening to constituents, infrastructure, education funding, economic development, taxation, and the challenges of governing effectively.

Chad Williams is a Rock Hill native, former York County Council member, and longtime community volunteer. He previously served on the Rock Hill Planning Commission, has served on numerous local boards and commissions, and owned and operated CMS Caretaker Management Service before selling the business in 2022. He is running for South Carolina Senate District 15 with a focus on listening to constituents, local experience, and effective government.

We talk with Dr. Meaghann Bernardy and Dr. Kevin C. Wang, co-founders of Clarity Health, about how direct primary care is changing the relationship between patients and physicians. They explain how their subscription-based practice gives patients unlimited access to their doctors through longer appointments, direct communication, and a focus on prevention rather than insurance billing. Dr. Bernardy and Dr. Wang also share their personal journeys into medicine, their passion for family practice, and their vision for bringing relationship-based healthcare back to the community.

Dr. Meaghann Bernardy is a family physician and co-founder of Clarity Health. After training in Florida and Colorado, she founded Clarity Health to provide relationship-based direct primary care with a focus on prevention and patient access.

Dr. Kevin C. Wang is a family physician and co-founder of Clarity Health. He has practiced direct primary care throughout his career and is committed to making healthcare more personal, accessible, and focused on long-term patient relationships.

Chris Wallace shares his vision for connecting Rock Hill and Charlotte through passenger rail using existing railroad infrastructure. The conversation explores commuter rail, traffic congestion on I-77, transportation costs, economic development, regional cooperation, public transit, and how expanded transportation choices could better connect Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Pineville, and Charlotte.

Chris Wallace is a Charlotte-area public transportation advocate and secretary of All Aboard Charlotte. His advocacy grew from his personal experience relying on walking, cycling, buses, and other forms of public transportation to navigate the region.

Dawn Johnson shares how she became a business owner, community leader, and advocate for economic empowerment in Rock Hill. The conversation explores entrepreneurship, financial literacy, civic engagement, leadership, B.E.L.L. (the Black Economic Leadership League), building stronger communities, and why meaningful relationships, lifelong learning, and personal empowerment are essential to creating lasting change.

We talk with LaKesha Womack, Democratic nominee for North Carolina's 14th Congressional District, consultant, author, ordained minister, and Chief Strategy Officer at Aspire Community Capital. LaKesha shares her journey from rural Alabama to public service, discussing her grassroots approach to campaigning, the importance of listening to communities, and why she believes complex challenges require thoughtful, long-term solutions rather than political sound bites. The conversation explores economic opportunity, healthcare, childcare, small business development, political engagement, and her work helping entrepreneurs grow sustainable businesses through community-focused lending and technical assistance.

LaKesha Womack is a consultant, author, ordained minister, and Chief Strategy Officer at Aspire Community Capital. With more than 20 years of experience in strategic planning, organizational development, and small business growth, she helps organizations and communities solve complex challenges through systems-based thinking and practical leadership. She is also the Democratic nominee for North Carolina's 14th Congressional District.

We talk to Robert Long, Director of Economic Development for Chester County, South Carolina. He discusses how small communities compete for big investment in today’s global economy. From international trips to Seoul, Korea, to local workforce training programs, Robert breaks down how economic development actually works and why it matters to everyday residents. Robert also explains how Chester County has shifted from simply chasing jobs to focusing on high-quality opportunities that benefit the community long-term, including major projects like IKO and E. & J. Gallo Winery.

Robert Long is the Director of Economic Development for Chester County, where he leads efforts to recruit new industry, support existing businesses, and grow the local economy. With a background in demography and years of experience in economic development, he focuses on strategic growth that balances job creation, workforce development, and sustainable community impact. Under his leadership, the county has seen significant investment, wage growth, and even reductions in property tax rates through an expanded tax base.

We talk to York Area Business Person of the Year Beth Black White from Black’s Peaches about her family’s multi-generational farming operation in York County, South Carolina. She tells us  how they’ve evolved from traditional agriculture into a thriving agritourism destination. We cover everything from growing fruits and vegetables to creating community experiences like hayrides, corn mazes, and farm markets, while also exploring the realities of seasonal food, crop loss, and the importance of supporting local agriculture.

Beth Black White is a co-owner of Black’s Peaches, a family farm with roots in the 1700s and over 100 years of peach production. Her great-grandfather planted the first peach crop, and the business has since expanded under multiple generations to include strawberries (now in their 50th year), produce markets, and agritourism. In addition to running the farm, Beth serves as a York Soil and Water Commissioner, advocating for sustainable land and water use and supporting local farmers.

In today's episode, we talk with Andrew T. Hsu, the president of the College of Charleston. We explore the leadership and vision behind one of the country’s most respected academic institutions in one of the most desirable cities in the world. Our conversation focuses on balancing affordability, innovation, and academic rigor while continuing to strengthen academic programs and navigate the long-term impact of COVID.

The episode also explores Dr. Hsu’s personal journey, from being born in China and growing up during the Cultural Revolution to building a career in the United States across multiple colleges and universities. Now serving in his first presidency at the College of Charleston, he reflects on his path to leadership, his appreciation for Charleston, and how his experiences have shaped his perspective on education, opportunity, and institutional growth.