Today we’d like to introduce you to Griffin Donley.
Hi Griffin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Ten years ago, I came to the Upstate of South Carolina by way of Clemson University and like most people who come to the area, I never wanted to leave! Then, three years ago when my wife and I were looking for a house, we unexpectedly had the chance to buy a home close to downtown Greenville. Being right in the mix of all the exciting things happening – new businesses popping up, the extension of the Swamp Rabbit Trail nearby, new parks opening – we knew we wanted to find a way to be a part of it all.
After spending so many years involved with music and choirs at Clemson, I also knew I needed a creative outlet. I love meeting new people, so a podcast asking about someone’s small business or their work felt like an obvious answer, but I didn’t want it to be just like any other podcast. A friend suggested keeping the podcast local and from there, the idea to do an interview-style podcast while walking on the Swamp Rabbit Trail took off. We launched The Upstate Trail Talks in April 2023 and over 100 episodes later, we are still going strong!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Overall, it’s been smooth and wonderful experience growing this podcast. I mean, the stakes are pretty low! We aren’t building rockets or researching cures for diseases. While yes, growing our audience was slower than I expected in the beginning, I realized that every single person we interview has an important story to share. If only 1 person hears that episode and then consciously goes out of their way to support that small business, then we’ve done our job! And that’s all that matters to us.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Upstate Trail Talks podcast is a Upstate, SC locally focused podcast where I interview and share the stories of so many small business owners, local leaders, and other people doing cool things here in Greenville and the surrounding areas. I wanted to have an outlet to meet the people in Greenville who are contributing to all the amazing things happening in our area with all the new businesses, restaurants, and events and be able to highlight their successes and vision for Greenville’s future. But what sets us apart is the fact that I talk with all our guests while we are walking on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. I always tell people, “We are just walking and talking!” Truthfully, it’s not really an interview, its a conversation.
I think the thing that I am most proud of is actually not anything we’ve accomplished, but after listening to all these stories over the last couple years, I am proud to be living in an area that promotes such passion for local business, collaboration, and a true sense of community. That’s something I’m realizing is not that common among other towns and cities. The amount of times I hear stories of businesses that you would expect to be competitors, actually work together and do cool collaborations, share ideas, and the community get behind and celebrate that – it’s truly remarkable. And I’m proud we get to play a part in that and make these connections happen when we can.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
2 more things:
Everyone has a story to share. Whether you’ve been in the Upstate for 6 months or 30 years, it’s clear people are so passionate about what they do and why they choose to be here. That didn’t always used to be the case from many people I’ve talked to, but over recent years, this community has made the Upstate THE place to be and we hope to continue to be a part of that while sharing those stories of newcomers and Greenville born-and-raised alike. Oh, and we hope to see you on the trail!
I want to make it clear that, no, this isn’t my full-time job. Although, I do love that job as well. This is a passion project that has led to many new friendships, business connections, and an appreciation for all the love that people have for Greenville. We carve out time every single week to meet with our guests, in person, for a walk on the trail. And there’s weeks where it’s definitely a lot on our family’s schedule, but my wife’s constant support and encouragement to grow this Trail Talks community is the reason why we’ve made it 100+ episodes an counting. Just wanted share my appreciation for her here!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theupstatetrailtalks.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theupstatetrailtalks/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/105667407/admin/dashboard/
