The GJBeat

Justin left his lucrative career in the financial industry following a passion to co-found Noke Van Co in Roanoke.  It started small with explosive growth in a very short time.   His vans are a dream for anyone who loves adventure.   In 2023, Noke Van Co. won the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce's New Small Business of the Year Award.   Justin and wife Keri are now jumping the endless hurdles to pursue their other dream of opening the doors to Fishburn Perk Coffee Shop in Roanoke.  And what a story it is.  This family has no limits of passion and grace.  Enjoy!

Molly Bullington finally made it here for an excellent conversation.  She tells of how she gained ownership of Blue Ridge Racing which is the management company for Roanoke's largest running events.   She has likely given you a high five at the finish of the Blue Ridge Marathon, Salem Half Marathon, The Drumstick Dash or others.  Charleston, SC is her birthplace making it to Roanoke as an engineering graduate from Virginia Tech.   She found her career passion elsewhere and her personal passion most recently in the woods hunting and harvesting deer.  We had quite a deer treat during the conversation.  Did you know Molly and her husband own the Texas Tavern?!  Be sure to say hi to her at the finish lines!

This is the first official repeat guest on the GJBeat.  Matt's life turned upside down in early 2022 and he was instantly thrown into the local spotlight.  Since the cycling death of his wife, Tabatha, life has changed in so many difficult yet positive ways.  Matt left his career to pursue ownership of Fleet Feet Roanoke which finalized in late 2022 while also fighting grueling court battles until recently.  His honesty is refreshingly brutal and unedited giving a real insight to his struggles and victories.  Hope you enjoy!(I misnumbered the episode in conversation.  Yes, I know)

Carrie Cousins is a writer, designer and marketer in Roanoke with a strong bond to the region and its growth. Having worked in media, marketing, and education, she's passionate about seeing people here grow and thrive. She's currently the Director of Digital Marketing for LeadPoint Digital and an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech and 4x marathoner. The conversation starts with the outdoors and running -- viva Las Vegas! -- and moves into marketing, AI, and back to running again. 

Third time's a charm for Kat Van Orden(we hope!).   She is a self proclaimed newbie of trail running while showing the results of a seasoned champ.  Kat got the victory at the 2023 Frozen Toe trail race immediately followed up by an injury she is very familiar with.  She now navigates coming back from not one, not two but three ACL reconstruction surgeries at the age of 25.   But she isn't letting it diminish her optimistic outlook.  She's a coach, fitness addict and lover of all things outdoors.  After graduating from Roanoke College she said goodbye to the beach and hello to the beautiful Blue Ridge which she now calls her permanent home.  She undoubtedly has a future of excitement!

Dick Howard and I had never met and this was the best of connections.  He is considered to be the Grandfather of Mountain Biking in Virginia.  Why that self proclaimed title?  You'll find out not just about Dick's passion for cycling but his stories of bartending in Richmond, celebrity encounters, education and everything in between.   Saddle up and get ready to take a ride with the Grandfather!

Mark Long has been on the future guest list for quite a while.  He's a very well known and respected athlete around Roanoke and beyond for his genuine personality and exceptional race finishes.  Mark's latest life adventure centers around making a difference for  the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  He has completed over 100 triathlons and even some ultra marathons mostly with podium finishes.  His passion and kindness are beyond measure making him a major influencer on many levels.  Enjoy!

Hop in the saddle for this endurance length podcast with all things bike with Ron Glowczynski as he tells his tale from being trained as a mechanic in a pro shop, getting roped into racing triathlons, biathlons and bikes in college and ultimately opening his own bike shop in Roanoke VA.  Ron talks about the mentors who inspired this unique business model with the reopening of American Flyers.  Since college he has jumped into all sorts of cycling and running events with impressive results and experiences.   The latest leg of his bicycle journey pedaled him into the arms of his best friend, Sarah, to start an entirely new chapter of bikes, love and family.  

This group began their journey of 100 miles on feet at 8am on a recent Saturday morning in Norton VA at the Cloudsplitter races.  They finished Sunday just before midnight with this huge accomplishment.  The experience is difficult beyond belief and these four tell all about it.  Ed Mckeown, Jack Bugo, Keya Price and Matt Warner.  Emily Jamison got her first big win in the 50K portion and it's a great story.  Ordinary people doing extraordinary things! 

Mark Taylor made his way across the country from Oregon while stopping at Northwestern for his education and spending some years abroad in the Navy.  The Roanoke Times called his number in 1998 and he chose to remain here.  He's now the Eastern Communications Director for Trout Unlimited.  The conversation ventures into many different subjects with Mark's knowledge of the outdoors.