Browse Episodes
Gus’s Hot Dogs: A History of Hospitality with Lee Pantazis
In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen interviews Lee Pantazis, owner of Gus’s Hot Dogs and culinary director at the Kelly and Redmont hotels in Birmingham, Alabama. Pantazis shares his passion for the restaurant industry and his commitment to preserving the nostalgic feel of Gus’s while providing customers with an escape and a…
Tackle Your Overwhelming To-Do List with Theme Days
In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen dives into the concept of theme days as a method for organizing overwhelming to-do lists. Carrie discusses the struggles she faced when she transitioned to her role as Vice President of Strategic Planning at Infomedia. She found herself swamped with diverse and numerous tasks, leading her…
Seeking Joy with Kathy D’Agostino of Chocolatá
In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen chats with Kathy D’Agostino, the founder of Chocolatá, about the joys and challenges of running a chocolate shop. Kathy emphasizes the positive work environment at her shop, which is fostered by the small, closely-knit team sharing similar values. The discussion delves into Kathy’s hiring process, highlighting…
How to Promote an Event So People Actually Come
In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen dives into the often daunting task of promoting events to ensure good attendance. She acknowledges the challenges associated with event planning, from logistics to guest engagement, before focusing on strategies to attract attendees. Carrie shares her personal fears surrounding low attendance and emphasizes the importance of…
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…
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!
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!
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.
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!
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?