12 Tips for Navigating Tariffs: A Guide for Main Street Businesses
In this episode, host Matt Wagner provides practical guidance for small business owners facing the challenges of new and potential international tariffs.
PODCAST
Listen Now
Highlighting Main Street Entrepreneurs
Learn about the innovative ways businesses have overcome adversity, whether it’s starting a new enterprise or keeping a multi-generation business alive, and the advice they have for others on how to keep their businesses on track.
Hear From Businesses Making it On Main Street
Each week, join host Matt Wagner, Ph.D., as he travels the country and takes a deep dive into the personal journeys of downtown and neighborhood entrepreneurs — the stories that far too often go unheard.
Recent Episodes
Small Business Predictions for 2025
In this episode, Matt Wagner breaks down seven key predictions that will impact Main Street businesses and entrepreneurs in 2025.
Selling a Small Business, The Monogram Shoppe
In this episode, host Matt Wagner sits down with Dottie Lange and Dottie McQuade of The Monogram Shoppe in Woodbury, New Jersey to discuss the process and considerations that come with selling a small business.
Crowdfunding for Small Businesses, Maine Downtown Conference Panel
In this episode, recorded in front of a live audience at the Maine Downtown Conference in November 2024 in Biddeford, Maine, host Matt Wagner explores the world of crowdfunding as a financing alternative for small businesses.
Phoebe and Jonathan Carpenter Eells, elSage Designs
In this episode, host Matt Wagner sits down with husband-and-wife duo, Phoebe and Jonathan Carpenter Eells, co-owners of elSage Designs in Mount Vernon, Washington.
James Langteaux, Trû North Café
In this episode, Matt and James explore the unique journey of starting a business during the pandemic, the challenges of running a small-town café, and the importance of community connection.
Dale Sexton, Dan Bailey’s Outdoor Co.
In this episode, host Matt Wagner sits down with Dale Sexton, owner of the legendary Dan Bailey's Outdoor Co. in Livingston, Montana.
Mallory Dabney, Heyday
This week on Main Street Business Insights, join host Matt Wagner for his conversation with Mallory Dabney, owner of Heyday, a home goods store in Bozeman, Montana.
Patrick Jackowski and Matt Horne, Firehouse Coffee 1881
Join host Matt Wagner for his conversation with Patrick Jackowski and Matt Horne, the duo behind Firehouse Coffee 1881, a thriving coffee shop housed in a firehouse in historic Fort Monroe, a decommissioned military compound located in Hampton, Virginia.
2024 Trend Forecast: Get Your Business Holiday-Ready
In this episode, Matt reveals the data-driven trends that will define the 2024 holiday shopping season — and shows you exactly how to leverage them for your small business.
Patrice Hull, Stuff We Wanna Say
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt interviews Patrice Hull, the owner of Stuff We Wanna Say Custom T-Shirts and Apparel and c2bn / Created to be Noticed, based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Kaycee McCoy, Pawsnickety Pets
Join host Matt Wagner as he welcomes Kaycee McCoy, co-owner and creative lead at Pawsnickety Pets in Norfolks, Virginia.
David West, Main Street South Australia
Join host Matt Wagner as he welcomes David West, director of Premier Retail Marketing and based in Adelaide, South Australia.
Tee Rowe, America’s SBDC
In this episode, Matt chats with Tee Rowe, the President and CEO of America’s Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC). The centers offer training, advice, and resources to help small business owners thrive in their communities.
Mindy Bergstrom, Cooks Emporium
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sat down with Mindy Bergstrom, owner of Cooks Emporium, Nook & Nest, Z.W. Mercantile, and The Recipe, all located in downtown Ames, Iowa.
Kristin Smith, The Wrigley Appalachian Eatery
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sat down with Kristin Smith, owner and founder of The Wrigley Appalachian Eatery in Corbin, Kentucky.
Joshua and Jared Ravenscraft, New Frontier
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt talks with Joshua and Jared Ravenscraft, co-founders of New Frontier, a sustainable apparel brand in Morehead, Kentucky.
Mileyka Burgos-Flores, Allapattah Collaborative CDC
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt talks with Mileyka Burgos-Flores, executive director of the Allapattah Collaborative CDC in Miami, Florida, the only designated Main Street community in Miami. Mileyka is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Mary Means Leadership Award.
Ross Chanowski, NuMarket
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt chats with Ross Chanowski, owner and founder of NuMarket. NuMarket is a leader in crowdfunding solutions for small businesses with a focus on food services.
Ebenezer Akakpo, Akakpo Design Group & Maine Culture
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt talks with Ebenezer Akakpo, a designer and jeweler who owns Akakpo Design Group and Maine Culture in Westbrook, Maine.
Katie Pinard and Michael Macomber, Elements: Coffee Books Beer
In this conversation, Matt explores the story of Elements: Books Coffee Beer, nestled in the heart of Biddeford, Maine, with co-owners Katie Pinard and Michael Macomber.
Alycia Levels-Moore, ASL Creative & POLARIS
In this special episode of Main Street Business Insights, recorded in front of a live audience during the Main Street Now Conference, Matt sat down with Alycia Levels-Moore, owner and founder of ASL Creative Firm and POLARIS, an event and co-working hub, based in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Art of Understanding Local Markets
In the last episode of season two of Main Street Business Insights, tune in as host Matt Wagner breaks down how to understand and synthesize local market data.
Glen Ellis, Sycamore Education and Milady Coffeehouse
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Glen Ellis, owner of Sycamore Education, Dominion Catalyst Services, and Milady Coffeehouse in Fremont, Nebraska.
Jaime Courtney and Derek King, Shoalwater Seafood, Shane Thomas, Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Jaime Courtney, President of Shoalwater Seafood, Derek King, Oyster Farm Director of Shoalwater Seafood, and Shane Thomas, Tribal Council Vice Chair of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe.
Casey Woods, Emporia Main Street
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Casey Woods, Executive Director of Emporia Main Street in Emporia, Kansas.
Nicole Fleetwood and McKinzie Hodges, Scratch Made Bakery
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Nicole Fleetwood and McKinzie Hodges, co-owners of Scratch Made Bakery in Amarillo, Texas.
Tiffany Fixter, Owner of Brewability
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Tiffany Fixter, owner of Brewability in Englewood, Colorado.
Bobby Boone, Owner of &Access
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Bobby Boone, founder and Chief Strategist of &Access
Jennifer Jones, Owner of Good Times Coal Fired Pizza & Pub
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Jennifer Jones, co-owner of Good Times Coal Fired Pizza and Pub in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.
Janet Hurn, Future Ready Consulting
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Janet Hurn, owner of Future Ready Consulting in Cincinatti, Ohio.
Cincinnati, Ohio © Janet Hurn
Derrick Braziel, Owner of Pata Roja Taqueria and MORTAR
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derrick Braziel, owner of Pata Rojas Taqueria and co-founder of MORTAR, in Cincinatti, Ohio.
2024 Predictions for Main Street Businesses
In our first episode of the season, you’ll hear from host Matt Wagner about his predictions for the small business landscape in 2024.
Browse Older Episodes
Amber Lambke, Maine Grains
In the inaugural episode of Main Street Business Insights, host Matt Wagner sat down with the co-founder and CEO of Maine Grains, Amber Lambke. Located in downtown Skowhegan, Maine,
Lindsay Goodson McDonald, Keith McDonald Plumbing
In this episode of the Main Street Business Insights podcast host Matt Wagner sat down with the CEO of Keith McDonald Plumbing in Milledgeville, Ga., Lindsay Goodson McDonald.
Anette Soto Landeros, Casa Azul Coffee
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Anette Soto Landeros, co-owner of Casa Azul Coffee and President and CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Fort Worth, Texas.
Jamie & Jerry Baker, Trendy Teachers
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Jamie and Jerry Baker, co-owners and founders of Trendy Teachers, a teaching boutique and educational toy store located in downtown Rome, Georgia.
Harvey Williams, Delta Dirt Distillery
In this episode, Matt sits down with Harvey Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Delta Dirt Distillery in Helena, Arkansas. Delta Dirt Distillery is the only Black-owned farm-to-bottled distillery in the United States.
Danny Reynolds, Stephenson’s Clothing
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Danny Reynolds, owner and president of Stephenson’s of Elkhart, an independently owned high-end fashion retailer in downtown Elkhart, Indiana.
Christina Hollerbach, Hollerbach’s German Restaurant
In this week’s episode of Main Street Business Insights, host Matt Wagner sat down with the CEO of Hollerbach’s German Restaurant in Sanford, Fla., Christina Hollerbach.
Martha Moore and Ashley Owens, Martha & Ash Custom Drapery
In this week’s episode of Main Street Business Insights, host Matt Wagner sits down with mother-daughter duo, Martha Moore and Ashley Owens, co-owners and founders of the custom drapery business Martha & Ash in downtown Camden, South Carolina.
Terrand Smith, 37 Oaks
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, host Matt Wagner sat down with the founder and CEO of 37 Oaks, Terrand Smith. Located in Chicago, Illinois, 37 Oaks is a commerce development and learning laboratory for entrepreneurs.
The Barbershop Conversation Podcast Team
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, host Matt Wagner sat down with The Barbershop Conversation podcast team, co-hosts Kenneth Bentley and Davion Hampton along with executive producer Emory Green Jr., in Goldsboro, Florida.
Bonus Episode 1: Featuring Season 1 Guests
Learn how local entrepreneurs have leveraged the power of a Main Street community to establish, maintain, and grow their ventures.
Bonus Episode 2: Featuring Season 1 Guests
Learn about small business owners who are succeeding along Main Street, and the advice they have for others doing the same.
© Ketut Subiyanto
Bonus Episode 3: Featuring Season 1 Guests
In this episode, you'll hear from small business owners from our first season who make connecting with their community a top priority.
Shop Podcast Merch
Get Connected
Find Small Business Resources
Through our Small Business Support work, Main Street America is equipping both small business owners and economic development leaders with tools, resources, and opportunities to build stronger and more resilient local economies.
Find Resources