AVL Biz Weekly – Fresh Faces, Sharp Moves, and Where to Show Up Next

Welcome to AVL BIZ Weekly—your local cheat sheet for what’s happening in Asheville’s small business + creative scenes.

Each week: hand-picked events, marketing ideas that actually work, and a little local flavor to keep things fun.

My name's Jason and I'm writing this (connect with me here).

📋 On Deck

• AI + ops: learn how locals are using AI at Hops & Hacks (casual, useful).

• Chamber touchpoints all week: ribbon cuttings + receptions.

• Old-time tunes downtown, trivia and cocktails Thursday night, and a weekend packed with art, geology, and vintage planes.

🙋 Want your biz featured in front of a few really smart AVL business owners? Email me for details

Hey WNC friends,

Early Bird’s a wrap! Huge thanks to everyone who jumped in early. Momentum’s building: new sponsors on board, the full speaker lineup locked, and workshops taking shape. It’s going to be a standout day.

Seats are limited. Grab yours now here: WNCSummit.com

📅 Business Events

• 📅 Asheville Business Referral Networking Group – Wed, Aug 13 · 8:30–10 AM (virtual; in-person 2nd Wed @ Cornerstone)
  Low-pressure, practical referral networking focused on consistent business growth.

• 📅 AI Hacks & Hops: Innovating Business with AI – Wed, Aug 13 · 5:30–7:30 PM @ One World West, 520 Haywood Rd
  Practical local use-cases. Short demos, quick wins, and plenty of Q&A.

• 📅 Chamber Ribbon Cutting: Young Office – Wed, Aug 13 · 1–2 PM
  Great for quick hellos with the Chamber crowd. Shake hands, snap photos, meet neighbors.

• 📅 WNC Healthcare Executives Networking (ACHE of Greater Charlotte) – Thu, Aug 14 · 6–8 PM @ A-B Tech, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy
  Regional healthcare leadership meetup. Operations, talent, and policy talk.

• 📅 Toastmasters – Asheville Speechcrafters – Mon, Aug 18 · 6:15–7:45 PM @ 19 Eagle St
  Level up speaking and leadership in a supportive, no-judgment room.

• 📅 Mountain BizWorks: Local Impact Survey Partner Gathering – Fri, Aug 22 · 8:30–10 AM @ 153 S Lexington Ave
  Ecosystem collab + coffee. Help shape how we measure small-biz impact in WNC.

Hosting something cool?

📬 Hit reply and tell me what you think. Or share an event!

💡 Marketing Quickies

1. Homepage hero cleanup. One promise + one CTA. Cut anything that doesn’t sell the click.

2. Calendar CTA. Add “Book a 15-min intro” to your email signature + Google Business Profile listing link.

3. Testimonial flywheel.Call 5 of your customers and ask: “What problem?”, “Why us?”, “Best part?” Shoot on phone, edit in CapCut. If you can't, just record the conversation and add the info to your website.

4. Offer ladder. Create a $0 “starter win” (checklist or an audit, for example)

🎉 Fun Stuff Around AVL

• 📅 Old-Time Jam (Jack of the Wood) – Wed, Aug 13 · 5–10 PM @ 95 Patton Ave

  Fiddle, banjo, and good vibes. Classic AVL.

• 📅 Books & Brews Trivia (Ginger’s Revenge) – Thu, Aug 14 · time varies @ Riverside Tasting Room

  Ginger beer + brain games. Bring a team, claim bragging rights.

• 📅 Classy Cocktails – Thu, Aug 14 · 6–8 PM @ The Hound, 2 Tunnel Rd, Asheville, NC – Sip craft cocktails with fellow professionals and creatives in a relaxed, upscale setting where networking never tasted this smooth.

• 📅 Meditation & Painting from the Heart – Fri, Aug 15 · 10 AM–3 PM @ The North Carolina Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way
  Mindfulness meets creativity. Paint your way into flow.

• 📅 Geology of the Blue Ridge I – Sat, Aug 16 · 12–4 PM @ The North Carolina Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC –

  Explore the fascinating geologic history of the Blue Ridge Mountains with indoor and outdoor learning.

• 📅 Visit the WNC Air Museum – Asheville Introverts – Sun, Aug 17 · 2–4 PM @ WNC Air Museum, 1340 Gilbert St, Hendersonville, NC –

  Explore vintage aircraft and local aviation history in a quiet, curiosity-friendly group outing.

• 📅 Ecusta Trail Grand Opening — Monday, August 18, beginning at 2:00 PM.
  The first 6 miles of the new Ecusta Trail are opening with a ceremony and ribbon cutting. I recently walked a couple of miles of this trail and it’s worth celebrating!

• 📅 Family-Friendly D&D (Well Played Board Game Café) – Mon, Aug 18 · 5–8 PM @ 162 Coxe Ave

  Questing + snacks. Kid-approved adventure night.

• 📅 Botanical Painting for Beginners – Tue, Aug 19 · 11 AM–1 PM @ The North Carolina Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way
  Watercolor basics with blooms as your muse.

🎧 Bands on the Horizon (Aug 13–Aug 22)

• Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox – Tue, Aug 12 @ The Orange Peel (vintage-style jazz pop)

• Golden Folk Sessions – Wed, Aug 13 @ The Grey Eagle (folk showcase vibes)

• The Jesus Casino + Impending Joy + Sunbearer – Thu, Aug 14 @ The Orange Peel (indie rock triple-bill)

• Leah Lawson / DoomFolk StarterKit / DJ Chels – Thu, Aug 14 @ Fleetwood’s (eclectic roots/electronic set)

• Chlo! And the Cardinals – Thu, Aug 14 @ White Horse, Black Mountain

• PATIO: Bam-a-Lam – Thu, Aug 14 @ The Grey Eagle (live groove on the patio)

• Dizgo & Natalie Brooke – Fri, Aug 15 @ Asheville Music Hall (funk/R&B)

• Coyote Rodeo – Fri, Aug 15 @ Jack of the Wood (Americana trio)

• Emerson Bruno & the Undercurrents / Paprika / Floral Hygienists – Fri, Aug 15 @ Fleetwood’s (local indie/rock)

• Adam & the Testifiers – Fri, Aug 15 @ Highland Brewing Co. (garage rock/hits)

• Virginia & the Slims – Fri, Aug 15 @ White Horse, Black Mountain (country-rock)

• Amanda Anne Platt – Fri, Aug 15 @ The Grey Eagle (Americana songwriter spotlight)

• Shindig on the Green – Sat, Aug 16 @ Pack Square Park (bluegrass, clogging & mountain music under the stars)

• Bingo Loco – Sat, Aug 16 @ The Orange Peel

• Rock Academy Mixtape Tour – Sat, Aug 16 @ The Grey Eagle (genre-blending local talent)

• Eric Eaton (comedy magic show) – Sun, Aug 17 @ The Orange Peel (adults-only magic & laughs)

• Tyler Hilton: Celebrating the Music of “One Tree Hill” – Tue, Aug 20 @ The Grey Eagle (acoustic/pop nostalgia)

• Magoo with Suns of Stars – Wed, Aug 21 @ Asheville Music Hall (local psych-rock)

• Willa Mae / Aunt Ant – Wed, Aug 21 @ Fleetwood’s (roots/blues)

• BASK “The Turning” Album Release – Thu, Aug 22 @ The Orange Peel (free concert so indie fans, assemble)

• Time Sawyer – Thu, Aug 22 @ Jack of the Wood

• Pleasure Chest (Patio) – Thu, Aug 22 @ The Grey Eagle

• Five Eight LIVE: Film + Show (PINKEYE release) – Thu, Aug 22 @ The Grey Eagle

• Beth Stelling – Fri, Aug 23 @ The Orange Peel (stand-up comedy sweetness)

• Sixpence None The Richer – Mon, Aug 25 @ The Orange Peel (’90s pop-rock nostalgia)

Want your biz in front of smart AVL owners & creators? Reply with what you’re up to and we’ll see if it’s a fit.

Until next week,

Jason De Los Santos
Pixelated Stories Digital Marketing
(828) 585-4293

P.S. Update your Google Business Profile with a fresh photo today. It takes 60 seconds and helps a ton.