The Love of Here | Life and Work in Northwest Georgia

What does it take to turn a five-day notice and a one-way ticket into a lifelong love for a small Georgia town? Ty Hudson arrived in Dalton from Liverpool, England, as a teenager with a soccer scholarship and no idea what to expect. More than a decade later, he's the owner of Shankly Elite Training, an emerging small business award winner, and one of Dalton's most passionate community builders. His story spans missed scholarships, self-directed injury rehab, a pandemic-fueled business launch, and a deep commitment to giving back to the place that took him in.HighlightsTy shares how a chance meeting with a soccer agent led to a move from Liverpool to Atlanta with just five days' notice at age 18After being declared ineligible for the NCAA, Ty found his way to Dalton State College's brand-new men's soccer program on a full scholarshipGetting around Dalton without a car: relying on teammates, new friends, and a bicycle to navigate the communityHow a serious back injury derailed plans to transfer to a bigger school — and ultimately kept Ty in DaltonThe culture shock of arriving in Dalton via the Rocky Face exit, mountains instead of a city skylineComparing UK and US soccer culture, from Liverpool's football-or-fighting mentality to Dalton's vibrant rec league sceneHow Ty's self-guided physical therapy recovery after his injury shaped his interest in pre-PT studiesThe COVID pandemic unexpectedly doubled Ty's private training clientele and planted the seed for a real businessShankly Elite Training launched in 2022 and was voted Emerging Small Business of the Year by the Dalton Chamber in 2023Ty breaks down the real costs of running a training facility and why pricing transparency mattersThe vision behind the Performance Hub as a community space — soccer, Pilates, fitness classes, birthday parties, and moreA personal story about losing his father and leaning on team member Will to keep the business runningFavorite Dalton spots: Almague, Mariscos, and Hag MillChapters0:38 — Meet Ty Hudson1:47 — Liverpool to America Leap3:44 — Scholarship Setback4:53 — Finding Dalton State6:13 — First Impressions Dalton7:40 — Getting Around Town9:28 — Why He Stayed11:08 — UK vs US Soccer Culture15:32 — Starting Shankly Elite15:59 — Injury to PT Pivot17:49 — COVID Growth and Launch19:18 — Chamber Award Recognition20:39 — Social Media Strategy Shift22:29 — Behind the Pricing23:14 — Where to Follow Online24:01 — Servant Mindset Origins28:23 — Building a Community Hub30:21 — Dalton Favorites and Food32:07 — Downtown Momentum and Events35:35 — Loss and Leaning on Team36:30 — Closing Thanks and WrapResources MentionedShankly Elite TrainingSocial Media:@the_coachty @shanklyelitetraining_llcFor more local stories, subscribe to Here.Dalton magazine at heredaltonmagazine.com or follow the Love of Here podcast and never miss an episode.  

Have you ever left your hometown swearing you'd never go back, only to find yourself drawn right back in — and building something extraordinary there? Our guest today did exactly that. Melanie Honig grew up in Dalton, Georgia, couldn't wait to leave, lived everywhere from Los Angeles to London, and then came back home and never stopped building. She co-founded the textile design company Smith Hönig, helped start the Dalton-Whitfield Economic Development Authority, and is now a partner at Patterson Farms — a mixed-use community rising on the site of a historic harness racing horse farm. Along the way she's become a fierce advocate for color, for storytelling as a business edge, for the dignity of aging family members, and for the idea that community is built one conversation, one walk, and one Cherry Coke at a pharmacy counter at a time.HighlightsMelanie's journey from Dalton to LA, DC, London, and back home againHow she met her husband over metal "travelers" embedded in the floor of the old textile millThe founding of Smith Honig and why story is your true competitive edgeKelly Smith, the "color whisperer," and how Melanie learned to stop playing it safe with colorStarting the Economic Development Authority in Dalton and Whitfield County from scratchDalton's surprising infrastructure advantage — third-largest distribution center for rolled goods in the countryHow the legacy of the textile industry seeded a whole economy (shoutout to Catherine Evans Whitener)The vision behind Patterson Farms: a walkable, diverse, community-first neighborhood built on a historic harness racing farmWhy the garages are in the back, why 400 new trees were planted, and why there are gas streetlightsHarness racing history — John Patterson Sr. and the Hall of Fame legacy woven into the street namesRudolph's is coming back, along with a coffee shop, a med spa, a doctor's office that makes house calls, and maybe a pharmacy with a soda counterEdwards Park draws 418,000 visitors a year with nowhere nearby to spend money — Patterson Farms aims to fix thatThe caregiving conversation: being a family caregiver for older siblings and why every aging person deserves to keep telling their storyThe beautiful story of watching an elderly woman light candles in a cobblestone city church"We are human beings, not human producers"Why Melanie calls herself an "occasional hibernator" and protects silence on MondaysA rapid-fire tour of the Dalton food sceneChapters01:15 — Growing up in Dalton and the urge to leave02:55 — Coming back home and meeting her husband over textile "travelers"05:40 — Smith Hönig: fabric, pillows, wallpaper, and the power of story08:17 — From economic development to entrepreneurship10:30 — Dalton's infrastructure and geographic advantage14:30 — The origin of Patterson Farms21:30 — Commercial retail coming to Patterson Farms24:30 — Edwards Park, sports tourism, and 418,000 visitors with nowhere to eat29:30 — Modern convenience vs. human connection and the walk downtown35:30 — "We are human beings, not human producers"36:30 — Traveling and the love of feeling foreign39:30 — Favorite Dalton food spotsResourcesSmith Hönig Smith Hönig on social mediaFOLLOW THE SHOWInstagram: @behere.daltonFacebook: Here MagazineLinkedIn: Here Local MediaThanks for listening! Be sure to support the show by subscribing on your podcast player and leave us a review!

What happens when you realize time with your kids at home is running short — and how do you chase a career you love without losing yourself in the guilt?Caroline Frost is the Development Director for Junior Achievement of Georgia in Northwest Georgia, a wife, and a mom of three. She sat down with us to share her Dalton story — from growing up here and graduating in a class of 26, to chasing something new in Dodge City, Kansas, to coming home with a fresh appreciation for Southern hospitality and the green hills of Northwest Georgia. Caroline opens up about falling into nonprofit work by accident, the mentor who believed in her before she believed in herself, and what it looks like to balance a career you're passionate about with raising three kids across very different stages of life. We talk about mom guilt, imposter syndrome, social media vs. reality, the power of having just one mom friend, and why the queso at El Maguey is impossible to beat.HIGHLIGHTSCaroline's realization that the high school drop-off was harder than kindergarten — because time is passing fastErika's editor's letter concept of "deep time" — we can't control the future, but we can make a huge impact in the presentCaroline's brief but memorable stint in Dodge City, Kansas, complete with tumbleweeds and a meatpacking plant downwindHow a chamber internship and a social media video series led Caroline away from counseling and into philanthropyThe power of mentorship: how Anna Adamson empowered Caroline to step into development work, even when Caroline didn't think she couldCaroline's husband comparing following Anna Adamson's role to "following Nick Saban"Junior Achievement's massive reach — over 11,000 students and 1,600 volunteers last year, including 900+ from Dalton StateFull-circle moments: former JA students now returning as Dalton State volunteersWhat JA BizTown and Finance Park actually look like inside the Discovery Center — a simulated Northwest Georgia village with storefronts, a train tunnel, and nods to the carpet industryShonda Rhimes' perspective: when you're doing one thing well, you're not doing the other — and that's okayJoanna Gaines' story about dropping her daughter at college and the guilt wave that followed — and her daughter's response: "Mom, you taught me I can build anything"Jennifer Garner's rule: never apologize to your kids for having a jobCaroline's son's favorite home-cooked meal: "homemade" chocolate chip cookies (from Toll House) and "homemade" pizza (frozen)Lauren's reminder about social media vs. reality — even the gorgeous homemade pizza posts have kids eating Kraft Mac and Cheese off-cameraWhy having even one mom friend you can be honest with changes everythingCaroline's pick for favorite thing in Dalton: the queso, specifically at El Maguey's downtownCHAPTERS0:55 — Meet Caroline Frost1:32 — Motherhood and Time3:42 — Caroline's Dalton Roots5:24 — Leaving Home and Kansas9:06 — Missing the South11:12 — Finding Junior Achievement14:50 — Mentorship and Leadership20:38 — JA Impact and Footprint24:38 — Inside BizTown and Finance Park28:12 — Get Involved With JA28:27 — Volunteering and Tours29:14 — Balancing Work and Mom Life31:13 — Mom Guilt and Role Models34:41 — Home Life Is Humbling38:27 — Social Media vs. Reality40:48 — Finding Your Mom Community44:12 — Dalton Favorites and Queso45:53 — Follow JA and Final ThanksRESOURCESJunior Achievement of Georgia JA of Northwest Georgia on social mediaFOLLOW THE SHOWInstagram: @behere.daltonFacebook: Here MagazineLinkedIn: Here Local MediaThanks for listening! Be sure to support the show by subscribing on your podcast player and leave us a review!

The Love of Here challenges the idea that northwest Georgia has nothing to do by sharing local stories that matter. You don’t need a bigger city—just a better lens.

What happens when a college president decides that higher education shouldn't just be about degrees — it should be about building a community from the ground up? Dr. John Fuchko, president of Dalton State College, sits down with hosts Lauren Sneary and Erika Mosteller to share how he landed in Dalton, why he sees the college as an economic and cultural engine for Northwest Georgia, and what's driving unprecedented growth and collaboration across the region's educational institutions. From record enrollment numbers and nationally ranked student experience to a groundbreaking charter school initiative that blends classical education with Finnish learning models, Dr. Fuchko makes the case that investing in education is really about investing in people — and that the best way to predict a community's future is to look at how it educates its children. Along the way, the conversation covers everything from coffee shops in libraries to the power of a good story, the art of professional etiquette, and why reading fiction might be the most practical leadership skill there is.HIGHLIGHTSDalton State College has grown approximately 30% over four years, from about 4,500 students to nearly 6,000 — unusual growth in higher educationFull-time tuition and fees are just $2,030 per semester, and the college distributes over $1 million annually in private scholarshipsThe college ranked #1 in the country for student experience by the Wall Street Journal, and is #11 among regional public colleges in the South per U.S. NewsNearly 1,800 students per year participate in real-world learning — internships, STEM research, and clinicalsThe annual economic impact of Dalton State College on the community is approximately $167 millionDalton State and Georgia Northwestern Technical College raised $8.3 million together for the Northwest Georgia Promise scholarship, covering tuition and fees for high-achieving students across eight countiesArticulation agreements between Dalton State, GNTC, and Georgia Highlands College allow students to transfer between institutions with zero credit lossThe newly renovated Roberts Library features the Rage Cafe, driving library visits from ~300 to ~1,200 per dayA planned $11 million expansion of the Ken White Health Professions Hall aims to address Georgia's projected 10,000-nurse shortageThe Learning Academy of Northwest Georgia — one of the first locally approved charter schools in Georgia in over a decade — will open in fall 2027 at the Boys & Girls Club, combining classical education, dual language immersion (English/Spanish), and Finnish-based individualized learningThe Whitworth Distinguished Chair in Classical Education was established at Dalton State thanks to the Whitworth-Brown family, with Dr. Aquina Sterling serving in the roleDr. Fuchko recommends balancing leadership reading with fiction to develop compassion, humility, and joyCHAPTERS1:17 — How He Landed in Dalton2:26 — Vetting the Community4:18 — Dalton State Highlights5:04 — Affordability and Scholarships8:31 — Donors and Campus Legacy11:24 — College as Economic Engine13:13 — Workforce Talent Pipeline17:33 — Collaboration with GNTC23:00 — New Campus Projects26:55 — Roadrunner Experience Vision28:14 — Critical Thinking Matters29:40 — Integrated Learning Goals30:42 — Etiquette and Belonging32:36 — Charter School Vision37:50 — Reading and Story Love41:55 — Enrollment and Lottery Steps44:50 — Favorite Dalton Moment47:26 — Book Recommendations WrapResources MentionedDalton State CollegeLearning Academy of Northwest GeorgiaBooks Recommended by Dr. FuchkoThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. CoveyAtomic Habits by James ClearTeam of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns GoodwinReframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership by Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. DealFOLLOW THE SHOWInstagram: @behere.daltonFacebook: Here MagazineLinkedIn: Here Local MediaThanks for listening! Be sure to support the show by subscribing on your podcast player and leave us a review!