077- Jason Contreras of Sow the Land on Creating Content to Inspire Others

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In this episode, we interview Jason Contreras. He’s one part of the husband and wife duo behind the homesteading project and popular YouTube Channel, Sow the Land.

Jason and his wife Lorraine run a 1.5-acre homestead just outside of Asheville. They grow their own food, which includes everything from raising chickens to preserving the fruits and vegetables that come out of their garden.

When they’re not running the farm, they each follow their own passions. Jason makes beautiful things out of wood, which he sells in their Etsy shop, as well as does all the filming and editing for their YouTube channel. Lorraine homeschools their daughter, cooks homemade meals, and creates products for her apothecary line, Plain Jane Lorraine Apothecary.

“It’s about documenting family, it just so happens we have over 100k people watching.”

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

  • Why Jason and his family relocated from California to Asheville
  • How Lorraine and Jason fell in love with growing their own food
  • How Jason went from recording videos for their family in California to 116,000+ YouTube subscribers
  • How Jason was the making the original IG story style video
  • What the “Bernice” T-shirt is

Enjoyed this interview? We think you might also dig this episode with Luke McLaughlin of Holistic Survival School.

Season Sponsor

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. Use code ‘makingitinasheville’ at checkout. Offer valid for a limited time only.

Show Notes

About Jason Contreras

In 2009 Jason was diagnosed with cancer.  He and his wife Lorraine quickly became passionate about growing their own food and knowing what exactly is in our food as use for healing.

In 2016 Jason and Lorraine sold most of their belongings and left the city in southern California to start a small homestead in the mountains of North Carolina. Jason started filming YouTube videos to show their family back home what they were up to.  There, they document their life showing viewers how a family from the city left to start a completely different life learning to grow food, start a business, and live a healthier life. Now, Sow the Land’s YouTube following is at 116,000 and counting. Sow the Land also has an online store of the products they make on their homestead as well as a podcast.

To learn more about Jason and Sow the Land, check out the pages:

Places

People

Media

Memorable Quotes

  • “If you want to do a thing, you can do it with what you have now.”
  • “Ownership of the ‘shame thing’ becomes people’s superpower.”

 

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Revisiting: Setting Meaningful Goals & Sticking to Them

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Happy 2021, friends!

On the first podcast episode of the year, we thought it’d be a great time to circle back to our episode from season 3, “How to Set Goals that M.A.T.A. and Achieve Them.” We offer useful steps using the M.A.T.A  method and explain how this system can help you set more meaningful, intentional goals for the New Year – and actually stick to them.

Here’s What You’ll Learn

  • Why New Year’s Resolutions often fail and how you can prevent it from happening
  • How to decide what your goals should be
  • Tips for creating small wins and holding yourself accountable
  • A step by step guide to the M.A.T.A. framework and how to put it into action

Season Sponsor 

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. Use code ‘makingitinasheville’ at checkout. Offer valid for a limited time only.

Show Notes

M.A.T.A  is the acronym we use to set meaningful year-long goals and achieve them. It stands for  Meaningful, Actionable, Time-Constrained, and Accountable.

Find the rest of the show notes from this episode.

 

Music by Commonwealth Choir

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Making Wine In Asheville with Biltmore Wines

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In this episode of Making It In Asheville, we have the opportunity to talk grapes with three important members of the Biltmore Winery. We chat with the Winemaker and Vice President of Biltmore Winery, Sharon Fenchack; Sr. Director Wine Production Operations, Jeff Plack; and Vineyard Supervisor, Philip Oglesby.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in this Episode

Philip Oglesby shares:

  • How Appalachian soil isn’t the easiest to work with but offers great potential if you put in the work
  • What grapes they have on the Biltmore Wines vineyard and why
  • How the Appalachian mountains are the oldest mountain range in the world 
  • The timeline from planting a grapevine to getting a full harvest

Jeff Plack gives an inside look at:

  • How the wine “crush dock” looks a bit like Willy Wonka’s factory
  • How Sharon works with lab technique to create perfect blends
  • How many barrels they have (hint: it’s over 13 thousand!)
  • The wine they’re currently aging in barrels from oak harvested on the estate 
  • What fast-and-furious style wine packaging looks like at 15k bottles a day 
  • What their 125 anniversary means
  • How you haven’t experienced the full Biltmore experience until you’ve done the wine tasting (it’s free!)

Sharon discusses:

  • What the production timeline looks like from sourcing grapes to bottling.
  • How a diverse supply chain makes the process of winemaking more fun
  • The start of Biltmore wines 35 years ago
  • How the 10,000 person wine club has created a unique experience during COVID-19
  • How Biltmore has fused George Vanderbilt’s vision and legacy to what the winery is today

Make your reservation for The Biltmore to get the full experience!

Music by Commonwealth Choir

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074 – Emily Copus of Carolina Flowers on Being a Keeper of the Dream

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In this episode, we interview Emily Copus, Western North Carolina native, owner of Carolina Flowers and Zadie’s Market.

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

  • How journalism shaped her thinking for business and economics 
  • The defining moment Emily decided to go into the flower business
  • Elemental questions to ask yourself before going into a career
  • Why Emily believes it’s non-negotiable to defend your personal dreams
  • Why Emily thinks it’s important to not replicate other business models or ideas (and you should try your own)
  • Why investing in mistakes is a good idea
  • What prompted Emily to start Zadie’s market to help the community 

Enjoyed this interview? We think you might also dig this episode with restaurateur, local celebrity, friend, and mentor to Emily, John Fleer.

Season Sponsor

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. Use code ‘makingitinasheville’ at checkout. Offer valid for a limited time only.

Show Notes

About Emily Copus

Emily is the owner of Carolina Flowers and Zadie’s Market.
Her connection to flower farming started generations before she was born. After graduating with her master’s in journalism, Emily worked for a variety of publications before eventually launching Carolina Flowers in 2016. Regenerative farming and creating careers in agriculture are more important to Emily than ever. Carolina Flowers remains committed to agricultural ingenuity in the Blue Ridge Mountains. To further support farmers, Copus launched Zadie’s Market in 2020, where she purchases produce and dry goods from dozens of farmers and makers throughout the Appalachian region as part of its mission to support a robust, local food system.

To learn more about Carolina Flowers and Zadie’s Market, check out the pages:

Carolina Flowers Instagram
Carolina Flowers Facebook

Zadie’s Market Instagram
Zadie’s Market Facebook

Places

  • Carolina Flowers is Emily’s brick and mortar shop, you have to check this out for everything beautiful.
  • Zadie’s Market is the most recent endeavor and business which connects shoppers with local farms and high-quality products.
  • Mountain Bizworks is a local Asheville non-profit that is WNC’s resource for small business success.
  • AB-Tech is the local technical community college in Asheville where Emily shadowed an electrical course. 
  • Native Poppy is a gorgeous neighborhood flower shop in San Diego, CA.
  • Ware, one of our favorite sustainable shops in Asheville, NC.

People

  • John Fleer, a friend and mentor to Emily. John is an Asheville restaurateur who will make your taste buds say, “hold up!”

Media & Books

Interesting Facts We Learned During our Conversation

  • The United States imports 80% of the flowers they sell. Crazy to think we only grow 20% of the flowers we sell here in the U.S. Carolina Flowers grows most of their own flowers which is out of the norm according to this data. Go Emily!

Preferred Tools & Products

  • Squarespace is the platform that Emily used initially for her website and e-commerce.
  • Shopify is what Emily uses now as her website and e-commerce platform.
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073 – Carlos Palma & Elizabeth Goyer of Textura Rugs

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In this episode, we interview Carlos Palma and Liz Goyer, the two customer service experts and the team running Textura Rugs.

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

  • What makes Textura rugs different 
  • Why you should choose the rug first when decorating a home or room
  • Steps they took to open the business
  • How to distinguish certain rugs from others
  • How Carlos and Liz manage different roles in the business
  • Martial arts influence on their life now

Enjoyed this interview? We think you might also dig this episode with local co-owner of East Fork Pottery, Connie Matisse.

Season Sponsor

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. Use code ‘makingitinasheville’ at checkout. Offer valid for a limited time only.

Episode Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by The Van Winkle Law Firm a full-service law firm serving North Carolina since 1907. Making It In Asheville listeners enjoy their first business law consultation for free. Mention ‘Making It In Asheville’ to receive the offer.

Learn more about The Van Winkle Law Firm.

Show Notes

About Carlos Palma and Elizabeth Goyer

Carlos Palma is the owner of Textura. He has 20 years of experience in the rug industry and has lived in the Asheville area for even longer. He is the go-to rug person for many interior designers both locally and out-of-state. When he isn’t working at Textura, Carlos enjoys running, hiking, and traveling during his free time. As a business owner, he stays heavily involved in all parts of the company and his core values are integrity and courtesy.

Liz Goyer is Textura’s store and web manager. She is a UNC Asheville alum and has a diverse professional background that includes both customer service and fitness instruction (the perfect combo for rug slinging!). Her other interests include vegan cooking and world history. Liz has been working in rugs for almost 3 years and enjoys the fun and dynamic client-oriented environment at Textura.

Visit texturarugs.com to learn more. You can also find them on Instagram @texturarugsnc

Places

  • Sun Soo – An Asheville Tae Kwon Do and Martial Arts Studio where Liz was an instructor and met Carlos

Media

 

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072 – John Hornsby on Finding Art Through Community and Breaking Down What “Value” Means

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In this episode, we interview John Hornsby, a creative graphic artist, organizer of information, strategic thinker, and an experienced achiever. What one might call, a Chief Creative Ninja.

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

  • How John developed his style (and is still doing so today)
  • The importance of finding art through community
  • How the practice of “going down the rabbit hole” and diving into research helps John’s curiosity
  • Why value is not tied to productivity
  • Understanding the difference between reactivity and proactivity
  • Why John started building something he calls “Connection Kits” during COVID-19

Enjoyed this interview? We think you might also dig this episode with local Asheville graphic designer & business owner of Amp’d Designs, Alyssa Phillips. Alyssa sits on the board of AIGA.

Season Sponsor

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. Use code ‘makingitinasheville’ at checkout. Offer valid for a limited time only.

Show Notes

About John Hornsby

Delivering the rare balance of graphic artistry and business acumen, Hornsby Creative brings to the table a strong background in environmental graphic design specializing in signs and special events marketing, as well as extensive hands on experience in sales, relationship management, business development and workflow solutions.

Places

  • Fast Signs helps to solve your marketing & visual communications challenges with signs, banners, graphics & much more.
  • Allegra is a national printing and design company.
  • AIGA is a chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts. John sits as Treasurer at the Asheville location.
  • Garden Party is a lifestyle boutique in West Asheville specializing in elevated objects for the aesthetically inclined.
  • Moonlight Makers is a t-shirt and gifts printing company with items featuring silly sayings and designs.
  • Rosetta’s Kitchen vegetarian & vegan soul food located in Asheville, NC.
  • Oowee Products makes handmade & custom leather goods.

People

Events

  • Watch Stack – watch a talk on a subject, followed by a facilitated conversation around the subject

Books

Products

 

Interested in engaging more with John Hornsby?

Instagram: @JohnHornsbyCreative   @ConnectionKits

Websites:  JohnHornsbyCreative.com    ConnectionKits.biz

 

Music by Commonwealth Choir

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071 – Justin & Amanda James of Opie Way on Reviving the American-Made Sneaker Industry

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In this episode, we interview Justin & Amanda James, the modern shoemakers & married business duo of Opie Way in Asheville, NC.

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

  • Where the name Opie Way came from
  • How they got into the sneaker shoe business
  • How Justin made his first sneaker
  • Marketing tactics plus what their initial sales process was like
  • Coronavirus impact on their business
  • What things to look for when buying sneakers
  • Working together as a couple and how they divvy up their roles

Enjoyed this interview? We think you might also dig this episode with local sustainability & design expert, owner of Ware, Gillie Roberts.

Season Sponsor

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. Use code ‘makingitinasheville’ at checkout. Offer valid for a limited time only.

Show Notes

About Justin & Amanda James

Justin and Amanda James are high school sweethearts turned badass business couple who launched their handcrafted shoe line, Opie Way, in 2019. After both graduating from App State and living in Charlotte for a while, the young couple decided to move back to Asheville to be closer to family. While working on their own business ventures, an opportunity presented itself for Justin and Amanda to buy the machinery to start their own micro-shoe factory. In 2019, they launched their handcrafted shoe line, Opie Way. Fast forward to the fall of 2020, where we learn about their experience and how they have managed to stay afloat during COVID-19.

Visit Opie Way to learn more.

Media

  • East Bay Magazine is the go-to shoe resource for pro-grade gear, casual styles, and expert training tips for athletes who care about winning.
  • This epic video of a shoe being sliced in half on Youtube.
  • Abstract is a Netflix show all about diving into the mind of design. Trust us, it’s worth the watch.
  • SLAM is an American basketball magazine.
  • Shoe Dog is the memoir of Nike creator, Phil Knight.
  • Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte – this work was created in 1847 and the themes all still ring true.

People

  • Tinker Hatfield, the Nike designer who was named as one of the most 100 influential designers of the century in 1988.
  • Jon Jones is the president and CEO of Anthroware, Anthroware is a mashup of anthropologists, designers, data-driven consultants, and technology builders that help solve problems for clients. Located in Asheville, NC.
  • Victor Lytvinenko is one of the founders of Raleigh Denim, a handcrafted denim company based in Raleigh, NC.

Businesses

  • Diamond Brand Gear is the outdoor gear company Opie Way shares factory space with.
  • North Menswear is a clothing store in Laguna Beach that is a wholesale client of Opie Way.

Thought that all shoemakers are cobblers? Let us blow your mind with some shoe lingo:

  • Justin & Amanda teach us a lesson in shoe terminology. A cobbler is someone who fixes shoes, whereas a cordwainer is someone who actually creates the shoes.

Quotes

  • “If you want money, ask for advice. If you want advice, ask for money.” – unknown
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070 – Jared Kay of Amplified Media on Building a Video Production Business Founded in Community

In this episode, we interview Jared Kay, the founder of Amplified Media.

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

  • How Jared got his start in video production
  • Key defining moment(s) on when he decided to get an office and hire employees
  • How he and his team weigh big decisions, like bringing on a new client
  • What a “matterport” video is
  • Where Jared finds inspiration for his video production

If you enjoyed this episode, then we think you might also dig this interview with Lisa & Dean Peteet, of Atlas Branding.

Sponsors

This season of Making It in Asheville is brought to you by Range Urgent Care an Asheville-based clinic that offers affordable healthcare, transparent pricing, and streamlined, friendly service. Enjoy your first month free of annual membership at Range Urgent Care. Use code ‘makingitinasheville’ at checkout. Offer valid for a limited time only.

Show Notes

About Jared Kay

Jared Kay has been capturing amazing adventure and outdoor photography and videography in the region for many years. He has partnered on campaigns for Explore Asheville, Visit North Carolina, and National Geographic. Jared is rooted in Western North Carolina but is visible globally. When he isn’t behind a camera, Jared spends early mornings exploring the mountains at sunrise, and enjoying the countryside by bike, behind the lens, or on foot with his wife Sonia, and their son River. He can often be found with a cup of coffee and a good book.

Don’t worry, we’ve made sure to include some links to his favorite works below. 

Amplified Media

Amplified Media is a video production company based in Asheville, NC. They focus on creating compelling, heartfelt video narratives featuring for brands and organizations throughout Western North Carolina. Learn more by visiting Amplified-Media.com or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Video & Photo People
Asheville People & Organizations
Quotes
  • “If nothing else, be a part of your community.” – Jared Kay

Books, Movies & Podcasts

Music by Commonwealth Choir

 

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069-Elijah Cox & Patricia Waters of Chill Cereal Bar

In this episode, we interview Elijah Cox & Patricia Waters, a dynamic mother-son duo, and owners of Chill Cereal Bar Asheville, NC.

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

  • How they came up with the idea for Chill Cereal Bar
  • The one marketing tool that Patricia has relied on to help grow their business
  • How Elijah designed their first logo
  • Patricia shares some insight into why she’s constantly learning and taking courses
  • The importance of always trying to reach new communities and groups
  • Their favorite cereal….dun dun dun…the suspense!

Enjoyed this interview? We think you might also dig this episode with local business owner of My Daddy Taught Me That, Keynon Lake.

Season Sponsor

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. Use code ‘makingitinasheville’ at checkout. Offer valid for a limited time only.

Show Notes

About Elijah Cox & Patricia Waters of Chill Cereal Bar:

The Chill Cereal Bar and Café is an event for people of all ages. The business was created by Patricia’s son, Elijah, who was 13 years old at the time. She decided to take his vision and turn it into a reality.

When experiencing the cereal bar, you will laugh, have fun, and enjoy all varieties of milk, and toppings. The business is focused on bringing families and others together to spend quality time with each other while eating something everyone loves; cereal!

As they say, “We are unique in what we do and want to bring the community back together, one cereal bowl at a time.”

Visit Chill Cereal Bar to learn more.

Places

  • Mountain BizWorks, is a non-profit that helps local small businesses start, grow, and create jobs through loans, classes, and coaching.
  • Asheville Chamber of Commerce connects Ashevillians to valuable resources such as economic development and research, business education, marketing opportunities and advocacy.
  • Grind– Patricia & Elijah are hosting events at the new coffee bar in Asheville that combines the best of coffee, business and comfort to create the ultimate community gathering place.
  • Explore Asheville when you’re looking for things to do, events, hotels, trip ideas and outdoor activities in Asheville North Carolina.
  • Reid Center in Asheville is where you can find Elijah playing basketball.

People

  • Keynon Lake of My Daddy Taught Me That was Chill Cereal Bar’s first customer. 
  • Leslie Council, founder of My Sistah Taught Me That. (MSTMT) is a young girl’s developmental program designed to encourage, inspire, educate, and empower young girls ages 11-19 with a special focus on girls growing up in single parent homes without their father.
  • Aisha Adam’s Accelerator Program provides support for entrepreneurs to test the feasibility of their ideas, complete comprehensive business plans, clarify assets, develop resources, and build relationships as they progress forward.
  • Gary Vanderchuck – Tony references him regarding the idea that: it doesn’t matter how big your audience is, if you say the right thing and the right person hears, you can be on fast track to success before you know it!
  • Dr. Joseph Fox is Patricia’s mentor.
  • Melissa Gray with Cakes by Gray makes fabulous custom cakes in Asheville, NC.

Books

Events

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068 – Anneliesse Gormley of Spoon + Hook on Learning to Say No and Ask for What You Want

In this episode, we interview Anneliesse Gormley, a woodworker, artist, and owner of Spoon & Hook in Asheville, NC.

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

  • Anneliese shares her story of heartbreak and how that uprooted her and led to her path of woodworking
  • Why Anneliesse would tell people that she was a “woodworker” before she felt like she really was one
  • Learning to say “no”
  • The first channels that Anneliesse used for selling her work and why she loves Shopify
  • Lessons on being okay with failure
  • How Anneliesse learned woodworking and where gets her inspiration from
  • Why she says it’s important to not only say what you want but ask for it, too

Enjoyed this interview? We think you might also dig this episode with local jewelry maker, Molly Dingledine.

Season Sponsor

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. Use code ‘makingitinasheville’ at checkout. Offer valid for a limited time only.

Show Notes

About Anneliesse Gormley

Anneliesse Gormley is a self-taught wood-worker nestled in the mountains of Asheville, NC. Her focus for years was in traditional hand carving techniques and creating pieces that meet both function and aesthetic. Her beautiful and functional works include the use resin and epoxy, creating pieces that fossilize flowers, mushrooms, bugs, and special pieces into forever functional wares.

Visit SpoonandHook.com to learn more.

Places

  • Over Easy Cafe – A popular breakfast & brunch in Asheville where Anneliesse worked.
  • 5 Walnut Wine Bar – Local wine and cheese bar with nightly live music located in downtown Asheville.
  • Atomic Furnishing sells mid century, modern & retro furnishings & Anneliesse has a booth there.
  • Villagers – located in West Asheville – where Anneliesse bought her first hook knife.

People

Books & Music

Quotes to add to your life

  • “Anytime you hear a snapping turtle, they won’t let go until it thunders” – a saying that Anneliesse’s grandmother once said. It’s something that has never made sense to Anneliesse but she appreciates it. We are always here for a great quote from grandma. 
  • “Throw a boa on it, throw some glitter on it, who cares, you only live once!” – Referencing her overall inspiration from Cher. 

Preferred Tools & Products

  • Swiss Made– Hand tools Anneliese uses to create her one of a kind pieces.
  • Two Cherries– Woodworking tools for when you’re feeling crafty.
  • Rifle Paper Co.– Journals & paper products that make you excited to get some ink to paper.

Events

Johnson City – Storytelling Festival annual

 

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