Owning The Coast
Owning The Coast is your weekly deep dive into the people, places, and possibilities that make Santa Cruz one of the most inspiring places to live. Hosted by real estate pro Brandi Jones, mortgage and market expert Ryan Buckholdt, and insurance specialist Jerry Seagraves, the show blends their unique expertise with candid conversations and dynamic guests. Each week, you’ll hear stories that go beyond property lines — from navigating the local housing market to discovering hidden trails, tasting the best bites in town, and meeting the entrepreneurs, artists, and community leaders shaping the coast. Whether you’re a long-time local, a newcomer, or dreaming about making Santa Cruz home, Owning The Coast offers the insights, inspiration, and insider knowledge you need to thrive in life and living by the sea.
Episodes
19 episodes
Santa Cruz’s Blue Wall
Sea turtles off Santa Cruz, a renewed push for offshore drilling, and a grassroots “blue wall” that can actually stop it—this conversation with Save Our Shores executive director Katie Thompson is a masterclass in how local action shapes ocean ...
How A Caterer Turned Grit, Community, And Local Ingredients Into A Beloved Santa Cruz Kitchen
A coastal market wakes up, wildfire insurance cracks open long-stuck doors, and a Santa Cruz chef proves that comfort food can be both soulful and smart. We kick things off with a frank look at February’s housing heat: listings that sat for mon...
Inside Suda: Culture, Consistency, Community
A falling mortgage rate brings energy back to the coast, but the real story lives at a neighborhood table. We sit down with Suda’s co-owner, realtor, and wake-surf competitor Cole Kerby and general manager Mel Lashbrook to explore how a Santa C...
Finding Balance Between Rock Stardom And Real Life
A Santa Cruz kid sketches a drum in kindergarten, stands before Steven Tyler at 22, fronts Quiet Riot, and then decides what matters most isn’t fame, but the life built around the songs. That’s the heartbeat of our conversation with James Durbi...
Community, Strategy, And Contact Sport: The Rebuild Of Santa Cruz Roller Derby
The Santa Cruz market just did a U-turn. After a sleepy January with only 56 closings, the first days of February brought 18 new pendings—many with multiple offers—reminding us how quickly momentum returns when buyers are ready and listings are...
Jennalee Dahlen: How A Single Facial Sparked A Career In Holistic Healing And Civic Service
What if your skin is telling the story your nervous system can’t say out loud? We sit down with master aesthetician and community leader Jennalee Dahlen of Yoso Wellness to trace a journey from corporate burnout to hands-on healing, and from pe...
Santa Cruz Food, Fitness, And Community Building
Hungry for proof that food can rebuild culture one bite at a time?The newest episode of Owning The Coast opens with a quick reality check on Santa Cruz County—rates, listings, insurance, and the economic pressure shaping how p...
Chris Murphy: Santa Cruz Warriors; Growth, Grit, And Giving Back
A packed gym can change a city—especially when you can feel the hardwood in your chest from 15 rows up. We sat down with Chris Murphy, president of the Santa Cruz Warriors, to unpack how a G League franchise turned a 2,500-seat arena into a win...
How the Ow Family Revived Santa Cruz’s Wrigley Building Into An Innovation Hub
A rate dip below six percent, insurance carriers tiptoeing back into California’s wildfire zones, and a gum factory reinvented as a hive of ideas—this conversation tracks momentum that actually moves lives. We bring William Ow into the studio t...
Ten Pull-Ups, Zero Nonsense: The Eviction Expert Landlords Actually Like w/ Anne Michelle Francis
What if most “bad tenants” weren’t actually the problem? We bring on Anne Michelle Francis, CEO of Blueprint Evictions, to explore the hidden mechanics of landlording in California: the power of a clear lease, the limits of the Tenant Protectio...
Santa Cruz Roots, Skate Art, And A Leap Into A Creative Life w/ Scotty Greathouse
What does it really take to leave a steady job and build a life in color? We sit down with Santa Cruz artist Scotty Greathouse to trace the leap from concrete trucks to murals, from surf-shop inspiration to a 160-foot Trader Joe’s wall in San F...
Zillow vs. Santa Cruz Reality
Let’s talk about the gap between a glossy listing page and the ground you’ll actually live on. We sit down with Brandi Jones (Keller Williams Thrive) and unpack why Santa Cruz defies one-size-fits-all valuations, how Zillow turns your curiosity...
How Casey Hinchman Turned Loss, Debt, and Grit into Financial Freedom—and a Life That Works
A stroke in a parking lot. A 500 credit score. An island in Panama. Our conversation with top 1% realtor and coach Kasey Hinchman is a masterclass in turning hard seasons into durable wins—without losing your health, marriage, or mind along the...
Beer, Grit, and Santa Cruz Roots w/ Shawd DeWitt
What does it take to turn a life-altering surf injury into a thriving hospitality brand? We sit down with Santa Cruz local and entrepreneur Shawd DeWitt to trace the unlikely path from Rainbow Fin Company to Beer 30, Beer Mule, and the rebirth ...
Prospecting Like a Pro: How Not to Hate Sales w/ Jason Flynn
When everyone's shouting that the sky is falling, that's precisely when savvy entrepreneurs find their greatest opportunities. In this illuminating conversation with Jason Flynn, Team Leader at Keller Williams Thrive, we explore how shifting ma...
Hammering Out the Truth: A Contractor's 30-Year Journey w/ Nico Ciancirullo
What happens when Silicon Valley wealth meets Santa Cruz's laid-back coastal charm? Longtime local contractor Nico Ciancirullo pulls back the curtain on 30 years of building in one of California's most challenging construction markets.H...
Hidden Santa Cruz: Local Secrets and Daily Rhythms
What does it really mean to live in Santa Cruz County? Beyond the postcard-perfect beaches and world-famous surfing lies a complex, vibrant community that locals know intimately. In this candid conversation, three generations of Santa Cruz resi...
Wealth Building Through Real Estate: The New Tax Landscape w/ Chris Sheehy
Numbers often hold hidden significance. In numerology, the letter B equals 28—the number of wealth. Perhaps that's why the "Big Beautiful Bill" seems destined to create financial opportunities, especially for homeowners and real estate investor...
The Insider's Guide to Living and Buying in Monterey Bay
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Own the Coast, your insider's guide to navigating the unique real estate landscape of Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay area. As locals who've witnessed the region's evolution firsthand, we're cutting through t...