Michael Ledger runs Mobile's Feeding the Gulf Coast food bank. Kelly Qualls is the VP of Programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Alabama. Both talk about their programs, what they need from their communities to make them successful, and what their future looks like. Then What's Working producer John Thompson and I talk about the show's plans for 2022. It's the annual Gratitude Show. 

Gabriella Saab's first novel is a smash hit. Her publisher, Harper Collins, thinks so, too, and is prioritizing its publicity. Reviewers are gushing. It's now available in many different languages and is featured in book clubs worldwide. Called The Last Checkmate, the book features a female protagonist, historical fiction, and the game of chess - all trends in today's pop culture. Meet Gabriella and hear our extended conversation on this podcast version of the interview. 

Forester Charles Taylor must keep up with the trends shaping the forestry business today. That includes carbon offset credits, the need for new talent and skilled workers, and the challenges of finding loggers and drivers. Forestry is a HUGE industry in Alabama and this is an important conversation.

It's the annual holiday wine boondoggle. I invite Jim Cox to the studio to sample some great wines to consider for the holidays. He and his wife Carrie run Southern Napa Wines in Daphne, Alabama. We discuss the cool wines of the season, a huge sale of Napa property by friends of his, and sample some goodies. 

REPLAY: Educator Blair Fisher discusses the alarming trend of boys performing poorly in school. Boys are responsible for the vast majority of bad grades, discipline issues, and stand in the front of the line for medications to help them focus. I asked Blair a simple question after watching my daughter's graduation awards day last spring where about twelve girls won awards and only two boys and he offered insight and I had to get him on the air. I say with confidence this is probably the most important show I've done - this issue needs attention. It's a problem. 

Chef Jule creates extraordinary chocolate delicacies in her shop in Fairhope, Alabama. Knowing nothing about high-end chocolate, she takes me on a tasting journey to teach me how her delicacies are made, offering insights on the ingredients she sources from across the US and Europe and even the cocoa trees in Madagascar. If you're looking for a perfect finish to a Thanksgiving meal, take a listen and let Chef Jule offer some delicious ways to cap it off with something truly exceptional. 

Scott Tindle's gifts are that 1) he understands the world of blockchain and crypto currencies and that 2) he can simplify it enough to teach people like me what they are, how they work, and why they're important. His company sets people up for Bitcoin mining amongst other things. His name has been shared with me many many times as the resident expert and I finally sit down and begin my blockchain and crypto education. Know nothing about this stuff? This episode is the place to start. 

Jamey Sandifer and Marc Salyers at Sandifer Wealth Management offer a variety of services designed to steward and grow client assets to create the future clients want for themselves. Jamey, Marc and their team offer a no-nonsense, family-feel approach to client services. In a topsy-turvy economy, Sandifer Wealth Management is predictable calm in an often unpredictable financial environment. 

It's a rare workplace where one person getting Covid shuts down the entire operation. But that's life on the set of a motion picture. Emily O'Banion is in charge of preventing the spread of any illness on the set. She, along with local testing provider and support, David Lane of Coast Diagnostics, jump through high hoops and manage thorough protocols to keep the set illness free and the production on schedule. After all, the show must go on. 

T. Bruce MacKinnon is the President of Elevator World, Inc. With offices across the globe, the HQ is in Mobile, Alabama where their team puts out several publications throughout the year focusing on the elevator industry. While the business of elevators is certainly interesting, what MacKinnon offers in our conversation is a tutorial on how to dominate a niche market - something which he and his family know quite well.