Mind Your Business - A Podcast Series produced by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce

Latest Episodes:

What's Next for the #1 State for Business? Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

North Carolina has been named by CNBC as the #1 State for Business in the country in three of the last four years. The State's success is not just about its running list of economic development wins, but how those projects are boosted by our business climate, workforce pipelines, and quality of life. It takes all economic strengths and assets along with regional partnership to deliver the world-class experience that impacts business recruitment and retention.

So how does North Carolina stay on top of the charts? What are the key issues that will drive the State's success in 2026? How do the State budget and the upcoming elections impact economic opportunity? This week on Mind Your Business, we pose these questions and more to Ben Kinney, Publisher of Business NC. For 45 years, North Carolina's magazine of record has kept readers informed about key trends, breaking economic development news, and how what happens in the Triad, or Raleigh, or Charlotte, could impact us in the High Country.

It just so happens Business NC also has a podcast! While Ben Kinney appears on this week's Mind Your Business, David Jackson visits as a guest on this week's Chatter with BNC. Subscribe to both programs wherever you get your podcasts.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

Celebrating Small Business Longevity One Cheeseburger at a Time Feb 12, 2026

Show notes

Everyone that happens to own a small business will tell you a different story when it comes to the concepts, creation, and execution involved in turning their dream into reality. Each will also admit that small business success is hard to achieve, with constant variables and market influences -- and then occasionally it snows! The opportunity to keep the dream alive keeps small business owners motivated to clock in each day, no matter the circumstances, and when they achieve a milestone, it's time to celebrate!

On this week's Mind Your Business, we take a look back at 10-years of The Cardinal, as popular for their cheeseburgers and Bisbee rolls as they are for creating community for their customers and staff. Co-owner Seth Sullivan tells us the origin story the restaurant we know today, how much of the initial vision is still prevalent 10-years later, and how they have managed to manage the ebbs and flows of business management over a tricky decade. This conversation is part inspirational, part motivational, and an examination of the traits that make small businesses stick in the High Country.

Also on this week's show, we share a few long term Helene Recovery updates, including news about new leadership for the Watauga Long Term Recovery Group.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

Supporting the System that Trains the Workforce: K-12 Education & the Business Community Feb 05, 2026

Show notes

Workforce Development has been a popular topic of focus for the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce as 2026 gets started. While we celebrate programs tied to the recruitment and retention of talent, we must not take for granted the system that creates the classroom experience that seeds important workforce pipelines.

Education is Everyone's Businessis an upcoming community conversation and workshop that will highlight the K-12 public school system's role in workforce development, while also highlighting funding challenges that are making it harder to maintain education related to regional workforce needs. This workshop is scheduled for February 17th, from 11AM-4PM at the Meadowbrook Inn in Blowing Rock. Registration is available at this link and is free of charge for those that would like to participate in this important dialogue.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Jennifer Rifkin, Senior Coordinator for Policy & Research for the Public School Forum of North Carolina. She provides a snapshot on where North Carolina ranks among surrounding states in funding for public schools, how funding discrepancies impact rural communities, and what role the business community can play in terms of advocacy to help retain and grow key workforce and community development pipelines.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show