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We love cool shades, and we love the environment too. So does former race car driver Johnny Freeman — who decided to put together new product lines of sunglasses and leather bags, in a more sustainable way.

So get this — the frames for the shades are made from recycled cotton, and the arms are made of wood. You heard that right — wood. He sells them online and from his flagship store in NoDa that bears his racing nickname, Johnny Fly. And his leather bags — well, we’ll let him tell it. We’re glad to have Johnny Fly himself with us on the BrandBuilders Podcast to tell us his story

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:22 — 46.2MB)

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Are you feeling the Olympic spirit? Or want a unique Hornets Tee? Or just want to show some straight-up Charlotte pride? Then you need to show it with some swag with the QC crown or the 704 logo. And yes, the 704 Shop is where you get it.

You’ve seen the shirts and masks and hats with the popular logos around town, even on the mayor. Who are these guys? Well, we have them right here in our BrandBuilders Podcast studio. Let’s give a big, hometown pride welcome to Scott Wooten, Jerri Shepherd, and Chris Moxley.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:55 — 46.9MB)

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You may have heard him on the news — countless thousands of people woke up to his voice over the last five years in our area, and 10 years before that in his home state of Florida. Blaine Tolison recently left the morning news anchor job in Charlotte and is setting his own course using one of the great gifts of his profession — his voice.

Robert Blaine Voiceovers is a new venture that will allow Blaine to bring his golden pipes to a variety of commercial ads and products, from the comfort of his own home.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:14 — 42.7MB)

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In an era of products that are mass-produced — especially this year, when we’ve been hesitant to go shopping just for fun and have ordered so much online — one company makes it a priority to offer jewelry and home decor that is completely hand-made and artfully inspired.

Mary Hamby and her crew of artists are just settling into their new home in West Charlotte, where her store beckons you to browse. Located just across from Enderly Coffee in Enderly Park, Twenty Two West is a dream come true for artists and entrepreneurs who live to create.

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You can find lunch or a cup of coffee in dozens of places in Uptown or South End Charlotte, but you can’t always get them with a side of helping humanity. We know a place where that’s possible — not just easing your hunger but helping men and women who hunger for better lives after recovering from addiction and homelessness. Community Matter Cafe at Charlotte Rescue Mission is helping these men and women get back on their feet, by serving you lunch and getting you on your way.

Ed Price is the Director of Life Skills Operations at Community Matters Cafe, and he joins us on the BrandBuilders Podcast to talk about how the cafe fared in a year when a lot of restaurants struggled.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:23 — 52.8MB)

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It’s been said that good marketing in today’s world is about storytelling — that your brand has a story, and it draws people to your product or service and moves them to buy it. Our next guest on the BrandBuilders Podcast is all about storytelling — he’s a former sports reporter, then digital media strategist, and now he’s an author, a keynote speaker, a podcast creator… and even teaches a class on, you guessed it — storytelling!

Jay Acunzo is all about breaking the mold, breaking through conventional thinking to unleash your creativity and really go after the career and the goals you want. And he joins us today on the BrandBuilders Podcast to talk about it.

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What do you get when you combine a designer and an engineer into one business? You get a well-run business with great-looking stuff, for one. In this case, you get two businesses — a custom design company, and a popular DIY workshop franchise that has grown to 150 locations in three years. The brains behind it all are two women who were looking for something outside the corporate world when their children were small, and found each other and a great idea for a business.

Their latest endeavor is the AR Workshop, a DIY workshop that allows you to make your own personalized designs. We could go on and on — really, we could — but we’ll let them tell it. The BrandBuilders Podcast is happy to welcome Maureen Anders and Adria Ruff of AR Workshop.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:12 — 51.1MB)

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Just a few years after its creation, Let Me Run was off and running as a program to give boys a physical and mental/emotional outlet for all of their energy. Best known as the “boy version” of the popular Girls on the Run program, Let Me Run has expanded to 56 regions of the country in just 10 years. Now, after a year off because of the pandemic, Let Me Run will return to schools in the Fall with an updated curriculum and coaches’ training that reflects the times we’re living in. In addition to teaching boys to have empathy and be supportive teammates, new components will teach boys to process trauma, as well as teach equity and equality for all genders and races. Their Executive Director Emily Battle is here on the BrandBuilders Podcast to tell us all about it.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:43 — 64.2MB)

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When we think about exciting careers, “accountant” usually isn’t at the top of the list — but BGW CPA firm bills itself as “Anything But Typical.” In fact, they have their own podcast of the same name, and its co-founder and co-host Gary Frey has an anything-but-typical title of “Connector, McGyver, and Confidant.” He’s also had an anything-but-typical career and he joins us today on the BrandBuilders Podcast to share the energy he has for everything he does.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:51 — 54.8MB)

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We’ve all seen a bad horror movie where something sinister creeps up from a drain and frightens the life out of us. Our next guest on the BrandBuilders Podcast says that scenario can be very real… even if it’s not visible to us.

Jason Bocchino is an entrepreneur many times over who has led companies from international debt collections to diamond brokerages to now, something greener. It’s called a “Green Drain,” and it is a pipe designed to protect us from what starts seeping up the OTHER way when water’s not going down. Jason is here to explain.