Michelle Murphy has been designing homes for the same families for over 25 years, and she says the secret is trust, not taste.

Michelle is the founder of Demi Ryan, a full-service luxury interior design firm based in Chapel Hill that works with clients across the country, including professional athletes and executives who relocate and bring her with them. In this episode, she talks about her first big break at an HGTV show house, why she refuses to repeat a fabric twice, and what she thinks most people get wrong when they try to design a room themselves.

In this episode:

• Why more homeowners are selling their houses fully furnished, and why buyers are asking for it

• The real reason handmade means handmade at North Carolina's furniture factories

• How Michelle furnished an entire five-bedroom beach house for $35,000

• The one design trend she wishes would disappear

• Why scale, not style, is the mistake she sees homeowners make most

About Michelle Murphy: Michelle is the founder of Demi Ryan, a Chapel Hill based luxury interior design firm featured in HGTV Magazine, Cottages & Bungalows, and Southern Home. Her work spans the country, built on personal style over trends and clients who come back for decades.

Subscribe to The Best of Raleigh for new episodes every two weeks. Hosted by Gretchen Coley of The Coley Group. Find us on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. 

Moving to Raleigh? Start at thecoleygroup.com.

He almost sold pharmaceuticals. Instead, Mick Michael built one of Raleigh's most talked-about home building companies. 

Mick Michael, co-founder of Envision Homes, sits down with Gretchen Coley to talk about trading an Army infantry officer's boots for a builder's toolbelt, why "inch wide, mile deep" became his company's model, and how a $745,000 townhome in downtown Cary is now worth $1.6 million. 

In this episode: • Why Mick calls home building "the greatest form of retail" most people never realize they're buying into • The military lesson that still shapes how he leads his team: soldiers first • Why the 50 acres behind The Park at Wimberley in Apex could be the Triangle's next big investment story 

About Mick Michael: Mick Michael is a co-founder of Envision Homes, a vertically integrated home building and development company based in Raleigh. A former U.S. Army infantry officer, he has spent 26 years in the home building industry, leading projects across Cary, Apex, and Fuquay-Varina, including the award-winning Park Station community. 

Subscribe to The Best of Raleigh for new episodes every week. Hosted by Gretchen Coley of The Coley Group. Find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.

Moving to Raleigh? Start at thecoleygroup.com/welcome-to-raleigh.

Ryan Prestel says the biggest myth in smart home tech is that everything's wireless. Here's why that's costing homeowners.

Ryan Prestel, co-founder of Connesso, joins Gretchen Coley to unpack what it actually takes to build a smart, connected luxury home in Raleigh. They cover Josh AI, app fatigue, lighting design, and why the old guard of home technology is being disrupted.

In this episode:

• The biggest myth in the smart home industry, and why the first four letters of wireless are W-I-R-E

• What Josh AI actually does, and how it solves "app fatigue" for homeowners

• Why lighting is the fastest-growing category in smart home design

• How VR lets Connesso preview sound and sightlines before a home theater or golf simulator gets built

About Ryan Prestel: Ryan is the co-founder of Connesso, a custom electronics integrator bringing connected technology experiences to luxury homes, offices, and commercial spaces in Raleigh and beyond. A recovering software executive with 15+ years scaling technology companies, he now leads Connesso's mission to make home automation feel effortless.

Subscribe to The Best of Raleigh for new episodes every week. Hosted by Gretchen Coley of The Coley Group. Find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.

Moving to Raleigh? Start at thecoleygroup.com/welcome-to-raleigh.

What does it take to build an entire city from the ground up?

In this episode of Best of Raleigh, host Gretchen Coley sits down with Joe Graziose, Executive Vice President of Residential Construction and Development at RXR, the developer behind Veridea, the 1,200-acre master-planned community rising in Apex. Joe is a 40-year veteran who started as a busboy at 13 and a New Yorker who fell hard for southern hospitality. He walks us through why he builds places instead of just buildings, how he is solving for traffic on NC 55, and what a Saturday morning in Veridea will look like in twenty years. Whether you live in southwest Wake County, you are watching the Triangle grow, or you just love a great Raleigh story, this one is worth your time.

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What does it take to build one of the most recognized brands in American menswear, walk away from it, and then help scale another from $10 million to nearly $200 million?

In this episode of Best of Raleigh, we sit down with Chris Knott, founder of Peter Millar and Chief Merchandising Officer at johnnie-O. From his first retail job at 14 in Fuquay-Varina to building a global brand from a side hustle selling cashmere sweaters out of his van, Chris shares the real story behind two of the most influential brands in menswear. We dive into sales, merchandising, brand building, company culture, and why relationships still beat marketing every single time. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a fashion lover, or just love a good Raleigh story, this conversation is full of insight and inspiration.

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What does it take to actually feel like yourself again, not just “fine for your age”?

In this episode of Best of Raleigh, we sit down with Dr. Philip Deibel, founder of D5 Health and former OBGYN, to talk about the new model of personalized longevity medicine taking root in Raleigh. From his twelve years delivering babies at Arbor to building a concierge practice where he sees only three patients a day, Phil shares the real story behind his shift into root cause medicine.

We dive into hormones, advanced biomarkers, peptides, gut health, the perimenopause conversation most women never get to have, and why the standard “normal range” is calibrated to a sicker America. Phil opens up about his own testosterone wake-up call, the Oura ring moment that changed his marriage, and the 90 percent rule that protects margin for the people who run too hard.

Whether you live in Raleigh, work in Raleigh, or are simply tired of being told to wait it out, this conversation will change how you think about your health.

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What does it take to transform a dying mall into one of the most recognizable addresses in North Carolina?

In this episode of Best of Raleigh, we sit down with Mike Smith, CEO of Kane Realty, the company behind North Hills, Smoky Hollow, The Row at Dix Park, and the North Hills Innovation District. From trading a career in investment banking for the operator side of real estate to helping lead one of Raleigh's most influential development firms, Mike shares the real story behind the places shaping this city.

We dive into placemaking, leadership, company culture, and why Mike believes Raleigh's growth has not even started yet. He opens up about the Golden Rule as a business value, the gift of listening, and the 10 percent margin that makes room for great ideas.

Whether you live in Raleigh, work in Raleigh, or are thinking about moving here, this conversation will change how you see the city.

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What does it take to turn a one-chair salon into one of the most recognizable beauty brands in Raleigh, North Carolina?

In this episode of Best of Raleigh, we sit down with Christina Kirkey, founder of Pinup Studio, to talk about building a business rooted in confidence, community, and connection. From her early passion for beauty to navigating personal loss and growing a 16-chair salon with a thriving bridal division, Christina shares the real story behind her success.

We dive into branding, social media, team building, and why creating an experience matters just as much as the service itself. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a beauty lover, or new to the Triangle area, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.

Subscribe for more conversations with the people shaping Raleigh’s local business scene.

Raleigh is full of entrepreneurs who see opportunity where others see routine. Few embody that spirit quite like Brian Burnett, founder of Glenwood South Bespoke Tailors, a Raleigh-based tailoring house that has quietly become the go-to destination for men who want to elevate their wardrobe.

On this episode of the Best of Raleigh, host Gretchen Coley sits down with Brian to talk about everything from bespoke tailoring and menswear trends to the surprising power of a well-fitted suit. The conversation reveals something deeper than clothing, it is about confidence, craftsmanship, and the experience of being truly taken care of.

In this episode of Best of Raleigh, Gretchen Coley sits down with Marci Bailey of Bailey’s Fine Jewelry for a powerful conversation about legacy, entrepreneurship, and the evolving diamond industry.

Marci shares the remarkable story behind Bailey’s, a family business founded in 1948 by her husband’s grandparents. After being widowed at 36 with two young children, Trey's grandmother became the first female business owner in Nash County and carried the business forward with grit and determination. Today, Bailey’s is a fourth-generation jewelry company serving families across North Carolina and beyond.

Marci also shares her own journey into the jewelry world, from a chance encounter with a jewelry designer on a subway at 17, to studying at GIA in California, to marrying into the Bailey family and helping expand the brand.