Podcasts about Topsail Island

Navigating Wills, Probates, Trusts, and Guardianships with Mariah McKinneyIn this episode, Christa and new Host, Marlon Weems, interview Mariah McKinney, a lawyer and partner at Garlock & McKinney. They explore crucial yet often overlooked legal matters including wills, probates, trusts, and guardianships. Mariah shares the complexities of probate administration, the importance of comprehensive estate planning, and the risks of not having a financial or healthcare power of attorney.Mariah also shares her journey from Western to Eastern North Carolina and her deep connection to Topsail Island.www.garlockandmckinney.comMessage MariahPhone: (828) 357-4510Topsail Insider is Sponsored by Saltwater Resort & Suites - Topsail Island's premier luxury hospitality experience! Book your beach getaway today at SaltwaterTopsail.com or call (910) 886-4818!Co-Hosts: Marlon Weems and Christa SchroederEdited by Jim Mendes-Pouget  |  jimpouget@gmail.comSend Christa a message! Please leave your contact information if you'd like a response.Please Follow/Subscribe to Topsail Insider on your favorite podcast-listening platform!Please also visit www.topsailinsider.com and sign up for our Mailing List where you'll get early access to upcoming episodes. Or leave a Voicemail for Topsail Insider right from the website - your message just might be featured in an upcoming episode! Follow Topsail Insider on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!If you are a Greater Topsail business owner or nonprofit, Register to be a Guest on our website at www.topsailinsider.com! Or if you wish to Sponsor or Advertise with Topsail Insider, please email christa@topsailinsider.com or call/text 910-800-0111. Thanks - I'll see you around Topsail!

A family vacation at a beach house in Topsail Island, NC, turns into a nightmarish experience for a college student. What begins as an unsettling night soon spirals into a terrifying encounter with a dark presence, a ghost, that seems determined to make itself known. As she struggles to understand the malevolent force, she discovers that she's not the only one being targeted. Unexplained events and eerie encounters leave her questioning the very nature of reality. This true scary story will leave you wondering what really lurks in the shadows.... while you sleep.You can get these ad-free through ScaryPlus.com free for 14 days, then 4.99 per month. Cancel anytime.You can find Edwin social media as @edwincovGet in touch to share your story through TrueScaryStory.comJoin our community:Facebook.com/truescarystorypodcastInstagram.com/truescarypodtiktok.com/@truescarypod

One of the great things about the Psalms (and one of the reasons we do a summer series through the psalms) is because you can drop in on pretty much any psalm and find something immediately helpful.Y'all ever done that before? You ever “dropped in” on the Psalms? Maybe you need a word from God, you need some encouragement from the Scriptures but you're not exactly sure where to go to, so you basically close your eyes and pick a random place in the psalms — a “Psalms drop in.”A lot of us have done that before, and the reason we go to the Psalms is because these are prayers and poems and songs, and they're about God. Over thousands of years, the people of God have come to this book for help and perspective. Most of the time, reading a Psalm is like running down hill — But that's “most” of the time, not all the time. Psalm 82 is different. I spent most of last week perplexed by this psalm, and I'm tempted in the sermon to spend too much time telling you why. There are all kinds of questions here that send us in different directions — and if we were doing a Bible study, we'd walk through each question, we'd weigh the different interpretations, we'd wrestle for the right meaning, but this is a sermon, and we are in worship, and so I want our main question to be: What do we learn here about God? Despite some of the interpretive questions, what truths about God and reality can we be sure this psalm is affirming? I have three:God reigns over everything.God will judge all moral unrighteousness.God will get his global glory.Each of these truths are clear in Psalm 82 and they matter for how we live. So we're gonna walk through each one, but first let's pray:Father in heaven, thank you for the Holy Spirit who illumines your word to our hearts. He gives understanding to the simple, and we confess that we need the power of your Spirit in these moments! Send him, we ask, in Jesus's name, amen. 1. God reigns over everything. Look at verse 1:“God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment…”Right away we're asking: What is this “divine council” and who are these “gods”?You don't see this on every page of Scripture, but the reality is always there, and every now and then we see glimpses of it, that in the presence of God, at least at certain times, there is an assembly of supernatural beings who are involved in the affairs of this world. Sometimes these supernatural beings are called little-g gods; sometimes they're called sons of God; categorically, they're angels.They're close to God and privy to his will, and they're active in how his will plays out in the world; but the main thing we should see here is that God is over them. He has a place in their company, and that place is judge. God is judge over all creation, which includes the spiritual realm. And this is where we might need to stretch our imaginations. God Over the Material WorldWe believe, and we say all the time, that God is sovereign. God is in control. “God has decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things whatsoever comes to a pass” (3.1). We believe that, and most of the time when we think about the arena of God's sovereignty — where God's sovereignty plays out — we think about this world and the stuff that we can see. And we should think that. It is a right and wonderful thing to apply the sovereignty of God to this material world. More of that, please.Earlier this week I was coming back from some church planting meetings in Atlanta, driving to the airport at night, and I'm pretty dependent on Google Maps. I need my phone to tell me where to go. Well you know when you get close to an airport, they have way-finder signs that make it pretty much dummy proof. So I see these signs, I've seen them before, but my phone is telling me to do something different than what the signs are telling me. And here's the deal: I've not left myself a lot of time. I have a very thin margin for error, and now I've got to decide to follow the signs or follow my phone. Well, I went with my phone. Bad choice! I was headed to the wrong place. I must have made a glitch when I plugged things in. And by the time I fix that and loop around, it adds half an hour, and now I'm sweating. Then I started to think about how missing my flight would torpedo the rest of my week. So I go from sweating to spiraling, but then the Holy Spirit ministered to me and I remembered the sovereignty of God.Even if I miss this flight because of my human error, God is looking after that. He's looking after me. He reigns over every detail, even over glitches in our material world. Well I ended up making my flight because it was delayed, because there was another glitch somewhere else. God knew the whole time.And the examples like this are endless. And sometimes it goes well for us, sometimes it stays difficult, but we should remember that God is active and in control over the world as we see it. We should apply the fact of God's sovereignty to the material world in its details. But, it doesn't stop there. God Over the Spiritual WorldReality is material and spiritual. There is the seen world and the unseen world — and the unseen world, although it's unseen to us, it's just as vast and just as active as the seen world, and some of it is set against us. Paul says in Ephesians 6,“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”Now most of the time our senses are aloof to this. It's out of sight, out of mind — and we don't even think about it. But behind everything we see, there are unseen spiritual influences and forces. There's no doubt that as I'm driving to the airport, trying to figure out where to go, the enemy has an agenda to harm me. There was a whole spiritual realm that was doing stuff — and it's like that all the time, and honestly if we could see more of it, I think it'd be too overwhelming for us. We don't have the capacity in our fallen bodies to process it, but look, here's the comfort for us: all of these spiritual beings, good or bad, every supernatural force in existence, reports to God.This is why Yahweh is called the Most High God. He reports to nobody. There is no one above him and no one equal to him. He reigns over everything. Even in the spiritual realm, among all the unseen commotion, God sits in the highest place. Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ — he is the one who ultimately calls all the shots and every created thing answers to him.Psalm 82 tells us this.2. God will judge all moral unrighteousness.We see this in verse 2, and it gets at a major question in the psalm. We know in verse 1 that God is sitting over these spiritual beings and he's holding judgment. God speaks that judgment starting in verse 2, but who is the judgment against? I think this judgment is against Israel, but God is speaking that judgment in the presence of this divine council. And there's a handful of reasons why that's the case. I won't get into them all. But go ahead and look at verse 2 and see what God is saying. Verse 2, God says: How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? SelahGive justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.The Connection to Psalm 80This is all moral behavior that God expects of Israel. We see this in other places in the Bible and we also see that Israel failed here. And the reason these things are brought up in Psalm 82 is because it's meant to be a response to Psalm 80, verses 18–19. (Remember that oftentimes the psalms are put together on purpose. Each of the psalms are connected to the ones around it, and that connection is part of the message.)Back in Psalm 80, verse 18, there's a petition. The psalmist prays, on behalf of Israel: “give us life, and we will call upon your name!” Verse 19, the very last verse of Psalm 80: “Restore us, O Yahweh God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!” And then Psalm 81 and 82 come after Psalm 80 as a reply. In Psalm 81, which we saw last week, we see that God is eager to save, but the problem is the people's disobedience. Look back at Psalm 81, verse 10. God says, “I am Yahweh your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.”Look at verse 13. God says: “Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!” That's when God says he would subdue their enemies. That's when God says he would feed them “with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you” (verse 16). See the problem?The Jelly Roll DilemmaThe reason Israel has experienced the judgment of exile instead of blessing is because they have disobeyed God (see Deuteronomy 28). They've rebelled against God's will. And they would be absolute fools to ask for God's blessing and deliverance but continue to disobey him. That's the point here. It's what we could call the ‘Jelly Roll dilemma.'Y'all know that country song, “Need a Favor?” It goes: I only talk to God when I need a favorAnd I only pray when I ain't got a prayerSo, who the heck am I, who the heck am ITo expect a Savior, ohIf I only talk to God when I need a favor?But God, I need a favorIsrael needed a favor too, but they weren't living right. They were not listening to God. And that's actually the main thing God wants. God wants our obedience. He wants our hearts. This is a consistent theme in Scripture, and I want to show you this.God Desires ObedienceSo heads up: I'm about to read a lot of verses, but try to hang with me. I want us to track a theme here in Scripture:1 Samuel 15:22, “To obey is better than sacrifice.”Psalm 40:6,“In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear.” Jeremiah 7:22–23,For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. 23 But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.'Everybody see that theme? God isn't concerned with the stuff that we might ‘give' him — what we could call our sacrifices, the ways we might go through the motions of devotion. Instead, God wants our hearts: “To obey is better than sacrifice.”Obedience Is Showing MercyOkay, but now how does that obedience look? Well get this: there are other places in Scripture that contrast obedience to sacrifice but the word “obedience” is not used, it's just described. Listen to this:Proverbs 21:3,“To do righteousness and justice is more pleasing to Yahweh than sacrifice.”Isaiah 1:11,“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says Yahweh; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.But, verse 16: “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 17 learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.”Do you hear how obedience is being described? Micah 6, verses 6–8 — we call this the ‘micah-drop' passage — the prophet Micah says:With what shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”He's talking about sacrifices. Is it those things that please God?Verse 8:“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does Yahweh require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”In short, obedience to God means loving your neighbor. Obedience to God means we show kindness, especially to those in need. Our obedience to God is displayed in moral righteousness.Disobedience DisplayedSo, if that's obedience, then disobedience is the opposite of that.And that's what Psalm 82:2–4 describes. Israel's disobedience to God was displayed in the way they harmed others (or in the ways they simply chose not to help!) — unjust decision-making, favoring the wicked, oppressing endangered children, neglecting the rights of the afflicted and destitute, looking the other way from the weak and needy.Israel had been doing all of this moral unrighteousness in defiance of God's word, and yet they're asking God to bless them! Look, I'll tell you, I would not want to be standing anywhere near Israel in this situation. God does not bless them in response to their unrighteousness, he brings judgment. God's answer to the petition of Psalm 80:19 is to call them to account for their evil with Psalm 82:2.God Bless America?And there's a takeaway here for nation-states. When we read the Old Testament and we connect the dots from ancient Israel to our present day, sometimes the connection is straight to the church, the people of God, to us. And sometimes the connection is to nation-states, to countries. And one lesson here for our country is that before people start praying “God Bless America,” they should get America clean with righteousness and humility. What I'm saying is this: we should never expect God to bless this country as the laws of our land promote slaughtering babies and mutilating children and destroying families. God demands moral righteousness in his created world. And of course God expects this from us as a local church and as Christians — God help us! — but beyond us, God demands moral righteousness from every created thing, from people who together call themselves a nation to every single individual to ever exist. God demands moral righteousness and every morally unrighteous act will be accounted for.Verse 8 says, “Arise, O God, judge the earth.” That means whole earth and every part. No unrighteousness gets swept under the rug. None is ignored. God's judgment is coming. God will judge all moral unrighteousness.Psalm 82 tells us this. 3. God will get his global glory.This is the last half of verse 8. I'm not going to go into verses 6–7. I wrote an article about that on Friday. But look at verse 8. The psalmist concludes:“Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!”Judgment and NationsGod's judgment and inheriting the nations — we should ponder here how these two things are related. We know judgment has been the theme of Psalm 82, but now the psalmist says that God will inherit all the nations! Where's that come from?Well, for one, the nations are a big part of the next psalm, Psalm 83, and in Psalm 83 these nations have set themselves against God and his people. The nations are scheming to destroy God's people and subvert God's plans, and here Psalm 82:8 sets us up for that. We're reminded here that actually all these nations, all people groups everywhere, they belong to God too. God will have them. Psalm 82 says that, but there's even more going on. God's judgment and inheriting the nations is a combo we've heard before. This is how the Book of Psalms begins, way back in Psalm 2. I think Psalm 82:8 is meant to send us back to Psalm 2. It's a reminder.The Psalm 2 KeyIn Psalm 2, verse 6, God speaks and says: “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”This King is God's Messiah, and in verse 7 the Messiah himself speaks and says:I will tell of the decree: Yahweh said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”So God's Messiah — the King appointed by God who is also God's Son — the nations are his heritage. In other words, the Messiah will inherit the nations (just like we read in Psalm 82). All people groups everywhere are his, and he sits over them as judge.So Psalm 2, verse 10 issues a warning:Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve Yahweh with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son [or honor the Son], lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.Psalm 2 is the key to all the rest of the psalms, and it's really simple. There are only two outcomes in life: God's judgment or God's blessing. And it all has to do with what you do with God's Messiah, Jesus. If you reject Jesus, then you die in your sins and face God's judgment. If you take refuge in Jesus, then you will be blessed — forgiveness of sin and life with God forever. Invitation and EvidenceAnd the invitation is to take refuge. That's the invitation in the Psalms and in the whole Bible, and it's an invitation to all peoples. All peoples everywhere, take refuge in Jesus. Trust him!And get this: they will. In God's providence, for the glory of his Son, he will be worshiped by those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. God will get his global glory. And we're evidence of that. I felt this in a special way a few weeks ago on vacation. My family was at one of our favorite places in the world — Topsail Island, North Carolina. I grew up going to this beach, and I love it. And one of my favorite things to do is just to look out at the vastness of the ocean. You look out and realize that on the other side of that line is Africa. I'm standing on the edge of the continent, a long ways from Jerusalem. And yet here I am, worshiping Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God says, “The coastlands shall hope for me!” (Isaiah 51:5). And that's me. And I feel it. I am such a Gentile. I'm a Philistine, and the son of Philistines. And I'm saved … because in the sovereignty of God, by his grace, I trust in Jesus Christ. God is getting his global glory through us, and he will get his global glory — worshipers from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Psalm 82 tells us this, and that's what brings us to the Table. The TableHow is it that by faith in Jesus we are freed from God's judgment?It's because Jesus has taken that judgment for us. That's what he did when he died on the cross. When Jesus died, he sacrificed himself for our sin. He took all of our moral unrighteousness and in our place he absorbed the judgment that we deserved — and when we put our faith in him, when we take refuge in him, we're forgiven and free. We are blessed forever. You can receive that blessing right now, you can be saved from the judgment of God, if you trust Jesus. Turn from trusting in yourself, put your faith in Jesus Christ.And for those of you who have trusted in Jesus, we who are part of his global glory, let's come to this Table and give him thanks.The bread represents his broken body, the cup represents his shed blood, and when we eat the bread and drink the cup, we're saying that indeed Jesus is our hope. If Jesus is your hope, we invite you to eat and drink with us.

Looking for fun, outdoor activities to enjoy quality family time away from devices? Trudy hosts this episode offering the perfect solution for locals and visitors alike.Join us for a fun conversation with Chris Lener, the Marine Biologist and Educator behind Funky Fins: Eco Education for Curious Minds. Chris shares her journey from the Jersey Shore to North Carolina, detailing the education and teaching experiences that led to the engaging adventures she now offers in the Topsail area. From shark tooth hunting and marsh and beach exploration to fish printing and kayak tours, Chris's programs foster a deep connection to the ocean, promote environmental awareness, and create impactful experiences for families and future generations.Email Chris: funkyfinsonti@gmail.comFind and Follow Funky Fins on Facebook and Instagram!Buy Tickets at www.tickettailer.com/events/funkyfinsText/Call: (203) 512-4936Topsail Insider is Sponsored by Saltwater Suites & Resort - Topsail Island's premier luxury hospitality experience! Book your beach getaway today at SaltwaterTopsail.com or call (910) 886-4818!Topsail Insider is also Sponsored by Surf City Line! Come out for Beachin' Bowls, Margaritas, and Live Music, and enjoy your meal on their top deck with Ocean Views!Visit SurfCityLineNC.com for their full food, bar, and brunch menus!Topsail Insider is edited by Jim Mendes-Pouget.jimpouget@gmail.com | http://bit.ly/PodcastsByJim.Send Christa a message! Please leave your contact information if you'd like a response. Support the Show.Please Follow/Subscribe to Topsail Insider on your favorite podcast-listening platform so you don't miss a single episode!Please also visit www.topsailinsider.com and sign up for our Mailing List where you'll get early access to upcoming episodes. Or leave a Voicemail for Topsail Insider right from the website - your message just might be featured in an upcoming episode! Follow Topsail Insider on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube!If you are a Greater Topsail business owner or nonprofit, Register to be a Guest on our website at www.topsailinsider.com! Or if you wish to Sponsor or Advertise with Topsail Insider, please email christa@topsailinsider.com or call/text 910-800-0111. Thanks and I'll see you around Topsail!

We have our long-time sponsor and owner of Saltwater Suites, Dr. Richard Stroupe, joining Topsail Insider once again! This time, we're talking about the Grand Opening of his second Saltwater property, Saltwater Resort! He shares the hurdles he's faced and subsequent delays with this project, the similarities and differences between the two properties, and the excitement over the property's new Event Center. Be sure to listen to Part 2 where Richard discusses The Hive, a boutique hotel he recently acquired in downtown Wilmington. He also offers valuable insights into investing, the Wilmington market, and his venture capital firm, Cape Fear Ventures.Saltwater Suites - 605 North Topsail Dr, Surf City, NC 28445Saltwater RESORT - 412 N. New River Dr, Surf City, NC 28445Book both online at www.saltwatertopsail.comPhone: 910-886-4818Both properties are managed by Blue Star Real EstateThe email address is saltwater@BlueStarRealEstateNC.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/topsailislandsuitesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/saltwatertopsailX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaltwaterSuitesTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@saltwatertopsail_________________________Topsail Insider is Sponsored by Saltwater Suites and Coming June 2024 - Saltwater Resort! Saltwater Suites - Topsail Island's premier luxury hospitality experience!Book your beach getaway today at SaltwaterTopsail.com or call (910) 886-4818!Topsail Insider is also Sponsored by Surf City Line! Come out for Beachin' Bowls, Margaritas, and Live Music, and enjoy your meal on their top deck with Ocean Views!Visit SurfCityLineNC.com for their full food, bar, and brunch menus!Jim is my incredible, rockstar editor who works his magic to make Topsail Insider sound great! Learn more about Jim's services here: http://bit.ly/PodcastsByJim.Jim Mendes-Pouget  |  jimpouget@gmail.comSend Christa a message and let her know if you enjoyed the episode!Support the Show.Please Follow/Subscribe to Topsail Insider on your favorite podcast-listening platform so you don't miss a single episode! We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and more!Please visit TopsailInsider.com and sign up for our Mailing List where you'll get early access to upcoming episodes. Or leave a Voicemail for Topsail Insider right from the website - your message just might be featured in an upcoming episode!Also find and Follow Topsail Insider on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!If you are a Greater Topsail business owner or nonprofit and wish to be interviewed or wish to Sponsor or Advertise with Topsail Insider, please email christa@topsailinsider.com or call/text 910-800-0111.

In Part 2, we discuss how and why Richard dove even deeper into the hospitality industry with his new hotel in downtown Wilmington - a luxe little haven called The Hive. It has 15 uniquely decorated suites with an artistic, urban feel that exemplifies the Wilmington vibe along the Cape Fear riverfront. Hear how this gem caught his attention and why he'll carry on the original owner's vision.And let's get a quick lesson on investing, venture capital, and how Richard decides where to allocate Cape Fear Venture's dollars. Ohanafy checked all the boxes and is now incorporating AI. Richard also gives his thoughts on tech startups and the Wilmington market.Before we wrap things up, Richard offers his thoughts on a Topsail hot topic - real estate development and continued growth in the region.The HiveAddress: 505 N 2nd St, Wilmington, NCPhone: (910) 616-6097Website: https://hivewilmington.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehiveilmInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehiveilmCape Fear VenturesWebsite: https://capefear.vc/_________________________Topsail Insider is Sponsored by Saltwater Suites and Coming June 2024 - Saltwater Resort! Saltwater Suites - Topsail Island's premier luxury hospitality experience!Book your beach getaway today at SaltwaterTopsail.com or call (910) 886-4818!Topsail Insider is also Sponsored by Surf City Line! Come out for Beachin' Bowls, Margaritas, and Live Music, and enjoy your meal on their top deck with Ocean Views!Visit SurfCityLineNC.com for their full food, bar, and brunch menus!Jim is my incredible, rockstar editor who works his magic to make Topsail Insider sound great! Learn more about Jim's services here: http://bit.ly/PodcastsByJim.Jim Mendes-Pouget  |  jimpouget@gmail.comSend Christa a message and let her know if you enjoyed the episode! Support the Show.Please Follow/Subscribe to Topsail Insider on your favorite podcast-listening platform so you don't miss a single episode! We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and more!Please visit TopsailInsider.com and sign up for our Mailing List where you'll get early access to upcoming episodes. Or leave a Voicemail for Topsail Insider right from the website - your message just might be featured in an upcoming episode!Also find and Follow Topsail Insider on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!If you are a Greater Topsail business owner or nonprofit and wish to be interviewed or wish to Sponsor or Advertise with Topsail Insider, please email christa@topsailinsider.com or call/text 910-800-0111.

In today's episode, we're talking to Laurette Gordon, the Executive Director of the Missiles and More Museum, and Cindy Scaparrotti, the President of the Historical Society of Topsail Island. The Historic Assembly building in Topsail Beach was NOT for the assembly of people, folks, it was for the assembly of missiles! And the towers you see around the island were a part of testing those missiles, all during WW2. Visit the Missiles and More Museum to learn all about the rich history of Top'sul' Island.The Historical Society of Topsail Island offers many events to share the history of the island and create a strong sense of community with our locals as well as provide fun for vacationers. They've got Bingo, Lunch & Learns, their annual Jingle Ball, and an island favorite - Autumn with Topsail.Are you searching for the perfect space for an upcoming event? You can rent the Assembly building for up to 250 attendees. They're right on the Intracoastal, and have a catering kitchen and a brand-new bridal suite.You can support these wonderful entities by donating, becoming a member, volunteering, renting the event space, or attending any of their fundraisers.Address: 720 Channel Blvd, Topsail Beach, NC 28445Phone: (910) 328-8663Websites: https://missilesandmoremuseum.org and https://topsailhistoricalsociety.orgDonations: Make checks payable to “Historical Society of Topsail Island”and mail to: PO Box 3653, Topsail Beach, NC 28445Historical Society's Facebook Page and Instagram_________________________Topsail Insider is Sponsored by Saltwater Suites and Coming in June, 2024 - Saltwater Resort! Saltwater Suites - Topsail Island's premier luxury hospitality experience!Book your beach getaway today at SaltwaterTopsail.com or call (910) 886-4818!Topsail Insider is also Sponsored by Surf City Line! Come out for Beachin' Bowls, Margaritas, Live Music, and enjoy your meal on their top deck with Ocean Views!Visit SurfCityLineNC.com for their full food, bar, and brunch mSend Christa a message and let her know if you enjoyed the episode! Support the Show.Please Follow/Subscribe to Topsail Insider on your favorite podcast-listening platform so you don't miss a single episode! We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and more!Please visit TopsailInsider.com and sign up for our Mailing List where you'll get early access to upcoming episodes. Or leave a Voicemail for Topsail Insider right from the website - your message just might be featured in an upcoming episode!Also find and Follow Topsail Insider on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!If you are a Greater Topsail business owner or nonprofit and wish to be interviewed or wish to Sponsor or Advertise with Topsail Insider, please email christa@topsailinsider.com or call/text 910-800-0111.

Join me for an interview with the owner of multiple businesses in the Greater Topsail area and Surf City's Mayor Pro Tem, Jeremy Shugarts! He's the owner of The Daily Grind and UnWINEd in Surf City, Thread FX and Shoreline Party Rentals in Hampstead, and is now putting a heavy focus on Shugarts Family Properties. Find out how he finds the balance between serving up great coffee and wine and serving the constituents of Surf City!The Daily Grind and UnWINEd Address: The Daily Grind Website: http://www.dailygrindsurfcity.com/#/Daily Grind on FacebookDaily Grind on InstagramUnWINEd Website: http://www.unwinedsurfcity.com/UnWINEd on FacebookUnWINEd on InstagramThread FX Address: Website: https://threadfxnc.com/Thread FX on FacebookThread FX on InstagramShoreline Party Rentals Address: Shoreline on FacebookShoreline on Instagram_________________________Topsail Insider is Sponsored by Saltwater Suites and Coming June, 2024 - Saltwater Resort! Saltwater Suites - Topsail Island's premier luxury hospitality experience!Book your beach getaway today at SaltwaterTopsail.com or call (910) 886-4818!Topsail Insider is also Sponsored by Surf City Line! Come out for Beachin' Bowls, Margaritas, Live Music, and enjoy your meal on their top deck with Ocean Views!Visit SurfCityLineNC.com for their full food, bar and brunch menus!Jim is my incredible, rockstar editor who works his magic to make Topsail Insider sound great! Learn more about Jim's services here: http://bit.ly/PodcastsByJim.Jim Mendes-Pouget  |  jimpouget@gmail.comSend Christa a message and let her know if you enjoyed the episode! Support the Show.Please Follow/Subscribe to Topsail Insider on your favorite podcast-listening platform so you don't miss a single episode! We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and more!Please visit TopsailInsider.com and sign up for our Mailing List where you'll get early access to upcoming episodes. Or leave a Voicemail for Topsail Insider right from the website - your message just might be featured in an upcoming episode!Also find and Follow Topsail Insider on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!If you are a Greater Topsail business owner or nonprofit and wish to be interviewed or wish to Sponsor or Advertise with Topsail Insider, please email christa@topsailinsider.com or call/text 910-800-0111.

Welcome to “Hidden In The Shadows”, where we delve into eerie corners, seeking answers about what lurks in the shadows. In this episode, we venture to Haunted North Carolina, avoiding well-trodden paths to explore lesser-known mysteries along the coastline. Our haunted update includes recent investigations and a warning about staying focused during our explorations. We discuss a remote spot near Cherry Point, where a local history buff unravels intriguing tales. Historic Bath, North Carolina, reveals unique experiences on its hiking trails. But that's not all! We also delve into the Country Squire Inn, Restaurant, and Winery in Kenansville, where shadow figures glide through dimly lit corridors. Finally, a chilling Reddit submission recounts a harrowing night at a roadside hotel in Topsail Island, North Carolina. And yes, we even touch on the Mississippi bathroom chronicles!

Welcome to “Hidden In The Shadows”, where we delve into eerie corners, seeking answers about what lurks in the shadows. In this episode, we venture to Haunted North Carolina, avoiding well-trodden paths to explore lesser-known mysteries along the coastline. Our haunted update includes recent investigations and a warning about staying focused during our explorations. We discuss a remote spot near Cherry Point, where a local history buff unravels intriguing tales. Historic Bath, North Carolina, reveals unique experiences on its hiking trails. But that's not all! We also delve into the Country Squire Inn, Restaurant, and Winery in Kenansville, where shadow figures glide through dimly lit corridors. Finally, a chilling Reddit submission recounts a harrowing night at a roadside hotel in Topsail Island, North Carolina. And yes, we even touch on the Mississippi bathroom chronicles!

So growing up in North Carolina, not too far from the coast, I've always had an interest in pirate history. For vacation over the last few years, I've been taking my family to a place called Topsail Island, which has all kinds of history related to the pirate Edward Teach, who was known as Blackbeard. And I gotta be careful because I can really nerd out about this, so I'll go ahead and tell you that the best pirate ship name I've ever heard of was a ship named The Fancy. That was the name of the ship led by the pirate Henry Avery back in the year 1695. Henry Avery started as a member of the British navy, and then he became a merchant sailor, and eventually he was promoted to be the first mate of a Spanish trading ship … but then he convinced the entire crew to commit mutiny and become pirates. They took over their trading ship and he renamed it The Fancy — and by July 1695 he was attempting the single greatest pirate heist in history. As the story goes, Avery had learned about a huge convoy of Indian ships sailing toward Mecca on the Arabian Sea. There were 25 ships total, owned by the emperor of India, and it's most prized ship was carrying what would have been around $300 million dollars worth of cargo. And Avery decided he'd capture it … but he was insanely outnumbered. His solution was to recruit other pirate ships to help him. Basically, Avery organized a coalition of pirates, and together, with their own ‘pirate armada' they pursued this convoy over several months, and by September 1695, they had destroyed or hijacked the entire fleet, they stole all the treasure, and Avery escaped and was never seen again. True story. Henry Avery became a nightmarish legend within his own century — he and his crew were notorious for being cruel and vicious; they had a reputation for torturing their prisoners; Avery himself did barbaric things — He and his crew were known for these things …But do you know one fact about them they were not known for?Their unity.These were united pirates. They started by uniting together to commit mutiny. For months they united together to pursue this Indian fleet. Somehow, Avery convinced other pirates to unite together with his crew for the attack. There was a lot of pirate unity going on, so then why are they not known for their unity?Because they were pirates.They were the terrorists of the 17th century, and nobody admires the unity of terrorists. Unity for What?I wanna start here by getting clear about something. Over the next couple of weeks in the Book of Philippians we're gonna be looking at the topic of unity, and right away I want us to know that unity itself is worthless. Unity for the sake of unity — like everybody just agreeing together and being on the same page — that does not count for anything. In fact, it could be a terrible thing! It could be destructive.The question is always what is the unity for?What matters is not agreeing together, but it's what you're agreeing together about. Being on the same page together is good only if what's on that page is good!This makes sense to us, but it's important for us to nail down because in our day “unity” or “being united” is a little bit of a cultural buzzword. And if we're just listening to the world around us, we can make the mistake of thinking that unity by itself is a virtue, but it's not — not even within churches.The apostle Paul in the Book of Philippians is concerned about a certain kind of unity — we're gonna see that next week in Chapter 2, but here at the end of Chapter 1 is where we see why this unity is so important for the local church. In today's passage, Paul gives us at least three defining marks of what real church unity is — and this is relevant for us because if our church will experience real, biblical unity, it's gonna be marked by these three things. So I'm eager to to show them to you, but first, let's pray again:Father in heaven, thank you for the Holy Scriptures and for your Holy Spirit who speaks and works through your Scriptures according to your will. In this moment, by your grace, please accomplish in us what magnifies your glory. In Jesus's name, amen. Three marks of real church unity. Here's the first:1) Real church unity is Holy Spirit unity.This first mark is more like a foundation.Look again at verse 27 (we focused on the first part of verse 27 last week). Paul says, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit …”And let's just stop right there for a minute and look at those three words “in one Spirit.” Y'all see those three words in verse 27? — “in one spirit” — if you see it say ‘got it.'Those three words, “in one spirit,” is another way to talk about unity. And the “Spirit” here in verse 27 is the Holy Spirit — the NIV makes that a capital “s” in Spirit, and I think that's right. In other places when Paul uses that phrase “in one Spirit” it's pretty clear that he's talking about the Holy Spirit. For example, in 1 Corinthians 12:13, Paul says, “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”Paul's talking about the Holy Spirit, and he's making the case for unity in the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 2:18, after Paul has been explaining how Jesus has broken down the wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles, he says, “For through him [Jesus] we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”Again that's the Holy Spirit. Paul is saying that whatever our differences are, as Christians we have unity in the Holy Spirit. See, Paul couldn't care less about generic, why-can't-we-all-just-get-along unity. Paul's concern is that local churches are united in the Holy Spirit. This is supernatural, divinely-created unity.The foundational mark of real church unity is that it's Holy Spirit unity.And Holy Spirit unity is doing something. 2) Real church unity shows our common treasure.Here again, for this second mark, we're still at a high level. I just want you to see the connection between “your manner of life being worthy of the gospel” and “you standing firm in one Spirit.” If you like to draw lines and circles in your Bible, you can underline or bracket “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ” and then circle “standing firm in one Spirit” — and then draw a line connecting the two.Paul is saying that if this church is living worthy of the gospel, it will be displayed in their Holy Spirit unity. If A is true, then B will be evident.Holy Spirit unity within a local church is the manifestation of that church living worthy of the gospel.And again, like we saw last week, if we zoom in more on what it means for us to live “worthy of the gospel” it does not mean that we deserve the gospel, but it means that our life together fits with the gospel. The way we live lines up with who Jesus is. So for our church to be worthy of the gospel it means that our church's life together in this world witnesses to the all-satisfying value of Jesus. And one way that is seen is through how we endure suffering (we saw that last week in verses 29–30); but another way that's seen is through the church's Holy Spirit unity that Paul describes here.Paul knows that if this church is treasuring Jesus above everything else, they will have Holy Spirit unity — they will have real church unity — which we can see is not unity for its own sake. It's unity that points to something else. It shows our common treasure — and Paul is either gonna see that for himself or he's gonna hear about it. But now here's a big question: how does this real church unity look? What exactly does Paul want to see or hear in verse 27?This is where Paul is gonna give us some more details about what characterizes real church Holy Spirit unity. So we're gonna focus in here and spend some time on this third mark.3) Real church unity is ready for battle. We're still in verse 27 (verse 27 is a long verse)!In the second half of verse 27 Paul describes for us how he hopes to find this church (or hear about this church), and he tells us three things. We've already seen the first. He hopes to find this church … First, standing firm in the Holy Spirit. Second, with one mind be striving (or contending) side by side for the faith of the gospel. Third, to not be frightened in anything by their opponents.Now, notice that each of these three descriptions are all in the same metaphor. This is a battle metaphor, which makes sense in light of the context. Remember that the background to this entire letter is that Paul is in prison. He's in prison in Rome, writing to a local church that's in the Roman colony of Philippi. So this whole thing is surrounded by opposition! That's the reason for their shared suffering. When Paul mentions in verse 30 that the Philippians are engaged in the “same conflict” he's had, he's talking about them facing the same opposition, most likely from the Romans.Paul first mentions “opponents” in verse 28, but they've been there the whole time, and what's why he uses this battle metaphor. And this tells us right away that real church unity is not idealistic. This is not rosy, posh unity, but it's embattled unity. It's unity not only for when things might be going their best, but it's for when things are at their worst — this is unity that's ready for battle. And that means three practical things I want you to see. Real church unity ready for battle means:First, we hold our ground.That's in the idea of “standing firm” in verse 27. “Standing firm” is actually the main verb in the second half of verse 27 — it's the main thing, you could say, that Paul wants to see or hear about in this church's unity. And it's a defensive image. It means you're digging in your heels and maintaining. You're holding your ground. And to do that means we avoid two things: we neither change our message nor retreat our witness. These are two mistakes that have been made in church history, and we can see examples in America over the last 250 years. Consider theological liberalism. Going back to the early 1800s, Liberal theology started to be a thing, and a big driver behind it was the fear that Christianity would become irrelevant to modern minds. The thinking was that the way to make Christianity appealing to more people is to make it fit with all the new theories of science and Enlightenment philosophy. So they watered down biblical authority, they played ‘cut and paste' with certain parts of Scripture, and eventually what they ended up with was an entirely different religion. Theological liberalism basically invented, “A God without wrath who brought a people without sin into a Kingdom without judgment through a Christ without a Cross.” (Richard Niebuhr). They changed the message, see — but remember that Christianity is, fundamentally, a message — it's good news — and so when you change the message, you don't actually have Christianity anymore. Don't do that.But the other mistake is to retreat our witness. In this mistake, Christians might still hold on to the truths of Christian doctrine, but they withdrawal from society and barricade themselves in isolated communities. And you might immediately think of examples like Amish communities, and that's one example, but this is broader than that. This retreat way of thinking can be in any church and community, and maybe more common is how we think this way as individuals. Anytime we as individuals “hide our light under a basket,” we're doing this. This mentality is the flee mentality; it's the “get away” mentality. It's retreating our witness. Don't do that. Real church unity means we hold our ground — we neither change our message nor retreat our witness.Second, we fight for gospel advance. We see this at the end of verse 27, where Paul is explaining more of what it means to stand firm in the Holy Spirit. We are, “with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”So this is an active unity. It's not bunkered down, but it's striving. That word “striving side by side” means literally that we're fighting with — we're fighting side by side, together, on the same team. We're gonna see this word again in Chapter 4, and I'll save some comments for when we get there, but I want you to see mainly, for today, that this side-by-side fighting is for a common goal more than it's against a common enemy.It's important here that Paul doesn't define this side-by-side fighting by its opposition — the opposition will take different forms over the next 2,000 years — instead, Paul defines this side-by-side fighting by what it's fighting for, it's common goal — and he calls it “the faith of the gospel.” We're contending side by side for that. And this phrase here, “the faith of the gospel,” is unique. This is the only time Paul uses this exact phrase, so there's some questions about what exactly he means. But I think in context we can see that “the faith of the gospel” is a more comprehensive idea than just saying the “gospel.”“The faith of the gospel” is not only talking about the gospel message itself, but it also includes all the truths and implications of the gospel. One commentator says that Paul is stressing both the communication and the conduct of the gospel. Another way to put it is that Paul wants maximum gospel advance. He's doesn't just want people to hear the gospel, but he wants everyone to be mature in Christ (that's what he tells us in Colossians 1:28). He wants as many people as possible to hear the gospel, believe the gospel, and then become like Jesus from the heart. The way we've talked about that around here is that our goal in gospel advance includes both distance and depth. In other words, we want the gospel message to advance geographically. We want people who've never heard the gospel to hear it! We want neighbors to hear it! We want the good news of Jesus to spread everywhere! And so we give and go and labor for that. And, at the same time, we want the gospel of Jesus to have its fullest effect in our lives. We want the gospel to advance to all peoples and in all of us. And that's something we fight for, together, for one another. That's what discipleship is. It means that as a local church, we are committed to helping one another follow Jesus, and that's not easy. We're gonna have to wrestle through some things together. There may even be times when we don't all agree on every single detail; there may be times when we have to say or hear an uncomfortable word, but the goal is gospel advance. We want more of Jesus out there and more of Jesus in here!That's what we're fighting for. What I want for you, and what you want for me, and what we want for each other, is that Jesus be our all-consuming passion and all-satisfying treasure. An that doesn't just happen, you've gotta fight for it. Real church unity means we're fighting for it together. Here's the third detail within this battle metaphor.Third, we are courageous when it costs.Paul says in verse 27 that he hopes this church holds their ground, fights side by side for gospel advance, and that, verse 28, you are “not frightened in anything by your opponents.”A positive way to say “not be frightened” is to say be courageous. It means we're not hindered by those who would stand against us with their threats. We press on in our witness. We keep going. We're not surprised by the opposition, and we're not stopped by it — and all this is much easier said than done until we start thinking about the cost involved.Courage is only courage if it comes with a cost threat.Well, what do you think it is? When we're determined to hold our ground on what the Bible says, when we're wrestling for gospel advance in this world, what's at stake for us? For Paul, it was literally his life. For the church at Philippi it could have been their lives too — but what about when it comes to our opposition? What cost is threatened by our opponents?This is different for churches in different parts of the world, but for us, I think the cost is our comfort. Those who oppose us threaten to make things difficult for us. It means most basically that people will think badly of you — your neighbors think you're stupid; you're co-workers think you're a bigot. That's really hard for some of us. The fact that we could be ridiculed or mocked or unfairly criticized — that bothers us.But the truth is: being a Christian in a 21st-century progressive metro like ours is going against the grain — and that won't be smooth. It won't be easy. It's not comfortable. It requires our courage. We Choose JesusAnd the courage we need is the same courage Paul had; it's the same courage he wants to see in the church at Philippi. It's a courage that has considered its gain far better than every good thing it could lose on earth, even including life itself. See, this is where Paul's thinking in verses 20–21 is still showing up. To live is Christ, to die is gain.Whatever the opponents might take from us, Jesus is better and we choose him. The church, together, chooses Jesus no matter the cost.And so yeah, verse 28 tells us, it's a clear sign to our opponents about how all of this is gonna go down.Jesus said the gates of hell will not prevail against his church; his gospel is advancing and it will keep advancing, and one day every knee will bow — we know the end of the story, and so we can have courage now. Real church unity will have this kind of courage.Real church unity is ready for battle: we hold our ground, we fight for gospel advance, we are courageous when it costs.Paul wants that for the church in Philippi and he wants that for our church today. And that's what brings us the Table.The TableLook, you don't get unity by aiming for unity — it's just what happens when you all want the same thing. And in a word, for us, his name is Jesus.

Need to declutter your home but not sure where to start? Could your living spaces use some organization? Are your closets overflowing and pantries filled with expired goods? This episode is perfect for you! Our guest, Debbie Bruen, is a Professional Home Organizer who tackles decluttering, organizing, and "rightsizing" with discretion, kindness, and humor. Christa engages in a delightful conversation with Debbie, covering topics from her missionary work in Africa to her journey into the Home Organization profession and helping you find your sanctuary! Tune in for an insightful and enjoyable conversation!Phone: (919) 435-7868Website: https://www.homeorganizationbydebbie.com/Email: homeorganizationbydebbie@gmail.comFind and Follow Organization by Debbie on Facebook_________________________Topsail Insider is Sponsored by Saltwater Suites and Coming June, 2024 - Saltwater Resort! Saltwater Suites - Topsail Island's premier luxury hospitality experience!Book your beach getaway today at SaltwaterTopsail.com or call (910) 886-4818!Jim is my incredible, rockstar editor who works his magic to make Topsail Insider sound great! Learn more about Jim's services here: http://bit.ly/PodcastsByJim.Jim Mendes-Pouget  |  jimpouget@gmail.comSend Christa a message and let her know if you enjoyed the episode! Support the Show.Please Follow/Subscribe to Topsail Insider on your favorite podcast-listening platform so you don't miss a single episode! We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and more!Please visit TopsailInsider.com and sign up for our Mailing List where you'll get early access to upcoming episodes. Or leave a Voicemail for Topsail Insider right from the website - your message just might be featured in an upcoming episode!Also find and Follow Topsail Insider on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!If you are a Greater Topsail business owner or nonprofit and wish to be interviewed or wish to Sponsor or Advertise with Topsail Insider, please email christa@topsailinsider.com or call/text 910-800-0111.

Join me as I sit down with Ms. Rini Hermawan. She's a young entrepreneur who transformed a vintage camper into a thriving mobile coffee shop - Restored Coffee - showcasing her hard work, innovation, and love for coffee. She faced challenges during the camper renovation, but the result is a unique, stylish coffee shop!Restored Coffee stands out with a delicious homemade coffee selection, from cortados to white kopis. Rini also caters to various events such as private gatherings, employee appreciations, grand openings, open houses and weddings.Check out her gorgeous website where she highlights the vintage look and feel of her shop, and showcases photos of her restoration efforts with her family. She's an inspiration! Grab a cup of coffee, sit back and relax while you learn more about Rini and Restored Coffee!Website: restoredcoffeeco.com Email: restoredcoffee@gmail.comPhone: (910) 660-1224Facebook: Restored Coffee CoInstagram: restoredcoffeecoJim is my incredible, rockstar editor who works his magic to make Topsail Insider sound great! Learn more about Jim's services here: http://bit.ly/PodcastsByJim.Jim Mendes-Pouget  |  jimpouget@gmail.comSend Christa a message and let her know if you enjoyed the episode! Support the Show.Please Follow/Subscribe to Topsail Insider on your favorite podcast-listening platform so you don't miss a single episode! We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and more!Please visit TopsailInsider.com and sign up for our Mailing List where you'll get early access to upcoming episodes. Or leave a Voicemail for Topsail Insider right from the website - your message just might be featured in an upcoming episode!Also find and Follow Topsail Insider on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!If you are a Greater Topsail business owner or nonprofit and wish to be interviewed or wish to Sponsor or Advertise with Topsail Insider, please email christa@topsailinsider.com or call/text 910-800-0111.

Attention, all you wonderful Topsail Island vacationers! Allow me to introduce you to Damian Mulcahy, the man behind the Topsail Island Bellhop Boys. Damien has transformed a modest idea into a thriving venture for his children and their friends. Elevate your vacation experience by enlisting the bellhop services of Damien's team. Whether its suitcases, coolers, groceries, or beach gear, these capable bellhop boys will transport everything from your vehicle up those stairs and directly to the designated rooms.Exhibiting an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction, these boys consistently exceed expectations. Glowing customer reviews attest to their wholehearted dedication in creating an exceptional experience for every individual they welcome and assist. This endeavor not only prospers as a business but also imparts invaluable entrepreneurial lessons to the young minds involved, nurturing skills that will undoubtedly shape their future. Ready to book? Look no further than their user-friendly Facebook page!https://www.facebook.com/topsailbellhop(919) 791-7953Topsail Insider is Sponsored by:Saltwater Suites - Topsail Island's premier luxury hospitality experience!Book your beach getaway today at SaltwaterTopsail.com or call (910) 886-4818!Send Christa a message and let her know if you enjoyed the episode!Support the Show.Please Follow/Subscribe to Topsail Insider on your favorite podcast-listening platform so you don't miss a single episode! We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and more!Please visit TopsailInsider.com and sign up for our Mailing List where you'll get early access to upcoming episodes. Or leave a Voicemail for Topsail Insider right from the website - your message just might be featured in an upcoming episode!Also find and Follow Topsail Insider on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!If you are a Greater Topsail business owner or nonprofit and wish to be interviewed or wish to Sponsor or Advertise with Topsail Insider, please email christa@topsailinsider.com or call/text 910-800-0111.

Don't be fooled by the photo for this episode! I only talk about Make Your Schools Work for a few minutes near the end, but it's the only book I say much of anything about for this installment, and I needed something to take a picture of... I thought about snapping a shot of my bare belly, because I devote a good amount of time to exploring that topic here—women's bellies in general—but that would have felt way too vulnerable in way too many ways! So here I am with my sweet boy dog Tyke and a random-as-hell recent book purchase. In this episode I also talk about my family trip to Topsail Island, my discovery of an implicit bias I carry against women philosophers, some thoughts on climate change, and my continued adversity in the realm of physical health, which has led me to get curious about menopause, and due to my resulting google searches I've been seeing lots of ads aimed at menopausal women and they are BULLSHIT. This episode's got a good long rant about what they call "meno belly"—the extra fat around their middle that many women acquire during menopause. I talk about how this fat serves a valuable, health-supporting purpose, and I denounce the ridiculous notion that menopausal women should have flat stomachs. We shall never again be as we were, y'all. And that can be a beautiful thing!

What a fun episode with Annette Erny, the founder of the Reel Housewives of Topsail Island! This nonprofit organization is fueled by the power of the pedal, raising money for women battling breast cancer and their families through their annual charity bike ride along the 26.2 miles of Topsail Island. We discuss the event details, donations, registrations, the exciting live auctions, the generous local businesses and the kind-hearted individuals who make the Reel Housewives project possible.Topsail Insider is Sponsored by:Saltwater Suites - Topsail Island's premier luxury hospitality experience!Book your beach getaway today at SaltwaterTopsail.com or call (910) 886-4818!Send Christa a message and let her know if you enjoyed the episode! Support the Show.Please Follow/Subscribe to Topsail Insider on your favorite podcast-listening platform so you don't miss a single episode! We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and more!Please visit TopsailInsider.com and sign up for our Mailing List where you'll get early access to upcoming episodes. Or leave a Voicemail for Topsail Insider right from the website - your message just might be featured in an upcoming episode!Also find and Follow Topsail Insider on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!If you are a Greater Topsail business owner or nonprofit and wish to be interviewed or wish to Sponsor or Advertise with Topsail Insider, please email christa@topsailinsider.com or call/text 910-800-0111.

I'll be talking to Ms. Jill Wiles, the owner of Scallywags. Scallywags is a great bar on Topsail Island, just a few blocks north of the pier. It's one row off the beach in Surf City, North Carolina. Scallywags is really a one-of-a-kind bar. You're going to hear how Jill overcame a health crisis and is now honoring and giving back to the first responders while also providing an incredible music venue for the locals and the tourists alike. So sit back and hang out with Jill and me, maybe grab a beer or some sweet tea and hear all about Scallywags.Scallywags121 North Shore DrSurf City, NC 28445Phone: (910) 928-8017Email: Scallywags121@gmail.comScallywags Facebook PageSend Christa a message and let her know if you enjoyed the episode! Support the Show.Please Follow/Subscribe to Topsail Insider on your favorite podcast-listening platform so you don't miss a single episode! We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and more!Please visit TopsailInsider.com and sign up for our Mailing List where you'll get early access to upcoming episodes. Or leave a Voicemail for Topsail Insider right from the website - your message just might be featured in an upcoming episode!Also find and Follow Topsail Insider on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!If you are a Greater Topsail business owner or nonprofit and wish to be interviewed or wish to Sponsor or Advertise with Topsail Insider, please email christa@topsailinsider.com or call/text 910-800-0111.

M. J. Norwood lives in East Bend, North Carolina, but spends much of her time with her husband restoring a 1966 Alberg 35 sailboat in New Bern. She is a member of the North Carolina Writers' Network, and author of The Sandbar and The Shoals, the first two books in The Sandbar Series. Currently writing her third book, she continues to be inspired by the lasting memories of her childhood family beach trips to Topsail Island.

Captain Will Bridges is a charter and commercial fisherman out of Topsail Island, North Carolina. He runs fishing charters, as well as spearfishing charters. They shoot and catch all kinds of fish like Cobia, King Mackerel, Hognose Snapper, African Pompano, Cubera Snapper, and much more! Get in contact and book your inshore, nearshore, or offshore fishing or super fishing trip here at www.tifishndive.com and BOOK YOUR TRIP TODAY!! Follow Captain Will on Instagram @nc_spearo and @ti.fish.and.dive_adventures

‘Transformative Vulnerability' with Jenna Curry Jenna Curry is the Owner of Remedy Digital Agency which specializes in creating online sales funnels that leverage the powerful ad networks of Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Google. Through the creation of top-of-funnel content and creative that speaks to your audience's needs and pain points, RMA generates leads and sales for e-commerce and service-based businesses and educational institutions. https://remedydigitalagency.com/ (https://remedydigitalagency.com/) Jenna is also Co-Owner & Director of Marketing of 'Wilmington Today', a 33-year- old local publication, Wilmington Today is a hard-bound guidebook printed annually with an accompanying website (http://wilmingtontoday.com/ (wilmingtontoday.com)) for visitors and newcomers in Wilmington and the southeastern North Carolina area from Topsail Island to Brunswick County. The book can be found in nearly every hotel room and vacation rental from Topsail Island to Oak Island in addition to local businesses. The guidebook highlights local restaurants, shops and things to do and also offers maps, directories and relocation information. https://wilmingtontoday.com/ (https://wilmingtontoday.com/) Jenna is also the Co-Founder & President of Port City Young Professionals which coordinates, promotes, and hosts monthly networking events at local venues featuring speakers presenting on topics benefiting young professionals- politics, business services, volunteer opportunities, board position openings, and much, much more! https://www.portcityyoungprofessionals.com/ (https://www.portcityyoungprofessionals.com/) Jenna Curry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennacurry/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennacurry/) eMail: jenna@jennacurry.com Connect with Tim! https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyjhoward/ (Tim's LinkedIn)

Episode 1️⃣1️⃣ Scott Proctor, Broker, Realtor, GRI, 23 years experience helping people buy and sell homes - Scott Proctor and Associates with Keller Williams Realty - Southeast Coast of North Carolina, The Myrtle Beach Grand Strand of South Carolina, and The Piedmont Triad Region of North Carolina. Min. 2 How did he “stumble upon” his career? Min. 9 What will happen to the real estate market now? Interest Rates? Min. 10 What’s the surprising thing people want in a home now? Min. 14 “I will talk you out of deals. I will never talk you into a deal.” Min. 22 What’s the surprise benefit of his work? Scott Proctor 336-669-4000 Broker, Realtor, GRI Scott Proctor and Associates https://scottproctorandassociates.kw.com/ scottmproctor@icloud.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Scott-Proctor-Associates-166767540045573/ Scott covers the following areas:

We went to the beach! Then things got shitty. Chris has a pet peeve, Paul mistakes Topsail Island for "Turtle Island." Ready your ears for greatness!

Hosted by Mark Koep the Campground Views podcast brings camping to you with stories, destinations, people and adventures about the outdoors and travel.Episode 2 fills in the blowout story from Mark's very first RV trip and then takes you on a journey to Sneads Ferry North Carolina and Seahaven Marine RV Park. (https://www.seahavenmarinervpark.com/) Owned by the Irina and Kal the park sites on the banks of the New River with access to the Inter-coastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. It is on the backside of popular Topsail Island and is the closest RV park to Marine Base Camp Lejeune.Click the subscribe button to get notified when future videos post.Visit https://www.campgroundviews.com/ to discover more amazing locations.

Thrilled to announce the brand new Food Heals VIP Club where we go behind the scenes of the businesses of our favorite Food Heals entrepreneurs. They are authors, podcasters, bloggers, speakers, coaches, filmmakers and more. In the VIP club you’ll hear how these wellness influencers use their transformational stories, their miraculous healing journeys, their voices to create the life they desire. You will learn exact systems, strategies and real-world advice on how YOU can build a career out of the knowledge, expertise, experiences and passions you have had in your life.   So let me give you a little back story about how the Food Heals VIP club was born and what it is. Besides being wildly passionate about holistic health and healing and the notion that food heals, I have another passion: empowering wellness entrepreneurs to build empires.   I love entrepreneurship and teaching people to build businesses out of their passions; businesses that serve the world and serve our souls! I have never believed in the notion of slaving away at a 9 to 5 that we hate working at in order to build someone else’s dreams. I believe in creating our own reality, our own dream jobs, so that we can live each day excited to wake up and not living in dread or in fear. I know not everyone is born like this or believes this but it was ingrained into my DNA from when I was a kid.   Growing up my father was an entrepreneur. I watched him build multiple businesses. I watched him have massive wins as well as massive failures but one thing he said always sticks with me. He said “Build a business you love and then hire people smarter than you to run it so you can take the profits off the top and enjoy your life.”   This is what he did. When I was young he owned a construction company and he built houses around our small town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. When I was 4 years old he bought a plot of land and built my mom and I a beautiful 5 bedroom house on Lake Ellen drive which was situated between and lake and a creek with a waterfall connecting them (I know I cant make this up!)   I have fond memories of going to construction sites with him and how cool it was to see a piece of land go from patchy grass and mud to a beautiful house that a family would move into and call a home. And, not only did my dad build homes but he even fought to have low income housing built in wealthier areas of our town so that children in low income households would be in neighborhoods with good school districts where they could get top notch education. So, there was altruism in his business as well that I always have admired.   In the late 80s my father hit a roadblock. The savings and loans crisis which devastated families in the 80s hit him hard. The savings and loan system was originally created to promote homeownership for the working class and was a huge opportunity for people like my father.   The S&Ls paid lower-than-average interest rates on deposits. In return, they offered lower-than-average mortgage rates. S&Ls couldn't lend money for commercial real estate, business expansion, or education. However, just like we saw in the subprime mortgage crisis we saw in 2007-2010, the Savings and Loans house of cards eventually came crashing down and by 1989, thousands and thousands  of the nation's savings and loans had failed. And thus my father was forced to declare bankruptcy.   You would think this is the type of situation that would tear a family apart, force them into poverty, or force business owners to give up. Not my dad. He started over. With help from my mom who worked at UNC as a curriculum creator not only did they come back from this crisis but my dad also paid back all of the debts that he owed when he declared bankruptcy.   Then he did something super unexpected. My dad decided to go to law school while I was in high school. Yes this man was a total risk taker - now you know where I get it from- right? Cut to a few years later, my dad had become an attorney in town and I went to college two hours away. My parents decided to move into their beach house which was about 30 minutes from my college town.   What happened in the small beachside community of Surf City, NC on Topsail Island was that my dad became to go-to lawyer in town for property law and real estate closings. He built a huge business by becoming the attorney who people got to know, like, and trust. His clients became friends who we would barbecue with, who we could have dinners and drinks with at the one bar in town. He used his previous construction skills and knowledge of the housing industry to start buying real estate and flipping homes and by the time I was a sophomore in college my dad became a millionaire.   And there he was living the lifestyle he had told me about- doing what he loved every day. Riding his motorcycle around town, taking my mom, our dog, and I out on the boat every weekend, cooking dinners for friends, families and neighbors and creating the life he envisioned for himself.   So this is what shaped me into believing that anything was possible. This is why I have always been an entrepreneur, this is why I always take risks in my life.   Now, as many of you know if you are a regular listener of my show, this bliss didn’t last. A few short years into this bliss I lost first my mother and then my father to battles with cancer.   I didn’t inherit millions because of mismanagement of his estate by a very awful person who sought out to ruin us financially (and did- but that is a story for another time.) But, this tragedy and my upbringing combined to inspire me to create the life I wanted to live and make an income that allowed me to live that life but also always have time to spend with friends, and family and do things that I want to do like films, podcasts, write books, coach people and more. Things that light me up inside!   And one of the coolest things that happened to me was when I started Food Heals so many of my guests who had incredible healing stories to share ALSO had built incredible brands and businesses helping others learn about health and healing. They were authors, podcasters, bloggers, coaches, filmmakers, and more. And they were using their transformational stories, their miraculous healing journeys, their voices to create the life they desired. And I wanted to go behind the scenes and learn what they were doing to create careers around their passions.   And that is what the FOOD HEALS VIP CLUB is. It is where you will hear the stories BEHIND THE SCENES of Food Heals Podcast Guests. Where you will learn exact systems, strategies and real-world advice on how YOU can build a career out of the knowledge, expertise, experiences and passions you have had in your life.   People need your voice. They need your perspective. They need your stories. Your unique perspective is unlike anyone else’s. Because it has been formed by your life experiences and everything you have been through up to this point in your life. And if you have been through something you can help others going through that same thing. If you have mastered something, you can help others who want to master that same thing. Wherever you are on your life’s journey, there is someone who needs your help even if you are just one step ahead of them.   I don’t care who else is doing it. It doesn’t matter if it has been done before. There are more people who need help, who need healing, who need your knowledge than there are people teaching it. And nothing that you are going to do has ever been done before. Because no matter what it is, you’ll do it your way.   By helping others, by serving them, we can create careers that we absolutely love. For me when I started my production company 13 years ago now, I accepted a few clients with video production needs that didn’t matter to me, that I wasn’t passionate about. And it showed.   I decided after two of those experiences to stop accepting clients who wanted to do things that didn’t serve the world or help others in some way. I wanted to do media that mattered which ended up becoming my tag line. If you see my branding, or my budgets, proposals or invoices, they all say Melody Productions - Media that Matters.   And with that in mind the right client started to be attracted to me. For years now I have exclusively worked with clients in social justice, public health and wellness to create videos to inspire people to get educated, to get into action and to make changes in their own lives and help others. All this while getting paid to do exactly what I wanted to do. Creating a career out of my passion to serve.   Then the same thing happened with Food Heals… when I started Food Heals I didn’t think, “I want to make a million dollars!” I thought "I want everyone to know that the body is designed to heal itself if given the tools it needs to do so!”   I wanted to inspire people to stop outsourcing their health to doctors and pills but instead to take their health into their own hands through nutrition and alternative medicine. And what happened was I ended up building a brand out of helping people that became popular and lucrative so that I can continue to use my voice, provide a platform for healing stories, podcast, make films, write books, host masterminds, speak on stages and shout from the rooftops that food heals.   And so that’s what I strive to do every single day. Reach more people with my message. And that is what the VIP Club guests are doing as well. And we want to help inspire you that you can do it too.   So in today’s episode I’m going to play you some of my favorite clips from the brand new Food Heals VIP Club and if you are ready to join just go to www.glow.fm/foodheals and you can sign up today. The VIP Club is just $5 a month which helps feed my green juice habit and help me create more amazing content for you!   The content will appear anywhere you listen to podcasts. There is no extra app to download or login and password. You simply sign up and specify where you listen to your podcasts and all VIP club episodes will show up right there!   Now let’s give you a preview of what you will learn in the Food Heals VIP club! Today you will hear clips about manifestation, coaching, podcasting, writing books, and the power of storytelling!   Health Coaching: Evita Ramparte First up I’m playing you a clip from Evita Ramparte’s VIP episode, “How To Create a Thriving Health Coaching Business” where we discuss her life as a health coach, author, speaker and retreat leader and giving ourselves permission to charge for our gifts.   Manifestation: Sarah Centrella Sarah Centrella AKA “The Manifesting Gangsta” quit her 9 to 5 to become an author speaker, coach, blogger and workshop leader to create her dream life using Future Boards. In this clip from her episode, “Building a Blogging Business and Writing Books with Queen of FutureBoards” she explains how she manifested some of her best moments like her Madison Ave Barnes and Noble book signing by hustling, believing and receiving.       Passive Income: Toni Okamoto Toni is a podcaster, blogger, speaker and author of Plant-Based on a Budget. In this clip from herVIP episode, “How to Become a Successful Recipe Blogger and Cookbook Author” we go behind the scenes of her biz to discuss how she went from broke to having multiple streams of passive income which gave her the space to write her books and accomplish her other goals and dreams.   Podcasting: Kate Erickson In the VIP episode called “The Power of Podcasting & Becoming an Entrepreneur on Fire” Kate Erickson about her journey into podcasting, entrepreneurship and how podcasting is one of the most powerful mediums to connect with your audience. Kate is a speaker, podcaster and Chief Implementer at EOFire which is John Lee Dumas’s podcast and she hosts her show, Kate’s Take which is an audio version of the EOFire blog. And John and Kate do something really cool- they publish their income reports! So you can see that they are creating an income through the medium of podcasting and doing what they love. As I record this they are currently taking time off to travel the world so Kate is a beautiful example of someone who has truly found her passion and created the ultimate life for herself.   Passion: Laura Powers Laura Powers is another incredible VIP guest who truly has designed a business around all of her passions - 6 in fact - yes she has 6 podcasts all about different things that she cares about and this has truly led her to lead that laptop lifestyle that a lot of people pretend to live on Instagram. In her vIP episode, “The Healing Power of Podcasting, Writing and Channeling Your Message” we discuss how her podcasts are her direct connection to booking clients so they hear her show and book her for calls, plus she has affiliates and sponsors. And these shows allow her to get press passes to major events as well as book speaking gigs all over the world!   Getting Debt Free: Ronsely Vaz In this clip from the vIP episode entitled “From Half a Million in Debt to Thriving Author, Podcaster and Agency Owner” Ronsley Vaz shares a bit of his journey of going from $500k in debt to becoming a successful podcaster, author, event producer and agency owner… al because he took big risks and never gave up pursuing his passions.   Time Management: Kris McPeak Another important aspect of entrepreneurship is learning how to manage your time and be sure to be allotting enough time for working but also self-care. In this clip from our VIP club episode entitled “How to Create More Productive Time in Your Day and Elevate Your 8” with Author, Educator, Coach, Podcaster and Food Heals OG Kris McPeak, we discuss how to manage your time effectively and efficiently.   De-Cluttering: Janice McQueen In the next clip from our episode “Coaching & Podcasting How Helping Others & DeCluttering Your Life Helps You Build a Brand That Matters” I’m talking with Pageant coach, motivational speaker, performer and goodwill ambassador Janice McQueen who shares with us a surprising way to discover your unique gifts. It is something that definitely works for me and Im excited to share it with you today as well.   Automation: Michael O’Neal We talk about a lot of health hacks on food heals but I also love talking about business hacks and in this clip from “Automation Hacks You've Never Heard of and How to Be a SoloPreneur” I'm hanging out with Micheal O’Neal  who coined the term “Proudly Unemployable”which applies to just about everyone on todays show! We talk about how to save time and money by creating automations that you probably won’t hear about anywhere else.   Final Thoughts: Samir and Laura And finally, I'd like to wrap up with final parting advice on health and business from an episode called “Filmmaking, Podcasting, Outsourcing and Living That Laptop Life” which is about the power of filmmaking, podcasting and sharing your message that I did with fellow filmmakers and brand new power couple Samir and Laura.   To join the club go to glow.fm.foodheals and you can get your bonus episodes straight into your podcast app of choice for just $5 per month!   Being hailed as “Sex and the City for Food,” The Food Heals Podcast brings together experts in the field of nutrition, health and healing to teach you the best-kept natural secrets to being a hotter, healthier, happier YOU!   The Food Heals Podcast is hosted by Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy – two self-proclaimed natural chicks who will rock your world and change your beliefs about health! This sexy, savvy duo provides eco-friendly advice on a variety of issues including the healing power of nutrition, living authentically, turning your passion into your career, choosing the best natural health and beauty products, the benefits of a plant-based diet and so much more!

Are you getting tired of carrying the weight on wedding planning on your own? If you're like me, sometimes it can feel awkward to ask for help. Today we are interviewing real bride Sarah Holland! She and her now-husband Casey were married in September 2018 on Topsail Island in North Carolina by the sound. She and her husband utilized their friends and family as wedding vendors on their big day. It not only saved them money, but it also saved their sanity. She shares the pros and cons of having your friends and family play such a vital role in your wedding day, and how you can ask for the help of yours too! DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE WEDDING VISION WORKSHEETS: https://simplesentimental.com/pages/weddingvision WEDDING PLANNING PODCAST SHOWNOTES: https://simplesentimental.com/pages/wpp SHOP SIMPLE & SENTIMENTAL: https://simplesentimental.com SIMPLE & SENTIMENTAL INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/simplesentimental

Enjoy our conversation with Ellen Elder.  Ellen is the creator of ArtExposure in Hampstead, NC.  ArtExposure has working artist studios, gallery space, and a frame shop.  ArtExposure serves artists from the Wilmington to Jacksonville, NC corridor, including Hampstead, Surf City, and other Topsail Island communities. ArtExposure:  artexposure50.com 10th Anniversary Celebration / May 11, 2019:  facebook.com/events/1011647589044461 =============== Discover Certified Arts Friendly Businesses: artsfriendly.com/certified Subscribe to our free newsletter at: artsfriendly.com/subscribe Find Arts Friendly Conversations on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Third Episode for Season 2 is LIVE!! We have dope melanin millennial Raye Symone sharing her story. Tune in as we discuss grad school chronicles, travel and living in purpose. Rayè Symone a Topsail Island,NC native.She obtained her bachelors in sociology minor psychology with concentration in substance abuse.A graduate at Ashford University earning a master’s in psychology.Also a strong passion for mental health.Travel and fashion enthusiasts and with influenced by Jamaica background. Social Media Handles Instagram : rayesymonee Be sure to connect with us on IG @fortheloveofmillennials Dont forget to get your #30DaysofConsistency: interactive Journal on the Shop at www.ARICHBOOK.com Also when you subscribe you'll receive a free ASK RECEIVE ACT workguide (www.ARICHBOOK.com) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

On this episode of Local Control, Peter A. Ravella speaks Topsail Beach Commissioner Steve Smith. After a 37 year career with the Eveready Battery Company, Steve and his wife moved into a new home in Topsail Beach. Since then, Steve has served as Co-Chair of Topsail Beach’s 50 Year Celebration and Chairman of Topsail Beach’s Beach, Inlet & Sound Committee, and of course as a city commissioner. He continues to be involved with the Topsail Island community by serving as Secretary for the Kiwanis Club of Topsail Island Area and working with the Historical Society of Topsail Island. Subjects discussed: an overview of Topsail Beach; how the local government manages the shoreline; local funding of the shoreline management program; community engagement and education at Topsail; Hurricane Florence's impact and plans to continue building the beach; community leadership on the issue of sea level rise; and, the importance of local leadership in the aftermath of big storms.

This week’s Misfit Entrepreneur is Matt Schroeder. Matt is just your regular 20 something college student, who started a T-shirt company, Shelly Cove, with no business experience, did $12,000 in sales in its first week and over million in just about year. Even more impressive is the fact that Matt not only wanted to create a great product, but also wanted to make a difference with it. The company donates 10% of its gross sales to sea turtle rescue. In talking with Matt, I was blown away by the simple, yet genius ways in which he has grown the business and continues to expand its reach – especially using social media. So, I had to have him on to share his story and these success hacks with you. www.ShellyCove.com Matt started Shelly Cove in college with his parents. They were his business partners. Matt has always had an interest in entrepreneurship, but had never started anything. When he came up with the idea for Shelly Cove came up, he decided to “just go for it.” When the idea came to him, he was in the middle of engineering internship and one day, he was thinking deeply about if he really wanted to do it. He was talking to his parents and decided he wanted to do something on the side. They got to brainstorming together and came up with the idea. They spent the summer coming up with design ideas and getting things up and running…and when they launched, Matt could quickly see that it was not going to be a side business, but more of a full time business almost right away. At the 7 min mark, Matt talks about the inspiration that really put him on the entrepreneurial path. Hint: It was a failure and his grades tanked – but it was all he needed to get the entrepreneur spirit. The original idea for Shelly Cove was to create some T-shirts and sell them on Etsy, but changed to the business it is today. How did that all come together? Matt and his family would go to Topsail Island a few times a year and there is Sea Turtle hospital there His family used to visit and it became part of his childhood memories When starting Shelly Cove, it fell into place. They wanted to do apparel and give back to a charity and it made sense since they were close to that group. You started giving back from the beginning, what made you start out that way? It was a combination of things Tom’s shoes and others were an inspiration Being a business that can be a hugely profitable venture that can give back can do more than an individual from a donations standpoint, but in helping to create awareness. A company with a non-profit is a more efficient way to do business. People get great value and give back at the same time. You chose to focus on women and children for your products and niche. Why did you do that? They started out with the logo thinking it could work for both men and women, but when the first colors/patterns were done for the first 5 products, it was very much more focused to women. They tried separate designs to market to men, but they didn’t sell very well. In the beginning, Matt says they really didn’t know they were doing and things just came to be that way by what sold. It is OK to focus on a niche and for them it worked very well. How did you sell $12,000 in shirts in your first week? Matt read a piece on Reddit about the benefits of using “Micro influencers” – people with 10-100,000 followers that could do things in exchange for product. He reached out to 50 and got 5-6 to respond and send them shirts to wear and promote. The 5-6 had about 500k in followers and they helped post around Shelly Cove’s launch day which did very well for them. Initially, the influencers were only on Instagram The other thing they did was giveaways for follows, likes, tags, re-shares and comments on social media At the 24 min mark, Matt talks about the marketing strategies he uses today… Still working with Micro Influencers Still doing a giveaway every week Limited Facebook advertising 25% of their sales are from email marketing – list building and then nurturing and selling to that list He promotes weekly to the list and has a nurturing sequence for new signups Has a popup on the site to collect their information for a chance to win a $500 shopping spree. Matt uses www.Klaviyo.com for his email marketing and management He uses flows for all types of scenarios from abandoned cart to 30 days after purchase, new sign ups, etc. Tell us about the “Rep” program you created… They have a “Become a Rep” Ambassador program and anyone can apply. It is focused on the US They get a unique discount code and tracking number for orders They pay a commission on sales They have 1200 or so and 400-500 stay active It has created a mini-army consistently telling their friends and social media about the company and it’s products. At the 33 min mark, Matt talks about how important the packaging of the products were. They wanted it to be an experience, like opening a present They want the package to be so cool that clients post it to social They hand wrap every shirt and put a sea turtle special charm on it This is a big separator What advice would you give about making the leap to entrepreneurship? You learn the most by doing You can sit around and say “what if” all day and that will just let your mind time to give reasons not to do it Have a support system to help you You must be driven If you are truly driven and are “all in” then there is no reason you should fail At the 37 min mark, Matt talks about the most important thing he has learned about himself from this journey… He learned to find his confidence   Best Quote: “It doesn’t matter how old you are, it matters how driven you are and how willing you are to learn…”   Matt's Misfit 3: Follow your passion and stop saying “What if?” The worst thing that can happen is that you fail and learn from it. Think long term and not short term… Always be innovating

This Week In Jeep: Jeep Heros Wrangler Talk: Winterizing my Jeep   Tech Talk With Jeep Talk: New Exhaust Tips Wheeling Where: National Chrysler Jeep Dodge, presents: 2017 Jeep Week Sept 22nd, - 24th, Topsail Island, N. Carolina http://www.topsailchamber.org Off Road Expo, Sept 30 - Oct 01, Pomona, Ca. www.offroadexpo.com Trail Hero, 10/5 - 10/8, world class facility of Sand Hollow, in Hurricane, Utah https://www.thetrailhero.com/   Links Mentioned in Episode 298: www.colbyvalve.com gofundme.com/savejoshsjeep

This Week In Jeep: The JT can tow ??    Wrangler Talk: Jeep Tips from a New Jeeper Tech Talk With Jeep Talk: A Off Road Jeep Mod - DIY Wheeling Where: 3rd Annual White Mountains Jeep Invasion 2017; Saturday, September 9 at 10 AM Attitash Ski Resort - Bartlett, New Hampshire 03812   Nitto Tire Presents 2017 Sand Sports Super Show; Sept 15th - 17th OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA http://www.sandsportssupershow.com/   Off Road Expo; 09/30 - 10/01; Pomona, Ca. www.offroadexpo.com   National Chrysler Jeep Dodge, presents: 2017 Jeep Week; Sept 22nd, - 24th; Topsail Island, N. Carolina http://www.topsailchamber.org  

Today's Guest: Rolonda Watts, novelist, "Destiny Lingers," former syndicated TV talk show host, "Rolonda"  Watch this exclusive Mr. Media interview with Rolonda Watts by clicking on the video player above!  Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience full of white, Southern sheriffs whose first thought upon encountering a beautiful African-American woman on the beach these days may not always be the prospect of an illicit affair -- unfortunately… in the NEW new media capital of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Destiny Lingers by Rolonda Watts. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above! If you’re in the public eye, folks love to read deeper meaning or intent into everything you do or say. That’s why I’m betting that Rolonda Watts never seriously considering writing a romance novel during the years she was best known as the host of the Emmy Award-nominated, syndicated daytime TV talk show cleverly dubbed “Rolonda.” ROLONDA WATTS podcast excerpt: "Once you give your characters flesh and bone and little tics and blonde hair, they become real! I had a lady one time at a a book signing say, 'I got everything you were telling us about writing, but when you got to the part about the characters talking to you, you lost me!'" Her millions of viewers might have looked at her a little differently if she wrote the following paragraph back then: Garrett gently kisses me on my forehead, my eyelids, my temples, and my cheeks. He caressses my hair and begins to press his strong hard body against mine. He becomes aroused, his muscular thigh rubbing in between mine. First of all, they’d wonder: “Why does Garrett only have one muscular thigh? What’s wrong with the other one? Or—is he an amputee? Not that there is anything wrong with that – it’s probably a genre of its own!” But, I digress: He dives his hot tongue into my mouth, and I am so hungry for his kiss that I nearly swallow it… So you get the idea. That would likely become a little distracting from the day’s talk show topic, whether, “Where Are All the Good Black Men?” or “I’ve Been Stood Up 26 Times” or “Beauty and the Breasts.” ROLONDA WATTS podcast excerpt: "Writing has been a hobby for me since I was a little girl. During my talk show, in 1996, Hurricane Bertha slammed Topsail Island, where 'Destiny Lingers' takes place, and I had a home there. Dumb me wanted to stay there and cover the story for 'Inside Edition.' By the time the TV production truck got to the island, it was too dangerous to let the truck on and too dangerous for me to get off. I was one of 11 stubborn stragglers left on the island. This is what started the story." I Think My Soulmate is Rolonda Watts. Order yours today by clicking on the t-shirt above! Actually, maybe a romance novel would have been a perfect companion. Rolanda on TV was fearless and funny, sassy and a bit silly at times. With Destiny Lingers, Rolonda Watts takes all that personality once squeezed into the tube and lets her love flow across 255 pages of fiction. How much of it is romantic fiction and how much is real life? We’ll find out next, on Rolonda! Key interview moments: • 4:55 TV talk show host turned romance novelist Rolonda Watts explains how Hurricane Bertha inspired her to write Destiny Lingers; • 23:50 Fictional characters talk to Watts, believe it or not; • 37:25 The day Bill Cosby was a guest on 'Rolonda'--and what he apologized for. Rolonda Watts Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • YouTube • LinkedIn • Wikipedia • IMDB • Goodreads • Pinterest       Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life As A Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom by Ritch Shydner. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!   The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Twenty years ago, broadcast journalist Rolonda Watts was all over the OJ Simpson trial, the first talk show to cover it and gain exclusive access inside the courtroom. While her counterparts in the talk show world were throwing chairs, breaking noses and popping paternity tests, Rolonda was getting kids out of gangs, saving teens from suicide, and going live in state prisons talking about moms beyond bars on her internationally syndicated show “Rolonda”. Since her days as a daytime TV show host and nightly news anchor, Rolonda has branched out as actress, voice-over artist, comedian, and novelist. Today, she draws on of her real-life experiences as a journalist, as a black woman, as a woman looking for love and proves herself a player in the romance genre. Rolonda’s recent novel Destiny Lingers (iUniverse; 978-1-49176-862-4; $27. 95) explores the love affair between former childhood friends from different socio-economic and racial backgrounds. It’s a story of sacrifice, racial divide in the South, betrayal and familial strife inspired by Watts’ personal experiences living in Topsail Island, NC, surviving Hurricane  Bertha’s attack, as well as her own struggles with racism and love. 

This week's show takes us to Topsail Island to visit the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, then we check out the craft brew scene in Clayton at Deep River Brewing. Next, its off to Transylvania County to explore Gorges State Park, followed by a preview of the outdoor drama, "From This Day Forward" in Valdese, followed by a visit to Southern Salt Seafood in Morehead City.

This week's show takes us to Topsail Island to visit the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, then we check out the craft brew scene in Clayton at Deep River Brewing. Next, its off to Transylvania County to explore Gorges State Park, followed by a preview of the outdoor drama, "From This Day Forward" in Valdese, followed by a visit to Southern Salt Seafood in Morehead City.

On July 23, 2009, Ray McAllister delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "Hatteras Island: Keeper of the Outer Banks." The Outer Banks have enticed Virginians with the lure of sun, sky, and sea for generations. Despite this idyllic appeal, these once-isolated barrier islands have also witnessed a turbulent past. Pirates, hurricanes, shipwrecks, and U-boats all make their appearance in the varied story of the Outer Banks. Ray McAllister, an award-winning former Richmond Times Dispatch columnist, has become the established chronicler of coastal North Carolina with his latest volume on Hatteras, which follows earlier books on Wrightsville Beach and Topsail Island. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood) The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

This week's show takes us to Topsail Island to explore the fascinating Missiles and More Museum, we visit Earthshine Discovery Center at Lake Toxaway, enter Eliada's giant corn maze in Asheville, go fishing for Red Drum in Oriental,and Bob Garner enjoys the buffet at the Robbins Nest in Selma.

This week's show takes us to the Thomas Day House in Milton as part of our "Collecting Carolina" series, we sample tea in Boone at Yosefa AntiquiTEA, explore the Rankin Museum of American Heritage, sample European style wines at MenaRick Winery in Ronda and Join Deborah Holt Noel as she takes some friends along to Babylon in Raleigh.

This week's show takes us to Hendersonville for their annual Art on Main street fair, we celebrate the humble mule at Benson's Mule Days, we tour a newly renovated section of the Biltmore Estate, visit the James K Polk Historic Site and Bob Garner samples Sunday Brunch at the Players' Retreat in Raleigh.

On August 8, 2013, Ray McAllister delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "Ocracoke: The Pearl of the Outer Banks." The Outer Banks have enticed Virginians with the lure of sun, sky, and sea for generations. Despite this idyllic appeal, these once-isolated barrier islands have also witnessed a turbulent past. Pirates, hurricanes, shipwrecks, and U-boats all make their appearance in the varied story of the Outer Banks. Ray McAllister, an award-winning former Richmond Times Dispatch columnist, has become the established chronicler of coastal North Carolina with his latest volume on Ocracoke, which follows earlier books on Hatteras Island, Wrightsville Beach, and Topsail Island. The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

We continue our series on NC 's community colleges with Bladen Community College. We meet NC 's professional lacrosse team - the Charlotte Hounds. And author Clyde Edgerton has a new book of advice for fathers.

NC House lawmakers take up their budget proposal. Topsail Island's Sea Turtle Rescue Center has helped over 200 sick & injured turtles. A tour of the historic Blandwood Mansion. And Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg & Tisha Newkirk talk about the importance & benefits of cord blood donations.

On July 23, 2009, Ray McAllister delivered a lecture entitled "Hatteras Island: Keeper of the Outer Banks." The Outer Banks have enticed Virginians with the lure of sun, sky, and sea for generations. Despite this idyllic appeal, these once-isolated barrier islands have also witnessed a turbulent past. Pirates, hurricanes, shipwrecks, and U-boats all make their appearance in the varied story of the Outer Banks. Ray McAllister, an award-winning former Richmond Times Dispatch columnist, has become the established chronicler of coastal North Carolina with his latest volume on Hatteras, which follows earlier books on Wrightsville Beach and Topsail Island. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood)

In 1946 on Topsail Island, the U.S. Navy embarked on a top-secret missile development program. Foreseeing the role of missiles in future combat, the Navy constructed a research station including eight towers used to photograph rockets that whizzed by at speeds up to 1500 mph! Eventually the program outgrew its barrier island site and was transferred to California. But the remnants of the program remain…two of the original towers still stand among the dunes and the original explosion proof assembly building serves as the Missiles and More Museum. Join Billy Barnes as he reveals the fascinating mission behind “Operation Bumblebee”.

In 1946 on Topsail Island, the U.S. Navy embarked on a top-secret missile development program. Foreseeing the role of missiles in future combat, the Navy constructed a research station including eight towers used to photograph rockets that whizzed by at speeds up to 1500 mph! Eventually the program outgrew its barrier island site and was transferred to California. But the remnants of the program remain…two of the original towers still stand among the dunes and the original explosion proof assembly building serves as the Missiles and More Museum. Join Billy Barnes as he reveals the fascinating mission behind “Operation Bumblebee”.

Release of six rehabilitated sea turtle on Topsail Island, North Carolina.

Jean Beasley takes us on a tour of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital on Topsail Island, North Carolina, and introduces us to all of the patients.

On August 8, 2013, Ray McAllister delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "Ocracoke: The Pearl of the Outer Banks." The Outer Banks have enticed Virginians with the lure of sun, sky, and sea for generations. Despite this idyllic appeal, these once-isolated barrier islands have also witnessed a turbulent past. Pirates, hurricanes, shipwrecks, and U-boats all make their appearance in the varied story of the Outer Banks. Ray McAllister, an award-winning former Richmond Times Dispatch columnist, has become the established chronicler of coastal North Carolina with his latest volume on Ocracoke, which follows earlier books on Hatteras Island, Wrightsville Beach, and Topsail Island.