Case Howard never could have imagined that he'd run his own businesses one day.
The welder-turned-coffee shop owner grew up on nine acres in the middle of town, and he didn't know many entrepreneurs until he met his wife, Christa.
Together, they have six businesses between them, three coffee shops and three hair salons. They live in Republic with their 17-year-old son, Cameron. Case can be found most days at one of his three locations of the Black Lab Coffee Co., where he greets people with a friendliness he says he learned in our small town.
Case and I talked at length about running businesses and raising families and how the concept of "going home" haunts us all. We talked more two hours during our interview earlier this year, but I trimmed it down to fit into one episode. I hope you enjoy the conversation in all its complexities.
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This week's episode doesn't have a business sponsor, but each week, I make a donation to a non-profit selected by the classmate. This week's donation is going to the Houn Dawg Alumni and Outreach Center, a new center housed inside the old armory dedicated to preserving the school's history and celebrating its alumni.
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