The Federal government shutdown has people asking about the status of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We have answers about access to this popular piece of the High Country's fall experience.

Speaking of government, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce recently hosted its annual Watauga County Meet the Candidates forum at the LaQuinta Inn & Suites in Boone, centered around the Boone Town Council & Mayoral race. We bring you the full archive of the forum, featuring Town Council candidates Todd Carter, Morgan Murray, Virginia Roseman, and Adrian Tait. Mayoral candidate Dalton George was not in attendance at the event due to a work conflict, but offered a four-minute summary of his vision for the role.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

As we approach the one-year milestone of Hurricane Helene's impact on Western North Carolina, we bring you a special episode of Mind Your Business.

This week we connect with six Chambers of Commerce from across the region to answer some of the most popular questions of the day. We get perspective on how things stand in each community today, what are challenges, the silver linings, how does funding play into continued recovery, and plenty more.

Our chamber guests include:

Kitty Honeycutt, Executive Director, Ashe County Chamber of Commerce

Casey Gilbert, Vice President of Public Policy, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce

Victoria Bowman, Executive Director, Avery County Chamber of Commerce

Robin Miller, President/CEO, Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce

Kim Effler, President/CEO, McDowell Chamber of Commerce

Hosted by: David Jackson, President/CEO, Boone Area Chamber of Commerce

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

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.

• Tim Herdklotz, Co-Owner of Booneshine, the 2019 recipient of the Alfred Adams Award for Economic Development
• Liz Whiteman, Executive Director of Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, operator of the High Country Food Hub, 2020 recipient of the everGREEN Award for Sustainability
• Yolanda Adams, Owner, Que Pasa Appalachia, recipient of the 2020 Baker/Jones Woman of the Year award

We will hear from each of our guests about changes to their business over the last five years, how community disruptions have shaped their approach, and what advice they have for those that are approaching significant milestones in their own businesses or careers.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

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 helping bring efficiency to daily routes and special event schedules!

Appalachian State University has released its student censes for Fall 2025. We will dive into the numbers and tell you how the Boone campus is impacted by current enrollment.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

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 the organization's hurricane relief fundraising efforts along with other programs the foundation is currently working to support throughout the High Country.

To support the mission of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce foundation, please visit boonechamber.com/foundation.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

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 explain the final legislative language related to major campaign talking points like no tax on tips, while also highlighting changes to charitable contribution allowances for certain individual taxpayers.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

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 recognized at Spirit of Boone, the Chamber's 76th annual membership gathering on September 18th.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

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 department for success, all while the rules that govern collegiate sports continue to evolve by the day.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we welcome App State Athletics Director Doug Gillin back to the program. He'll share details on how his team is working to adapt to a changing financial model while staying cutting edge on the delivery of an elite fan experience. He'll also discuss ways that the local business community can anticipate future schedules that will drive attendance, and how the department has enhanced opportunities to support the department's 17 sports programs.

We'll also preview Encore, the latest professional development course from the Watauga Leadership Institute, which begins September 18th.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show