As a new school year rapidly approaches, many colleges and universities across the country have already announced plans for holding classes online this fall due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia remains committed to having an on-campus experience for all students.

“I have confidence in people at Ouachita and our process, and we’re moving in that direction until there’s reason that we can’t,” said OBU President Dr. Ben Sells. “So much of how this is going to work will come down to students, faculty and staff being responsible, and we’re challenging people to rise to the occasion.”

Dr. Sells shared more with host Zach Parker on the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast, including why the on-campus experience is so important at OBU, the course of action should a student test positive for COVID-19 and the ongoing discussion of how to preserve one of the school’s most sacred fall traditions, Tiger Tunes.

Given the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the unemployment rate and stock market, many people are now placing more emphasis on saving money for the future, something Sarah Catherine Gutierrez has seen firsthand as CEO of Aptus Financial.

“We have used this time to talk about emergency funds and for the first time, it feels like people are taking us up on it,” Gutierrez said. “I think there could be some really amazing, lasting outcomes from this if people just put a little more thought into the long-term automation of some of these practices.”

Gutierrez, a previous guest in February 2019, shared more with host Natalie Ghidotti on the latest Then and Now episode of The Ghidotti Podcast, including an update on her upcoming book and the Save10 Challenge.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, a 14 percent unemployment rate and the upcoming presidential election, it’s no surprise that 2020 has brought a wave of fear and anxiety to many people. Chenal Family Therapy CEO Ken Clark introduced a solution in the form of gratitude with the Thanks a Billion Project.

“Everybody was scared and we couldn’t tell what was real fear and what was blown out of proportion,” said Clark. “ The project emerged out of the belief that we as a collective group are going to solve this problem a lot better if we are solving from a place of gratitude as opposed to self-preservation.”

Clark, a previous guest in August 2018, shared more with host and Thanks a Billion Project partner Natalie Ghidotti on the latest Then and Now episode of The Ghidotti Podcast, including his thoughts on the ongoing discussion about race in our country and how he’s guided his team of therapists during this difficult time.

For fans in the Natural State, Hooten’s Arkansas Football magazine is the go-to source for team previews across all levels in high school and college. And while the COVID-19 pandemic has left the status of this year’s season up in the air, the Hooten’s team remains committed to delivering the same product that Arkansans have come to expect.

“There’s going to be a lot more projection in this year’s magazine,” said staff writer Chuck Livingston. “Without a true spring and summer, it’s harder to see that progress that you would normally see in the weight room and on the field. It’s been different in a lot of ways, but we’re making the best of it just like the coaches and players and we’re optimistic.”

Livingston shared more about the upcoming season with host Zach Parker on the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast, including how central Arkansas has become the hub of premier high school football and why Razorback fans should be excited about first-year head coach Sam Pittman.

After starting the year with a mission to stop the teen vaping epidemic in its tracks, Dr. Joe Thompson and the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement have since shifted their focus to educating and guiding Arkansans through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“What we’ve done is try to interpret what is going on in an understandable approach so that people can help protect themselves and those that are around them,” said Dr. Thompson. “Four months ago, I don’t think people thought about pandemics, viruses or face masks and now everybody is talking about it because we’re all living it in these uncharted waters.”

Dr. Thompson, a previous guest in January, shared more with host Zach Parker on the latest Then and Now episode of The Ghidotti Podcast, including how to safely navigate public gatherings and why it’s important to continue wearing a mask when possible.

Having launched the Blackbelt Voices podcast last year to give a voice to Southern black women, Conway Area Chamber of Commerce Director of Communications Adena White is proud to see so many others pleading for their voices to be heard at peaceful protests in recent weeks.

“This is a movement that we see going on; it’s more than just a moment,” White said. “There’s a lot that has already happened as a result, and I think we underestimate the power of protest. It’s an important tool for us in our democracy and it’s kind of what we were founded on.”

White, a previous guest in October 2019, shared more with host Natalie Ghidotti on the latest Then and Now episode of The Ghidotti Podcast, including what it means for her to see participation in her home of Conway and how we can keep this moment from passing by without any real change.

Following the tragic loss of George Floyd in a Minneapolis police-involved death, Little Rock has joined countless other cities around the country with peaceful protests and demonstrations in recent days. As the Little Rock City Director for Ward 4, a neighborhood she has lived in for nearly 40 years, Trio’s Restaurant executive chef and co-owner Capi Peck brings a unique perspective to the city’s response.

“I think all in all, Little Rock has handled things the best we possibly could,” Peck said. “With everything so political and so polarizing, it makes it hard to put people at ease. We could be in a very different situation right now, so I do applaud the LRPD, Mayor Scott and others for condoning peaceful protests.”

Peck shared more with host Natalie Ghidotti on the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast, including how Trio’s has navigated the COVID-19 outbreak, why she has elected not to open the dining room at this time, what she learned about the hospitality industry from her grandparents, the longtime owners of Hotel Sam Peck and her thoughts on the current lawsuits against Little Rock Chief of Police Keith Humphrey.

As a senior corporate consultant and senior trainer with Dale Carnegie training, Jessie Wilson has had a unique perspective inside the minds of business leaders and executives as they have navigated the uncharted territory of the COVID-19 outbreak

“I’ve seen leadership teams really come together and think about how we engage our employees, what does our culture look like and how are we going to respond to get the most out of working from home,” Wilson said. “I’ve seen leaders step up in a way that I haven’t seen in my time with Dale Carnegie.”

Wilson shared more with host Natalie Ghidotti on our first Then and Now episode of The Ghidotti Podcast, including tips on how to improve your work from home and why culture has become such an integral part of any successful business.

For the community of Bentonville, Uptown Barber Lounge is more than just a place to get a haircut or a beard trim. Highlighting the experience of a barber shop, it provides a sense of community to everyone who sits down in a chair.

“I tell people all the time that you can get a haircut anywhere, but you can only experience one at Uptown,” said co-owner Mike Shelton. “We’re really big on our culture and atmosphere. We just wanted to have that environment where people come in and have a good time.”

Shelton shared more with host Zach Parker on the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast, including how Uptown Barber Lounge is navigating the early stages of reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic, future plans for expansion and his previous career as a hip-hop artist.

While the COVID-19 outbreak threw a wrench into the end of the school year, Catholic High School for Boys remains committed to the principles that have made it a pinnacle of education in central Arkansas.

“We knew intrinsically and uniquely that Catholic High is about more than just academics,” said Catholic High School principal Steve Straessle. “The academic delivery is vital without question, but Catholic High School is more than that.”

Straessle shared more with host Natalie Ghidotti on the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast, including his working relationship with the Little Rock School District, the role virtual learning could play in the future and Catholic High School’s plans for graduation and other senior traditions.