The Gorge Connected Podcast: Recent Episodes
Gorge Media
Connecting the people who live in or around the Columbia Gorge with the business owners and creatives of the Gorge.
We're back with another episode! Matt Cole from DirectLine IT has taken over host of the show and today he sat down with his good friend Lisa Farquharson of The Dalles Chamber of Commerce.
Lisa is a big supportor of local business and community development. Her passion for business deveolpment has led her to her role of CEO of the The Dalles Chamber of Commerce. In today's episode, Matt and Lisa go over all things small business and the kinds of resources the chamber offers to its community memebers and its business owners!
From The DallesChamber.com
"THIS CHAMBER MEANS BUSINESS! Mission & Strategic Objectives To provide value to our members through advocacy and leadership, promoting a positive environment for business, tourism, community, and education. By being the voice of business, promoting collaboration and helping members grow."
After a long corona virus hiatus, THE SHOW IS BACK! In today's episode I sat down with a good friend and client of mine, Matt Cole, owner of DirectLine-IT in Hood River.
Matt and I have been talking about this show for some time and we've decided its time for us to come together on this show and bring in some businesses we'd like to learn more about and work with! This episode is packed with lots of good info on Matt and our plans for this show!
In this episode I spoke to Sam Rodgers, Owner of Local Rhoots. Local Rhoots is a small business here in the Gorge that provides ready to go meals for yourself and family. What makes Sam's business unique is she sources products from other local businesses AND uses reusable packaging. Combine that with that really good recipes, your family will be eating good while supporting the community!
From www.localrhoots.com
"Think globally, act locally, impact the world through our community.
On the surface, Local Rhoots is a meal delivery service using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible, creating jobs within the community and delivering in reusable packaging. Essentially, we feed humans whole food that tastes awesome.
For many customers, the service we provide delivers way beyond their expectations, but for those who want a deeper understanding of how our local choices effect the world, we encourage you to take a short journey with us.
With an ever present passion for food and a desperate need to create more time for herself and her family, Sam began designing weekly meal plans with prep guides to feed her own household. She quickly realized that this was a missing component in the lives of many busy families and there was an opportunity to help others by sharing those meals plans; Eating Clean, Cooking Dirty was born.
Two years in and she was getting so many requests from people to do the meal prep for them that she decided to test out the idea. But, it had to be deeper than just a meal delivery service. Sam wants to make an impact in her community and in the world. That's where the "Local" part come in.
Eating locally is good for our bodies.
Buying locally is good for our community.
Working locally creates jobs in the community we serve.
Sam and Local Rhoots is dedicated to these three core values, seeking to impact the world through the community we live in. "
Driving down Oak Street in downtown Hood River, chances are you've seen a bunch of families hanging out on a corner or laid out across the park, all enjoying some ice cream and family time. We'll in this episode I sit down with Cecily Diffin, the "CFO" of The Ruddy Duck and Mikes Ice Cream. Her and Her family came to Hood River years ago and helped establish one of Hood River's favorite places to visit while in town. Cecily has been here since she was just a child and has seen the shift of what Hood River used to be to what it is now and shes got a lot of great insight in her community. You guys are going to love her story as well as her families.
The Ruddy Duck
504 Oak St, Hood River, OR 97031
www.shoptheruddyduck.com
Mikes Ice Cream
504 Oak St, Hood River, OR 97031
If you've ever driven up or down the Columbia River Gorge, chances are you've seen a sign for a Windermere Realtor. Well in this episode, I sat down with the owner of Columbia River Gorge Windermere, Kim, for a one on one chat to find out about the person behind the business. We discussed her upbringing, her profession, her love for her family, her passions, but most importantly her community. If you ever wanted to learn about the company and person behind the yard signs, this is the episode to listen to.
From www.bodaskitchen.com/
"Boda’s Kitchen is a gourmet delicatessen, market and catering company. We are passionate about using high quality, seasonal ingredients sourced locally when possible. The Pacific Northwest and particularly the Columbia Gorge is bountiful with ingredients. From wild-caught salmon to the ripest cherries and pears, there is little reason to look elsewhere for tasty food.
Comfort Gourmet:
Everyone has their own favorite foods that bring them back to that happy place. At Boda’s, we try to help you find that place by creating such classic dishes using simple, fresh ingredients and adding some excitement. We do not shy away from flavor!"
Open Daily 11 am - 7 pm
404 Oak street.
Hood River, OR 97031
I sat down with Kate Schroeder, the Executive Director of the Hood River Chamber of Commerce. We speak about the current happenings in the Hood River community and the brand new Hood River Market Place that is available to small businesses.
A short episode talking business marketing strategies using social media during and after COVID.
From Brimstoneboulders.com
"We’ve chosen to live in the Gorge for two main reasons:
THE OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND & THE PEOPLE And we live in the Pacific Northwest. It rains. It gets dark. The wind dies. The trails turn to mud. The snow turns to mashed potatoes.
We love our coffee and IPAs as much as anyone, but we believe this community deserves a place to gather, form and get a workout that doesn’t feel like a chore.
We love climbing and we believe wholeheartedly in its ability to form strong friendships and facilitate personal growth, but, whether you call yourself a climber or just want a fun way to stay in shape for your passion, hang with your friends or earn your beer, this space is for you.
Above all else, we’ve made a commitment to be of and for this community. Come. Join us."
Solstice Wood Fire Cafe & Bar
Located at
501 Portway Ave.
Hood River, OR 97031
Ph: (541) 436-0800
website: www.solsticewoodfirecafe.com/
About Aaron
Growing up in the “Farm to Table” mecca of Berkeley, California, Aaron Baumhackl was raised to appreciate artisan and locally grown foods from an early age (Alice Water’s community garden began at his junior high school). At the age of 14, Aaron began his culinary profession at Oliveto in Oakland, CA, starting with pizzas and working his way up the kitchen line.
After mastering every station at Oliveto, he moved to Chicago and helped Chef Carol Wallick open Deleece in 1992. At age 26, longing for an outdoor and river-running lifestyle, he went back to school (Prescott College), to receive a Bachelors in Wilderness Therapy. Aaron took a ten-year break from cooking and managed a non-profit program leading activities for people of all different abilities in wilderness settings.
After starting a family and moving to Hood River, Aaron combined his passions by opening a wood fired pizza restaurant, with the amazing Columbia River Gorge as a back-drop. Aaron finds great joy in both directly working with farmers and foragers and being an integral part of the Gorge community. Aaron’s great skill is his ability to effortlessly create connection. Connection between the places where our food is grown, raised, and foraged, with the cooks who transform the ingredients, in addition to the guests who eat the meals, and especially the connection with all who sit at our Solstice tables.
"Story Gorge LLC is based in the Columbia River Gorge and focuses on amplifying worthy stories through video production, still photography and media education. We collaborate to tell compelling stories that evoke empathy and action and empower others to do the same.
Story Gorge seeks to serve the "Triple Bottom Line" This means that in everything we do, there are multiple benefits worked into the job for the client, the community, and the sustainability of our social enterprise. The client receives a high quality finished product while we work to serve worthy causes. Social, environmental and educational responsibility is at the heart of our work. Both our clients and our team can rest assured that the art we collectively create will do more than tell a good story, it will inevitably make the world a better place.
The company was founded by Sean O’Connor, who started his career as a professional photographer in 2001. The first couple of years were spent as a nomadic rock climber, traveling the country to have epic adventures and document them. Sean’s formal education included The National Outdoor Leadership School, Prescott College Adventure Education Program, and The Rocky Mountain School of Photography. Along the way, he began selling adventure-based images to magazines such as Climbing Magazine, Outside Magazine, and High Country News as well as providing services for non profit and commercial clients.
Sean established a studio in Portland, Oregon in 2005, and continued growing his company, then called “Freesolo Photography - Conservation Through Adventure Expeditions”. His publications grew to include Smithsonian and his awards included placing in a National Geographic Adventure photo contest. By 2009 Sean expanded his offerings into video and immediately began filming for clients. Sean’s film accomplishments include honored contributor to a Northwest Regional Emmy Award for his work with Oregon Public Broadcasting and credits in international adventure film festivals.
From 2013-2015 Sean served as the Outreach and Strategic Coordinator for the community programs of The ReBuilding Center in Portland,OR. In that time, Sean developed a community impact film program that worked to secure over $100,000 in grants, and in kind support to build a focus on impact storytelling within the organization. The program hosted over 20 volunteer filmmakers, photographers and other creatives all working together to build community from the neighborhood level.
In Fall 2016, Sean established a new business located in the Columbia River Gorge called “Story Gorge”. Story Gorge exists to strategically tell impact stories and provide extensive media education to youth and adults in the Columbia River Gorge. By January 2018 the business grew and Katie O’Connor joined in the family business. Together they built a company that uses story to produce high-quality films for impact and inspiration. Now in its 3rd year, Story Gorge has educated over 1,000 students and produced stories for organizations large and small."
"Tracy Bech is a multi-passionate serial entrepreneur. Having started, run, and sold 2 successful businesses, she now is dedicated to helping businesses reach their goals, optimize their operations and better manage their teams as well as organizing and facilitating CEO Forums. These are groups of CEOs in the same industry who come together to share best practices, analyze finances and review each other's operations.
Her past businesses include a 6 figure web development agency, a 7 figure ecommerce retail website. Currently she runs Good Path Consulting and is the inventor of peeLUX - a device that allows women to more easily use the ladies' room while wearing shapewear.
Tracy is a wife and mom of 2 kids living in the beautiful Hood River, Oregon. When she’s not obsessing over business topics, she’s biking, skiing or sailing in the gorgeous Columbia River Gorge."
My interviews got postponed due to the Covid-19 virus, but no worries! In this episode I offer up some free advice for those businesses who are brick and mortar, who have now become social media based businesses.
I sat down with the owners of 64oz Taphouse in Hood River, OR. You guys can check them out on instagram at @64taphouse or on Facebook at @sixty4oz
Be sure to swing by for one of their many beers or for a glass of wine. You can find them in town at 208 Oak Street Hood River, Oregon 97031 (541) 436-HOPS (4677)
I sat down for a 1 on 1 conversation with Cara McNulty. She is a local resident here in the upper Hood River Valley and she runs 5 separate businesses.