In 2021, mid-pandemic, Ric Pratte and fellow remote worker Ben Newton were hanging out at a brewery when they decided to launch a MeetUp Group: the Asheville Digital Nomads . Two years later, the social networking group of remote/hybrid workers, solopreneurs and actual nomads has more than 1,700 members and it's growing. Particularly since LinkedIn recently named Asheville as the #2 city for remote workers ( and also the 7th fastest-growing tech hub in June of 2022 !). In our final episode of se...
Jun 29, 2023•38 min•Season 3Ep. 10
This week we have a fascinating conversation with Ashley Haywood, the Founder of Embrew Tea , where we find out why you can re-steep their tea bags! Jeff talks with Ashley about her journey from a tea lover to a tea entrepreneur. She talks about the challenges she faced in starting her company and the lessons she learned along the way. Ashley shares her vision for the future of Embrew Tea and her hopes to reach other entrepreneurs. Thanks to our sponsor, HomeTrust Bank for their support. You can...
May 11, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Are Jeff and Katie Button destined to be best friends? Find out in this week's episode of Talking 'Ship where the two put their "friendship" to the test. Jeff talks with Katie about how she's gained success and notoriety - From starting Cúrate in the early 2010s to landing TV gigs on the Magnolia Network , ventures that didn’t work out (RIP Button & Co. Bagels) and her newest ventures La Bodega and Cúrate at Home . The two also discuss Katie’s involvement in Venture Asheville’s Elevate Progr...
May 04, 2023•46 min•Season 3Ep. 8
On this chaotic episode, we talk with the lovely Blake Jennelle - one of the first hires at DuckDuckGo , the search engine that emphasizes protecting privacy. As Jeff notes, Blake "could've done whatever," but he decided to move to Asheville and is now mentoring and serving as CTO at 645 Ventures . Additionally, we discuss Duck vs. Goose, Chai vs. Matcha and spice things up with a tech-focused edition of Seed, Shop or Shutter (like, Shut Her Down) - another of Jeff's puns. Have you seen the titl...
Apr 27, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Is Legally Addictive Foods ACTUALLY addictive? According to Jeff’s 15-month-old daughter who ate the entire pack during this episode, it sure is. This week we talk with Legally Addictive’s Founder Laura Shafferman & Partner Seth Eisman about their delicious product, their move from Brooklyn, NY to Weaverville, NC and what’s next for the snack company. Episodes mentioned in this episode: S1E3 with French Broad Chocolate's Founder Jael Skaffington S1E5 with Everyday Oil & Moonlight Makers ...
Apr 20, 2023•46 min•Season 3Ep. 6
It's not every day you get to talk to the man who helped create one of your favorite childhood toys AND pioneered the telehealth industry. In this episode, Jeff talks to Gary Wald - the former executive and business development entrepreneur who has worked with companies like Hasbro, NBC and TeleDoc. Ever heard of the Transformers? Well, you have Gary Wald to thank! Thanks to our sponsor, HomeTrust Bank for their support. You can learn more about HomeTrust at htb.com . Talking 'Ship is hosted by ...
Apr 13, 2023•55 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Remote work is on the rise & in-migration to Asheville is up, which means Coworking businesses are flourishing. But what does it take to create a connected, high-quality coworking business? Jeff talks with Sean Comeaux & Erika Gifford this week - the power couple running Hatchworks Coworking . They cover the organization’s recent upgrades, their place in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and, of course, how to throw a great party. Thanks to our sponsor, HomeTrust Bank for their support. You ...
Apr 06, 2023•42 min•Season 3Ep. 4
With pizzas as big as PIE.ZAA’s (28 inches), you’d think Owner Tyler Kotch would be compensating for something. But, based on our conversation with him, we’re not sure what! In this episode, Jeff and Tyler talk about his venture into large pizzas, his background in sales in the healthcare industry and the future of PIE.ZAA . Thanks to our sponsor, HomeTrust Bank for their support. You can learn more about HomeTrust at htb.com . Talking 'Ship is hosted by Jeffrey Kaplan, the Director of Venture A...
Mar 30, 2023•35 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Can leaders change? Are we getting too fragile? Jeff asks Outside Angle Co-Founders Sarah Silverman & Sam Franklin the tough questions on this week's 'episode. At Outside Angle , Sam & Sarah lead a team of experienced facilitators, project managers, change strategists, and organizational development experts who help clients in their most vulnerable moments, when the stakes are highest, and the window of opportunity is open. As mentioned in the episode, Sam is speaking at our Entrepreneur...
Mar 23, 2023•51 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Jeff puts Grandmaster Tony to the test with martial arts movie trivia in our first episode of Season 3! In addition to quizzing Tony, Jeff talks with him about his history in architecture, his entrepreneurial mindset and how he’s applied it all to his business, Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts . Thanks to our sponsor, HomeTrust Bank for their support. You can learn more about HomeTrust at htb.com . Talking 'Ship is hosted by Jeffrey Kaplan, the Director of Venture Asheville , a program of the Ashe...
Mar 16, 2023•48 min•Season 3Ep. 1
This week, Jeff talks with Clark Duncan, the Senior Vice President of the Economic Development Coalition of Asheville-Buncombe County and also… Jeff’s boss! Yep! As Jeff says at the top of every show, Venture Asheville is an initiative of the EDC. Jeff & Clark set the record straight on their professional relationship as well as some myths & rumors floating around regarding economic development in our region. Does the city pay hotel companies to come here? What’s going to be in the new P...
Nov 29, 2022•34 min•Season 2Ep. 12
This week, we talk ‘ship with Alex Feiszli, co-founder of Netmaker, a cloud networking startup. Recently, Netmaker announced $2.3 million in funding to launch their "superhighway for secure cloud networks." Netmaker offers a platform built on WireGuard which transforms the way companies integrate their networks to make them safe, dynamic and up to 15 times faster than alternatives. In this episode, we talk with Alex about how he and his cofounder started the company, where they are heading, thei...
Nov 22, 2022•43 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Yep, that's right! We recorded a live podcast during Asheville Entrepreneurship Week (Sept. 12 - 16) at the new Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins ! In this episode, we talk with Co-Founders Shelton Steele and Joe Balcken about their inspiration and vision for the unconventional cabin campground located in the historic River Arts District. Steele & Balcken also answer listener questions near the end. Listen out for a discount for our Corporate Entrepreneurship Series! Get tickets here . Talk...
Oct 04, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Jared Wheatley, a serial entrepreneur, activist & self-described ‘Urban Indian,’ has a lot on his plate. But he likes it that way. While running two businesses, WTAPS Construction and Épatage Workwear , Jared has also been working to encourage indigenous artists and activists to join his newest initiative: the Indigenous Walls Project . Recently, Wheatley has also been a strong force behind the efforts of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to restore the Cherokee name of Kuwohi to the moun...
Aug 08, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Direct Primary Care (DPC) has grown exponentially across the country and in Asheville, and Lantern Health was one of the first in our region to introduce us to the innovative healthcare concept. DPC is an alternative payment model for high-quality healthcare with a flat, affordable membership fee. At Lantern Health, they are “illuminating the path” toward better healthcare. In this episode, Jeff talks with Dr. Ben Aiken, the founder of Lantern Health, about the value of DPC, the challenges they ...
Aug 01, 2022•34 min•Season 2Ep. 8
This week we talk gluten-free 'ship with the Founders & Owners of Ginger's Revenge Cristina Hall Ackley and David Ackley ! After a three-month backpacking trip through Central America, Cristina and David spent nearly a year living in Panama where they were introduced to alcoholic ginger beer. As a committed homebrewer, David was determined to keep up his craft while living abroad, despite the challenges in sourcing ingredients. So, they turned to ginger beer. After returning to the states, t...
Jun 27, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 7
This week we catch up with John Canter, our Venture Asheville Honors 2021 Mentor of the Year ! John helps companies unlock scalability for businesses within their business models and position them to make money. Particularly, he has an exceptional track record of guiding businesses through the NC IDEA grant process. Most recently, he’s been working with Darë Vegan Cheese and Devil’s Foot Beverage Co. - both previous podcast guests! Currently, John is serving as Managing CFO with AVL Growth Partn...
Jun 13, 2022•29 min•Season 2Ep. 6
This week, we talk vegan ‘ship talk with the Founder & Owner of Darë Vegan Cheese Gwendolyn Dare Hageman ! With a degree in Biology from UNC-Asheville and as the vegan chef at Warren Wilson College, Gwendolyn was inspired to dig into experimentation with her cooking. When she turned to the tradition of cheesemaking, she explored fermentation to coax flavor and texture from her plant-based creations and in the process, cultivated a culture that, when combined with cashews, exploded with flavo...
Jun 06, 2022•27 min•Season 2Ep. 5
This week, we 'ship talk with Ginger Frank, the owner & founder of Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn ! Poppy Popcorn has won multiple Venture 15 & Asheville Honors awards over the years, but at our 2021 ceremony, Poppy was the 6th fastest growing start-up in Asheville. We discuss how Ginger came up with the idea for a popcorn business, failed flavors and the literal snow & ice she has had to overcome. Talking 'Ship is hosted by Jeffrey Kaplan, the Director of Venture Asheville , a program o...
May 31, 2022•43 min•Season 2Ep. 4
The outdoor industry is growing fast in WNC and Rockgeist Bikepack USA is no exception! The company was the first-ever outdoor gear company to break into the Venture 15 and this past year, Rockgeist ranked as the 8th fastest growing start-up in Asheville. Bikepacking is exactly what it sounds like. Backpacking, but with a bike! At Rockgeist, founder Gregory Hardy, who has a PhD in Material Sciences, is making custom, waterproof bike packs for the bikepacking community. We ‘ship talk with Greg ab...
May 23, 2022•21 min•Season 2Ep. 3
This week we talk ‘ship (and air fryers!) with Benjamin Colvin, the president and co-founder of Devil’s Foot Beverage Company ! Devil’s Foot started with a group of friends brewing around in the backyard when they happened upon something they just had to share with the world: farm-to-can soda. At our Venture 15 this year, Devil’s Foot was ranked the eleventh fastest growing start-up in Asheville. We ‘ship talk with Ben, who is also our Venture Asheville Honors 2021 Entrepreneur of the Year , abo...
May 16, 2022•29 min•Season 2Ep. 2
We're back for Season 2! On this season of Talking 'Ship, we’re talking with some of the winners from our 2021 Venture 15 & Venture Asheville Honors awards . And our first guest is... *drumroll*... Clark Harris, the Co-Founder of LoLo Gifts ! LoLo has won been nominated for several Venture 15 & Venture Asheville Honors awards. We talk about his backstory, the successes & failures of the business, how it’s evolved over the years and, of course, about what it means to be a Venture 15 c...
May 09, 2022•26 min•Season 2Ep. 1
J Hackett, the founder of Grind AVL, the home of Black Wall Street AVL, has quickly become a household name in the Asheville community. In our season finale episode, Jeff talks with J about his journey before Grind, how GRINDfest was conceived and Black Wall Street AVL’s past, present and future in the River Arts District. Watch out for Season 2, coming in 2022! Black Wall Street AVL: https://blackwallstreetavl.com/ Grind AVL: https://grindavl.club/ GRINDfest: https://blackwallstreetavl.com/grin...
Oct 29, 2021•46 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Established corporations can play a hugely important role in fast-tracking startups. In this Freaky Friday episode, Juliana (or J-Walker) talks with Director of Venture Asheville Jeffrey Kaplan about his take on the different ways corporations can get involved with and support the startup ecosystem. (He also just wrote an article on Medium about it! Check it out here. ) We cover a great example of a corporate win-win-win, dive into why CVC is the new R&D and learn about how a corporation’s e...
Oct 22, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Asheville has been growing exponentially for a reason. But with that growth, comes an array of challenges. Thrive Asheville is bringing together local community advocates from diverse fields and backgrounds to find equitable solutions to our city’s toughest challenges ranging from affordable housing to sustainable tourism. In this episode, Jeff speaks with Kate Pett, the Executive Director of Thrive Asheville about the different approach they’re taking to non-profit work and the projects they ar...
Oct 15, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 9
What are the 13 Entrepreneurial Competencies and do you know how proficient you are in them? Well, thanks to Jeff and Dr. Paul Gratton, you can find out! In this episode, listen to Jeff and Dr. Gratton talk about their meet-cute that helped lead to theE13.com , how they are helping ESOs measure founder growth, digging up worms and some shocking new details about Jeff’s own E13 results. Dr. Gratton currently serves as the Associate Dean for Adult and Graduate Studies and an Assistant Professor of...
Oct 08, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 8
What is the Asheville-Buncombe Economic Development Coalition (EDC) doing to foster a dynamic, inclusive workforce? In this episode of Talking ‘Ship, Jeff talks with co-workers (or should we say, mates?) Tiarra Wilkie, Workforce Partnership Specialist, and Samantha Cole, Workforce Partnership Manager, about the work they’re doing at the EDC ranging from Inclusive Hiring Partners to NEXT AVL to the WNC Career Expo. Inclusive Hiring Partners: ihp-wnc.org WNC Career Expo: wnccareerexpo.com NEXT AVL...
Oct 01, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Is it antithetical to the start-up lifestyle to finance and grow a business without debt? In this episode, Jeff talks with Co-Founders of Moonlight Makers Claire Watson & Nicole Hairfield and Everyday Oil Founder Emma Allen about the stories behind their businesses and how their start-ups have achieved quick growth & success without taking on debt. Moonlight Makers: https://moonlightmakers.com/ Everyday Oil: https://everydayoil.com/ Venture Asheville: https://ventureasheville.com/...
Sep 24, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode, Jeff talks with NC IDEA CEO Thom Ruhe & Senior Director Amy Bastian about the steps the foundation is taking to support North Carolina’s entrepreneurs achieve their potential through grants and programs. Learn more about NC IDEA here: https://ncidea.org/ Venture Asheville: https://ventureasheville.com/...
Sep 17, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Is company culture overrated or just misunderstood? Do employees really need a ping pong table in the break room to be happy at work? In this episode, Jeff talks with Tracy Eames, the President & CEO of TEAMES & CO — a management consulting firm that works with teams from strategy through implementation. TEAMES & CO: https://teamesandco.com/ Venture Asheville: https://ventureasheville.com/
Sep 10, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 4
