Listen Now

Gus Alivizatos, formerly a Baltimore attorney, moved to Maine several years ago for a quieter, calmer life with a greater connection to nature. He now operates Lucky Lou's food truck, offering damn good Greek cuisine throughout Southern Maine.  Gus tells about his journey from lawyer to food truck entrepreneur, detailing why slinging gyros has offered a better life than slinging real estate contracts.  Check out Lucky Lou's here.

Emma Rose is a fiction writer, marketer, and entrepreneur. Her books cover fantasy, speculation, and mythological weirdness. She has published two novels of her own through her independent publishing house, Imperative Press Books, in addition to an anthology titled Paul Bunyan Wears a Face Mask, which chronicles the experiences of different Mainers through the Covid-19 pandemic. Emma walked us through her childhood in rural Maine, the tragedy of losing her cousin at an early age, and traveling throughout the world - all while detailing how these events influenced and motivated her writings. We also talk about the flourishing independent publishing community. Learn more about Emma and buy her books here.

Jason DeWald is an audio engineer, producer, and the man behind Audio Evolutions, a local audio production company. He's also the host of the Maine Experience Podcast (which you should listen to). He joins the pod to chat about all the things that make Portland, Maine the cool place it is - which really consist of an abundance of places to eat at and get drunk. We also talk about his podcast, his move from Florida to Maine, life under Covid, and more.

Angela Okafor is a Nigerian born immigrant and practicing attorney. She also holds a seat on the Bangor City Council and owns two small business in Bangor. She joins the pod to talk about her experiences finding work when she first immigrated to the United States, the complexities of American immigration laws, starting an international market in Bangor, and what issues matter to her the most as a local politician. This episode is jam packed with kernels of wisdom on how to succeed in life and stay motivated. As they say in Nigeria, “There are two options: Succeed and Succeed.”

Michael Hillard is a professor of economics at the University of Southern Maine. His scholarly work focuses on macroeconomics, labor history, and the production of food under capitalism. He joins the pod to breakdown the current economic fiasco of Covid-19 induced mass unemployment, the federal government response, and what more should be done to fully remedy the situation.  Hillard has a new book - Shredding Paper: The Rise and Fall of Maine's Mighty Paper Industry - slated for release in 2021. You should probably stop what you're doing right now and set a reminder to buy it when it drops. Anything less would be foolish beyond belief - and a mistake to hang over your head for the rest of your life. 

Kerry Landry is a cannabis enthusiast, artist, and one of the hosts of the Maine Potcast, a podcast spotlighting growers, caregivers, and happenings within the Maine cannabis industry and culture. I, Cameron, barely prepared for this episode at all and let Kerry and I’s common appreciation for the green goddess guide us through the podcast. We ended up talking about the Maine Potcast, the nefarious actions of the Wellness Connection, a writer we both love who if I named here would get us both cancelled immediately, and best practices for parents using cannabis. As Kerry says, he probably would have never played such an in-depth, multi-hour reenactment of WWII with his son without the assistance of the magic herb.    Follow The Southern Maine Report Facebook Instagram   Follow the Maine Potcast Instagram

Robert Diamante is a photographer, marketer, and creative writer based out of Bangor, Maine. He’s the power behind Berlian Arts, a digital marketing agency for artists and crafters. In addition to Robert telling us about how he got started in his career, we talk about travel, New York City and Berlin nightlife, various small yet totally cool towns throughout Maine, and other topics, that if I included in the description, would surely take us out of the algorithm.   Follow The Southern Maine Report Instagram   Learn more about Robert Diamante https://robertdiamante.com/ https://www.berlianarts.com/

Ben Moore is a photographer, jiu jitsu enthusiast, and content creator who works with breweries throughout Maine. Follow his Instagram page to catch The Active Beer Show, his daily 6pm live streams with himself and the coolest of the cats in the craft beer world. Ben comes on the pod to talk all things Maine craft beer. However, we also find a way to talk about Dragon Ball Z, Joe Rogan, Elon Musk, and coronavirus among other topics. Friends, stay tuned for the ride.   Follow The Southern Maine Report Facebook Instagram   Check out Ben and his work Instagram Website

Joseph Urtuzuastegui is a local chef and restaurateur who along with his wife Laura own and operate El Corazón - a popular Mexican restaurant in downtown Portland. Joe talks about learning how to cook from his mother, the fascinating story behind El Corazón, his run-ins with celebrity chefs, operating a restaurant during the Covid pandemic, among other food related topics. He also graciously takes some time to share some valuable cooking hacks to help elevate your homemade quarantine cuisine.   Follow The Southern Maine Report Facebook Instagram   Follow El Corazón Facebook  

Mike Wilson and Emily Nodine are medical marijuana caregivers and the husband and wife business duo behind Maine Craft Cannabis. After working for several years as mechanical engineers, Mike and Emily decided they wanted to try something new - and they successfully transitioned into growing weed full time. We talk about their business story, the benefits of cannabis, life in the quarantine, and the ways in which buying weed has changed over the years.   Follow The Southern Maine Report Facebook Instagram   Follow Maine Craft Cannabis Instagram

Chris Busby is the editor of Mainer (formerly The Bollard), a monthly news-and-art magazine with a wide circulation and following throughout Maine. Chris returns to the podcast to fill us in on how local businesses are coping with the economic shock induced by the Covid-19 pandemic, the inadequacies of the federal government’s attempt to prop up small businesses, and about the psychological toll of the pandemic on humanity. It’s always a blast to talk with Chris - and despite the heaviness of the conversation, he also reflects upon the fact that he gets to spend more time with family, more people are reconnecting in general, and how his work keeps him motivated.   Follow The Southern Maine Report Facebook Instagram   Learn more about Chris Busby and Mainer News Mainer News

Stacy Mitchell is a senior researcher and co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a nonprofit that advocates for strengthening local businesses. Stacy is also known as an authority on the abuses of power of big tech companies - Amazon, in particular. Last summer, she testified before the United States House Judiciary Committee on the monopoly power of Amazon and other tech giants. Her book, The Big Box Swindle, lays out how mega-retailers have been reshaping the economy at the peril of the working class. This episode is slam packed with unique insights on Amazon’s unscrupulous actions. Stacy tells us the ways in which Amazon influences politics, stifles worker’s rights, and exerts monopoly power over the e-commerce sector at the expense of smaller businesses. We all love the 2 day delivery, low prices, and ease of shopping that Amazon provides - but all of that convenience comes with a heavy price for society to pay. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Stacy details several actionable steps the government could take to reign in on Amazon’s monopoly power. *Note* This podcast was recorded in February 2020 - right before the COVID-19 outbreak.   Follow The Southern Maine Report Facebook Instagram   Learn more about Stacy Mitchell and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance Stacy’s Website The Institute for Local Self-Reliance

Oren Gersten M.D. of Portland Direct Primary Care is a family physician practicing medicine in the greater Portland area. In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Oren shares his thoughts on staying healthy and well - both physically and mentally - during the COVID-19 outbreak. We also talk about how Maine might fare through the pandemic compared to other states, how the immune system and antiviral drugs work, the importance of sleep, among other topics. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute the practice of medicine or other health care services including the giving of medical advice. No doctor patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and the materials linked to this podcast is at the listeners own risk. The content on this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Listeners should not delay in obtaining medical advice from any medical condition they have, and they should seek the assistance of a health care professional for any such conditions.    Follow The Southern Maine Report Facebook Instagram   Learn more about Dr. Oren and Portland Direct Primary Care Instagram Website  

Dave Aceto is a co-owner and co-founder of Arcadia National Bar, an arcade with full bar service and food located on 24 Preble Street in Portland. Dave talks about the struggles of operating a bar and arcade, life in downtown Portland, and the importance of offering employees paid sick leave, among several other topics. Disclaimer: This episode was recorded on March 13th 2020, and most of the recent events caused by the COVID-19 pandemic -including government orders for bars and restaurants to close - were not discussed.   Follow The Southern Maine Report Facebook Instagram   Arcadia National Bar Instagram Website

Mathew Anderson is the lead vocalist and guitarist for Livid Orange, a four piece rock band from Northern Maine. Livid Orange is known for mixing blues with hard rock, and their sound has been compared to Led Zeppelin and Pearl Jam. In this episode of The Southern Maine Report, Mathew talks about starting the band, performing live, his experiences hitchhiking and train-hopping, social media, the cultural oddities of Maine, and much more.  Follow The Southern Maine Report: Instagram Facebook Follow Livid Orange: Instagram Facebook  

Marty Grohman is the host of the Grow Maine Show podcast and the executive director of E2Tech, an organization dedicated to expanding Maine's clean energy sector. Marty also served two terms as a representative in the Maine State House from 2014 to 2018, and is known as a voice for start-ups and entrepreneurship in Maine. Marty and I talk about exciting new tech companies popping up in Maine, our experiences podcasting, his tenure in the State House, climate issues and more.  Follow The Southern Maine Report Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesouthernmainereport/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesouthernmainereport/ Learn more about Marty Grohman: The Grow Maine Show: https://growmaineshow.com/ E2Tech: https://e2tech.org/

Nancy Marshall is the founder and CEO of Marshall Communications, a PR and marketing firm from Augusta that works with businesses throughout Maine and beyond. Nancy also hosts her own podcast - the PR Maven Podcast - that spotlights business leaders and the tips and advice they have to offer fellow entrepreneurs and marketers. Nancy talks about her career, strategies for staying productive and managing stress, and the difficulties and benefits of operating a business in Maine. Follow The Southern Maine Report Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesouthernmainereport/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesouthernmainereport/ Learn more about Nancy: https://www.marshallpr.com/

James Harder is a float tank enthusiast and a board member of the Float Tank Association. James, along with his wife Amy, own and operate Float Harder Relaxation Center, a float tank center located on 500 Washington Avenue. James and I talk at length about the history, benefits, and common experiences of floating. If you're not familiar with floating, it's a way of blocking all external stimuli by floating in an enclosed tank filled with epsom salt. This is typically in a dark, soundless setting, and is used to achieve mental clarity, to practice mindfulness, to recover from physical stress or trauma, and various other reasons. James also talks about what is was like to start and grow a business, his experiences hitch-hiking, and human optimization.  Follow The Southern Maine Report Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesouthernmainereport/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesouthernmainereport/ Follow Float Harder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/floatharder/?hl=en Website: https://www.floatharder.com/

James Fereira is a local food writer with the West End News and man about Portland. James has a background in exploring ancient ruins, quilting, and making Easter eggs. In his spare time, he enjoys walking in the rain and questioning authority. In this episode of the Southern Maine Report, James and I talk about his experiences living in Maine, the Portland food and beverage scene, and more Maine and Southern Maine related happenings.  Follow The Southern Maine Report Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesouthernmainereport/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesouthernmainereport/ Learn more about James Fereira: https://thewestendnews.com/author/jamesfereira/

Tony Zeli is the editor of the West End News and sits on the board of Portland Buy Local. In this episode of The Southern Maine Report, Tony comes back for the threepeat to talk about the role he played as an advocate who successfully fought to decriminalize marijuana in Portland. Despite this success, as Tony warns, there is still a long road ahead to a fully legal, federally approved adult recreational marijuana industry. We talk about marijuana legalization in Maine, Maine's cultural uniqueness, and touched on climate change and artificial intelligence as well.  Follow The Southern Maine Report Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesouthernmainereport/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesouthernmainereport/ Read the West End News https://thewestendnews.com/