Asheville Area Favorites

Laura Jurgens, Ph.D.
  • 5.0 (6)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL

Join host Laura Jurgens as she talks with local small-business owners and creators to learn the untold stories behind Asheville's most beloved spots. Discover your next favorite local treasure through these fun conversations that celebrate the heart and soul of our mountain community.

Episodes

  1. 09/16/2025

    Jane Carter on Embracing Your Weird in Business

    Join Laura as she sits down with Jane Carter, a therapist-turned-business coach who helps Asheville's "soulful solopreneurs" build authentic businesses by embracing what makes them different.  Jane shares her journey from therapy to coaching, why she calls her work "stealth therapy," and how running a business brings up all your stuff—in the best possible way. Discover why being weird is an asset in Asheville's creative business community, plus Jane's favorite early morning parkway spots and her special offer for listeners.  Find Jane at https://www.janecartercoaching.com/ Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    25 min

  2. 09/09/2025

    Sumaya Owens of Present Moment Media on Making the Shift From Corporate as a Single Mom

    Join this conversation with Sumaya Owens of Present Moment Media for a talk about making the shift from corporate to entrepreneur as a single mom, plus the world of Digital Media, and learn what the heck a fractional marketing executive is.  Find Sumaya at: https://www.presentmomentmedia.org/ or on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/_present_moment_media_?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MWs1bTRyYnI5a2Jybw== Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    18 min

  3. 09/02/2025

    Building Community for Remote Workers with Ric Pratte of AVL Digital Nomads

    What started as Ric Pratte’s simple desire to grab a beer with fellow remote workers has blossomed into AVL Digital Nomads—a thriving 3,800-member community that's become a cornerstone of Asheville's professional landscape. In this episode, Ric shares how a casual meetup at Wedge Brewing four years ago evolved into a cornerstone local organization hosting dozens of monthly events. From intimate lunch gatherings for introverts to collaborative learning sessions on AI and leadership, AVL Digital Nomads addresses the unique challenges facing full or part-time remote workers: loneliness and lack of professional development. With 40+ volunteer organizers and 450+ monthly participants, the community has expanded beyond Asheville through their parent organization, Thrive Remotely, which includes a global newsletter and chapters in other cities. Ric discusses the economic impact of remote workers on Asheville and shares his favorite local recommendations for getting out and about. https://avldigitalnomads.org/ https://news.thriveremotely.io/ Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    24 min

  4. 08/26/2025

    Jennifer Pickering on Living Your Life Like a Festival & 30 Years of LEAF

    I have the joy of interviewing one of the founders of LEAF Global Arts Festival, Jennifer Pickering, about 30 years of LEAF. Check out this wide-ranging conversation, where we talk about the new book coming out (hot tip: pre-order now & get LEAF pajamas!!!), and LEAF's work post-hurricane. Jennifer & LEAF bring such rich gifts to the community, you won't want to miss this conversation.  Grab your tickets to this year's festival, pre-order your book, get camp info, and learn about all the ways to connect with LEAF at https://theleaf.org/ Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    41 min

  5. 08/19/2025

    Anna Diemer on Everything About Voice & Singing, Plus the Opera Drag King

    In this episode of Asheville Area Favorites, host Laura Jurgens sits down with Anna Deimer (they/them), a fascinating entrepreneur who's carved out multiple niches in the voice world. Anna is the owner of Deimer Voice Studio, where they specialize in three unique areas: singing throughout the lifespan (especially for folks navigating menopause), gender-affirming voice lessons for trans clients, and vocal rehabilitation for singers recovering from injuries. Anna is also co-founder of Voice Pro Ed, offering continuing education for voice teachers and speech-language pathologists, plus they host the "Yap Sesh" podcast diving deep into voice science. When not teaching, Anna transforms into drag king Milo, combining their operatic training with gender performance at local venues like The Odd. From accidentally discovering their passion for vocal pedagogy in college to building a thriving practice that serves diverse communities, Anna's journey showcases how following your curiosity can lead to unexpected success. Plus, get Anna's top Asheville recommendations. https://www.diemervoicestudio.com/ http://voiceproed.com Instagram: @diemervoicestudio and @voiceproed Drag: @milo_mawile on Instagram Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    25 min

  6. 08/12/2025

    Amalia Grannis from Move It Or Lose It on Bringing Love & Sustainability to Your Moving Needs

    I absolutely love, love, love this episode & I think you will too. Join me as I get the pleasure of hearing all about Move It Or Lose It  from the wonderful & hilarious Amalia Grannis.  Seriously people, don't miss this one. You'll get the scoop on how the end of a relationship played a role in the growth of a business, the deal with those amazing Rainbow Raccoon trucks, and hear from someone who really gets the emotional side of moving and purging stuff.  Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    26 min

  7. 08/05/2025

    Becca Ploener from Wild Woman Coaching on Risk & Play

    Join this fun conversation with Becca Ploener of Wild Woman Coaching. Becca coaches woman adventurers (especially whitewater kayakers, but others too) to have more fun and push the envelope doing what they love. We talk about embracing risk, the importance of play as adults, and some extra fun waterways around WNC.  Find her and her podcast (Wild Woman Podcast) at https://www.wildwomanbecca.com/ Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    25 min

  8. 07/29/2025

    Marissa Urias with Hire Her Handywoman on a Surprise Business Post-Helene

    This was such a fun episode to record and I hope you enjoy it as much as a listener. Join me in conversation with Marissa Urias from Hire Her Handywoman as we talk all about how she wound up in business for herself rather unexpectedly after Hurricane Helene devasted the Asheville area in late September 2024. Hear about Marissa's unique approach to helping people with home repair projects, and get the scoop on some of her favorite coffee spots too! Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    29 min

  9. 07/22/2025

    Kyle Clechenko from Strength Ratio on Sustainable Training & Combining Business with Fun

    Today's episode is the second in our "great small-business gyms of Asheville" roundup, as I interview Kyle, a co-founder of Strength Ratio (along with Zach Greenwald, who's busy being a new dad!). Their model is sustainable performance, whether you're a newcomer to fitness or a seasoned professional athlete. Kyle and I talk about his own path from college to new business owner, what we love about the gym (this is the place I go to workout too!), why it's not all about weightlifting (even though that is surprisingly fun) and some common misconceptions about how best to exercise (that's right folks, you don't have to be "flat on the floor" afterwards). Join us and get to know Kyle and this wonderful, inclusive part of the Asheville small business community.  Find them at https://www.strengthratiohq.com/  Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    23 min

  10. 07/15/2025

    Betsy Archer from All Bodies on Movement & Wellness for Everyone (Plus LOTS of laughing)

    Don't miss this fun interview with Betsy Archer from All Bodies Movement & Wellness on Merrimon Ave. in Asheville. We talk about the common challenges facing people seeking health & movement when you're not a stereotypical gym-goer. Betsy explains their approach to making movement fun at all sizes, ages, with mobility or hypermobility issues, and if you have no idea how to strength train. We laugh about all kinds of things, including when your femurs are extra long (who knew?) and why airline pilots might need creative outlets outside work. Plus Betsy dishes on some of her favorite Asheville area food places.   Find Betsy at All Bodies Movement & Wellness online here: https://www.allbodiesmovement.com/ In person at 211 Merrimon Ave.  Or reach out directly at allbodiesmovement@gmail.com (828)-367-7048 Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    26 min

  11. 07/08/2025

    Tess & Karen from Thrive In Home Comprehensive Care Solutions on Putting The Fun in Functional

    This week we hear from Karen & Tess from Thrive in Home Comprehensive Care Solutions -- a unique and really helpful small business in Asheville. They specialize in mobile Occupational Therapy in the home, helping seniors, people with Parkinson's, and others stay independent, remain at home, and do the things they love to do.  We also have a little chat about Mountain Eclairs, dreaming up a business from hours at City Bakery, and fun things about Weaverville. Don't miss this one!  Find Thrive in Home Comprehensive Care Solutions at https://thriveinhomeccs.com/ Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    23 min

  12. 07/01/2025

    Rebecca Williams from Dragon Mountain on Escaping Corporate & Finding Your Thing

    Ever find yourself in a career that doesn't feel at all like what you're meant to do? Join me as I chat with Rebecca Williams, LAc, LMBT, MAOM, DACOM of Asheville's own Dragon Mountain Acupuncture, Bodywork, & Chinese Medicine. She tells us the story of her transitions from Nebraska track kid, through corporate jobs, to following her own call, adventures in training for it, and founding her business.  We talk about some common misconceptions around Acupuncture and share some laughs along the way.  Find her at https://www.dragon-mountain-avl.com/ Find your host, Laura Jurgens, PhD, Relationship & Intimacy Coach at https://laurajurgens.com Laura specializes in helping people overcome the disconnection from Desire Gaps with their partners. Find her other podcast, Sex Help for Smart People, here: https://laurajurgens.com/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

    25 min
  • 12 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Join host Laura Jurgens as she talks with local small-business owners and creators to learn the untold stories behind Asheville's most beloved spots. Discover your next favorite local treasure through these fun conversations that celebrate the heart and soul of our mountain community.

Information

  • Creator
    Laura Jurgens, Ph.D.
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Asheville Area Favorites
  • Show Website
    Asheville Area Favorites