In this episode of The Localist, Duquette Johnston, founder of Club Duquette, discusses the evolution of his business from a brick-and-mortar store to an online community-focused brand, emphasizing the importance of personal connections and authentic customer engagement. He reflects on the challenges and transformations brought about by the pandemic, his vision for hyper-focusing on small businesses and the vital role of community building and trust.

Mentioned in this episode:

Club Duquette Website: https://clubduquette.co/

Club Duquette Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clubduquette

Communicating Vessels and Jeffrey Cain: https://communicatingvessels.com/communicating-vessels/

Clayton Chambers Spr.ezza newsletter: https://www.instagram.com/spr.ezza/?hl=en

Great Bear Wax: https://burnbear.com/

Beverly Hills Juice: https://beverlyhillsjuice.com/

Creative Visualization book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/creative-visualization-use-the-power-of-your-imagination-to-create-what-you-want-in-your-life-shakti-gawain/7348612?ean=9781608684649

Buy Yourself the F*ing Lilies: https://bookshop.org/p/books/buy-yourself-the-f-cking-lilies-and-other-rituals-to-fix-your-life-from-someone-who-s-been-there-tara-schuster/12072763?ean=9780525509905

Frank and Pardis Stitt: https://stittrestaurantgroup.com/

Nine Orchard Hotel: https://nineorchard.com/

Human Design: https://www.ouiwegirl.com/astrology/your-guide-to-human-design

Jungmaven: https://jungmaven.com/pages/about-us

Ursa Major: https://www.ursamajorvt.com/?tw_source=google&tw_adid=677089607905&tw_campaign=19729963162&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4MSzBhC8ARIsAPFOuyW6QQG-Y0RQhfnGssCMI4U7S0j4lmYnrgQdBqD6Oj6PQW2Ei5EmZCIaAoUREALw_wcB

Stan Ray: https://www.stanray.com/

Rugged and Fancy: https://ruggedandfancy.com/

Evan Kinori: https://evankinori.com/

Today, we’re welcoming artist Morgan Jones Johnston, who discusses her intuitive approach to creativity, her new workbook "Create Anyway: The Average Person's Guide to Igniting Your Creative Spark" and the importance of fostering authentic human connections during the rise of AI. She emphasizes the value of continuous promotion, the significance of creativity beyond traditional art forms and her goal to offer high-value, sustainable content to help people explore their creativity.

Rugged and Fancy Website: https://ruggedandfancy.com/

Rugged and Fancy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruggedandfancy

Buy the workbook, Create Anyway: https://ruggedandfancy.com/products/create-anyway-the-average-person-s-guide-to-igniting-your-creative-spark-volume-1

In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen talks with Alana Harmond, the creator of Frosted by Lane, about her journey in starting a side hustle selling decorative fake cakes. Alana shares her challenges in transitioning from product drops on Instagram to a Shopify store, the technical and logistical hurdles she has overcome and her strategies for budgeting and marketing. She also discusses the importance of developing unique products and expanding her business through social media and community events.

In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen talks with physical therapist Jimmy Dunn about his clinic, The Total Joint. Dunn emphasizes a personalized, holistic approach to physical therapy, focusing on one-on-one care, community engagement and evidence-based treatments. The conversation also highlights challenges in the industry and the importance of effective marketing and professional expertise.

This episode of The Localist features Brooks Veazy and Gabe Scott discussing the origin and evolution of Ladybird Taco, a breakfast taco concept with a focus on exceptional service. They emphasize the importance of creating a positive culture and meaningful experiences for both their staff and customers. The episode delves into their journey, from developing quality tortillas to expanding their business in Birmingham, highlighting the challenges and successes they faced along the way.

In this episode of The Localist, Carrie talks with Johnny Grimes about his journey in restoring the music venue WorkPlay and his involvement in various business ventures like Furnace Fest and Wheelhouse. They discuss the importance of fearlessness, core values and community in business, and Johnny's hands-on approach to renovation and management.

In this episode, host Carrie Rollwagen talks with Katherine Thrower about her journey and expertise in organizing and hosting events through her venue, Workshop Local. Katherine shares insights on creating effective and engaging environments for various events, from small meetings to large retreats. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration, community and detailed planning.

In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen talks with Josh and Mel Cosio, founders of Cala Coffee, exploring their journey fueled by coffee and community. They discuss the heart behind Cala Coffee, how they started the business and their expansion into brick-and-mortar locations, detailing the importance of branding, architecture, and their coffee cart in scaling the business.

This episode features a conversation between host Carrie Rollwagen and Michael Greene, co-owner of Faraway Theater. They discuss the origins of Faraway Theater and improv group Gladys, Michael’s journey through the improv world, the group’s approach to teaching improv and fostering a community, the business aspect of running the theater and the different courses and benefits it offers. Michael delves into how improv skills are beneficial in all walks of life. They stress the importance of keeping an audience engaged during performances and share information on how to attend shows or enroll in improv classes. For more details on classes, performances, or corporate retreats, Michael directs listeners to visit farawaybham.com or follow their social media handles.

Website and Socials

Faraway Website: https://farawaybham.com/

Faraway Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farawaybham/

Gladys Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gladysimprov/?hl=en

Mentioned in this episode:

Who’s Line Is It Anyway: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKg_ZFByYTINckLG76cjUEg

Wess Gregg of Sanctum Tattoos & Comics on Localist: https://carrierollwagen.com/podcast-episodes/making-a-career-from-what-you-love-with-wess-gregg-of-sanctum-tattoos-comics/

Vacant Manifesto: https://www.youtube.com/c/VacantManifesto

derrick comedy: https://www.youtube.com/derrickcomedy

Upright Citizens Brigade: https://ucbcomedy.com/

Peoples Improv Theater: https://thepit-nyc.com/

IO Chicago: https://ioimprov.com/

Groundlings: https://groundlings.com/school/online-classes?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2PSvBhDjARIsAKc2cgN_LJPnW4N-A0ekQ79iHRzVePFyS1Hnop9HGBxibuUnfy-1x9acS8IaAisaEALw_wcB

Ugly Baby: https://www.instagram.com/uglybabyimprov/

Harold form: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_(improvisation)

Faraway Website: https://farawaybham.com/

Faraway Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farawaybham/

Gladys Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gladysimprov/?hl=en

Improv for corporations:  [email protected]

In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen chats with Meredith Robinson and McCall Hardison, who also host a podcast called A Little Bookish and work together at Little Professor Bookshop in Pepper Place. The episode opens with a discussion on podcasting — their reasons for podcasting, what it’s like to host a podcast while working in a role that allows them to connect personally with their audience and how business podcasts are different from entertainment podcasts. McCall and Meredith talk details about Little Professor’s membership program, their unique book club experience and ways they make book signings a better experience for everyone involved. Full show notes at carrierollwagen.com. 

A Little Bookish podcast

First episode of A Little Bookish with a business owner perspective

Little Professor Membership

Parnassus

M. Judson

The Bookshelf Thomasville

Little Professor App

New York Times Book Review podcast

Infomedia’s One Quick Coffee Event

To get Carrie’s podcasting PDF, subscribe to her newsletter and request it here.

Bronze Horseman book

Wild Robot

Hope for the Flowers

The Women

Gladys Improv

Harrison Scott Key book

Olivetti book

Designing Your New Work Life book

Independent Bookstore Weekend Events at Little Professor

Power of Moments