Mind Your Business - A Podcast Series produced by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce
By: David Jackson
Language: en
Categories: Business, Marketing, Government
A weekly podcast produced by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.
Episodes
Examining Commercial Development Activity in the High Country
Jan 08, 2026We are excited to bring you our first Mind Your Business for 2026!
Our first episode of the new year examines the recent spike in activity in commercial development, particularly in the housing market. Recent large-scale projects have made headlines due to scope, location, and their potential impact on the local housing market.
As these developments make their way through various stages of approval, we get some context and details about the development process from James Milner, President of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. He gives detail on ordinance re...
Duration: 00:45:18Wrapping Up 2025 with RISE Caldwell Watauga Details and News of a New Grant Program for Helene Impacted Businesses
Dec 18, 2025In what is quickly becoming the season of saying, "for the last time in 2025," we bring you the final episode of Mind Your Business for the calendar year!
On this week's episode, we take a closer look at the RISE Caldwell Watauga program, and how its connecting local employers with apprenticeships designed to enhance work-based learning for high school students interested in careers in the trades, manufacturing, health care, and hospitality sectors. Executive Director Tara Brossa will explain how employers can become hosts for apprentices and how students and...
Duration: 00:45:18Solving Your Office IT Needs Locally
Dec 11, 2025This week's High Country weather brought its fair share of schedule disruptions, placing a premium on remote connectivity for the majority of us, from small business owners to local school students.
As a small business, how do you stay up-to-date on the technology needs within your workplace, and how are those processes and programs accessed on a day when Old Man Winter decides we aren't going anywhere!
On this amazingly topical episode of Mind Your Business, we visit with Nate Solberg and David Garner of Nordic IT Solutions Duration: 00:45:50
Closing the Books: Year-End Financial Insights for High Country Businesses
Dec 04, 2025As we kick off the final month of the year, this edition of Mind Your Business serves up a fresh slate of insights and stories from across the High Country.
We sit down with Jonathan Allen of Allen Wealth Management to break down the financial to-dos local businesses and individuals should check off before the calendar turns, and we look at some of the driving economic forces of the past year along with those poised to shape 2026 in our region.
We’ll also spotlight our next trio of <...
Duration: 00:34:59Bonus Episode: 2025 Evergreen Voices WWIL Gala
Nov 26, 2025A holiday week is the PERFECT time to drop a bonus episode of Mind Your Business, just in case you need a podcast to get you through a long drive or out of an impossible conversation!
We take you inside the Inn at Crestwood for the 2025 Watauga Women in Leadership Evergreen Voices Gala.
This year's conversation centers on work ethic and hustle, the drive that pushes us to do hard things, stay committed through challenges, and find purpose in the process. Our featured guests:
Pressley Laton, Local Singer/SongwriterKim Pryor... Duration: 01:07:30Giving Thanks for Job Creation, Impactful Leaders, and Creative Small Businesses
Nov 26, 2025This Thanksgiving edition of Mind Your Business features a buffet of stories from across the High Country.
We'll learn more about the recent expansion announcement made by GE Aerospace for its Ashe County campus, and what this economic development win means for the Northwest region. We'll also recap the Evergreen Voices Gala that inspired our Watauga Women in Leadership attendees last week, and we'll hear about a trio of family-owned local businesses who have our next Holiday Shop Local bundle. A perfect blend of gratitude, growth, and c...
Duration: 00:41:32The Business of Running: Inside the Mountaineer 10 Miler
Nov 20, 2025Every race has a story, and the Mountaineer 10 Miler is no exception.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we connect with Charlie Mercer and Ryan Anderson of Capstone Event Group, the visionaries behind this new event. They share how the race got its start, the lessons they’ve learned from successful events in other communities, and what that experience could mean for Boone. From inspiring participation to creating economic opportunities, Charlie and Ryan discuss how local organizations can get involved and benefit, and how the race strengthens con...
Duration: 00:46:19Perk Power: Building and Using a Better Benefits Package
Nov 13, 2025Great perks can spark productivity, boost morale, and change workplace culture — but only if people know how to use them.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we dive into what smart employers are offering now and how employees can make the most of every benefit available. We'll visit with Lisa Finaldi of Family Forward NC, who'll discuss popular benefits beyond just health insurance.
Speaking of health insurance, we'll also hear from Susan Richards from Blue Cross Blue Shield NC with more specifics on Carolina Healt...
Duration: 00:39:03Carolina HealthWorks explained and Lessons for Success in Leadership
Nov 06, 2025Among the many things business leaders must consider these days is the rising cost of health insurance, and how extending these benefits can impact the bottom line.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we examine Carolina HealthWorks, a new program offered in partnership between the North Carolina Chamber and its Federation members and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. We'll speak with representatives of the NC Chamber about how this program was designed to save on health insurance costs for businesses that have 2 to 50 employees.
We'll...
Duration: 00:39:49Mind Your Business Bonus Content - Passing the Torch - A Dialogue on Leadership Transition
Nov 06, 2025On Monday, November 3, 2025, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and its Watauga Leadership Institute presented Passing the Torch: A Dialogue on Leadership Transitions. This program was made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of App State's Walker College of Business and Mast General Store. Our featured guests included:
Dr. Leslie Alexander, Superintendent, Watauga County Schools
Dr. Heather Norris, Chancellor, Appalachian State University
David Ray, Executive Director, Blue Ridge Conservancy
Katie Woodle, President/CEO, Blue Ridge Energy
Support the show
Duration: 00:52:19October Business Performance & the Latest on Howard Street Construction
Oct 30, 2025As businesses watch the calendar turn to November, many across the High Country are taking stock of October performance metrics. They are also trying to catch-up on everything else that's been going on during one of the busiest times of the year.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Eric Brinker of The Speckled Trout to get insight on October traffic for one of the area's multi-faceted brands.
As guests and locals have traversed Downtown Boone this month, they have noted one side of the Howard Street Revitalization Project is...
Duration: 00:42:00Coming Full Circle to Preserve Howard Knob
Oct 23, 2025Organizations strive to stay true to their mission.
The Watauga Land Trust was formed in 1995, established by Appalachian State University students concerned with protecting Howard Knob, a mountain adjacent to the Town of Boone.
The new organization raised local awareness about the unprecedented pace of development not just around Boone, but across North Carolina’s northwestern mountains. These concerns galvanized the local community and in 1997 the Watauga Land Trust changed its name to High Country Conservancy and expanded its jurisdiction to include Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties. The organization’s mission was “to protect the natural...
Duration: 00:35:54Maximizing Healthcare Coverage in the High Country
Oct 16, 2025Conversations around the cost of healthcare and related insurance coverage brings a variety of emotions these days. While the Federal Government continues to use the renewal of tax credits related to the Affordable Care Act as a chief negotiating tool in budget conversations, High Country residents are among the millions of Americans gearing up for open enrollment and could see premiums skyrocket depending on how things land in Washington. No matter how this ends, it has become more apparent than ever that maximizing one's healthcare benefits is of the utmost importance, and employers have a role to play in...
Duration: 00:37:04Fall Festival Season & the Dollars & Cents Behind the Leaves on the Trees
Oct 09, 2025The landscape around the High Country is getting more beautiful by the day! The annual changing of the leaves provides the perfect backdrop for one of the most important times on our region's economic calendar.
As we move through fall festival season, this week's Mind Your Business is focused on the Super Bowl Weekend of fall events, October 18-19 -- featuring Valle Country Fair, the Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk, and App State Homecoming.
We will talk with festival organizers about the details of these signature ev...
Duration: 00:43:01Blue Ridge Parkway News & Boone Town Council Forum
Oct 02, 2025The Federal government shutdown has people asking about the status of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We have answers about access to this popular piece of the High Country's fall experience.
Speaking of government, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce recently hosted its annual Watauga County Meet the Candidates forum at the LaQuinta Inn & Suites in Boone, centered around the Boone Town Council & Mayoral race. We bring you the full archive of the forum, featuring Town Council candidates Todd Carter, Morgan Murray, Virginia Roseman, and Adrian Tait. Mayoral candidate Dalton...
Duration: 02:03:58Talking Helene: One Year Later with Six WNC Chambers of Commerce
Sep 25, 2025As we approach the one-year milestone of Hurricane Helene's impact on Western North Carolina, we bring you a special episode of Mind Your Business.
This week we connect with six Chambers of Commerce from across the region to answer some of the most popular questions of the day. We get perspective on how things stand in each community today, what are challenges, the silver linings, how does funding play into continued recovery, and plenty more.
Our chamber guests include:
Kitty Honeycutt, Executive Director, Ashe County Chamber of Commerce
Cas...
Duration: 00:55:41Spirit of Boone Community Award Recipients: Where Are They Now?
Sep 18, 2025The Spirit of Boone serves as the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce annual membership gathering and provides an opportunity to celebrate a group of annual award recipients for their impact on the High Country community.
While this week’s Mind Your Business was recorded just hours before this year’s event, we took the opportunity to build a “pregame show” around some past honorees, to see how the path of leadership has directed some of community’s most influential businesses.
Tim Herdklotz, Co-Owner of Booneshine, the 2019 recipient of the Alfred... Duration: 00:43:28How to Avoid Traffic in the High Country
Sep 11, 2025Since 1981, AppalCART has been moving people around Boone and Watauga County. As we move into one our highest periods of annual traffic volume, how does public transportation play a role in getting people to and from their destinations?
On this week's Mind Your Business, we'll talk with Craig Hughes, Executive Director of AppalCART, about the system's history and performance, how decisions are made about route destinations and expansions, and what the future of public transportation looks like in rural North Carolina. And yes, we will talk about the double-decker bus and how it's...
Duration: 00:39:51High Country Business Disaster Grant Program Reopens
Sep 04, 2025On September 5th, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation reopens its High Country Business Disaster Grant Program, which has been in place since September 2024 to support businesses in Watauga, Ashe, and Avery counties impacted by Hurricane Helene.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we will explain the criteria for the fourth funding round of this program, which will be centered around revenue loss for hurricane-impacted businesses.
We will also meet Ethan Dodson, Director of Development for the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation. We will hear more about th...
Duration: 00:42:53The Tax Impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill
Aug 28, 2025When Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill in July 2025, the Federal legislation brought significant changes for business and individual taxpayers.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we continue our examination of the bill and it's impact on tax law for business and individual filers, highlighting key changes that will resonate with High Country businesses and their employees. We are joined by Ralph Polk, CPA and Senior Manager with DMJPS, PLLC, who will break down the legislation and provide insight on topics like depreciation, research & development expenses, and 1099 reporting for businesses.
He'll also exp...
Duration: 00:37:56The Impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill on Health Care in the High Country
Aug 21, 2025Since President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July, those that have funding tied to the legislation have been pouring through the 1,100-page document to understand the impacts.
On this week's episode of Mind Your Business, we visit with Nathan Nipper and Rob Hudspeth (UNC Health Appalachian), Jennifer Greene (AppHealthCare), and Alice Salthouse (High Country Community Healthcare) as they discuss the impacts of the bill on local healthcare and Medicaid services.
We also unveil this year's Community Award honorees that will be reco...
Duration: 00:45:02The Evolving Business Model for App State Athletics
Aug 14, 2025Fall is inching closer and that means college football season is just around the corner! As App State kicks off another season, it's football program has placed Boone under the college football spotlight many times over the years. Fans bring renewed energy to The Rock each fall, and their gameday visits to the High Country make the Mountaineers a key economic driver in our region.
It's also no secret that the college football landscape has changed drastically in the last decade, and App State staff have remained creative with how they position the entire athletics...
Duration: 00:40:03Using Local Resources to Help Grow Your Business
Aug 07, 2025Business growth is an ongoing thought for just about everyone that listens to this podcast.
How does my business take the next step?
The answer to that question may lie within opportunities for professional development or credential attainment. The riddle could also be solved with the help of a neutral set of eyes, examining your business in a way you simply are too close to see.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we tackle the subject of business and professional growth from three different perspectives. Our guests include:
Dr. Jason Xiong... Duration: 00:39:59Update on Blue Ridge Parkway Repairs & a Recap of our Q2 Economic Indicators Report
Jul 31, 2025Phase I of Hurricane Helene repair along the Blue Ridge Parkway continues in Watauga County, but we are getting closer to completion of a key stretch of roadway between Parkway Elementary School and Bamboo Gap.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Leesa Brandon, External Affairs Specialist with the Blue Ridge Parkway and National Park Service. She will provide an update on the phases of work that encompasses Helene repairs throughout our region. We'll also hear an update on ongoing Great American Outdoors Act work along the Parkway in Ashe County and where cre...
Duration: 00:39:19Cutting the Ribbon on AMOREM's new In-Patient Hospice Care Facility in the High Country
Jul 24, 2025Over the years the types of health care offerings in the High Country have continued to evolve. On Friday, July 25th, AMOREM, formerly Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care, will mark the opening of a state-of-the-art in-patient care facility in Watauga County, serving the needs of the entire High Country region.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Kerri McFalls, Chief Growth & Development Officer with AMOREM, as we discuss what this type of facility can provide to patients and families in terms of end of life and respite care, and the types of jobs it takes to...
Duration: 00:40:59Rounding Up for the Middle Fork Greenway
Jul 17, 2025The Middle Fork Greenway is one of the most significant ongoing economic development projects in the High Country, connecting the towns of Boone and Blowing Rock by 6.5 miles of trail. Each July, Blue Ridge Conservancy conducts its Round Up for the Middle Fork Greenway, which gives local businesses and their customers an opportunity to directly impact this project through fundraising and education.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Wendy Patoprsty, Director of the Middle Fork Greenway. She provides an update on ongoing construction and...
Duration: 00:39:57How is Summer Treating Businesses in the High Country?
Jul 10, 2025With the economic realities of Hurricane Helene recovery coupled with the uncertain nature of the overall economy these days, many people have been asking, "How is business in Boone?"
On this week's Mind Your Business, we answer that complex question from a variety of perspectives. We hear from Chris Burns, Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager for the Boone Branch of Mountain Community Bank. He shares a look at the business landscape from the seat of a local banker, while also highlighting some of the trends the industry monitors as they work...
Duration: 00:36:19What's Next with Boone Next - A Conversation with Boone Mayor Tim Futrelle
Jun 26, 2025On Wednesday June 25th, the Town of Boone Council voted to adopt the Boone Next Comprehensive Plan. This document will drive future vision, development ordinances, transportation projects, and economic development strategy for years to come.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we talk with Boone Mayor Tim Futrelle about the process that led to the approval of Boone Next. We also discuss what comes next as Town Council and staff work to begin to implement the priorities outlined in this plan. Stick around for the very end of the program for...
Duration: 00:44:04Getting to Know the Business Behind a Ribbon Cutting & Adam Church Talks Boonerang
Jun 19, 2025Chambers of Commerce all over the country host ribbon-cuttings for their members. More than a picture in the paper, these events are the crossing of a finish line for those that are putting their heart and soul into a new professional veture.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we take you inside a recent ribbon cutting at The Pottery Lot. From the opening comments to a conversation with owner Emily Roberts, you hear the story behind the cutting of the scissors, and understand all that a business must endure to get to that...
Duration: 00:37:07Summer is Back: Previewing An Appalachian Summer Festival & Updates on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Helene Recovery Funding
Jun 12, 2025Summertime has arrived in the High Country! As schools continue to release throughout the state and region, tourists have heard the #WNCOpenforBusiness message.
On this week's Mind Your Business, we will preview An Appalachian Summer Festival, a month-long arts showcase that serves as one of the area's July tourism magnets. An Appalachian Summer Festival is one of several arts events that draw visitors to the region, along with the High Country Jazz Festival, Boonerang, Music in the Valle, Concerts in the Park among ot...
Duration: 00:39:56