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

The Spirit of Boone serves as the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce annual membership gathering and provides an opportunity to celebrate a group of annual award recipients for their impact on the High Country community.

While this week’s Mind Your Business was recorded just hours before this year’s event, we took the opportunity to build a “pregame show” around some past honorees, to see how the path of leadership has directed some of community’s most influential businesses.

Since 1981, AppalCART has been moving people around Boone and Watauga County. As we move into one our highest periods of annual traffic volume, how does public transportation play a role in getting people to and from their destinations?

On this week's Mind Your Business, we'll talk with Craig Hughes, Executive Director of AppalCART, about the system's history and performance, how decisions are made about route destinations and expansions, and what the future of public transportation looks like in rural North Carolina. And yes, we will talk about the double-decker bus and how it's...

On September 5th, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation reopens its High Country Business Disaster Grant Program, which has been in place since September 2024 to support businesses in Watauga, Ashe, and Avery counties impacted by Hurricane Helene.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we will explain the criteria for the fourth funding round of this program, which will be centered around revenue loss for hurricane-impacted businesses. 

We will also meet Ethan Dodson, Director of Development for the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation. We will hear more about th...

When Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill in July 2025, the Federal legislation brought significant changes for business and individual taxpayers.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we continue our examination of the bill and it's impact on tax law for business and individual filers, highlighting key changes that will resonate with High Country businesses and their employees. We are joined by Ralph Polk, CPA and Senior Manager with DMJPS, PLLC, who will break down the legislation and provide insight on topics like depreciation, research & development expenses, and 1099 reporting for businesses. 

He'll also exp...

Since President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July, those that have funding tied to the legislation have been pouring through the 1,100-page document to understand the impacts.

On this week's episode of Mind Your Business, we visit with Nathan Nipper and Rob Hudspeth (UNC Health Appalachian), Jennifer Greene (AppHealthCare), and Alice Salthouse (High Country Community Healthcare) as they discuss the impacts of the bill on local healthcare and Medicaid services. 

We also unveil this year's Community Award honorees that will be reco...

Fall is inching closer and that means college football season is just around the corner! As App State kicks off another season, it's football program has placed Boone under the college football spotlight many times over the years. Fans bring renewed energy to The Rock each fall, and their gameday visits to the High Country make the Mountaineers a key economic driver in our region.

It's also no secret that the college football landscape has changed drastically in the last decade, and App State staff have remained creative with how they position the entire athletics...

Business growth is an ongoing thought for just about everyone that listens to this podcast. 

How does my business take the next step? 

The answer to that question may lie within opportunities for professional development or credential attainment. The riddle could also be solved with the help of a neutral set of eyes, examining your business in a way you simply are too close to see.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we tackle the subject of business and professional growth from three different perspectives. Our guests include:

Phase I of Hurricane Helene repair along the Blue Ridge Parkway continues in Watauga County, but we are getting closer to completion of a key stretch of roadway between Parkway Elementary School and Bamboo Gap. 

On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Leesa Brandon, External Affairs Specialist with the Blue Ridge Parkway and National Park Service. She will provide an update on the phases of work that encompasses Helene repairs throughout our region. We'll also hear an update on ongoing Great American Outdoors Act work along the Parkway in Ashe County and where cre...

Over the years the types of health care offerings in the High Country have continued to evolve. On Friday, July 25th, AMOREM, formerly Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care, will mark the opening of a state-of-the-art in-patient care facility in Watauga County, serving the needs of the entire High Country region.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Kerri McFalls, Chief Growth & Development Officer with AMOREM, as we discuss what this type of facility can provide to patients and families in terms of end of life and respite care, and the types of jobs it takes to...

The Middle Fork Greenway is one of the most significant ongoing economic development projects in the High Country, connecting the towns of Boone and Blowing Rock by 6.5 miles of trail. Each July, Blue Ridge Conservancy conducts its Round Up for the Middle Fork Greenway, which gives local businesses and their customers an opportunity to directly impact this project through fundraising and education.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Wendy Patoprsty, Director of the Middle Fork Greenway. She provides an update on ongoing construction and...

With the economic realities of Hurricane Helene recovery coupled with the uncertain nature of the overall economy these days, many people have been asking, "How is business in Boone?"

On this week's Mind Your Business, we answer that complex question from a variety of perspectives. We hear from Chris Burns, Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager for the Boone Branch of Mountain Community Bank. He shares a look at the business landscape from the seat of a local banker, while also highlighting some of the trends the industry monitors as they work...

On Wednesday June 25th, the Town of Boone Council voted to adopt the Boone Next Comprehensive Plan. This document will drive future vision, development ordinances, transportation projects, and economic development strategy for years to come.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we talk with Boone Mayor Tim Futrelle about the process that led to the approval of Boone Next. We also discuss what comes next as Town Council and staff work to begin to implement the priorities outlined in this plan. Stick around for the very end of the program for...

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...

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 ot...

#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 la...

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 T...

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...

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...

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...

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 S...