Good Neighbor Podcast South Charlotte

Ready for a contractor who shows up on time, keeps a clean site, and treats your home like a heirloom instead of a canvas for chaos? Meet Charlotte native Zach Bowen, the owner of Fine Finishes Custom Painting, whose path from drummer and retail pro to meticulous painting contractor reveals how service, craft, and character can rebuild a trade’s reputation from the ground up.

We explore the roots of his standards—long days...

Think remodeling is mostly picking paint and watching demo day? We pull back the curtain with builder and remodeler Otto Anderson to show how the right plan turns chaos into craftsmanship. From kitchens and baths to ADUs and full additions, we explore a design-build approach that locks decisions early, controls costs, and keeps crews focused on building rather than chasing last-minute choices.

Otto shares his journey from ...

Renovation shouldn’t feel like a gamble. We sit down with Charlotte general contractor Eric Fiel of Beyond Home Services to unpack how a true design-build model calms the chaos of remodeling, from the first consult to the final walkthrough. With 30 years of residential experience and a studio partnership with his wife Sarah’s interior design firm, Home Theory, Eric explains how integrated planning, tight scopes, and frequent commun...

Ready for a real look at what makes a durable real estate firm in a hot market like Charlotte? Mike Sposato, owner of Carolina Realty Advisors, shares how he turned corporate sales awards and early investing into a 20-year brokerage built on one core promise: the right advice at the right time changes everything. We trace his leap from burnout to business owner, then unpack the systems, training, and hiring decisions that keep clie...

A friendly voice on the line might be a bot, but the strategy behind your move should be unmistakably human. We dive into how AI is transforming first contact in real estate—think call bots and text flows—and why the smart move is a fast handoff to a real conversation when a buyer is genuinely ready. Then we open the hood on pricing: how AI-driven analysis can augment MLS comps, tax records, and price-per-square-foot to produce a s...

Ever wondered what makes a truly effective family law attorney? In this candid conversation with Charlotte native Jana K Jones, we explore a refreshingly different approach to divorce and custody matters. With 16 years of experience practicing exclusively in Mecklenburg County, Jana shares how her sociology background and personal experiences shaped her unique perspective on family law.

Forget the stereotypical "shark...

What happens when there's no one to manage your finances as you age? This question haunts millions of Americans aging without traditional family support networks.

Jennifer Szakaly, co-founder of Silverstone Financial Fiduciary, reveals how her decades of gerontology experience led to creating a solution for this growing demographic crisis. With the fastest-growing segment of older adults being those without children o...

Money shouldn't be a mystery, yet too many families navigate financial waters without a compass Felipe Aranha, a financial advisor with Primerica, is changing that narrative one family at a time.

After an 18-year corporate career in supply chain management, Felipe made a dramatic pivot when Primerica found him. What sealed the deal? Their refreshing mission to help everyday Americans—not just the wealthy—achieve finan...

What happens when your financial knowledge doesn't cross borders with you? For foreign professionals working in America, navigating the complex US financial system can feel like trying to read a map in an unfamiliar language. Enter Felipe Aranha, a Brazilian-born financial advisor with Primerica who transformed his own experience as an international worker into a mission to guide others.

Felipe shares how his journey ...

What happens when corporate limitations push you to reimagine your career path? Felipe Aranha's journey from supply chain management to financial advising reveals a refreshing alternative to traditional employment. With candor and enthusiasm, Felipe shares how finding Primerica transformed his professional trajectory from one dependent on supervisors' approval to one where results alone determine success.

The con...

Mike Sposato brings nearly 25 years of real estate expertise to this fascinating conversation about Charlotte's waterfront property market. The owner of Carolina Realty Advisors shares his unique approach to client relationships, focusing first on establishing genuine connections before applying his diverse skill set across multiple market segments.

What sets Mike apart is his innovative approach to showing lakefront ...

Meet Christine Davies and Ashley Bunn, the creative minds behind Little Pumpkin Decorators, a South Charlotte business transforming residential porches with stunning autumn displays. What started as a three-week venture has blossomed into a full seasonal operation with a heartfelt mission at its core: supporting local mothers through flexible employment opportunities.

The pair shares their vision of building a team of crea...

What happens when two entrepreneurial moms combine their creative talents with their love for fall? Christine Davis and Ashley Bunn answer this question with Little Pumpkin Decorators, their South Charlotte business transforming ordinary porches into spectacular seasonal displays.

The magic begins when clients select from four thoughtfully designed packages—ranging from the modest Mini to the show-stopping Grand Pumpkin—al...

When motherhood and career ambitions clash, something has to give—but what if it didn't have to? This eye-opening conversation introduces us to Ashley Bunn and Christine Davies, two mothers who rejected the false choice between professional fulfillment and family life by creating Little Pumpkin Decorators, a seasonal porch styling business in Charlotte's Waxhaw area.

After years in demanding corporate environment...

Luxury waterfront properties are defying market trends, with multi-million dollar homes on Lake Norman and Lake Wylie moving quickly despite economic headwinds. What's driving this surprising resilience? Cash buyers—many relocating to Charlotte from other regions—are snapping up premium lakefront homes without batting an eye at the price tag.

Mike Sposato, owner of Carolina Realty Advisors, takes us deep into the spec...

Meet Christi Kisela , the creative force behind Aura and Ember Company, who traded her twenty-year corporate leadership career for a studio filled with "wax, wicks, and wonder." What began as a simple search for clean-burning candles for her son with asthma has blossomed into a luxury candle and fragrance business that's capturing Charlotte's attention through scent and story.

Christi takes us behind th...

What happens when a 28-year veteran police detective retires only to discover that civilian life isn't quite what he expected? For Tom Geisler, the answer was to launch Blue Chameleon Investigations, transforming his law enforcement expertise into a thriving private investigation firm now employing 14 people.

Tom takes us behind the scenes of modern private investigation work, shattering stereotypes about what PIs act...

When homeowners and property managers face repairs or renovations, the stress of coordinating multiple contractors can quickly become overwhelming. Michael Tuggle recognized this pain point and created Tuggle Pro Services to provide a comprehensive solution for everything from minor fixes to major renovations.

Drawing from over twenty years of experience in construction and HOA management, Michael brings a unique perspecti...

The pendulum of Charlotte's real estate market is swinging toward balance after years of seller dominance, according to local expert Mike Sposato of Carolina Realty Advisors. Drawing from fresh Canopy MLS data, Sposato reveals a remarkable 42% year-over-year increase in available properties across the Charlotte metropolitan area. For buyers who previously faced bidding wars and pressure to make immediate decisions, this shift ...