Atlanta Born & Brand

“The best burger in the world is the burger you think is the best burger. Not the burger someone else thinks is the best burger.” Check out our video feature with Billy Kramer, owner and founder of NFA Burger — a small but mighty burger joint located INSIDE a Chevron gas station in Dunwoody. 

Ed Fisher opened the Big Green Egg store in Atlanta in 1974, where he was selling the domed clay cookers. He had discovered them while serving overseas in World War II and was impressed with how well they worked. 50 years and several iterations later, Big Green Egg has become a global phenomenon with a very loyal and dedicated fan base.The Big Green Egg isn’t like other kamado cookers. When you own a Big Green Egg, you become part of the EGGHead community, a group of passionate and well-fed people who host events each year in the Atlanta area and all around the world. The product line has grown to include seven sizes of the Egg, with hundreds of accessories.Tune in as we sit down with Ed Fisher and current CEO of Big Green Egg, Ardy Arani. They share a bit of the Egg’s history with us and where the company is today!

Over 30 years ago, 12 friends sat down and came up with an idea that would make volunteering in their community easier and more accessible, from there Hands On Atlanta was born. Hands On has become a one-stop shop to bring together Atlanta volunteers and nonprofits. Their organization supports over 150 nonprofits in the Atlanta area and has daily opportunities for volunteers. From one time micro-volunteering, to a full year program with AmeriCorps there's something to fit everyone's schedule.

South Downtown, the very streets where Atlanta began! In 2016, Newport opened its Atlanta office and began investing in the future of South Downtown. Through 26 transactions, their team purchased 48 historic buildings and 4 acres of parking lots. The area’s first renovations started with historic Hotel Row and 222 Mitchell.We sat down with Senior Vice President of Newport, April Stammel, to hear about their current and future projects — including plans for two residential buildings — and hopes to create a walkable, livable, inclusive and connected neighborhood.

Watch as Atlanta Born and Brand heads to Pullman Yards, an enchanting piece of Atlanta's history. We spoke with the current owner of Pullman Yards, Adam Rosenfelt, who shared invaluable insights into the site's history -- including the remarkable history of the Pullman Porters and their significant role in the civil rights movement -- and the ambitious revitalization efforts that aim to transform this historic gem into a vibrant, mixed-use community. Witness the awe-inspiring industrial architecture that has withstood the test of time and we chat with Adam about what they have in store for the third act of this site.

Join us as we head down to Pullman Yards, an enchanting piece of Atlanta’s history. We sat down with one of the current owners, Adam Rosenfelt, who shared insight into the site’s history — including the remarkable history of the Pullman Porters and their significant role in the civil rights movement — and the ambitious revitalization efforts that aim to transform this historic gem into a vibrant, mixed-use community. Listen as we talk with Adam about the industrial architecture that has withstood the test of time and what they have in store for the third act of this site.  Head on down to the Pratt-Pullman District and enjoy their many exhibitions and family fun activities. Be sure to share with us if you check out Dailies and Sides, AlcoHall, or play a game of pickleball! For more information head to their website pullmanyards.com.

The journey of children in foster care can often be a stressful and sudden situation. Too many children arrive at their new foster homes with very few possessions, some with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Stay tuned for an in depth conversation with Rebekah about the inception of Jambos, and why she feels it’s important for all of us to focus on heart beat versus heartbreak language. For more information on how to get involved with this awesome cause head to jambosdonates.com. There are hundreds of volunteer opportunities at their warehouse located in Buford, GA – bring your friends, colleagues and even the kiddos! And be sure to follow Rebekah and the Jambos team on Instagram @jambosdonates.

Founder and CEO, Mario Cambardella sits down with us today to talk about how ServeScape is using their technology to connect under-marketed landscape designers and plant growers with homeowners.

There’s no “right way” to run a business or raise a child. Both can be incredibly rewarding and challenging at the same time, and are made a whole lot easier when you have support from a community. That’s where Dawn Richardson + Kate Rosenow from Business Meets Baby comes in. Between the two of them, Dawn and Kate have three kids and 10+ years of experience running businesses. Today, we’re chatting with Kate about her journey as a female entrepreneur, navigating pregnancy, post-partum and motherhood as a CEO and how they can offer support to those wanting to take the plunge into being a business owner. Be sure to give Kate and the Business Meets Baby crew a follow on their social channels and check out the website www.businessmeetsbaby.com.

Nate Hybl, is an ex-NFL quarterback-turned CEO of gusto!, a quick serve, fresh bowls and wraps brand with 13 restaurants in the Atlanta area and counting. After hanging up his helmet, Nate started on a mission to find his new gusto and quickly became enamored with food, going through a “culinary awakening”. He eventually perfected his own concept that combined grains and greens, grilled chicken flavored a million ways, sauce and whole ingredients. Listen in as we chat with Nate about his transition from professional athlete to business owner, how gusto! hopes to continue to disrupt the quick-service food industry and what the next few years hold for the restaurant. Head to whatsyourgusto.com to find a location near you!

Ford Fry has cemented himself as an integral part of the Atlanta dining scene, as a chef and owner of over 20 restaurants between Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte and Nashville — like JCT, Superica, St. Cecilia, BeetleCat, The Optimist, and Little Rey to name a few. From his childhood in Texas, to studying at the New England Culinary Institute – find out why Ford decided Atlanta was the place to put down roots and start his career as a restaurant owner.

We’re sitting down today with Ford Fry, chef and owner of several iconic Atlanta restaurants like Superica, St. Cecilia, BeetleCat, The Optimist, Little Rey. He has cemented himself as an integral part of the Atlanta dining scene, opening up over 20 restaurants between Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte and Nashville. From his childhood in Texas, to studying at a culinary institute in New England and eventually making his way to Atlanta to work as a corporate chef – we hear why Ford decided Atlanta was the place to put down roots and start his career as a restaurant owner. Be sure to stop by the new Superica locations in Dunwoody and West Midtown for some incredible grub. And follow Ford + the teams behind his restaurants on social media @fordfry and @rocketfarmfaces.

Our guest today is Billy Kramer, owner and founder of NFA Burger, a small but mighty burger joint located INSIDE a Chevron gas station in Dunwoody.  Billy started his career in sales & marketing, and one day decided to take up a new passion: burgers. He explored, tested, and came up with his perfect recipe, and started slinging burgers around Atlanta as a pop-up, “Billy’s Burgers.” After lots of trial and error, he found a brick-and-mortar spot and opened in the gas station in December 2019. With a handful of accolades under their belt – being voted Best Burger in Georgia by Food and Wine is just one – NFA Burger is just getting started. Follow NFA Burger on social media @nfaburger and be sure to let us know if you stop in for a bite to eat!

Atlanta Rescue Dog Cafe is a non-profit with a unique mission; keep your pets from ever becoming rescues. Our guest today is Aaron Fisher, CEO and founder of ARDC. Aaron spent many years working as an elementary school teacher and volunteering and working in animal welfare. You’ll hear in our episode today how each of these experiences led him to start, Atlanta Rescue Dog Cafe. Their aim is to promote responsible pet ownership through community engagement, and keep our pets out of shelters. Listen in to hear us chat about Aaron’s background, how the non-profit got started, some of their outreach programs and more! Follow the ARDC team on social media @atlantarescuedogcafe or visit their website (therescuedogcafe.org) to stay up to date on the latest events and volunteer opportunities.

Ever sit in a meeting and think “I have no idea what is going on?” or look back at your notes and feel like you’re trying to decipher a secret code? Well our guest today, has got you covered. The Sketch Effect is s visual communications business, whose goal is to make ideas understandable with the help of graphic recorders. Sketch Effect’s team of artists will come to your virtual or in-person live events and help synthesize the content by drawing out the big ideas using engaging visuals, typography, color and design elements. Listen in today as we chat with the founder and CEO of Sketch Effect, William Warren. He shares with us his journey from loving to sketch and doodle as a kid, to studying at SCAD here in Atlanta, and conceiving the idea that would eventually turn into The Sketch Effect! We also dive into his brand new book, "The Conquering Creative" which is all about helping creative people overcome fear and build the creative business or career of their dreams. Follow William and his team on social media @thesketcheffect and visit their website www.thesketcheffect.com to book your very own Graphic Recording Artist!

Ed Fisher opened his Big Green Egg store in Atlanta in 1974, where he began selling the domed clay cooker. He had discovered them while serving overseas in World War II and was impressed with how much better the food tasted using these kamado cookers, versus a typical charcoal or gas grill.  50 years and several iterations later, Big Green Egg has become a worldwide sensation with a loyal and dedicated fan base. When you own a Big Green Egg, you become part of the EGGHead community, a group of passionate and well-fed people who host events each year in the Atlanta area and all around the world. The product line has grown to include seven sizes of the Egg, with hundreds of accessories, to help you cook absolutely everything. Tune in as we sit down with current CEO of Big Green Egg, Ardy Arani as he shares a bit of the Egg's history with us and how the company turned these grills into the global phenomenon we know today! Head to their website biggreenegg.com to find a local retailer and join the EGGHead community! Atlanta Born and Brand is a production of Connext Media. Make sure and follow the show on social media @atlborn on Instagram and like our Atlanta Born and Brand Facebook page.  This year we have another new video series to coincide with the “Our City, Our Story” theme, which can be found on all our social media platforms. Subscribe to the Atlanta Born and Brand YouTube channel for that content and more.  Lastly, if you love the show please spread the word. Share it with your friends and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast app. Your support helps make sure that more and more people hear the stories of all those folks doing great things all over the city. 

Hi y’all! It’s me, Kathryn, back on the podcast because this week I’ll be taking over the intro as well as the interview today. My first go round at this, and I got to have an incredible and enlightening conversation that I can’t wait for y’all to hear. Over 30 years ago, 12 friends sat down and came up with an idea that would make volunteering in their community easier and more accessible, from there Hands On Atlanta was born. Hands On has become a one-stop shop to bring together Atlanta volunteers and nonprofits. Their organization supports over 150 nonprofits in the Atlanta area and has daily opportunities for volunteers. From one time micro-volunteering, to a full year program with AmeriCorps there's something to fit everyone's schedule. Listen in as I sit down with Jay Cranman, President and CEO, of Hands On Atlanta to hear about the good work they're doing and how we can each step up to help meet the needs of others. Follow the Hands On team on social media @handsonatl and be sure to visit their website handsonatlanta.org to see volunteer opportunities near you! Atlanta Born and Brand is a production of Connext Media. Make sure and follow the show on social media @atlborn on Instagram and like our Atlanta Born and Brand Facebook page.  This year we have another new video series to coincide with the “Our City, Our Story” theme, which can be found on all our social media platforms. Subscribe to the Atlanta Born and Brand YouTube channel for that content and more.  Lastly, if you love the show please spread the word. Share it with your friends and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast app. Your support helps make sure that more and more people hear the stories of all those folks doing great things all over the city.

South Downtown, the very streets where Atlanta began! In 2016, Newport opened its Atlanta office and began investing in the future of South Downtown. Through 26 transactions, their team purchased 48 historic buildings and 4 acres of parking lots. The area's first renovations started with historic Hotel Row and 222 Mitchell. Stay tuned for our conversation with Senior Vice President of Newport, April Stammel, to hear about their current and future projects -- including plans for two residential buildings -- and hopes to create a walkable, livable, inclusive and connected neighborhood. Check out their account @southdwntn on Instagram for more details on these upcoming projects. 

Almost exactly two years ago, we sat down with Rebekah Black, founder of the non-profit Jambos Donates. Jambos’ mission is to bring a sense of comfort through providing essential items to children in foster care, like pajamas. Since our initial conversation Rebekah has grown her team, upgraded their warehouse and expanded their distribution efforts. Today, we’re bringing you an updated conversation about the progress Jambos has made thanks to the support of those in the Atlanta community and how you can get involved and help them continue to grow. For more information on how to get involved with this awesome cause head to jambosdonates.com. There are hundreds of volunteer opportunities at their warehouse located in Buford, GA – bring your friends, colleagues and even the kiddos! And be sure to follow Rebekah and the Jambos team on Instagram @jambosdonates. Atlanta Born and Brand is a production of Connext Media. Make sure and follow the show on social media @atlborn on Instagram and like our Atlanta Born and Brand Facebook page.  This year we have another new video series to coincide with the “Our City, Our Story” theme, which can be found on all our social media platforms. Subscribe to the Atlanta Born and Brand YouTube channel for that content and more.  Lastly, if you love the show please spread the word. Share it with your friends and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast app. Your support helps make sure that more and more people hear the stories of all those folks doing great things all over the city. 

ServeScape is Georgia's online landscape marketplace delivered. "From inspiration to installation", ServeScape offers beautiful, resilient landscapes that are locally grown, designed just for you, and delivered to your home or job site.  Founder and CEO, Mario Cambardella sits down with us today to talk about how ServeScape is using their technology to connect under-marketed landscape designers and plant growers with homeowners. To get started on your very own dream landscape head to servescape.com, and follow them on social media @ServeScape to stay up to date! Atlanta Born and Brand is a production of Connext Media. Make sure and follow the show on social media @atlborn on Instagram and like our Atlanta Born and Brand Facebook page. This year we have another new video series to coincide with the “Our City, Our Story” theme, which can be found on all our social media platforms. Subscribe to the Atlanta Born and Brand YouTube channel for that content and more. Lastly, if you love the show please spread the word. Share it with your friends and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast app. Your support helps make sure that more and more people hear the stories of all those folks doing great things all over the city.