Start Local

By Liam Dempsey, Erik Gudmundson, and Joe Casabona

Start Local is focused on helping businesses and non-profits in and around Chester County, Pennsylvania, connect and grow together. Our aim is to bring together the many folks that make up our wonderf... more

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FAQs about Start Local:

How many episodes does Start Local have?

The podcast currently has 103 episodes available.

Start Local episodes:

June 20, 2025Talking Music and Selling Records with Shawn Cephas
Start Local Podcast Spring Networking Event
We'll be gathering as a community in Coatesville, Pa on Wednesday, May 6th from 5 to 7 PM. This opportunity to meet and mingle with business and nonprofit leaders from in and around Chester County is free to attend, but registration is required.

Come on out for an evening of great people, meaningful conversations, and delicious local food and drink.

Learn more and register over on our website at startlocal.co.

For many, music is as much a part of life as breathing. We drop the needle on a conversation with Shawn Cephas, owner of Forever Changes, a record store in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Shawn shares how his deep love for and expansive knowledge of music has driven him to open a shop that is as much a space to learn about music as to buy records. We explore the intimate connection that Shawn’s family has with music. Through our conversation, Shawn offers a lesson in music history as we journey through genres. Whether you’re a lifelong collector or just getting into the groove, this episode strikes a chord.
OUR PARTNER
Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce

LINKS
Forever Changes
Website: foreverchangesrecords.com
Instagram: instagram.com/forever.changes
Forever Changes on Facebook
Bluesky: @foreverchangespxv.bsky.social
Additional Links
WXPN
Steel City Café
Phoenixville Area Community Services (PACS)
Ann’s Heart
Kit’s Closet
Local Music Venues
The Fenix Bar & Lounge
SoulJoel’s (at SunnyBrook, Pottstown)
SunnyBrook Ballroom
The Gem
Bands and Artists Mentioned

We linked to the Wikipedia page for all the artists below. We invite you to check out their music wherever you listen.
Hüsker Dü
Black Flag
Minor Threat
Rites of Spring
Metallica
Slayer
Anthrax
Death
Big Star
The Clash
The Jam
The Smiths
R.E.M.
Talking Heads
Ramones
Depeche Mode
The Cure
Bad Brains
My Morning Jacket
Belle and Sebastian
Chappell Roan
Death Cab for Cutie
The Postal Service
Cat Power
Mannequin Pussy
Soccer Mommy
Blondshell
Bully
Florence + The Machine
Greta Van Fleet
Madonna
Duran Duran
Taylor Swift
Ray Charles
Luther Vandross
Poco
Buffalo Springfield
Jethro Tull
Japanese Breakfast
Black Pumas
Maya Delilah
Adele
Lorde
Culture Club
Charlie Parker
Duke Ellington
Dizzy Gillespie
Bill Evans
Paul Motian
Scott LaFaro
Mac Miller
Suki Waterhouse
Steve Lacy
N.W.A.
Dr. Dre
Ice Cube
Prince
Jimi Hendrix
Movie: High Fidelity
Record Labels
Blue Note Records
Original Jazz Composers (OJC)
Riverside Records
Transcript

The transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.
...more
1h 4min
May 30, 2025Making Local Cider from Branch to Bottle with Olga and Brian Dressler
Start Local Podcast Spring Networking Event
We'll be gathering as a community in Coatesville, Pa on Wednesday, May 6th from 5 to 7 PM. This opportunity to meet and mingle with business and nonprofit leaders from in and around Chester County is free to attend, but registration is required.

Come on out for an evening of great people, meaningful conversations, and delicious local food and drink.

Learn more and register over on our website at startlocal.co.

Continuing our run of conversations with local producers, we sit down with Olga and Brian Dressler, the owners and cider makers at Dressler Estate. We learn about their branch to bottle approach to making local cider. We hear about their recently opened tasting room in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, and their vision for this new home. We talk cider production, label making, and the business of a running a cidery. Pour yourself a glass of their finest and tune in for a great conversation.
OUR PARTNER
Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce
LINKS
Dressler Estate
Website: dresslerestate.com
Instagram: instagram.com/dresslerestate
Facebook: facebook.com/DresslerEstate
Additional Links
East Branch Brewing
Station Taproom
Bottleroom
Rosie’s Kettlecorn
Downingtown Main Street Association
Downingtown Farmers’ Market
Chestnut Hill Farmers’ Market
Rittenhouse Farmers’ Market
Related Start Local Episodes
Farming Grapes and Making Local Wine with Anthony Vietri
Spearheading the Organization of a Community Brewfest with Jeff Norman
TRANSCRIPT
The transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.
...more
58min
May 16, 2025Farming Grapes and Making Local Wine with Anthony Vietri
Start Local Podcast Spring Networking Event
We'll be gathering as a community in Coatesville, Pa on Wednesday, May 6th from 5 to 7 PM. This opportunity to meet and mingle with business and nonprofit leaders from in and around Chester County is free to attend, but registration is required.

Come on out for an evening of great people, meaningful conversations, and delicious local food and drink.

Learn more and register over on our website at startlocal.co.

Southeastern Pennsylvania is not typically at the top of the list of renowned wine regions of the world. Yet that is exactly why we stopped into the tasting room at Va La Family Vineyard. We sat down Anthony Vietri, farmer and wine maker, to learn how his family has been farming the land in Avondale, Pennsylvania for almost one hundred years. We talk about his approach to farming grapes and crafting unique and complex wines flowing from the local terroir. If you're into wine and looking for a wonderfully different and refreshing discussion about wine and the business of wine, this is a conversation to savor.
OUR PARTNER
Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce
LINKS
Va La Family Vineyard
Website: valavineyards.com
Instagram: instagram.com/valavineyards
Facebook: facebook.com/VaLaVineyards
Additional Links
Shellbark Hallow Farm
Canine Partners for Life
Stroud Water Research Center
Related Start Local Episodes
Training Service and Companion Dogs with Kirstin Downie
Conducting World-Leading Fresh Water Research with John Jackson
Transcript

The transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.
...more
42min
May 02, 2025Building Trust and Stewarding Clients’ Financial Affairs with Patti Brennan
Start Local Podcast Spring Networking Event
We'll be gathering as a community in Coatesville, Pa on Wednesday, May 6th from 5 to 7 PM. This opportunity to meet and mingle with business and nonprofit leaders from in and around Chester County is free to attend, but registration is required.

Come on out for an evening of great people, meaningful conversations, and delicious local food and drink.

Learn more and register over on our website at startlocal.co.

In times of uncertainty, the desire for financial security is universal. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Patti Brennan, founder and CEO of Key Financial, a wealth management firm based in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Patti shares practical ideas for navigating turbulent markets. We explore her unique career path from ICU nurse to nationally recognized financial advisor. We dig into her people-first leadership style, and the values that shape her firm – now managing $2.5 billion in assets. We also dive into her new book, Am I Going to Be Okay?, published by Forbes.
OUR PARTNER
Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce
LINKS
Key Financial
Website: keyfinancialinc.com
Facebook: facebook.com/KeyFinancialInc
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/key-financial-inc
Patti Brennan on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/keyfinancialinc
Patti’s Book: Am I Going to Be Okay?
Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC)
Chester County Economic Development Council
Seedcopa
Hire One
ITAG
Supporting the Local Business Community with Michael Grigalonis
Additional Links
Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital
Top-Rated Health Care and Well-Supported Staff with Karen Pinsky, MD and Ed Callahan
Transcript

The transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.
...more
54min
April 18, 2025Making Meat Snacks and Growing Distribution with Panache with Brendan Cawley
Start Local Podcast Spring Networking Event
We'll be gathering as a community in Coatesville, Pa on Wednesday, May 6th from 5 to 7 PM. This opportunity to meet and mingle with business and nonprofit leaders from in and around Chester County is free to attend, but registration is required.

Come on out for an evening of great people, meaningful conversations, and delicious local food and drink.

Learn more and register over on our website at startlocal.co.

The snack business is competitive to say the very least. It may even be cut-throat. Creating a snack that people want is hard enough, but getting it into the market and on store shelves takes even more grit. We chased down Brendan Cawley, founder and CEO of Righteous Felon, a meat snack company with deep roots in Chester County. We interrogate Brendan about jerky, biltong, and meat sticks, exploring their R&D, manufacturing, and distribution processes. We talk about online sales, and of course, how the company was an outgrowth of a side hustle for a bunch of middle schoolers in Downingtown.
OUR PARTNER
Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce
LINKS
Righteous Felon
Website: righteousfelon.com
Instagram: @righteousfelon
Facebook: facebook.com/RighteousFelon
Tiktok: @righteousfelon
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/righteous-felon
Local Beer Distributors
Exton Beverage
Beermill
Lou Beverage
Waywood Beverage
Victory Brewing
Local Restaurants and Stores
Leone’s Pizza
Crop’s Fresh Marketplace
Kimberton Whole Foods
Farm and Meat Processors
Stoney Point Snacks
Roseda Black Angus Farm
44 Farms
Certified Peidmontese
Additional Links
Natural Lands
Downingtown Main Street
Transcript
A full transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.
...more
1h 1min
April 04, 2025Crafting Ice Cream, Culinary Creations, and Community with Melinda Shaw
Start Local Podcast Spring Networking Event
We'll be gathering as a community in Coatesville, Pa on Wednesday, May 6th from 5 to 7 PM. This opportunity to meet and mingle with business and nonprofit leaders from in and around Chester County is free to attend, but registration is required.

Come on out for an evening of great people, meaningful conversations, and delicious local food and drink.

Learn more and register over on our website at startlocal.co.

Enticed by her delicious ice cream and kitchens creations, we had to talk with Melinda Shaw, founder and owner of Hangry Bear Creamery in Kennett Square. Melinda shares how her love of food and background in hospitality led her to open a unique ice cream studio that goes far beyond scoops and cones. We dip into the science behind real ice cream, the importance of using local ingredients, and how community partnerships have shaped her business. From boozy shakes to a wonderfully eclectic yet family-friendly meals, Melinda offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a creative and community-focused creamery.
OUR PARTNER
Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce
LINKS
Hangry Bear Creamery
Website: hangrybearcreamery.com
Instagram: instagram.com/hangrybearcreamery
Facebook: facebook.com/hangrybearcreamery
TikTok: tiktok.com/@hangrybearcreamery
Local Food and Drinks Companies and Organization
Old Stone Cider
Creekside Coffee Roasting Co.
UDairy Creamery (University of Delaware Creamery)
Berkey Creamery (Penn State Creamery)
LC Farms (Oxford, PA)
Additional Links
SCORE (Chester & Delaware Counties)
Calabrese Performing Arts
Fulton Bank
WMMR (Radio Station)
Centered Clay Studio
TRANSCRIPT
The transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.
...more
46min
March 21, 2025Serving and Supporting the Local Community with Pauline Garcia-Allen
Start Local Podcast Spring Networking Event
We'll be gathering as a community in Coatesville, Pa on Wednesday, May 6th from 5 to 7 PM. This opportunity to meet and mingle with business and nonprofit leaders from in and around Chester County is free to attend, but registration is required.

Come on out for an evening of great people, meaningful conversations, and delicious local food and drink.

Learn more and register over on our website at startlocal.co.

Located in southern Chester County, Oxford, Pennsylvania, is a charming small town that is rich in history and poised for revitalization and growth. We sit down with Pauline Garcia-Allen, the Borough Manager of Oxford, to explore what makes this town so special. From its diverse community to its evolving downtown and economic development efforts, Pauline shares how she and other local leaders are working to support residents, attract businesses, and navigate a complexity of challenges, including the expansion of the Route 1 corridor. Tune in for an inside look at Oxford’s transformation and why now is the time to keep an eye on this up-and-coming gem.
OUR PARTNER
Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce
LINKS
The Borough of Oxford
Borough website: oxfordboro.org
Careers: oxfordboro.org/jobs
Facebook: facebook.com/oxfordboroughpa
Instagram: instagram.com/theboroughofoxford
Additional Links
Neuchatel Chocolates
Octoraro Hotel and Tavern
Oxford Mainstreet
SILO
The Creamery of Kennett Square
Lincoln University
Oxford Neighborhood Services Center
Oxford Arts Alliance
Oxford Area Historical Association
Herr's
Pillar Real Estate Advisors
Related Start Local Episodes
Running a Commercial Real Estate Firm with Eric Kuhn

TRANSCRIPT
The episode transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it available.
...more
39min
March 07, 2025Protecting Land, Birds, Watersheds, and Local Habitats with Kate Etherington
Start Local Podcast Spring Networking Event
We'll be gathering as a community in Coatesville, Pa on Wednesday, May 6th from 5 to 7 PM. This opportunity to meet and mingle with business and nonprofit leaders from in and around Chester County is free to attend, but registration is required.

Come on out for an evening of great people, meaningful conversations, and delicious local food and drink.

Learn more and register over on our website at startlocal.co.

While Chester County is renowned for its picturesque landscapes and open spaces, preserving that natural beauty – and the wildlife that thrives within it – requires constant effort. We speak with Kate Etherington, President and Executive Director of Willistown Conservation Trust, about the dedication and strategy behind this vital work. This local land trust leads initiatives in land protection, bird conservation, watershed stewardship, habitat restoration, and sustainable farming. In our conversation, Kate shares insights into these efforts and how people of all ages can get involved, learn, and contribute to the Trust’s mission.
OUR PARTNER
Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce
LINKS

Willistown Conservation Trust
Website: wctrust.org
Events: wctrust.org/calendar
Newsletters: wctrust.org/connect
Facebook: facebook.com/wctrust.org
Instagram: instagram.com/wctrust
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/willistown-conservation-trust
YouTube: youtube.com/user/WillistownCT
Bird-friendly coffee program
Additional Links
Stroud Water Research Center
West Chester Food Cupboard
Malvern Buttery
Thorncroft
Pennsylvania Department of Conversation and Natural Resources (PADCNR)
Gryphon Coffee Co
Related Start Local Episodes
Fighting Food Insecurity Locally with Andrea Youndt
Conducting World-Leading, Innovative Fresh Water Research with John Jackson
TRANSCRIPT
The full transcript will be posted as soon as it is available.
...more
48min
February 21, 2025Building a Thriving Theater to Benefit the Local Community with Jennifer Carlson
Start Local Podcast Spring Networking Event
We'll be gathering as a community in Coatesville, Pa on Wednesday, May 6th from 5 to 7 PM. This opportunity to meet and mingle with business and nonprofit leaders from in and around Chester County is free to attend, but registration is required.

Come on out for an evening of great people, meaningful conversations, and delicious local food and drink.

Learn more and register over on our website at startlocal.co.

There’s something special about the glow of a historic theater marquee, the scent of fresh popcorn, and the magic of a film flickering on the screen in a century-old venue. But keeping The Colonial Theatre thriving takes more than nostalgia – it demands passion, strategy, and dedication. Executive Director Jennifer Carlson takes us behind the scenes of running this iconic venue. Whether you’re a film buff, a live music fan, or just love a good comeback story, this episode shines a spotlight on the power of community, creativity, and a really great theater.

OUR PARTNER

Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce

LINKS
The Colonial Theatre
Website: thecolonialtheatre.com
Facebook: facebook.com/thecolonialtheatre
Instagram: instagram.com/thecolonialtheatre
YouTube: youtube.com/user/thecolonialtheatre
Suggest films: [email protected]
New York Times article about Blob Fest (16-Jul-2024)
Area Theaters and Organizations
Phoenixville Film Festival
Ambler Theater
Bryn Mawr Film Institute
Walnut Street Theater
Theater Organ Society of Delaware Valley
Additional Links
Rising Sun Presents
Orion Communities
People’s Light and Theater
Wyck Historic House, Garden, and Farm
Connecticut River Museum
Transcript
The full transcript will be posted as soon as it is available.
...more
47min
February 07, 2025Running the Business and Keeping the Books Accurate with Paula Paisley
Start Local Podcast Spring Networking Event
We'll be gathering as a community in Coatesville, Pa on Wednesday, May 6th from 5 to 7 PM. This opportunity to meet and mingle with business and nonprofit leaders from in and around Chester County is free to attend, but registration is required.

Come on out for an evening of great people, meaningful conversations, and delicious local food and drink.

Learn more and register over on our website at startlocal.co.

Managing finances can be a major challenge for business owners and nonprofit leaders, and having accurate and up to date bookkeeping can make all the difference. We talk with Paula Paisley, founder and president of Paisley Solutions, a bookkeeping service in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Paula shares how she transitioned from working at a CPA firm to running her own company. We discuss the role of technology in bookkeeping and why financial clarity is essential for business success. Whether you are a business owner or a nonprofit leader, Paula’s insights provide real value.
OUR PARTNER
Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce
LINKS
Paisley Solutions
Website: https://paisleysolutions.com
Facebook: facebook.com/PaisleySolutions
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/paisley-solutions
Chambers of Commerce
Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce
Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce
Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce
Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce
Women’s Business Connection of Chester County
Additional Links
Author: Nevada Barr
Author: C.J. Box
Building Capacity and Community with Chris Manna
Chester County Library
SCORE
Managing a Local Accountancy Firm with Kathy Wileczek
Umbreit, Wileczek & Associates
TRANSCRIPT

The full transcript will be posted as soon as it is available.
...more
44min

FAQs about Start Local:

How many episodes does Start Local have?

The podcast currently has 103 episodes available.

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