The Brandbuilders Podcast with your hosts Scott Dunstan and Brian Young is brought to you by The Dunstan Group, Charlotte’s premier provider of branded merchandise and logo’d apparel. Brandbuilders is produced in partnership with well-run media + marketing. Got an idea for the podcast? Email us at social@dunstangroup.biz
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Welcome to this episode of The BrandBuilders Podcast! Today, we have Aaron Mullennix, from Charlotte City Tennis on the program today. Aaron has dedicated his efforts to promoting the sport and fostering a love for tennis among players of all ages and skill levels. Aaron, welcome to the show!By The Dunstan Group
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367: Chef Ron Ahlert, Community Culinary School of CLT
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Welcome to The BrandBuilders Podcast! Today, we’re cooking up something good, with Chef Ron Ahlert, the Executive Director of the Community Culinary School of Charlotte (CCSC). Under Chef Ron’s leadership, CCSC has been transforming lives through culinary education, providing essential workforce training and job placement assistance to adults facin…
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Welcome to this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast — Today, we have Amanda Caldwell joining us. Amanda is a professional photographer based in the Charlotte area. Her portfolio showcases a diverse range of stunning imagery, from portraits and weddings to commercial and editorial work. Amanda’s keen eye for detail and ability to capt…
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Welcome to this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast. Today’s guest is Morgan Smith, Construction Coordinator at Roby Services in Charlotte and Lead Chair of the Girls Construction Camp. This two-day camp aims to inspire and educate girls about opportunities within the construction industry, promoting diversity and inclusion in a trad…
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364: Connor Gans & Dave Murrell, Fendo Golf
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Welcome to another episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast. Today, we’re excited to have Connor Gans & Dave Murrell, co-founders of Fendo Golf, joining us. Connor, Dave, and Fendo Golf have revolutionized golf club maintenance with their innovative cleaning device. Their product brings a modern twist to the age-old process of keeping gol…
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Welcome to another episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast. Today, we’re joined by Morgan Conroy, the events specialist and field marketing coordinator for Presidio. Presidio is a leading digital services and solutions provider that helps organizations navigate the complex world of IT and digital transformation. Morgan plays a crucial ro…
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362: Nina Louise Simonini, In Good Hands Bodywork
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Welcome to this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast. Today, we’re joined by Nina Louise Simonini, a Charlotte native and the founder of “In Good Hands Bodywork.” Nina’s journey in health and wellness began at UNC Chapel Hill, where she double-majored in Exercise Sports Science and Spanish. Her passion for health led her on a pretty u…
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361: Brock Fankhauser, 1776 Community 361: Brock Fankhauser, 1776 Community
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Welcome to another episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast, where we spotlight leaders who are driving innovation and making a difference in their industries. Today, we are excited to have Brock Fankhauser with us. Brock is a pro in the development and construction of maintenance-free residential communities, focusing on the active-adult…
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Welcome to this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast, where we are honored to have John Gallina with us. John is the co-founder and CEO of Purple Heart Homes, an organization dedicated to providing housing solutions for service-connected and aging veterans. Founded in 2008 by John and his late friend Dale Beatty, Purple Heart Homes wo…
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Welcome to this episoce of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast, where we’re diving into the stories and strategies behind some of the most innovative and successful brands out there. Today, we are thrilled to have Molly Carroll with us. Molly is the Marketing and Communications powerhouse at Trinity Partners, a dynamic commercial real estate fi…
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358: Mattie Finch, Sage Marie Coffee & Tea
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Welcome back to this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast! Perk-up, y’all – today we have Mattie Finch, the dedicated roaster and founder of Sage Marie Coffee & Tea, here on the show! (See what we did there?) Based right here in Charlotte, Sage Marie’s is not just a coffee and tea brand; it’s a lifestyle centered around refinement, lu…
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357: Ward Blanchard, The Blanchard Institute
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Welcome to this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast powered by The Dunstan Group. Today, we are honored to have Ward Blanchard, the founder of The Blanchard Institute, join us. The Blanchard Institute stands out in North Carolina for its comprehensive outpatient treatment services for individuals and families struggling with substanc…
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Welcome to this episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast powered by The Dunstan Group. Today, we’ve got something special teed-up for you, with Daniel Fogarty in the studio. He’s the one of the driving forces behind a remarkable organization called the First Tee of Greater Charlotte. (Could we use another golf pun in here?!) Daniel is the…
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355: Frances Yarbrough, Trey Little, and Taylor Critcher, SeamonWhiteside
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Founded in 1985 by Landscape Architect Kenny Seamon and Civil Engineer Stuart Whiteside, Seamon Whiteside has grown to become a leader in holistic land design with a focus on sustainability, community, and exceptional site experiences. With offices across the Carolinas and a commitment to giving back to their communities, Seamon Whiteside’s approac…
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354: Alex Moore & Ryan Burkett, Stratagon
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Welcome to another episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast. Today, we’re taking a dive into the strategies and insights that drive success in the world of branding and marketing. That’s a VERY big world… more like a universe, actually. Today, we have Alex Moore and Ryan Burkett from Stratagon joining us. Stratagon is not your typical mar…
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353: Michelle Enrsdorff-May, Compass to Care Childhood Cancer Foundation
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Welcome to the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast. Today, we are honored to have Michelle Ernsdorff-May, the founder of Compass to Care, join us. We met Michelle at this year’s All-In to Fight Cancer Poker event and we KNEW we’d have to get her on the program. Compass to Care is a nonprofit organization dedicated to removing transportation barrier…
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352: Bill & Paxton Laurie, Laurie Insurance Group
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Most of us probably don’t think about our insurance until we need it. And, the difference between an 800 number and a relationship with a real person is even mpre important when you really need. It. On this episode of The BrandBuilders podcast, we’re talking with Bill & Paxton Laurie, the owners of Laurie Insurance Group, a leading insurance agency…
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It was one of SouthEnd’s most lovable and iconic eateries… and then it was gone. And after a 6 year hiatus, this beloved burrito joint returned to a new location in the LoSo arean and under new ownership. We’re talking, of course, of the Phat Burrito. The former South End staple is back on the Charlotte culinary map. Michael Cox is the new owner, a…
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If you think “The Beast from Baku” or the “Magician of Riga” are pro wrestlers or characters from some “Harry Potter” sequel… prepare to be enlightened on this edition of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast. Yes, professional chess players carry on with that much swagger. For ten years, the Charlotte Chess Center has been providing a place to p…
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Airo Mechanical is a leading multifamily HVAC and plumbing contractor based in Mooresville, with a remarkable 25 years of experience. The company is licensed in multiple states including North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia… if you’ve seen their work or met anyone on the team, you’ll know they take pride in hands-on leadership, emphasizing …
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Like Jimmy McGill said in Better Call Saul: Lawyers; we’re like health insurance. You hope you never need it, but man oh man… not having it? No. Not all lawyering is as strange and unusual as it’s made it out to be in TV and movies. And that lawyer who handled your real estate closing is probably not the same one you’d call if you were in a car cra…
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Like the cherry blossoms blooming or the first pitch at the Knight’s games… the King’s Drive Art Walk is arguably one of Charlotte’s rites of spring. For more than a dozen years, the folks at Festival in the Park have hosted this unique event that showcases local and national talent – and it’s all free! Put this on your calendar now: The 14th editi…
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346: Kenya Joseph, Hearts & Hands Food Pantry
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Here’s a number that’s pretty sobering: More than 35% of households with children were considered “food insecure” in Mecklenburg County. Meaning, they did NOT know if food would be available from day to day. Mercifully, there are organizations that are working to help change those numbers. But as Charlotte continues to get bigger and bigger, that n…
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345: Erin Santos-Primis, Isabella Santos Foundation
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“After an exhausting 16+ years, the founder of the Isabella Santos Foundation needed to make a change. Instead of folding, she’s planning a big expansion.” With THAT headline in The Charlotte Ledger, we knew we’d have to get our friend, Erin Santos-Primis to tell us what this is all about. For folks who don’t know, the Isabella Santos Foundation ha…
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If you’ve noticed Charlotte streets, restaurants, schools, etc., getting more crowded… it’s not your imagination. You’d literally have to be living under a rock to have missed the news that 100-plus people moving here every day! Charlotte is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and the real estate market here is forecast to be the hott…
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Business-owner and Chef Craig Barbour originally studied mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland before transitioning into the culinary field. After graduating from Johnson & Wales University here in Charlotte, he started his career at Carmel Country Club. From there it was a food truck, event catering, a café in South End, and now a m…
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342: Grant Miller, Colliers & Harve Creek Cattle
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Aside from interest rates, real estate may have garnered the most headlines in the US economy over the last several years. If you’ve tried to buy or sell a house, you KNOW how the market’s been lately. Things have been just as interesting on the commercial and industrial sides, too. And that’s where companies like Colliers shine, by providing a ful…
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341: Clifton Castelloe, All-In to Fight Cancer
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If you want to raise money to fight cancer in the MOST FUN way possible, the All-In to Fight Cancer poker tournament is your best bet. (Oh, and that’s not the end of our card-playing puns,) With three events across North Carolina, All-In to Fight Cancer has raised more than 2 point 3 MILLION dollars. And here’s the deal: you don’t even have to be a…
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340: Gale Bonnell & Emily Wheeler, Dress for Success
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For 20 years, Dress for Success Charlotte has been a champion of women’s economic upward mobility. It’s their vision that all women are economically self-sufficient, treated individually and with dignity and respect… and that they receive comparable pay to their male counterparts as they strengthen and shape their families and our communities. They…
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339: Amy Johnson & Russ Little, Strata Project Management
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If you’ve ever tried to DIY big a project, you’re probably familiar with the feeling that you’ve taken on a little – or even a lot more – than you bargained for. The stakes might not be as high if you’re trying to wallpaper your bathroom. But when projects are really BIG, the margin of error gets smaller and smaller as the stakes get higher and pot…
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338: Tim Rhodes, Novant Health Charlotte Marathon
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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 opportunitie…
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337: Stephen Cozzolongo, Digital Position
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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 continu…
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336: Miller Yoho, Charlotte Sports Foundation
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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…
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335: AW Burgess, Domestic Violence Consultant
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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 emer…
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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 c…
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333: Daniel Sarjeant & Brian Thomason, Bar Brands
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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 cate…
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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.…
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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 …
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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 whe…
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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, …
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Most every parent tries to share some wisdom with their kids; some of it about life, some of it about business. Our next guest here has a real gem from his father. It goes like this: “… after attending UNCW and working 3 jobs throughout college, I thought my dad would hire me in the family business. Instead, he told me that I needed to first learn …
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327: Matt Olin, CLT is Creative & OneBand
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You’ve likely heard this one before: Charlotte IS Creative. Just look around and you’ll see artists, musicians, chefs, actors, muralists, sculptors, poets, and more that prove the point. And there folks working in front of and behind the scenes to help those artists connect, be seen — and more importantly – make a living. Matt Olin is one of those …
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326: Stephanie Bingham – Project 33 Creative
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A New York Times article from this summer pointed out what a lot of us probably know already. Social media is a lot less ”social” these days. Between the political commentary and all the ads… many brands are struggling to connect – or reconnect – with their audiences. People and brands are once again seeing the value in creative and engaging IN REA…
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325: Keith C Poettker – Poettker Construction
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Data released this summer shows that the AIA Consensus Construction Forecast predicts a 20% increase in nonresidential building spending this year — a surge not seen since pre-Great Recession boom times. Spending increases are anticipated across manufacturing, commercial, institutional, and industrial construction – but will it, or can it last? If …
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324: Emily Condon – LandDesign & Partners for Parks
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Parks provide real life environmental, aesthetic, and recreation benefits to everyone. They’re some of THE most-requested amenities in most any community. And for good reason: they enhance property values, increase municipal revenue, they bring in homebuyers, create a sense of community… the list goes on! But, parks can’t do it on their own. It tak…
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In the more than 300 episodes of the BrandBuilders Podcast, we have had some heavy-hitters here on the program. This is one of those episodes… Very few people PERIOD can boast of a resume that includes: D1 collegiate athletics, modeling, law school, politics, entrepreneurship – work in the US Senate, entertainment, tech, programming, public affairs…
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322: Brad Wylde – Charlotte Soccer Academy
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Fall means football, the eventual end to major league baseball, NHL and NBA preseason… and soccer! Despite Americans playing soccer for over 100 years, it’s only recently started to really gain real traction. It’s now one of the fastest growing sports in the US. As of Q4 2022, soccer is the 4th most followed sport in the country. Not sure if “Ted L…
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If you consider yourself a dog “parent,” rather than a dog “owner,” then It’s pretty safe to assume you’re a REAL dog person. If movies like “A Dog’s Purpose,” “My Dog Skip,” or “Marley and Me,” have you clutching the kleenex… well, we have found your tribe. “Paws Social Club,” bills itself as the social club FOR DOGS – and the humans who love them…
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320: Tim Edwards – Splatter CLT 320: Tim Edwards - Splatter CLT
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LOTS of folks have hidden or underutilized talents. I’ll bet most of our listeners probably don’t know my co-host also plays guitar. Or, that our engineer is also a woodworker… go ahead and let that settle in. Well, not everyone considers themselves creative. Either they never got the opportunity to “get creative,” don’t have the time, or maybe the…
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Charlotte’s got a lot, as the marketing campaign says, and it’s enough to keep drawing people to town. In fact, more than 100 people are moving to town each and every day – that’s great for business and our national reputation, but there’s a yin and yang to everything, of course. More traffic, less affordable housing, fewer seats at your favorite r…
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