Across the Stage & Into the Workforce: The Class of '26 and Where They Go Next...and some BIG Chamber news.

July Tourism from an Attraction's Perspective & a Mid-Summer Howard Street Project Update

July is prime time for tourism season across the High Country. As the calendar flips, vacationers flock to the area, especially those melting in the record heat off the mountain.  On this week's Mind Your Business, we will discuss the intentionality that goes into creating the visitor experience, and what July means to both the anchor attractions as well as other businesses that benefit from increased traffic. Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation [https://grandfather.com/] Executive Director Jesse Pope returns to program to talk July tourism from the perspective of one of our region's most recognizable and frequently visited attractions. We'll learn how he and his staff help set visitors up with great experiences as they depart the gates and head toward other locations. We'll also get the latest on Blue Ridge Parkway road work [https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm], and how to access Grandfather Mountain and some of the area's more popular trails and features throughout the month of July. Speaking of road work, we'll also bring Downtown Boone Development Association [https://downtownboonenc.com/] Director Lane Moody back to the show, as she gives us the latest updates on the Howard Street Revitalization Project. Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. [http://www.boonechamber.com/] This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. [http://www.appalachiancre.com/] Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone. Support the show [https://www.boonechamber.com/membership-information]

Drops in the Bucket: Summer Event Impacts & Town of Boone Water Restrictions

As we move through the month of June, the Mountaineer 10-miler, High Country Jazz Festival, and Boonerang are among the summer events that are officially in the books. On this week's Mind Your Business, we dive into the early numbers regarding the economic impact of the Mountaineer 10-miler and Boonerang.  Charlie Mercer, CEO of Capstone Event Group [https://capstoneraces.com/] rejoins the show to discuss the post-race survey results from over 850 participants in the Mountaineer 10-miler, which includes a breakdown on runner demographics, lodging impacts, shopping and dining activity, and likelihood of repeat trips to the High Country.  We then turn attention to the inital visitor data from the 5th annual Boonerang Music & Arts Festival, which further supports the impact event weeknds have on the entire High Country. To wrap up the show, we'll visit with Victoria O'Connell, Water Conservation Program Coordinator with the Town of Boone, as she explains the recently announced Stage 2 Water Restrictions enacted by Boone Town Council [https://www.townofboone.net/AlertCenter.aspx?AID=The-Town-of-Boone-is-Enacting-Stage-2-Wa-378], and what this means for residents and businesses. Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. [http://www.boonechamber.com/] This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. [http://www.appalachiancre.com/] Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone. Support the show [https://www.boonechamber.com/membership-information]

Built In Boone: Booneshine Brewing Company

There are businesses in the High Country that truly connect their product to the place.  This week on Mind Your Business, we continue our Built in Boone series, and step inside Booneshine Brewing Company [http://www.booneshine.beer], and talk with President and Co-Founder Tim Herdklotz. As we take a walking tour through the tasting room and production facility, we'll talk with Tim about Booneshine's origin story, their capacity for growth, and the intentionality that allowed them to develop a business that helps "make Boone shine." We'll also go over some logistics for this weekend's Boonerang Music & Art Festival [https://www.boonerangfest.com/] and we'll play a new game called "What are they building over there?" Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. [http://www.boonechamber.com/] This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. [http://www.appalachiancre.com/] Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone. Support the show [https://www.boonechamber.com/membership-information]

New Role, Same Leader: A Conversation with the New Executive Director of Hunger & Health Coalition, Lindsey Sullivan

Earlier this month, the Hunger & Health Coalition [https://www.hungerandhealthcoalition.org/] welcomed Lindsey Sullivan as the organization's new Executive Director. Lindsey is no stranger to the non-profit scene in Watauga County, having served as Health Strategist at AppHealthCare [https://www.apphealthcare.com/], where, among other projects, she was a lead voice in the creation of STABLE Workplaces. [https://www.boonechamber.com/stable-workplaces] On this week's Mind Your Business, we catch up with Lindsey at the ribbon-cutting for the newly renovated home of Hunger and Health Coalition, a space that connects their footprint to the Community Care Clinic, following a merger of the two organizations in 2025 [https://www.wfdd.org/health-safety/2025-08-22/boones-hunger-and-health-coalition-and-community-care-clinic-to-merge]. After the event, we sat down to discuss leading through transition, the value of listening in the early days of a new role, and how prior knowledge of a business can accelerate opportunity for growth. We'll also provide some fresh news on the FY27 budget plans for Watauga County [https://www.wataugacounty.org/App_pages/Dept/BOC/Forms/FY%202027%20Proposed%20Budget%20Packet.pdf] and the Town of Boone [https://www.townofboone.net/DocumentCenter/View/4666/2026-2027-BUDGET-POST-WORKSHOP].  Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. [http://www.boonechamber.com/] This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. [http://www.appalachiancre.com/] Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone. Support the show [https://www.boonechamber.com/membership-information]

Across the Stage & Into the Workforce: The Class of '26 and Where They Go Next...and some BIG Chamber news.

The wheels on the bus are about to be parked for a few months, as Watauga County Schools dismiss for summer break. As the Class of 2026 makes their way across the graduation stage, many will take their first steps into workforce pathways that will set them up for decades. On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Dr. Leslie Alexander, Superintendent of Watauga County Schools [https://www.wataugaschools.org/], as she recaps the 2025-26 school year. She'll also give an early snapshot of testing results, discuss impending budget impacts, and share details on the scholastic impact of the Class of '26. We delayed this episode a day because we had some Chamber news to share that we could report until late yesterday. The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce [http://www.boonechamber.com] has been selected as one of 11 organizations across the country as a finalist for Chamber of the Year, presented by GrowthZone. [https://www.growthzone.com/] We'll tell you how this all came about and what comes next! Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. [http://www.boonechamber.com/] This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. [http://www.appalachiancre.com/] Catch the show each Thursday afternoon (Friday this week) at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.   Support the show [https://www.boonechamber.com/membership-information]