How do you build a scalable business without losing its origins; what makes it truly special? In this episode, host Matt Wagner sits down with Angela Mallett, founder of Honeybee Sage Wellness & Apothecary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In their conversation, Angela shares her intentional approach to growth, one that prioritizes community care and cultural healing over rapid expansion. Angela's journey began with massage therapy and a calling to bring ancestral herbal wisdom back to underserved communities. Starting in 2018 in the heart of Milwaukee's 53206 zip code — one of the city's most challenging areas — Honeybee Sage has become more than a tea shop. It's an apothecary rooted in the healing traditions of her great-great uncle, a root doctor from Mississippi, offering herbal remedies as medicine.

Discover Angela's approach to:

• Strategic location decisions: Why she chose her location specifically to serve underserved communities while remaining accessible to all demographics.
• Scaling with integrity: Her vision to franchise without losing community focus
• Building through adversity: Navigating her father's death, a stroke, and a dissolved business partnership all within the first seven months of operation.
• Team development: Growing from solo operator to a management structure that allows expansion while maintaining quality and culture.
• Mission-driven business: Operating on faith and purpose rather than fear of economic uncertainty, with the goal of creating a "global community of homegrown healers".
• Creating healing spaces: Designing environments where nervous systems regulate before customers even order tea.

Whether you're an entrepreneur considering expansion, a Main Street director supporting mission-driven businesses, or a business owner wondering how to scale without sacrificing values, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on intentional growth. Join us as Angela shares why she works "like she doesn't need the money," how herbal tea serves as accessible medicine, and what it means to be a professional "space creator" for community healing.

About the Episode

What happens after a natural disaster hits your Main Street? This episode provides insights on how Main Street leaders and business owners can learn how to be better prepared for disaster from others who have recently gone through recovery efforts.

In this special roundtable episode, host Matt Wagner sits down with community leaders from Spruce Pine, North Carolina, one year after Hurricane Helene devastated their downtown. Featuring Mayor Philip Hise, owners of DT’s Blue Ridge Java David Niven and Zan Sistare, Main Street Director Spencer Bost, and Town Manager Daniel Stines, this conversation goes beyond the immediate aftermath to address the complex realities of long-term recovery.

Located in the Appalachian Mountains with a population of approximately 2,300, Spruce Pine faced complete loss of water, power, and communication for 17-21 days. The town is now managing an estimated $50 million in municipal damages while supporting the recovery of downtown businesses like DT's Blue Ridge Java.

DT’s Blue Ridge Java was a recipient of Main Street America's Backing Small Businesses Disaster Recovery Grant supported by American Express – in the episode, you’ll hear a bit about how the grant helped their recovery efforts.

Discover the critical lessons they learned about:

• Why communication infrastructure failure was more devastating than physical damage

• What volunteer organizations made the difference in the first critical weeks

• The reality of 15+ day delays in federal emergency response

• Building improvements and infrastructure planning that matter for future mitigation

Whether your community faces hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, or wildfires, these lessons apply. Learn what actually helps, what doesn't, and ways to prepare your Main Street before disaster strikes.

Join us as we hear directly from this resilient community about their experiences with loss, recovery, and rebuilding—and what other Main Street leaders and business owners can learn from their story.

Looking for more disaster resilience resources? Download Main Street America’s Disaster Recovery & Resilience Toolkit here.

Connect:

• Learn about Downtown Spruce Pine

• Learn about the Town of Spruce Pine

• Learn about North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center

• Learn about Main Street America's Backing Small Businesses Disaster Recovery Grant

• Learn about DT’s Blue Ridge Java

Episode Links:

• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Spotify
• Subscribe for updates

About the Episode

In this data-driven conversation, host Matt Wagner sits down with Mike Powe, Senior Director of Research at Main Street America, to break down findings from their Fall 2025 Small Business Survey. The survey of 1,295 businesses reveals that small business owners are experiencing persistent revenue and profitability challenges, broad societal instability impacting operations, and the measurable advantage of Main Street program support (nearly a full point higher confidence and 11% better revenue stability).

Takeaways

• Business confidence hitting its second-lowest point on record
• Which types of businesses are faring better (professional services, established businesses, those with more employees)
• How Main Street program support translates to real business outcomes
• The characteristics that define authentic Main Street businesses

Episode Links:

• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Spotify
• Subscribe for updates

Amex Shop Small Grants Program

We have some super exciting news to share with you all! Main Street America and American Express are teaming up to launch a new grant program for small business owners. The Amex Shop Small Grants Program will provide an initial $5 million to fund 250 grants of $20,000 each to eligible small business owners across the U.S. The application will open on this Small Business Saturday, November 29, 2025.

And get this. Every time an American Express Card Member shops with their eligible Card at a qualifying U.S. small business on November 29, American Express will donate an additional $1 to fund additional grants. So, there’s an extra incentive to get out there and support local businesses on Small Business Saturday! You can find eligible small businesses in your community on the Shop Small Map. American Express Debit Cards are not eligible.”

Find more information on our website at mainstreet.org/shopsmallgrant.