This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is sponsored by Crimson Park Digital. For Charlotte businesses, getting noticed and staying visible is tougher than ever. That’s where Crimson Park Digital comes in: a boutique marketing agency delivering bespoke strategies for advertising, content, social media, and search engines. They’re helping bold, service-focused brands get seen, capture demand, and turn attention into revenue. Ready to bolster your marketing this Fall? Visit CrimsonParkDigital.com to get started.
In a city full of newcomers eager to make connections, a Charlotte startup found a simple way to bring people together — through learning. From watercolor painting to small business branding, SkillPop has helped thousands of locals discover new skills and friendships by turning breweries, boutiques and coffee shops into classrooms. What began as a handful of pop-up lessons in 2015 has evolved into a thriving business that’s marking its 10-year anniversary and expanding once again.
In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, The Ledger’s Tony Mecia talks with SkillPop founder and CEO Haley Bohon about how the company grew from a one-woman experiment into a self-funded success. The conversation explores the challenges of entrepreneurship in Charlotte, the pandemic pivot that reshaped the company, and what SkillPop’s next chapter says about the city’s creative energy and appetite for community. They discuss:
How Charlotte’s wave of new residents inspired a new kind of learning platform
SkillPop’s early growth and community-based business model
How the company survived and reinvented itself during the pandemic
Trends in what people want to learn in 2025 — and why “phone-free” hobbies are back
Charlotte’s evolving startup ecosystem and how it compares with other Southern cities
Entrepreneurial lessons from a decade of building and rebuilding
We hope you enjoy the conversation with Haley Bohon. For more information on SkillPop, visit SkillPop.com.
This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.
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