Real Deal With Ron Sivak

Download | Subscribe (Free) In this episode of Lagniappe's Real Deal Podcast Alabama's eight year-old Entertainment Industry Incentive Act, now in line for evaluation during current legislative session taking place in the halls of Goat Hill, is discussed. For the first segment we sat down with Eva Golson, Director of Mobile's Movie Film Office. Successful Hollywood producer and Fairhope native Scott Lumpkin was approached afterwards, outside of the studio, to contribute to the narrative in an exclusive phone interview. Johnny G. and Ron, offering final thoughts in the wrap up, ponder the ramifications if and/or when more locally beneficial business legislation rides off into the sunset. (Note: after this episode was recorded, it was learned that a feasibility study -- put together by UT Knoxville's Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research -- recommended termination of the legislation to Senator Pro Tem Del Marsh) Here's a cheat sheet: 2:08 -- origins of the Mobile film office 5:00 -- or

Download | Subscribe This BONUS episode of Lagniappe's Real Deal series emerged from a free-wheeling segment of an "off the record" in-studio rant about happenings in the local commercial real estate market. Johnny G. and I decided to convert the recordings into our first, full-blown "Rumor Mill" #CRE segment with NAI-Mobile and 106.5 TalkFM's legendary Pete Riehm. What's covered? Here's a sample: Updates on the Wal-Mart Distribution Center -- new apartments in downtown Mobile -- a possible high-tech drone port buzzing out of Saint Elmo Airport (with Mark Zukerberg connections) -- upgrades in downtown Mobile parking -- Boeing moving locally into the area to compete with Airbus -- the Poarch Creek Tribe taking over LoDa -- and the high value of some local warehouse properties collectively identified as scarce resources. We hope you enjoy this nearly unedited, no-holds-barred, high-energy podcast brought to you in partnership with Lagniappe Weekly and Deep Fried Studios.   Listen to Mobile Tourism Bus

Download | Subscribe (free) On this episode of Lagniappe's Real Deal podcast we sat down with Wiley Blankenship, president & CEO of local well-known nonprofit, Coastal Alabama Partnership. In the second interview of a two-part series covering local tourism, Blankenship rolled up his sleeves to identify and define what he thinks tourism means in the area among a continuum of diverse nonprofit groups with different goals; why developing grassroots engagement is crucial and how to incorporate a for-profit "sense of urgency" into a historically predominant citywide not-for-profit infrastructure. Listen to Mobile Tourism Business Part 1: Scott Tindle For the epilogue, Ron and Johnny G. put ideation ingredients together to boil down, evaluate and speculate over the heady brew of suggestions served up by both Tindle and Blankenship. Tourism today in Mobile and Baldwin County is a hot topic. The solutions discussed by two significant champions of the industry locally may resonate for some time to come. &n

Download | Subscribe (free) With the recent surprise visit by Facebook billionaire Mark Zuckerberg in Mobile and Bayou La Batre still fresh on the minds of many residents, this episode of Lagniappe's Real Deal digs into the strength of the local tourism industry. Real Deal host Ron Sivak sat down with Scott Tindle, a local dynamic entrepreneur who has started several companies in the area, one of which is the popular Gulf Coast Ducks boat Tours. In part one of a two-part series, Tindle talked about tourism and what it will take to attract higher volumes of out-of-town visitors to the area. Big ideas on how to raise visibility to be more on par with similarly sized metro markets like Savannah or Charleston were discussed. Graduating Alabama's School of Law to practice commercial litigation, Tindle almost immediately switched gears to find his passion as an entrepreneur outside of the corporate world. He achieved early notoriety appearing on Shark Tank in 2012 pitching TieTry, a local startup that he and hi

Download | Subscribe (free) For the first episode for 2017, we sat down with Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce President Bill Sisson to get a snapshot of last year's accomplishments and a glimpse into what to expect for this year in Mobile and the surrounding metropolitan areas. Sisson covered six select business sectors crucial to the economic health of the region: Aviation and Aerospace, Ship Building, Chemical Industry, IT, Advanced Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship. Additionally, Ron and Johnny G. discussed their commercial development expectations and aspirations in 2017 for the area as well as some of the big takeaways heard in the Sisson interview with that were noteworthy -- if not surprising. Finally, remember these numbers (there may be a post-podcast quiz): 180, 31, 29,000 In this "snapshot" episode we hear about: 2:05 -- the noteworthiness of the number 180 2:48 -- the distinction of the digit 31 3:02 -- the significance of local manufacturing jobs 7:14 -- the most exciting local economic d

What a year! Thirteen episodes into the Lagniappe Real Deal with Ron Sivak and maybe Ron and Johnny G might be getting the hang of this podcast thing. Thanks so much to the guests and listeners who have helped this show grow an audience and reach like kudzu. Johnny G procrastinated and whiffed on our big end of year finale, so Ron had to call an audible and recruit our Mobile business, political, artist and wanted friends, citizens, and frienemies to save the day. These life-savers graciously agreed to call a voicemail and leave their 2017 resolutions, tips, advice, thoughts, and salutations. We think the show turned out great - and while we do apologize for the sound quality, we do not apologize for the great messages and thoughts. Guests (in order of appearance) 1. Brent Barkin - Executive Vice-President & Chief Operating Officer - Shoe Station 2. David Rasp - Owner - Heroe's Sports Bar & Grill and Royal Scam 3. Carol Hunter - Communications Director - Downtown Mobile Alliance 4. Dr. Michael Finan

In Episode 12 of Lagniappe's Real Deal with Ron Sivak, we sit down with the former four-time mayor (1989 to 2005) as he recalls his process of political paradigm shifting while attempting to restore economic vibrancy; inevitably becoming part of the fabric (and perhaps folklore) of Mobile's legacy. In the early 80's Mobile had lost his political way. 50,000 jobs were lost at the shipyards -- historic Brookley AFB's shut down a decade prior put an additional 17,000 out of work from disintegrating ancillary jobs -- meltdowns in the formerly stable pulp, paper and chemical industries resulted in more than 10,000 jobs lost -- all due to a collectively faltering local economy. In total more than 80,000 jobs evaporated in formerly reliable employment sectors. Political corruption had been rampant for decades and downtown Mobile was a ghost town; boarded-up, derelict buildings were status quo and zero industry outside of illicit prostitution and drugs dealers prevailed from Broad St. to Water St. This was the

November is purple-ribboned pancreatic cancer month and, unfortunately, it is a death sentence. The third most fatal (and least funded) among a 100+ family of feared diseases, it recently passed October's pink-ribboned cousin, breast cancer, in mortality rates. 95 percent of those diagnosed today won't live past five years. 75 percent won't survive one. Average life expectancy? Three to six months. There is no early warning test. There are no reliable symptoms. Family history is a marginal indicator. It's the only form of cancer where no significant mitigating advancements have been made in 40 years and is expected to pass colorectal cancer as the second leading killer in the U.S. by 2030. What if I told you that the script could be flipped? A death sentence commuted. A second lease on life made possible. A modern miracle. Would you be thankful? Click to hear the full Dr. Finan Interview In this holiday edition of Lagniappe's Real Deal Podcast, Ron Sivak and Johnny G. interviewed Dr. Michael Finan, Direc

This episode of Lagniappe's Real Deal podcast juxtaposes a new business, pushing the idea of promoting pitchers of craft beer in a competitive marketplace, alongside college kids pitching new business ideas craftily within a competitive "shark-tank" style event to be held in November. In the first segment, we interview entrepreneur Keith Sherrill to understand his passion to start a local brewpub, called Haint Blue Brewery, within a city he's called home for a little over a year. A 14-year Army veteran, Sherrill initially became enamored with the concept of concocting craft beer while stationed in Seattle, Washington and apprenticed under an independent brewery master in Colorado for guidance. Check out Haint Blue Brewery's wefunder.com campaign. In our second story, studio producer Johnny G. stages a subtle coup d'�tat, assuming Ron's host duties to interview the University of South Alabama's Thomas Nelson Ph.D., director of student competition within the Melton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innova

Podcast: Play In New Window | Download Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS   For the first time in its 300 year history, Mobile is buzzing as a beachhead for high-tech companies as well as emerging incubators attracting entrepreneurs in droves. That said, it was surprising to hear that the average age of skilled tradesmen - plumbers, masons, electricians and others - is nearly 50 years old. Noted from only one local contractor is that a half-billion dollar's worth of work will be stymied for them in 2016, 2017 and beyond due to a major skilled trade labor pool deficit. It may potentially hamstring significant development in both Mobile and Baldwin Counties. In this episode we talked with John White-Spunner of White-Spunner Construction and Larry Mouton with the Mobile County Public School System about the dire need to reinvigorate interest in the trades -- ignored locally for the past decade by Millennials, GenY and parents -- and revisiting the paradigm of relying on universities as the primary path to

Part two of our Bob Baumhower/Aloha Hospitality Management interview is also the second installment of The Real Deal's "Dollars and Sense" Obamacare series, where we talk to local executives of area companies that are major job producers in industry sectors known - in general - to have thin margins and low wages for insight on how they're dealing with ACA Compliance requirements in 2016 and beyond. Listen to Part 1 of Dollars & Sense with Shoe Station V.P.Brent Barkin In this episode, Baumhower mentioned several times about having fear of the unknown when pondering the present and future ramifications of Obamacare financially, employing over a thousand workers with 13 restaurant locations across the state of Alabama and aggressive future plans for growth. Strange words indeed to hear coming from a six-foot-five, former All-American, All-Pro SEC/NFL nose-tackle as well as a savvy businessman with 35 years of success under his belt. Listen to Bob Baumhower's Coach Bryant & Coach Shula Business Playboo

In this episode of Lagniappe's Real Deal, we were excited (with only a week remaining before 2016's SEC college football inauguration) at the chance to interview Alabama Crimson Tide All-American and Miami Dolphins All-Pro legend, gridiron great Bob Baumhower inside the Deep Fried Studios' World Headquarters. In a pithy, candid and witty interview, host Ron Sivak digs into Baumhower's success on the field as well as reinventing himself as a self-proclaimed "Head Fry Cook" and hugely successful restaurateur with over 1,000 employees and 13 eatery locations across the state, to date under the corporate aegis of Aloha Hospitality International. Without a formal culinary background – and starting out in the restaurant game "just to be cool" as a silent partner in 1970's era, disco fabulous South Beach Florida with fellow Bama alum "Broadway" Joe Namath – Baumhower learned the ropes in the swanky Batchelor's and Batchelor's 3 dinner clubs scene that eventually evolved into what many acquaintances said was a "cr

Fasten your seat belts and put your trays in the upright position for this episode of the Real Deal. We explore the ups and downs of the Farnborough International Airshow which is frequently attended by a joint delegation that includes members of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Baldwin County officials, and select city government representatives. Criticized in some circles over the past decade as an annual high-dollar overseas junket and pseudo-vacation spent on the taxpayer dime, we sat down with Troy Wayman, Vice-President of Economic Development for the Mobile Chamber of Commerce and George Talbot, Director of Communications for the City of Mobile, to find out what was accomplished from the latest excursion above and beyond what detractors cite as perfunctory hand-shaking. Regardless of debate, regional return on investment (ROI) has undeniably manifested so far with Airbus SAS establishing its first and only North American manufacturing beachhead within Mobile's very own historic Brookley Aeroplex. P

In this week's episode of the Real Deal, we break in our upgraded, sound-proofed, brand new "Batcave" version of Deep Fried Studios situated inside the Container Yard co-working space located on the ground floor of the Marine Street Lofts in Mobile. A couple of weeks ago on a prior podcast, it was mentioned in our Rumor Mill segment the possibility a cryogenic company landing inside a West Mobile strip mall. Johnny G. was certain there were going to be creepy half alive/half dead "popsicle people" stored somewhere on ice in town. As rumors would have it, our facts were off the mark. Not cryogenic, but rather a high-tech cryotherapy company is setting up shop locally around WeMo called Mobile Cryotherapy DEAL: Mention the code "REAL DEAL" or "Ron and Johnny G. sent me" and get $5 off your first Mobile Cryotherapy single visit or $10 off any Warm Up package or higher. This cutting edge new local healthcare business uses liquid nitrogen (in gas form) to essentially "freeze" your body from the neck down. It i

In this episode of the Real Deal Podcast, we discuss the past, present and future of the recently defunct Alabama Historic Tax Credit that has been praised and criticized in the media since its inception in 2013 until ending recently this year. On one side of the local fence in Mobile sits Elizabeth Sanders, CEO of the Downtown Mobile Alliance (DMA) who has been a strong proponent of the act since inception. Ensconced across Mobile Bay in Baldwin County sits Senator Trip Pittman (R-Fairhope) who famously called the act "welfare for the rich" and instrumental in the program's failed bid at renewal and death in Goat Hill's Senate. Lauded by proponents, it was argued that the act assisted with dynamic economic growth downtown by attracting non-local investors with buckets of cash bent on reinvigorating dilapidated commercial properties; additionally the Alabama Historic Tax Credit ostensibly helped ignite a new "big city" buzz recently felt in a centuries old downtown business district, city and region. Invi

How does someone rehabilitate a company's reputation after a former owner is arrested for street-level drug distribution?  Why try at all? In this episode of Lagniappe's Real Deal Podcast, host Ron Sivak examines the underbelly of black-market pharmaceutical distribution in Prichard, Alabama. In 2015, new owner of Caffey's Pharmacy - retired pharmacist Ken Smith - stepped into a steaming pile of business mess and yet, in 18 months, has managed to return it to respectability by reinstating a much needed, ethical medical service for North Mobile communities. Read about Don Scacliff's 2015 arrest. Also in the Rumour Mill segment, Ron and mix master Johnny G. rely on in-studio guests to discuss possible movies being shot in and around the Port City as well as maybe the biggest apartment complex to built downtown in 25 years possibly financed by Chinese investors or aliens. This "Criminal" flavored episode examines: *  A Lagniappe recap of the documented 2014 arrest of former Caffey's Pharmacy owner

In the 2nd episode of the Real Deal Podcast, Ron Sivak and Johnny Gwin sit down with Brent Barkin, Executive VP of Shoe Station, to talk about the history of his company, the regulations and costs associated with the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), and what Shoe Station and businesses like it have had to do in order to offset those costs. Plus, we touch on the growing use of automation in the workplace. Be sure to stick around till the end of the show to hear our Rumor Mill segment. The non-confirmed whispers heard around town by Ron and Johnny and their army of non-paid informants. Not to give away any spoilers, but we talk possible "strip mall popsicle people" and Mobile having the country's largest show store.  In this episode we will explore: > A quick history of a locally iconic and regionally well-known major  job producer in the area > Shoe Station's leap of faith into an ACA snake pit, wrestling with seismic decisions felt from the boardroom to the stockroom > The sideways logic of

Welcome to Lagniappe's Real Deal podcast's 1st episode! The local business show hosted by columnist Ron Sivak. Lately, coworking has captured the imagination of a sizable chunk of the entrepreneurial crowd in the Port City over the past year. In this week's podcast, Ron talks twith Todd Greer from Exchange 202, as well as Stacy Wellborn and Taylor Atchison about the origin, present and future of co-op workspaces in Mobile and Baldwin County. Perhaps more than a fad, this way of working has possibly moved into the realm of cultural Zeitgeist locally, nationally and maybe globally with the passing of the torch to the Millennial generation expected to take over half of the planet's workforce by 2020. In less than a year, Mobile alone may see 5 or 6 co-op workspaces popping out of the woodwork at a blistering pace; not yet even scratching the surface of grabbing a foothold inside the eighth fastest-growing county in the nation across Mobile Bay in Baldwin County. In this episode we explore: > The origin be

Lagniappe's business report podcast for Mobile, Alabama - The Real Deal with Ron Sivak. Episode 1 is a discussion about the past, present and future of podcasting. Why it's a great new media opportunity for marketing your business. Why it's a smart investment on your content marketing dollars, and why it's a bit like Punk Rock. Ron talks with Johnny Gwin and Stacy Wellborn from Deep Fried Studios about their new podcast media company and the shows they plan to launch in 2016. Intro music by the band Pacific Mean Time. Check them out at: http://www.pacificmeantime.com/