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There’s a question that lives in the back of the mind of nearly every parent raising a child with special needs. It doesn’t announce itself — it just sits there, quiet and heavy. What happens to my child when I am no longer here?

For a long time, that question had no good answer. Families navigated a maze of government benefits, legal documents, and financial systems — often alone, guided by well-meaning professionals who didn’t have the depth of specialization this work demands.

In 2005, a financial planner from Charlotte decided that wasn’t good enough. Ryan F. Platt founded A Special Needs Plan with one mission: to serve families living with that fear and replace it with clarity, structure, and a road map forward. Today, the firm is an elite, nationally recognized practice serving families across the country.

Ryan holds credentials most financial advisors have never heard of — including the Chartered Special Needs Consultant designation — because he believes this community deserves a true specialist. He’s a former president of The Arc of North Carolina, a speaker at national conferences, a published author, and a champion for families who have spent too long facing the impossible alone.

Ryan, welcome to The BrandBuilders Podcast.

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In 2009, Charlotte had the distinction of being the largest city in the United States without a single brewery. Most people would look at that and see opportunity. Ryan Self did, and built his entire career from that moment forward.

He spent thirteen years at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — from self-distributing kegs to Charlotte bars to statewide distribution across North Carolina. Building something from nothing, rooted in German brewing tradition, earning gold medals at the European Beer Star along the way. Then he made the move to Triple C Brewing — Craft, Community, Charlotte — right in the heart of South End, steps from the Rail Trail.

And now Ryan has crossed to the other side of the industry, joining Carolina Premium Beverage and Caffey Distributing — an 80-plus-year-old, family-owned distributor that sits in the top one percent of beer wholesalers in the entire country.

He’s spent a career watching how brands rise, stumble, and earn their place on the shelf. And along the way, he landed on one of the sharpest observations I’ve heard about where craft beer is actually headed: “Only good beer equals good.”

Ryan, welcome to The BrandBuilders Podcast.

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Every business runs on data. Every data breach costs money, erodes trust, and — in some cases — ends companies. The question isn’t whether cybersecurity matters. It’s who you trust to protect you when the stakes are that high.

Today’s guest built his career on that question. Matt Donato spent nearly two decades in professional services — starting in staffing and executive search, learning how organizations find, build, and keep top talent. He took that knowledge and co-founded HuntSource, an executive search firm focused on the cybersecurity sector. That led him deeper into the industry — through a leadership role at CyberSN, the largest cybersecurity talent acquisition firm in the country — and ultimately to where he is today.

Since January 2023, Matt has been a Partner at Echelon Risk + Cyber — an award-winning cybersecurity and risk management firm based in Charlotte, with a mission as clear as it gets: protecting security and privacy as basic human rights.

Charlotte is a city on the move — diversifying fast, with a tight-knit executive community where reputation is currency. And for Matt Donato, reputation is exactly the business he’s in.

Matt, welcome to The BrandBuilders Podcast.

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What does it look like when someone builds their entire life around a question — not “what can I get?” but “what can I give?” Today’s guest has been quietly answering that for over a decade, and the results speak for themselves: hundreds of young lives redirected, a nonprofit that has become a genuine force in Charlotte, and a reputation so consistent that his colleagues simply call him Superman.

Jimmy McQuilkin grew up in Columbia, Maryland, graduated No. 1 in his high school class, and arrived at Wake Forest University with enough drive to talk his way onto the men’s basketball team as a non-scholarship walk-on. He earned two varsity letters and, in his own words, “dribbled out the clock a few times.” But it wasn’t the hardwood that changed his life — it was a volunteer experience at a Latino community services organization in Winston-Salem that set everything in motion.

After Wake Forest, he joined Teach For America, taught Spanish and coached basketball in Charlotte, and was named First Year Teacher of the Year. In 2013, he co-founded UrbanPromise Charlotte — a Christian-centered nonprofit that now serves 335 young people across three sites, employs 105 people, and runs one of the most inspired youth leadership models anywhere in this city.

People who know Jimmy describe him as “the most intentional” and “the most humble” person in the room — which, if you know anything about leadership, tells you everything.

Jimmy, welcome to The BrandBuilders Podcast.

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The right lighting can transform a space—from how it feels to how it functions—and behind every smart system is someone who understands both the technical side and the relationship side of the business. Our guest today is Kenny Barnes, General Manager of FRM Lighting & Controls, based right here in Charlotte.

FRM has been a leader in the electrical industry since 1969, and in 2024 they launched FRM Lighting & Controls to bring that same experience and reliability to the lighting and controls market across the Carolinas and Florida. Kenny is at the helm of this new division, building the team, deepening partnerships with contractors and manufacturers, and helping clients navigate a fast-evolving world of energy codes, controls, and design.

Today we’re talking with Kenny about launching and growing a new division inside an established company, what’s changing in the lighting and controls world, and how strong partnerships can make or break a project.

Kenny, welcome to this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast.

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When you think “golf carts,” you might picture country clubs and fairways—but in Charlotte, golf carts are becoming a lifestyle, a way to move, connect, and have fun. At the center of that movement is Charlotte Golf Carts, led by entrepreneur and owner Fred Griffith.

Fred’s journey hasn’t been a straight line. He’ll tell you he’s “had it all, lost it all, and never gave up,” and that imagination is his superpower. From reinvention and manifestation to literally pulling himself up by his bootstraps, Fred has built and rebuilt his life and business through vision, hustle, and a refusal to quit.

Today we’re talking with Fred about the story behind Charlotte Golf Carts, how he turned carts into a community brand, and what he’s learned about resilience, creativity, and going all-in on a new chapter.

Fred, welcome to this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast.

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Charlotte is growing fast, and a lot of that growth is being shaped by people who don’t just build projects, they build communities. One of those leaders is Todd Collins, CEO and founder of Red Hill Ventures, a Charlotte-based real estate firm and investment platform focused on innovative, community-centered development.

Under Todd’s leadership, Red Hill Ventures has invested in and revitalized key properties across the region—from industrial parks to commercial spaces—while keeping an eye on long-term value, economic mobility, and the future of how people live and work. He’s also deeply involved in Charlotte’s civic and philanthropic circles, championing opportunity, diversity, and education alongside his wife, Janelle, and partners like Atrium Health.

Today we’re talking with Todd about how thoughtful real estate can shape a city, what he’s seeing in Charlotte’s market right now, and why purpose and profit don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

Todd, welcome to this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:42 — 32.7MB)

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Today we’re talking about what it really takes to align brand, marketing, and revenue in a world where channels change daily but fundamentals still matter. Our guest, Jinnie Austin, is a Marketing and Ecommerce Strategic Advisor and fractional CMO who helps growing brands connect the dots between who they are, how they show up, and how they make money.

Jinnie has worked with organizations like 361º USA and Exponent Edge, advising on strategy, ecommerce, and digital growth, and she’s built a reputation for stepping into leadership gaps and bringing clarity to messy marketing situations. Based in the Charlotte area, she partners with founders and leadership teams to create practical, sustainable marketing systems that actually move the needle instead of adding more noise.

We’re going to dig into what she’s seeing in the market right now, how brands can get unstuck, and why a strategic advisor or fractional CMO might be exactly what a scaling company needs.

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:26 — 33.3MB)

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Charlotte’s movie scene has something truly special — and it’s not your average theater popcorn experience. The Independent Picture House isn’t just a cinema; it’s a community hub for film lovers, artists, and idea seekers. As Charlotte’s only nonprofit community cinema, IPH is building something more than a movie — a space where cultural conversations, local voices, and international films all meet under one roof.

Our guest today is one of the driving forces behind that mission — Claire Lechtenberg, Director of Marketing and Development at the Independent Picture House. Claire has been helping tell IPH’s story, growing its community impact, and turning film screenings into meaningful experiences that connect people. She’s also been recognized as one of Queens University’s “10 Under 10” alumni for her leadership and creativity in shaping Charlotte’s arts scene.

Let’s talk with Claire about how IPH is redefining what a movie theater can mean to a community — and why “more than a movie” perfectly captures this local treasure.

Claire, welcome to this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:23 — 32.4MB)

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Today’s guest has gone from dancing in some of Europe’s most respected companies to becoming one of the most distinctive choreographic voices in contemporary ballet. Alejandro Cerrudo, danced professionally before he became Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s first‑ever resident choreographer in 2008. 

His work has been performed by more than 20 dance companies around the world, and he has been recognized with honors including the Boomerang Fund for Artists award, the Prince Prize for Commissioning Original Work, and the USA Donnelley Fellowship by United States Artists. 

In 2020 he became Pacific Northwest Ballet’s first‑ever resident choreographer and premiered his own show, It Starts Now, at The Joyce Theater in New York. In 2022, he took on a new challenge as artistic director of Charlotte Ballet, where he is now shaping the future of dance in this city.

Alejandro, welcome to The BrandBuilders Podcast.