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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It's been nearly two years since Hurricane Helene's impact was felt across Western North Carolina.

In January 2025, Governor Josh Stein appointed a special Advisory Committee for Western North Carolina Recovery and established GROW NC (Governor's Recovery Office for Western North Carolina) to serve as the lead organization to guide immediate physical and economic recovery efforts.

In early 2026, a sub-committee was formed to examine the region's long term economic outlook, and make recommendations to Governor Stein and State leaders that would set Western North Carolina down a path toward recovery and future economic prosperity.

On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Governor Stein and GROW NC released the Western North Carolina Economic Recovery Plan, a document that focuses on eight core principles that harness current resources and industry proficiency, while aligning goals that will advance the region's efforts to create economic diversity and resilience across all sectors.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we unveil the core tenants of the plan, and how the High Country is poised to benefit from this collaborative effort. We'll also talk with Dan Gerlach, a long-time economic strategist and policy advisor in the State about the research that led to the plan. He'll explain how this framework can build off current regional strengths while protecting a unique cultural experience that separates Western North Carolina from many other parts of the country.

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 at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

This just in...sometimes it's hard to move around in Watauga County due to traffic congestion!

The Watauga County Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) is the steering document that looks at transportation needs for a 25-30 year snapshot, and that document is currently going through a planned revision.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we explain the CTP process, how an important survey is gathering public input that informs this work, and how your experiences can be added to future considerations.

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.

Support the show