Business Voices

On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, Juneau Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Becca Parks talks with Laura McDonald, owner of Caribou Crossings, about a Juneau business story that began with a teenage summer job and eventually led to ownership of one of downtown’s longtime locally focused shops.

Laura shares how she started at Caribou Crossings at 16, grew into increasingly larger roles, earned her MBA with supp...

On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, Juneau Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Becca Parks talks with Riza May Marvel of Z Squared Studio, a Juneau-born brand and web designer helping small businesses build a more professional presence.

Marvel shares the unexpected path that took her from studying psychology in Australia to earning a graphic design degree—and eventually returning home to Juneau to build her own b...

On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, Juneau Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Becca Parks sits down with Will Race, CEO and partner of Cedar Group, to talk about entrepreneurship, growth, leadership, and what it takes to build a creative business in Alaska.

Race shares how Cedar Group grew from a small marketing and public relations firm into a 27-person company serving hundreds of clients across multiple states&mdash...

What does it take to keep a local business thriving in Juneau for 40 years? On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, host Becca Parks, Juneau Chamber Executive Director is joined by Charlie Williams, owner of Valley Paint, to talk about the unexpected path that led him from painting contractor to longtime local business owner. 

Charlie shares how he opened Valley Paint in 1986 after Juneau was left without a dedicated paint s...

On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, host Becca Parks, Juneau Chamber Executive Director, talks with Cliff Dumas, who owns the Juneau Media Center radio stations with his spouse, Lisa Dumas, through their company, Alaska First Media. Their stations include KINY, MIX 106, TAKU 105, KXJ, The Hawk and KJNO in Juneau along with 2 in Ketchikan and 2 in Sitka.

Becca talks to Cliff about his 40-year award-winning career in radio and ...

On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, host Becca Parks, Juneau Chamber Executive Director, talks with Lisa Dumas, who owns the Juneau Media Center radio stations with her husband, Cliff Dumas, through their company, Alaska First Media. Their stations include KINY, MIX 106, TAKU 105, KXJ, The Hawk and KJNO in Juneau along with 2 in Ketchikan and 2 in Sitka.

Lisa shares her remarkable journey from small-town radio in Canada ...

On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, host Becca Parks, Juneau Chamber Executive Director, talks to Ron Flint of Nugget Alaskan Outfitters. For more than five decades, Nugget Alaskan Outfitters has been a fixture in Juneau. In this episode, owner Ron Flint shares the remarkable story of how his family helped shape the Nugget Mall, evolved a department store into one of Southeast Alaska's premier outdoor retailers, and adapted ...

On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, host Becca Parks, Juneau Chamber Executive Director, talks with Susan Bell of Huna Totem for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, economic development, Alaska Native corporations, tourism, community relationships, and the future of downtown Juneau. 

Susan shares her journey from Nome to Juneau, including her work in the visitor industry, McDowell Group, the Alaska Departme...

On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, host Becca Parks, Juneau Chamber Executive Director, talks with Jessica Russell, founder of Juneau Cleaning, about entrepreneurship, adaptability, and building a service business in a uniquely local market.

Jessica shares how moving to Juneau, her background in short-term rental management, and a simple market need led her to launch Juneau Cleaning. What began with flyers, a basic websi...

In this episode of Business Voices, Juneau Chamber Executive Director Becca Parks sits down with Rain Coast Data Director Meilani Schijvens for a wide-ranging conversation about business, entrepreneurship, and the power of good information.

Meilani shares how an early business failure helped shape the discipline and focus behind the company she runs today, a data and economic publications firm focused largely on Southeast Alaska...

In the first episode of Business Voices, Juneau Chamber Executive Director Becca Parks sits down with Eric Forst of the Red Dog Saloon, one of Juneau’s most recognizable businesses and a cornerstone of the downtown visitor economy.

Eric shares the long and colorful history of the Red Dog, from its early days as a postwar saloon with sawdust floors to its move down Franklin Street and its evolution into one of Alaska’...