Homegrown Economies is the only podcast of its kind that makes the connection between local businesses and communities with their public spaces, tourism, and the outdoor economy. In addition to profiling locally owned businesses, especially during the pandemic, this podcast also spotlights those businesses that have benefited from people visiting national parks, monuments, and public lands.
Episodes
February 1, 2021
Axie Navas, Director of the New Mexico Office of Outdoor Recreation
On this inaugural episode of Homegrown Economies, Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Carrie Hamblen welcomes Axie Navas, the Executive Director of the New Mexico Office of Outdoor Recreation. They talk about the importance of outdoor recreation, the importance of Outdoor Equity Grant Program (the first of its kind in the country), and ways that communities can capitalize on the outdoor rec industry.
February 15, 2021
Russell Hernandez and Christopher Schaljo, co-owners of Salud! de Mesilla
On this episode of Homegrown Economies, Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Carrie Hamblen talks with Russell Hernandez and Christopher Schaljo, co-owners of Salud! de Mesilla. Russell and Christopher, after working for others, decided to welcome the opportunity to open their own restaurant, bringing to the region unique dishes, a welcoming atmosphere, and celebrating the lands around them. They talk about their approach to running a restaurant customers go back over and over and how they manage a business during COVID.
March 1, 2021
Patrick Nolan, Executive Director of the Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks
On this episode of Homegrown Economies, Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Carrie Hamblen talks with Patrick Nolan, the Executive Director of the Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. Patrick talks about the programs the Friends oversees, working to support the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, how important the outdoors have been to communities as they deal with the isolation during COVID, and how our next Secretary of Interior will change the landscape of managing our public lands in historical ways.
March 15, 2021
Leah Messina, CEO & Founder of Sinuate Media
On this episode of Homegrown Economies, Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Carrie Hamblen talks with Leah Messina, CEO and Founder of Sinuate Media, an organic marketing company located in Mesilla, NM. On the show, Leah talks about the challenges she faced, as a female CEO, early in the life of her business, her business values, and how she has been able to help businesses increase their online presence and sales during the pandemic. Leah reminds businesses that those that prioritize convenience for the customers are going to get the most businesses. She has been able to help other small and local businesses reach that goal.
April 1st, 2021
Angel Pena, Executive Director of the Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project
On this episode of Homegrown Economies, Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Carrie Hamblen talks with Angel Peña , the Executive Director of the Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project.  On the show, Angel talks about the origins of Nuestra Tierra, the importance of Latinx and Hispanic communities in protecting and preserving the outdoors, and how programs like the Outdoor Equity Fund and the Outdoor Future Initiative are providing opportunities for Tribal and BIPOC individuals to have a voice in shaping national policy that best serves their communities.
April 15th, 2021Â
Jo Ann Garay, Director of the Las Cruces division of the New Mexico Small Business Development Center
On this episode of Homegrown Economies, Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Carrie Hamblen talks with Jo Ann Garay, the Director of the Las Cruces Division of the New Mexico Small Business Development Center. On the show, Jo Ann and Carrie talk the challenges faced by small businesses, what makes a successful business owner, and how the NM SBDC helped so many locally owned businesses during the pandemic with access to state and federal assistance, getting their bookkeeping in order, and helping them prepare for the future of how consumers will shop post-COVID.
June 3rd, 2021
Colleen Boyd, owner and founder of downtown desert yoga
On this episode of Homegrown Economies, Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Carrie Hamblen talks with Colleen Boyd, the owner and founder of downtown desert yoga. On the program, Colleen and Carrie talk about offering yoga for every BODY, what Optimal Movement means to helping folks become comfortable with doing yoga, and how the pandemic helped Colleen and some others in forming the nonprofit Desert Community Wellness.