We take ideas from people who are in recovery or anyone in the addict community and help make those ideas come to life,” says Nick.

During this episode, we talk about how Nick got the idea for Broken Helm and why he felt compelled to help those suffering from addiction.

The original idea was basically from rehab. I was with a lot of people who would say ‘I wanna do [X] but I don’t have [Y]’ like equipment or a place to do it or somebody to believe in them. And so basically I’m saying ‘Ok now here it is, now do it or shut up.

In the process of building that studio, I figured out that I was just two steps away from music. Then from there, video production was only two steps away from there. And why leave out the people who paint? From there it’s snowballed into what it is today.”

Here’s What You’ll Learn in this Episode

  • How and why Nick decided to start Broken Helm
  • Nick’s favorite types of meditation
  • The process Nick uses for setting simple goals in his business and daily life
  • Useful tips and tricks for podcasters

Enjoyed this interview? We think you might also dig this episode with Chef Derek Herre.


Show Notes

This episode is brought to you by Range Urgent Care, an Asheville-based clinic that offers affordable healthcare, transparent pricing, and streamlined, friendly service. Learn more about Range Urgent Care.

*Enjoy your first month free of annual membership at Range Urgent Care. Offer valid for a limited time only.


Broken Helm is a multi-media production company and support system for people who suffer from addiction and want to create. Visit brokenhelm.com to learn more.

Rooster Teeth is an Austin based production company that Nick gets a lot of inspiration from.

Jackbox Games is an online game platform. They produce fun, virtual games (sometimes with an irreverent twist) that are great for playing in large groups or parties. During this episode, Nick shares his love of Jackbox Games and how he plans to incorporate this in some of his future podcast episodes.

The Honest Guys is a YouTube meditation channel. Since 2009, The Honest Guys have written and created high-quality, free guided meditation videos on YouTube. Nick uses these videos to help in his meditation practice.

Curb Your Enthusiasm is a popular TV show where`Seinfeld’ co-creator Larry David plays a version of himself on the improvised series.

Entrepreneurs on Fire is an award-winning podcast that interviews inspiring entrepreneurs.

Asheville Screen Printing is a local apparel and printing company. Nick works a lot with them to produce Broken Helm’s merchandise.

Amy Winehouse Foundation is a non-profit organization that works to prevent the effects of drug and alcohol misuse on young people through education and support.

Music by Commonwealth Choir


Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.


We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribelikereview, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast

At the end of every podcast season, we like to go back and recap all the episodes. We find that doing this can help you decide which episodes you want to listen to next. Think of it as a “sampler” episode!

We hit a lot of important milestones in Season 3:

  • We started dabbling with creating more video content. In fact, you can check out all Season 3 episodes on our YouTube channel.
  • We interviewed 11 local Ashevillians, all in very unique industries.
  • We also began hosting events! Check out our events page to learn more.
  • We reached over 12,000 podcast downloads. Whew! Thanks, y’all!

Here’s How This Episode Works:

  • You’ll listen to a single meaningful sound bite (about 1-2 minutes) from each episode.
  • You’ll also hear us give about 2 minutes of commentary on each episode where we share our favorite parts about the episode.
  • You’ll learn about what’s to come in Season 4.

Show Notes

Episodes Mentioned:

Music by Commonwealth Choir


Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.


We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribelikereview, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast

We realize that there are a lot of people out there experiencing some kind of suffering, loss, or pain during this pandemic. It may be financial, physical, or even mental.

As a way of supporting and loving this community, we want to take a moment to share with you three important philosophies that have really helped shape our thoughts and responses to what’s happening around us. Although we know we are speaking from a place of multiple types of privilege, these teachings have helped our minds stay positive and be optimistic. These counter-intuitive mental frameworks have helped us cope and continue to work toward our goals.

And although some of these teachings are, let’s say, strange, our hope is that you’ll find at least one of them helpful. No matter what you’re going through right now, whether it’s a financial loss, the feeling of failure, or a sense of loneliness, we hope this episode will help you in some small way.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in the Episode

  • Why we’re going on the offensive during COVID-19 (and some of the ways we’re doing so)
  • How these frameworks have affected the way we’re showing up with friends, family, and this community.
  • The three philosophies or teachings that have impacted the way we see the world (and are especially important as we consider the effects of COVID-19 on our business and our personal lives)
  • For each teaching, we also share resources and books where you can learn more about them
  • Why some of these teachings might be “triggering” or difficult to hear for some people

P.S. We recently put together a list of resources for small businesses in Asheville to help during these uncertain times. Read Coronavirus: Resources for Small Businesses in Asheville (and Beyond).


Show Notes

Below we provide some more information about each of the philosophies we covered in this episode. Please note: some of these links are Amazon affiliate links. We appreciate your support!

To learn more about stoicism, we recommend the following:

To learn more about Byron Katie and “The Work,” we recommend the following:

To learn more about Busting Loose theories, we recommend:

We’ve built a resource page for Coronavirus/COVID-19 support for local businesses

MakingItInAsheville.com/coronavirus

We’re hosting a week of live-streamed conversations to support the community called, “What Now, Asheville?”

MakingItInAsheville.com/what-now

 

Music by Commonwealth Choir


Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.


We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribelikereview, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, as a pandemic.

Needless to say, this announcement sent a shockwave around the world, leaving many of us wondering what’s going to happen next, especially when it comes to our business.

Here at Making It in Asheville, both Tony and I (this is Sarah by the way) began deeply pondering how this might affect our own business and local Ashvelile community. We started asking ourselves things like, “What tools can we use during this time? What new skills can we learn? How can we continue talking with local businesses, customers, and friends?”

Then we noticed that Tyler was offering a community for online business owners to come together and ask questions related to coronavirus and how it impacts there business. And we knew we had to know more.

Whether you’re a purely online company or a brick and mortar store that relies on foot traffic, you’re likely thinking about what’s going to happen to your business over the next coming weeks and months. We hope that this episode gives you some new and productive ideas to reconnect with your online audience.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in the Episode

  • The number one thing Tyler says NOT to do during this time period
  • The five main social media platforms Tyler recommends to most businesses and ideas for the type of content you can be sharing right now
  • A game-changing switch you can make on Instagram to increase engagement and gain more followers
  • Ideas on how your business can go digital, even if it has traditionally been brick and mortar
  • How you can use Facebook groups to reconnect with your audience
  • Why finding your niche is important (especially in a time like this)

P.S. We recently put together a list of resources for small businesses in Asheville to help during these uncertain times. Read Coronavirus: Resources for Small Businesses in Asheville (and Beyond).


Show Notes

Tyler J. McCall helps online business grow their business using Instagram. Learn more at www.tylerjmccall.com

Tools & Resources

Places

  • White Duck Taco
  • Smoky Park Supper Clube
  • Pescados Burritos
  • West Asheville Yoga

Miscellaneous

Music by Commonwealth Choir


Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.


We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribelikereview, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast

I’ve always tried to relentlessly focus my thought process to [something that is] reality-based. Get out of your own head and see what the world is valuing.

– Clint Spiegel

When we met Clint for the podcast interview, we began by taking a tour of his 70,000 square feet factory. There are big machines and lots of metal parts everywhere you look. In between each machine, is a handful of employees wearing protective face gear, working away to keep the parts moving through the system. The floor is covered in what can only be described as “metal sawdust.” Oh, and it’s loud. Very loud.

Clint yells over his shoulder, “I’ve been walking on metal shards all my life.”

He’s not joking.

Since the day he was born, Clint has been surrounding by manufacturing. Many years ago, his dad had established a machine shop in Asheville that manufactured parts for a variety of industries throughout the world. At age five, Clint began to join his dad at work, learning the ins and outs of the industry. After graduating from college with a degree in Computer Science, Clint found his way back to his family’s business, eventually taking it over and making it his own. Although the business has evolved since then, he and his dad continue to work together on certain aspects.

Clint identifies as a “constant innovator” with an “overactive mind.” Over the years, he’s started numerous businesses, from manufacturing knives to building engineering software and industrial robotics. Some of these businesses failed and faded away, but some of them—like Industry Nine (appropriately name “nine” because it was his ninth business)—have been wildly successful.

During our interview with Clint, which feels like an MBA-level course on entrepreneurship, we try to unpack what he thinks has contributed to Industry Nine’s success and how he’s thinking about the future.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in this Episode

  • How the idea for Industry Nine came about
  • Clint’s insight on innovation, invention, and entrepreneurship
  • What makes Industry Nine’s cycling parts different from others in the industry
  • What client identifies as “the perfect mix” for entrepreneurship
  • Key milestones and turning points in Clint’s business
  • The importance of focus and keeping your edge when running a business
  • Tips for managing employees (Clint has about 90 currently)

Show Notes

Industry Nine manufactures and hands build custom cycling components. They’re based in Asheville, NC. Connect with them via their Website, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube page.

Places

Miscellaneous

Music by Commonwealth Choir


Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.


We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribelikereview, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast

I am stretched by play.

-Nicole McConville

In this episode, we interview Nicole McConville, an Asheville-based photographer and artist. She specializes in portrait, food, fashion, and product photography while also focusing on themes of visual storytelling and connection.

Throughout this podcast interview, Nicole shares with us her background and personal making it in Asheville’s story. Although today Nicole is considered one of the top business branding photographers in town, this wasn’t always her profession.

One of her first careers in Asheville was working for a publishing house that specialized in producing craft books. During her 16 years there, Nicole learned the value and importance of visual storytelling through imagery.

When her publishing career came to an end, Nicole suddenly felt out of place. What was next? On a whim, she took a trip to Morocco and enrolled in an instant photography workshop. A self-described perfectionist, Nicole recounts the feeling that overcame her:

“I am stretched by play. And I can’t control this as much as I might want to… I need permission to release and let go and try things and understand that out of ten images only one may good. And that’s okay. All of those images had value, [as well as] simply stretching myself and trying something new.”

It didn’t take long for her to discover her new passion: photography.

Over the years, Nicole McConville has developed her unique photography style, testing out different ideas and subject focuses. Today her emphasis is on helping entrepreneurs make first and lasting connections through portrait photography.

“This isn’t just about taking pretty pictures,” says Nicole. “This is about honoring certain people in a certain place and time. And knowing that what we’re doing is allowing them to meet other people.”

Here’s What You’ll Learn in this Episode

  • How Nicole went from a long career in publishing to discovering her passion for photography
  • Why Nicole’s photographic style is less focused on tech and gear and more focused on connection and storytelling
  • The importance of listening to your own internal compass and how this very act has impacted Nicole’s success
  • Why sharing your work just might be the most important thing you do
  • Tips for developing your own creative style
  • Why, according to Nicole, all businesses should take their own photos and her advice for doing so

Show Notes

Nicole McConville Photography offers portrait, food, fashion, and product photography with an emphasis on visual storytelling and connection. Connect with her via her website, Instagram, and Facebook page.

You can learn more about her upcoming Capture and Convey Workshop here: POSTPONED UNTIL A LATER DATE

People:

Events:

Books:

Places:

Miscellaneous:

Music by Commonwealth Choir


Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.


We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribelikereview, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast

If you’re close enough to the resources and you’re close to the community, I command you to be the bridge.

– Philip Cooper

Philip is the coordinator of a non-profit program called UpSkill WNC, where he helps citizens who have recently been released from prison to reenter the workforce and find their voice in the world again. Philip also does group facilitation and motivational speeches through his consultancy, Change Agent Cooper.

During the interview, Philip, full of charisma and positive energy, tells us his personal story of reentry after residing in prison for three years and how he is harnessing his past experience to help others reenter the community. He also shares his opinions on how we can make change happen in our communities.

“If we really want to have an impact on the community, we’ve got to make sure people from that community…can identify who their champions are and have those people at the table whenever we make decisions about people in those communities,” says Philp.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in this Episode

  • Philip’s story of how he is making it in Asheville
  • Burn out vs. burning it down
  • Causes of and solutions for opportunity gaps
  • How Philip is helping to educate employers about their implicit biases when hiring
  • A non-traditional definition of entrepreneurship
  • The power of relationships
  • The key to making changes happen in your community, according to Philip

Show Notes

UpSkill WNC provides comprehensive community-based peer support for justice-involved citizens who are reentering the workforce with an emphasis on those who have been released from prison within the past year. They assist low-income individuals with acquiring skills that local employers require, and connect them to employment that will provide self-sustaining wages. Connect with them via their Facebook page.

Businesses, Organizations, and Groups:

Shows

People

*This post contains Amazon and East Fork Pottery affiliate links. Which cost you nothing to click but, should you buy something after clicking, we’d be paid a small commission. We appreciate your support!

Music by Commonwealth Choir


Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.


We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribelikereview, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast

People read things and they have great ideas, but they never do anything…that’s the difference between people who have their own business and the people who don’t. You need to take action if you want things to happen.

– Kyle Brown

In this episode, we interview Kyle Brown, the founder of Clawhammer Supply. Clawhammer manufactures and sells home brewing and home distilling equipment online, directly to consumers.

The idea for Clawhammer was born out of Kyle’s own curiosity and love of “tinkering.” He has always loved building things from scratch and learning the inner workings of how seemingly complex processes occur.

“The thing about this story is that I’m just a guy who was just making stills in the basement and one day a lot of people wanted to buy them. I don’t have any formal business training,” says Kyle.

But, as you’ll hear more about in the episode, the key difference-maker that helped Kyle grow his business into one of the largest home-brewing and distilling equipment companies in the world was the guts to take action.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • The story of how Clawhammer Supply got its start
  • How Kyle used Google Ads to test the viability of his product
  • The strategy and tactics Kyle employes to scale his business
  • How Kyle leveraged organic content and email marketing to grow his business sustainably
  • Tips for coming up with new content ideas
  • Fun facts about beer, homebrewing, and distilling

Show Notes

Clawhammer Supply manufactures and sells homebrewing and home distillation equipment online direct to consumers. They were kind enough to offer us an affiliate link so anything that you buy at Clawhammer by clicking this link pays us a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting our podcast and our guests’ businesses!

Connect with them via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Books:

People:

Podcasts:

Shows:

Places

Kickstarter.co

 

Music by Commonwealth Choir


Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.


We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribelikereview, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast

I truly believe that your place in the community is as valuable as anybody else’s. Your gift is really important and we can’t function without everyone being invited to the table to do what they came here to do.

– Gareth Higgins

In this episode, we interview Gareth Higgins, a storyteller, writer, and founder of the Movies & Meaning festival (among many other projects).

Unlike most of our other podcast interviews, this episode focuses more closely on universal themes such as human connection, loneliness, and community. It extends beyond what it means to be a better entrepreneur to what it means to be a better human being.

But, as you’ll hear, the two overlap nicely.

We stumbled upon Gareth through the Movie & Meaning festival website. Little did we know that this Irish-born man would have so much to say about life and how to live it in the best way possible. Gareth is deeply empathetic, spiritual, and joyful —qualities that we think you’ll enjoy experiencing while listening to this episode.

Here’s What You’ll Learn

  • What inspired Gareth to become a “storyteller” and why he fell in love with cinema
  • How the meaning of stories can change based on how someone tells the story
  • How you might examine your own life and tell better stories about yourself
  • Gareth’s take on the antidote for loneliness
  • How to build a better community, both in the world and right here in Asheville
  • And a simple, but meaningful, challenge help you get to know your neighbors

 

Show Notes

Gareth Higgins was born in Belfast in 1975, grew up during the Northern Ireland Troubles and now lives in Asheville, NC. He writes and speaks about our connection to the earth, storytelling, the power of dreams, peace and making justice, and how to take life seriously without believing your own propaganda.

He founded the Wild Goose, New Story, and Movies & Meaning festivals (happening the weekend of Feb 24th in downtown Asheville). He also leads retreats in North America and Ireland and edits The Porch Magazine. Connect with him and his work at GarethHiggins.net (click here to visit his website).

Check out the show notes below where we list the various movies, books, places, concepts, events, and more mentioned during the episode.

Asheville Places & Events

Movies

People

Books & Reads

Concepts

Music by Commonwealth Choir

Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.


We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribelikereview, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast

“The idea just wouldn’t leave me alone.”

– Kaye Bentley, Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours

In this episode, we interview the founder and owner of Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours, Kaye Bentley.

A former postal service worker, Kaye founded Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours in July of 2018. The idea came to her just a year before she retired from the postal service. “I knew that eventually, I would retire from the postal service, but I just thought I would volunteer for some organizations and possibly travel,” she says.

Of course, as we now know, things didn’t exactly go the way she thought they would.

One day while at work, Kaye asked a colleague if she wanted to go out to some rooftop bars around town. As she was planning the bar route, she thought to herself, “If there was a tour for that, I would totally take it.” But there wasn’t anything like it out there.

On a whim, she called GoDaddy that day and bought the domain for Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours thinking that eventually “somebody will want to use this.”

She didn’t think that that “somebody” would be her. As time went on, Kaye continued thinking about the idea. “I kept taking notes and audio voice memos on my phone saying someone could do it like this and do it like that. And then I realized after about two or three months that that ‘someone’ was me. The idea just wouldn’t leave me alone.”

For the rest of the story, you’ll have to tune in to the podcast!

Here’s What You’ll Learn in this Episode

  • How Kaye started and developed Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours
  • The steps she took to get her idea off the ground, from developing the branding and website to building relationships with rooftop bars around town and getting her first customers
  • Kaye’s marketing strategies
  • Challenges of growing the business — especially for Kaye who didn’t come from a business background
  • Why moving to a co-working space has changed Kaye’s work-life balance
  • A glimpse of Kaye’s postal service career
  • What’s coming up for Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours


Show Notes

Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours is a unique way to experience Asheville from above. They offer exciting guided tours in the heart of downtown Asheville, taking featuring award-winning rooftop bars, spectacular views, history, and a driver! Connect with them via their website, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Business resources mentioned during this episode:

Asheville History resources mentioned during this episode:

Miscellaneous:

Kaye’s Favorite Things to Do & Places in Asheville:

Music by Commonwealth Choir

 


 

Curious to learn more about what we do?

Making It in Asheville is a podcast where we go behind the scenes with artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Asheville. We learn about what they’re making and how they’re making it in Asheville.

Making It in Asheville is powered by Making It Creative, our boutique marketing and business consulting agency. We help passionate small business owners build and improve their sales and communication strategies. Learn more here.


We appreciate your support!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribelikereview, and/or share. Each review means than you might think as they help this episode get discovered on podcast players.

To recommend an interviewee, visit MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast