Advertise on podcast: Mind Your Business - A Podcast Series produced by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce

All of those text messages, mailers, commercials, and other election-based stimulants come grinding to a halt after the ballots are counted (mostly). After a few blissful moments of silence, the ever-important conversation around community leadership must continue. On this week's Mind Your Business, we use the context of the election to discuss how strong community-focused leadership can drive a moment of change. Dr. Jim Street, owner of Ridgeline Leadership and Curriculum Coordinator for the Watauga Leadership Institute, dives into core principles that meet the moment, and offers suggestions on how today's leader can become more connected to important community issues. Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone Support the show

If you've been in business more than 20 minutes, you've probably hired an employee that lasted about that same length of time, before realizing the job "wasn't for them." Over the last several years, area education partners and State leadership have emphasized more robust and well-timed apprenticeships, internships, and other programs to promote career emersion, so students get a look inside a career path sooner than later. This helps energize the pursuit or redirect the passion, depending on what is learned as they look behind the ropes of their potential career. On this week's Mind Your Business, we learn about App State Works, a year-long professional development program meant to link local businesses with students seeking experience and first-hand knowledge about their chosen career path. Amy Odom is Director of Business Career Services for App State's Walker College of Business, and shares how this program is partnering businesses across numerous landscapes and disciplines to reenforce their workforce pipelines, while allowing students to gain valuable experiences outside of the classroom. Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone Support the show Support the show

It's not hard to imagine the color scheme behind the brand of Mountaineer Tavern, one of Boone's newest restaurants, and a business that has attached itself to its core audience -- supporters of App State Athletics. This association is not just about making a wise business decision. The roots of the Mountaineer Tavern project started to grow inside Broome-Kirk Gymnasium, as a young Mark Harrill fell in love with App State sports, in particular the basketball team. Today the Harrill Family, and several investors, have created a business model that drives profit back to the programs that bring customers through the door. On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Jay Harrill, son of Missy and the late Mark Harrill, as he talks about how a family connection to sports led to an opportunity to add to the entertainment value and caloric intake that makes gamedays in Boone so uniue. Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone Support the show Support the show

Pull up the headlines from any day of the week, and chances are something related to healthcare is listed among the topics. As part of the 4th annual State of the Community luncheon, UNC Health Appalachian President/CEO, Nathan Nipper, presented on the latest developments within UNC Health Appalachian, and how systems across the country are thinking about staffing and delivery of services. On this week's Mind Your Business, we'll hear Nipper's remarks from the event, and how Western North Carolina's Economic Recovery Plan can fuel future workforce and business development within the industry. A link to the presentation from the event is included here: UNC Health Appalachian - State of the Community Presentation Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone Support the show

October is PRIME TIME in the High Country for visual wonder, culinary joy, and a genuine connection to all of the good that arts and culture bring to our world. October 17-18th is widely viewed as Peak Weekend in the High Country, both for viewing the autumn leaves and experiencing two of the most unique festivals North Carolina has to offer. On this week's Mind Your Business, we give you the scoop on the 47th annual Valle Country Fair, staged annually in beautiful Valle Crucis, and Banner Elk's 49th annual Wolly Worm Festival, two events that bring the world of the creative arts together with the visual beauty of the Western North Carolina mountains in the heart of October. We'll talk with festival organizers from both events about dates, times, artisans, and music, among other details. We'll also explore the philanthropic connection both events have on the High Country well beyond the close of these iconic festivals. Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone. Support the show

The Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce present the 2026 Watauga County Meet the Candidates Forum. This episode features candidates running for the Watauga County Board of Commissioners District 1 Adam Hege (D) Rick Woods (R) District 2 Savva Kostis (R) Ray Russell (D) All archives for each race are available at boonechamber.com.  Support the show Support the show

The Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce present the 2026 Watauga County Meet the Candidates Forum. This episode features candidates running to represent Watauga County in the NC Senate & House races. NC Senate District 47 Ralph Hise (R) (I) Frank Hughes, III (D)  NC House of Representatives District 93 Ray Pickett (I) (R) Charlie Wallin (D)  NC House of Representatives District 87 Iris Bender (D) Destin Hall (R) (I) Candidates in bold attended the event. All archives for each race are available at boonechamber.com.  Support the show Support the show

The Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce present the 2026 Watauga County Meet the Candidates Forum. This episode features candidates running for the Watauga County Board of Education  District 1 Yolanda Adams Ellen Lamont District 4  Chad Cole Megan (Chayyim) Kornhouser All archives for each race are available at boonechamber.com.  Support the show

The Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce present the 2026 Watauga County Meet the Candidates Forum. This episode features Chuck Hubbard, the Democratic candidate for North Carolina's Fifth District of the US House of Representatives.  Candidates for Watauga County Board of Education, Watauga County Board of Commissioners, and the North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives were featured as part of our in-person forum on Thursday, October 1st, at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country. Candidates for Watauga County Clerk of Court, Watauga County Sheriff, and the US House of Representatives (NC-5) were interviewed individually by David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Due to the nature of these individual interviews, candidates were not held to time constraints. All archives for each race are available at boonechamber.com.  Support the show

The Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce present the 2026 Watauga County Meet the Candidates Forum. This episode features Dr. Virginia Foxx, the incumbent Republican candidate for North Carolina's Fifth District of the US House of Representatives.  Candidates for Watauga County Board of Education, Watauga County Board of Commissioners, and the North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives were featured as part of our in-person forum on Thursday, October 1st, at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country. Candidates for Watauga County Clerk of Court, Watauga County Sheriff, and the US House of Representatives (NC-5) were interviewed individually by David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Due to the nature of these individual interviews, candidates were not held to time constraints. All archives for each race are available at boonechamber.com.  Support the show

The Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce present the 2026 Watauga County Meet the Candidates Forum. This episode features Darin Church, the Republican candidate for Watauga County Sheriff. Candidates for Watauga County Board of Education, Watauga County Board of Commissioners, and the North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives were featured as part of our in-person forum on Thursday, October 1st, at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country. Candidates for Watauga County Clerk of Court, Watauga County Sheriff, and the US House of Representatives (NC-5) were interviewed individually by David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Due to the nature of these individual interviews, candidates were not held to time constraints. All archives for each race are available at boonechamber.com.  Support the show

The Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce present the 2026 Watauga County Meet the Candidates Forum. This episode features Len Hagaman, the incumbent Democratic candidate for Watauga County Sheriff. Candidates for Watauga County Board of Education, Watauga County Board of Commissioners, and the North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives were featured as part of our in-person forum on Thursday, October 1st, at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country. Candidates for Watauga County Clerk of Court, Watauga County Sheriff, and the US House of Representatives (NC-5) were interviewed individually by David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Due to the nature of these individual interviews, candidates were not held to time constraints. All archives for each race are available at boonechamber.com.  Support the show

The Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce present the 2026 Watauga County Meet the Candidates Forum. This episode features Holly Fehl, the Democratic candidate for Watauga County Clerk of Court. Candidates for Watauga County Board of Education, Watauga County Board of Commissioners, and the North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives were featured as part of our in-person forum on Thursday, October 1st, at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country. Candidates for Watauga County Clerk of Court, Watauga County Sheriff, and the US House of Representatives (NC-5) were interviewed individually by David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Due to the nature of these individual interviews, candidates were not held to time constraints. All archives for each race are available at boonechamber.com.  Support the show

The Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce present the 2026 Watauga County Meet the Candidates Forum. This episode features Charles Haynes, the incumbent Republican candidate for Watauga County Clerk of Court. Candidates for Watauga County Board of Education, Watauga County Board of Commissioners, and the North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives were featured as part of our in-person forum on Thursday, October 1st, at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country. Candidates for Watauga County Clerk of Court, Watauga County Sheriff, and the US House of Representatives (NC-5) were interviewed individually by David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Due to the nature of these individual interviews, candidates were not held to time constraints. All archives for each race are available at boonechamber.com.  Support the show

It's been nearly two years since Hurricane Helene's impact was felt across Western North Carolina.  In January 2025, Governor Josh Stein appointed a special Advisory Committee for Western North Carolina Recovery and established GROW NC (Governor's Recovery Office for Western North Carolina) to serve as the lead organization to guide immediate physical and economic recovery efforts. In early 2026, a sub-committee was formed to examine the region's long term economic outlook, and make recommendations to Governor Stein and State leaders that would set Western North Carolina down a path toward recovery and future economic prosperity. On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Governor Stein and GROW NC released the Western North Carolina Economic Recovery Plan, a document that focuses on eight core principles that harness current resources and industry proficiency, while aligning goals that will advance the region's efforts to create economic diversity and resilience across all sectors. On this week's Mind Your Business, we unveil the core tenants of the plan, and how the High Country is poised to benefit from this collaborative effort. We'll also talk with Dan Gerlach, a long-time economic strategist and policy advisor in the State about the research that led to the plan. He'll explain how this framework can build off current regional strengths while protecting a unique cultural experience that separates Western North Carolina from many other parts of the country. Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone. Support the show