Chambers of Commerce all over the country host ribbon-cuttings for their members. More than a picture in the paper, these events are the crossing of a finish line for those that are putting their heart and soul into a new professional veture.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we take you inside a recent ribbon cutting at The Pottery Lot. From the opening comments to a conversation with owner Emily Roberts, you hear the story behind the cutting of the scissors, and understand all that a business must endure to get to that celebratory moment.

It's also Boonerang Weekend in the High Country, another visible showing of what music and the arts provide to our local economy. Of the many gig workers that will assemble to make this weekend's shows possible, there is a local artist that will get the thrill of walking out on stage less than a half mile from where his career started. We hear from budding country music star Adam Church about his Watauga County roots, the thrill of hitting the stage in his hometown, and the details of his own Boonerang experience.

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 morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

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Summertime has arrived in the High Country! As schools continue to release throughout the state and region, tourists have heard the #WNCOpenforBusiness message.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we will preview An Appalachian Summer Festival, a month-long arts showcase that serves as one of the area's July tourism magnets. An Appalachian Summer Festival is one of several arts events that draw visitors to the region, along with the High Country Jazz Festival, Boonerang, Music in the Valle, Concerts in the Park among others. These gatherings provide entertainment to visitors, jobs for the artists, while inspiring future generations.

As we continue to cover ongoing Helene recovery efforts, we have key updates on positive progress to work on the Blue Ridge Parkway and a check-in on the latest from Raleigh as it relates to Helene-related funding allocations.

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 morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

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#WNCOpenforBusiness week rolls continues throughout Western North Carolina, and this intentional effort to bring people to the region got quite the boost from the State's First Family.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we recap North Carolina First Lady Anna Stein's visit to Watauga and Ashe counties on Monday, June 2nd, which included the canoe trip seen 'round the world!

How does the intentionality of choosing to eat at a local restaurant impact those working to provide your meal and experience? We'll get that answer from Tina Houston, along with details about her latest project that is bringing fresh food back to Valle Crucis!

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 morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

As schools around the region wrap-up their end-of-year testing, perhaps it's only fair for the adults to have some math reintroduced into their lives!

On this week's Mind Your Business, we provide the latest update from Jones Street, where members of the NC General Assembly are simultaneously considering Part II of the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 (Helene Recovery) while also gearing up to move the biennium budget through the conference process. How do Helene relief dollars play into budget plans? We will give our very best attempt at an answer that does not require a TI-81.

We'll also provide some highlights from Vision Northwest North Carolina, including the full set of remarks from Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt, as she shared her vision for a Future Ready North Carolina.

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 morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

This week's Mind Your Business leads off with an important update regarding the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Summer and fall travelers love a good festival as much as local residents enjoy the influence and entertainment the arts bring to the High Country. Mark Freed, Director of Cultural Resources for the Town of Boone, previews Boonerang 2025, and provides an update on how Howard Street construction will be handled during the four-day downtown festival.

Festivals and events don't happen without the hard work of the gig economy and arts industry. Both non-profit and for-profit arts sector accounts for $47 million annually in Watauga County, including $2.1 million in generated tax revenue. Amber Bateman, Executive Director of the Watauga Arts Council shares the importance of the 2025 summer and fall seasons for an industry that lost enormous revenue and market opportunity post Hurricane Helene. She'll also share how the Watauga Arts Council works to support the industry while working to inspire the next generation of artists and makers.

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 morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

The 6th-annual Vision Northwest North Carolina economic development summit is just around the corner and will feature a visit and remarks from North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt. On this week's Mind Your Business, we set the context for the discussion and preview some of the presentations and panels.

Much has been discussed about tourism trends in the High County over recent days. We'll visit with Tara Brossa, General Manager of the Hampton Inn & Suites and Courtyard by Marriott of Boone and get her take on tourism traffic and what is driving visitors to the High Country. We'll also get some perspective on how visitors impact jobs and wages for local hospitality workers.

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 morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

Celebrated for its scenic beauty and connections to Appalachia culture, the Blue Ridge Parkway stretches 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina and serves as the longest linear park in the United States. While its footprint is massive, it's impacts are felt on a hyper-local level, with communities uniquely imprinting themselves toward the 16.7 million visitors that pass through the park each year.

After years spent gathering support, the Blue Ridge Parkway was granted $127M of the $1.3 billion Great American Outdoors Act, which was passed by Congress in 2022. This established the opportunity to complete decades-long deferred maintenance along the Parkway's entire corridor.

The combination of these planned projects and the necessary detours, partial, and full road and feature closures in areas now impacted by Hurricane Helene have communities, visitors, and residents concerned about the short and long-term impacts of these necessary projects.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we set the context for the economic and community impact of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and provide an update on what comes next in terms of decisions about current repairs and long-term infrastructure upgrades. We'll hear from Jesse Pope, Executive Director of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Association, one of the Parkway's most visible attractions. We'll also talk with Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, a 501c(3) organization tapped with assisting Parkway staff with funding, marketing, and other support not covered as part of the Federal budget. The BRPF is behind the Blue Ridge Rising action plan, which will help connect Parkway communities and visitors with travel experiences, enhanced cultural attractions, and more. Other organizations like the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea trail and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area also provide volunteer, programmatic, and marketing support along the Parkway.

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 morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

Agriculture has always been an influential contributor to Watauga County's economic performance.

In its 2024 statistics report, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture reported $13.85 million in cash receipts generated by Watauga County farms, with an additional $5 million in economic impact coming from Watauga County Christmas Tree growers. The business of farming has changed a great deal over the decades. Now agritourism is counted on to keep many of these multi-generation family-farms producing.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we discuss the state of the agriculture community in Watauga County with Gray Shipley of Shipley Farms Beef. We'll hear some history about production in the area as well as how changing market realities have caused farms to focus more on providing experiences rather than high-volume yields.

In the spirit of the emergence of warmer weather, we'll also hear from several local business owners about what they are most looking forward to this summer. We also provide an update on a key economic development project aimed at providing broadband connectivity in hard to reach places.

Mind Your Business is a weekly production of 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 morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show