Browse Episodes
Happy Links: A Business Founded in Friendship
In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen sits down with guests Sabrina Smith and Hannah Stallings, the dynamic duo behind Happy Links, a jewelry business specializing in permanent jewelry and ear piercing. Sabrina and Hannah share their journey from discovering permanent jewelry during a vacation in Colorado to establishing their own business centered…
Finding Additional Revenue for Your Small Business
This episode focuses on finding additional revenue streams for small businesses, a topic that’s relevant whether a business is thriving or facing financial challenges. Carrie shares personal experiences from her time managing and co-owning bookstores, offering insights into how creative ideas, like hosting events and selling tickets for book recommendation nights, helped generate revenue. She…
Beyond the Brick and Mortar with Duquette Johnston
In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen speaks with musician and small business advocate Duquette Johnston about the evolution of his business, Club Duquette. Duquette recounts how the store, initially a brick-and-mortar establishment in Birmingham’s Woodlawn neighborhood, transitioned into an online store and lifestyle brand. Duquette and his wife, Morgan Jones Johnston, started…
Building a Creative Resource with Morgan Jones Johnston
In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Morgan Jones Johnston, a full-time artist and creator of the workbook “Create Anyway: The Average Person’s Guide to Igniting Your Creative Spark.” The workbook was inspired by a widespread feeling of unease and longing for fulfillment, and it aims to help people recognize…
Starting a Side Hustle with Frosted by Lane
In the episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen interviews Alana Harmond about her journey in creating a successful side hustle. Alana began her business, Frosted by Lane, by launching an Instagram account and selling products within 24 hours. She started with product drops on Instagram, taking payments through Venmo, and later transitioned to a…
The Total Joint: Where PT Gets Personal
In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Jimmy Dunn, the owner of The Total Joint, a physical therapy clinic with a personalized approach. Dunn discusses the variety of services offered at his clinic, such as appointment requests, free consultations and information on physical therapy and orthopedic surgery. He emphasizes the…
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.