Below the Surface Podcast
Welcome to BELOW THE SURFACE — where we bring you real conversations with amazing guests. Hit follow and stay tuned for new episodes! 🎙️
Episodes
9 episodes
He Built 6 Businesses Without Burning Out | Chris Ulmer
Chris Ulmer owns Crystal Coast Graphics, a bowling center, a food truck, commercial properties, Airbnbs, and more — and he's done it without sacrificing his marriage or his sanity. In this episode, Jared sits down with Chris to talk through the...
He Let His 4-Year-Old Hunt First — and Never Regretted It | Michael Letchworth
What does it actually take to build a business, raise a great kid, and find yourself — all at the same time?Michael Letchworth is a partner at Sam Jones Barbecue, founder of Fox Hollow Outdoors, and the dad behind one of the most genuine fa...
Faith, Loss, and Fishing Through Rock Bottom | David Mercer
Big Dave Mercer is one of the most well-known names in Eastern NC fishing — but behind that reputation is a story most people have never heard. In this episode, Jared sits down with Big Dave and gets into the real stuff: growing up in Beulavill...
From Combat to Coast: How a Retired Marine Found Peace on the Water | Brad Smith
Below the Surface with Jared Shepherd — Brad Smith | Gunny B OutdoorsBrad Smith isn't your average fishing guide. He's a retired Marine who did 20 years, deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, went through MARSOC, and came home a changed man. Bu...
He Opened a Restaurant at 28 With No Money—Now He's Franchising | Clarke Merrell | Below the Surface
Today on Below the Surface, we sat down with Clarke Merrell — the man behind some of Eastern NC's most recognizable restaurants: Prime Bistro, Wine Bar, Circa, Dank Burrito, Merrell Estate & Gardens, Social Q, and Beaufort Olive Oil Company...
The Real Cost of Building Something | Below the Surface | UNFILTERED #1
Jared Shepherd built ProServe from his garage with nothing but a truck, some tools, and his wife Maria saying "okay." Now he's responsible for 50+ employees and their families — and for the first time, he's talking about what actually sits unde...
Near Death, Regret & True Freedom | Brian Saunders | Below the Surface #4
Brian Saunders is known all over New Bern — from teaching for 26 years to Victory Fishing to Neuse River Fishers of Men. But most people have no idea what built him.In this episode, Brian gets raw about the three things he worshipped bef...
Life, Faith & Fishing | Josh Sutton | Below The Surface Podcast #3
Josh Sutton is one of the top speckled trout guides in North Carolina — but the journey to get there? Nothing short of wild. From racing go-karts up and down the East Coast, to a dirt bike wreck that changed everything, to finding his calling o...
From the Water to the Community | Tim Askew | Below The Surface Podcast #2
Tim Eskew grew up poor in King's Crossroads, NC — and didn't even know it. Now he's a pastor, founder of Eastern Carolina Inshore Club (ECIC), and a man whose name has become synonymous with community, purpose, and giving back.In this e...