Start Local

Liam Dempsey, Erik Gudmundson, and Joe Casabona
  • 5.0 (4)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

Start Local is focused on helping businesses and non-profits in and around Chester County, Pennsylvania, connect and grow together. Our aim is to bring together the many folks that make up our wonderful community in greater Philadelphia to share and learn from each other.

  1. DEC 12

    Owning and Running a Gift Boutique in the Rush of the Holiday Season with Kari Matthews

    As we embrace the hustle-bustle of the holiday season, local retail shop owners are rushing to make the most of their busiest time of the year. We were lucky to connect with Kari Matthews, owner of Clean Slate Goods in Kennett Square. Kari unfolds how she built a purpose-driven retail boutique that connects local shoppers with makers from around the world. Kari shares the story behind her storefront, the values guiding her sourcing decisions, and why investing in artisans and ethical production matters deeply to her. We also talk about the in-person experience she creates for customers, the community partnerships that shape her business, and the impact of choosing gifts that truly change lives. OUR PARTNERS Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce LINKS Clean Slate Goods Website: cleanslategoods.comInstagram: instagram.com/cleanslategoodsFacebook: facebook.com/cleanslategoodsLocal Nonprofits Kennett Area Community ServicesYoung MomsThe WardrobeFamily Promise of Southern Chester CountyKennett CollaborativeAdditional Links Boutique HubWhizBang Retail TrainingRelated Episodes Keeping Kennett Square Welcoming and Beautiful with Daniel EmbreeTRANSCRIPT The full episode transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.

    42 min

  2. NOV 28

    Buying, Renovating, and Renting Properties with Geoff Bosley

    The growth and vibrancy of Kennett Square and Southern Chester County is shaped by the places where the community gathers, works, and connects. In this episode, we sit down with Geoff Bosley, Vice President and CFO of LGB Properties, to explore how a family-run real estate company transforms buildings into community assets across the southern end of the county. Geoff shares the story behind the Market at Liberty Place – and walks us through the company’s approach to renovation, tenant partnerships, and supporting local businesses. We also discuss the challenges of running a boutique property firm, and Geoff’s years of service in local government. OUR PARTNERSouthern Chester County Chamber of Commerce LINKS LGB Properties lgbproperties.comGeoff Bosley on LinkedInProperty listings: lgbproperties.com/property-listingsLocal Restaurants The Market at Liberty Place (An LGB Properties venue)Mary Pat’s Provisions State Street Pizza & GrillKaboburritosLa VeronaThe Naked Olive Lily Sushi & Grill  Hangry BearBraeloch BrewingPortabellos of Kennett SquareFlowers CafeLocal Nonprofits Kennett Collaborative The Mushroom FestivalMushroom Cap Half MarathonCamp Dreamcatcher  The Garage Community and Youth CenterRelated Episodes Nurturing Belonging and Celebrating Community with Children Impacted by HIV/AIDS with Patty HillkirkKeeping Kennett Square Welcoming and Beautiful with Daniel EmbreeTranscript The full transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.

    54 min

  3. NOV 14

    Sheltering Our Homeless Neighbors and Caring for Their Needs with Jessica Chappell

    Despite the great wealth in Chester County, homelessness is a significant and persistent local issue. We sit down with Jessica Chappell, Executive Director of Safe Harbor of Chester County, to explore how her team provides shelter, meals, and compassionate support to adults experiencing homelessness. Jessica walks us through the realities facing the financially at risk population, the growing challenges around attainable housing, and the trauma-informed approach that guides the organization’s work. We discuss Safe Harbor’s partnerships, volunteer network, and the systemic pressures shaping homelessness in our county. OUR PARTNER Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce LINKS Safe Harbor of Chester County Website: safeharborofcc.orgInstagram: instagram.com/safeharbor_ofchestercountyFacebook: facebook.com/safeharborofchestercountyLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/safe-harbor-of-chester-county-inc/Givebutter (Donations/Events): givebutter.com/safe-harbor-of-chester-county-incLocal Nonprofits Chester County Food BankWest Chester Food CupboardThe Melton Center – PA 211Act NowCamp DreamcatcherCrime Victims’ Center of Chester CountyAdditional Links Better Than Bacon ImprovUptown! Knauer Performing Arts CenterRelated Episodes Nurturing Belonging and Celebrating Community with Children Impacted by HIV/AIDS with Patty HillkirkSupporting Victims of Sexual Violence and Other Crimes with Christine ZaccarelliTranscript The full transcript will be posted on our site as soon as it is available.

    58 min

  4. OCT 31

    Supporting the Unhoused from Crisis to Stability with Kelly Faust

    Homelessness and housing insecurity affect people in every community – including here in Chester County. We sit down with Kelly Faust, Community Engagement Coordinator at Good Samaritan Services, to learn how the organization supports individuals and families on their journey from crisis to stability. Kelly explains Good Sam’s personalized, relationship-based approach, its housing programs, and the wraparound services that include mentorship, counseling, and microloans. We also talk about the community partnerships that make their work possible – and the local events and fundraisers that make their work possible. OUR PARTNER Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce LINKS Good Samaritan Services – Good Sam Website: goodsamservices.orgLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/good-samaritan-servicesInstagram: instagram.com/goodsamservFacebook: facebook.com/GoodSamServKelly Faust on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kelly-faust-477b9a2b3Additional Organizations Anne’s HeartPhoenixville Women’s OutreachPhoenixville Free ClinicUnion Community CarePA CareerLinkOrion CommunitiesOpen Hearth, Inc.Citizen Advocacy of Chester CountyUnited Way of Chester CountyNew Story ChurchHopewell United Methodist ChurchTranscript The full transcript will be posted as soon as it is available.

    52 min

  5. OCT 17

    Growing the High Voltage Division at an Employee-Owned Business with Jim O’Farrell

    Electricity powers nearly every part of our lives – and the infrastructure behind it keeps our communities running. In this episode, we talk with Jim O’Farrell, Director of High Voltage Operations at the Tri-M Group, based in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Jim walks us through how Tri-M delivers electrical construction, high-voltage services, building automation, and energy analytics across the region – and beyond. We also discuss Tri-M’s employee-ownership model, its accredited apprenticeship program, and the company’s commitment to workforce development and focus on supporting the local community. OUR PARTNER Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce LINKS Tri-M Group Website: tri-mgroup.comCareers: tri-mgroup.com/careersTri-M Group’s Apprenticeship ProgramInstagram: instagram.com/tri_mgroupFacebook: facebook.com/TheTriMGroupLLCJim O'Farrell on LinkedInAdditional Links Penn Medicine Kennett Library YMCA of Greater Brandywine KACS (Kennett Area Community Service) Camp Dreamcatcher Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC) KAU Little League (Kennett-Unionville) Related Episodes Nurturing Belonging and Celebrating Community with Children Impacted by HIV/AIDS with Patty HillkirkTranscript The full transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.

    34 min

  6. OCT 3

    Recording and Teaching Local, National, and Global History with Conor Hepp

    History lives all around us in Chester County – in our buildings, our landscapes, and our communities. In this episode, we sit down with Conor Hepp, President of the Chester County History Center, to explore how one of our region’s oldest cultural institutions continues to preserve and share the stories that shape us. Conor walks us through the Center’s extensive collection, the creative ways the organization adapted during the pandemic, and how new technologies and community programs are helping expand its reach to audiences near and far. We also hear how the Center is honoring local legacies through exhibits, walking tours, and partnerships, and why history – even when difficult – must be told truthfully. OUR PARTNER Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce LINKS Chester County History Center Website: mycchc.orgFacebook: facebook.com/ChesterCountyHistoryInstagram: instagram.com/ChesterCountyHistoryLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/chestercountyhistorycenterConor Hepp on LinkedInAdditional Local Organizations The Colonial TheatreChester County Art AssociationHistoric Yellow SpringsNorth Star of Chester CountyHome of the SparrowCrime Victims’ Center of Chester CountyNAACP Coatesville Area BranchPunk/Rock Bands Bad ReligionPennywiseRage Against the MachineRelated Episodes Building a Thriving Theater to Benefit the Local Community with Jennifer CarlsonSupporting Victims of Sexual Violence and Other Crimes with Christine ZaccarelliTranscript The full transcript will be posted on our website as soon it is available.

    47 min

  7. SEP 19

    Buying, Growing, and Running an Independent Medical Practice with Brad Dyer, MD

    Few topics matter more to parents than the medical well-being of their children. We sit down with Brad Myer, MD, to learn from his decades of experience as a leading local pediatrician. The founder of All Star Pediatrics, in Exton, Pennsylvania, Brad spent almost two decades growing an independent medical group. In our conversation, Brad talks us through the buying the practice from Penn Medicine and growing it to serve thousands of families, while navigating the world of health insurance, and recruiting and retaining a top team around him. Now with the management of the practice behind him, Brad walks us through how he gives back to his local community through board leadership and volunteerism with a number of local organizations. OUR PARTNER Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce LINKS All Star Pediatrics Website: allstarpediatrics.comBrad Dyer on LinkedInAdditional Organizations Chester County Food BankBetter Days AheadWest Chester Food CupboardPhoenixville Area Community Services (PACS)Community Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM)Phoenixville Free Clinic (Phoenixville Free Medical Clinic)Area Hospitals Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)Nemours Children’s HealthPenn MedicineRelated Episodes Fighting Food Insecurity Locally with Andrea YoundtTranscript The full transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.

    51 min

  8. SEP 5

    Nurturing Belonging and Celebrating Community with Children Impacted by HIV/AIDS with Patty Hillkirk

    The summer camp experience affords such a meaningful experience for so many children. Camp Dreamcatcher creates a fantastic camp week specifically for children infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS. We sit down with Patty Hillkirk, the camp’s Founder and Executive Director, to learn about how she is spearheading efforts to organize and run the weeklong camp, held in August every year. We talk about how the camp is run, partnering with other local organizations, and supporting young people and empowering them to lead. Patty walks us through how Camp Dreamcatcher has delivered such a lasting and valuable effect on the lives of so many young people for 30 years. OUR PARTNER Southern Chester County Chamber of CommerceLINKS Camp Dreamcatcher Website: campdreamcatcher.orgLinkedIn: inkedin.com/company/camp-dreamcatcherInstagram: instagram.com/campdreamcatcherFacebook: facebook.com/therapeuticcampPatty Hillkirk on LinkedInOver the Edge fundraiserVolunteer with Camp Dreamcatcher: campdreamcatcher.org/get-involved/volunteerCamp Dreamcatcher Videos Video library on the Camp Dreamcatcher website: campdreamcatcher.org/about/video-picturesThe story behind the founding of Camp Dreamcatcher as shared in Patty's TEDx TalkHear about the Wish Log ceremony from two campers (jump to 1:14)HIV/AIDS Resources HIV/AIDS information on the Cleveland Clinic websiteHIV/AIDS information on the May Clinic websiteHIV and AIDS information on the John Hopkins Medicine websiteHIV/AIDS information on the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) websiteSupporting Organizations Longwood Rotary ClubLenape Nation of PennsylvaniaLincoln UniversityPhiladelphia School of Massage & BodyworkAHHAH (Arts Holding Hands and Hearts)Avon Grove High SchoolKennett Lions ClubWest Grove Fire Company (EMTs in West Grove)PayPalMorning Star FoundationChildren’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)St. Christopher’s Hospital for ChildrenPhiladelphia AvengersJohns Hopkins MedicineAdditional Organizations Pennsylvania Gestalt CenterCenter for Relational PracticesFriendship BenchFamily Promise of Southern Chester CountyDeafCAN! of PennsylvaniaKennett Area Community Service (KACS)Related Episodes Managing a Local Accountancy Firm with Kathy WileczekTRANSCRIPT A full episode transcript will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.

    52 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Start Local is focused on helping businesses and non-profits in and around Chester County, Pennsylvania, connect and grow together. Our aim is to bring together the many folks that make up our wonderful community in greater Philadelphia to share and learn from each other.

Information

  • Creator
    Liam Dempsey, Erik Gudmundson, and Joe Casabona
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    87
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Start Local
  • Show Website
    Start Local

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