Who Got Next? The Podcast

We're rounding out with the conclusion of WGN Speed Pod Edition with Part 3! Special Thanks to everybody who contributed. It was a dope experience.  Special thanks to @duppandswat @crownkeepers again for letting WGN tag along for great time! #WhoGotNext #CLTure

This week we are talking to Paige Childers, founder of @nconscene, a business development hub that works with small businesses to gain more exposure in the Charlotte community. We chat about how important it is for small businesses to be creative with marketing their products; especially during the pandemic. After successfully organizing three pop ups for businesses 3 months in a row in the 4th quarter of 2020, Paige is ready to start helping businesses go to the next level with a variety workshops that she developed within her own business. In closing she tells me what she thinks about the city since moving here in early 2020. Its only the beginning for Paige. Stay connected to what she has shaking in 2021. #WhoGotNextCLT #CLTure

During the WGN speed pod sessions at the F2D Exhibition I sat down with runway coordinator/Model Jennifer Michelle. She was in charge of all models who were apart of the Fashion Show that weekend. Our conversation was so good I had make this one a bonus episode for this volume. We discussed her own personal journey in her modeling career and the transition she made from walking the runway to the production side of runway shows, being prepared for rejection, and embracing telling people NO. All of her experiences in modeling led her to write the book “I Choose Me” which is now available on Amazon.  Thank you for time Jennifer! I enjoyed it! #WhoGotNext #CLTure

So, this week I completed the puzzle. Dion blessed the WGN pod on Vol. 1, and I said I would circle the block and pick up his partner so we can chop it up too! We are talking with Davita Galloway, co-owner of Dupp & Swat in Camp North End. Davita wears many hats - and I honestly can't decide what titles to add on this post so let's just sum it all up and call her a "Renaissance Woman" okay? She has one hell of a story to tell, and luckily for the WGN pod she was an open book and gave us some insight to who she is as a person. We discuss her growing up in Winston Salem and being the "smart kid" in class. Despite being the kid who got good grades, not everybody in class was feeling her achievements. She just wanted to be a normal kid and for everybody to like her, but they didn't make it easy for her. As she got older she started coming into her own as a person and wanted to experience new things and that's when she realized fashion was her dream. She admits during a portion of her journey she lost her way and needed to find her place of comfort to get back in sync; which is home, and home is where the heart is. Home is where Dupp & Swat was created! A good portion of this conversation stems from the memoir she wrote called 'Two Scraped Knees' and it gives a brief snapshot of the journey on who Davita is today! Enjoy the Convo folks! #WhoGotNext #CLT

Part 2 of the Speed Pod Pop Up Edition is underway for this bonus episode. Still moving with talking to any and everybody who participated in the Fresh 2 Death Exhibition:

Fresh 2 Death Exhibition was a two day showcase event that took place Sept 10-11 at Camp North End in CLT. The event, labeled Fashion StreetWhere, was brought to you by designers who created installments to highlight their contribution to the fashion scene in the CLT community and beyond. From fashion studios, models, Cars, Vendors, and an influx of patrons that stepped foot in the building you can feel the energy and a shift in culture to show what the city has cooking. The weekend was capped off by a fashion show that featured the designers for the weekend. WGN had an opportunity to set up shop and do a bit of "speed podding" to highlight the experience. I will be bringing you 3 parts of conversations with individuals involved in making this event a success. Special thanks to Dupp & Swatt and Crownkeepers for letting me be apart of this great event! #WhoGotNext #CLTure

This week we're talking with Curtis Walls, owner of You Vs. Yourself Training Facility, founder of Become Inspire Empower brand, author, motivational speaker, and the list can go on. This discussion is about the "season of alignment" and his journey and the discipline he crafted to get where he is today.  This conversation ended up being better than I expected. The saying is you are never too old to learn something and never old enough to be inspired by your peers. Little does Curtis know is I left this conversation ready to take on new challenges- and our conversation definitely lit a spark in me to think about things from a different perspective. This discussion is about growth & maturation. This is a great one! You will definitely take something from this one. #WhoGotNext #CLTure #Vol9

If you Look Good then you Feel Good, right? Do you find yourself owning your confidence when you look in the mirror and see that you have on a great outfit on? Do you have trouble finding your confidence? Well this is where Sierra has found her lane in assisting others with owning their confidence. This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Fashion stylist Sierra Stanford and we have a discussion about how looking good can change your mindset in your daily life. Sierra opens up about how going through unfortunate circumstances in the past allowed her to be more confident not only in her own right but she offers her expertise to others who want to as well. Sierra also lets us know what styles and prints will be in for Fall 2022.

WGN is back with Vol. 9.! We're starting this run off with the homie J. Spencer, curator of The Platform here in CLT. J. Spence created this platform for independent artist to have an avenue for them to have a place for to network with industry professionals and other independent artists who want to leverage their opportunities entering the music business. The Platform is held every 2nd Tuesday of each month and provides a great amount of information that will benefit them for a lifetime. In addition to that discussion, we speak on "sync licensing", the value of obtaining your master's catalog, and the music identity of Charlotte. This conversation is a prelude to what's to come for WGN; as we enter the music side of things.

As a fan of photography and cinematography I love scouring social media to see who is doing their thing in the city. Whelp, I found another dope photographer who is brewing. Shot By Lindsay is the name and he is about to make his stamp on CLT culture; and the images he capture embodies the importance of knowing when you have the “money shot.” He will be showcasing his talent with a doc he is creating called For The Luv Of The City (A Charlotte Documentary) in which will give his perspective on what CLT is and capture the individuals who waves the QC flag high. We discuss the idea of the doc, his influences, and how he got started. Be on the lookout for this brother. He is about to make his mark! #WhoGotNext #CLTure