Best Lou Bank Podcasts (2024)

1
Can culture and commerce coexist in a bottle? 28:09

3h ago28:09

28:09

Want easier access to beautiful spirits? Add your signature to ShipMySpirits.org! Live in Illinois and want easier access to beautiful spirits? Send a letter to Deputy Governor Andy Manar! Read the article that inspired this episode: “U.S. Craft Distilleries Are in Crisis,” Food & Wine, July 31, 2024 That quote from Peter Holland, rum expert and Fo…

1
AI Transformation Experts on How to Unlock AI Applications for Your Organization 36:49

3d ago36:49

36:49

What does it really mean to develop AI use cases for your business? For the launch of our latest playbook on AI Transformation (download your copy here!), we gathered a panel of digital transformation experts from established software solution providers and up and coming startups at the frontier of enterprise AI adoption. We’ve cut the best parts o…

1
Ep. 119-The 1933 South Carolina Murders of Mary Ravenel and Hubbard Harris Jr. 20:22

1h ago20:22

20:22

In 1933, 64-year-old widow Mary Ravenel was discovered mortally wounded in an affluent area of Charleston. Despite their best attempts, police could not figure out who would have wanted to murder her. An auto mechanic thought he could make some quick cash by abducting Hubbard Harris, Jr., the son of a prominent man in Columbia, but the plan quickly…

1
What happens when they stop calling it Tequila? 32:48

1h ago32:48

32:48

Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Marissa Paragano of The Tequiladies. Note that this episode was recorded on September 25, 2024 -- before some of the latest developments regardi…

1
Ep. 118-Missing and Murdered in Pendleton, S.C. 21:04

5d ago21:04

21:04

In 2015, a brutal quadruple homicide left the small community of Pendleton, South Carolina stunned. Could a close family member have been responsible? Earlier that year, in the same town, 1-year-old Leonna Wright went missing from the apartment she lived. While police suspect they know what happened to the young girl, justice has been difficult to …

1
When did “smooth” become a dirty word? 27:19

13d ago27:19

27:19

Dig whiskey? Dig the blog of the mighty Chuck Cowdery! Want to know more about Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotol? Click here!By Lou Bank, Linda Sullivan, Francisco Prieto, Chuck Cowdery

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Episode 117-An Interview with Rachel Workman, Owner of Ghosts of Davidson 35:47

12d ago35:47

35:47

Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like to run your own ghost tour? North Carolina resident Rachel Workman is living the dream firsthand after taking over Ghosts of Davidson in the college town of Davidson, North Carolina. We chat with Rachel about why she decided to get into this business, what she loves about it, a little of the local …

1
The argument for pairing chocolate with Mezcal 32:00

21d ago32:00

32:00

Thanks to road-tripper Shain Bela Lugosi in San Diego for pointing me to Oslo Sardine Bar! Caputo’s offers the most amazing mail-order selection of chocolate! Read Rowan Jacobsen’s Wild Chocolate book, on sale now! When in Chicago, drop into Dark Matter’s Sleep Walk Chocolateria!By Rowan Jacobsen

1
Tonik's Mila Bedrenets on Pioneering the Digital Banking Revolution in the Philippines | Call 171 25:08

16d ago25:08

25:08

The year is 2019. Mila Bedrenets, a fintech marketing exec with two decades of experience building companies from the ground up across markets, gets a call from a familiar voice. It's Greg Krasnov, a founder she has worked with twice previously, first on a bank in Ukraine and second on a solar energy fintech in Southeast Asia. He's inviting her to …

1
Ep. 116-Mary Ann Willis and Dara Watson, Two Stories of Domestic Violence 29:10

19d ago29:10

29:10

When 30-year-old mother Mary Ann Willis meets a charismatic airman stationed in Myrtle Beach in 1992, she quickly learns his claims of love were just a facade. Dara Watson is engaged to the man of her dreams until she unexpectedly goes missing in February 2012. What happened on the final days of her life is something her loved ones will never truly…

1
Is Mezcal More Authentic Than Tequila? 27:31

20d ago27:31

27:31

People in the Tequila chat groups get pretty outraged by things like diffusers and additives, and the basis for their outrage tends to be that these things aren’t traditional. But if it’s tradition they’re looking for, why aren’t they drinking Mezcal? Isn’t that more traditional than Tequila? And what exactly is tradition? It’s the most authentic e…

1
Ep. 115-The Murders of Ashley Pegram, Nicole Lovell, and Joseph Emmett Naulty 23:58

26d ago23:58

23:58

In 2015, 28-year-old Ashley Pegram goes missing from South Carolina after meeting up with a man she met on a dating app. When she doesn't return home, her family turns to the communication on messaging apps on her phone to help determine what happened to her. A Virginia Tech student lures a 13-year-old to her death by messaging through the Kik app,…

1
There Is No Traditional Mezcal in the Marketplace 47:42

29d ago47:42

47:42

In the comments section of the Agave Road Trip Instagram page, Craig Reynolds — founder of the California Agave Council — wrote, “Unfortunately, there is virtually no significant amount of truly traditionally produced Mezcal left in the marketplace. It’s not environmentally or economically sustainable. An unfortunate fact that is difficult to accep…

1
Ep. 114-The Murders of Bonnie Lou Irvine in Troutman and Andy Banks in Raleigh 23:00

1M ago23:00

23:00

In 2008, 52-year-old Bonnie Lou Irvine went missing in Cornelius, N.C., and police soon learned she had arranged to meet a man she met on Craigslist before she disappeared. In 2020, 39-year-old Andy Banks set out for an appointment to sell his Range Rover, and quickly dropped out of sight. He had also met his potential buyer in the online classifie…

1
The World’s Most Environmentally Sustainable Mezcal Brand 33:36

1M ago33:36

33:36

This Mezcal brand replants agave in the wild, uses solar power, and only cooks with certified wood. They convert their bagaso into biodegradable planters. They are a model of best practices in the industry. And they just left the market because no one supported them. We question what you really care about in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Agave R…

1
Ep. 113-The Murder of Michael Hunter in Raleigh and the Ruth Buchanan Cold Case Solved 23:06

2M ago23:06

23:06

In 1992, 23-year-old Michael Hunter was found deceased in his northwest Raleigh apartment. When police take a closer look, they realize a lethal injection of Lidocaine caused his death, and his roommate, medical student Joseph Mannino, admits to injecting him with antihistamines to ease migraine symptoms. But the investigation reveals a motive for …

1
The Argument for Pairing Tinned Fish With Mezcal 26:58

1M ago26:58

26:58

Gone are the days when jars of pickled eggs and pigs feet lined the back of a bar. But a bit of food in your stomach can sure help when you’re out drinking. So what should the new bar snacks be? And how can they enhance your drinks menu? Sustainable-seafood expert Barton Seaver makes the case for canned fish. We go fishing for a new bar-snack direc…

1
Ep. 112-Nathaniel and Irene Witherspoon, Leslie and William Cargile, John Barnett, and Mica Miller 32:29

2M ago32:29

32:29

As part of Suicide Prevention Month, Renee discusses four deaths attributed to suicide. One involved an elderly man who may have had a psychotic break, a successful doctor and her husband who died of a double suicide, a whistleblower who died unexpectedly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and one death that may have been the result of mental hea…

1
The Most Important Tequila of the Century 25:17

2M ago25:17

25:17

Once a century, Agave Road Trip goes out looking for the most important Tequila of that era. Now, there are still a solid 75 years let in this century, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say, this early in the game, I’ve identified that Tequila. And the winner is… Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx…

1
Ep. 111-The Murder of Jeni Gray and the Abduction of Leigh Cooper in Boone 25:48

2M ago25:48

25:48

Twenty-seven-year-old Jeni Gray heads out for an early-morning walk in Boone, N.C. and disappears on September 24, 1989. Law enforcement is still continuing their search for the young woman when a runner named Leigh Cooper from Appalachian State University is abducted and sexually assaulted. What her assailant tells her during the attack might fina…

1
Does the Tequila in Your Margarita Matter? 27:42

2M ago27:42

27:42

I saw a number of posts online suggesting that, if you’re making a Margarita, it doesn’t matter what Tequila you use – it pretty much tastes the same. Linda and I decided to put that to the test with a jury of nine tasters. What’s the verdict? To find out you’ll have to listen to this episode of Agave Road Trip! Agave Road Trip is a critically accl…

1
Cassandra Loh on the company culture behind Intellect driving mental healthcare access globally | Call 170 27:14

2M ago27:14

27:14

What kind of organization and culture does it take to foster the growth of a business driving mental health care access globally? Our conversation continues with Intellect VP of Partnerships & Solutions Cassandra Loh. This episode we delve deeper into the inner workings of Intellect’s organization and how that has impacted her role driving global g…

1
Ep. 110-Four 1992 Deaths in Burke and Catawba Counties 20:55

2M ago20:55

20:55

In 1992, a 13-year-old from Hickory, North Carolina went missing from her home and was discovered murdered a few weeks later. Around the same time, three older women known to have high-risk lifestyles went missing and were found deceased. While two men were eventually arrested in those three deaths, no one was ever charged in the death of Isis Deni…

1
The Politics of Mezcal 41:09

2M ago41:09

41:09

Not everybody who drinks Mezcal is politically liberal. Not everyone carrying a copita in their pocket is a Democrat. Not all of the folks traveling to rural Mexico lean left. In fact, probably most of the mezcalerxs themselves tend to be more conservative. In this politically hot season, it’s maybe a good idea to consider that the person across th…

1
Cassandra Loh on growing the global presence of Intellect's mental healthcare platform | Call 169 28:49

2M ago28:49

28:49

Launched in May 2020, Intellect today counts 3.5 million users globally, with services available in 30 languages and comprehensive local networks of mental healthcare providers across 60 countries worldwide. Its enterprise solution has been rolled out for multinational companies including Singtel, Shell, Merck, Schroders, as well as institutions li…

1
Ep. 109-Jim And Tammy Faye Bakker and the PTL Scandal 36:35

2M ago36:35

36:35

In the 1980s, televangelist Jim Bakker had grown an impressive broadcasting empire along with his wife, Tammy Faye. Their organization, PTL, built a Christian-theme park on the border between North and South Carolina and the two lived a lavish lifestyle. But behind the scenes, the Bakkers were struggling with marital issues, hoping that material po…

1
Did Salsa Change Gringos or Did Gringos Change Salsa? 24:51

2M ago24:51

24:51

A recent article in the New York Times suggested, "As more foreigners, especially Americans, visit or move to Mexico City, some taco shops have lowered the heat in their sauces. Not everyone is happy.” That makes me think about how foreign consumption of Tequila and Mezcal have also influenced the flavors — and the recipes — of those other landmark…

1
De-caf, Non-fat Tequila 19:04

3M ago19:04

19:04

Eric Kozlik of Modern Bar Cart shared with me an email exchange he’d had with a PR agency, where their selling point for a new Bourbon was that it was made using a "proprietary heirloom corn.” That made me think about Tequilas that are labeled “gluten-free.” Which made Eric think of “non-GMO.” Which made me think about the difference between “still…

1
Why this ecommerce BNPL exec made the leap to B2B commerce | Fluid CEO & co-founder Trasy Lou Walsh 36:10

3M ago36:10

36:10

Lending is not for the faint of heart. But when Trasy Lou Walsh found the right partners to embark with on her first startup venture, she took the leap and started Fluid. With Fluid, she is working to bring consumer-level payment experiences to B2B ecommerce transactions, starting with handling buyer payments to suppliers (i.e., buy now pay later f…

1
Ep. 108-The Capture of Eric Rudolph, Part Two 25:21

3M ago25:21

25:21

Eric Rudolph spent five years on the run before being captured early one morning while searching for food in Murphy, N.C. Investigators spent the next few years learning more about what turned him into a bomber as he led them to hundreds of pounds of dynamite he'd stashed in the mountains of North Carolina. As he prepared to go to trial in 2005 for…

1
Mezcal Is Smoky Tequila 17:23

3M ago17:23

17:23

Mezcal geeks and agave nerds get hot under the collar when someone suggests that Mezcal is smoky Tequila. But … isn’t it? It’s a fire-starter episode of Agave Road Trip! Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lo…

1
Episode twenty - Georgia-Lee & Craig (couples special with Jen) 50:52

3M ago50:52

50:52

Send us a text In the final episode of our first season, I am joined by Jen... our interviewee from last week... and my better half. We talk about how we met through the making of Playing With Matches. We also hear from Georgia-Lee & Craig, our first couple interview, who met through online dating and now live together with their baby boy, Albert. …

1
Ep. 107-Eric Rudolph, The Escape, Part One 27:01

3M ago27:01

27:01

The secluded mountains of North Carolina turned into an excellent place to hide for a man named Eric Rudolph, who was charged with a series of bombings in 1996 and 1997, including one that injured hundreds of people in Centennial Park at the Atlanta, Ga. Summer Olympics. Who was the elusive "mountain man" and how did he evade capture for five years…

1
Uncertified Mezcal Can Kill You 28:02

3M ago28:02

28:02

It’s true: An uncertified agave spirit can kill you. But so can a certified Mezcal. Or a certified Tequila. So … what exactly is the point of certification? I had this … conversation? debate? battle? … with Sergio Garnier of Mezcal Ultramundo in another episode in March of this year. He felt like he had more to say and I feel like I could talk abou…

1
Everyone Has A Treasury Problem And The Modularized “CFO Office” Solution With Finmo CEO David Hanna | Call 167 41:06

3M ago41:06

41:06

More than two decades into his career in risk and compliance roles across PayPal, EY, ING, Rapyd, etc., David decides to not settle but go the other way -- start a company to bring “sexy” back to treasury. Timestamps(00:04) Highlights;(00:38) Everyone has a treasury problem;(04:07) Why is there a treasury problem and what recent bank runs have to d…

1
Episode nineteen - Jen 33:48

3M ago33:48

33:48

Send us a text A very special episode today... Certainly for me - and I hope for you too. Today is all about Jen (my own partner who I met through creating Playing With Matches). We talk about her online dating experiences pre-me - and I nod and smile politely. Enjoy. Get in touch with the show: playingwithmatchespodcast@gmail.com Playing With Matc…

1
Ep. 106-The Little Rascals Day Care Case 29:41

3M ago29:41

29:41

In 1989, the town of Edenton, North Carolina was rocked when children at the Little Rascals Day Care Center began accusing the owners, Bob and Betsy Kelly, of molesting them. Over time, seven people would be arrested on hundreds of charges that occurred over a three-year-period. What really happened in Edenton, and in two similar landmark cases in …

1
Mezcal Flights or Mezcal Cocktails? 36:36

4M ago36:36

36:36

No question but that most people in the USA are introduced to Mezcal through cocktails. But most bartenders I know — most people I know, in fact — prefer drinking Mezcal neat. Drinking spirits neat, however, can be intimidating to that cocktail drinker. So what’s the gateway? We talk Mezcal flights in this 30,000-foot episode of Agave Road Trip! Ag…

1
Episode eighteen - Gemma & Lou-Lou (Lobster tales) 42:30

4M ago42:30

42:30

Send us a text A change of script this week as our lockdown interviews are coming to a close... Gemma and Lou-Lou have written, directed and performed a play called 'Lobster.' It's all about online dating from a female perspective – so it ties in perfectly with Playing With Matches. Here we chat about all things Lobster and the shift in human commu…

1
Ep. 105-Missing And Murdered in The High Country 24:35

3M ago24:35

24:35

The national parks in North Carolina attract numerous visitors each year, but they can also be treacherous if you aren't well prepared for your trip. We discuss the case of Frances Apperson, a 67-year-old who went missing after heading out for a solo hike at Linville Falls, 48-year-old Michael Hartley, who went missing in Spruce Pine on a foraging …

1
Tequila Cristalino: Threat or Menace? 26:21

4M ago26:21

26:21

You can’t log onto a Facebook Tequila group without seeing Cristalino Tequila derided, abused, and generally treated as some kind of punch line. But … do those user groups reflect the average consumer? Does the average consumer matter as much as the more highly engaged consumers that populate these online groups? And does consumption itself matter …

1
Episode seventeen - Danielle 28:49

4M ago28:49

28:49

Send us a text This week we have a brand new episode recorded just last week. Danielle is a musician and yoga instructor from Wales. She has lots of stories and a great sense of humour. Enjoy. Danielle's song 'Girl From Tinder' Get in touch with the show: playingwithmatchespodcast@gmail.com Playing With Matches Video trailer Playing With Matches Fa…

1
Beverage Testing Institute Does Not Say Mezcal Is the Purest Distilled Alcohol 24:37

4M ago24:37

24:37

“According to the Beverage Testing Institute of Chicago in Illinois, mezcal is the purest distillate or alcohol that exists on the planet and the noblest with the human body.” Or, at least, that’s the oft-repeated quote that comes up every several months and drives the folks at the Beverage Testing Institute crazy. So I’ve invited Andrew Moldenhaue…

1
episode sixteen - Kate T 19:39

4M ago19:39

19:39

Send us a text Kate likes to call men 'cowboy' but she won't tolerate your 'rapey' messages or your fetishization of Chinese women. Quite right too. Get in touch with the show: playingwithmatchespodcast@gmail.com Playing With Matches Video trailer Playing With Matches Facebook PageBy Mark Banks

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Ep. 104 -Case Updates and the Enrique Roman-Martinez Cold Case from North Carolina 22:44

4M ago22:44

22:44

This episode provides case updates on Blake and London Deven from Fayetteville, Madalina Cojocari from Cornelius, and the official cause of death from a child at Trails Carolina this past spring. We also share the story of Enrique Roman-Martinez from Fort Bragg, who went missing during a camping trip with fellow soldiers from the Army in May 2020.S…

1
Horse Piss, Arm Pits, and Other Mezcal Additives 26:42

4M ago26:42

26:42

I like to talk about the 400 decisions that a mezcalerx makes that determines how an agave spirit tastes. But there are other elements beyond their decisions … natural elements that find their way into the process … that also have an impact on what goes into the bottle. We’re taking shots in this episode of Agave Road Trip! Agave Road Trip is a cri…

1
Episode fifteen - Amira 21:03

4M ago21:03

21:03

Send us a text Amira (not her real name) is six feet tall, but doesn't care how tall her dates are. She comes from a religious family where talk of sex is taboo, but has moved to the UK and found her own sexual freedom. She dates men and women and couples and laughs a lot. Enjoy. Thank you to Denise Banks & Joanna Suchomska for conducting the inter…

1
Ep. 103-The Mysterious Life and Death of Doris Duke 29:32

4M ago29:32

29:32

Doris Duke was barely a teenager when her father, James Buchanan Duke, died and left her the bulk of the fortune he created through the American Tobacco Company and Duke Power. She was no ordinary socialite, though. Doris helped quadruple the family fortune, but her life was not without its challenges. Did she intentionally kill her interior design…

1
When Did Tequila Stop Being Fun? 22:19

5M ago22:19

22:19

It’s all in the eye of the beholder, I know. But when I think about what Tequila was back in the ‘80s and ‘90s … it was a catalyst for fun. I had a coworker who thought “tequila” was Spanish for “dancing on tables.” And I still see that, though mainly in Mexico. Here in the USA, it’s become so serious. Or maybe I just don’t go to the right places o…

1
The Philosophy of Coaching and Lifelong Learning in Swimming and Triathlon with Lou Tharp - Episode #149 1:01:08

4M ago1:01:08

1:01:08

Engage in a deep and revealing conversation that explores the nuances of coaching, the evolution of swimming techniques, and the philosophies that drive success in the world of triathlon and competitive swimming. We cover the importance of disagreeing as coaches to foster growth, the challenges of adapting coaching techniques over time, and the ane…

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