About the Guest:

Craig Charles is the entrepreneurial force behind Crown Cutz Academy, having established a significant presence in the barbering and beauty education industry. With a Caribbean background and a journey that took him from Boston to East Tennessee State on a football scholarship, Craig's passion for cutting hair began at an early age. After a stint in NFL football with the San Francisco 49ers, Craig pivoted back to his barbering roots, starting his own business in Johnson City in 2004. Craig's dedication to the craft extended to founding barbering schools and becoming an advocate for mental health training, positioning him as a notable figure both locally and nationally.

Episode Summary:

In this exchange, Colin Johnson warmly welcomes Craig Charles to his podcast, where listeners are invited to discover the multifaceted trajectory of a former NFL player turned barber and educator. The episode opens on a sunny day in Johnson City, setting a relaxed tone for an in-depth look at Craig's contributions to the community, including the inception of Crown Cutz Academy.

Delving into Craig's background, we learn about his start in barbering, his dedication to improving mental health awareness, and his recognition by the state of Tennessee. The conversation flows effortlessly, covering Craig's journey from cutting hair in his youth to addressing mental health in his current work. Social initiatives like training women in jail to become nail technicians are also highlighted. In weaving these narratives, key insights are shared about the importance of living your passion, community involvement, and crafting a fulfilling career path.

Key Takeaways:

• Craig Charles' journey from the NFL to becoming a barber and business owner illustrates the value of transforming passions into professions.
• Crown Cutz Academy isn't just about teaching barbering — it's focused on mentoring students in financial literacy, mental health, and holistic life skills.
• Craig actively volunteers, providing valuable resources and mentorship to the incarcerated community — a testament to his commitment to societal change.
• The success of Crown Cutz Academy has led to the extension of services in the Tri-Cities area and ambitions to open schools in Asheville and Boston.
• A planned tour focused on mental health training showcases Craig's dedication to expand the positive impacts of his industry beyond the salon.

Notable Quotes:

• "If I just teach you how to be a barber, I have done you a diservice. I want you to be a whole person."
• "From a pair of clippers to Capitol Hill, anything could happen."
• "Take your time. Everything happens in time. If you trust your product and you cultivate it, it's going to do you well."
• "You don't have to be alone in this world. There are a lot of people who love you and you don't even know."

Resources:

• Craig Charles' Academy: Crown Cutz Academy ([Website not provided in transcript])
• Podcast: Barber College Success ([Podcast not provided in transcript])
• Mental Health Hotline: 988, the national hotline for suicide prevention
• Event: Reggae Wine and Shine in collaboration with Tennessee Hills Distillery

Encouraged by Craig Charles' engaging story and insights? Dive into the full episode to learn more about his remarkable transition from the gridiron to grooming, his community-driven initiatives, and his contagious enthusiasm for life in Johnson dynamics. Stay tuned for more inspiring content that sheds light on the threads that bind our community together.

About the Guest:

Jonathan Fields is a dynamic marketing strategist and creative advocate based in Johnson City, Tennessee. Known for his versatile skill-set, Jonathan has built a career around guiding small businesses, non-profits, and entrepreneurs in crafting their narratives and finding the best channels for their messages. His approach to marketing is deeply rooted in relational selling, offering customized solutions rather than one-size-fits-all strategies. Besides being a marketing professional, Jonathan is also deeply involved in his community, helping forge connections and foster growth.

Episode Summary:

In this enlightening episode of the Johnson City Living podcast, host Colin Johnson sits down with Jonathan Fields, a marketing strategist and creative advocate, to delve into the world of storytelling and small business marketing. This dialogue unfolds against the backdrop of the picturesque Johnson City, with the discussion highlighting the importance of community and relational connections in marketing, all while offering practical insights into the trade.

Jonathan Fields shares his journey from growing up in Kingsport to becoming a marketing expert who now calls Johnson City home. His marketing philosophy centers on helping clients tell their unique stories to stand out in a crowded market space. The conversation covers everything from the basics of brand awareness to the intricacies of targeting the right audience. Fields touches on the significance of connecting individuals and businesses and discusses his upcoming opportunity as a speaker at TEDx Johnson City.

Key Takeaways:

• Relational Selling: Effective marketing is about building relationships and understanding the specific stories and needs of clients.
• Brand Awareness Importance: Continual brand awareness campaigns are vital for businesses to maintain a consistent presence and build trust with potential customers.
• Video Production in Marketing: High-quality video production is crucial for brand narratives, enabling businesses to communicate their unique value proposition effectively.
• Challenges of Gaining Trust: One of the major hurdles in marketing is gaining the trust of long-standing businesses reluctant to modernize their marketing approaches.
• Future Endeavors: Jonathan Fields is set to speak at TEDx Johnson City, discussing topics central to community and relationships in Appalachia.

Notable Quotes:

• "The important thing is to be able to meet small businesses, nonprofits, anything around the area that has a story to tell."
• "My clients, that's what all of us do, is we look to find answers for our problems."
• "And the only way you get to know that is to relationally, you get to know the client, you know, what's important to them…"
• "I rewrote it. What do you think about this? Being able to kind of best find, hey, I know you talked to me and you said these things are important. I know your voice."
• "The most useful way to use any of those avenues is to be able to tell what is unique to you."

Resources:

• Jonathan Fields' LinkedIn: Reachable for professional connections and inquiries.
• @jonathanfieldsofficial on Instagram: For insights and updates from Jonathan Fields.

Encourage your entrepreneurial spirit and harness the power of effective marketing by listening to the full episode, featuring the insights of Jonathan Fields. Stay tuned for more inspiring content that can shed light on the paths to success in business and beyond.

About the Guests:

In this episode, we're introduced to Kirsten Turner and Amit Prabhakar, the dynamic duo from icode Tri-Cities. Kirsten Turner, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, has an educational background with experience in teaching and school administration. Amit Prabhakar brings a wealth of knowledge from the IT sector, having immigrated from India in 2007 with a passion for new technologies and cultures. Together, they represent icode Tri-Cities, an organization dedicated to bringing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Art) programs to young students in the Tri-City area.

Episode Summary:

In this engaging conversation with Colin Johnson, Kirsten Turner and Amit Prabhakar discuss the impactful role of STEM education and their organization, icode Tri-Cities. From the favorable community vibe of Johnson City to the nitty-gritty of education in tech and critical thinking, they explore how icode Tri-Cities brings vital educational experiences to today's youth.

The episode delves into the essential nature of STEM, often elaborated as STEAM to include art, and the urgency of preparing students for the rapidly evolving technological landscape. Kirsten and Amit unfold the various offerings of icode Tri-Cities, emphasizing summer camps and programs that extend beyond the realm of basic curriculum to hands-on, interactive learning experiences, thereby sowing the seeds for a generation of innovators and problem solvers.

Key Takeaways:

• icode Tri-Cities is pioneering a new program model to deliver cutting-edge STEM education to the Tri-City area and beyond.
• The STEAM curriculum is designed to engage students with hands-on learning experiences, including robot battles and design projects.
• icode Tri-Cities caters not only to schools but also provides programs accessible to homeschoolers and after-school settings.
• Funding and adapting to local needs are some of the logistical challenges icode Tri-Cities faced while setting up in the Tri-City area.
• Summer camps are a significant part of their offerings, featuring engaging education in robotics, drone coding, and even video game design, emphasizing both fun and learning.

Notable Quotes:

• "STEM is a very unique field where you're basically teaching a child how to think, how to troubleshoot, how to be creative, how to be innovative." - Amit Prabhakar
• "We're taking students to the other side of Roblox, and they were the ones actually building and designing, creating the games." - Kirsten Turner
• "Each year, or the topic that they choose, has a color. So at the end of the year, they will graduate to that color." - Amit Prabhakar, on the upcoming 'belt' program
• "It's not just about creating a curriculum, but also you got to test it, you got to test the code, you got to test the hardware and all that stuff." - Amit Prabhakar

Resources:

• Ico Tri city Website: icodeschool.com/tricitiestn
• Social Media: Follow icode Tri-cities on Facebook and Instagram @icode.tri.cities.

Listen to the full episode to explore the colorful world of STEM education with Kirsten Turner and Amit Prabhakar and discover how icode Tri-cities is nurturing young minds for a better tomorrow. Stay tuned for more inspiring content from this podcast series.