Small Talks, Big Ideas with Lowcountry Local First

Join Jacquie Berger (Lowcountry Local First) and Bookseller/Activist Danny Caine (Raven Book Store and "How to Resist Amazon and Why") as they discuss local economy building, the threat of corporate consolidation, and how small business can make communities more resilient. This is one of two keynote Fireside Chats from the 2024 Good Business Summit, an annual event produced by Lowcountry Local First, hosted by the Charleston Music Hall, and presented by South Carolina Federal Credit Union.

Join Lindsey Barrow (Lowcountry Street Grocery) and Farmer Cee Stanley (Green Heffa Farms) as they discuss local food systems, food as medicine, Cee's B Corp journey and so much more. This is one of two keynote Fireside Chats from the 2024 Good Business Summit, an annual event produced by Lowcountry Local First, hosted by the Charleston Music Hall, and presented by South Carolina Federal Credit Union.

Join Steve as he sits down with a few of the Lowcountry's best small business storytellers -- Liza Vilnitz of Beyond Trending, LaCrystal Robinson of Cre8orZone, and Michael Gasser of Squeeze Marketing.

Join Steve as he sits down with 3 local business leaders WAY smarter than he is -- Crys Smalls (Business Analyst at Metanoia), Meaghan Frost (Lead Business Intelligence Agent at Interloop), and Kevin Flounders (CEO at SIB) -- as they discuss how their Lowcountry-headquartered organizations make data-backed decisions that positively impact clients and community. This episode is made possible through a partnership with the College of Charleston MBA program and Ohm 96.3FM.

On September 26, 2023, Lowcountry Local First and community partners AFFA Action, Black Charleston Professionals, Charleston Moves, Hispanic Business Assoiciation, and Metanoia were fortunate enough to be able to organize a forum for the citizens of North Charleston to ask their Mayoral candidates key questions about small business, entrepreneurship, transportation, affordable housing, accessibility, social justice, and more. Thank you to Royal Missionary Baptist Church for hosting this important programming and to Brady Quirk-Garvan for moderating.

Join Steve as he sits down with Chris Amato (Indigo Road), Vaughn Postema (Chs Wine & Food), and Taylor Gates (Stay Duvet) as they discuss what it's like to lead some of the Lowcountry's hottest hospitality businesses and brands. This episode is made possible through a partnership with the College of Charleston MBA program and Ohm 96.3FM.

Join Steve as he and his coworker Steph dig into her passion for painting, her journey from Mexico to Colorado to South Carolina, and her perspective on how and where (and if) business and art intersect.

Join Steve as he sits down with Tom DiLiegro, Founder and Owner at Vero Advising, and learn why and how Tom approaches employer-provided health insurance benefits a little bit differently from some of the big, non-local insurance brokers out there.

Pull up a chair and listen in on Steve's chat with Belvin Olasov, Founder of Charleston Climate Coalition, as they explore the small business case for climate mitigation, the beauty (and responsibilities) of growing up near the beach, and improv comedy.

Join Steve as he sits down with Jenne Sevilla, the Founder of Outrigger Financial and the visionary behind Money Moods, a personalized financial empowerment tool.

Join Steve as he sits down with Merideth Garrigan, Director of Partner Development at Enlightened Soil, as they discuss regenerative farming, the mystical balance of the universe, and a teeny-tiny live culture called chlorella vulgaris that just might revolutionize farming here in the Lowcountry (and beyond)!

Hosted by Lowcountry Local First in Goose Creek, SC, Steve and his merry band of local-lovin' enthusiasts assembled an expert panel of local food truck legends to have a conversation in the round about how citizens can start and operate their very own successful food truck business. Panelists include Alton Ankersen of Roti Rolls, Oscar Hines of Dashi, Kim Peterson of Chanel's Gullah Cuisine, and Goose Creek's Director of Economic Development, Rob Wiggins.

Join Steve for a conversation with Lowcountry-based natural skincare CEO Chinenyem Nwadiugwu as they discuss greenhouses, CBD balms, and how a simple self-care practice involving a kitchen sink led to a transformational health and wellness journey.

Join Steve as he sits down with filmmaker, serial entrepreneur, and hockey aficionado Jeff Zucker, to discuss criminal justice reform, real estate, the CBD industry, and what it's like to grow up in a family that's deeply connected to the Lowcountry's local-independent business ecosystem.

Join Steve for a very special episode!  Today he's ON-SITE at Charleston Wine & Food 2023 at Riverfront Park in North Charleston talking with attendees, brewers, consumer packed goods pioneers, and future food truck owners. Thanks to Wine & Food for partnering with LLF and inviting Small Talks into their on-site PodCafe for this exiting opportunity to record AND perform LIVE from Riverfront Park!

In this episode, you'll hear from locals Mike, Meredith, and Audre; Christina of Daddy's Food Truck; Scott of Estuary Beans & Barley; and Tana of Genuine Ranch Co.  Remember to support local!

Join Steve as he sits down with the mastermind behind the mouthwatering red velvet brownie.  The Lowcountry's very own "Southern Cake Queen" shares the trials and triumphs she encountered during her personal and professional journey from banker to baker.

Join Steve as he sits down with the kinetic ball of energy and light that is Dr. Seth Strauss of Ideal Posture and Spine, as they discuss rugby, South Africa, and how small, careful adjustments to spines and lives can make a world of difference.

Join Steve as he sits down with his brother-in-law Mike McCloskey, a local carpenter and owner of Griffith Acres Furniture.  Mike and Steve chat about starting a localized business in a town with a population of 800, a few key ways for a business owner to harness the power of social media ads, and how little your host knows about woodworking.

Join Steve as he sits down with a couple of folks from REV Federal Credit Union -- Kelly Nix, their Public Relations Coordinator and Dustin Haynes, their Public Relations Manager.  They chat about ITMs (say what!?), why community financial institutions are so special, and how to #UpTheGood, year-round.

Join Steve as he sits down with the Artistic Director and the Executive Director of the Footlight Players, the longest continuously operating theater company in the city of Charleston! They chat about everything from the majesty (and occasional madness) of managing and caring for a 200-year-old playhouse, to what it means to provide people an increasingly uncommon opportunity to experience something off-screen and on-stage, along with other living, breathing human beings, all in real-time.

Join Steve as he sits down with Food and Wine Magazine's 2019 'Sommelier of the Year,' Femi Oyediran, to discuss the theater of hospitality, making the inaccessible accessible, and why guests of his downtown Charleston wine bar might catch a glimpse of an Usher record as they enter the shop. 

Join Steve as he sits down with James Beard-nominated KJ Kearney to discuss Black Food Fridays, Charleston Promise Neighborhood, and KJ's unique position at the intersection of entrepreneurism, political action, and community engagement.

Join Steve as he sits down with potter/filmmaker Maria White and visual artist Katy Mixon, to interrogate the intersections between expression and enterprise, art and business, and individualism and community.  PLUS: find out how baby wipes can be used to artful ends!

Join Steve as he sits down with Leah Rhyne, Marketing Director at Turn90, to discuss how she and her colleagues create pathways to long-term personal and professional success for formerly incarcerated men throughout the Lowcountry of SC and beyond.

Take a seat with Steve and Rick Crawford, Founder and President of Emerger Strategies, as they discuss the systems approach mindset, fly-fishing, and why it's so much more sustainable to eat food locally than to source it from afar.

Join Steve as he sits down with Kevin Schildt, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the South Carolina Stingrays.  

Join Steve in the 96.3FM Ohm Radio station as he sits down with Chris Clark, a Founder and Partner at Digital Ignite, a Charleston-headquartered, FORTUNE 5000 digital agency that helps clients make data-driven decisions about their marketing, media, and advertising efforts.

Join Steve as he sits down with Nilsy Rapalo, a clinical psychologist and the owner of a Goose Creek-headquartered wellness coaching business.  They chat about what it means to be married to one's community, how to artistically "sculpt" one's own entrepreneurial journey, and where to look for resources of you're an aspiring, Spanish-speaking, small business owner.

Join Steve as he sits down with Andy McCarthy, Lowcountry Local First Board member and Director of Organizational Performance & Design at The Building People. This episode was recorded live, in-studio at Ohm Radio 96.3FM, Charleston's community-focused radio station.

Join Steve as he sits down with Nate Abraham, Publisher and owner of the soon-to-be-launched Lowcountry Panorama, a Greater Charleston-based weekly newspaper that will cover "Positive News for a Positive Community." This episode was recorded live, in-studio at Ohm Radio 96.3FM, Charleston's community-focused radio station.

Join Steve as he sits down with Jocelyn Patterson, LLF Good Enterprises Program Coordinator and Founder of Gola Sweetgrass, a Lowcountry-headquartered sandal brand with a social mission. 

Join Steve as he sits down with Neil Oliver, Vice President and Relationship Banker at Florence, SC-based First Reliance Bank, the Presenting Sponsor of the Good Business Summit.  Learn about Neil's views on the importance of community banking and where to find his favorite local vet in downtown Charleston!

Join Steve as he sits down with Jeff Plotner, cofounder of Brackish, a Charleston-based clothing and accessories company that grew from one feather bowtie to a multi-million dollar operation with multiple product lines. You'll learn why folks like Blake Lively and Cam Newton love this brand and you'll hear Jeff's personal tips for beating Amazon's algorithm (HINT: it's not what you think!)

Join Steve for a SUPER SMALL TALK, as he sits down with Dr. Kendra Stewart to learn more about the One Region Roadmap, and how Lowcountry-headquartered business owners can play an important part in molding Greater Charleston's ongoing evolution.

Welcome to Episode 3! Join Steve as he sits down with Seaton Brown to talk about CofC's one-year MBA Program, what it's like being a Director of Admissions at a university like the College of Charleston, and how forlorn Seaton is now that Kickin' Chicken's original, one-of-a-kind downtown location is a thing of the past.

For our second episode, Steve sits down (virtually) with Rachel Hutchisson, the Vice President of Corporate Citizenship & Philanthropy at Blackbaud, a global technology solutions firm, based right here in Daniel Island, SC. They chat about Charleston's unique allure for top-tier talent, the unprecedented obstacles and opportunities that 2020 posed for the "Ecosystem of Good," and where to find outstanding Pakistani food in the Lowcountry.

Welcome to the podcast! For our very first episode, Steve sits down with Zach Giglio (virtually) to talk about his communications firm (GCM), what it means to be a local business with a global orientation, and where to find the best place in the Lowcountry to get a unique bottle of wine.