SOWAL House

Didon Comer and Garrett Horn are some of the longest living full time residents in South Walton… and they're among the VERY FIRST RESIDENTS OF SEAGROVE.

Before bridges were built… before roads were paved… before there were grocery stores and restaurants of any kind… there was Didon Comer's $3000 gulf-front property in Seagrove Beach.

Garrett Horn, author of "Postcards of Seagrove", shares stories alongside Didon about what is was like to live as pioneers in one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. They describe vivid scenes of a different, more innocent time in South Walton; like uncovering ancient Native American pottery in the dunes, hanging out in the general store that is now Red Bar, and being the only people on the beach for miles in any direction.

We also talk about the rich artistic heritage of the area. Of why it isn't a coincidence that, through the years, so many Creatives have called this place home. Before this episode, I held a strong belief that Walton County is somehow special. Magical, even. That the magic that permeats here actually pre-exists us.

Now I'm sure of it.

Dr. Bart Precourt exemplifies mind/body health like no one I've met. He's such a high functioning, multi-business entrepreneur that you wouldn't be blamed for forgetting that he's also one of the top chiropractors in the country.

Dr. Bart and his wife Kelli own Balance Fitness on 30A, which provides multiple health-related services like acupuncture, chiro, massage, yoga, and spin classes. They also sell everything from natural supplements to blood tests to branded merchandise. But this is just one of the businesses he runs.

Dr. Bart is also a highly sought after executive coach, restauranteur, real estate investor and most recently, a farmer. That's not a typo… He just acquired a nearby farm and is working to source his own ingredients for his new restaurant, Prema Organic Cafe.

Having success in any one of these businesses would be applaudable, but it seems like Dr. Bart hits home runs every time he steps up to bat. I wanted to find out why.

In this interview, we cover Dr. Bart's origin story and what he says are the REAL keys to success.. and they're not what we've been taught in school. If you want to feel inspired by a true fixture of our community… a real life renegade entrepreneur who doesn't measure his success by revenue but by impact, then this is the episode for you.

Resiliency is a trait that sets great entrepreneurs apart from the rest. And no one embodies this trait more than Lisa Burwell of VIE Magazine, VIE Speaks Podcast and The Idea Boutique, a marketing agency in Grayton Beach.

In this podcast, we cover the origins of Lisa's highly successful businesses. She's remarkably candid about her humble beginnings and the failures she faced along the way. She also weaves in vivid stories from South Walton's past. Stories that I'd never heard before… like the time Prince (now King) Charles and Michael Eisner of Disney toured Seaside.

If I could describe Lisa in one word, it's "Driven". She's a highly sought after asset in the community because of her incredible power of manifestation. Of bringing things into fruition by sheer will, while making it look easy. Obvious, even. Her highly tuned sense of grace hides the effort so that we only focus on the outcomes.

While she's spearheading 3 businesses, Lisa also sits on as many non-profit boards; The Seaside Rep, Seaside Institute, and Children's Volunteer Health Network (CVHN). I get the impression that these are not passive roles. Giving back is important to her. It's one of the things she's driven by. Compelled to do.

Between Lisa's businesses and non-profit work, few people have made as much of a positive impact on South Walton. But the Legacy of Lisa Burwell is still being written. She doesn't slow down. There's plenty of road left to be driven.

Prudence Farrow Bruns is a local treasure. It doesn't take long to see why John Lennon wrote a song… THE song… about her all those years ago. Sure, Prudence's father, film director John Farrow, and mother, Maureen O'Sullivan ("Jane" from the first Tarzan movie), and sister Mia Farrow are Old Hollywood royalty. But my guess is this adjacency to fame was never something she valued. I bet it was just the opposite.

During her coming of age, Prudence's social circle was full of characters that people revered.. even idolized. "They were beautiful, and they had all the money they could imagine. They were FAMOUS. And that became the American Dream. But I saw the ugly side of the dream."

Prudence values something other than fame. Something more MEANINGFUL than fame. She values Time. She values Impact. She values Peace.

In this episode, we talk about Prudence's life's work, Transcendental Meditation, which has impacted the lives of thousands of people. We cover her time with Swami Satchidananda and the legendary Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and of course that fateful trip to India in the 1960's.

Prudence is a gifted storyteller. She weaves together characters and anecdotes throughout, like her life-altering experience meeting Maharishi, or the time Paul McCartney fixed her eyeglasses, or what it was like to hear Dear Prudence for the very first time.

After listening to this episode, I'm sure you'll agree that South Walton's very own Dear Prudence is a local treasure… as priceless as John Lennon's favorite Beatles song. And her message of inner peace and enlightenment is more relevant now than ever.

BONUS: If you liked this episode, you're going to LOVE her book: "Dear Prudence: The Story Behind the Song". You can find it on Amazon:

https://a.co/d/9oPr9lI

Mike Ragsdale, Founder of the 30A Company, is one of the most successful, influential entrepreneurs in South Walton. To many, the success of his 30A brand seems pre-ordained. Obvious even. Just a matter of right time + right place. But this could not be further from the truth.

In this episode, Mike shares the true origin story of the 30A Company, gives valuable insights about why he considers Time to be our most valuable asset, and his theory of placing more emphasis on "Lifestyle Design" than "Work/Life Balance".

This was easily our longest interview to date. Mike & I talk about the value of failing, ancient theories on prayer and meditation, and the importance feeding the soul with travel.

I believe this was also one of our most insightful interviews to date because we talk about the unintended consequences of success. The downsides that so many entrepreneurs gloss over. As a society, we glorify the "Grind". The people who've "Made It". We use a cliched notion that success is simply a composite of "valuable failures" over time. But in reality, these failures can lead to anxieties and, left unchecked, lead to panic attacks and social disorders.

Mike & I talk about how these anxieties personally affect us. As someone who lives with a panic attack disorder, it was such a relief to hear someone as successful and spiritually nourished as Mike share his experiences with social anxiety and his focus on mental heath.

This episode is full of so many insights. So much...affirmation toward what it means to be truly successful in life. I hope this episode feels like a breath of fresh air when you hear it. Enjoy!

Anyone who has stood in front of one of Justin Gaffrey's pieces will tell you; This is the work of a special kind of genius. Justin is easily one of the most prolific artists in the country. The sheer volume of work he produces in a year is staggering. We're talking HUNDREDS. Of. Pieces. His choice of material is so complex - so difficult to manufacture at scale - that he literally had to build a factory to support and supply his output.

Full Transparency: I'm usually cool as a cucumber, but I was on-edge for the first few minutes of this interview. And you're going to hear it when you press Play. I'm a big fan, so I was anxious about not screwing this up... silently reminding myself, "Don't forget to breathe. Don't forget to talk into the mic. Most of all, don't forget to press Record."

So here's our Season Two Finale: An interview with one of my all-time favorite artists, Justin Gaffrey.

I hope you'll enjoy.

Honorable mentions in this episode include: Mike Ragsdale Allison Wickey Chandler Williams Gaffrey Art Material (GAM) Justin Gaffrey Jr Aria Gaffrey Shelby Scheuler

Jim Clark is a man of many talents. His life's work is full of books he's written, magazines he's published, and photographs he's taken. I've honestly never met such a prolific artist like him before. But chief among his many talents is his ability to listen with heart.

In this podcast, Jim and I talk about how he got his start in photography, the work he does in the service of others, and what inspired him to write a book about a terminal cancer patient he's never met.

This is an especially inspiring episode. I hope you'll enjoy!

Hands down, Chris Coleman has some of the most incredible life experiences of anyone I've known. He's a self-taught drummer/pianist/guitarist that played the Today Show with Kings of Leon, recorded tracks with Miranda Lambert & Frank Lidel, and married the love of his life, Holly Williams.

But I got the sense after meeting Chris that none of this came by chance. It had to have come by destiny (which, I believe is simply the residue of hard work and determination).

In this episode, we talk about the work ethic of successful artists, how he stumbled upon the discovery that he was also a visual artist, and his experience as a newly licensed pilot on 9/11/2001.

I found this conversation to be absolutely riveting and I hope you will too.

Honorable mentions in this episode include: Kings of Leon Holly Williams Miranda Lambert Matt Chamberlain Frank Lidel Jody Nardone Susan Gunn 30A Company Yolo Board

If Joan Jett and Lenny Kravitz had a baby, that baby would undoubtedly be one of the biggest collectors of Mark Little's work. Here's why...

Mark Little is easily one of the most exciting photographers in South Walton. Every one of his stills contain a raw vibrance that I have trouble articulating except through music. It's like edgy, honest rock & roll. Not quite punk. Not quite grunge. His work is approachable, but it's not a push-over. Each piece has a commanding presence in a room. It wants you to talk about it. Stare at one long enough, and it'll almost dare you to.

In this episode, Mark & I talk about surrendering to chaos, then turning the byproduct of that surrender into art. It's no wonder that his collaboration with Nicole Paloma is one of the most talked about events in town. I can't wait for you to hear this one.

Honorable mentions include: 30A Talent Fletcher Isacks Christy Milliken Allison Wickey Justin Gaffrey Justin Gaffrey Jr Aria Gaffrey Jonah Allen Chandler Williams

You can also check out Mark's work at www.marklittlephotos.com

Nicole Paloma is a force. A literal force in the art world of South Walton. There's a creative energy that courses through everything she touches. Fabric. Paint. Scissors. She yields these instruments like that of a highly trained sculptor, yet she has no formal education as a couture fashion designer.

Nicole reluctantly acknowledges that her raw creative energy is actually a superpower, even though she sometimes views it as a curse. The reality is that Nicole Paloma is an artist of epic proportions, and each work she produces is meant to bring her one step closer to peace.

You should know that this is a very candid episode. It's full of laughter and tears. The frankness with which Nicole discusses her struggles with addiction is just so… brave. This conversation left me awe-inspired, and I sure it will leave you the same.