Main Street Business Insights

Uniting Design and Culture with Ebenezer Akakpo, Akakpo Design Group and Maine Culture

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt talks with Ebenezer Akakpo, a designer and jeweler who owns Akakpo Design Group and Maine Culture in Westbrook, Maine. Ebenezer recently won an award from Discover Downtown Westbrook's Paper City Pitch Contest in May 2024. 
Ebenezer's businesses blend artistic design with cultural heritage. His jewelry company, Akakpo Design Group, honors his Ghanaian roots through symbolic designs that reflect his heritage's history and culture. His other venture, Maine Culture, creates beautifully designed products celebrating Maine's natural beauty, allowing customers to carry a piece of Maine wherever they go. 
Join us as we explore Ebenezer's journey into entrepreneurship, the inspiration behind his designs, and how cultural significance influences his work in both business and art. 
Further Reading: Akakpo Design Group | Maine Culture | Paper City Pitch Contest | Discover Downtown Westbrook | Main Street Maine

Crafting Community: The Elements of Success with Katie Pinard and Michael Macomber, Elements: Books Coffee Beer

Welcome to another episode of Main Street Business Insights! In this conversation, Matt explores the story of Elements: Books Coffee Beer, nestled in the heart of Biddeford, Maine, with co-owners Katie Pinard and Michael Macomber. 
Rewind to 2010, when Michael returned to his hometown, juggling a master’s degree and the elusive quest for the perfect destination workspace to work on his dissertation. He quickly noticed the void in communal hubs, and envisioned a haven that merged a bookstore, coffee shop, and taproom. Thanks to a pivotal small business grant from the local Main Street program, Heart of Biddeford, Michael's dream took flight. Enter Katie, joining the fray in 2013 as both manager and business partner, catalyzing Elements' evolution into the thriving hotspot it is today. 
In their candid conversation, the trio explores the profound impact a business wields in fostering belonging and community spirit. They delve into the art of attentive staff management, emphasizing the significance of listening and respecting their voices. Plus, they unravel the criticality of consistent operating hours in nurturing customer loyalty and engagement. 
Tune in to gain fresh perspectives on entrepreneurship, community building, and the art of cultivating a cherished local gem. 
Further Reading: Can Strong Social Infrastructure Cure the Loneliness Epidemic?, Planning Magazine | Elements Books Coffee Beer | Heart of Biddeford | Maine Downtown Center

The Power of Investing in Community (And Yourself)) with Alycia Levels-Moore, ASL Creative Firm & POLARIS

In this special episode of Main Street Business Insights, recorded in front of a live audience during the Main Street Now Conference, Matt sat down with Alycia Levels-Moore, owner and founder of ASL Creative Firm and POLARIS, an event and co-working hub, based in Birmingham, Alabama.  
Alycia moved to Birmingham’s Woodlawn neighborhood roughly a decade ago, and shortly after started volunteering in various community and civic engagement initiatives. “At the time, ten or eleven years ago, it was very much in transition, it was not the Woodlawn we know now,” Alycia said. “My thought process when I do anything is how can i make sure that whatever I’m apart of is better once I’m finished with it.” She began supporting neighborhood small business owners, organizing community events, and eventually, founding the community-based co-working and event space and educational hub, POLARIS, with the mission of creating a safe space to nurture community and build local entrepreneurship.  
In addition to her work at POLARIS, Alycia also founded ASL Creative Firm, a consulting agency specializing in community development, program management, and strategic planning. Through her consulting work, Alycia was brought on board as the lead project manager for the Where It Starts: Breaking Barriers to Business initiative, supported by the Truist Foundation and alongside Living Cities, to accelerate wealth-building pathways for business owners of color in five cities in the southeast.  
In their conversation, Matt and Alycia discuss her journey to business ownership, her community development work in Birmingham and through the Breaking Barriers to Business initiative, and the importance of resilience and self-belief for entrepreneurs. 
Further Reading: ASL Creative Firm | POLARIS | Where It Starts: Breaking Barriers to Business | Main Street Now Conference | About the Woodlawn District | Main Street Alabama | 

The Art of Understanding Local Markets

In the last episode of season two of Main Street Business Insights, tune in as host Matt Wagner breaks down how to understand and synthesize local market data. 
While market understanding can feel daunting, it’s not only a purely data-driven exercise. While data plays a crucial role, effective market analysis goes beyond just crunching numbers. It's a blend of science and art, requiring a deep understanding of your community, its needs, key drivers, and the broader context of how it functions as a place where consumers, visitors, locals and small businesses and organizations converge. 
In the episode, Matt explains his philosophy for market analysis, how to transform data interpretation into effective strategy, and the importance of local contexts.  
Further Reading: IRS Migration Data | Esri Data Mapping | Placer.ai

Creating Strong Start-up Communities with Glen Ellis, Sycamore Education and Milady Coffeehouse

"In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Glen Ellis, owner of Sycamore Education, Dominion Catalyst Services, and Milady Coffeehouse in Fremont, Nebraska.  
Glen started his career working in programming and software development for international corporations, but after around 20 years, was feeling unfulfilled with the work. From there, he started volunteering at his children's school, and learned the school system’s management software had problems to be addressed. He rewrote the program, named it Sycamore Education, and began implementing it in other schools. After two years, Glen and his wife decided to take a leap of faith and take on Sycamore Education full-time.  
The first few years of business ownership were challenging for Glen and his family – but through hard work and trial and error, they began hiring employees and gaining new clients. After getting through the initial start-up phase, Glen gained a newfound passion for supporting other entrepreneurs.  
“My desire was not only keeping my company going, but also giving back to what we went through and doing it better than we did,” said Glen. Out of this desire, Glen purchased a historic building in downtown Fremont with the goal of converting it into a business incubator space. On the first floor, they started Milady Coffeehouse to attract community and provide a space for discussion and creativity. The second floor houses a suite of affordable office spaces available for entrepreneurs to launch their ideas. 
In their conversation, Matt and Glen discuss the importance of creating community, ways to support other entrepreneurs, why he chose to launch his businesses in a small community, and more. 
Further Reading: Sycamore Education | Milady Coffeehouse | Fremont Main Street | Nebraska Main Street Network "

Forming Meaningful Partnerships with Shoalwater Seafood and Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derek King and Jaime Courtney of Shoalwater Seafood, and Shane Thomas, Tribal Council Vice Chair of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe. Located in Tokeland, Washington, Shoalwater Seafood grows oysters using a system that can stand up to the strong winds, rising sea levels, and difficult weather of the Hood Canal. In 2018, Shoalwater Seafood and the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe formed a working relationship that has led to the creation of an independent oyster nursery, beginning the development and certification of several hundred acres of Tidelands owned by the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe. 
The Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation is a participating organization in Main Street America’s USDOT Thriving Communities program. Through the program, we are working with local community leaders to develop an increased awareness of Federal opportunities, prepare community leaders to implement infrastructure and community development projects, and build lasting local capacity for carrying out projects. Given the partnership, the group discusses how transportation and logistics impact Shoalwater Seafood’s business given the remoteness of their location to tourists and markets. 
In the episode, the group discusses the partnership between Shoalwater Seafood and Shoalwater Bay Indian tribe, their journey to oyster farming, insights on being a tribal enterprise, how tribal culture and values are reflected in the business, ways climate change has impacted the business, and more. 
Further Reading: Shoalwater Seafood | Washington State Main Street Program | Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe | USDOT Thriving Communities Program

How Main Street Leaders Can Drive Economic Development with Casey Woods, Emporia Main Street

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Casey Woods, Executive Director of Emporia Main Street in Emporia, Kansas. 
In their conversation, they discuss how Casey’s journey to becoming a Main Street director, his focus on entrepreneurship, how he creates new opportunities for local business owners, and how other Main Street leaders can drive economic development in their communities. 
Further Reading: Emporia Main Street | Emporia Main Street Fab Lab | Kansas Main Street

Continuously Improving & Adapting to Change with Nicole Fleetwood and McKinzie Hodges, Scratch Made Bakery

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Nicole Fleetwood and McKinzie Hodges, co-owners of Scratch Made Bakery in Amarillo, Texas. Scratch Made Bakery was selected to be featured on the podcast through a nomination from Beth Duke, Executive Director of Center City of Amarillo, an Accredited Main Street organization. 
 
Nicole Fleetwood opened the bakery in 2012 on historic Route 66 in downtown Amarillo. She came to Amarillo with her family soon after she had won an episode of Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. Since that time, she added her bakery partner, McKinzie Hodges. Together, Nicole and McKinzie have had to pivot the business several times: When the cupcake craze peaked, they started selling macarons, cookies, and decorated cakes. In 2016, they added a brunch menu to grow their business. In the years since, they pivoted away from offering brunch items to focus more on what they love: providing baked goods and decorated cakes to their community. 
 
In their conversation, they discuss Nicole and McKinzie’s path to entrepreneurship, how they support one another, and ways they’ve had to adapt to unexpected changes.

Creating Accessible and Welcoming Spaces with Tiffany Fixter, Brewability

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Tiffany Fixter, owner of Brewability, an inclusive craft brewery and pizzeria that employs adults with disabilities based in Englewood, Colorado. Brewability was also awarded a Backing Small Businesses grant in 2023 through American Express and Main Street America.  
As a former special education teacher, Tiffany has a heart for creating welcoming, inclusive, and fully accessible spaces for people with disabilities. Coupled with a passion for wanting to make a difference in her local community and a strong work ethic, she developed the concept for Brewability back in 2016 with the intention of providing employment opportunities and a welcoming gathering space for those with disabilities and the community as a whole. 
In their conversation, they discuss Tiffany’s path to entrepreneurship, how the Backing Small Businesses grant funding has impacted the business and community, and her advice for how all business owners can create more accessible and welcoming spaces.  

Why Retail Real Estate Matters with Bobby Boone, &Access

In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Bobby Boone, founder and Chief Strategist of &Access. Based in New Orleans, &Access creates data-driven and design-centric retail real estate solutions for historically excluded entrepreneurs and under-invested neighborhoods. 
Bobby has a strong background in economic development and real estate. Prior to founding &Access, Bobby led an effort to attract and maintain small businesses in Detroit and tackled wide-ranging retail challenges as a senior strategist at Streetsense. 
In this conversation, they discuss how retail can be a key economic development driver, ways small businesses add social capital to communities, challenges facing retailers and the solutions offered by &Access. They touch on anti-displacement solutions for business owners, how digital commerce is impacting local retailers, and how business owners can acquire properties in ways that meet their own unique goals.