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Category: Business

Crafting Curiosity with Holden Ellis

Holden Ellis, a creative studio in Columbus, just celebrated its 10-year anniversary—a milestone that founder and CEO Josh Fitzwater describes as a testament to resilience, creativity, and teamwork. I sat down with Fitzwater to discuss the journey of Holden Ellis, from its humble beginnings to becoming a sought-after agency specializing in healthcare branding and digital experiences. Building a business from the ground up taught him lessons about prioritizing his team, navigating cash flow challenges, and staying true to the agency’s mission of “making people curious.” In our conversation, he shared insights on the evolving role of creativity in healthcare and why staying small and nimble remains central to his vision.

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Donatos CEO Tom Krouse

Every piece is important. For Tom Krouse, the outgoing CEO of Donatos Pizza, this tagline is more than just a catchphrase. With his departure this fall, we sat down to discuss his journey at Donatos. We’ll explore the key strategies behind their expansion, including the decision to focus on franchising and the early adoption of online ordering technology.

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Doodles & Digits

Passions can take you on different paths. That’s true for Carolyn Farkas who transformed her passion for teaching into a successful series on PBS. We sat down to discuss her journey, the future of education, the need for engaging and relevant learning experiences, and the importance of better communication and collaboration between parents, teachers, and the community as a whole.

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Ghost Kitchens and Virtual Brands

Ordering food on a delivery app? You may not know precisely where your dinner came from.

Columbus Underground Associate Editor Susan Post went down the rabbit hole of ghost kitchens and virtual brands in the restaurant industry.

In today’s episode, we explore the burgeoning scene of ghost kitchens in Columbus, unraveling their advantages, and the complex challenges they bring to the table.

But it’s not all about convenience. We’ll discuss the transparency issues these virtual brands pose, how they can be misleading to customers, and the implications for food origin disclosure.

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Columbus Downtown Development Corporation

Downtown Columbus has continued to evolve over the last 20 years. That evolution has been more prescriptive than some might know. The Columbus Downtown Development Corporation was created in 2002 to implement the city’s strategic plan for Downtown and it has continued to iterate on the policies and projects that allow the neighborhood to reach its potential. On the occasion of its next strategic plan initiative, the organization’s president, Amy Taylor, discusses the organization’s history, tactics, and why they are pivoting to focus more on people.

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Eastland Mall

Eastland Mall, once a thriving hub of retail activity in Columbus, has closed its doors for good. Historian Doug Motz takes a look back at the history of the mall and examines its impact on the local community, the retail industry, and the city as a whole. We also discuss the political fights that have always followed developments in Columbus and the need to look at the plan for the neighborhood now that Eastland is gone.

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The Columbus Beer Scene

Sours, IPAs, and stouts, oh my! Dan Whalen, a reporter for Columbus Underground, has quickly become well-versed in the local brewery and beer scene, despite only living in Columbus for two years. We talked about the high quality, diverse selection, and unpretentious atmosphere of the beer scene in Columbus, as well as ways for people to expand their taste preferences and the current trends in the city.

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Alternative Transit

How should eScooters, ride-hailing apps, and car-share services be considered in the conversation about alternative transportation? Can we think of them as a public good when they are for-profit entities? This week, Columbus Underground reporter Brent Warren discusses the options for last-mile transit that exist in Columbus, how they came to be, and the motivations and incentives for the companies that get us from point A to point B.

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Homeport

54,000 households in Central Ohio pay 50% of their income for housing. Homeport, along with other Columbus-based organizations, are working to fix that. This week, Homeport President and CEO Bruce Luecke discusses their work, the growing need for affordable housing in Columbus, and the contributing factors that hamper Columbus’s housing market.

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Architecture & Design Firm JBAD

The work of architects has an impact on our lives every day. But how does that work get done? This week, we’re talking architecture and development with the principal of architecture and design firm JBAD, Jonathan Barnes. We discussed how architecture firms work, the importance of relationships, the issues that should be kept in mind as Columbus continues to grow, and whether we’re doing a good job of addressing those issues.

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Creative & Marketing Agency treetree

How will businesses pivot when things get “back to normal?” Becca Apfelstadt, the co-founder of creative and marketing agency treetree, has a couple of ideas. In this episode, we discuss how the firm got started at a time of change, how they are pivoting in this time of change, and the importance of culture and the role of the office in the impending new normal.

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