Fall color is about a month away from its peak here in the High Country, but the seasonal shift toward autum economic behavior is already underway. The impact on visitor counts, the type of interactions people enjoy during their stay, and how events are communicated business to business all impact the visitor experience. The current date on the calendar matters greatly when it comes to how businesses schedule staff, how they throttle their operational expectations, and ultimately the impact the see on their bottom line for an entire year.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we examine the hospitality and event industries, and how they work together to curate exceptional visitor experiences in the High Country. Danielle Neibauer owns The Inn at Crestwood and also leads the management team that operates The Horton Hotel in Downtown Boone. She'll detail the seasonal impacts on the hospitality industry, and even explain a few things locals may not know about the hotels they drive past each day.

We'll also hear from Suzanne Livesay, Executive Director of the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country. A major factor in the success of an event is related to when the event is scheduled, as much as the make-up of the act itself. Suzanne discusses how she seeks specific events, what she tends to avoid, and how the collaborative approach of experience planning benefits everyone.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon (Friday this week) at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

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