The Upstate Conversation

Welcome to The Upstate Conversation, the podcast that uncovers the gems of Upstate South Carolina. Host Terry Palma, a long-time resident and local expert, takes you on a detailed journey through the best food, drinks, and entertainment options these vibrant communities have to offer. Whether you're a long-time Upstate resident or visiting for the first time, Terry's insights will help you discover unique businesses and hidden treasures. Join us as we celebrate local businesses, their stories, and the incredible communities that make Upstate South Carolina so special.

The Upstate Conversation is a news podcast hosted by Terry Palma, with 51 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Terry Palma hosts The Upstate Conversation, a news show with 51 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  The Upstate Conversation

  “You Don’t Have to Figure It Out Alone: Better Information, Better Support, Better Decisions”

  Sep 27, 20267 min

  Running an organization means making decisions every day—but the quality of those decisions often depends on two things: the information you have and the support surrounding you. This week on The Upstate Conversation, we introduce Chantal Buard, CEO and Co-Founder of Impact Atlas, and Jessica Davis, Business Performance Advisor with Insperity. Impact Atlas helps mission-driven organizations turn field data into information they can actually use, while Insperity helps businesses navigate the increasingly complex world of human resources. Two very different companies. One surprisingly similar idea: Leaders shouldn't have to figure everything out alone.

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  The Upstate Conversation

  “More Than Christmas Lights: How Gina Lopez Is Lighting Up the Upstate All Year Long”

  Sep 20, 20267 min

  When most of us hear the words professional lighting company, our minds probably go straight to Christmas. For Gina Lopez, owner of Humbug Lighting of Greenville, Christmas is where the story begins—but certainly not where it ends. In this episode of The Upstate Conversation, host Terry Palma shares how Gina and her team are taking the hassle out of holiday decorating while expanding into permanent roofline, landscape, architectural and commercial lighting. It's a story about convenience, professionalism, community—and discovering how the right lighting can completely transform the way we experience a home or business after the sun goes down.

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  The Upstate Conversation

  “Putting Down Roots: Helping People Build Their Future with Melissa Hennon”

  Sep 13, 20268 min

  For Melissa Hennon, a mortgage has never been simply about getting someone approved for a loan. It's about helping someone build a future. Melissa began her career with Hanover Mortgage in 2014 as a processor, but she quickly realized she wanted to become a loan officer and work directly with the people behind those applications. Today, with a decade of experience as a loan officer and a lifetime spent here in the Upstate, Melissa combines local knowledge, education, accessibility, and a genuine desire to help her clients understand one of the biggest financial decisions they'll make. In this episode of The Upstate Conversation, host Terry Palma shares Melissa's journey, her commitment to relationships over transactions, and her growing mission to help more people—especially women—understand how homeownership can become part of building their future.

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  The Upstate Conversation

  “Protecting What You’ve Built: Two Sides of Insurance with Kenneth Rhodes & Associates”

  Sep 3, 20267 min

  You spend years building a business, creating a home, raising a family, and working toward a future. But have you ever stopped to ask one important question? How well is everything you've built actually protected? In this episode of The Upstate Conversation, host Terry Palma introduces us to two professionals from Kenneth Rhodes & Associates, Inc. who approach that question from two different directions. Rhonda Rhodes-Stephenson, Managing Partner, helps business owners understand and manage their commercial insurance needs, while Briele Smith, Associate Agent, works with individuals and families to help protect the homes, vehicles, and personal assets that matter to them. Together, they demonstrate why insurance isn't simply about buying a policy. It's about understanding risk, having options, and putting the right protection around the things you've worked so hard to build.

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  The Upstate Conversation

  “Someone in Your Corner: Changing the Insurance Conversation with Eric Ager”

  Aug 16, 20267 min

  For many of us, health insurance is something we think about once a year, choose a plan, check the box, and hope we don't have to think about it again. But what happens when you actually need help? In this episode of The Upstate Conversation, host Terry Palma highlights Eric Ager, a licensed insurance agent with HealthMarkets, whose own experience as an insurance client completely changed the direction of his career. Today, Eric is helping individuals, families, entrepreneurs, and small business owners navigate insurance with something that's often missing from the process: education, accessibility, and a real relationship with someone who has their back. It's a story about making insurance less transactional, more understandable, and ultimately, more human.

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