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Covid and the pandemic changed a lot about how we work, shop, go to school –and even how we workout. One of the biggest “booms” during that time was in running. Depending on the report you read, 15 to 30 percent of runners surveyed say they came to the sport during the pandemic! 

Many of them are still running, and looking for in-person opportunities to get together and run. That’s GREAT news for folks in the events business, you’d think. But there are also new challenges for the events and endurance industry. 

Tim Rhodes is president of Run Charlotte and the managing partner for the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon. Tim, welcome to the BrandBuilders podcast.

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Like my old man says, “at the end of the day, it’s all sales.” Whether you’re selling a product, a service, an idea – or yourself. And “sales” (I’m doing air quotes here) continues to evolve. 

Retail sales numbers are “up,” and consumers have countless ways to engage with potential sellers with technology. The trouble is, not that technology continues to grow and change, making it harder for sellers to meet buyers. 

Stephen Cozzolongo is the kind of pro you want in your bullpen when your digital marketing is missing the mark – or just not optimized for the constantly changing digital landscape. 

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If you’re a sports fan in the Charlotte area, you’re probably familiar with the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, the Jumpman Invitational, or the ally Tipoff. 

Events like this generate MILLIONS of dollars in direct spending and local economic impact, hotel room rental, spending on food, drinks, and entertainment… as well as the millions of dollars that sports and sporting events mean for area nonprofits. 

One of the drivers behind some of that impact is The Charlotte Sports Foundation. Miller Yoho is Director of Communications and Marketing for the Charlotte Sports Foundation. He is our guest today on the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast.  

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Everyone loves a comeback story, and our next guest has one you will not want to miss. 

With a promising future in collegiate and professional sports, our guest had that fairy tale derail when went to prison in his senior year of college as a result of a domestic violence conviction. 

After receiving mental and behavioral services to recover, he emerged from prison as a “change agent,” charged to help individuals find the root cause of their violent behavior – and to help those individuals and their families break that cycle and recover. 

Now, he is a Domestic Violence consultant, advocate, & speaker. He is the author of the book “The Family Man: Solutions To Permanently Eradicate Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, & Bullying.”

AW Burgess, welcome to the BrandBuilders Podcast… 

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There’s nothing like running in your own hometown. Waking up in your own bed. Enjoying breakfast in your own kitchen. Coming home to crash on your own couch… you get it.

It’s also pretty cool to run an out-of-town event, and traveling to someplace you’ve never been, and experiencing everything that “different” place has to offer. 

But there is, of course, the headaches that come with all of that “unknown territory.” And that’s where Mark Janik saw an opportunity.

Mark, welcome to the BrandBuilders Podcast!

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Pop quiz for you here: This nearly 200 BILLION DOLLAR industry employs is responsible for more than 4 million jobs in the US and generates nearly $70 million in tax revenue every year. Any guesses?? 

If your answer was the alcoholic beverage industry, you’d be right. And that market is forecast to continue growing, with new products and product categories entering the ring every day. 

Daniel Sarjeant & Brian Thomason represent two of those newcomers to the market, and they’re here to tell us all about it here in the BrandBuilders Podcast studio. 

 

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North Carolina has come a long, long way since it earned an economic reputation based on tobacco, furniture, and textiles. Agriculture and manufacturing still play a role… but they share the spotlight with aerospace, fin-tech, energy, banking, bio-tech and more, in an a statewide economy that is far more diverse than it was just 10 or 20 years ago. 

“Business North Carolina” magazine has been following the news, the trends, the ups and downs, and the names and faces that have shaped the state’s economy since 1981. 

Ben Kinney has served as publisher for 20 years. He’s seen many of those changes first-hand … along with changes in the news business itself. He’s our guest today on this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders podcast. 

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For years, SouthPark has had the reputation of being a destination for high-end retail and restaurants, active neighborhoods and desirable schools. SouthPark is, of course, home to one of the most popular malls in the region, several apartment complexes, offices, and restaurants, with more redevelopment coming to the area soon.

Adam Rhew is one of the names and faces you’ll see often as this fast-growing area continues to expand. He’s president of SouthPark Partners… and he’s our guest today on the BrandBuilders Podcast.

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If you’ve been in Charlotte for even a few months, listening to the radio or watching local TV, or whatever… you’ve likely heard an ad for one of the Keffer Auto Group’s 8 car dealerships like Hyundai, Jeep, Volkswagen, or Kia – and many more. 

What you may not know is that the Keffer family has a long, local history of putting people behind the wheel here in the Charlotte area. Jim Keffer is the owner and investing partner in a catalog full of car brands here in the Carolinas… and that’s not all he’s up to. 

This Renaissance man is also our guest this week on the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast. 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:42 — 46.6MB)

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Over the years we’ve had lots of new and emerging brands, products, and service providers appear here on The BrandBuilders Podcast. Each of them is unique, but the common thread they share is this: they all recognized there was something missing in the marketplace. 

And as they say in science class, nature abhors a vacuum. For the makers, creators, and entrepreneurs that “vacuum” means opportunity. The folks behind Run Rak noticed something was missing from their travel and athletic pursuits, and entered the market with the products to meet active travelers needs. 

Run Rak’s Marcel Coleman is our guest today, talking about one of the newest products coming out of this Charlotte-based company.