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In this episode of the Main Street Business Insights podcast, Matt sits down with Harvey Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Delta Dirt Distillery in Helena, Arkansas. Delta Dirt Distillery is the only Black-owned farm-to-bottled distillery in the United States, and is a family-owned craft distillery, producing high-quality vodka out of sweet potatoes grown on the Williams family farm.
In this episode, Matt sits down with Harvey Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Delta Dirt Distillery in Helena, Arkansas. Delta Dirt Distillery is the only Black-owned farm-to-bottled distillery in the United States, and is a family-owned craft distillery, producing high-quality vodka out of sweet potatoes grown on the Williams family farm.
Harvey grew up working on his family farm in Helena. He married his high school sweetheart, Donna, who now serves as Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer at Delta Dirt. After several years doing a variety of jobs across the country, Harvey and Donna moved back home to raise their two children at the family farm. (Their sons, Thomas and Donavan, now work alongside their parents at the distillery, serving as Head Distiller and Operations Manager, respectively.)
The family farm has been in operation since the late 1800s, when Harvey’s grandfather purchased the land on which he had been sharecropping. When Harvey Sr., inherited the land from his father, he was faced with the difficult reality that the relatively small acreage wasn’t enough to sustain traditional row crop farming. Instead, he decided to diversify the operation, reinventing the farm for vegetable production, mainly sweet potatoes, and soon began shipping out for national distribution.
As a continuation of that ingenuity, Harvey Jr., along with his brother Kennard, decided to reinvent the farm once again in 2017, experimenting with crafting vodka from their sweet potatoes. After many years and plenty of trial and error, Delta Dirt Distillery was born. Today, it offers award-winning spirits including both vodka and gin, available in retail stores across six states across the South and shipping nationwide. The family also operates a tasting room with a variety of specialty cocktails imbued with their products.
In their conversation, Matt and Harvey discuss the family’s legacy with farming and entrepreneurship, the innovative ways they have overcome unexpected challenges, how their tasting room has fostered community, and the advice Harvey has for other small business owners.
Lastly, in Matt’s intro, he references data from the Black Farmers’ Network, founded by Dr. Veronica Womack of Georgia College. Click here to learn more about the Black Farmers’ Network.
Further Reading: Learn about Delta Dirt Distillery | Follow Delta Dirt Distillery on Instagram | Learn about Downtown Helena | Learn about Main Street Arkansas
About the Main Street Business Insights Podcast
Each week, join host Matt Wagner, Ph.D., as he travels the country and takes a deep dive into the personal journeys of downtown and neighborhood entrepreneurs. The stories that far too often go unheard. Learn about the innovative ways that these Main Street businesses have overcome adversity, whether it’s starting a new enterprise or keeping a multi-generation business alive, and the advice they have for others on how to keep their businesses on track. Main Street Business Insights is powered by Main Street America.
With articles written by industry experts on topics ranging from the future of retail to Main Street advocacy, the publication is brimming with tools, tips, and strategies that will help you lead a results-oriented revitalization effort.
With articles written by industry experts on topics ranging from the transformative placemaking to inclusive entrepreneurship, the publication is brimming with tools, tips, and strategies that will help you lead a results-oriented revitalization effort.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Nicole Fleetwood and McKinzie Hodges, co-owners of Scratch Made Bakery in Amarillo, Texas.
In the last episode of season two of Main Street Business Insights, tune in as host Matt Wagner breaks down how to understand and synthesize local market data.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Glen Ellis, owner of Sycamore Education, Dominion Catalyst Services, and Milady Coffeehouse in Fremont, Nebraska.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Jaime Courtney, President of Shoalwater Seafood, Derek King, Oyster Farm Director of Shoalwater Seafood, and Shane Thomas, Tribal Council Vice Chair of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Casey Woods, Executive Director of Emporia Main Street in Emporia, Kansas.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Tiffany Fixter, owner of Brewability in Englewood, Colorado.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Bobby Boone, founder and Chief Strategist of &Access
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Jennifer Jones, co-owner of Good Times Coal Fired Pizza and Pub in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Janet Hurn, owner of Future Ready Consulting in Cincinatti, Ohio.
Cincinnati, Ohio © Janet Hurn
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derrick Braziel, owner of Pata Rojas Taqueria and co-founder of MORTAR, in Cincinatti, Ohio.
In our first episode of the season, you’ll hear from host Matt Wagner about his predictions for the small business landscape in 2024.
Whether you're just starting out or you're looking to take your business to the next level, you'll learn valuable insights that you can use to grow your business in this Small Biz Digital Trainers webinar.
In this Small Biz Digital Trainers webinar, learn tools to increase your holiday sales for free, even if you don’t have an e-commerce website or a website at all.
In this Small Biz Digital Trainers webinar, you'll learn to use AI to simplify your work, develop your messaging and voice, create buyer personas, and more.
Learn about small business owners who are succeeding along Main Street, and the advice they have for others doing the same.
© Ketut Subiyanto
In this episode, you'll hear from small business owners from our first season who make connecting with their community a top priority.
Learn how local entrepreneurs have leveraged the power of a Main Street community to establish, maintain, and grow their ventures.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Jamie and Jerry Baker, co-owners and founders of Trendy Teachers, a teaching boutique and educational toy store located in downtown Rome, Georgia.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Anette Soto Landeros, co-owner of Casa Azul Coffee and President and CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Fort Worth, Texas.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Danny Reynolds, owner and president of Stephenson’s of Elkhart, an independently owned high-end fashion retailer in downtown Elkhart, Indiana.
In this episode of the Main Street Business Insights podcast host Matt Wagner sat down with the CEO of Keith McDonald Plumbing in Milledgeville, Ga., Lindsay Goodson McDonald.
In this week’s episode of Main Street Business Insights, host Matt Wagner sat down with the CEO of Hollerbach’s German Restaurant in Sanford, Fla., Christina Hollerbach.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, host Matt Wagner sat down with The Barbershop Conversation podcast team, co-hosts Kenneth Bentley and Davion Hampton along with executive producer Emory Green Jr., in Goldsboro, Florida.
In this week’s episode of Main Street Business Insights, host Matt Wagner sits down with mother-daughter duo, Martha Moore and Ashley Owens, co-owners and founders of the custom drapery business Martha & Ash in downtown Camden, South Carolina.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, host Matt Wagner sat down with the founder and CEO of 37 Oaks, Terrand Smith. Located in Chicago, Illinois, 37 Oaks is a commerce development and learning laboratory for entrepreneurs.
In the inaugural episode of Main Street Business Insights, host Matt Wagner sat down with the co-founder and CEO of Maine Grains, Amber Lambke. Located in downtown Skowhegan, Maine,
This training from Indiana Main Street explains the best practices for getting to know your downtown business owners and getting them engaged in the Main Street organization.
Use this self-guided training to understand how to build a robust environment to support small business creation and sustainability.
Learn how to connect entrepreneurs of color with resources, grants, and loans to support sustainable economic growth.
To use this tool, simply answer a series of questions. Based on your answers, you will receive a customized list of tools and resources on everything from POS systems, website platforms, and content creation software to help your business succeed.
A sample entrepreneurial ecosystem development plan to support small business creation and sustainability. Published by Skowhegan Main Street.
Sjowhegan, ME
Watch this webinar to learn techniques and strategies to support minority entrepreneurs and create a diverse small business ecosystem.
In this AARP guide, learn how important small businesses are for vibrant and sustainable commercial districts.
This webinar provides a roadmap on how to adapt to the evolving retail landscape to build strong entrepreneurial ecosystems for small business owners.
Explore research on how businesses can adapt to the evolving retail landscape using place-based and community-driven stratgies.
Atlanta, GA © Blulz60
This 2020 report provides an overview of the landscape of small businesses, start-ups, and new entrepreneurs in the United States. Published by Kauffman Foundation.
A sample entrepreneurial action plan to provide support for local small business owners in Miami, Florida. Published by Allapattah Collaborative.
An article from State of Main exploring the impact of entrepreneurship and examining ways to create inclusion in the development of entrepreneurship ecosystems. Published in State of Main.
Metuchen, NJ © Isaac Kremer
A comprehensive guide to local small business support to encourage entrepreneurs and create a vibrant downtown commercial district.
There’s no doubt about it, the retail landscape is changing and getting more complex. Main Street has a unique competitive advantage and it’s up to local leaders and local business owners to understand how to tap into this opportunity.
Metuchen, NJ © Isaac Kremer
Independent makers and manufacturers are helping to fuel a renaissance in downtowns and commercial districts, harnessing renewed interest in locally produced materials and experiential shopping. Published in State of Main.
Learn the importance of the storefront design and tips on ways to increase the allure of every store’s exterior to grab the attention of potential customers. Published in Main Street Now Journal.
Two Mississippi Main Street communities explain how they collected data on the small business impact of downtown events.
Learn how a regional branding initiative, Arkansas DeltaMade, uncovered hidden entrepreneurial assets and fostered the creation of new businesses built around the distinctive character of the Arkansas Delta.
Siloam Springs, AR © Brandonrush
First there were “flash mobs.” Now there are cash mobs, the shop-local equivalent. At these events, 'mobs' of people visit a small business with the commitment to spend at least $20 each. Published in Main Street Now magazine. Written by Andrea L. Dono.
The importance of understanding multicultural design preferences as our business environment becomes increasingly diverse.
To reduce storefront vacancies, the Main Street program in Cambridge, Maryland, created the Holiday Pop-Up Project, which gave two entrepreneurs the chance to test out their retail concepts rent-free for two months.
Innovative entrepreneurs and alternative business models can open up businesses that fill a void in the community. Published in Main Street Now Journal.
