Building Bellingham Podcast
Telling the stories of the business owners & entrepreneurs who are Building Bellingham. Let's chat about having Leo on your show!
Do you have a podcast that talks about all things small business, marketing, community entrepreneurship and branding? Reach out to our team at [email protected]
09/03/2024
Season SIX is just around the corner, so if you joined us just recently, it's time to get a refresher on all the stories we heard back in Season 5!
RE-RELEASE: SEASON 5 EPISODE 6: Matt Mini - Funky's Hot Sauce Factory
Meet Matt Mini, THE Funky of Funky's Hot Sauce; he's a master of creating artisanal hot sauces with a zing of garlic or a fruit-forward sweetness that still packs a lot of heat. In this episode, we hear about his years of developing recipes, how he moved from kitchen to kitchen (and how narrow the temperature range has to be for fermented foods), about the Carolina Reaper sauce that won the 2022 Screaming Mimi award and catapulted his hot sauces into national recognition, and how Stellar Fuzz made it onto Season 23 of Hot Ones.
Listen to the episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4LsfeFmITSqA03RdBpHDUt
08/30/2024
Season SIX is just around the corner, so if you joined us just recently, it's time to get a refresher on all the stories we heard back in Season 5!
RE-RELEASE: SEASON 5 EPISODE 5: Charmae Scheffer - Rover Stay Over
Meet Charmae Scheffer; she's a high-energy people lover with a passion for caring for dogs while their parents are at work or on vacation. In this episode, we hear how Charmae juggled raising seven kids while growing a fledgling business, how the Whatcom County zoning code changed due to the Scheffers' efforts, and how Charmae works to develop the next generation of hard workers who will be an asset anywhere they go.
Listen to the episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4clMrcJjmCsdH7oQ5AzK5j
08/28/2024
Season SIX is just around the corner, so if you joined us just recently, it's time to get a refresher on all the stories we heard back in Season 5!
RE-RELEASE: SEASON 5 EPISODE 4: Andi Vann - Pure Bliss Desserts
Meet Andi Vann; she's a high-energy dessert aficionado with a passion for giving joy to others through yummy treats. In this episode, we hear how she left a corporate consulting job to work as an independent baker, how she and Nick renovated their cafe on a shoestring budget, and how she approaches each day with a customer-first mindset.
Listen to the episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4gVBigD0y3zPb7JsyA3aKo
08/27/2024
Season SIX is just around the corner, so if you joined us just recently, it's time to get a refresher on all the stories we heard back in Season 5!
RE-RELEASE: SEASON 5 EPISODE 3: Clarito Zapanta - IAJ Media
Meet Clarito Zapanta; he's a filmmaker, director and executive producer with an affinity for Air Jordans and a passion for creating TV and feature film productions right here in Bellingham. In this episode, we hear how he and Kristina grew IAJ Media from a marketing agency into a full-time film studio, how he dug deep into personal development, and about how he created an entire world for his film in progress: Egress.
Listen to the episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MFN12uUgIGaFwetXkKOAb
08/26/2024
Season SIX is just around the corner, so if you joined us just recently, it's time to get a refresher on all the stories we heard back in Season 5!
RE-RELEASE: SEASON 5 EPISODE 2: Emile Diffley - Banter Hospitality
Meet Emile Diffley; he's the 28 year-old owner of Banter Hospitality, a counter-service restaurant known for its bright atmosphere and iconic breakfast burrito. In this episode, we learn about Emile's history working in different cities, his passion for quality food and smooth operations, and the challenges to providing a unique-yet-familiar food experience in Bellingham.
Listen to the episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4YKpAnAvkq80F5gB4U7Cc0
08/21/2024
Season SIX is just around the corner, so if you joined us just recently, it's time to get a refresher on all the stories we heard back in Season 5!
RE-RELEASE: SEASON 5 EPISODE 1: Brad Wilske ~ Lost Giants Cider Co.
We're joined in the studio by Brad Wilske, co-owner of Lost Giants Cider Co. In this episode, we learn about the difference between cider apples and culinary apples, the cost of installing a canning line, and weighing the cost and reach of distribution. Brad goes into the mindset of "we're all janitors" and how he sold his home to fund the endeavor.
Listen here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1bNi8yfEhgbtKKMy2c1JUJ
One of Leo’s favorite questions: how do you deal with those one-star reviews?
Leo and Chas talk all things reviews, the customer experience, and creating artisanal tacos for Bellingham in Episode 8 of Season 5.
05/10/2024
SEASON 5 FINALE ~ Chas Kubis of Black Sheep Bellingham and Goat Mountain Restaurant & Bar
Meet Chas Kubis. Serial entrepreneur and iconic Bellingham restaurateur, he's the driving force behind Black Sheep's fried chicken tacos and the guy that bar staff call on when an oven breaks at 7:30 on a Friday night. In this episode, he talks hard conversations, the incubation space of multiple restaurant concepts, the early days of breweries & food trucks in Bellingham, and the vibe of Restaurant Row on Holly St.
Listen:
🎙 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/57z8BDChFhQHV8dTzuIUgO
🎙 APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chas-kubis-black-sheep-bham-goat-mountain-pizza-season/id1473399789?i=1000655205539
🎥 YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5hKzhKeIbw
The story behind how Doc Swinson's appeared on the top podcast in the country - catch the episode to hear how a purchase in Atlanta impacted a distillery right here in Whatcom County.
03/22/2024
SEASON 5 EPISODE 7: Jesse Parker of Doc Swinson's
Meet Jesse Parker, Master Blender at the Doc Swinson's American whiskey brand. In this episode, we hear how a 20-something won a national gin award, how a small business that began with ten casks has grown to an operation with thousands of casks, how a small distillery in Ferndale is ranking - and winning - in national and international industry competitions, and how imagination, commitment to quality, and a vision for American whiskey is driving everything that happens at Doc Swinson's.
Enjoy:
🎙 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0OOsJNIl0Y9lpttPtOMFXF
🎥 YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2JEIo373i4
We're the same team you know and love, still doing real estate differently.
Introducing the Bellingham Real Estate Company.
03/07/2024
Introducing the Bellingham Real Estate Co. || For nearly a decade, Building Bellingham host Leo Cohen has been a real estate broker and in recent years, the owner of and team leader at the Cohen Group NW.
As of TODAY, the team has transformed into a brokerage!
As the Cohen Group NW, our crew has sold hundreds of homes in Whatcom and Skagit Counties, with a large percentage of them right here in Bellingham.
The Building Bellingham Podcast has been part of the Cohen Group's mission to "do real estate differently" for the last 5 years. Leo launched the podcast in 2019 to interview local entrepreneurs; our show is nearing the end of its fifth season and recently hit 13,000 all-time downloads.
In early 2021, we developed LiveBellinghamNow, a series of hyper local videos and social media posts that highlight Bellingham events, small businesses, and nonprofits. This Instagram platform recently reached 2,000 followers. Along the way, we’ve consistently hosted local charity giving drives, and donated funds from each home sale compensation to charity:water, an international nonprofit that partners with regional and local water organizations to provide access to clean, safe water.
Now as the owner of Bellingham’s newest real estate firm, Leo Cohen aims to continue his efforts to support the local small business and nonprofit community. Bellingham Real Estate Co. is located at the north edge of the Fountain District, across the street from the Meridian Haggen, and we welcome your real estate inquiries and referrals.
02/23/2024
SEASON 5 EPISODE 6: Matt Mini ~ Funky's Hot Sauce Factory
Meet Matt Mini, THE Funky of Funky's Hot Sauce; he's a master of creating artisanal hot sauces with a zing of garlic or a fruit-forward sweetness - that still pack a lot of heat.
In this episode, we hear about his years of developing recipes, how he moved from kitchen to kitchen (and how narrow the temperature range has to be for fermented foods), about the Carolina Reaper sauce that won the 2022 Screaming Mimi award and catapulted his hot sauces into national recognition, and how Stellar Fuzz made it onto Season 23 of Hot Ones.
Enjoy:
🎙 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4LsfeFmITSqA03RdBpHDUt
🎙 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/matt-mini-funkys-hot-sauce-season-5-episode-6/id1473399789?i=1000646634638
🎥 YouTube: https://youtu.be/7pC20VjqIbY
01/30/2024
Happiest of Birthdays to our fearless leader, phenomenal podcast host, killer agent, and all around amazing person that we get to work with that is Leo. His passion and drive inspire us daily, and we're excited to spend another year of awesome alongside him. Happy Birthday, Leo! 🎊🎉🎈
In S5S5, Charmae talks about the importance of choosing a dog that fits your lifestyle-and how daycare can help fill the gaps.
01/19/2024
SEASON 5 EPISODE 5: Charmae Scheffer ~ Rover Stay Over & The Puget Hound
Meet Charmae Scheffer; she's a high-energy people lover with a passion for caring for dogs while their people are at work or on vacation. In this episode, we hear how Charmae juggled raising seven kids while growing a fledgling business, how the Whatcom County zoning code changed due to the Scheffers' efforts, and how Charmae works to develop the next generation of hard workers who will be an asset anywhere they go.
🎥 YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTEqh4zg4ds
🎙 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4clMrcJjmCsdH7oQ5AzK5j
🎙 APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/charmae-scheffer-rover-stay-over-puget-hound/id1473399789?i=1000642263449
12/20/2023
SEASON 5 EPISODE 4: Andi Vann of Pure Bliss Desserts
Meet Andi Vann; she's a high-energy dessert aficionado with a passion for bringing joy to others through yummy treats. In this episode, we hear how she left a corporate consulting job to work as an independent baker, how she and Nick renovated their cafe on a shoestring budget, and how she approaches each day with a customer-first mindset.
Enjoy the episode:
🎙SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4gVBigD0y3zPb7JsyA3aKo
🎙APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/andi-vann-pure-bliss-desserts-season-5-episode-4/id1473399789?i=1000639251429
🎥 YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAqyvfveP_Q
12/01/2023
Hey Building Bellingham, Taylor here. Just wanted to hop on to share that today is our podcast producer and amazing human, Tiffany's 30th birthday!
We're so grateful to have someone as amazing as her as part of our team, and hope that today marks another incredible decade of Tiff. 🎉
Happy Birthday, Tiffany!
11/17/2023
SEASON 5 EPISODE 3: Clarito Zapanta of IAJ Media
Meet Clarito Zapanta; he's a filmmaker, director and executive producer with an affinity for Air Jordans and a passion for creating TV and feature film productions right here in Bellingham. In this episode, we hear how he and Kristina grew IAJ Media from a marketing agency into a full-time film studio, how he dug deep into personal development, and about how he created an entire world for his film in progress: Egress.
Enjoy the episode:
🎙SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MFN12uUgIGaFwetXkKOAb
🎙APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clarito-zapanta-iaj-media-season-5-episode-3/id1473399789?i=1000635206546
🎥 YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H611W-CMLH8
10/18/2023
SEASON 5 EPISODE 2: Emile Diffley ~ Banter Hospitality
Meet Emile Diffley; he's the 28 year-old owner of Banter Hospitality, a counter-service restaurant known for its bright atmosphere and iconic breakfast burrito. In this episode, we learn about Emile's history working in different cities, his passion for quality food and smooth operations, and the challenges to providing a unique-yet-familiar food experience in Bellingham.
🎙 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4YKpAnAvkq80F5gB4U7Cc0
🎙 APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emile-diffley-banter-hospitality-season-5-episode-2/id1473399789?i=1000631786557
🎥 YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RluonZ8DlM0
There are so many ways to uplift members of our community, ways to advocate for change for those that need it, and movements of dedicating time to help a community.
It takes work, and these five organizations are doing just that to make a change and an impact across different generations and groups throughout Bellingham.
Welcome to Nonprofit November; a month of highlighting five amazing organizations every Wednesday starting November 1st.
Featuring:
📍 BAAY Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth aka BAAY!
📍 Northwest Youth Services
📍 The AIROW Project: Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation of Whatcom County
📍 Make.Shift Art Space
📍 Lighthouse Mission Ministries
We hope you feel inspired by the stories of these organizations, and see how your support of them helps them to make an impact right here in our community.
10/02/2023
(Shhhhhh Leo doesn't know I'm posting this.)
Congrats to our host on this recognition from the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and local professional community. You do so much for our community and we're proud of you!
For the debut episode of Season 5 of the Building Bellingham Podcast, Leo sat down with Co-Founder/Owner of Lost Giants Cider Company, Brad Wilske, to talk about the story of Lost Giants and how they came to be the company we all know and love today.
Lost Giants makes incredible hard cider, so we figured why not take a visit to the Lost Giants taproom and enjoy a couple of flights with what they’ve currently got on tap for everyone to enjoy. 🍎🥂
Cider tasting comin’ atcha tomorrow! 🍏
-
SEASON 5 EPISODE 1 of Building Bellingham Podcast: Brad Wilske of Lost Giants Cider Company.
In this episode, we learn about the difference between cider apples and culinary apples, the cost of installing a canning line, and weighing the cost and reach of distribution. Brad goes into the mindset of "we're all janitors" and how he sold his home to fund the endeavor.
Find the episode anywhere you listen to your podcasts, and don’t forget to subscribe to the show for future episodes!
09/22/2023
SEASON 5 EPISODE 1: Brad Wilske ~ Lost Giants Cider Company
In this episode, we learn about the difference between cider apples and culinary apples, the cost of installing a canning line, and weighing the cost and reach of distribution. Brad goes into the mindset of "we're all janitors" and how he sold his home to fund the endeavor.
It's all right here in our Season 5 premiere.:
🎙Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1bNi8yfEhgbtKKMy2c1JUJ
🎙Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brad-wilske-lost-giants-cider-co-season-5-premiere/id1473399789?i=1000628859820
🎥YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqToJzPkvDY
09/08/2023
Welcome to September, and welcome to SEASON FIVE of the Building Bellingham Podcast!
Meet the crew: Leo Cohen.
The "Cohen" in Cohen Group NW, Leo is the dreamer and doer behind everything that our team has built these 5+ years. From closing dozens of houses a year to coaching agents in their businesses, to coordinating podcasts guests and drinking beer with our listeners, Leo gets after it. He's the energy and drive behind this whole show, and it wouldn't exist without him.
Outside of work, Leo enjoys playing pickleball, improving his golf game, and most of all, spending time with his wife Emily and baby girl Brynne (AKA "da bebe" in our team's text threads).
09/07/2023
Welcome to September, and welcome to SEASON FIVE of the Building Bellingham Podcast!
Meet the crew: Tiffany Holden.
Tiffany has been with CGNW since 2019 and is one of those catch-all admins that figure things out and make things work (except the printer - she's hopeless there). From scheduling video shoots to coordinating the marketing efforts between our various brands to setting up the podcast studio, she's the sometimes-grumpy gets-ish-done woman that keeps it all color-coded on our calendars.
Outside of work, Tiff dreams up more events than any one person can host, volunteers at church, and has read 56 books YTD.
09/06/2023
Welcome to September, and welcome to SEASON FIVE of the Building Bellingham Podcast!
Meet the crew: Cooper Hansley.
Cooper has been part of the Cohen Group stretching back to when it was more "Cohen" and almost no "Group" and had the original idea to create a community podcast. Around here, he does all things video - from cinematic listing videos and soaring drone shots to short-form highlights.
Outside of work, our "man-behind-the-camera" enjoys life in north Seattle, hanging out with friends, and visiting Mi Ranchos when he's in town.
From its humble beginnings in a small alley between two businesses to the several closed down streets for a massive gathering, Downtown Sounds is one of Bellingham's biggest events of the year, put on by the Downtown Bellingham Partnership. This music festival takes place for five straight weeks of the summer on Wednesday evenings, and takes up a few blocks of Downtown's Holly, Prospect and Bay streets to accommodate their food court, beer garden, performance stage, and the crowd that fills the festival every year.
As we approach their 20th Anniversary next year, Jed and our team sat down with members of the Partnership, Lindsey and Nathalie, to dive into the history of Downtown Sounds as an event, as well as what it takes to set the stage for this infamous summer show.
Welcome to "Setting the Stage: The Making of Downtown Sounds", a LiveBellinghamNow project in collaboration with the Downtown Bellingham Partnership. 🔊🎶🎸
Watch the full mini-documentary here: https://youtu.be/1xbu7m_oqMw?si=L5gmr1xadAz7pIMo
08/24/2023
SEASON 4 FINALE RE-RELEASE: Downtown Bellingham Partnership ~ Executive Director Alice Clark and Program Director Lindsey Payne Johnstone
Executive Director Alice Clark and Program Director Lindsey Payne Johnstone joined us to tell about the role DBP plays in keeping our downtown core vibrant and thriving. The Downtown Bellingham Partnership (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) is famous for its events - First Fridays, Wine Walk, and especially the iconic Downtown Sounds, a free-admission outdoor concert series which draws thousands of people and closes three city blocks over five Wednesdays in the summer. (Stay tuned for our team's documentary launching August 25!)
But the DBP crew is responsible for so much more: administrating micro grants for storefront improvements, public art efforts, graffiti cleanup, spring floral baskets, and safety patrols. Over the past three years, they've also seen their role expand further into business development support and advocacy, including networking with other downtown organizations down the I-5 corridor. We talked about the fentanyl crisis, how the empty office buildings mean less breakfast & lunchtime foot traffic for small businesses, and the emotional work of advocating for their constituents.
🔶 DBP provides two information-rich newsletters, one for general interest and one for business news. You can read past issues and subscribe here: https://www.downtownbellingham.com/newsletters
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0NtrxWLtXvJeIh7XqjjaTK
APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/alice-clark-and-lindsey-payne-johnstone-downtown/id1473399789?i=1000610129224
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0hPZ5pR9CY
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Welcome to Building Bellingham
Building Bellingham is a podcast & a community. It’s hosted by Leo Cohen of the Cohen Group NW, a community-focused & relationship-oriented team of real estate agents.
Episodes go into the backstory behind the brand. We sit in a room with owners of large local businesses and hear how those businesses were built from the ground up. Ray Deck III told us about how he pivoted into Founding Director of Skookum Kids after a layoff; Wes Herman told us how Woods Coffee began as a family educational project; Anne-Marie Faiola explains how making soap was a welcome relief from her day (night?) job as a corrections officer long before Bramble berry was a formal business.
Along the way, these leaders share the lessons learned through their story, and how they made decisions, how they failed, and advice they would give to newer entrepreneurs.
You can listen to past episodes here and subscribe on Spotify, iTunes or wherever you listen to your podcast content.
PIVOT
Currently in our #Pivot series, Leo is speaking with local business owners and other community members almost daily and streaming those conversations right onto this page. We’re hearing in-the-moment discussions on how small business owners in our area are shifting their businesses to match a changing world.
Videos (show all)
Category
Contact the public figure
Telephone
Address
Bellingham, WA
98226
Logic and the Bible
Bellingham, 98229
This is the Community page for the Logic and the Bible Podcast: A fluidly pragmatic quest for truth
Young and Indigenous
1111 W Holly Street
Bellingham, 98225
https://bio.site/yaipodcast Young and Indigenous Podcast is produced by Roy Alexander, Wykeklyaa CurleyBear, Free Borsey, Cyrus James, Haley Rapada, and Elli Smith
BarnCat Radio
Bellingham, 98226
The Public Face, for Facebook, of the Internet Talk Radio Show, it's Host and The Listeners!
Love Your Waterfront
904 POTTER Street
Bellingham, 98229
Monthly podcast on KMRE 88.3 that focuses on Whatcom County Waterfront
What's The Diff Podcast
Bellingham
What's the difference? Join Keenan, Cully, and Josh as we embark on a mission to figure it out. Have an idea for a topic? Let us know!
Perfectly Acceptable Podcast by Comics Place
Bellingham
Weekly comic reviews and nonsense from the team at Bellingham's Comics Place.