The Best of LKN

Welcome to The Best of LKN podcast! Here you’ll find a collection of interviews with the owners of Lake Norman’s favorite businesses. Small business is the heart and soul of a community, and The Best of LKN is here to shine a spotlight on the small businesses that are making the biggest impact here in the Lake Norman region of North Carolina.In addition to featuring exceptional small business owners, we’ll also be interviewing the most influential professionals that serve the LKN community. From bankers and realtors, to teachers and coaches, we look forward to introducing you to the best Lake Norman has to offer!We hope you enjoy these episodes. Thank you for following The Best of LKN!

Last refreshed: June 29th, 2025 at 4:58 PM ⓘ

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Episodes

010: Davidson Ice House - Get to know the chef and owner Jen Brule'

Welcome to episode 10! Jen Brule joins us this week for an interview. She owns Davidson Ice House in Davidson, North Carolina. Jen shares a bit about her entrepreneurial journey and details about her lovely restaurant in beautiful Davidson. Enjoy! From the Davidson Ice House website: OUR FOOD We use classic French techniques mixed with a bit of southern flair to elicit the best flavors from our fresh, healthy and delicious ingredients. SALAD, RICE AND GRAIN BOWLS, BURGERS, SANDWICHES, FRIED AND ...

Jul 07, 2020•28 min

009: SpeedPro Imaging and Pure Design Photography Studio in Cornelius!

Welcome to episode #9! The owners of SpeedPro Imaging and Pure Design Photography Studio, Lynn and Craig Bakstad, join the podcast for an interview. They share the details of the two businesses and the many important marketing products and services they provide. Enjoy! From the business websites: SpeedPro Imaging "Whether you’re an agency, corporate marketing or the owner of a small business, we want to work with you. Our team has decades of experience, working with sales & marketing profess...

Jul 02, 2020•29 min

008: W8LESS LKN Trampoline and Ninja Park in Cornelius!

Welcome to episode 8 of The Best of LKN podcast! It's an honor to feature this Veteran-owned small business - W8less LKN Trampoline and Ninja Park! In this episode, I interview Larry Thompson who is the co-owner along with his wife Elise of W8less LKN. Larry shares the story of how he and Elise resolved to become small business owners, along with some of the challenges of opening a new business just as the COVID-19 pandemic shut basically all businesses down in North Carolina. We talk a lot abou...

Jun 25, 2020•33 min

007: Blumengärten - Lake Norman's Extraordinary Florist!

Welcome owner Denise Ulhorn and designer Emily Frank of Blumengärten to the podcast! Blumengärten is an extraordinary LKN florist located in Cornelius, North Carolina. In this interview, Denise shares the story behind the founding of Blumengärten, the growth of the business, challenges during the COVID-19 epidemic, and a few of the behind-the-scenes details of running a boutique floral design business. Emily is the lead designer at Blumengärten, and she shares the story of her journey to becomin...

Jun 18, 2020•34 min

006: Lucky Dog Bark and Brew - Lake Norman's Indoor/Outdoor Dog Park and Sports Bar!

Welcome Lucky Dog Bark and Brew to the podcast - where everyone knows your dog's name! Owner Kelly Waugh shares a bit of how she and her business partner came up with the Lucky Dog concept - a sports bar for entertaining people and pups alike. We cover a lot of what Lucky Dog Bark and Brew has to offer, including: Full Bar, including Craft Beer, Cocktails, and Spirits Food Trucks Special Events, like Bulldog Beauty Pageants and Doggie Swimsuit Competitions Indoor and Outdoor Areas Doggie Baths, ...

May 21, 2020•22 min

005: Charlotte Running Company - Northlake & Lake Norman Stores

Welcome to episode #5! This one features another boutique fitness brand, Charlotte Running Company. The owner of the Northlake and Lake Norman (Mooresville) locations, Jamie Davis, joins the podcast for an interview. We chat a little about Jamie's professional background and his journey toward small business ownership. Then we dive into what makes Charlotte Running Company special and discuss some of the great products and services they provide. Here are a few of the products: The Most Respected...

May 18, 2020•27 min

004: Waterbean Coffee - Lake Norman's Coffee Shop and Bean Above The Rest!

Episode #4 is here! Wow, big thanks to the Lake Norman businesses that have agreed to join me for these short interviews. In this episode, I interview Beatriz Aguirre, the Managing Director at Waterbean Coffee! Waterbean Coffee Company is a Lake Norman icon, and the anchor for two prominent shopping centers in both Huntersville and Cornelius. Beatriz and I discuss quite a bit in such a short interview, including: A brief history of Waterbean Coffee. A few things that set Waterbean apart from oth...

May 15, 2020•24 min

003: Meet LKN Realtor Becca Mangini !

LKN Real Estate SuperStar Becca Mangini joins the podcast for an interview! In this episode, Becca gives us a glimpse of her journey into real estate sales as a full time profession. She shares her love for real estate, her passion for professional development, and her affinity for the LKN community and its many stellar small businesses. We cover a lot in this short interview. Here are a few of the topics: Driving success by creating excellent client experiences Helping lead the Charlotte Metro ...

May 12, 2020•26 min

002: Eleven Lakes Brewing Company - Cheers to Craft Beer and Community

In this episode of The Best of LKN, I'm joined by the brewmeister of Eleven Lakes Brewing Company - Ray Hutchinson. Ray introduces us to the Eleven Lakes story, shares some background on the company, and talks about business amidst current events. From the Eleven Lakes website (www.elevenlakesbrewing.com): The Catawba River flows from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to the coastal plains of South Carolina. The eleven major lakes that form along the way provide an unparalleled source o...

May 07, 2020•25 min

001: CrossFit Cornelius - Get to know owners Mike & Kristin Ratnofsky

Welcome to the launch episode for The Best of LKN! I'm very happy to present an interview with the owners of CrossFit Cornelius, Mike & Kristin Ratnofsky. CrossFit Cornelius is a premier gym that offers CrossFit training, HybridFit boot camp style training, personal 1-on-1 training, individual designed athletic programming, and diet/nutrition consulting. I love the story of a business that started in the home garage - and this is one of those businesses! Founded in 2013, CrossFit Cornelius q...

May 02, 2020•20 min

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