Episode Category: The Localist

Wess Gregg, co-owner of Sanctum Tattoos and Comics, is on the podcast this week to give us a peek behind the curtain of running a comic shop. Wess describes how his years of experience in the comic book world gave him an advantage when opening Sanctum, but also shares the areas where he needed some guidance. Wess and Carrie then get into how he and his business partner, Aaron, manage running two separate businesses under the same roof (and LLC), and what surprised Wess about owning a business. They wrap up with the logistics of a comic book shop and a few services Sanctum offers.

Michael Kierspe of Infomedia joins Carrie to dive into the world of digital marketing. We may have a love-hate relationship with digital marketing, but it’s a necessary evil. Approaching it with authenticity in your business is a gamechanger, and Michael breaks down how to do that, the dos and don’ts of getting started, and how to work with the algorithms. We also get into how to best manage your digital assets, what to expect if you want to work with an agency, and give actionable tips to improve your social presence.

This week, Dr. Bertha Hidalgo, epidemiologist, assistant professor, associate scientist, and influencer joins Carrie to dive into influencing in the time of covid. Dr. Hidalgo breaks down how she got started in social media and how her platform started evolving, even before the pandemic. Dr. Hidalgo isn’t a stranger to imposter syndrome, but she describes how she moved past that and embraced her role as a science educator. Dr. Hidalgo shares how she deals with backlash, trolls, and stepping away when social media becomes too much.

With the 4th of July holiday upon us, Carrie is diving into best practices for communicating with your customers and clients around holiday hours. The more your customers understand what to expect, the more likely they are to buy from you! Carrie breaks down exactly what you can say in your social posts and gives easy and actionable tips to beef up your online presence. There’s even a free, no-strings-attached download available to make everything easier!

Ace Graham, founder of lifestyle brand, retail store, and community hub Alchemy, joins Carrie to talk about building an authentic social and community brand. Ace details how Alchemy came to be after he ran several other businesses and consulted for years, and how he landed in Birmingham. Alchemy is a community-focused business and nonprofit, complete with 501c3 status, and Ace and Carrie go into the many ways Alchemy is serving the Birmingham community as well as how you can get involved.

This week, Carrie is back to dive deeper into time blocking and the different ways you can control your schedule! Time blocking isn’t a new concept, but there are so many ways you can go about it. Carrie breaks down theme days, batching, the pomodoro technique, the pros and cons of each method, and who each method might work best for. And if you’re more interested in time blocking and want to try it out with a friend, Carrie details what’s included in the 12 Week Mastermind starting July 1!

This week, Carrie is diving into the first business-related book that has really resonated with her in a while, The 12 Week Year. If you’ve been struggling with motivation, burnout, or feeling aimless, this may be the book for you, too! Carrie breaks down the premise and benefits of a 12 Week Year and shares a few takeaways that are applicable to everyone. If you’re intrigued by a 12 week year, we have good news! Carrie is hosting a Mastermind group and shares all the fun details. Full show notes at localistpodcast.com.

Susan Rollwagen, an organizational development coach, is back this week to dive into diversity. Diversity can be an intimidating topic, but it doesn’t have to be! Susan breaks down what we mean by diversity, as well as what the law says (and doesn’t say) and who it applies to. Susan and Carrie then dig into diversity beyond the hiring process, and how to recognize and overcome our unconscious biases. Susan gives practical tips for how to build trust and respect with staff.

Luan Nguyen, owner and founder of Wheelhouse Academy, joins Carrie to dive into how he built a successful gym after a career in consulting with gym owners across the country. Wheelhouse isn’t your typical gym — they don’t focus on transformations as much as educating clients and building a plan for success. Luan breaks down what he learned from his consulting days and how he’s applied that to Wheelhouse. Full show notes at localistpodcast.com.

This week on The Localist, Carrie reminisces about her time managing Jonathan Benton, Bookseller. Carrie dives in with the lessons she learned through lots of trial and error, and what she took with her to her own shop. Carrie inherited a ton of debt when she became manager, but she was able to turn it around and got the store in the black by the time she left! Her methods may have bent the rules a bit, but Carrie gives tips that are applicable to all businesses. Full show notes at localistpodcast.com.