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By Ted Williams |
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Hello Thursday. Wish me luck, my wife and I are going car shopping tomorrow morning! Our current Volkswagen Atlas has about 100,000 miles and keeps breaking down.
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With 3 kids, we need a 3rd row with additional trunk space, but we don’t want to go Suburban big.
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We’re looking at the $69K GMC Yukon and the $41K Toyota Grand Highlander. If you’re a car person, reply back with advice. Anyways.
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💼 Hot Job: Chief Operating Officer at Charlotte Douglas International Airport ($212K – $248K). Partner with CEO Haley Gentry to oversee all operations.
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👨🍳 Number: 900. Reservations booked by Sam Hart’s Counter- within 36 hours of receiving our city’s first Michelin Star. It’s now booked through February.
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👨 Shout-out: John Stewart, CEO and Co-Founder at sports startup Fastbreak AI, for raising a $40M Series A. Investors include the NBA, NHL, Patrick Cantlay, and Luke Kuechly. All employees get stock options.
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MARKETS: YEAR-TO-DATE
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S&P 500 |
6,850 |
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Nasdaq |
23,406 |
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INSIDE MEDIA
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I’d offer $500,000 for Charlotte Magazine, but can’t get a response
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| I’ve long admired the work of the Charlotte Magazine team |
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Sad news: Morris Communications abruptly shuttered Charlotte Magazine last week. It’s covered our city for nearly 60 years. So sad.
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Morris is a family-run, privately held conglomerate based in Augusta, GA.
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I don’t personally know the family, but I messaged the company and its execs.
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Back of the napkin: I’d guess Charlotte Magazine does $1M – $2M in revenue with 10% margins.
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This puts EBITDA at about $150K. I’d pay a little over 3x, thus the $500K offer.
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Strong brand. Known for quality. 28K print circulation. 70K email subs. 195K social followers. Rich readers (avg HHI $275K).
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Strategically, I understand that it may not be an important asset for Morris, but it’s not a bad business!
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Playbook: Keep print. Invest in coverage. Move publication more in the WSJ/Atlantic direction. Paywall site. Sub revenue as north star. Spin up a daily flagship newsletter, weekly podcast, and business events.
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Mystery: Why isn’t Morris selling the asset? Proven operators like my friends Bernie Mann (Our State) and David Woronoff (SouthPark, Business NC) would surely gobble it up.
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PRESENTED BY CHARLOTTE SPORTS FOUNDATION
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Pro tennis coming to Hornets arena in 21 days, tickets start at $57
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| 16,194 people attended last year’s inaugural Charlotte Invitational |
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Pro tennis: The Charlotte Invitational returns world-class tennis to Spectrum Center on December 4.
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Buy tickets: Seats start at just $57 — or go big with their exclusive Courtside Club at $1,000.
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GROWTH MODE
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Erin McDermott Jewelry sales up 25%, signs deal with Nordstrom
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| Erin also has a new retail location in Elizabeth near Rosemont |
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New deal: Badass jewelry designer Erin McDermott set up her LLC in 9th grade — now she’s got a multimillion-dollar business growing 25% YoY and a new deal with Nordstrom.
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“Seeing our jewelry officially launch with Nordstrom feels surreal,” shared Erin.
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In the first week alone, sales increased $20,000 with this new partnership.
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Organic growth: Erin spends just 1% of sales on paid advertising. It’s basically all word-of-mouth. Wild!
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Tiny picks: Go with the $48 Love and Luck Necklace or the $78 Forever Young Necklace.
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MONEY TALKS
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31-year-old tech salesman making $250K plans to retire at 40 with $10M given “FIRE mindset”
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| This guy’s No. 1 favorite restaurant, 131 Main |
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Money Talks is a weekly series showcasing how real people in Charlotte approach money. Participate.
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Job: “I’m a sales consultant at a big tech company. Fully remote since 2018. Annual compensation is roughly $75K base, $175K commission, and $200K equity grant.”
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Goal: “Retire at 40 years old with $10M or bust. Then become a youth golf coach. I believe in FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early).”
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Mindset: “I have a paycheck-to-paycheck mentality. Seeing a low balance in the mobile banking app gives you that healthy anxiety to rethink if you need that Starbucks or guac from Chipotle.”
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Favorite expense: “$500 monthly country club dues. We’re just 5 minutes from the golf course and pickleball courts.”
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Knowledge: “Self-taught. I saw my parents incinerate an 8-figure net worth in the 2000s by not managing spending. Lavish private jet trips and daily private shopper hauls at Hermès, Chanel, Dior, LV and Gucci.”
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Bad habit: “Sports gambling. I hit a $35K 6-way golf and F1 parlay, which paid $125K. But then I made a $75K Super Bowl parlay and only hit one leg.”
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Full story: 31-year-old worth $2M has 5 credit cards and 2 rental homes
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MONEY SNACKS
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5 other financial headlines I’m snacking on
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Winestore releases this season’s “12 Nights of Wine” Holiday Box with 9 $1,000 Golden Tickets hidden inside. Sold 2,943 last year.
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Fig Tree opens $175 reservations for its annual 5-course Wild Game Dinner. Rabbit, deer, antelope, and wild boar paired with wine.
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Shuttered NASA campus hits market for $30M in North Carolina. 192 acres. 30 buildings. Developed in 1960s for space race.
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Dog-grooming business for sale asking $625K. 15 years old. $1.1M revenue. $214K cash flow. Experienced staff.
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Peruvian restaurant Panko opens in NoDa. 60 seats with dim lighting and nightly DJ. Think ceviche, sushi, and fried rice.
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HOUSEKEEPING
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The Cliffs at Walnut Cove lands 2026 PGA Tour golf tournament in Asheville
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| $6.9M listing at Walnut Cove with golf course views |
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Golf news: The new Biltmore Championship debuts in September 2026! It’s Asheville’s first PGA Tour event in over 80 years.
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It’ll be held at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, just 2 hours from Charlotte.
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Second home hunting? They’ve got 36 homes for sale ranging from $1.4M to $9M.
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Cliffs model: It’s a collection of 7 luxury communities and golf courses.
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Fun fact: Charlotte-based South Street Partners owns The Cliffs. They also own Kiawah and Palmetto Bluff. Savvy buys. Congrats to partners Patrick, Jordan and Chris.
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Happy Thursday! I’m still trying to wash the $12 Panthers face paint off my 5-year-old daughter from last Sunday’s game. She made it through halftime. I made it through 1.5 tallboy Pernicious beers!
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– Ted
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MONEY POLL
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Is now a good time to buy a house in Charlotte?
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Last week’s poll results: Do you feel comfortable discussing your salary with co-workers? (11,644 subscribers)
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