Search has changed more in the last two years than in the previous seven combined. Is your small business still getting found?

This episode is a live recording from the first ever Localist Lab event, a free live marketing series for small business owners hosted by The Localist. Our speaker is Pam Darden, Director of Account Development at Infomedia, who breaks down exactly how the rise of AI search tools like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and Perplexity is changing the way customers find local businesses, and what you can do right now to make sure you are still showing up.

Pam covers why getting cited by AI is now just as important as ranking on Google, what the E-E-A-T content guidelines mean for your website, how to structure your content so AI can actually quote you, and why the fundamentals of good SEO have not changed even though the platforms delivering customers to you have.

If you own a small business and you want practical, actionable steps you can take to improve your visibility in the age of AI search, this episode is exactly that.

🎥 Watch the Full Episode on YouTube:https://youtu.be/cn1bwI4t83s

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💻 Connect with Pam Darden

Website: https://infomedia.com/our-team/pamela-darden/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelasanderson/

Mentioned in This Episode:

Infomedia https://infomedia.com Uptick Marketing https://www.uptickmarketing.com Infomedia Studios https://infomedia.com/studios Tempo (website design) https://www.tempoweb.com Lady Bird Taco https://www.ladybirdtaco.com

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📲 Follow Carrie Rollwagen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crollwagen Website: https://www.carrierollwagen.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/crollwagen YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crollwagen

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📢 Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia

The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia, a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company that helps small businesses get big results online.

Contact Infomedia: https://infomedia.com/contact

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Join Us at Localist Lab

Localist Lab is our free live marketing event series for small business owners, held on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Each session features practical strategies you can use right away, plus free tacos and coffee.

See upcoming events and register https://infomedia.com/events

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Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter

Get more small business insights, resources and behind-the-scenes updates from Carrie delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up for the newsletter https://gmail.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9c59a060684d71f12f6e495fc&id=98cd3122b9

What if the secret to standing out in a tough industry was just treating people the way they deserve to be treated?

In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Chris Palmer, founder of Green Garage, an auto repair shop in Birmingham's Automotive Historic District. Chris shares how intentionally hiring people with hospitality backgrounds transformed the customer experience at Green Garage, and why simply doing what you say you will do turns out to be better than average in the auto repair industry.

Chris also talks about 13 years of building and adapting the business, from starting with hybrid vehicles to adding a licensed locksmith operation, buying his own building to protect against rising downtown rents, and how treating employees like an investment rather than a cost has driven real loyalty and growth.

If you own a small business, work in the trades, or are thinking about what kind of business to start, this episode is full of practical, honest insight on customer experience, employee investment and building something that lasts.

🎥 Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

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💻 Connect with Green Garage

Green Garage is an eco-friendly, ASE Master Certified auto repair shop in Birmingham's Automotive Historic District, serving domestic, European and import vehicles.

Website: https://greengaragebham.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greengaragebham/ Auto Keyco (wholesale locksmith services): https://greengaragebham.com

Mentioned in This Episode:

Auto Keyco (wholesale locksmith & key programming): https://autokeyco.com/ Uptick Marketing (Green Garage's marketing partner): https://www.uptickmarketing.com Thompson Architecture: https://thompsonarchitecture.com/

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📲 Follow Carrie Rollwagen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crollwagen Website: https://www.carrierollwagen.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/crollwagen YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crollwagen

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📢 Thanks to OurSponsor, Infomedia

The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia, a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company that helps small businesses get big results online.

Contact Infomedia: https://infomedia.com/contact

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Join Us at Localist Lab

Localist Lab is our free live marketing event series for small business owners, held on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Each session features practical strategies you can use right away, plus free tacos and coffee.

See upcoming events and register https://infomedia.com/events

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter

Get more small business insights, resources and behind-the-scenes updates from Carrie delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up for the newsletter

What does your brand actually say about your business, and when is it time to change it?

In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Caleb Chancey, Creative Director at Infomedia, to answer real branding questions submitted by the audience. They cover what branding actually means beyond fonts and colors, whether AI-generated logos are a good starting point, why simplicity can be the most expensive option, and how to know when your brand needs to grow.

Caleb and Carrie also pull back the curtain on the real-world branding evolution of The Localist podcast, including the creation of Localist Lab, as a practical case study in how small business brands can adapt and expand without losing what makes them recognizable.

Whether you are just starting out or years into running a business, this conversation will help you think differently about the brand you are building.

🎥 Watch the Full Episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/TEf-25iSxVU 💻 Connect with Caleb Chancey Website: https://infomedia.com/our-team/caleb-chancey/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calebchancey/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebchancey/ Mentioned in This Episode: Zag by Marty Neumeier https://bookshop.org/p/books/zag-the-1-strategy-of-high-performance-brands-marty-neumeier/b7df5b6597ad6a34?ean=9780321426772&next=t Brands That Mean Business by Blake Howard https://bookshop.org/p/books/branding-that-means-business-how-to-build-enduring-bonds-between-brands-consumers-and-markets-matt-johnson/72a19efd0bbb201f?ean=9781541701670&next=t Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Inc-Overcoming-Unseen-Inspiration/dp/0812993012 Matchstick (brand agency, Atlanta) https://matchstick.co Carrie's One Quick Coffee: Personal Branding https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhwG7__vei0 The Localist Brand Guide https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AwzW6ig0wYRK2OTkiUb3lhph8qo2tCy0/view?usp=sharing 📢 Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia:

The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia, a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company that helps small businesses get big results online.

Contact Infomedia: https://infomedia.com/contact

Join Us at Localist Lab

Localist Lab is our free live marketing event series for small business owners. Each session features practical strategies you can use right away.

See upcoming events and register https://infomedia.com/events

From Backyard Roasting to Birmingham Roastery | Bert Davis of DaySol Coffee

What does it take to turn a backyard hobby into a thriving coffee business?

In this episode of The Localist, Carrie Rollwagen talks with Bert Davis, co-owner of DaySol Coffee, about growing a specialty coffee brand from roasting beans in his Colorado backyard to opening a full roastery in Birmingham's Pepper Place district.

Bert shares lessons about business partnerships, scaling a small business, building systems over time, managing wholesale accounts like Piggly Wiggly, and knowing when to expand even when you don't have all the information.

If you're a small business owner — or thinking about becoming one — this conversation offers practical insights on sustainable growth, delegation, and building real community through entrepreneurship.

🎥 Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

https://youtu.be/I1gfR5NmSSo

💻 Connect with Daysol Coffee Lab

Website: https://www.daysolcoffeelab.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daysolcoffeelab/ Mentioned in This Episode: Bluff Park Coffee Collective: https://www.instagram.com/bpcoffeecollective Good Neighbor Baking: https://www.instagram.com/goodneighborbaking/ Bandit Pâtisserie: https://www.instagram.com/banditbham/

📢 Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia: https://infomedia.com/contact

Join us at Localist Lab: https://infomedia.com/events

Alabama Twisters: When Competitors Become Teammates

What happens when nine gym owners stop competing against each other — and start building something together?

The Alabama Twisters are a professional jiu jitsu team competing in the Professional Grappling Federation (PGF), a submission-only league built for action. No points. Only submissions. There's even a shot clock for stalling — because in this league, you get penalized for being passive.

In this episode, Carrie talks with Russell Marbut, Matt Elkins, and Flearoy Brown about:

• How the PGF rule set works
• Running a team with nine owners
• Why collaboration beats competition
• Why they prioritize authentic content over AI-heavy marketing
• How they're building Alabama jiu jitsu culture from the ground up

Even if you don't train jiu jitsu, this episode is about entrepreneurship, structure, and building something that lasts.

🎥 Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

https://youtu.be/GIfThuxG1hw

📺 Watch the Alabama Twisters Live

PGF World: https://kick.com/pgfworldAlabama Twisters: https://kick.com/AlabamaTwisters

Website: https://alabamatwisters.orgInstagram: https://instagram.com/alabamatwisters

📢 Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia: https://infomedia.com/contact

Join us at Localist Lab: https://infomedia.com/events

Tech startup veteran Jarrod Morgan joins The Localist to share how he grew ProctorU, navigated pandemic-era challenges, and then pivoted to physical products with Tuff Dog Coatings and Morgan Muscle. This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs interested in reinvention, customer-first strategies, and applying tech skills to blue-collar businesses.

Mentioned in this episode:

Formerly Meazure Learning (Proctor U former) Website - https://www.meazurelearning.com/ Tuff Dog Coating Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tuffdogcoatings/ Morgan Muscle Cars Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morganmusclecars/

Born from a pandemic pivot, The Son of a Butcher has become a local favorite in Birmingham's Pepper Place. In this episode, we talk with Brian McMillan and John Litzinger about their journey from wholesale to storefront, the art of cheesemongering, and why food and community go hand-in-hand.

Mentioned in this episode:

Website: https://thesonofabutcher.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonofabutcher_bham/

Evan's Meat & Seafood: https://www.instagram.com/evansmeatsandseafood/

Pepper Place: https://www.instagram.com/pepperplacebham/

Accounting doesn't have to be cold or confusing. In this episode, Carrie talks with Jordan Pridemore of LUCA about how they help small businesses use financial data to grow, not just survive. Learn why advisory services, tech-forward tools, and true partnerships are the future of accounting.

Mentioned in this episode:

Website: https://www.lucahq.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luca_hq/ Fox Hound Bee Company: https://www.instagram.com/foxhoundbeeco/

Janet King, founder of The Gathering Lab, joins The Localist to explore why modern friendships feel harder than ever—and what we can do about it. From her groundbreaking Circles model to the science of trust and connection, Janet offers a refreshing and hopeful roadmap for rebuilding community in a disconnected world.

Mentioned in this episode:

Website: https://thegatheringlab.com/

Instagram: @thegatheringlab Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/how-to-build-a-deeper-social-life-in-your-30s/id1842196653

Laura Smith of The Electric joins The Localist to share her journey opening a second restaurant location. From pandemic delays to vintage decor hunts, Laura dives into the highs and challenges of expanding her business without losing its soul. This one's packed with small business insight and local flavor.

Mentioned in this episode:

Website: https://www.theelectricbar.com/ The Electric Bluff Park: www.instagram.com/theelectricbp The Electric Avondale : www.instagram.com/theelectriceast Paramount: www.instagram.com/paramounthomewood El Barrio: www.instagram.com/elbarriobham