Business
How Columbus makes a living — founders, small shops, institutions, and the people building things here.
55 episodes
The Currency of Connection: Jacquie Mahan and The Awesome Company
Most entrepreneurs will tell you their business started with a plan. Jacquie Mahan will tell you hers started with a hunch, a deep affection for the autism community, and what she admits was an…
Where Data Meets Decision Making in Central Ohio
Most people experience regional planning only after decisions have already been made. When a new development breaks ground, a transit project is announced, or new housing pops up in our neighborhood.…
Banking on Relationships at FC Bank
When most people think about banking, they picture massive institutions, rigid rules, and transactions that feel anything but personal. But for Jenny Saunders, President of FC Bank, banking is only…
From WordPress to AI Workflows: Inside Buckeye Innovation
When most people think about technology, they picture shiny new tools, big-budget builds, and teams of engineers working inside massive companies. But for Brad Griffith, founder of Buckeye…
How MORPC Shapes the Future of Our Region
When we talk about regional planning, it’s easy to picture dusty binders, endless meetings, or vague talk about “growth.” But for William Murdock, executive director of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning…
AI in Ohio
When we talk about artificial intelligence, the focus is often on big tech or headline-grabbing breakthroughs. But for Cas Maxwell, co-founder and CEO of AI Owl, the story is much closer to home. His…
The Columbus Music Commission’s Big Gig
How do we take a music community and turn it into a music economy?
A Different Lens on Economic Development
When you think about economic development, you might picture a groundbreaking, a ribbon-cutting, or a shiny new district. But more often, it looks like slow, steady puzzle-building.
An Off the Rails Roundup
Sometimes, the things that stir the most debate aren’t sweeping policy changes, but whether or not you have to pay a dollar to park near Brassica.
Leadership Columbus
Leadership is more than just a title—it’s about influence, impact, and the ability to drive meaningful change. In this week’s episode, I sat down with Kate Bauer, the new Executive Director of…
The Best of Columbus 2024
The results are in, and the people of Columbus have spoken! In this week’s episode, I sat down with Walker Evans, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Columbus Underground, to dive into the highlights…
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.…
City Data Breach
In July, the City of Columbus experienced a massive data breach, which officials at the time referred to as “some type of incident.” Months later, the scope, damage, and cost of the incident are…
Summer News Roundup
We are diving into the most read stories shaping the landscape of the city. These are the top stories that have captured the attention of our community—not necessarily the most important or…
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.…
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 the future of education, the…
Tacos by the Truck
The capital city’s food scene is often heralded. However, its taco truck scene has been often overlooked. Elwood Ellis, a freelance writer for Columbus Underground and self-proclaimed Taco…
This Title Was Not Generated by AI
This podcast was not generated by AI. But it may have been influenced by it. As all industries consider how to use artificial intelligence in their work, Walker Evans, Susan Post, and I discuss how…
Ghost Kitchens and Virtual Brands
Ordering food on a delivery app? You may not know precisely where your dinner came from.
October News Roundup
Can a city that doesn’t know its history properly tell its own story?
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
The History of 400 Square
There’s a rich history in Franklinton. This week, we dive into the origins of 400 West Rich and the larger 400 Square with the curator of their 400 History Show and Mini-Museum, Zach Henkel. We…
Development in the City of Worthington
When it comes to development, the City of Worthington, like many cities with their size and limitations, has to play a balancing act on navigating varying interests. Reporter Brent Warren sat down…
Cleve Ricksecker
With the threat of protests and the coronavirus raging, what’s going to happen to Downtown Columbus? On the occasion of his recent retirement, we spoke with the former executive director of the two…
Can’t Stop Columbus
In this time of consistent change and challenge, we look at how the Columbus community is standing up. Can’t Stop Columbus is a community-wide movement that tries to address some of the problems that…
Test City, USA
Is the Columbus startup scene ready for its closeup? In this episode, independent creator Jay Clouse talks about his documentary film, Test City, USA , which paints a portrait of the Columbus tech…
The Idea Foundry
There is a myriad of possible solutions to breathe new life into a neighborhood. The Idea Foundry, an established makerspace in Franklinton, has a solution. In this episode, CEO Casey McCarty…
Crawford Hoying
The test of an organization is how it responds to adversity. Such was true for development organization Crawford Hoying during the recession. With multiple developments built and thriving since then,…
Steiner & Associates
Are land use and development a civic responsibility or just a monetary transaction? Yaromir Steiner, the Founder, Chief Executive Officer of Steiner + Associates has an opinion. He sat down with…
Save the Crew
In the fall of 2017, the owner of the Columbus Crew SC announced their intention to move to Austin, Texas. Almost immediately, a grassroots movement was born; aptly named, Save the Crew. Since then,…
Multivarious Games
How did Central Ohio become the gaming hub of the Midwest? I sat down with Chris Volpe, President and CEO of Multivarious Games, to talk about his journey from working in healthcare to managing a…
Kaufman Development
How do commercial real-estate developers create community? I sat down with Brian Suiter, Director of Real Estate Development for Kaufman Development to talk about the future of development in…
Dine Originals Week
Dine Originals Week is fast approaching! Hear from the organization’s executive director about the deals you can take advantage of while enjoying Columbus’s finest independent restaurants and learn…
Wolf’s Ridge Brewing
It’s getting hoppy in here. We talk with Chris Davison, the head brewer at Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, about sour beers, the brewing process, the brewing community, what other breweries in town you should…
Venture Capital in Columbus
We’re talking about capital in the capital city. VentureOhio helps to facilitate the entrepreneurial ecosystem in our state and their annual VentureReport takes a detailed look at Ohio investment…
Late Night Slice
Face it, anybody can make pizza. It takes a vision to turn a slice of pizza into a brand. I sat down with Mikey Sorboro at the Columbus Podcast Festival for a casual conversation about how to start a…
Entrepreneurship with Jay Clouse
Project manager, community builder, and writer Jay Clouse has experienced most stages of an entrepreneurial business in a short time. We sat down to talk about his experience, the similarity between…
Tech Elevator
The disparity between the tech job openings in Columbus and qualified candidates to fill them is vast. To help bridge that gap, coding bootcamps have been popping up around town. Tech Elevator…
Arnold Sports Festival
Let’s get pumped up! The Arnold Sports Festival is coming to town and I sat down with the organization’s president, Bob Lorimer, to learn about how it got started, how Bob is carrying on the legacy…
Blockfort
How do you build a community around what you’re passionate about? This week, Adam Brouillette sat down to discuss Blockfort, the new gallery and studio space Downtown, and why he thinks Columbus is…
Crafty in Columbus
This week, we explore the craft scene in Columbus with maker maven Megan Green who heads up the Midwest Craft Con and Craftin’ Outlaws. It’s a discussion about the business of craft, the many hats…
Cocktails in Columbus
Tis the season for a cocktail. Two of Columbus’ best mixologists, Joe Peppercorn from Little Rock Bar and Josh Rice from Bodega, talk about the bar scene in Columbus, what makes a good cocktail list,…
Shopping Locally
This week, we’re shopping local. On the occasion of the holiday season, we sat down with two people immersed in the movement. First up, Timothy Wolf Starr discusses the recently rebranded Small…
Launching a Business in Columbus
We’ve talked about what it’s like to run your own business and be an entrepreneur. But what if you’re just getting started? This week, representatives from ECDI talk about how they help businesses…
Real Estate in Columbus
There are three things that matter in real estate: location, location, location. While that adage is true, there are a couple more things to know about the Columbus real estate market.
Compton Construction
Starting a business isn’t easy. Truly knowing your role in it is harder. Compton Construction CEO Blake Compton talks about the lifecycle of being a business owner and the virtue of coaches and…
Coffee Talk
How do you take your coffee? You sure? We sat down with two roasters, Crimson Cup and Brioso Coffee , to talk about what makes a good cup of coffee, a bad cup of coffee, fair trade, and a little…
Restauranteurs
What’s it like to own a restaurant and what drives people to do it?
Robert Mason Company
How do you rebuild after you lose everything? We sit down with Robert Grimmett, the founder and CEO of Robert Mason Company , to discuss day-to-day operations, how Robert Mason got started, how it…
