Sunday Afternoon Smokes

Chris sits down with Martine Helou-Allen, founder and executive director of RIZE Prevention, for a wide-ranging conversation about youth substance abuse prevention, addiction, trauma, faith, and the search for identity and belonging. Martine shares her personal story and the mission behind RIZE Prevention, an organization working to inspire and equip young people to rise above the influence of drugs, addiction, and destructive behaviors.

Along the way, Chris and Martine also discuss cigars, hookah culture, and the meticulous process of turning raw tobacco into a premium hand-rolled cigar. The conversation ultimately turns toward a deeper topic: how many teens today are searching for love, purpose, and belonging—and how the absence of those things can lead young people toward substance abuse and unhealthy coping mechanisms.

RIZE Prevention works directly with students, parents, and schools to mentor teens and help them build healthier futures before addiction ever takes hold.

Learn more about RIZE Prevention:

https://rizeprevention.org/

Follow RIZE Prevention on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/rizeprevention/

Follow Sunday Afternoon Smokes:

https://www.instagram.com/sundayafternoonsmokes/

In this episode of Sunday Afternoon Smokes, Chris sits down with Lauren Villano, founder of Branded by Yaya, to talk about what branding really means for small businesses—and why it’s much more than just a logo.

If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or creative trying to stand out, this conversation breaks down how to build a brand that actually connects with people. Lauren shares her approach to brand design, focusing on the human side of business—your story, your values, and the experience you create for your customers.

They also discuss:

What branding is (and what it isn’t)

Why your logo alone isn’t your brand

How to create a consistent brand identity

Common mistakes small business owners make

When it’s time to rebrand your business

The role of personality and storytelling in marketing

Lauren also shares her journey from studying film and moving to New York, to building a creative business centered around helping others bring their ideas to life.

Whether you’re just starting a business or looking to refine your brand, this episode will give you practical insight into building something that lasts.

Connect with Lauren (Branded by Yaya):

⁠https://brandedbyyaya.com⁠

⁠https://instagram.com/brandedbyyaya⁠

Follow the Show:

https://instagram.com/sundayafternoonsmokes

Sitting down with Chris for episode 37 is Rory Tyer, owner of South Pleasantburg Nursery in Greenville, SC. Rory lights up a H. Upmann Anejados and Chris smokes an Espinosa Laranja. A little bit of cigar talk, but otherwise a very business heavy episode. Rory talks about purchasing SPN, what it looks like for someone to purchase a business, and he breaks down for us what a business coach is and isn't.

https://spnursery.com/

https://www.instagram.com/spnursery/

https://www.gofundme.com/support-jennifer-stewarts-medical-recovery

https://www.mobilecigarbox.com

https://thecigarbox.printful.me

https://x.com/mobilecigarbox

https://www.instagram.com/mobilecigarbox

https://www.instagram.com/sundayafternoonsmokes

https://www.youtube.com/@SundayAfternoonSmokes

https://open.spotify.com/show/3dQXtUZBSueL1Tmxxb8oXu?si=d4cf7e3c0c714212

https://chrisstrother.cdanjoyner.com

In this conversation, I sit down with David Lyles, pastor of Connection Fellowship Church in Powdersville, SC, to talk about faith—not in theory, but in real life.

We cover everything from Christian marriage and leadership to personal struggles, doubt, and what it actually looks like to trust God in difficult seasons.

This is an honest, grounded conversation about:

What biblical leadership and marriage really look like

The difference between conviction and judgment in the Christian life

Faith, doubt, and learning to trust God in hard seasons

Why many churches get distracted from what actually matters

The role of community and why the church still matters

How to live out your faith beyond Sunday mornings

We also talk through real-life challenges—marriage, hardship, and responsibility—and how faith holds up when life gets heavy.

If you’ve ever wrestled with faith, church, or what it means to actually follow Jesus, this episode will meet you where you are.

📍 Learn more about Connection Fellowship Church:

🌐 ⁠⁠https://connectionfellowship.org⁠⁠

🎧 Enjoying the show?

Leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow the show:

https://instagram.com/sundayafternoonsmokes

Brian Stearns, Founder and CEO of Ringo Fire, a multimedia advertising agency in Greenville, SC, sits down with Chris for a cigar and chat. Brian fires up a Torano Dominico and Chris opts for a E. P. Carillo New Wave Connecticut. They smoke and talk about cigars, Brian's entrance into marketing, helping companies tell their stories, and his various enterprises: Campfire, LaunchPadX, and Millie Lewis.

https://www.instagram.com/ringofireagency/

https://www.instagram.com/campfiregvl/

https://www.instagram.com/lpxco/

https://www.instagram.com/millielewisgvl/

https://www.gofundme.com/support-jennifer-stewarts-medical-recovery

https://www.mobilecigarbox.com

https://thecigarbox.printful.me

https://x.com/mobilecigarbox

https://www.instagram.com/mobilecigarbox

https://www.instagram.com/sundayafternoonsmokes

https://www.youtube.com/@SundayAfternoonSmokes

https://open.spotify.com/show/3dQXtUZBSueL1Tmxxb8oXu?si=d4cf7e3c0c714212

https://chrisstrother.cdanjoyner.com

Bob McCoy, owner of JXB Media and creator of The Glorious Beard Podcast, records a remote podcast with SAS. Chris lights up the new Notorious by Connor McGregor while Bob misses out on a smoke due to inclement weather. They kick off the podcast with some of Bob's personal history in music, how he got sucked into a cult, and then things turn to cigars and a pretty good dive into the world of pipe smoking. Chris and Bob talk about The Glorious Beard Podcast, the other endeavors of JXB Media, and wrap it up the episode with some talk about Major Leage Baseball and the Cincinnati Reds.

https://www.instagram.com/thegloriousbeard/

https://www.gofundme.com/support-jennifer-stewarts-medical-recovery

https://www.mobilecigarbox.com

https://thecigarbox.printful.me

https://x.com/mobilecigarbox

https://www.instagram.com/mobilecigarbox

https://www.instagram.com/sundayafternoonsmokes

https://www.youtube.com/@SundayAfternoonSmokes

https://open.spotify.com/show/3dQXtUZBSueL1Tmxxb8oXu?si=d4cf7e3c0c714212

https://chrisstrother.cdanjoyner.com

SAS Ep 33 features Chris Haile, Franchise Business Coach with Garage Living. Chris lights up an Alec Bradley Chunk Maduro, and your podcast host (also Chris) fires up a CAO Nicaragua. Right out the gate they dive into family life, and navigate the topics of marriage, divorce and remarriage. Eventually they get into some cigar talk, and finish up the pod with his role at Garage Living, a business that helps you give your garage a makeover that flows as an extension of your home rather than a massive junk drawer for the whole house.

https://www.garageliving.com

https://www.instagram.com/garageliving

https://x.com/GarageLiving

https://www.gofundme.com/support-jennifer-stewarts-medical-recovery

https://www.mobilecigarbox.com

https://thecigarbox.printful.me

https://x.com/mobilecigarbox

https://www.instagram.com/mobilecigarbox

https://www.instagram.com/sundayafternoonsmokes

https://www.youtube.com/@SundayAfternoonSmokes

https://open.spotify.com/show/3dQXtUZBSueL1Tmxxb8oXu?si=d4cf7e3c0c714212

https://chrisstrother.cdanjoyner.com

In this episode of Sunday Afternoon Smokes, Chris sits down with Cam Hill, Executive Director of Lead Collective, to talk about faith, mentorship, and the work being done to transform the lives of at-risk youth in Greenville, South Carolina.

Cam shares the story behind Lead Collective and its ministries—GOAT (Great Outdoor Adventure Trips), Elias, and Reach—which are working to break cycles of poverty and bring hope to under-resourced communities. From outdoor mentorship programs to working with youth involved in the juvenile justice system, Cam explains how relationships, faith, and leadership development are helping young people find purpose and direction.

Along the way, the conversation explores the role of community, the challenges facing young people today, and how faith can inspire meaningful change in neighborhoods that need it most.

As always, the conversation happens the way it should—over cigars, with honest questions and thoughtful reflection.

Topics include:

Mentoring at-risk youth

Faith and community development

Breaking cycles of poverty

Leadership and purpose for young people

Ministry work in Greenville, SC

The story behind Lead Collective

Light a cigar, settle in, and enjoy the conversation.

Lead Collective:

https://www.leadgvl.org/

Jake Henderson, owner of Hendo Strength Systems and Head of Carolina Barbell Club, sits down with Chris for an ep of SAS. They both light up a Montecristo by AJ Fernandez, and they dive into the world of cigars, strength training, strong man competitions, and what Jake and CBBC are offering to the Upstate of South Carolina.

Executive chefs and co-owners of Larkin's Restaurants, Adam Hayes and Kristina Murphhy join Chris for Episode 30 of Sunday Afternoon Smokes. They each light a cigar and dive into the world cigar smoking, the Larkin's Restaurants brand here in the Upstate of SC, chef life, the cost of doing business, and how they each wound up at the executive level of the restaurant business.

https://larkinsgvl.com/

https://www.larkinscatering.com/

https://www.instagram.com/chefahayes/

https://www.instagram.com/kmurphy974/

https://www.gofundme.com/support-jennifer-stewarts-medical-recovery

https://www.mobilecigarbox.com

https://thecigarbox.printful.me

https://x.com/mobilecigarbox

https://www.instagram.com/mobilecigarbox

https://www.instagram.com/sundayafternoonsmokes

https://www.youtube.com/@SundayAfternoonSmokes

https://open.spotify.com/show/3dQXtUZBSueL1Tmxxb8oXu?si=d4cf7e3c0c714212

https://chrisstrother.cdanjoyner.com