Episode Category: The Localist

This week on The Localist, Carrie discusses the state of local businesses as we approach the holiday season (aka shopping season). Carrie dives in discussing You’ve Got Mail — just like the save-the-shop campaign wasn’t successful in the movie, Carrie believes they don’t work in real life either. But where does that leave us in 2020 when small businesses likely do need the utmost support we can give? Well, Carrie has an idea, and she wants your help to make it happen! Find details at thelocalistbham.com.

Susan Rollwagen, owner of Pepperbox Solutions (and also Carrie’s mom and secret weapon in business), is back on the podcast this week to dive into how business owners and managers can add value to the lives of their staff members. Trust is a huge component, and Susan details the many aspects of building trust and the ripple effect that can have in a company’s culture.

This week on the Localist, Pam Sanderson, Director of Account Development at Infomedia, joins Carrie to talk about everything you need to know about websites. Pam and Carrie dive in with where you should start when evaluating your website, and how to assess your goals. One of Pam’s best tips is to focus on your customers and your content first, and she gives you a road map to follow from there. Pam and Carrie then discuss the best ways to strike a balance between your users, good design, and Google’s algorithm (hint: consistent, quality content is a good place to start!).

This week on The Localist, Javacia Harris Bowser, creator of writing collective See Jane Write, joins Carrie to talk about writing in the time of COVID, a membership opportunity with See Jane Write, and some major obstacles Javacia has faced this year. Javacia and Carrie break down the business of being a writer: how to get paid, how to market yourself, how to gain supporters rather than just followers, and how the pandemic has affected Javacia’s workload (you might be surprised by her answer!).

This week on the Localist, Carrie is wrapping up season one and giving listeners a teaser of what to expect in season two. Carrie shares the origin story of the podcast, her hesitation about continuing during quarantine, and why she ultimately decided to continue sharing the stories of local businesses.

This week on The Localist, Carrie is joined by the inimitable Mike Rollwagen — her dad. Mike guest hosts to ask Carrie some thought provoking questions about Season One, the evolution of the Localist brand, and much more. Mike and Carrie dive in with the original intent of the podcast and how that has shifted not only in response to the pandemic but as a holistic evolution of growth. Carrie elaborates on the Localist brand’s focus on community, and discusses all aspects of podcast guests, from reaching out, to scheduling, to the actual interview.

Kathleen Varner, florist, graphic designer, and prop stylist in Birmingham, AL joins Carrie this week on The Localist. Kathleen tells us what drew her to styling and what being on set is really like (not as glamorous as you might think!). Kathleen breaks down her journey from intern to freelancer, and how every job she’s had along the way has prepared her for what she’s doing now.

Kameron Monet Buckner, influencer and Associate Attorney practicing employment litigation in Birmingham, AL, joins Carrie on The Localist this week to discuss laws related to remote working. Kameron and Carrie discuss FMLA and the CARES Act, and what is and isn’t legal when you’ve been furloughed. Then they switch gears to cover influencing: how Kameron integrated her love of beauty and fashion with law.

Deb Miller, managing principal at organizational development consulting firm Ken Chapman & Associates, joins Carrie this week to tackle managing remote teams. Many workforces are still partly remote, and Deb details some of the challenges she’s seen, including technology and equipment and the eternal struggles of effective communication.

This week on The Localist, Carrie dives into maintaining company culture while much of the workforce is still working remotely, and who better to join her for that conversation than two of her coworkers! Josh Brown, Customer Support Lead and introvert, and Bo Billingsley, Sales Specialist and extrovert, share their reactions to virtual team building ideas like coworker chat-roulette and Zoom yoga classes.