It’s hard to express just how much Marilyn knows about Asheville and it’s history.

We first got to know her over lunch at the Stony Knob Cafe. Between bites, we discussed the podcasting landscape (a shared interest), marketing and advertising industry (a shared profession), and Asheville (a shared community).

When it comes to all three of these topics, Marilyn is a fountain of knowledge. She’s lived here in Asheville for more than 30 years and throughout the decades, she’s carefully observed how Asheville has evolved and used this knowledge to distill important lessons on community development.

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

  • The eerie similarities between what Asheville was like 30 years ago and today
  • Marilyn shares highlights of her career, including spearheading major tourism advertising campaigns for Asheville to becoming a podcast radio host
  • Marilyn’s brilliant approach to building effective advertising campaigns (you’ll want to use this in your world)

Enjoyed this interview? We think you might also dig this episode with Kaye Bentley, founder of Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours.


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


Speaking of Travel is an iHeart Radio radio show/podcast hosted by Marilyn Ball featuring uplifting and enriching stories about how travel changes you.

12 Marketing is Marilyn’s marketing agency. She offers one-on-one consulting and mentoring programs for business owners, nonprofits and people that would like to begin or grow a business. She helps you brainstorm new ideas to increase your profit and revenues.

The Rise of Asheville is a non-fiction book written by Marilyn Ball about the history of Asheville’s community over the last fifty years. Ball traces the bonds of community that gave rise to the vibrant community that Asheville is today. You can buy a the book online from our local bookstore, Malaprops, or on Amazon.

The Paris Photo is the book Marilyn was reading at the time this podcast was recorded. The book conveys the story of an American soldier and his relationship with a young mother and her son just after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944.

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things is a fantastic series of essays by Robert Fulghum.

Kelso Advertising is the marketing and advertising agency that Marilyn worked for about a decade.

Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, author, and storyteller. She has spent more than a decade studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame.

Buzz Sprout is a podcasting hosting platform (and so much more). It offers an easy way for people to host, track, and promote their podcasts. Marilyn uses Buzz Sprout for some of her podcast projects.

Malaprops is a locally-owned, independent bookshop here 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

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

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 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