Episodes

Charlotte is incredibly lucky to have some amazing talent not only IN the arts scene, but also helping guide some of our creative institutions. Tom Gabbard is one of those people. He’s been President and CEO of Blumenthal Performing Arts for nearly 20 years! Today, he’s our guest on the BrandBuilders Podcast.

No matter what your station in life, there’s a style or genre of music you that speaks to you. Music is a HUGE part of the soundtrack of our lives. I mean, who doesn’t recall the songs that remind them of first boyfriends or girlfriends, breakups, spring breaks, weddings… you get the picture. David Fisk has been around music for at least as long as his professional and formative years – and we’re guessing longer than that. He’s now the President and CEO of the Charlotte Symphony. Today he’s fir...

CBRE Group is a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, and is the largest commercial real estate services and investment firm IN THE WORLD. Maybe you’ve heard of them? They have over 100,000 employees serving clients in more than 100 countries. John Christenbury and Piers Wates work in CBRE’s Tenant Representation Group, serving as their strategic advisor, lowering real estate costs and occupancy risks, while maximizing workplace flexibility and productivity. Today, he’s our g...

As the world becomes more and more interconnected and tech-driven one thing is clear, data is king. Beyond what your favorite food is or how you like to dress, data in the 21st century can be an almost complete picture of who you are. With enough data on someone, you can begin to influence them and with our reliance on technology it is more important than it has ever been to have ethical tech companies and that wouldn’t be possible without all the people that work in them. Today we are joined b...

The law. It can be complicated beyond belief and stakes can be very high whenever you enter a courtroom. This is only multiplied when it comes to family law. Adding deep emotions on top of what can already be a stressful situation only adds to that stress! Anyone who has gone through a family court case can attest to the fact that it isn’t easy… but with the right lawyer helping you and your family navigate the law and each other it can be just a bit easier. Today we are joined by Lynn Kruger-A...

If there is one thing we know for sure it’s that everything is changing fast! New cars, space exploration, advanced medicine, politics, and of course the newest dances to learn on TikTok. Fashion has also undergone a massive change if you compare it to the 2000s, the 90s, 80s, or 70s! But with all of the changes going on, there has also been a resurgence in vintage fashion. Today we are joined by Christian Thropp, one of the owners of Far Reach Vintage. Christian is at the center of the vintage...

There are stories only you can tell, and the world needs to hear them. Not all of us believe that, but it doesn’t make it any less true. From ancient times stories have provided us with lessons, entertainment, and given us a way to record history. Storytellers, now known as authors, have therefore always been an integral part of the human experience. Even in a digital age we can be captured by a great book and a great story. Today on the podcast we are joined by NY Times Best Selling Author, Mi...

We know how to have a good time in the Queen City. It starts with finding the right group. Next onto the right outfit, we prefer to keep things fancy. And of course, you need the venue. Well, look no further than our next guest. They pair an expertly crafted drink program with world-class food to give you an experience like no other. All you have to do is find it! Today we are joined by Stefan Huebner, the owner of Dot Dot Dot, one of Charlotte’s best-hidden gems.

Once upon a time, there was a farm just north of the river. The farm had the best produce anyone had ever seen. The two farmers each had a specialty, one could turn the food they grew into drinks that not only tasted good, but were good for you. The other farmer could transform the food they grew into the most delicious pies. Does this sound like the beginning of a fairytale? Well that’s what’s happening over at the Old North Farm. Today we are joined by Keia Mastrianni and Jamie Swofford. They...

Wait… where did that building come from? We’ve all been there. Driving down our usual route to work or school and we notice a building that has seemingly popped up out of nowhere. Of course, it took weeks and months to complete, but when we look at building construction from our vantage point, it seems like magic. Man and machine in perfect harmony creating buildings that reach up into the sky. The reality is much more down to earth. Today, we are joined by David Privitera from Concorde Constru...

It’s that time of the year. The weather is getting cooler and the holiday season is in full swing. Family and friends are gathering from far and wide to celebrate with each other. But what really brings people together around the holidays? We know you’ll be excited about today’s show if your answer is the food. Food can bring us together around the holidays and special occasions, but it can also do so much more. Food can hold the memory of a culture. The right meal can tell the story of a nation...

From the beginning we’ve told and listened to stories. Whether by moonlight, firelight, or electrical light stories have been and always will be a vital part of what makes us human. Stories record history, teach us lessons, spark our imagination, and so much more. The importance of stories cannot be overstated and neither can the importance of storytellers. Today we are joined by Megan Easterday, the storyteller behind Easterday Creative. When you have an important story to tell you can rely on...

Good food is at the heart of every great day. Food brings us together, can make us feel better, and of course provides the energy for all of the things we want to accomplish. Some of us cook or go to restaurants to get good food, but today’s guest on the podcast had a different idea. Please welcome Matt King. Mattie is somewhat of a Renaissance Man, Spartan Race Training, owning and coaching a gym, being a pillar in the community. So of course when someone like Mattie needs to make sure they ea...

If there’s one thing we know about small and medium-sized business owners, it’s that they’re problem solvers. In fact, you could describe their jobs as solving one problem after another. However, when it comes to setting up great HR teams and providing best-in-class employee benefits, even business owners may need some help. Business owners can rely on PEO‘s or professional employee organizations to help them with some of the logistics. Still, with hundreds of options to choose from, our next gu...

Do you know what you’re capable of? At first, it seems like an easy question to answer, but the more you think about it the harder it becomes. What are you capable of? For an even harder question you can ask yourself what is my team or company capable of? Well if you ever decide that you want to find out if you are working at your full potential our next guest specializes in providing the tools to make sure you and your team are maximizing your performance. Matt Drinkhahn is a Coach with ProAdv...

Parenting can be tough! Take the kids to school, make sure they have lunch, pick them up, then to soccer practice… That schedule would be a lot for any parent, even more so if your child is having trouble with their behavior. All that pressure and stress can be enough to drive a parent crazy. New parents aren’t given a manual on how to take care of their children, and even experienced parents run into issues. It’s also important to remember that no one has given your child a manual on how to be...

When you donate to charity how does it make you feel? Probably pretty good! Donating money to help someone or contributing to make changes that matters to us will naturally make us feel good. However when you donate to a charity, especially a big one, you may not actually know where your money is going. You still get a good feeling from your donation, but the actual impact of that donation will most likely never make it back to you. Our next guest is out to change that reality. Today we are joi...

When you think of the company you work for, what thoughts come to mind? We are sure the company would hope words like, “fair, effective, agile, hardworking, and efficient” pop up first. However, that may not be the case for all of you listening. For those of you that come up with a list of less flattering words to describe your company it is important to know that just like you, your managers are relying on their training. Effective leadership is not something that just happens. Our next guest h...

Your doctor tells you that you have cancer… What do you do now? Very few of us can really imagine what it’s like to have our world completely turned upside down like this. Even fewer would know the correct steps to take after such a diagnosis. That was the predicament our next guest Vince Todd Jr and his family faced when he was diagnosed at just 26yrs old. Not only do you have to deal with the physical effects of cancer and treatment, but there is also the emotional toll. What do you do? Vince...

The game is 2-1, and everything is riding on these last penalty kicks from your opponent. You’re the goalie, the only one that can stop this attempt and secure the win for your team. Otherwise you go home with a tie and no one wants that. Just imagine it, can you feel the pressure? Our next guest on the podcast is very familiar with that pressure and is providing goalies with the training and equipment to make those moments just a little more bearable. Welcome to the podcast Brandon Miller, fou...

Dogs are man’s best friend. They live with us, sleep with us, eat with us, work out with us, and if you get a dog today you’ll be shocked how fast they become part of the family. It’s as though they have a sixth sense that helps them get in our heads. But what if we could get into their heads for a day? Well with our next guest, getting into the mind of your dog might be more than just science fiction. Today we are joined by Sara Ondrako, a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant with over 20 year...

“Sweetie was a typical child until she became sick and didn’t know why. After being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, Sweetie learns how to manage the disease while continuing to enjoy all the things she has always loved. Sweetie’s friends and family learn to help her not just survive but thrive within her new circumstance. Sweetie does not let type 1 diabetes hold her back from living a full and wonderful life!” Joining us today is the author of Sweetie, Laura Self. Her fiction lets readers see ...

Do you remember riding bikes as a kid? The wind in your hair, maybe your mom or dad yelling behind you to “slow down”? Riding a bike may have been your first real taste of freedom as a child and it probably felt amazing, like you could keep riding to edge of the world. Some of you listening are probably thinking, “What do they mean, ‘as a kid?’ I still feel like that a few times a week when I get out there on the road!” We can probably all agree that be exposed to biking at a young age is not o...

We try to plan for everything. Even those of us that don’t like to plan for things still have a vague plan of how things in their day, week, or even life might unfold. These plans make us feel safe and give us the ability to respond quickly to different things that might happen even if they fall just outside the plan. For parents that might mean taking time off from work to be with a sick child or for a business owner it might mean shifting work schedules for an employee that calls in sick. Mos...