Episode Category: The Localist

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.

Pam Sanderson, director of account development at Infomedia, is back on the podcast with a deep dive into ecommerce. Pam and Carrie start out with common pitfalls in ecommerce, the value in testing your website (don’t forget mobile!), and the importance of having well defined conversion goals to measure success. They touch on product entry, product photos, different shipping methods and their preferred ecommerce platforms. Full show notes at localistpodcast.com.

Kameron Monet Buckner is back on The Localist this week not only as an attorney, but also as a full time influencer! Shortly after Kameron’s first episode, she took the leap to pursue being an influencer and full time content creator. Kameron and Carrie dive into negotiating with brands and creating contracts (don’t do business in the DMs!). They wrap up with setting boundaries for yourself to avoid burnout, Kameron’s viral reels, and the importance of having a support group you can relate to.

This week on The Localist, Connor Knapp, co-founder and co-owner of Piper & Leaf Tea Co., Connor was on the podcast just over a year ago and describes the rollercoaster of a year, including how online sales saved the business, and how this weird transition period we’re in now is just as tough in some ways as the beginning of the pandemic. Connor and Carrie discuss how restrictions have hit the food and beverage industry particularly hard and discuss open book management. Full show notes at localistpodcast.com.

This week on The Localist Jason Lovoy, president of both Infomedia and Uptick Marketing in Birmingham, AL, joins Carrie to talk about the history and dynamics of the two sister companies. Jason describes the evolution of the relationship between the two companies, and Carrie has some theories behind both the harder times and the happier times (Carrie has insider info since she’s the VP at Infomedia!).

This week on The Localist, Carrie is diving into the world of business finances. Carrie was inspired to talk about this after participating in a SharkTank-like contest at a local high school. A lot of the projects had a common theme: underestimating how much funding their ideas would need. And this common theme isn’t specific to high school students; many entrepreneurs underestimate the funding they’ll need as well. Carrie points out that the math is actually pretty basic, the terminology is Googleable, and there is a simple formula to figure out profit.

This week on The Localist, Neal Sims, chef de cuisine at bowl., is joining Carrie to tell us all about ghost kitchens, a concept new to Birmingham and spearheaded by the team behind Brick & Tin. Neal tells Carrie bowl.’s approach to menu, and their ethos behind local produce and sustainability. Neal and Carrie touch on issues with using services like Door Dash, and why bowl.'s in-house delivery service is far better. They wrap up with some of Neal’s favorite menu items and a preview of what to expect on the spring menu.

This week, The Localist is diving into the world of choosing a brick and mortar retail space for your small business. Carrie is joined by Lyndsy Yim and Jackie Hollingsworth, both experienced brokers in the Birmingham area and the southeast. Jackie, Lyndsy, and Carrie start off with the things you need to have prepared before engaging a broker, including a business plan and financials. They talk about how the pandemic has affected their industry, the importance of having a support system, and why they both love what they do.