Browse Episodes
Decking the Halls: A Small Business Christmas Story
In this episode of The Localist, Carrie writes about decorating her former bookshop, Church Street Coffee & Books, for the Christmas season. Her family comes to help her, and they transform the shop from everyday bookstore to winter wonderland over one afternoon (and celebrate Thanksgiving, too). This story is part of a series of short…
Holiday Cheer at the Starbucks Rally: A Small Business Christmas Story
In this episode of The Localist, Carrie begins her series on small business Christmas stories. Today’s story is not about a small business, but it is foundational to small business — she writes about a Starbucks rally that she attended with her then-manager, Cal, who would go on to be her business partner at Church…
Happy 10 Years to The Localist!
In this episode of The Localist, Carrie shares 10 lessons she’s learned during the 10 years since The Localist book was published. She covers everything from whether or not you can expect your friends to support your project to what works on social media to how to approach uninvited endings. Carrie’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/crollwagen Sign up…
Harry Potter & the Piggly Wiggly Milk: A Small Business Story
In this episode of The Localist, Carrie tells about her time working at Jonathan Benton, Bookseller in a story titled “Harry Potter and the Piggly Wiggly Milk.” The small bookstore was planning a release party for a new Harry Potter book when they faced an unexpected adversary — a neighboring local business who decided to…
Learning from Failure with Sugartop Gumdrop: A Small Business Story
In this episode of The Localist, Carrie tells us about one of her very first businesses, the screenprinting company Sugartop Gumdrop. Carrie started Sugartop with her friend John Yam, and while they had a lot of passion and untapped talent, they didn’t have a lot of practical business experience. Join them as they navigate learning…
Easy Ways to Buy Local
In this episode of “The Localist,” host Carrie Rollwagen shares practical tips for buying local. Drawing from her own experience of a year-long commitment to buying exclusively from local stores, Carrie emphasizes that while adopting a completely local purchasing habit can be challenging, there are simpler and more sustainable ways to support small businesses. She…
About the Localist Podcast
@crollwagen on InstagramA conversation with local makers and independent entrepreneurs.
Author and local business advocate Carrie Rollwagen invites mom-and-pops, freelancers, side hustlers, and start-up founders to talk about the ins and outs of how they got their start, the pros and cons of owning your own business, how they handle the hard stuff, and yes, even the mistakes they’ve made along the way. Carrie and her guests get into the nitty-gritty details: staffing, funding, hiring, and inspiring — and everything in between.
First-hand accounts of running a business
As a former small business owner, Carrie knows the struggles and triumphs of owning a business first-hand, and that experience helps her ask questions that are often ignored — questions about failure as well as success, and details about exactly how entrepreneurs face challenges, grow their businesses and work with their staffs.
The Localist Team
Carrie Rollwagen
Host
Carrie produces and hosts the podcast. She’s author of the Localist book, co-founder of Church Street Coffee & Books and VP of Infomedia.
Taylor Davis
Show Runner
Taylor keeps the podcast running and makes sure the rest of us stay on track. She’s also a videographer, photographer and marketing specialist.
Jen Tucker
Outreach Manager
Jen handles booking for the podcast and makes sure guests are prepped and welcomed when they visit our studio.
Alana Harmond
Promotions Manager
Alana manages our YouTube channel and handles show notes, as well as helping concept our promotions strategies.
The Localist Reviews
A Gem! I just discovered this podcast and let me tell you, I’m glad I did! The conversations are natural and easy going but you can also tell that Carrie has put a lot of thought and care in her questions. And I love that she’s also in Alabama!
ChelseaR83
A Must-Listen for Those Who Love Local! So excited to listen to Carrie’s new podcast! Whether you’re a small business owner, freelancer or just looking to get inspired — Carrie offers a wealth of information from the many skills she’s picked up throughout her diverse careers. I can’t wait to hear who she brings on The Localist!
SarahCook323
Great Podcast! I just happened upon this podcast and It is really good. It gives really great tips and I especially liked the newest podcast about maintaining company culture in the current work from home environment.
Fun for a dollar
Carrie has an obvious talent for storytelling and making an interview more of an engaging conversation. I’ve been a listener as well as a podcast guest and I’m in awe of Carrie’s ability to connect her guests’ experiences with something helpful and relevant to a wide range of listeners, whether or not they are local to Birmingham, Alabama. I also strongly suggest her book if you are into localism!
Tacheek
Lovely listen — I loved the “In Search Of The Perfect Storefront.” I found it entertaining, yet super informative. I even took notes, who am I?