Episodes

Guest: Richard Stroupe, Serial Entrepreneur and Venture Capitalist Dr. Richard Stroupe talks about his second Saltwater property, Saltwater Resort. He shares the hurdles he’s faced and subsequent delays with this project, the similarities and differences between the two properties, and the excitement over the property's Event Center. Be sure to listen to Part 2 where Richard discusses The Hive, a boutique hotel he recently acquired in downtown Wilmington. He also offers valuable insights in...

Guest: John Formica, the “Ex Disney Guy”, known as "America’s Customer Experience Coach," and a sought-after speaker and business coach who draws on his extensive experience with Disney to help organizations create magical customer experiences and dynamic workplace cultures. He offers insights into Disney's leadership, hiring practices, and team-building strategies to help businesses stand out, engage their staff, and build lasting customer loyalty. John's engaging and entertaining pres...

Guests: Chef Steve Christian and Surfer Cody Leutgens, owners of Shaka Taco! The pair share a series of hilarious and nostalgic stories that will keep you laughing. The conversation highlights their entrepreneurial journey, beginning with a modest investment of $5,000 each at the Surf City location sharing space with Cody’s Surf School, leading to the impressive growth of their business after partnering with Ironclad Golf and Beer Garden in Hampstead. Shaka Taco Surf City and Surf City Surf ...

Guest: Captain Alex, owner of Tiki Tours in Surf City, North Carolina. He has 3 boats, including the iconic "Tiki Queen" ready to take you and yours out to enjoy the water, shelling, wildlife, and more. And how would you like to throw your next party out on the water with live music and dancing? We have all the information you need to book your Tiki Time with Tiki Tours in this episode of Topsail Insider! Tiki Tours Address - 412 Roland Ave, Surf City, NC 28445 Phone - (910) 650-3223 Email - S...

Guests: Dr. Amanda and Ben Knauff, the husband and wife team behind Pender Pelvic Health and Therapy Services, specializing in pelvic health care for all ages. Beyond general physical therapy, they tackle distinctive pelvic health challenges, providing valuable insights and solutions for symptoms related to gut health and pelvic floor issues. Address: 16747 US Hwy 17, Ste 106, Hampstead, NC 28443 Phone: 910-515-2030 Website: https://ncpelvicfloortherapy.com/ Email: pendertherapyservices@gmail....

Guests: Laurette Gordon, the Executive Director of the Missiles and More Museum, and Cindy Scaparrotti, the President of the Historical Society of Topsail Island. The Historic Assembly building in Topsail Beach was NOT for the assembly of people - it was for the assembly of missiles! And the towers you see around the island were a part of testing those missiles, all during WW2. Visit the Missiles and More Museum to learn all about the rich history of Top’sul’ Island. The Historical Society of ...

Guest: Beverly Simas, Co-Owner of Shuckin' Shack Oyster Bar in Surf City with her husband, Jason Simas, talking about their awesome steamed and raw Oysters and Clams, a delicious variety of Shrimp, their Shuckin’ Cocktails and Oyster Shooters, and menu items for the non-seafood lovers as well! Bring the kids, bring your dog, watch the game, and wear your flip-flops - this is the place to be! Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar - Surf City 13460 NC Hwy 50, Ste 101 Surf City, NC 28445 (910) 803-2037 Shu...

Guest: Rich Surace, Owner of Outer Sky Imaging, offering drone and hand-held photography and videography for private and commercial real estate and construction progression, as well as full commercial production for local businesses. Rich also uses Automated Visual Home Inspection using Artificial Intelligence. This allows for AI inspections and analysis of home and roof inspections and roof solar panel design in as little as 10 minutes. He also discusses the importance of hiring a commercial ...

Guest: Jeremy Shugarts, Co-Owner with his wife and children of several business in Surf City and Hampstead: The Daily Grind, UnWINEd, Thread FX, Shoreline Party Rentals, and Shugarts Family Properties. As a former Surf City Mayor Pro Tem, Jeremy talks about the balance between serving up great coffee and wine while serving the constituents of Surf City. The Daily Grind and UnWINEd Address: 114 N. Topsail Dr, Surf City, NC 28445 The Daily Grind Website, Facebook, and Instagram UnWINEd Website, ...

Guest: Tammy Proctor, Executive Director of the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, sharing the many ways the Chamber serves local businesses, nonprofits, residents, and visitors of our beautiful beach towns from Sneads Ferry down to Scotts Hill. Location: 13775 NC Hwy 50, Ste 101 Surf City, NC 28445 Chamber Office Number: (910) 329-4446 Email: info@topsailchamber.ort Tammy’s Email: director@topsailchamber.org Website: https://www.topsailchamber.org/ Topsail Chamber on Faceb...

Guest: Jeff Peterson, Co-Owner of Surf City Line, Turtle Shell Properties, and the Island Inn motel - all on Topsail Island. Surf City Line (910) 541-0062 2112 N New River Dr Surf City, NC 28445 Website, Facebook, and Instagram Turtle Shell Properties (910) 636-7377 Email: turtleshellrentals@gmail.com Website, Facebook, and Instagram Island Inn (910) 328-2341 202 Goldsboro Ave Surf City, NC 28445 Email: relax@topsailislandinn.com Website, Facebook, and Instagram Editor: Jim Mendes-Pouget | j...

Guest: Dr. Brittany Forbes, Owner and Therapist at Alpha Osteopractic, with specialized training and expertise in neuromusculoskeletal care, offering tailored, one-on-one, premium services aimed at restoring your health and enhancing functionality. Dr. Forbes offers Spine and Extremity Manipulation, Periosteal Electrical Dry Needling, IASTM (Scraping), Cupping Therapy, Body Tempering, and Blood Flow Restriction Therapy, and programming to enhance sports performance. Alpha Osteopractic 14669-B ...

Guest: Debbie Bruen, Professional Home Organizer who tackles decluttering, organizing, and "rightsizing" with discretion, kindness, and humor. She also discusses her missionary work in Africa and her journey into the Home Organization profession. Phone: (919) 435-7868 Website: https://www.homeorganizationbydebbie.com/ Email: homeorganizationbydebbie@gmail.com Find and Follow Organization by Debbie on Facebook Editor: Jim Mendes-Pouget | jimpouget@gmail.com Send Christa a message!...

Guest: Colin Pemberton, Owner of Dyno Digital Colin understands the challenges of being a one-person operation or managing a small team while juggling multiple responsibilities. He's here to offer a solution that could transform your business. He's developed cutting-edge software that streamlines communication, handles invoicing, manages scheduling, and helps you track your sales pipelines, all conveniently accessible from your smartphone. Dyno Digital Phone: (910) 469-1681 Email: info@dynodi...

Guest: Dawn Ellis, Founder and Executive Director of Share the Table, a wonderful nonprofit organization located in Hampstead, North Carolina, servicing folks experiencing food insecurity or inaccessibility. Share the Table provides a Food Choice Pantry, Hot Community Meals and Fellowship, and MUNCH Program Backpacks filled with food for children in need to take home on the weekends. Share the Table’s reach extends throughout Pender and surrounding counties utilizing assistance from the Central...

Guest: Dr. Tracey Ray, the Executive Director of Safe Haven of Pender & Duplin Counties. Safe Haven is a non-profit organization committed to assisting individuals facing domestic abuse, offering support at every stage – before, during, and after leaving a dangerous situation. Crisis Line: (910) 259-8989 Office: (910) 663-9186 Website: www.safehavenofpender.com Email: tray@safehavenofpender.com Address: PO Box 657, Burgaw, NC 28425 Instagram: @safehavenofpenderinc Instagram: @safehaven_thrifts...

Guest: Catherine Kittrell, owner of Vital Wellness (previously known as Assure Wellness Group Coastal Carolina), to discuss Hormone Replacement Therapy, fillers, and Botox. Surf City Address: 95 H2O Place, Hampstead, NC 28443 Website: https://www.vitalhealthvitalwellness.com/ Phone: (740) 215 0451 Email for Scheduling: vitalwellness624@gmail.com Follow Vital Wellness on Facebook! Editor: Jim Mendes-Pouget | jimpouget@gmail.com Send Christa a message! Please leave your contact information if ...

Guest: John Puckett, owner of A Clean Water Company, discussing water filtration systems such as reverse osmosis and whole-home water filtering systems, the process of testing water hardness at home and the importance of protecting your appliances from the adverse effects of hard water, tankless water heaters, and substances in your water like PFAS and GenX. Host: Mike Schroeder Phone: (910) 358-0420 Email: hello@acleanwaterco.org You can Find and Follow A Clean Water Company on all the socia...

Guest: Jeff Wenzel, former Mayor of Holly Ridge, North Carolina, and owner of Above Topsail and JW Portrait Studio, discussing drone photography, the establishment of Above Topsail, and the launch of his portrait studio, canvas printing, and custom framing business. Location: 301 US Hwy 17 South, Ste 2 Holly Ridge, NC 28445 Phone: (910) 803-1759 Websites: AboveTopsail.com JWPortraitStudio.com Editor: Jim Mendes-Pouget | jimpouget@gmail.com Send Christa a message! Please leave your contact info...

Guest: Ron England, co-owner of Cape Fearless Extreme Aerial Adventures and Paintball Park, discussing the Cape Fearless aerial obstacle courses for all ages and skill levels as well as their outdoor paintball arena. Cape Fearless Extreme 1571 Neils Eddy Rd Riegelwood, NC 28456 Phone: (910) 655-2555 Email: info@capefearless.com Website: https://www.capefearless.com/ Editor: Jim Mendes-Pouget | jimpouget@gmail.com Send Christa a message! Please leave your contact information if you’d like a re...

Guest: Heather Allen, owner of High Caliber Firearms Training and Education, and a Certified Concealed Carry and NRA Handgun Instructor, discussing firearm safety and training and her new book. Phone: (562) 331-3033 Email: Heather@HighCaliberOC.com Find her also on Instagram at highcaliber_nc Editor: Jim Mendes-Pouget | jimpouget@gmail.com Send Christa a message! Please leave your contact information if you’d like a response. Turtle Shell Properties Something for every size, every style, and ...

Guest: Rini Hermawan, a young entrepreneur who transformed a vintage camper into a thriving mobile coffee shop - Restored Coffee Website: restoredcoffeeco.com Email: restoredcoffee@gmail.com Phone: (910) 660-1224 Facebook: Restored Coffee Co Instagram: restoredcoffeeco Editor: Jim Mendes-Pouget | jimpouget@gmail.com Send Christa a message! Please leave your contact information if you’d like a response. Turtle Shell Properties Something for every size, every style, and every budget. Stay YOUR ...

Guest: Jill Clark, the owner of the Coastal Home Store, discussing her beautiful products, Seasonal Style Boxes, and the Style Services she and her team offer. At the time of the interview, Coastal Home Store was located in a cute little cottage in Hampstead but has now relocated to Surf City. Find and Follow Coastal Home Store on Facebook and Instagram! Phone: (910) 821-1390 Email: coastalhomestore@gmail.com Website: coastalhomestore.com Location: 13500 NC Hwy 50, Ste 101, Surf City, NC 28445...

Guest: Catherine McDowell, the Executive Director of the nonprofit, Roots, an organization that serves homeless women and children. She discusses Roots as a place where women are equipped with tools like financial literacy, life skills, and job training. Editor: Jim Mendes-Pouget | jimpouget@gmail.com Send Christa a message! Please leave your contact information if you’d like a response. Turtle Shell Properties Something for every size, every style, and every budget. Stay YOUR way on Topsail I...