Hey Amarillo

A conversation with Nicole Fleetwood, co-owner of Scratch Made Bakery. Nicole arrived in Amarillo after winning a Season 7 episode of Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. She had been living in North Carolina, but moved after the show aired and found herself having to build a new life—and business—in a new place. With host Jason Boyett, she explains how she ended up on TV, her culture shock upon arriving here, and why she located her bakery downtown. This episode is sponsored by Pesttex and Dr. Eddy Sauer.

A conversation with Jeff Justus, community liaison for the Amarillo Fire Department. Justus spent several years as a traveling stand-up comic before finally trading that life for one with more stability—a decision that brought him to Amarillo. With host Jason Boyett, Jeff describes the difficulties of performing comedy as well as the unique challenges of firefighting on the High Plains. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative (skpcreative.com) and Wieck Realty (wieckrealty.com).

A conversation with Ruby Moreno, executive director of the Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (amarillohcc.org). Ruby immigrated to the U.S. when she was very young, grew up in Kansas and Wyoming, and made her way to Amarillo by way of WTAMU. With host Jason Boyett, she talks about local entrepreneurship and the importance of Hispanic- and minority-owned business in Amarillo. This episode is sponsored by Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (panhandleplains.org).

A conversation with Steve Brown, founder of ROI Online (ROIonline.com) and author of the new book The Golden Toilet (https://amzn.to/36QsnrK). With host Jason Boyett, Steve shares how a former "chicken fried steak guy" and lifelong Amarillo kid had his eyes opened while living in Japan. He finally returned to Amarillo, attended AC as a nontraditional student, and ended up launching a local marketing agency with a national footprint. This episode is sponsored by Jimmy John's and the ManiCamper.

A conversation with Hilary Marie, a local musician and bookkeeper who lived in Borger and New Orleans before making a home in Amarillo. With host Jason Boyett, Hilary shares her personal story, which involve finding healing—mentally, physically and emotionally—after cycles of addiction and abuse. Their discussion covers plenty of unique territory, from Hilary's American Idol auditions to her discovery of eastern spirituality in Amarillo. This episode is sponsored by Bivins Pointe and Dr. Eddy Sauer.

A conversation with Fr. Scott Raef of St. Ann's Catholic Church in Canyon (stannsofcanyon.org). A longtime Amarillo resident, Scott has served in a variety of positions within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo, including St. Thomas the Apostle Church and St. Mary's Cathedral. With host Jason Boyett, he shares about his career, the Catholic history of Amarillo, and about a recent sabbatical during which he drove Lyft and Uber. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty (wieckrealty.com).

A conversation with Phyllis Nickum, owner/operator of Cowgirls and Cowboys in the West, a tourism company on the rim of Palo Duro Canyon. Phyllis literally grew up in hotels, spent decades in hotel management—including the Ambassador in Amarillo—and "retired" to a second career on horseback. She talks to host Jason Boyett about her career, the Ambassador's heyday, and why riding horses in the Panhandle is on so many travelers' bucket lists. This episode is sponsored by Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum

A conversation with Jennifer Gallardo, a vice president at Amarillo National Bank. Jennifer manages the ANB branch at  NE 24th & Grand, where she deals with a remarkably diverse customer base, and has worked at the bank since she was 17. In this episode, she tells host Jason Boyett about her career path, growing up in the Barrio, and her involvement on the Amarillo Civic Center Complex executive committee. This episode is sponsored by the Mani-Camper and Bivins Pointe.

A conversation with Kent Harris, a working potter and the owner of Blue Sage Pottery. A Missouri native who got a fine arts degree from WTAMU, Kent is one of those unique Amarillo creatives who makes a living as an artist. His stoneware pottery sells online and has appeared in galleries across the nation. With host Jason Boyett, Kent discuses how he and his wife, Megan, built their business, why pottery is so therapeutic, and how the Panhandle shapes his work. This episode is sponsored by Jimmy John's.

A conversation with Emmi Hilbish, an elite wheelchair athlete and River Road graduate. Born with spina bifida, Emmi was entirely wheelchair-bound by the age of 10. In high school she discovered a talent for wheelchair basketball, then got a full-ride scholarship to UT Arlington and won a national championship with the Lady Movin' Mavs. With host Jason Boyett, Emmi shares about her athletic career and the local impact of One Chair at a Time (onechairatatime.org). This episode is sponsored by Jimmy John's.

A conversation with Dr. Billy Graves of Amarillo Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (amarillooralsurgery.com), one of the nation's largest oral surgery practices. A native of Kentucky, Dr. Graves intentionally picked Amarillo as the place to start his practice after finishing his schooling and residency. With host Jason Boyett, he reveals why Amarillo became his ideal choice. This episode is sponsored by Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (panhandleplains.org) and Wieck Realty (wieckrealty.com).

A conversation with Dajana Johnson, owner of The Slay Station (theslay-station.com), a salon near downtown Amarillo. Only 22, Dajana is carving out a career despite the challenges of her low-income upbringing. With Jason Boyett, Dajana reveals why her salon is only "Level 3" in a multi-step career and why it's so important for young women to see other females and minorities in ownership positions. This episode is sponsored by Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and Cara Hendricks/Edward Jones (806-358-8346).

A conversation with Chris Seals, cofounder and CEO at Still Austin Whiskey Co (stillaustin.com). An economist who spent the last 15 years in Amarillo, Chris now splits his time between here and Austin, where he runs the first whiskey distillery in the state capital since Prohibition. With host Jason Boyett, Chris details his career path and why this area is so important to the distillery's latest release. This episode is sponsored by the Mani Camper (themanicamper.com) and SKP Creative (skpcreative.com).

A conversation with Libby Lane (libbylane.com), owner and designer of Libby Lane leather handbags, an international business based in Amarillo. Libby grew up in Bushland, attended the Art Institute of Chicago, and now assembles each of her products by hand in Amarillo. With host Jason Boyett, she explains why this area is so central to her products' story and how she found balance here after having lived in Chicago and NYC. This episode is sponsored by Jimmy John's and Dr. Eddy Sauer (shemendental.com).

A conversation with Lara Escobar, the executive director of Amarillo Area CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate). Lara lived in El Paso, College Station and Lubbock before coming to Amarillo ten years ago. With host Jason Boyett, she explains her career in social work and public health, what she discovered upon moving to Amarillo, and how volunteer advocates can change a foster child's life. This episode is sponsored by Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and Cara Hendricks/Edward Jones (806-358-8346).