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Seacoast Stories
Troy Farkas
85 episodes
23 hours ago
Inspiring stories about the people & businesses of New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. This weekly interview podcast features local celebrities who live in the Seacoast, a special region in America that few people know about. Hosted by former ESPN & Spotify producer Troy Farkas.
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All content for Seacoast Stories is the property of Troy Farkas and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Inspiring stories about the people & businesses of New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. This weekly interview podcast features local celebrities who live in the Seacoast, a special region in America that few people know about. Hosted by former ESPN & Spotify producer Troy Farkas.
Show more...
Entrepreneurship
Business
Episodes (20/85)
Seacoast Stories
How Red's Good Vibes Turned Tragedy Into FREE Meals & 5 Community Fridges! (Despite Criticism & "Territorial" Nonprofits)

Red McGrath dreamt of a food truck that handed out free meals.

Unfortunately, he didn't live long enough to see his dream come true. Red passed away at 29 years old.

But alongside her two surviving siblings, Caitlin McGrath-Levesque took it upon herself to carry out Red's life work.

That work is Red's Good Vibes, a top Seacoast nonprofit that hands out free meals - no questions asked - prepared in their signature red food truck. Additionally, they manage five (and growing) community fridges currently located in Portsmouth, Kittery, Berlin, Exeter, and Newmarket.

Since starting operations in 2019, Red's Good Vibes has served over 500,000 meals. They've changed lives, and have completely redefined the concept of giving freely.

From the West End of Portsmouth, Caitlin joins host Troy Farkas to discuss what happened to Red, the early days of Red's Good Vibes, why they received criticism during the pandemic, the power players they've received donations from, why they stick to their "no questions asked" ethos, and the expansion of community fridges.

Plus, the two discuss the incredible ways the Seacoast has stepped up in recent weeks to address the pause on SNAP benefits.

To learn more about community fridge locations and what kind of items you can donate, just visit here.

CHAPTERS:

  • Opening montage (00:00)
  • Seacoast Stories LIVE on 12/5! (01:45)
  • Red's tragic passing in 2018 (02:46)
  • SPONSOR: Seacoast 2 Summit (24:45)
  • The chaotic early days of Red's Good Vibes during COVID (26:12)
  • The growth of the food truck on the Seacoast despite the doubters (36:22)
  • SPONSOR: Little Tree Education (50:20)
  • The expansion of community fridges (51:55)
  • How Seacoast businesses are stepping up to face food insecurity in tough times (01:03:25)
  • Why giving back is "intimidating" (01:10:28)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (01:17:32)


EVENTS:

  • ⁠⁠Seacoast Stories LIVE!⁠⁠ On Friday, December 5, the Seacoast's biggest podcast takes the 3S Artspace stage for an evening of community, connection, and conversation. Secure your tickets ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.


SPONSORS:

  • ⁠Little Tree Education⁠: Get 50% off your application fee with code SEACOASTSTORIES when applying your child for Spring/Fall 2026 at the Seacoast's top Montessori school!
  • ⁠Seacoast 2 Summit⁠: How much is your home worth for a short/mid-term rental property? Find out ⁠here ⁠for FREE!
  • To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

    Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.


Show more...
1 day ago
1 hour 20 minutes 33 seconds

Seacoast Stories
She Was Sexually Abused at 9. Now, She’s Creating a Space for Women to FINALLY Be Heard! (Seacoast Listening Lounge Founder)

***TRIGGER WARNING*** This episode contains discussion of sexual abuse, assault, and harassment. Listener discretion is advised.

Erin Snow just wanted someone to believe her.

But no one would.

When she tried to tell her peers about the sexual abuse she experienced at nine years old, everyone around Erin downplayed what happened.

No one listened.

When she refused to give consent to partners or experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, again, no one listened.

But then in 2019, after a divorce led her sitting in the ruins of a past life, she started dreaming of a place where women could be listened to, and heard.

Last year, Erin finally achieved that dream when she opened the Seacoast Listening Lounge in Hampton, N.H. Now, the former paralegal now spends her days listening to women's stories, and believing them.

From the cozy confines of Seacoast Listening Lounge Erin Snow and host Troy Farkas discuss the traumatic experiences that have shaped Erin's life, her 20 years navigating New Hampshire's justice system, divorce, why she opened the Listening Lounge, and why she believes this concept could take off around the world.

To learn more, you can book your free consultation with Erin here.

CHAPTERS:

  • Sexual abuse at age 9 (00:00)
  • Other experienced with sexual misconduct (12:48)
  • A message from our sponsors (25:50)
  • Good & bad from 20 years as a paralegal (28:52)
  • Infidelity leading to divorce (39:55)
  • Online dating after getting divorced (51:30)
  • What is Seacoast Listening Lounge? (54:52)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (01:10:37)


EVENTS:

  • ⁠⁠Seacoast Stories Dinner Club⁠⁠ is headed to Hampton, N.H., on Wednesday, November 12. Meet your new best friends by ⁠⁠taking this personality quiz⁠⁠ and securing your spot today.
  • ⁠Seacoast Stories LIVE!⁠ On Friday, December 5, the Seacoast's biggest podcast takes the 3S Artspace stage for an evening of community, connection, and conversation. Secure your tickets ⁠here⁠.


SPONSORS:

  • Little Tree Education: Get 50% off your application fee with code SEACOASTSTORIES when applying your child for Spring/Fall 2026 at the Seacoast's top Montessori school!
  • Seacoast 2 Summit: How much is your home worth for a short-term stay? Find out here for FREE!
  • To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

    Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.


Show more...
1 week ago
1 hour 13 minutes 43 seconds

Seacoast Stories
"Organized Chaos!" Inside the Huge (and Expensive) Undertaking of Portsmouth's Halloween Parade (30-Year Anniversary!)

One of the best Halloween parades in the country?

According to USA Today, that's exactly what the Portsmouth Halloween Parade is.

Each year, Seacoast Halloween fanatics descend upon downtown Portsmouth for the parade, donning detailed costumes and a community spirit that few towns in the nation can match.

With tens of thousands attendees present, the organization of the parade is a massive undertaking. And for a grassroots organization, the beloved annual tradition requires extensive amounts of support from the city of Portsmouth. Plus ... a lot of cash, too.

On today's episode, host Troy Farkas welcomes two parade organizers, Jonathan Day and Amanda Giles, to discuss why this parade is one of the Seacoast's top annual attractions. Plus, they talk about the 30-year history of the parade, why they refuse to take corporate sponsorship, the choosing of the Grand Marshal, the creative year-long efforts that go into raising funds for this event, how the community rallies together to make this event happen, and so much more.

CHAPTERS:

  • Seacoast Stories LIVE on 12/5 (00:00)
  • The history of the parade (02:00)
  • Forgoing corporate sponsorship (12:45)
  • Why the parade is so beloved (16:00)
  • The small (but mighty) team behind the parade (30:44)
  • BTS planning of the event (36:00)
  • Plans for the 30th parade (50:52)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (53:53)


EVENTS:

  • ⁠Seacoast Stories Dinner Club⁠ is headed to Hampton, N.H., on Wednesday, November 12. Meet your new best friends by ⁠taking this personality quiz⁠ and securing your spot today.
  • Seacoast Stories LIVE! On Friday, December 5, the Seacoast's biggest podcast takes the 3S Artspace stage for an evening of community, connection, and conversation. Secure your tickets here.


SPONSORS:

  • LADIES! To learn more about what's going on with your hormones, you can get a FREE lab consultation with Dr. Whitney Elsesser by visiting the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holistic & Hormonal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ web site when you write "HORMONES" on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the contact page.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

    Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.


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2 weeks ago
56 minutes 41 seconds

Seacoast Stories
Jennifer Wilder on LANEY & LU's MESSY (& Costly) Portsmouth Opening & the Real Reason Exeter Closed! Plus, Ghosting & Changing Her Name (Part 2)

Jennifer Wilder found herself sleeping on the floor of her friend's apartment in Portsmouth.

On the eve of opening her second LANEY & LU location and Ginger Fox Bakery (formerly Sweet Dreams), Jen's life was unraveling behind-the-scenes.

Today, in Part Two of a two-part podcast, the iconic LANEY & LU founder (formerly Jennifer Desrosiers) takes us behind the CHAOS that swirled around the (delayed) opening of her Portsmouth location, a catastrophe she says cost her "hundreds of thousands of dollars."

Jennifer and ⁠host Troy Farkas⁠ also discuss the real reason Jen decided to close LANEY & LU (Exeter) earlier this year, the unexpected delays she faced in opening LANEY & LU (Portsmouth) and Ginger Fox, the struggles of the dating scene for an accomplished woman like herself, and why she recently changed her name!

CHAPTERS:

  • Messy openings of LANEY & LU Portsmouth + Ginger Fox (00:00)
  • Closing LANEY & LU Exeter (09:10)
  • Becoming Jennifer Wilder (26:25)
  • The struggles of online dating (34:34)
  • The Wilder Way (41:55)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (52:35)


Jen is hiring an Executive Coordinator for her growing portfolio of brands! If you're interested, apply here. And if you're a business owner in need of some 1:1 coaching, you can work with Jen by ⁠inquiring here.⁠

EVENTS:

  • Seacoast Stories Dinner Club is headed to Hampton, N.H., on Wednesday, November 12. Meet your new best friends by taking this personality quiz and securing your spot today.

SPONSORS:

  • ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jennifer Bakos Photography⁠⁠⁠⁠: Small biz owners can get 10% off your first photography session by DM'ing Jenn ⁠⁠⁠⁠@jennbakosphoto ⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram! Just tell her you're a fan of the podcast 😊
  • LADIES! To learn more about what's going on with your hormones, you can get a FREE lab consultation with Dr. Whitney Elsesser by visiting the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holistic & Hormonal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ web site when you write "HORMONES" on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the contact page.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

    Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.


Show more...
3 weeks ago
56 minutes 6 seconds

Seacoast Stories
“I Spent 20 Years Learning NOT to Be a Woman” Jennifer Wilder Breaks Silence on Past Life! Plus, How the LANEY & LU Founder Built an Empire Against All Odds (Part 1)

*This episode contains references to sexual harassment. Listener discretion is advised.*

They told her no one would buy turmeric lattes. That she was crazy for leaving a $350,000 salary behind.

That she needed to have sex with her boss for any shot at career advancement.

Jennifer Wilder has heard it all. It's never stopped her before, and now, at 48 years old, nothing can.

Wilder (formerly known as Jennifer Desrosiers) is the "boss babe" owner of Seacoast favorites LANEY & LU and Ginger Fox Bakery. Before opening LANEY & LU in Exeter, N.H., 10 years ago, Jen lived a completely different life, having spent 20 years working in manufacturing, engineering, and plastics.

And now, in Part One of a two-part conversation, the Seacoast's top adventuress is ready to tell all.

From the West End of Portsmouth, Jennifer and host Troy Farkas discuss Jen's childhood, her "brutal" experiences with sexual harassment in her past career, and the health issues that led her to completely change course.

Plus, what she learned about herself during yoga teacher training, the vision that led her to create LANEY & LU, why the brand took off more than she ever imagined it would, growing her restaurant empire, becoming a role model for female entrepreneurs, and much, much more.

CHAPTERS:

  • Jen Wilder's upbringing (00:00)
  • The good, bad, and ugly from corporate life (11:34)
  • The chain of events that led Jen to throw away her past life (20:00)
  • How Jen became a leading voice in the female entrepreneur scene (32:38)
  • Opening LANEY & LU in 2015 (42:52)
  • The expansion of Jen's brand & restaurant empire (55:00)


If you're a business owner in need of some 1:1 coaching, you can work with Jen by inquiring here.

SPONSORS:

  • ⁠⁠⁠Jennifer Bakos Photography⁠⁠⁠: Small biz owners can get 10% off your first photography session by DM'ing Jenn ⁠⁠⁠@jennbakosphoto ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram! Just tell her you're a fan of the podcast 😊
  • LADIES! To learn more about what's going on with your hormones, you can get a FREE lab consultation with Dr. Whitney Elsesser by visiting the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holistic & Hormonal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ web site when you write "HORMONES" on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the contact page.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


Show more...
4 weeks ago
1 hour 14 minutes 45 seconds

Seacoast Stories
“A BILLION Dollar Company!” The Seacoast Tech Couple Bringing STRANGERS Together for Dinner (And What Actually Happens at Seacoast Stories Dinner Club)

Personality quizzes, secret reveals, delicious dinners, and connecting with ... strangers?

That's the "billion dollar" company Portsmouth's Rae and Ryan Lambert believe they've just started.

Through their new app, DNNR, Rae and Ryan send like-minded strangers to dinner together. The catch? The attendees don't know where they're dining until the day of the dinner, nor do they know who they're dining with until they show up.

It's an idea they stumbled upon earlier this year after the Silicon Valley expats spent years taking "throat punches" while building their previous meetup app, River - which they spoke about on "Seacoast Stories" last year. Now, they've pivoted, and they're convinced that dinner clubs - like Seacoast Stories Dinner Club - will be a valuable tool for creators to build community and monetize their audience, while simultaneously helping strangers meet new people in a fun way.

From the West End of Portsmouth, the Lamberts return to the show to discuss the pivot from River to DNNR, how Seacoast Stories Dinner Club works, how their new business is already taking off in other parts of the country, Portsmouth's sneakily growing tech scene, and why they're convinced DNNR will become a very, very lucrative business for them.

Interested in attending the next Seacoast Stories Dinner Club? You can sign up here to join us in Exeter, N.H., on Wednesday, October 15 at 7 p.m. You can also read this recent Substack article about Seacoast Stories Dinner Club's success.

CHAPTERS:

  • Why River struggled despite widespread usage (00:00)
  • Pivoting from River to DNNR (12:30)
  • SPONSORS: Jenn Bakos Photography + Holistic & Hormonal (25:28)
  • The unique technology behind Seacoast Stories Dinner Club (28:15)
  • What to expect at Seacoast Stories Dinner Club (33:02)
  • Some of the challenges of operating DNNR (40:50)
  • Why DNNR is a surefire success (46:12)
  • How DNNR is expanding far beyond the Seacoast (58:55)
  • Portsmouth's sneaky large tech scene (01:06:34)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (01:08:18)


EVENTS:

  • ⁠Seacoast Culinary Challenge⁠ at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, N.H., on Wednesday, 10/29. Join the fight against food insecurity by ⁠snagging your tickets here.⁠


SPONSORS:

  • ⁠⁠Jennifer Bakos Photography⁠⁠: Small biz owners can get 10% off your first photography session by DM'ing Jenn ⁠⁠@jennbakosphoto ⁠⁠on Instagram! Just tell her you're a fan of the podcast 😊
  • To learn more about what's going on in your body, get a FREE lab consultation by visiting the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holistic & Hormonal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ web site when you write "HORMONES" on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the contact page.⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started on a better path toward financial investment!


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Show more...
1 month ago
1 hour 12 minutes 3 seconds

Seacoast Stories
EXCLUSIVE: C&J Bus Lines Owner on Future Plans, Trump's Tarrifs, & Why the Seacoast Adores a BUS COMPANY?!

Flight delays. Sleeping in airports overnight. Subways breaking down underground.

For most people, travel is a nightmare.

But with C&J Bus Lines, it's a different story.

C&J is not only one of the most beloved companies on the Seacoast, but they're also one of the most respected across the entire transportation industry.

How is it possible that a BUS company - long seen as the bottom of the barrel in travel - makes people this happy?

On today's episode, Jim Jalbert - who has owned C&J since 1981 - explains in an EXCLUSIVE interview!

From the West End of Portsmouth, Jalbert sits down with host ⁠⁠Troy Farkas⁠⁠ to discuss why the family business started in 1968, the company's evolution from checkered taxi cab to bougie bus, the company's devotion to excellent customer service, and why Seacoast residents speak so highly of the company.

Plus, Jalbert talks about the long-term ramifications of President Trump's tariffs, why C&J implemented paid parking this year, and some breaking news regarding their New York City trips!

To save $20 on select trips to New York City between Oct. 14 and Nov. 14, use the code "NYC20" at checkout at RideCJ.com.

CHAPTERS:

  • The early days of C&J (00:00)
  • C&J's devotion to excellence (14:28)
  • Why C&J is so well-respected (29:13)
  • Surviving the pandemic (41:36)
  • C&J's untraditional business approach (44:50)
  • Trump's tariffs & paid parking (53:22)
  • Giving back to the community (01:09:42)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (01:19:20)


EVENTS:

  • ⁠Seacoast Stories Dinner Club⁠ in Exeter, N.H., on Wednesday, 10/15. Meet your new best friends by ⁠⁠⁠⁠signing up here.⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Seacoast Culinary Challenge at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, N.H., on Wednesday, 10/29. Join the fight against food insecurity by snagging your tickets here.


SPONSORS:

  • ⁠Jennifer Bakos Photography⁠: Small biz owners can get 10% off your first photography session by DM'ing Jenn ⁠@jennbakosphoto ⁠on Instagram! Just tell her you're a fan of the podcast 😊
  • To learn more about what's going on in your body, get a FREE lab consultation by visiting the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Holistic & Hormonal⁠⁠⁠⁠ web site when you write "HORMONES" on ⁠⁠⁠⁠the contact page.⁠⁠⁠
  • Email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started on a better path toward financial investment!


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Show more...
1 month ago
1 hour 21 minutes 59 seconds

Seacoast Stories
If You Don’t Have Time, You’re Lying to Yourself! Building a Better Business, Chaotic Relationships, & the 90-Day NO SEX Rule! Top Business Coach Katie Grimes

***This episode contains references to sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised.***

Katie Grimes had to make a change.

After years of chasing chaotic relationships, people pleasing, addiction, burning through cash, and surrounding herself with the wrong people, Katie finally realized a higher purpose awaited her.

A Massachusetts kid who built a strong commercial real estate career in Boston, Katie is now a very successful Portsmouth-based virtual business coach. She helps her clients root out inefficiencies, get more time back, and make more money ... without breaking their backs to do so. Across her coaching, newsletter, Anything For Love podcast, and 30,000 Instagram followers, Katie has touched the lives of over 100,000 people since transitioning out of the corporate world at the end of the 2010s.

From the West End of Portsmouth, Katie Grimes sits down with host (and neighbor) ⁠Troy Farkas⁠ to discuss her wild 20s and 30s, the heartbreaking deaths and sexual assault that rocked her world, her addiction to chaotic relationships, rocky relationship to money, and how all of this led her to chart out a better life for herself.

Plus, she outlines the FIVE THINGS most business owners struggle with, and she offers advice on how you can get more time back so you can focus on what you love doing more.

CHAPTERS:

  • The tragic experiences that woke Katie up (00:00)
  • Addiction to chaotic relationships (16:08)
  • The 90-Day Rule (22:20)
  • Sponsors: David Higgins and Jennifer Bakos Photography (30:50)
  • Katie's rollercoaster relationship to money (33:52)
  • How business coaching can transform your business (40:48)
  • 5 common challenges business owners face (48:30)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (01:06:22)


To apply for business coaching with Katie, click here.

EVENTS:

  • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soul Powerful: Get your tickets to Soul Models' big event THIS WEDNESDAY in Dover ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.
  • Seacoast Stories Dinner Club in Exeter, N.H., on Wednesday, 10/15. Meet your new best friends by ⁠⁠⁠signing up here.⁠⁠⁠


SPONSORS:

  • Jennifer Bakos Photography: Small biz owners can get 10% off your first photography session by DM'ing Jen @jennbakosphoto on Instagram! Just tell her you're a fan of the podcast 😊
  • David Higgins: The official investment office of "Seacoast Stories!" Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started on the path toward better investment.


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Show more...
1 month ago
1 hour 8 minutes 50 seconds

Seacoast Stories
Behind the Scenes of an ICONIC Seacoast Destination! Cliff House Maine (BONUS)

While overlooking the Atlantic Ocean at Cliff House, host Troy Farkas sits down with Cliff House General Manager Nancy White. 

In this bonus episode (recorded in August), the two discuss Cliff House’s storied history, the natural beauty surrounding the resort, how a rough economy impacted attendance at Cliff House this summer, the many dining options offered, and the luxurious services offered at one of Maine’s most iconic landmarks.

To learn more about Cliff House's offerings and to book the stay of your dreams, just visit CliffHouseMaine.com, or follow them on Instagram @cliffhousemaine.

For more stories about the amazing people and places of the Seacoast, you can subscribe to the "Seacoast Stories" podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or on our YouTube channel.

UPCOMING "SEACOAST STORIES" EVENTS:

  • Seacoast Stories Dinner Club is in Exeter, N.H., on Wednesday, 10/15. Meet your new best friends by ⁠⁠⁠signing up here.⁠⁠
Show more...
1 month ago
33 minutes 3 seconds

Seacoast Stories
"Growth Isn't Always Good!" Why Bird Dog Cider Is Laser-Focused On Staying Local & Getting People to Hang Out Again

Pete Endres grew up dreaming of owning a farm.

And when his mother passed away in 2011, Pete and his brothers decided they wanted to not only own a farm, but to open up a cidery on said property.

Pete, who later moved to the Seacoast in the mid-2010s, spent years searching for the perfect property until, finally, he found it in 2019.

That farm? It's now home to Bird Dog Cider in Greenland, N.H., which formally opened its doors last fall.

From the cozy confines of Bird Dog, Pete sits down with host Troy Farkas to discuss his childhood days of apple farming in western New York, the blood, sweat, and tears poured into revitalizing the once-dilapidated farm, the family atmosphere that defines Bird Dog, and having lines out the door the day they opened their barn doors to the public.

Plus, getting chased by a sea lion, and even the MURDER that took place on the farm!?

CHAPTERS:

  • Our love for apples (00:00)
  • Getting chased by a sea lion (06:00)
  • The (sad) motivation for opening Bird Dog (11:10)
  • America's up-and-down love affair with cider (15:06)
  • Turning a run-down Seacoast farm into a cidery (22:34)
  • SPONSORS: Soul Models & Chinburg Properties (32:20)
  • Why Bird Dog is focused on staying local (34:54)
  • Lines out the door last fall (41:40)
  • Balancing Bird Dog with a full-time job (46:00)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (58:15)
  • The murder that happened on the farm (01:04:08)


To learn more about Bird Dog's upcoming events, including their collaboration with Portsmouth's 3 Bridges Yoga on 10/4, just visit this link.

EVENTS:

  • Seacoast Stories Dinner Club in Kittery on Wednesday, 9/17. Meet your new best friends by ⁠⁠signing up here.⁠⁠


SPONSORS:

  • ⁠⁠⁠Soul Models: Get your tickets for Soul Powerful on Wed. 9/24 in Dover here.
  • ⁠⁠⁠⁠Chinburg Properties⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • David Higgins: The official investment office of "Seacoast Stories!" Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started on the path toward better investment.


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Show more...
1 month ago
1 hour 8 minutes 34 seconds

Seacoast Stories
The Black Birch & Chapel + Main Co-Owner Ben Lord on Kittery Foreside's Evolution, Downtown Dover's Glow-Up & Why So Many Restaurants Fail!

The best restaurant on the Seacoast?

Some will tell you it's The Black Birch.

Tucked away in Kittery Foreside, this gastropub is a fan favorite lauded for its deviled eggs, short rib, cocktails, and intimate setting. In fact, when Ben Lord and Gavin Baudry started dreaming of having their own spot while both serving tables of Anneke Jans, the vision they'd laid out is nearly identical to what "The Birch" has become.

From Kittery Foreside, Ben Lord and host Troy Farkas discuss what led him and his business partners to open The Birch 14 years ago, its role in the evolution of Kittery Foreside, how the Birch has enjoyed 14 years of success, the state of the Seacoast restaurant industry, the labor shortage, and the key role his other restaurant, Chapel + Main, has played in the revitalization of downtown Dover.

CHAPTERS:

  • The appeal of the restaurant industry (00:00)
  • Working at Anneke Jans (05:40)
  • Why they opened The Black Birch (10:00)
  • Bridge closures & Kittery Foreside's evolution (14:02)
  • SPONSORS: Sea Love Portsmouth & Chinburg Properties (21:55)
  • Why people love The Birch (24:50)
  • EVENTS: Seacoast Stories Dinner Club & Seacoast Singles (33:55)
  • Chapel & Main's role in revitalizing Dover (35:10)
  • The state of the Seacoast restaurant scene (42:30)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (57:30)


EVENTS:

  • Seacoast Singles Dating Show at The Press Room on Saturday, 9/13. Presented by Oomph Salon. ⁠Sign up here.⁠
  • Seacoast Stories Dinner Club in Kittery on Wednesday, 9/17. Meet your new best friends by ⁠signing up here.⁠


SPONSORS:

  • ⁠⁠Sea Love Portsmouth⁠: Get 20% off your Portsmouth candle-making experience by saying "SEACOAST STORIES" in store. Book online today.
  • ⁠⁠⁠Chinburg Properties⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • David Higgins: The official investment office of "Seacoast Stories!" Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started on the path toward better investment.


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Show more...
2 months ago
1 hour 6 seconds

Seacoast Stories
How The Portsmouth Treaty Ended the Threat of World War! The 120th Anniversary of the Most Unheralded Document in U.S. History

In August 1905, the eyes of the world were looking at Portsmouth, N.H.

The site of the peace talks for ending the Russo-Japanese War, Portsmouth played host to the delegates from Russia and Japan, who hashed out the particulars of the deal at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

In this weeks-long affair, the citizens of Portsmouth rallied around the cause, hosting dinners, parties, and parades to create an environment suitable for bringing the Russo-Japanese War (named World War Zero due to alliances) to a swift end.

On today's episode, Portsmouth Treaty expert Stephanie Seacord joins the podcast to discuss why Russia and Japan went to war, why the United States intervened, how Portsmouth became the center of the talks, what happened at the shipyard, why the citizens of Portsmouth are partly to thank for the war's end, and so much more. Plus, why is the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, M.E.?!?!

CHAPTERS:

  • Context for the Russo-Japanese War (00:00)
  • Selecting Portsmouth for the peace talks (08:32)
  • Why is the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, M.E.? (21:38)
  • SPONSORS: Sea Love Portsmouth & Chinburg Properties (24:30)
  • What happened in the peace talks (27:12)
  • How the citizens of Portsmouth participated in the talks (36:40)
  • Plans for commemorating the anniversary this week (49:00)


EVENTS:

  • Seacoast Singles Dating Show at The Press Room on Saturday, 9/13. Sign up here.
  • Seacoast Stories Dinner Club in Kittery on Wednesday, 9/17. Meet your new best friends by signing up here.


SPONSORS:

  • ⁠Sea Love Portsmouth: Get 20% off your Portsmouth candle-making experience by saying "SEACOAST STORIES" in store. Book online today.
  • ⁠⁠Chinburg Properties⁠⁠⁠
  • David Higgins: The official investment office of "Seacoast Stories!" Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started on the path toward better investment.


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Show more...
2 months ago
58 minutes 46 seconds

Seacoast Stories
Fighting the New Hampshire School System & Battling Unimaginable Pain. Top Seacoast Healer Jessica Sunshine on Why “None of This Matters”

Jessica Sunshine couldn't take it anymore.

New Hampshire's changing policies. The complaints from the parents. The stress.

So, after 10 years of teaching high school English across several New Hampshire high schools, the 32-year-old won't be returning to the classroom this year.

Instead, she's focusing on building her dream of helping students feel seen and heard in a different way: yoga.

An accomplished yoga teacher at Prasada Yoga (North Hampton), Bryony Body (Exeter), Good Vibes Yoga (Ogunquit), and Seavasana (and formerly of Yogasmith and Barre & Soul), she's now a reiki master and a sound healer. She also manages social media for Portsmouth Paddle Co.

From the West End of Portsmouth, Jessica sits down with host Troy Farkas to discuss why she won't be returning to the school this year, and what it's like now working full-time in yoga & healing. Plus, she shares her heartbreaking stories of losing her father suddenly, dealing with chronic pain, and the eating disorders she used to struggle with.

CHAPTERS:

  • Why Jessica started teaching yoga (00:00)
  • Losing her father in 2022 (11:10)
  • Her problems with N.H.'s education system (18:15)
  • SPONSORS: Chinburg Properties & Sea Love (25:52)
  • Why Jessica left teaching at the end of last year (28:22)
  • Why we have no control over what happens (33:10)
  • Going full-time with healing work (43:10)
  • SPONSOR: Soul Models (50:35)
  • Chronic back pain over the past year (52:00)
  • Why a yoga teacher is not a guru (01:10:10)
  • Jessica's love for D Street Tavern (01:23:00)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (01:28:37)


For 1-on-1 reiki sessions with Jessica, you can message her @jessicasunshineyoga on Instagram to learn more information.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

  • Soul Models:⁠ Email info@soulmodels.org to support their 9/24 Soul Powerful event, or buy tickets here.
  • Sea Love: Get 20% off your Portsmouth candle-making experience by saying "SEACOAST STORIES" in store.
  • ⁠Chinburg Properties⁠⁠
  • David Higgins: The official investment office of "Seacoast Stories!" Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started on the path toward better investment.


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Show more...
2 months ago
1 hour 30 minutes 56 seconds

Seacoast Stories
The Chaotic 96 Hours That Changed Their Lives! Limitless Fitness Owners Open Up About Grief, Love, & the Seacoast's Most Unique Gym

On one of the biggest days of their lives, Bill and Bennett Camarda's lives were flipped upside down.

On today's episode, the husband-and-wife co-owners of Limitless Fitness (Epping & Greenland, N.H.) open up about the emotional rollercoaster of the last two years, from dealing with unimaginable grief, to acquiring Limitless in 2024, building a second location, and so much more.

From the West End of Portsmouth, the powerhouse husband-and-wife duo join host Troy Farkas to discuss the fairytale-like circumstances they met under, Bill's years-long pursuit of Bennett, living in Atlanta & Chicago together, moving to the Seacoast, & the family crisis that led Bill and Bennett to leave their successful corporate careers behind.

Plus, why they acquired Limitless in 2024, the crazy behind-the-scenes of opening their Greenland location in July, and what makes Limitless Fitness, an exclusively 1-on-1 gym, a disruptive force in the Seacoast's fitness offerings.

CHAPTERS:

  • Bill's childhood health issues (00:00)
  • Bill and Bennett's cute love story (09:36)
  • SPONSOR: Chinburg Properties (19:35)
  • Moving to the Seacoast (20:36)
  • The diagnosis that changed their entire perspectives (23:15)
  • An unimaginable 96 hours (34:42)
  • SPONSOR: The DRIPBar (44:02)
  • Why they acquired Limitless (45:35)
  • What makes Limitless different (52:05)
  • Opening the Greenland location in July (01:04:10)
  • Why they love working together (01:11:20)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (01:18:56)


To learn more about Limitless Fitness and their offerings, just visit LimitlessFitnesLLC.com or follow @limitlessfitnessllc on Instagram.

Want to meet other "Seacoast Stories" listeners? Great! Seacoast Stories Dinner Club⁠⁠⁠⁠ is headed to Dover THIS WEDNESDAY, 8/20, at 7 p.m. You can sign up here for this one-of-a-kind experience.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

  • Chinburg Properties: Find your dream home or office!
  • ⁠The DripBar⁠⁠: Set up your IV drip membership today!
  • David Higgins: The official investment office of "Seacoast Stories!" Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started on path toward better investment.


Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Show more...
2 months ago
1 hour 22 minutes 28 seconds

Seacoast Stories
Why Your Fear of Success Is Holding You Back! Hypnotherapist Julie Costa on Battling the Subconscious + a Controversial Subject (BONUS!)

Are you holding yourself back without even realizing it?

Julie Costa used to.

But then, she found hypnotherapy. And ever since she started getting out of her own way, she's now committed to helping others dig underneath the subconscious so they can unlock their true potential as well.

Formerly a high-level employee at Lululemon and a bodybuilding competitor, Julie is now a certified hypnotherapist and business coach who uses hypnotherapy to help business owners navigate the troublesome waters of entrepreneurship. She also certifies other hypnotherapy practicioners. Based in Newburyport, M.A., Julie was selected as Boston's best hypnotherapist in 2024.

In this bonus episode of "Seacoast Stories," Julie joins host Troy Farkas to discuss how hypnotherapy changed her life, how she uses it to change others' lives, working at Lululemon in its heyday, getting laid off from Lulu and the identity crisis she suffered as a result, losing her mother in a tragic accident early in life, and more. Plus, what even is the Seacoast, anyway?

To learn more about Julie's services, you can visit her website juliecosta.com or follow her on Instagram @julie.m.costa.

To support "Seacoast Stories," follow the show on ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠. You can also sign up for the next ⁠⁠⁠Seacoast Stories Dinner Club⁠⁠⁠ on Wed. 8/20 in Dover, N.H.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

  • ⁠The DripBar⁠: Set up your IV drip membership today!
  • David Higgins: The official investment office of "Seacoast Stories!" Email ⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠ to get started.


Investment and insurance products are:• Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency• Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate• Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Show more...
2 months ago
59 minutes 27 seconds

Seacoast Stories
The Masculinity Roundtable: Four Seacoast Men Open Up About Insecurities, Sex, & What Women Actually Want

Where are all the Seacoast men?

Every week, it feels like a new women's group pops up. And understandably so! Women NEED a safe space to gather, connect, and feel safe. "Seacoast Stories" supports all of those groups.

But we also recognize that men need connection, too, especially as traditional masculinity has come under intense public scrutiny.

What even is masculinity? What does it mean to be a man in 2025?

From the West End of Portsmouth, host Troy Farkas sits down with three other Seacoast men to *try* to get to the bottom of these answers. On this episode, spiritual guide Seth Pearson, podcast host Andy Demeo, and tech entrepreneur Ryan Lambert join "Seacoast Stories" to discuss problems facing young boys today, how parenting has changed, what women really seek in their male partners, how a man should show up sexually, the importance of financial stability, why men are "maladapted" for the modern world, and even ... mud wrestling?

CHAPTERS:

  • The problem with Seacoast men (00:00)
  • Masculine vs. feminine energy (05:05)
  • Feeling insecure in masculinity (10:12)
  • The importance of confidence, purpose & failure (28:28)
  • Leave an Apple Podcasts review! (36:40)
  • Why masculinity is "maladapted" for the modern world (37:20)
  • How does a man show up sexually? (45:45)
  • What have you always wanted to tell a man? (50:30)
  • What is masculinity? (01:03:45)


Please click any of the following links to learn more about Andy's Granite Goodness newsletter, Seacoast Stories Dinner Club with Ryan, or Seth's Love Amped business.

To support "Seacoast Stories," follow the show on ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠. You can also sign up for the next ⁠⁠⁠Seacoast Stories Dinner Club⁠⁠⁠ on Wed. 8/20 in Dover, N.H.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

  • David Higgins: The official investment office of "Seacoast Stories!" Email ⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠ to get started.


Investment and insurance products are:• Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency• Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate• Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Show more...
3 months ago
1 hour 8 minutes 39 seconds

Seacoast Stories
"We Didn't Know What We Were Doing!" The Holy Donut C.E.O. Talks Rocky Beginning & Turning Maine's Potato Donuts Into One of America's Favorite Treats!

"You should sell these!"

That's what Jeff Buckwalter said to his sister-in-law, Leigh Kellis, when he first took a bite of the potato-based donut she made in her home kitchen.

Soon after, Leigh took his advice by opening The Holy Donut on Park Avenue in Portland, M.E., in 2012.

A year later, after the Instagram-friendly potato donuts became a hit in the town, Kellis brought Jeff -- with nearly two decades of big business experience under his belt -- to turn The Holy Donut into a legitimate company.

The Holy Donut has been featured in Bon Appetit magazine, The Boston Globe, and CNN, and has become a staple in Portland, considered by many to be the "foodiest city in America." They also ship their beloved donuts nationwide.

From the West End of Portsmouth, The Holy Donut C.E.O. Jeff Buckwalter joins host Troy Farkas to discuss why he joined the family business in 2013, the mess he inherited when he came on board, how Portland became a foodie destination, and the surge in national press The Holy Donut received in the first half of the 2010s. Plus, why they opened more locations, how the pandemic nearly crushed the business, and how they're pivoting their business model as a result.

CHAPTERS:

  • The Holy Donut origin story (00:00)
  • Why The Holy Donut exploded in the early 2010s (08:32)
  • Leaving a high-paying career to join The Holy Donut (13:38)
  • 50% off a Yoga East 5-class pack! (16:45)
  • The MESS Jeff found himself in when he joined (18:40)
  • The insane national media attention The Holy Donut has gotten (27:04)
  • Keeping up with high demand & opening more stores (31:20)
  • Visit TheDripBar for preventative health! (43:30)
  • How The Holy Donut has pivoted during tough times (45:10)
  • Jeff's struggles with depression from running this business (57:00)
  • Jeff's love for nature and hunting (01:07:05)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (01:12:52)


To order The Holy Donut straight to your door, you can check out your options here.

To support "Seacoast Stories," follow the show on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ or ⁠Spotify⁠⁠. You can also sign up for the next ⁠⁠Seacoast Stories Dinner Club⁠⁠ on Wed. 8/20 in Dover, N.H.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

  • ⁠Yoga East⁠: Sign up for a 5-class card and use the coupon code “STORIES” at checkout to get 50% off!
  • The DripBar: Set up your IV drip membership today!
  • David Higgins: The official investment office of "Seacoast Stories!" Email ⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠ to get started.


Investment and insurance products are:• Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency• Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate• Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Show more...
3 months ago
1 hour 14 minutes 38 seconds

Seacoast Stories
"No One Else Is Doing This!" The Tiny Kittery Company That's Leading the Skincare Industry Into a New Era

Inga Potter knew there was a better way.

So when her colleagues told her about the indelible benefits of kelp, the marine biologist couldn't help but go down a rabbit hole about the seaweed strand that looked to be the next big thing in the wellness industry.

Then, when Inga told her longtime friend Krista Rosen, a former lawyer, about her kelp-based dreams, the two decided to go all in together.

The result?

Cold Current Kelp, a Maine-based skincare company which manufactures kelp-based products like the Kelp Glow Facial Oil.

From the Cold Current Kelp headquarters in Kittery, M.E., Krista Rosen and Inga Potter sit down with ⁠⁠host Troy Farkas⁠⁠ to discuss why the two friends decided to start a kelp business together, the benefits of kelp, securing nearly $1 million in research grants, why Maine is at the forefront of kelp farming in the country, and more.

CHAPTERS:

  • Inga's kelp-based dreams (00:00)
  • Why kelp deserves the hype (05:35)
  • Why they wanted to get into skincare (18:02)
  • The kelp farming process (25:35)
  • SPONSORS: Yoga East & JOBTALK (33:00)
  • CCK's long-term vision (36:10)
  • How CCK is funding their research efforts (47:25)
  • The struggles of running this business (53:37)
  • How do you hope to be remembered? (01:00:20)


To support Cold Current Kelp, you can check out their products on their website. Inga's 2025 TedX Portsmouth talk is also here on YouTube.

To support "Seacoast Stories," you can follow the show on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or ⁠YouTube⁠. You can also sign up for the next ⁠Seacoast Stories Dinner Club⁠ on Wed. 8/20 in Dover, or join the waitlist.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

  • Yoga East: Sign up for a 5-class card and use the coupon code “STORIES” at checkout to get 50% off!
  • ⁠⁠⁠JOBTALK LLC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Get 50% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠JOBTALK Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ courses with the code "SEACOASTSTORIES50" for the rest of 2025!
  • David Higgins: The official investment office of "Seacoast Stories!" Email ⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠ to get started.


Investment and insurance products are:• Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency• Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate• Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount InvestedInvestment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.v

Show more...
3 months ago
1 hour 3 minutes 22 seconds

Seacoast Stories
How Tanya Hart FINALLY Found Her Biological Father in 2020. Plus, Why Oomph Salon is Revolutionizing the Beauty Industry!

"Who is my father?"

Tanya Hart asked herself this question repeatedly through the first 40 years of her life.

Until, one day in 2020, she finally found the answer.

From the West End of Portsmouth, the Seacoast business tycoon sits down with ⁠host Troy Farkas⁠ to tell the WILD story of how she tracked down her biological father during the pandemic. Then, the Oomph Salon & Ash Alchemy owner discusses why she started Oomph, what makes it one of the most noteworthy salons in New England, her unprecedented approach to running her businesses, and more.

CHAPTERS:

  • Tanya's tumultuous childhood (00:00)
  • The DNA test that gave Tanya answers (07:30)
  • How Tanya found her real father (13:46)
  • Meeting her real father in her 40s (22:40)
  • SPONSORS: JOBTALK LLC and Samonas Realty (33:27
  • Getting into the beauty business (36:10)
  • Starting Oomph Salon in 2014 (42:45)
  • Why treating employees well is everything (48:47)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (58:10)


To support Tanya, you can check out her businesses, Oomph Salon and Ash Alchemy.

To support "Seacoast Stories," you can follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. You can also sign up for the next Seacoast Stories Dinner Club on Wed. 8/20.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

  • Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠SamonasGroup.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or stop by Samonas Realty in downtown Portsmouth to learn more about how you can find the Seacoast home of your DREAMS!
  • ⁠⁠JOBTALK LLC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Get 50% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠JOBTALK Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ courses with the code "SEACOASTSTORIES50" for the rest of 2025!
  • David Higgins: The official investment office of "Seacoast Stories!" Email david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com to get started.


Investment and insurance products are:• Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency• Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate• Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount InvestedInvestment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.v

Show more...
3 months ago
59 minutes 53 seconds

Seacoast Stories
Drug Addiction, Ponzi Schemes, a $35,000 Mistake, and Guy Fieri! The MIND-BLOWING (and Inspiring) Story of Vida Cantina's David Vargas

David Vargas was a f**k-up.

As a teenager in Santa Ana, Calif., the devil tapped him on the shoulder every day. Without a clear direction in life, he started smoking marijuana, which quickly turned into doing all the drugs: Cocaine, ecstacy, ketamine, and more. Drugs were the only thing David believed he was good at.

Until, one day, he prepared a fried bologna sandwich for his friends while they were high. David realized then that maybe cooking was something he could pursue professionally. Food is life in his Mexican culture, and what better way to honor that than by bringing people together through delicious food?

From Noble High School in North Berwick, M.E., Chef Vargas of Vida Cantina and Ore Nell's Barbecue sits down with host Troy Farkas to discuss his rampant teenage drug use in southern California, getting kicked out of high school after threatening his teacher's life, bone-chilling experiences with racism, attending culinary school in Minnesota, his near-death experience in The Virgin Islands, the $35,000 mistake food truck mistake, supporting a family of four on $12 per hour, the Food Network appearance that changed the trajectory of Vida Cantina, his new career, and SO much more.

To support Chef Vargas, you can attend and/or become a sponsor of the New England B.I.P.O.C. Fest on 8/17 in Portsmouth!

CHAPTERS:

  • Seacoast Stories Dinner Club details! (00:00)
  • How drug addiction derailed David's early years (01:35)
  • How Chef turned his life around (11:15)
  • Attending culinary school in Minneapolis (15:40)
  • SPONSORS: JOBTALK LLC and Samonas Realty (27:00)
  • Working as a private chef on St. Croix (29:55)
  • Moving to Maine and living on welfare (35:40)
  • Chef's failed food truck experiment (49:35)
  • How Vida Cantina BLEW UP after "Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives" (51:25)
  • Co-owning Ore Nell's Barbecue (59:07)
  • Why he started New England B.I.P.O.C. Fest (01:03:00)
  • Chef's new job (01:10:50)
  • How do you want to be remembered? (01:19:02)


To secure your seat at the "Seacoast Stories Dinner Club" this Wednesday, 7/16, at 7 p.m. in downtown Portsmouth, ⁠take the personality quiz here⁠.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

  • Visit ⁠⁠⁠SamonasGroup.com⁠⁠⁠ or stop by Samonas Realty in downtown Portsmouth to learn more about how you can find the Seacoast home of your DREAMS!
  • ⁠JOBTALK LLC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Get 50% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠JOBTALK Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ courses with the code "SEACOASTSTORIES50" for the rest of 2025!


Investment and insurance products are:• Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency• Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate• Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount InvestedInvestment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

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4 months ago
1 hour 21 minutes 49 seconds

Seacoast Stories
Inspiring stories about the people & businesses of New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. This weekly interview podcast features local celebrities who live in the Seacoast, a special region in America that few people know about. Hosted by former ESPN & Spotify producer Troy Farkas.