Brunch with BBB
In this podcast, Luis and Catherine tackle the marketplace topics that matter to business owners and consumers!
Stephanie Phillips, LCMHC, NCC, CCTP, owner of The Mindly Group, joins us to discuss tips for navigating the new norm of social distancing - including how to successfully work from home, manage relationships, and keep up your mental health.
For additional information on The Mindly Group, visit themindlygroup.com or follow them on Facebook: The Mindly Group, PLLC.
Get to know co-hosts Luis and Catherine, and find out what you can expect in future episodes of the Brunch with BBB podcast.
In this final episode of Women’s History Month, Luis and Catherine interview Better Business Bureau serving Eastern North Carolina’s president and CEO, Mallory Wojciechowski, to share her journey to becoming a woman in leadership at a young age!
In alignment with Women's History Month, Luis and Catherine share the top three scams targeting women in 2020 and 10 tips for guarding against them!
If you think you've been the victim of a scam, you can report it to BBB's Scam Tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker.
10 Tips to guarding against scams:
- Never send money via gift card or wire transfer to someone you have never met face-to-face.
- Avoid clicking on links or opening attachments in unsolicited emails.
- Don’t believe everything you see.
- Double check your online purchase is secure before checking out.
- Use extreme caution when dealing with anyone you’ve met online.
- Never share personally identifiable information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited, whether it’s over the phone, by email, on social media, even at your front door.
- Resist the pressure to act immediately.
- Use secure and traceable transactions.
- Whenever possible, work with local businesses.
- Be cautious about what you share on social media.
Are you maximizing the benefits of social media to grow your business? In this episode, Luis and Catherine share the facts about social media usage and how you are likely missing out on a large pool of potential clients/customers by not being connected online. They also share tangible tips for establishing and maintaining your social media presence - including content creation, analytics, and crisis communication!
Ready to Elevate Your Social Media? Gain access to session recordings and downloadable resources from BBB of Eastern NC's recent Social Media Semi-Summit by clicking HERE.
In this episode of the Black History Month Series, Luis and Catherine chat with fellow BBB colleagues in Kansas City and Atlanta to unpack the history of African-American owned businesses, the impact they have on the marketplace, and how consumers can support Black-owned businesses year-round.
In this episode of the Black History Month Series, Luis and Catherine chat with a representative of the oldest African American owned bank in North Carolina. James Sillis, CEO of M&F Bank, located in Durham, NC, shares the history of this iconic business and how it has shaped our local marketplace for both business owners and consumers.
Looking for a Valentine? Beware of scammers seeking to steal more than your heart online! In this episode Luis and Catherine share consumer resources to avoid romance scams that attempt to break the bank in addition to your heart.
For additonal information, visit bbb.org.
In this final episode of the Consumer Conscious Series, Luis and Catherine chat with Steve Weathers, President and CEO of the Greenville-ENC Alliance, about the importance of supporting local businesses.
Listen in to find out why North Carolina was ranked the third best region to do business nationwide and how you can contribute to our local economy as both a business owner and consumer.
Did you know only 10% of recyclables actually end up being recycled?
This shows how unreliable our recycling efforts are, and with over 50 billion pounds of plastics dumped into our waterways and ecosystems each year, this is creating a major environmental impact.
In this episode, Luis and Catherine chat with Alan Riggs (CFO), Alex Henson(COO), and Jonathan Aguilar (CEO) from R.A.W. Plastics (Restoring Another Waterway) located in Greenville, NC.
"We’re going to pay for plastic pollution no matter what - so we either pay now with time and money, or we’re going to pay for it later with our health and livelihood."
Listen in to learn how you can be a more conscious consumer when it comes to our local ecosystem, including:
- How to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
- Practical steps you can take daily to make a real difference.
- How consumers and businesses can be more mindful of their waste.
Do you know where your food comes from?
Each day we become less and less connected with our food source, which is dangerous territory. In this epsiode, Luis and Catherine interview Will Kornegay of Ripe Revival Market, a Greenville-based business that specializes in locally sourced fresh food boxes for their customers. They even donate excess food to those in need around them.
Listen in to learn:
- the physical, mental, and economic benefits of knowing where your food comes from,
- tips to identifying and becoming closer to your food source, and
- the impacts COVID has had on the food supply chain.
Interested in learning more about Ripe Revival Market? Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Being a conscious consumer includes being mindful of your mental and physical health, which is what Pantea Dougani of Excel Body Fitness and Stephanie Phillips of The Mindly Group help unpack in this episode. Listen in to learn easy tips for prioritizing your mental and physical health.
THIS IS YOUR YEAR!
Luis and Catherine are challenging their listeners to take the reins and become more intentional in the marketplace this year. That’s why they’re dedicating the next few weeks to a Consumer Conscience Series.
Do you know where your food/ products come from?
Do you know the impact your choices have on the environment?
When was the last time you purposefully supported a local business?
Take the reins and become more intentional in the marketplace. Be on the lookout for future episodes in this series, including:
- Owning Your Mental & Physical Health In 2021 (ft. Pantea Dougani + Stephanie Phillips)
- Connecting Consumers To Their Food (ft. Ripe Revival Market)
- Limiting Human Environmental Impacts (ft. R.A.W. Plastics)
- Intentionally Shopping Local (ft. Steve Weathers)
In this final episode of 2020, Luis and Catherine round out their Thankfulf for series by sharing traditions, both old and new, that they’re thankful for. Of course, their favorite new tradition from 2020 is the Brunch with BBB podcast.
Since launching in March 2020, the podcast has grown to include local and international listeners.. Enjoy the final weeks of 2020, and be on the lookout for Luis and Catherine to make their return after the new year.
What’s your definition of integrity?
In this episode, Luis and Catherine chat with Charlie Bradley of The Brian Hamilton Foundation and April Bond, a graduate of their Inmates to Entrepreneurs program.
Listen in to find out what integrity means to them, how it has impacted their lives, and influenced the work they’re doing.
In this special Thanksgiving Episode, Luis and Catherine share how they're keep gratitude front and center this season. In a year filled with uncertainty and change, one thing that can make a difference is being thankful.
Listen in as they share how their holidays will look this year, what they're thankful for, and some of their unique traditions - both old and new!
In this episode, Luis and Catherine interview Todd Lesley of Bedford Financial on the topic of generosity to find out why giving back is impactful for the giver just as much, if not more so, as the receiver.
Gen·er·os·i·ty [noun] The quality of being kind and generous, showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected.
fam·i·ly [fam(ə)lē] noun: all the descendants of a common ancestor; commonly known as life’s greatest blessing - a group of those whom you can always count on in good good times and bad.
In this episode, Luis and Catherine chat with Cara-beth Yancey of Carolina Printing Company, a family owned/run business, about being Thankful for Family this holiday season.
Listen in to find out what it's like to graduate college in the midst of a pandemic and how it may have changed the trajectory of Cara-beth's career to include more family time.
thank·ful [adjective] feeling or expression of gratitude; appreciative
In a year full of unexpected turns, Luis and Catherine reset before the holidays to remember the important things, such as being thankful. Listen in as Luis and Catherine introduce the “Thankful for…” series. They announce some of the special guests who will help explore the topics of family, generosity, integrity, and tradition.
Be on the lookout for additional episodes in this series, being released every Thursday through December 10th.
Thankful for... Series Schedule:
(11/12) Thankful for Family
(11/9) Thankful for Generosity
(11/26) Thanksgiving Special
(12/3) Thankful for Integrity
(12/10) Thankful for Tradition
Are you wondering what the last few months of 2020 will look like? From elections to holidays and everything in between, it can feel overwhelming. In this episode, Luis and Catherine share resources to help you navigate this season that is bound to be different.
Listen in to learn:
- 3 tips for online shopping this holiday season,
- Best practices for holiday travel during a pandemic, and
- How to avoid scams this election season.
For additional information and resources, visit bbb.org.
Do you struggle to find enough time in the day for work, let alone time for yourself?
In this episode of Brunch with BBB, Luis and Catherine chat with Tiffany Williams, CEO and principal consultant at Organized Energy Coaching & Consulting.
Tune in to learn:
- About the major obstacles currently paralyzing business owners and professionals.
- Practical steps to improve your time management.
- Small, simple ways to integrate self care into your everyday activities.
To learn more about Tiffany, check out her podcast and follow her on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).
Do you ever think about your mental health? And nd how it might be impacting your relationships, work life, or physical health?
In this episode of Brunch with BBB, Luis and Catherine invite former guest, Stephanie Phillips, to dive into the world of mental health. Stephanie is a licensed and clinical mental health counselor and owner of The Mindly Group.
Tune in to learn:
- The sigmas around mental health, and how the pandemic has shifted them
- Steps for assessing your own mental health
- Tips to deal with the longer-term pandemic, and the impacts it may have on your mental health
To learn more about Stephanie, connect with The Mindly Group on Facebook and Twitter.
In this final episode of the Hispanic Heritage Month Series, Luis and Catherine chat with Rebecca Tippett of Carolina Demography, a unit of the Carolina Population Center.
Listen in to learn about Hispanic population in North Carolina and across the country to gain a better understanding of the trends within this demographic, and how that might impact current and future Hispanic-owned businesses.
This Spark Spotlight features the Executive Director of Emerge Pediatric Therapy and the 2020 BBB Spark Award (provided by Matthews Motors) Winner, Brittni Winslow!
Luis and Catherine chat with Brittni about how she has grown her business, navigated telehealth throughout the pandemic, and continues to provide her clients and their families the support they need during this time. As a business owner and mom of three young children, Brittni also shares the secret to her perserverance and positive attitude!
In this episode of the Hispanic Heritage Series, Luis and Catherine are joined by their BBB colleagues from across the country: Alma Galvan, BBB of Northeast California's Communications & Marketing Manager; Keylen Villagrana, BBB of Greater Denver and Central Colorado's Marketing and Media Coordinator; and Daniel Bright, BBB of Greater Iowa, Quad Cities, and Siouxland Region Operations Specialist.
First, the Director of Operations for Agape Roofing kicks off the episode to share what it's like to be a Hispanic business owner of a BBB Accredited business. Then Catherine moderates a panel discussion with her fellow BBB colleagues on what the Hispanic-owned business communtiy looks like thoughout the country.
To learn more about the other Better Business Bureau's represented on this episode, connect with them on social media: @SacramentoBBB @bbb_iowa and @denverbbb
In this episode of the Hispanic Heritage Month Series, Luis and Catherine tackle the topic of what it's like to be a Hispanic business owner in North Carolina with the help of members from the Mexican Consulate of North Carolina (Consulado de Mexico) and the North Carolina Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
First, you'll hear a first-hand account of what it's like to be a local Hispanic business owner with Victor Sandoval of VS Insurance. Then Patricia Perez, Deputy Consul General (Cónsul Adscrita) for the Mexican Consulate of North Carolina (Consulado de Mexico) shares the resources they provide to the local Mexican and Hispanic communtiy. Later, Suling Waler, Director of the North Carolina Hispanic Chamber of Commerce shares some statistics on the local Hispanic business community and the resources they have available as well.
Be sure to follow BBB of Eastern NC's Spanish Facebook page (BBB del Este de NC - Español) and be on the lookout for Hispanic-owned business spotlights all month long!
To celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), Luis and Catherine will be exploring the Hispanic business community in a four-part series. In this first episode, the two will share the history of Hispanic Heritage Month, the purpose behind this Brunch with BBB series, and what you can expect in future episodes.
This Spark Spotlight features the mother-daughter duo of Gabi's Grounds Coffee Shop, Gabi and Mary Angelini.
Gabi's Grounds ships coffee, sells merchandise, and hosts pop-up events. In addition to being members of the 2020 BBB Spark Class and graduates of the 2020 Better Business Academy, this local duo has even more brewing for the future!
Gabi is excited to employ people like her with special needs, who struggle finding employment elsewhere, and this dream is quickly becoming a reality as they move into a space at The Loading Dock.
Interested in learning more about Gabi's Grounds? Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more!
Philip Triplett, State of North Carolina Voluntary Agency Liaison for the NC Department of Public Safety's (NCDPS) Division of Emergency Management, joins us to share everything you need to know about being prepared. Navigating hurricane season in the midst of a pandemic can be challenging, so listen to our conversation with Philip to find out what resources are available to help keep you and your family safe during any emergency situation!
Additional Resources:
NCDPS Social Media Links: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
NCDPS Contact Information: 919-733-2126
Larry Long, motivational speaker and Sales Leader at TeamWorks, joins the Brunch with BBB podcast to share how the TeamWorks technology empowers college and professional athletes to perfect their talent by eliminating the stress of communication and schedules. In a year that can feel defeating at times, Larry offers advice for making the most of the pandemic, starting with professional development.
In a year where working remotely is not just attractive, but required, the pandemic is making business especially hard for co-working spaces. In this episode, Michael Hobgood joins to share how he created Nest Raleigh, or "The Nest" as locals call it, to stand out among traditional co-working spaces. Unique from it's inception, Nest Raleigh continues to stand apart in their response to the pandemic. Listen in to learn more about the phenomenon of co-working spaces: how the trend began, what it looks like during COVID, and what the future of co-working may look like.
Jonathan Williamson, general manager of The Islander Inn located on Ocean Isle Beach, shares what the hospitality industry has been like the past few months. As if hurricanes weren't enough of a threat to those who rely on the hospitality and tourism industry along the coast of North Carolina, this year businesses have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Jonathan shares his long-time ties to the sandy soil of Ocean Isle Beach and how he has navigated the Islander Inn through this difficult summer season.
To learn more about The Islander Inn, visit their website: www.islanderinn.com or follow them on Facebook and Twitter (@TheIslanderInn).
** BBB has teamed up with Indeed to offer companies a free $200 credit for sponsored job postings! Learn more at indeed.com/partner/bbb
Mike Vaggalis, founder of Keepsake Tales and a 2020 BBB Spark Class Member, joins us to share how his business is bringing diversity to children's literature... one personalized book at a time.
Ever wonder what it would be like to star in your own book? Equipped with a unique business model, unlike traditional publishing companies, Keepsake Tales creates personalized children's books designed so that every child will understand that they matter.
Listen in to our conversation with Mike as he shares the importance of diverse literature, how Keepsake Tales works, and the upcoming release of their newest book!
Interested in learning more about Keepsake Tales?
Check out their website, www.mykeepsaketales.com, and follow them on Facebook (@KeepsakeTalesUSA).
Just like everyone else around the world, Luis and Catherine have navigated working from home and discovering innovative ways to pass the quaran-time. In addition to quarantine tips, they'll share their personal consumer stories including car shopping and vacationing during COVID-19!
So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and relax as they share a taste of their lives...
Joe Mecca, VP of Communications for Coastal Credit Union, joins us to talk about COVID-related scams putting consumers personal information at risk. We also cover tips for keeping your personal information - from documents to social media - safe and out of scammers hands.
10 tactics scammers use to trick victims article.
BBB SCAMBUSTERS®, a game designed to help players of all ages identify and avoid scams to which they will likely be exposed.
Cole Watts, the Digital Lead at GFL, joins us to share how the business began as a local company, Waste Industries, and has now grown to a large corporation. Cole shares an inside look at the waste industry, including stats on consumer waste and how to effectively recycle.
In this Small Business Spotlight, Leslie Manning, Owner and Broker in Charge of TriCap Properties & TriCap Property Management, joins us to share a little bit about what makes their business unique. She also shares how their business has adapted during COVID-19 to meet the needs of tenants and leasing agents during these difficult times.
Jerry Jackson, chief meteorologist at WNCT, joins us to discuss how this year's hurricane season could be different. With having hurricane-like storms before the season began and still learning to navigate the new norm of COVID-19, this year is bound to be unique. Listen in for tips on keeping you and/or your business safe this year!
This Small Business Spotlight features Tara Powell from Carolina Yard Barns. Tara shares what it's like to run a family-owned business that specializes in customized barns for your yard. Listen in to hear about their unique business and learn how you can support them!
Michael Walden, a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and Extension Economist at North Carolina State University, joins us on this episode to discuss how COVID-19 is impacting current and graduating students, the agriculture industry, and the overall economy in North Carolina.
Dr. Sandy Stewart, Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture Services for the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, joins us to share how the recent COVID-19 pandemic has impacted North Carolina's agriculture industry, including food supply/ demand. He also squashes concern over murder hornets coming to our area and the impact of cicadas surfacing in our state.
This Small Business Spotlight features Megan Anderson, of Anderson Painting, who joins us to share what it's like to run a family-owned business that employs refugees. Listen in to learn how they've established trust with their consumers, making it possible to continue supporting the community and keep their workers employed throughout COVID-19!
This Small Business Spotlight features Carolyn Byrd, owner of Cary Integrative Health, who shares what it's like to be a small business owner, how COVID-19 has impacted her business, and to provide tips for coping with our "new normal."
As businesses begin to reopen, cleaning is top of mind for consumers and business owners. Sean Hassan, of Jan-Pro Cleaning Systems of Raleigh, joins us to share best cleaning practices during COVID-19 (for home and the workplace) and provides tips for consumers to identify whether a business has been properly cleaned.
In honor of Small Business Month, we're sharing the stories of local small businesses and ways consumers can support them during COVID-19. This Small Business Spotlight features Mariel Lee, owner of Purple Ivy Solutions.
President and CEO of the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association, Lynn Minges, joins us to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on the industry and share information business owners and consumers need to know as the state begins the reopening process.
In this bonus episode, Luis and Catherine talk with two small business owners from the local community. They'll find out what makes their business unique, how COVID-19 has impacted them over the past few weeks, and find out how consumers can support them during these difficult times.
This episode features Natasha Ford, of Fords Fluent N’ Food Catering & Chandelier Event Venue, and Dave Clough, of Your Hospitality Resource Group.
In this BONUS episode of the Brunch with BBB podcast, Luis and Catherine discuss current COVID-19 scams and resources BBB has available to help both businesses and consumers.
For additional information on topics covered in this episode, check out the links below!
- BBBshoplocal.org - A state-wide website that informs consumers on how they can still purchase products, goods, and/or services from Accredited Businesses in a safe manner throughout COVID-19.
- BBB Business Builders Webinar - Regularly scheduled webinar series that provides pertinent information on topics such as the SBA loans, CARES Act funds, crisis communications, and proper cleaning methods. All upcoming webinars and recordings can be found at bbbevents.org.
Maria Satira, morning anchor at WCNT 9, joins us to weigh in on the trends she’s seeing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. With Maria's perspective, we discuss the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses, the housing sector, and the Humane Society of Eastern Carolina.
For additional resources on how you can support the local economy during this time, visit bbbshoplocal.org.
Pantea Dougani, co-owner of Excel Body Fitness, joins us to discuss the important role physical fitness plays in our mental health, especially while sheltering in place. Pantea discusses how they've pivoted their business to be accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides some tips for staying motivated while working from home!
For more information on Excel Body Fitness, visit https://excelbodyfitness.com/ or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit their YouTube channel for current workout videos!
