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What Makes A Place Worth Calling Home?

Put an artist, an entrepreneur, a concert production executive, and a professional soccer team founder behind the same table, and you might expect a lively discussion about entertainment. Last Wednesday, we tackled the economy. Thankfully, no one asked me to illustrate interest rates.

I had the pleasure of joining Charlie Grubb of The Ridge and SE Logo Wear, Michael Brammer of Concert Stuff Group, and Megan Oglesby, founder and principal investor of Carolina Core FC, for a breakfast panel at The Ridge. John Martin, partner at Fourth Elm Construction, guided the conversation, and Andy Harding welcomed us for an hour of stories, perspectives, and thoughtful questions about our region’s future.

What stayed with me was the optimism. We had all weathered more difficult times. We understood the uncertainty that comes with running a business. Yet we shared a conviction that the Piedmont Triad offers something exceptional. Megan’s reflection captured it beautifully: she could hardly imagine a finer place to work and raise a family.

That led me to three thoughts about what makes a community prosper.

First, people need more than a paycheck to feel at home.
Jobs matter enormously. So do the places where we gather, celebrate, and create memories. Charlie brings an entrepreneur’s eye to building businesses and welcoming people. Michael helps make live entertainment possible through a North Carolina company whose work reaches far beyond our state. Megan’s investment in soccer gives people a team to cheer for and another reason to gather.

Their businesses differ, but I see a common contribution: each helps make this a place people want to be.

Second, art belongs in the economic conversation.
For nearly fifty years, I have earned my living painting North Carolina. That experience has taught me that creativity carries responsibilities as well as rewards. An art business involves printers, framers, suppliers, collectors, and relationships built over decades.

But a painting can contribute something beyond a transaction. It can help someone see the beauty of a familiar place again. It can preserve a memory, express a community’s identity, or inspire generosity. Through the Honor Card, I have watched an image become an invitation to help a neighbor.

I believe that is part of our state’s strength: we can build opportunity while caring for the people and places that give it meaning.

Third, optimism becomes valuable when we act on it.
Listening to my fellow panelists, I recognized the A.R.T. of Making a Difference: Awareness to see possibilities, Resourcefulness to put our gifts to work, and Timing to take the next step.

None of us uses exactly the same tools. Mine happen to include brushes. But every community needs people willing to imagine something better and accept the responsibility of creating it.

My thanks to John Martin with Fourth Elm Construction and Andy Harding with BRC CPA Firm for bringing us together. I left encouraged about our economy—and even more encouraged by the people helping shape it.