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Steph and Brandon Prime are reinventing the greeting card experience. They're on a mission to murder the card aisle with their new invention: on-demand printing from customized kiosks. Their card kiosks are outfitted with high-quality paper, high-powered printers, and high-touch ipads, designed to make beautiful cards with local art instantly available with the tap of a touchscreen. Tune in to hear how they're planning to take over the $8 billion greeting card market while pumping dollars back into their local economy.

HUBB Kitchens is currently holding a Testing The Waters campaign on Vicinity's platform. The page and details on the potential raise can be found here: https://marketplace.vicinitycapital.com/offers/PreviewOffers/Njg3MDU=This is not currently a live securities offering.No money or other consideration is being solicited, and if sent in response, will not be accepted.No offer to buy the securities can be accepted and no part of the purchase price can be received until the offering statement is filed and only through an intermediary's platform.A person's indication of interest involves no obligation or commitment of any kind. 

Grain dealers is currently running a "Testing the Waters" campaign on Vicinity's portal.  You can find the campaign page here.The campaign not currently a live securities offering.No money or other consideration is being solicited, and if sent in response, will not be accepted.No offer to buy the securities can be accepted and no part of the purchase price can be received until the offering statement is filed and only through an intermediary's platform.A person's indication of interest involves no obligation or commitment of any kind.

This week the team tackles a popular topic in investing: Liquidity. The private markets have long been largely illiquid, posing an increasingly stark contrast to now easy-to-trade public securities. As more and more investors gain access to private investments, the demand for cash-out options has grown as well. In this episode, we cover the good, the bad... and yes, the ugly of liquidity. What does it have to do with Vicinity's vision for the future? Tune in to find out!

Michael Shuman's Website (you can sign up for his newsletter here): Michael's Book Put your money where your life is

This week the crew tackles a topic that's gaining steam in our vicinity: needs and trends in the growing real estate developer market. As Crowdinvesting grows in popularity, new needs and opportunities have sprung up as well. From managing the inbound and outbound flow of funds to keeping your investors in the loop after the deal closes, growth has brought a new set of problems. We discuss some of the pain points that have come from this expanding market of small to mid-sized real estate deals. Tune in to hear how Vicinity is thinking through these challenges and learn how investors can nab this new asset class in the process.

Doug and Laurie Duncan join the podcast to give us a peek behind the curtain of a real-life family business takeover. They share what joys and challenges come with running a family business along with the lessons they've learned making the shift from employees to owners. We discuss how they navigated respecting and preserving the local family reputation while maintaining a steady, persistent pursuit of improvement as they prepared to take on the business. Tune in to hear how they balance family with building a better business for their kids.

The Vicinity team discusses how to evaluate an opportunity by going inside the mind of a business owner. Where do you start, what challenges do you tackle first, and how do you prioritize as you go? What does it really mean to "fail fast, fail cheap" and do your investors really care? This episode digs into all these questions and attempts to give clarity around the pursuit of opportunity evaluation with a simple takeaway question: Does the business create value that's worth paying for? Tune in and tell us what you think!

https://www.goldenbutterflystudios.com/ Alek's email: alek.gbs at gmail dot com

Website: www.bricdynamics.comZeb's number: 864-4two1-2three85Timestamp notes:3:34 - Original plan for Bricolage was plastic. “climb the smaller mountains first”4:47 - The various outputs and uses of the bricolage machines7:14 - Shrinking municipal programs are creating a market for privatized residential recycling8:49 - The glass recycling problem is really a supply chain problem - how Bricolage is approaching the industry differently12:11 - Cities are struggling with recycling12:49 - Current programs are opaque with little visibility into what happens after the waste leaves your home13:28 - Transparency is important from a community standpoint so people can see what's being done with their recourses14:09 - Balancing 2 lines of business is tough but Zeb doesn't see it being possible any other way16:03 - Zeb's vertically integrated model keeps them from being dependent on any individual city17:12 - The benefit of privatized recycling19:04 - The sand shortage20:36 - Why is now the right time to raise capital for Bricolage?21:22 - The challenge of Bricolage functioning as a manufacturing company23:25 - What the future looks like for bricolage

Crowdfund article & stats referenced: https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2021/07/177979-reg-cf-the-number-of-finra-regulated-funding-portals-plateaus/

1:45 How Naked Pasta got started3:57 Why people don't make their own pasta more often7:28 How they balance production with distribution as a small business8:48 It's the specials every week the keep things fun9:54 How they use seasonality to keep things interesting12:22 “We're not using local for the sake of local, We're using local because we have such a rich community here of quality and talent… We're not doing anything special, it's just that the inputs we're using are very special.”12:56 Consumer vs business owner perspective on buying local18:20 How Brett got into trivia & what makes for a good round20:36 The value in having fun & being original22:37 NP's new location:  https://poinsettcollective.com/

Link to RSVP for our event at Fireforge 7/22:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1109941142862534

Investment crowdfunding regulations don't often change, but when they do, the impacts are usually significant for investors. Today the Vicinity team sits down to discuss the importance "Testing The Waters" - one of the latest additions to Regulation Crowdfunding. In short, it allows companies raising capital to discuss their raise publically before going through the process of filing a securities expemtion. Tune in to get the low down on how the new rule works and hear what makes this change so significant.

Garrett Coyne, a local real estate developer in Huntsville AL shares his take on the booming real estate market. Even with a mix of commercial and residential deals, there is a common thread through Garrett's projects. His strategy always starts a deep understanding of his community and keeps a close eye on the trends of the neighborhoods he invests in. Tune in to hear why Garrett is so excited about the Huntsville market and how he's using his love of community to make the most of this boom.

:49 - Where Investment crowdfunding dollars typically come from1:07 - Are we near a tipping point for Investment Crowdfunding?1:52 - The reason Will invests in real estate & revenue shares with Reg CF2:54 - The money people put into the stock market is disconnected, local private investors are enjoying a much more relational experience3:45 - As more people get into private investing - relationships that have been disconnected on the stock market will become re-connected via the local markets.4:27 - What's changing vs what's staying the same in investing? The common thread is trust6:45 - Will's advice for first time investors7:55 - Exploring campaigns can lead you to understanding new things about our community11:15  - Even for Kids, Crowdfunding has opened up a world of possibilities by connecting a community in a way that didn't exist before.12:30 - How “crowd Private Equity” can actually help gentrification17:17 - What the future of CF looks like18:20 - As people rediscover their local community a new desire to build the community has been born - rise of the neighborhood

1:34 - Why Will started INCOLO (formerly Crowdfund NC)2:27 - How the INCLO program works“It's not just about investment… It's about what the business is doing to grow it's revenue, grow a really good team and grow partner channels"3:09 - Investment crowdfunding a sales arm, marketing arm, or supply chain channelCase study: BatteryXchange 5:06 - How Will knows a company is ready to accelerate growth6:37 - Finding a community that resonates with your product is a must - do that before raising money7:20 -  How founders get started with the programs:Runway, Launch, & Growth 8:54 - How local entrepreneurs helped build the INCOLO programs10:40 - An alternative to the “Fundraise or bust” mentality 11:06 -The mistakes Will sees founders make going into the program11:45 - Taking the vision of a founder and narrowing that down to what they need to do today.12:04 - "Focus on your invest-ability… with an eye on exit-ablility "14:33 - Is the lack of Investment crowdfunding raises in the SE an investor problem or a founder problem?15:37 - Why Will started investing through Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF)16:53 - The original idea of Vicinity17:40 - Where the majority of investment comes from in crowdfunding campaigns

2:03 - Julie's career progression from newspapers to AOL to SC Dept of commerce5:13 - An overview of the Relentless Challenge grant program and who it supports6:24 - The three goals of the grant7:37 - Julie releasing the next round of funding8:52 - The difference in programmatic grants & infrastructure or company funding12:15 - Julie's “Favorite” programs the grant has funded16:11 -  The value of treating incubators & accelerator as startups themselves18:17 - How Julie and her program help make the grant application as accessible as possible21:11 - What applicants should do if they're stressed about completing the application in time22:56 - Criteria Julie looks for in organizations that are applying25:56 - How the same criteria for grants apply to companies seeking investors26:16 - The importance of the team28:18 - It's ok if a project needs to change or pivot - as long as the end goal stays the same29:27 - Tips for getting your organization grant ready32:12 - Things Julie learned from AOL that she advises startups and organizations to follow now36:18 - How everyday folks can get involved and foster innovation

Jennifer's website: https://www.sunshinemedianetwork.com/Timestamps1:58 - Jenn’s journey into entrepreneurship13:25 - The key steps for helping small businesses tell their stories. 1st step - understand your "Who"14:15 - Want to get good at telling people’s stories? be the “idiot” who asks the questions16:36 - 2nd step - Have confidence17:43 - 3rd step - Figure out the stereotypes you’re up against - people love to put you in categories19:44 - Success from big projects & fortune 500 companies that small businesses owners can learn fromLesson 1: It takes a long time to “turn the ship” with a big company. Sometimes small business are too quick to abandon an effort because it’s not working yet21:57 - Lesson 2: you can’t do everything, don’t be afraid to outsource 23:41 - Mistakes small business make in the PR, media and Marketing strategies25:45 - Why your “Why” isn’t enough - Finding your "Who"27:50 - The impact that Jenn sees investment crowdfunding having as a former member of a small community where it was used (Albemarle, NC)28:37  - What Jenn loves about local investing29:41 - Small business need to lean into what they’re good at rather than try to be like big corporations30:49 - Communities have a story - the businesses we support shape that story33:55 Things Jenn has learned about local investing- Go deep instead of wide- Find out the who of the business owner

For this special episode, Josh and John join Terrell Turner on the Business Talk Library podcast. They dig into the founding ideas behind Vicinity and share their vision for local investing. They reveal that, surprisingly, the original idea for Vicinity came before they even knew about Regulation Crowdfunding or any of the existing portals. Instead, Vicinity was born from the desire to bring together the trends of new localism and democratized finance. Tune in to hear about the formation of Vicinity along with the lessons Josh and John have learned along the way.

4:33 - Start with a focal point - Joey & Potito’s creative process & approach for creating new restaurants.5:38 - When Joey made the switch into restaurants full time.6:16 - Marrying old school with new school & creating something new from established elements.7:34 - Why Joey decided to sell the Greer location and open the Belladina’s restaurants.9:15 - What Joey attributes the success of the Washington st location to and where his passion lies.10:39 - Customers coming from all over.11:30 - Seeing other restaurants have artwork done too.12:58 - Why this location & concept?17:15 - Where does Joey’s confidence in starting a new business come from?18:15 - Joey’s plan for the future.21:05 - Why Joey wanted to raise money from his community and how it’s impacted his connection to his customers. 

Michael's Website with his books, workshops and other educational info: michaelhshuman.com 

Find all of Michael's workshops, books and speaking/consulting information on his website: michaelhshuman.comTimestamps:5:06 - Myths about small businesses & local economics 6:17 - 2 examples/studies7:08 - 60-80% of jobs are locally owned biz7:21 - Local biz are competitive but our investments don't match up8:10 - The capital market failure8:24 - Why securities laws were passed and what the effect was for small business9:35 - Why we are biased towards big corporations in ED14:24 - The LOIS and TINA concept - local ownership and import substitution17:52 - Local businesses are alot more competitive than we think. 18:06 - The movement of our economy from goods-centered to services-centered19:51 - It doesn’t make sense to ship water21:30 - The effects of local communities no longer being limited to natural resource businesses

So you invested locally and you might be thinking, "Now what?" This week the Vicinity crew gives a how-to guide for life after investing (through Vicinity.) We talk tax implications, subscription agreements, and transfer of funds. But our favorite part is your ability to help and influence your investment AFTER you make it. Unlike our inspiration for this episode, The Bachelor, "after the final close" opens up a whole new world of communication and relationships with the company you invested in. Tune in to hear the must-knows for navigating this new world.

Sign up for your own self directed IRA through our partner: AltoMichael Shuman's website Book: Put your money where your life is  

The Vicinity team circles up to discuss recent happenings that underscore the uniqueness of local investing. John and Josh share their experience of meeting the community and being on-site with our launch into North Carolina. These conversations with local partners and investors reveal that the real stars of the show with crowdinvesting aren't technology and dollars but the people and relationships that form the community. Tune in to hear the stories and learn why locals are investing where they live.

The Vicinity team discusses need-to-know tax information for your investments in campaigns through Vicinity. While individual tax implications can vary widely, This short & sweet episode gives a high-level view of terms and forms to look out for when buying different types of investment crowdfunding securities. We also cover who should expect to receive tax information from and give a trivia question with a t-shirt prize for any listener who knows the answer! If you liked this style of episode, email Info@Vicinitycapital.com and let us know what topic we should cover next! Please note this is not tax advice and you should consult your CPA or tax professional before making any tax-related decisions.

This week's guest, Jordan Jones, is a veteran real estate developer with a heart for local communities who joins to share his special approach to creating real estate investment opportunities. Hear his strategy for putting together "Double bottom line" projects and why he views these as the most important projects a community can take on. Jordan explains how his projects focus on specific outcomes that create value for his investors, local businesses, and the local community as a whole.

While the Wandering Bard Meadery may only be a few years old, true to its medieval origins, their mead making dates back much further. Adam Daughhetee tells their tale, dating back thirty years to when the first batch of mead was crafted by his Uncle Brian Daughhetee. Fast forward to today, Adam and Brian now own a growing meadery that produces fine meads and ciders, hundreds of gallons at a time. They offer 19 selections in their taproom, distribution across the state, and online sales across the country. Adam shares how mead is made, what has fueled their growth, and how he uses their taproom as a unique customer feedback tool. Enjoy this unique blend of historic royalty and modern fellowship.

Malcolm hosts a round table with Vicinity Co-Founders Josh Rollins and John Crawford to discuss the new Reg CF rules changes. We cover the four main changes that went live on Monday (3/15/21) and what they mean for investors as well as companies looking to raise capital. What exactly does it mean to "Test the waters"? How much can you invest? What do companies need to know if they're raising the new larger limit? We cover all this plus a light-duty conspiracy theory on about Reg CF...

commonhousealeworks.comfacebook.com/commonhousealeworksinstagram.com/commonhousealeworks/untappd.com/commonhouse-aleworks 

www.blueion.comwww.blueion.com/outpost

www.blueion.comwww.blueion.com/outpost

http://www.mkmetrics.com/

Foxhound Bee Company's Website

 1:23 How Earl got started (early entrepreneurial ventures)4:40 How Chase and Earl joined forces5:38 Types of licensing needed for selling fireworks7:38 Near-term vision for their business, building their fireworks empire8:02 How the revenue model works with the extreme seasonal dependency of the fireworks industry10:02 How they find places to set up their shop11:58 Winning customers and establishing network relationships15:40 Tapping into online sales and curbside pickup with preorders (changing the fireworks game)21:40 How to shoot a good firework show :)25:50 Outro/how to get in touch or find out moreFleety's Fireworks Website

Kalee’s website: https://www.kaleebakerevents.com/1:43 Kalee’s explanation of her business model2:55 Going above and beyond, but still balancing client care with normal life 5:00 What Kalee tries to draw out of her guests and how she can help produce the right services for clients9:43 Some of the tools that Kalee uses to make everything run smoothly11:30 What it takes to be a wedding planner12:34 Kalee’s day of the wedding strategy15:10 Kalee's take on the future of the wedding industry22:45 Kalee's advice for first-time wedding planners

Kalee’s websiteInstagramPinterestFacebook

4:52 An estimated 60 billion dollars in the upstate that is “squirreled” away in retirement accounts5:41 How the 60 billion (and 45 billion for Birmingham) represent new dollars & the broader community9:54 How to create avenues to invest in what you choose - owning and controlling your own dollars14:17 Fostering behavior change to make long-term impact and diversify your portfolio18:17 The future of finance is personal25:49 Investments are never just about the financial return30:16 Getting involved with impact investing on a local levelThank you for the mic, Foxhound Bee Company.

https://www.charlottebergerpr.com/who-we-areIG Handle: @charlottebergerchshttps://www.tastemakerschs.com/IG Handle: @tastemakerschs

Bridge City CoffeeBridge City Coffee's InstagramShop Their Coffee

Delphine’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delphinecarter/Boulo’s Campaign: https://marketplace.vicinitycapital.com/offers/PreviewOffers/Mjg0MDE= 

Park Supply Company is Huntsville and North Alabama's premier supplier of plumbing products.Website: https://parksupplycompany.com/about/@parksupplyco

https://lumineuxchocolate.com/

AboutPodcastVideos 

Expanding a small bizHow Joey got his startGrowing a brandQuality, quality, quality!

Turning a hobby and passion into a profitable businessFull-time freelance work Staying on-brand with photographyBuilding relationships with clients

Narrowing in on a nicheStaying true to course (in terms of goals)App development shop talkHow Greenville is the right community for DesignliAnd more!

proximity mattersthe relationship between investors and local businesseshow investing local can benefit communities