Good Neighbor Podcast: Sarasota
Connecting Sarasota Businesses and Neighbors!
The Good Neighbor Podcast, hosted by Virginia McConnell, bridges the gap between Sarasota residents and the incredible local business throughout Sarasota.
Discover the stories behind your favorite local businesses—because they're not just owners; they're your neighbors! Proud to be the #1 Sarasota Podcast.
Are you a business serving the Sarasota area? Let’s showcase your story! Visit gnpSarasota.com to schedule your free interview today.
Episodes
36 episodes
Discernment Matters When Spiritual Advice Gets Loud
Spirituality gets loud online fast, but truth gets quieter. We sit down with Dr. Joy Pedersen of Express Success LLC to talk about what spiritual healing looks like when you keep your feet on the ground and your standards high, especially in a ...
Dog Training Works Best When Owners Learn Too
Your dog can sit perfectly in the living room, then act like you’ve never met the second a squirrel darts by. That gap between “knows it” and “does it anywhere” is what we dig into with Julie Madison of Top Tier K9 Bradenton, a trainer with ove...
Your Dog Is Not A Couch Potato
Your dog isn’t giving you a hard time. Your dog might be under exercised, under stimulated, or simply unsure who to trust. We sit down with Natalya Demina, the owner of AAA Pet Resort to talk about what dog boarding and dog daycare can look lik...
How Barbie’s Boutique Became A One-Stop Shop For Bridal And Special Occasions
A boutique can be more than a place to buy a dress. It can be the moment you finally feel like yourself in the mirror. We sit down with Erika Alarcon of Barbie’s Boutique to talk about what it takes to build that kind of experience and why her ...
Your Partner Is Not A Mind Reader
Loneliness doesn’t always look like being alone. Sometimes it shows up while you’re sitting next to someone you love, feeling unheard, tense, or unsure how to bridge the gap. We talk with Dr. April Brown, founder of Therapist in Sarasota and th...
How Music And Movement Build Confident Kids
Your kid doesn’t need another lecture about “being active” they need a reason to love moving. That’s why we sat down with Adrianne Pezzella of Fun2Be Fit Kids, a Sarasota County children’s fitness and education program built around music, play,...
Building A Trauma-Informed Day Spa And Emotional Well-Being Center In Venice
A great massage can relax your muscles, but what if the deeper win is feeling safe enough to finally exhale? Virginia McConnell sits down with Heather Dempsey of Self Care Center in Venice, Florida to talk about building a day spa that treats s...
A Breast Cancer Survivor Builds A Spa For Skin And Soul Healing
You can spend money on facials and still feel stuck if your daily routine is quietly damaging your skin barrier. We sit down with Jaymie Martinez of Tranquil Oasis Spa, an oncology-trained and certified skincare professional whose work was shap...
An Animal Ambulance For Your Pet
Your pet is hurting, panicking, or too big to lift, and suddenly the hardest part isn’t choosing a vet, it’s getting there safely. We sit down with Cheryl Brady, founder of Vet Care Express Animal Ambulance, to talk about what a real animal amb...
Medical Grade Skincare Truths
“Medical grade skincare” can sound like a promise, but what does it actually mean when you’re staring at a shelf of serums and hoping for real results? We talk with Karrie Decker, master esthetician and founder of Last Call Skincare, to cut thr...
How Public Adjusters Fight For Homeowners
Insurance claims can feel like a simple form and a quick inspection until you’re staring at a check that won’t even cover the roof. We sit down with Thomas Plehn of ClaimResultsPro.com to talk about what a public adjuster actually does, why the...
Help And Hope Next Door In The Purple Building
There’s a moment in every community where someone quietly realizes they can’t do it alone and what happens next depends on whether real help is close by. We’re joined by Dr. April Glasco of Second Chance Last Opportunity, a Sarasota nonprofit t...
A Muscle Therapist Explains Why Your Pain Keeps Returning
Your muscles might not be “tight” because you sit too much or because you missed a stretch. They might be tight because your brain is holding them there. We sit down with Butch Phelps of The Muscle Repair Shop to unpack a different way to think...
How To Choose A Roof System That Lasts
Your roof is not just what you see from the street, and that blind spot can get expensive fast. We sit down with Kelly Shepard of All Weather Tite Roofing, a roofer with 40+ years of experience, to break down what homeowners often miss when the...
Most Water Damage Gets Worse After It Looks Dry
Water on the floor feels like the problem, but the real danger is what you can’t see. We sit down with Shawn Tash, co-owner of 1-800 Water Damage of Sarasota and Bradenton, to unpack what actually happens after a pipe burst, a sewage backup, or...
Your Pet Can Learn To Love The Vet
A lot of people assume a vet visit has to be stressful for pets and honestly, many of us have lived through appointments that felt exactly like that. Host Virginia McConnell sits down with Dr. Josie Hamilton of Burns Court Veterinary Care in do...
What If The Scariest Part Of Dentistry Is Waiting
Dental fear doesn’t start in the chair. It starts in memory: a rushed appointment, a painful tooth, a childhood moment that taught your nervous system to brace for impact. That’s why our conversation with Dr. Ta from Siesta Village Dentistry hi...
Natural Stone Always Needs Maintenance No Matter What
Stone is supposed to feel timeless, so it’s frustrating when marble loses its shine, travertine starts to etch, or a “sealed” surface still stains. We sit down with Katherine Valderrama from Sarasota Marble Restoration LLC to get practical clar...
Holistic Wellness Beyond Prescriptions
A lot of “wellness” talk stays vague. We wanted the real thing so we sat down with Farrah Woodall, a registered nurse and the founder of My Earthly Essentials, to get practical about what holistic wellness can look like when it’s built on clini...
Spaying And Neutering Saves Pets And Prevents Tragedy
We sit down with Laura McCann, executive director of ARC Spay and Neuter Specialists in Sarasota, to talk about the practical fix that changed the region’s animal welfare outlook: affordable, high volume spay and neuter surgery designed to prev...
Building A Community Haunted Attraction In Manatee County
A haunted attraction can be more than a scream and a jump scare. We’re talking with Josh Danley of Scream Works Florida about what it takes to turn a lifelong home haunt into a real, public haunted house experience for Manatee County, built by ...
Healing Is Logical
A lot of people walk into a chiropractor’s office thinking it’s only about back pain and neck pain and maybe a headache if things get bad enough. That narrow view can keep you from answers that are hiding in plain sight.We talk with Dr....
Baby Cakes, Big Difference
A cupcake can be comfort food or it can be a problem when you’re watching sugar, dealing with dietary limits, or trying to find a bakery that actually gets it. We’re joined by Brittany Danley from Babycakes Cupcakes LLC to talk about building a...
How A Sarasota Crew Built A Local Metal Roofing Manufacturer
Metal roofing projects live or die on one unglamorous detail: having the right panels and trims available when the crew is ready to install. Virginia McConnell sits down with Konstantin Ptselnikov to unpack how a Sarasota exterior company evolv...
A Comprehensive Chiropractor Approach For Headaches To Foot Pain
Most people think chiropractic equals adjustments. Our chat with Dr. Telfair from Telfair Chiropractic flips that assumption and replaces it with a clear, practical approach to pain relief that’s built around soft tissue work, progressive rehab...