Buying Local Podcast

Buying Local is a podcast dedicated to showcasing the small businesses, local food markets, and makers that make Saratoga, Warren, and Washington County shine. Hosted by Mike Nelson, each episode uncovers the fantastic goods, services, and stories hidden in your very own community. We’re here to support local economies—and spotlight the people behind the products and companies you love.Buying Local Podcast is powered by Five Towers Media.

Buying Local Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Michael Nelson, with 137 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Michael Nelson hosts Buying Local Podcast, a business show with 137 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #87

  Saratoga Comedy Festival Brings 64 Comics to Saratoga | Buying Local #87

  Aug 14, 202631 min

  Travis Stealey, comedian and founder of the Saratoga Comedy Festival, joins Buying Local to discuss his journey from bombing at open mics to producing one of the Capital Region's biggest comedy events. Travis shares insights into writing comedy, crowd work, entrepreneurship, and what attendees can expect from the Saratoga Comedy Festival on September 11-12 at the Saratoga City Center. Connect with Travis at travisstealey.com and learn more about the comedy festival at saratogacomedyfest.com . 0:00 Introduction & Saratoga Comedy Festival Overview 0:15 How Travis Stealey Got Started in Comedy 1:05 Bombing at His First Open Mic 2:23 Learning What Actually Makes People Laugh 4:00 Adapting Material to Different Crowds 5:10 The Rise of Crowd Work Comedy 6:09 Performing for Tiny Audiences 8:08 When Crowd Work Goes Too Far 9:18 A Nun on Tinder & Other Crowd Stories 11:14 How Comedians Build and Refine Material 13:11 Knowing When to Retire a Joke 15:29 Six Months of Failure Before Progress 16:35 Mentorship, The Comedy Bible & Getting Better 19:24 Why Travis Didn't Quit Comedy 22:06 Launching the Saratoga Comedy Festival 23:12 Festival Format, Headliners & What to Expect 25:16 64 Comics, Local Talent & National Acts 28:40 Tickets, Promotions & Festival Details 29:58 Managing the Logistics of a Major Comedy Event 30:27 Final Thoughts & Event Information Want more Buying Local?Website: buyinglocal.us Facebook: facebook.com/buyinglocalny Instagram: instagram.com/buyinglocalny Twitter/X: x.com/buyinglocalny LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/buyinglocal #SaratogaComedyFestival #TravisStealey #BuyingLocal #ComedyPodcast #SaratogaSprings

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  Episode #86

  Don Lehman: Why Local Media & Journalism Still Matter | Buying Local #86

  Aug 7, 202623 min

  Join host Mike Nelson as he sits down with Don Lehman, a Freelance Writer of 30+ Years and Director of Public Affairs for Warren County, New York, to discuss the evolution of local journalism and PR. Don shares his incredible journey from spending 27 years at the Post Star to managing critical county communications and doing PR for Kelly's Angels. Connect with Don Lehman on LinkedIn and learn more about Kelly's Angels at kellysangelsinc.org . 0:00 Mike Nelson introduces Don Lehman 1:22 Reflecting on a 27-year career & the decline of print news 3:08 How Don's past reporting inspired Buying Local 4:27 The power of local business blogs 6:08 Dealing with the fragmentation of local news 7:32 Don’s introduction to sports journalism 8:17 Getting involved with Mark Mulholland and Kelly's Angels 9:47 How Kelly's Angels provides scholarships and grants to families in need 11:53 Shifting out of COVID-19 protocols 13:48 Overcoming obstacles with press releases 15:46 Building two-way relationships with local media 17:12 Why accuracy must take priority over speed in government public relations 18:03 Handling tragic news stories 20:02 The strict deadlines of daily print journalism 20:57 Where to find Don 22:09 Final thoughts and episode wrap-up Want more Buying Local? Website: buyinglocal.us Facebook: facebook.com/buyinglocalny Instagram: instagram.com/buyinglocalny Twitter/X: x.com/buyinglocalny LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/buyinglocal/ #BuyingLocal #LocalJournalism #PublicRelations #WarrenCountyNY #SmallBusinessSupport

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  Episode #85

  Building Community Through Music, Marketing & Mental Health | Buying Local #85

  Jul 31, 202631 min

  How is AI reshaping local marketing, SEO, and the future of community building? In this episode of Buying Local, Mike Nelson sits down with Chuck Copenspire, Digital Marketing Consultant at Copenspire Unlimited and founder of the MindBlown Music Festival, to discuss AI search, Google Business Profiles, authentic branding, and why human connection matters more than ever. They also explore the growing local music scene in Glens Falls, how independent festivals are creating opportunities for emerging bands, and why music, storytelling, and community events can become powerful tools for mental health awareness and local economic growth. Learn more about Chuck and his various projects at chuckcopenspire.com . 00:00 - Introduction & MindBlown Festival recap 01:00 - Why Buying Local started a print publication 03:00 - Chuck discovers the power of earned media 04:45 - The story behind MindBlown Music Festival 06:00 - Organizing a grassroots music festival 08:20 - Mental health, suicide prevention & community connection 10:00 - Why loneliness is growing despite social media 12:05 - Building belonging through music and local events 14:00 - Lessons learned from year two of the festival 16:20 - Local music scene, Roblox Tycoon & young musicians 18:05 - What's next for MindBlown Festival Year Three 19:35 - Chuck's marketing career and Identity Pending 22:00 - AI SEO, Google Business Profiles & the future of search 25:40 - Authentic marketing vs AI-generated content 28:25 - Why supporting artists still matters in the AI era 29:45 - Where to find Chuck Copenspire & final thoughts Want more Buying Local? Website: buyinglocal.us Facebook: facebook.com/buyinglocalny Instagram: instagram.com/buyinglocalny Twitter/X: x.com/buyinglocalny LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/buyinglocal/ #LocalBusiness #DigitalMarketing #SEO #AISearch #BuyingLocal

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  Episode #84

  How 2 Local Business Owners Fed 600 Families | Buying Local #84

  Jul 24, 202626 min

  Discover how local entrepreneurs Ryan Holderman and Chris Mastantuono turned a grassroots Thanksgiving food drive into a massive community movement that fed over 3,000 people. In this episode, host Mike Nelson explores the inspiring launch of their brand-new nonprofit, 518 Great, a charity dedicated to providing year-round hope for the community. Tune in to uncover the chaotic logistics behind their massive giving efforts and learn about their upcoming charity Color Run and Back to School backpack drive. Check out Ryan's business, The Gym, 518 at thegym518.com and Chris's ventures at hecarshoppeny.com and requalify360.com . 0:00 Introduction of Chris and Ryan. 1:00 Chris’s entrepreneurial background and ventures. 2:01 Ryan’s history, background, and The Gym 518. 3:24 The origins of the Thanksgiving turkey drive. 5:18 Community kids helping assemble the food boxes. 6:15 The logistics of organizing tractor-trailers full of food. 7:32 Announcing the launch of the 518 Great nonprofit. 9:28 Details on the upcoming charity 5K Color Run. 10:00 Planning the Back to School backpack initiative. 12:00 Navigating the challenges of setting up a new nonprofit. 14:34 How busy business owners find the time to help the community. 16:49 What to expect at the upcoming Color Run event. 18:15 Sourcing massive amounts of food from local stores like Walmart and Hannaford. 21:13 Brainstorming future holiday toy drives and parades. 23:59 The mission to help families year-round beyond the holidays. 25:02 Final thoughts and how viewers can get involved. Discover more Buying Local Website: buyinglocal.us Facebook: facebook.com/buyinglocalny Instagram: instagram.com/buyinglocalny Twitter: x.com/buyinglocalny LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/buyinglocal #BuyingLocal #518Great #CommunitySupport #LocalBusiness #CharityRun

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  Episode #83

  How David Globerson Built a Career as a Full-Time Illustrator | Buying Local #83

  Jul 17, 202636 min

  Meet David F. Globerson, founder of DFG Illustration, as he shares how he built a full-time career creating custom pet portraits, fine art, brewery labels, children's book illustrations, and more. He also discusses the future of artists in an AI-driven world, why human-made artwork still matters, and how relationships helped grow his business in Upstate New York. Learn more about David and commission artwork at www.dfgillustration.com . 0:00 Introduction to David F. Globerson & DFG Illustration 0:43 Becoming a full-time commission illustrator 2:21 How pet portraits unexpectedly became a business 5:00 Creating meaningful artwork for clients 6:00 Gallery shows, original artwork & commissions 7:10 Building DFG Illustration during the pandemic 9:48 Dave's portrait painting process from photo to canvas 12:42 Improving the client experience through better systems 14:03 The pressure of delivering meaningful artwork 16:04 How long custom paintings actually take 18:22 Beer labels, children's books & saying yes to opportunities 21:51 Networking and growing through relationships 25:29 Why human-created art matters in the age of AI 32:48 The future of DFG Illustration 34:34 Where to find David and his artwork Follow Buying Local: Website: buyinglocal.us Facebook: facebook.com/BuyingLocalNY Instagram: instagram.com/BuyingLocalNY Twitter/X: x.com/BuyingLocalNY LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/buyinglocal/ #BuyingLocal #DFGIllustration #PetPortraits #Illustration #UpstateNY

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