Behind the Counter
Behind the Counter - Business Stories from the Four Corners:
Real Businesses. Real Conversations. Right Here in Our Community.
Every week, I sit down with local business owners to hear the real stories behind their work — the highs, the lows, and everything in between. Whether they run a bakery, a repair shop, or a creative studio, each of them has something powerful to share.
This is more than a podcast — it’s a celebration of the hustle, heart, and humanity that keep the Four Corners thriving.
Episodes
23 episodes
Selling Cars, Not Snake Oil: And Sometimes Bourbon
Opportunity doesn’t always announce itself; sometimes it looks like a rent hike that forces you to choose who you really are. We sat down with Clay Jaqua, owner of 505 Motorsports in Farmington, to unpack how a near-crisis became the catalyst f...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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1:17:30
She Sold Shoes, Built Quads, And Accidentally Became Famous
What does it look like to build a business after the kids leave home—and turn it into the heartbeat of a local running community? We sit down with Jeri Hogue, owner of Southwest Runners, for a candid conversation about risk, resilience, and the...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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58:01
From Family Pub To Powerhouse
What does it take to turn a family pub into a community anchor that thrives on and off-site? Louie McMullen, co-owner of Clancy’s Pub, opens up about the long game: honoring a legacy that began in 1978 while building a modern operation that win...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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49:13
AI Can Make Output, But Only Humans Build Strategy
The conversation starts with a candid pivot: we turned the mic on our own shop to explain why we stepped back from day-to-day marketing, spent two years pressure-testing AI, and then chose to expand with a human-first, full-service model. Not t...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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24:19
How A Hobby Became A Community Staple And Grew Confidence Along The Way
Beauty doesn’t happen by accident; it’s stitched from patience, problem solving, and a little glitter that somehow gets everywhere. We sit with Jamie Goodwin, the heart behind JG Cross Creations, to trace how a single wooden cross turned into a...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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49:09
How A 23-Year-Old Built Blooming Ember Massage Into A Calming Local Haven
A quiet studio, a steady hand, and a young owner who chose peace over perfection—this is the story of Blooming Ember Massage through the eyes of its founder, Callie Frost. She walked away from nursing, learned the craft of touch, and turned a b...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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52:41
A Cancer Diagnosis Paused Her Career, So She Grew A Flower Farm That Healed Her And Her Community
A quiet field can feel like a heartbeat when life gets loud. That’s the energy Heather Martinez brings to Desert Bunny Blooms—a flower farm born from a job loss, tempered by a cancer battle, and sustained by a deep love for soil, seasons, and c...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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30:34
From Farmers Market To Global Orders
What does it take to turn a weekend candle hobby into a fast-growing brand that ships across the country and overseas? We sit down with Josh Velasquez, founder of Dark Wick Candle Co, to unpack the leap from farmers markets to wholesale orders,...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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47:09
How Two Friends Turn Stones, Energy, And Curiosity Into A Life Of Service
What if peace — not profit — became your definition of success? That’s where we land as Deborah and Sandra share how a lifetime of friendship turned into two distinct, purpose-led paths: handmade crystal jewelry with a signature style, and a he...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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1:06:16
What If Success Is Helping A Town Believe In Its Own Art?
A single painting can hold a lifetime — joy, grief, and the courage to start again. That’s the energy we explore with painter Karen Ellsbury, co-owner of HEart Gallery in downtown Farmington, as she shares how her work evolved from luminous “co...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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46:53
Designed To Work, Not Wear You Out
Want a business that works without wearing you out? We zoom out after a full season of conversations with owners across industries and pull forward the patterns that actually make small businesses resilient. The theme that rises above the rest:...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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15:45
Subscribed People Get Gifts Early, No Wrapping Required
Take a breath with us. As the holidays arrive, we’re pressing pause to recharge, reflect, and set up a stronger return in January—while giving you a clear path to keep up with new stories from the Four Corners business community. We share exact...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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16:13
Chocolate, Magic, And A Cottage Factory
A cottage at the edge of a national park. A clock that dispenses chocolate. A host who can pivot from crystal structures in tempering to a groan-worthy deer joke in one beat. Meet Bryan Davis of Dotty Wampus Magical Chocolate Factory, where cul...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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1:03:54
We Put The “Art” In “Party” And The “Roll” In Cinnamon
Step inside a 10,000-square-foot creative hub where the scent of fresh cinnamon rolls mingles with oil paint and coffee, and a century-old lumberyard has a second life as Farmington’s favorite gathering place. We sit with owner Tara Taylor to t...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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51:58
Gratitude, Grit, And Year-End Sales Momentum
A short break can be a powerful reset, and this Thanksgiving we’re using the pause to sharpen focus, build momentum, and double down on what works. Ken Collins opens up about why gratitude is more than a seasonal mood; it’s a daily operating sy...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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20:38
From Studio Dreams To Dance Legacy
A lot of people say “follow your passion” — few show the messy, determined work that makes it sustainable. We sit with AnnMarie Bean, owner of AnnMarie’s Dance Academy in Farmington, to talk about how a kid who grew up dancing for fun built a s...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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55:43
What If Serendipity Is The Best Business Plan
A 16-acre orchard, a taxing year, and a knock from fate: that’s how Niki Hilbers found her way from selling fruit to building a year-round honey brand with real roots in the Four Corners. What began as a practical move to make the land pay its ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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42:54
How A Spiritual Wake-Up Led To A Community-Fueled Mushroom Business
A curtain for a tablecloth and a pocket of courage—that’s how Courtney Anderson’s mushroom journey began. What followed is a rare blend of patient craft, community warmth, and customer-led innovation that transformed a flea market table into Mu...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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54:02
How A Woodworker Turned Fine Furniture, Smart Jigs, And Instagram Into A Thriving Business
The best furniture tells a story you can feel in your hands—and sometimes hides a secret. We sit with master maker Ramon Valdez to unpack how marquetry, tight joinery, and magnetic hidden compartments evolved into a resilient business that reac...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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45:34
The Filler Episode That Accidentally Becomes A Masterclass
A confession with teeth. We missed a week, and instead of glossing over it, we break down why new projects fall through the cracks—and how to build systems that keep your work on track when life gets loud. I walk through my path from Farmington...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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51:53
River, Roots, and Rafts
Imagine floating past sunlit bluffs while otters slip through willow shadows and a guide turns river science into basketballs-per-second. That’s the unexpected magic Cody Dudgeon and Desert River Guides bring to Farmington—a city more famous fo...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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52:01
A Legacy on Air: Partnership, Reinvention, and the Joy of Not Quitting
It's all about InterWest ConceptsWe trace how a radio lifer (David Mills) and a systems-savvy producer (Ren Harris) built a genre-hopping Sunday show on KSJE by mixing curiosity,...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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1:00:20
Behind the Scenes of Local Business
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Behind the Counter, a podcast that explores the authentic stories of small businesses in the Four Corners region. Host Ken Collins introduces the show's mission to uncover the real narratives of local entrepr...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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4:44
