The Charlotte Business Podcast

Devanne Pena is the founder of AfroSpace, a community clubhouse and event space she built in Charlotte from the ground up — without taking on a single outside investor. A Fayetteville native with Cape Verdean roots, Devanne worked as a designer and architect before pouring her savings and hustle into AfroSpace, driving for Amazon on the side to keep the lights on while she got the business off the ground.In this episode, Devanne shares how she got AfroSpace to $40K in revenue solo, why she chose to bootstrap instead of chasing investors, the mindset shift that kept her going through the hardest stretches, and what she's building next for Charlotte's creative and entrepreneurial community.Connect with Devanne and AfroSpace:Website: https://afro.spaceInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/afrospaceofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devannepenaFollow The Charlotte Business Podcast:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecltbizpodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecltbizpodWebsite: https://thecharlottebusinesspodcast.comMusic: "Deliberate Thought" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Dr. Corey Helton is a physician and the founder of Aeternitas, a membership-based, direct-pay longevity and precision medicine practice he built from the ground up in Charlotte. In this episode, Dr. Helton joins host George-Alain Boti to talk about walking away from the traditional healthcare model, what it actually took to launch a physician-led practice, and why he's betting on Charlotte as the right place to build it.In this episode:Why Dr. Helton stepped away from conventional medicine to build something differentWhat it really takes to start a healthcare practice from scratch, as a founderHow Aeternitas is structured as a membership, direct-pay modelWhy Charlotte, and why nowLessons for any entrepreneur building something intentional in a crowded marketFollow The Charlotte Business Podcast:Website: https://thecharlottebusinesspodcast.com/corey-helton/Instagram, TikTok, Facebook: @thecltbizpod

Elliot Tousley, owner of Marketing with Elliot and co-founder of two digital advertising agencies, joins The Charlotte Business Podcast to make sense of digital marketing in 2026. Elliot breaks down what Charlotte business owners consistently get wrong with their Facebook and Google Ads, and how to tell a real marketing professional from someone who's just going to burn through your budget.We also cover why a bottoms-up funnel can be the smarter move for a small business, and where the real marketing opportunities are for Charlotte-area businesses right now. If you're spending money on ads without a clear return, this episode is for you.In Elliot's words: "I help business owners fix broken marketing. You focus on running the business. I'll own the marketing — strategy, execution, and performance, all aligned, all accountable, all working toward growth."Watch the full video episode: https://youtu.be/Mxb3fkMo2iYRead the episode recap: https://thecharlottebusinesspodcast.com/elliot-tousleyThe Charlotte Business Podcast is hosted by George-Alain Boti, founder of 1800TaxSupport, and features real conversations with the founders, leaders, and entrepreneurs shaping Charlotte's business landscape.

Stuck copying everyone else's content instead of building a brand people actually remember? Khadijah "Kay" Leach has been there. In this episode of The Charlotte Business Podcast, Kay — founder of Bella Brand Studios — joins host Ashley Boti to talk about what it really takes to go from stylist to CEO, why authenticity beats copying every time, and how she rebuilt her brand after burnout and personal loss.Whether you're a Greensboro | Charlotte service provider thinking about opening your own salon suite, a stylist ready to build a real brand instead of just a client list, or an entrepreneur trying to avoid burnout while scaling, this conversation is full of practical, hard-won lessons.Subscribe to The Charlotte Business Podcast for more real conversations with Charlotte, NC entrepreneurs and industry leaders.Recorded in Greensboro, NC#CharlotteBusinessPodcast #CharlotteNC #GreensboroNC #BeautyBrand #GSOEntrepreneur #CLTEntrepreneur #SalonSuite #CharlotteSmallBusiness #NorthCarolinaBusiness

Trying to fund a business in Charlotte and don't know where to start? In this episode of The Charlotte Business Podcast, funding expert Patrick Pychynski joins host Ashley Boti to break down how Charlotte entrepreneurs can actually get approved for business funding — what lenders look for, the mistakes that get local business owners rejected, and the options most people never hear about.If you're a Charlotte small-business owner looking to raise capital, expand, or get your first loan, this episode is your starting point.🎧 New episodes of The Charlotte Business Podcast drop regularly — subscribe so you never miss a Charlotte entrepreneur's story.📍 Recorded in Charlotte, NC#CharlotteBusinessPodcast #CharlotteNC #BusinessFunding #CLTEntrepreneur #SmallBusinessFunding #CharlotteSmallBusiness #NorthCarolinaBusiness

Public speaking can make or break your business; just ask actor and speaker Brian LaFontaine. In this episode of The Charlotte Business Podcast, Brian joins host Ashley Boti to talk about why so many Charlotte entrepreneurs freeze up in front of a room, the specific mistakes that make business owners forgettable, and the mindset shifts that turn nervous speakers into people others actually want to listen to.Whether you're pitching investors, presenting to a Charlotte networking group, or just trying to sell your business with confidence, this conversation will change how you show up in the room.🎧 Subscribe to The Charlotte Business Podcast for more real conversations with Charlotte, NC entrepreneurs and industry leaders.📍 Recorded in Charlotte, NC#CharlotteBusinessPodcast #CharlotteNC #PublicSpeaking #CLTEntrepreneur #CharlotteBusinessOwner #NorthCarolinaPodcast

He built one of Charlotte, NC's most talked-about food trucks — then walked away from it to become a private chef. In the debut episode of The Charlotte Business Podcast, host Ashley Boti sits down with Chef Josh Kitchens to unpack what it actually takes to run a food business in Charlotte: the grit, the creativity, and the community support behind turning a dream into a real income.Josh gets real about launching in Charlotte's competitive food scene, pivoting mid-pandemic, and why he chose private cheffing over scaling the truck. If you're a Charlotte foodie, an aspiring chef, or you just love a good local startup story, this one's for you.🎧 New episodes of The Charlotte Business Podcast drop regularly — subscribe so you never miss a Charlotte entrepreneur's story.📍 Recorded in Charlotte, NC#CharlotteBusinessPodcast #CharlotteNC #CLTFoodTruck #CharlotteChef #CLTEntrepreneur #CharlotteSmallBusiness #NorthCarolinaBusiness