Buying Local Podcast

Michael Nelson

Buying Local is a podcast dedicated to showcasing the small businesses, local food markets, and makers that make Saratoga, Warren, and Washington County shine. Hosted by Mike Nelson, each episode uncovers the fantastic goods, services, and stories hidden in your very own community. We’re here to support local economies—and spotlight the people behind the products and companies you love. Buying Local Podcast is powered by Five Towers Media.

  1. MAY 8

    The Secret to Repairing Bad Credit | Buying Local #76

    In this episode of the Buying Local podcast, Mike Nelson sits down with Chris and Ron to uncover how everyday Americans are combating the affordability crisis by repairing their credit scores. Discover expert strategies for disputing report inaccuracies, understanding credit utilization, and taking back your financial buying power. To learn more about improving your financial health, visit Chris Mastantuono and Ron Monaco at Requalify 360: requalify360.com. 0:00 Introduction to the Buying Local Podcast 0:24 Meet Chris and Ron 1:20 Introducing Requalify 360 3:26 How Credit Impacts Affordability 4:57 The Credit Coaching Process 6:50 Why Free Credit Apps Are Stale 9:16 Credit Score Compression Explained 11:01 The Impact of Credit Utilization 12:05 Turning Car Rejections into Solutions 14:42 Overcoming the Fear of Checking Credit 16:38 Deep Dive: The Credit Audit 18:27 Formulating a Financial Blueprint 20:53 The Missing Education in Financial Literacy 23:45 Building a Path to Financial Freedom 26:35 How to Start Responsibly 29:37 Where to Find Requalify 360

    32 min

  2. MAY 1

    30 Years of Impact: Inside Ndakinna Education Center | Buying Local #75

    In episode 75 of the Buying Local podcast, James Bruchac returns to the show to talk about over 30 years of youth camps, survival education, and cultural storytelling at Ndakinna Education Center. From wilderness skills to Native traditions, he shares how hands-on outdoor experiences are shaping more confident, capable kids in today’s world. Learn more about Ndakinna Education Center and their programs at ndakinnacenter.org. 0:00 Welcome back James Bruchac 1:10 Celebrating 30+ years of youth camps 2:20 How the camps grew organically 3:05 Core skills: shelter, fire, and nature awareness 4:18 Summer camps overview and age groups 5:29 Teaching fire-making safely 6:06 Creating a full sensory outdoor experience 7:00 Family ancestry and Abenaki heritage 8:33 Preserving stories and cultural knowledge 9:42 Why these skills matter more than ever 10:10 Post-COVID growth and shifting age groups 11:10 Martial arts programs and expansion 12:41 Student and athlete success stories 14:22 Sunday Survival Series and adult classes 17:17 Field trips, community programs, and events 22:11 Summer camp logistics and how to sign up

    25 min

  3. APR 24

    How Jay Ingleston Emotionally Connects With Readers | Buying Local #74

    In episode 74 of the Buying Local podcast, Author Jay Ingleston returns to the show to talk about his latest book, “Just for Today: Small Words for Heavy Days”, his evolving writing process, and the emotional impact of creating work centered around grief, growth, and connection. The conversation dives into everything from self-publishing and AI tools to the challenges of writing fiction and the mindset shifts that have shaped his career. Find Jay Ingleston and his books on Amazon, and follow him on social media by searching “Jay Ingleston” for his latest writing and content. 0:00 Intro and Jay’s return to the show 2:00 Audiobooks, AI voices, and recording struggles 4:00 Writing challenges, dyslexia, and early books 6:00 Commas, punctuation, and evolving as a writer 8:00 Using AI for editing and proofreading 10:00 How Jay’s writing process has changed over time 12:00 Editing struggles and maintaining story continuity 14:00 Writing fiction vs. quote-based books 17:00 Developing his psychological thriller 19:00 Burnout, breaks, and the writing grind 21:00 The emotional impact of “The Dad Clock” 23:00 Letting go of outcomes and mindset shifts 26:00 Grief, loss, and personal experiences shaping writing 28:00 Reading excerpts from Just for Today 30:00 How the grief book came together 33:00 Book performance, rankings, and validation 36:00 Self-publishing challenges and Amazon process 38:00 TikTok growth and content strategy 40:00 Where to find Jay and closing thoughts

    45 min

  4. APR 14

    Inside the World Awareness Children’s Museum | Buying Local #73

    In episode 73 of the Buying Local podcast, host Mike Nelson sits down with Bethanie Lawrence to explore how the World Awareness Children’s Museum is bringing global culture and creativity to kids in the local community. They dive into nonprofit leadership, navigating challenges like the pandemic, and the importance of arts education in childhood development. Learn more about Bethanie Lawrence and the World Awareness Children’s Museum on their website at worldchildrensmuseum.org. You can also find them on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn by searching for the World Awareness Children’s Museum. 0:00 Intro and guest welcome 2:00 History and mission of the museum 4:00 What makes the museum unique (arts vs STEM focus) 6:00 Age ranges and who the museum serves 8:00 Bethanie’s background and move to the area 10:00 Becoming executive director 12:00 Leading through the pandemic 14:00 Running a nonprofit like a business 16:00 Revenue streams and community support 18:00 Leadership style and managing teams 20:00 School partnerships and outreach programs 22:00 Annual gala and fundraising efforts 24:00 How local businesses can contribute 26:00 Summer hours and tourism impact 28:00 Summer camps and youth programs 30:00 Final thoughts and how to get involved

    32 min

  5. APR 10

    Declutter Your Life & Mind with Brandon Dewyea | Buying Local #72

    In episode 72 of the Buying Local Podcast, Mike sits down with Brandon Dewyea as she shares how her work as a stylist and wellness professional helps people feel more confident, organized, and mentally at ease. From decluttering your environment to experiencing vibroacoustic therapy, this conversation explores how rest and simplicity can transform your daily life.  Find Brandon on her website at findyourmoxie.net or email her directly at inquiretomoxie@gmail.com to book a session. 0:00 Intro & guest welcome 0:30 Brandon’s background & business (Moxie) 1:10 From personal training to styling & organization 2:10 Discovering vibroacoustic therapy 3:00 What vibroacoustic therapy actually is 4:30 Benefits: anxiety, sleep, nervous system reset 6:00 What a session feels like 7:10 Choosing tracks & first-time experience 9:55 What you hear during a session 11:00 Frequencies & how they affect the body 12:30 Meditation, relaxation & shutting off your mind 14:30 Adding red light therapy 16:45 Locations & how sessions work 18:40 How Brandon ties all her services together 22:50 Business philosophy & trusting the process 24:45 Where to find Brandon & closing thoughts

    27 min

  6. APR 3

    Visual Storytelling: The Creative Journey of Todd Bailey | Buying Local #71

    In episode 71 of the Buying Local podcast, host Mike Nelson catches up with creative powerhouse Todd Bailey to discuss his fascinating evolution from a performing musician to a Forbes-published photographer and fractional CMO. They dive deep into the impact of AI on content creation, the wild world of muscle cars, and why small businesses benefit immensely from fractional marketing leadership. You can connect with Todd and check out his extensive portfolio at tbphotopix.com. 0:00 Introduction and Welcoming Todd Bailey 0:43 Todd's Creative Journey: From Music to Photography 1:36 Evolving into Video and Digital Marketing 3:07 The Value of High-Quality vs. Mediocre Content 4:29 Getting Published in Forbes Magazine 5:34 The Ingenuity of Composite Team Photography 7:46 Balancing Photo, Video, and Marketing Services  9:48 Navigating AI in the Content Creation Space  13:37 The Dangers of Bad AI Headshot Generators  15:50 Saratoga Auto Museum and the Don Yenko Muscle Car Project 18:35 Thoughts on the Tesla Cybertruck 19:28 Returning to Music: From Retirement Homes to Rock Shows 21:46 Working with Big Brands vs. Small Businesses  23:25 Exciting Video Projects: Hanging off Trucks and YouTube Channels  26:12 What is a Fractional CMO and Why Do You Need One?

    30 min

  7. MAR 27

    Smarter IT and Cybersecurity with Jared Humiston | Buying Local #70

    In episode 70 of the Buying Local podcast, host Mike Nelson sits down with Jared Humiston of Adirondack Technical Solutions to talk about how businesses can better manage IT, strengthen cybersecurity, and avoid costly disruptions. Jared shares practical insights on common tech mistakes, proactive solutions, and why having the right IT partner is essential for growth. Learn more about Jared and Adirondack Technical Solutions at adktechs.com. 0:00 Introduction 0:42 Meet Jared Humiston and ADKtechs 1:35 What Adirondack Technical Solutions Does 4:15 Early Challenges Working with Small Businesses 5:42 The Most Common IT Problems Companies Face 8:28 Break/Fix IT vs Managed Services Explained 09:55 The Hidden Cost of Waiting for Things to Break 12:40 Cybersecurity Risks Small Businesses Overlook 15:32 Phishing and Human Error Vulnerabilities 18:20 How ADKtechs Helps Prevent Attacks 22:30 What Happens When You Lose Your Data 23:55 Supporting Remote and Hybrid Workforces 25:20 Cloud Systems and Accessibility 28:05 When to Upgrade Your Systems 29:30 Working with Local vs National IT Providers 33:35 Budgeting for IT the Right Way 36:10 Simple Steps to Improve IT Today 37:25 Jared’s Advice for Business Owners 38:40 Future Trends in IT and Cybersecurity 39:45 How to Get Started with ADKtechs 40:30 Where to Find Jared and Outro

    41 min

  8. MAR 20

    Simplifying Payroll: Why Smart Contractors Are Turning to PEOs | Buying Local #69

    In this episode of Buying Local, Mike Nelson sits down with Nick Schkrioba of Peoplease to break down how Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) help businesses simplify payroll, workers’ compensation, compliance, and HR operations. Nick explains how outsourcing back-office tasks allows business owners to focus on growth while gaining access to better insurance rates, risk mitigation, and nationwide support. Learn more about Nick and Peoplease at Peoplease.com. 0:00 Introduction 0:27 Meet Nick Schkrioba and Peoplease 1:08 What a Professional Employer Organization Does 1:53 Why Peoplease Focuses on Blue and Gray Collar Industries 2:37 Nick’s Career Journey and Returning to New York 3:58 Breaking Down the Core Services of a PEO 5:00 Why Compliance Is Harder Than Ever for Business Owners 6:00 The Rise of Outsourcing Back-Office Operations 06:38 The Limits of Traditional HR Departments 7:27 The Buying Power Advantage of a PEO 8:53 How Employee Pools Lower Insurance Costs 10:11 Nationwide Coverage for Multi-State Businesses 11:08 Clearing Up the Employee Ownership Misconception 13:46 Do PEOs Help With Hiring and HR Strategy? 15:14 How Risk Mitigation and Workers’ Comp Savings Work 17:12 Keeping Contracts with a Better Workers’ Comp Mod 20:04 Payroll, Compliance, and Safety Training Support 24:20 How to Connect With Nick and Peoplease

    26 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Buying Local is a podcast dedicated to showcasing the small businesses, local food markets, and makers that make Saratoga, Warren, and Washington County shine. Hosted by Mike Nelson, each episode uncovers the fantastic goods, services, and stories hidden in your very own community. We’re here to support local economies—and spotlight the people behind the products and companies you love. Buying Local Podcast is powered by Five Towers Media.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Nelson
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    126
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Michael Nelson
  • Show Website
    Buying Local Podcast