AVL Biz Weekly — Jan 21–28: Stay in the Game

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).

Hey friends,

Check this out: by the end of January, around 40% of people have already dropped their New Year’s resolutions.

Not because they’re lazy. It’s because your brain treats change like a suspicious stranger. Goals = change, and change messes with your “this is who I am” story. So the brain goes, “Cool idea. Let’s circle back… never.”

According to #science you need traction.

Just stay in the game long enough for the little wins to stack. Every time you take a small step in the right direction, it builds confidence and makes the change feel less… threatening.

So that’s the vibe of this week’s edition: leadership + career workshops to sharpen your edge, a few fun meetups to get you around good humans, and some marketing quickies that trade overthinking for simple actions (the kind that actually compound).

And that’s the end of my motivational TED talk.

Let’s go!

📋 On Deck

• Business Events: leadership, sales, money, and legal help (the useful stuff)

• Fun Stuff: board games, hikes, and a few “leave your house” options

• Bands & Shows: dance parties, comedy, and Grey Eagle dominance

• Marketing Quickies: small fixes that make your marketing less annoying

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

🗓️ Business Events

• 🗓️ Leadership on Tap: Life-Work Balance – Wed, Jan 21 · 6:00–8:00 PM (Mojo Coworking Asheville, 81 Broadway St Suite 201)

  This relaxed yet purposeful evening is designed for leaders and business owners feeling overwhelmed by distractions and nonstop to-do lists, featuring Adam Knapp of KnappCreative Coaching sharing practical tools for life-work balance through his Mandala of Presence, Purpose, and Meaning framework, with thoughtful conversation, real-world insights, and both NA and adult beverages in a welcoming, no-pressure environment.

• 🗓️ Tips to Kick Start Your Career: A Job Readiness Workshop with NCWorks – Thu, Jan 22 · 11:30 AM–1:00 PM (216 Asheland Ave, Asheville | in person or Zoom)

  This free Lunch & Learn workshop helps job seekers sharpen their search with practical guidance on resumes, LinkedIn, interviews, and increasing callback rates, featuring a live webinar starting at noon, a free lunch for in-person attendees who register, and a welcoming, family-friendly environment focused on real tools you can use right away.

• 🗓️ WCR Vision Board Workshop – Sat, Jan 24 · 1:30–4:30 PM (21 Restaurant Ct, Asheville)

  This hands-on, in-person workshop features guest speaker Antasha Durbin, author of Creating a Vision Board That Works, sharing practical guidance on building a vision board that is not just inspiring but actionable, all in a fun, relaxed environment designed to spark creativity, clarify goals, and connect with like-minded professionals.

• 🗓️ The Agent’s Guide to Getting More Business on Google: Getting Google Ready – Tue, Jan 27 · 10:00–11:00 AM (Hendersonville Board of REALTORS®, 316 1st Ave E, Hendersonville)

  This free, hands-on workshop is built for real estate agents who want to get found by buyers and sellers on Google, covering how to properly set up and optimize your Google Business Profile, avoid common visibility mistakes, and create a solid foundation for local search success with clear, practical steps you can apply immediately.

• 🗓️ Digital Navigator Training – Tue, Jan 27 · 10:00 AM–2:00 PM (Land-Of Sky Regional Council, 339 New Leicester Hwy #140, Asheville)

  This free, in-person training is for anyone interested in helping others build essential digital skills, covering internet basics, digital literacy, and practical ways to support community members with everyday technology needs, with guidance from program coordinators, a welcoming all-levels approach, and free lunch included for registered attendees.

• 🗓️ Financial Foundations: Your Blueprint to Thrive – Tue, Jan 27 · 5:30–7:30 PM (Thrivent, 1316 Patton Ave Ste B, Asheville)

  This in-person event combines a relaxed networking hour with drinks and hors d’oeuvres followed by a practical presentation on building a stable financial future, covering how to manage savings, expenses, and credit, plan for financial setbacks, and give clear direction around end-of-life decisions, all in a no-pressure environment with no products sold.

• 🗓️ Entrepreneurs Assistance Program (EAP) | Informational Session | Contracts – Wed, Jan 28, 2026 · 12:00–1:00 PM (In person at A-B Tech Enka, 1459 Sand Hill Rd, Candler, or virtual)

  This free, practical legal clinic is designed for entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to better understand contracts, avoid costly mistakes, and protect their businesses with confidence, featuring pro bono guidance from volunteer attorneys and offered in both in-person and virtual formats to make expert legal insight accessible without the intimidation or the price tag.

Hosting something cool?

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

💡 Marketing Quickies

1. Rewrite One Headline Using Your Customer’s Words
   Open a recent email, DM, or testimonial.
   Steal one exact phrase your customer used and turn it into:

   • a homepage headline

   • a social post hook

   • an email subject line

   If they said it, others will feel it.

2. Lower the Bar on Consistency

   Stop aiming for “perfect content.” Aim for published.

   Ask yourself:

   • Can I post something helpful in 10 minutes?

   • Can I send an email without overthinking it?

   Momentum beats your perfection paralysis.

3. Answer One Question You’re Tired of Explaining

   That question you answer every week on calls?

   Turn it into:

   • one short video

   • one post

   • one FAQ on your site

   If you’re repeating it, you should be recording it. Then when a customer asks, send them the link.

4. Add a Soft CTA to Everything You Post

   Not “Buy now.” Just direction.

   Examples:

   • “Reply if this hits.”

   • “Want help? DM me.”

   • “I go deeper on this with my clients.”

   Most content fails because it never tells people what to do next.

5. Do a 15-Minute Marketing Clean-Up

   Set a timer and fix just one thing:

   • broken links

   • outdated bio

   • old pinned post

   • confusing offer description

   Small cleanups compound.

🎉 Fun Stuff Around AVL

• 🗓️ Board Game Night @ South Buncombe Library – Wed, Jan 21 · 6:00–9:00 PM (Skyland South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Rd. Community Room)

  A low-key, introvert-friendly game night with plenty of board games to choose from, easy conversation, and a relaxed come-and-play atmosphere where you can join a table or just ease in at your own pace.

• 🗓️ Brave Words: Discovering Your Own Hero’s Journey – Class 1 – Wed, Jan 21 · 6:30–8:30 PM (Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd)

  An intimate six-week creative writing workshop that uses the Hero’s and Heroine’s Journey as a framework for personal storytelling, with guided prompts, discussion, and space to explore your own lived experiences across any genre.

• 🗓️ Lunch Break: Short-Form Creativity – Thu, Jan 22 · 12:00–1:00 PM (The Local Collective, 52 S Main St, Weaverville)

  A restorative midday pause where you can bring your lunch, connect with others, and enjoy a short, guided creative project designed to refresh your energy and mindset before heading back into the workday.

• 🗓️ Sensory Immersion Night with Senseful Wellness – Fri, Jan 23 · 6:00–7:30 PM (Energetic Experiences, 81 Weaverville Rd Suite 2)

  A calming, donation-based evening of mindful sensory exploration, gentle meditation, and nervous-system grounding in a neurodivergent-friendly space that honors consent, curiosity, and tuning in to what your body needs.

• 🗓️ Not Dry January Hike – Sat, Jan 24 · 10:00 AM–1:00 PM (Looking Glass Rock Headwaters Rd. · Brevard)

  An annual winter hike with good company and fresh mountain air, perfect for getting outside, moving your body, and kicking off the year with a laid-back outdoor adventure.

• 🗓️ STUDIO INK – Card Making – Sat, Jan 24 · 2:00–4:00 PM (The Inque Spot Studio, 207 Buxton Ct, Easley)

  A cozy, hands-on crafting afternoon where you’ll make three handmade cards, share creative inspiration, and enjoy relaxed connection with fellow paper crafters.

• 🗓️ QUIZZO! Pub Trivia @ Jack of the Wood – Mon, Jan 26 · 7:00–9:30 PM (Jack of the Wood, 95 Patton Ave)

  A lively, low-pressure pub trivia night with great questions, good drinks, and an easy way to meet new people while testing your knowledge at one of Asheville’s favorite pubs.

• 🗓️ January Pub Club – Tue, Jan 27 · 5:00–8:00 PM (Workshop Lounge at Foundry Hotel, 51 S Market St)

  A casually social, no-agenda evening for young professionals to unwind, connect, and enjoy good conversation in one of Asheville’s most thoughtfully designed spaces, with a welcoming vibe that makes it easy to show up as you are.

🎧 Bands on the Horizon (Jan 21 - Jan 31)

• Golden Folk Sessions — Wed, Jan 21 · 7 PM @ The Grey Eagle

• Joe List — Thu, Jan 22 · 7 PM @ The Orange Peel

• Chatham County Line — Thu, Jan 22 · 8 PM @ The Grey Eagle

• Hot in Herre: 2000s Dance Party — Fri, Jan 23 · 8 PM @ The Orange Peel

• Neil Hamburger w/ Chris Crofton — Fri, Jan 23 · 8 PM @ The Grey Eagle

• Sudan Archives — Sat, Jan 24 · 7 PM @ The Orange Peel

• Blue Country Line Dance’s Giddy-Up Brunch — Sat, Jan 24 · 11 AM @ The Grey Eagle

• The Dancing Fleas — Sat, Jan 24 · 8 PM @ The Grey Eagle

• Fringe Revival — Sun, Jan 25 · 5 PM @ The Orange Peel

• Asheville Vaudeville Brunch — Sun, Jan 25 · 12 PM @ The Grey Eagle

• An Evening with Willis Alan Ramsey — Sun, Jan 25 · 8 PM @ The Grey Eagle

• Jon Spencer — Mon, Jan 26 · 8 PM @ The Grey Eagle

• The Floozies + Too Many Zooz: Too Many Flooz Tour — Wed, Jan 28 · 7 PM @ The Orange Peel

• The Cody Sisters — Wed, Jan 28 · 8 PM @ The Grey Eagle

• Sheng Wang — Thu, Jan 29 · 7 PM @ The Orange Peel

• Nefesh Mountain — Thu, Jan 29 · 8 PM @ The Grey Eagle

• The Wood Brothers — Fri, Jan 30 · 7 PM @ The Orange Peel

• The Wood Brothers — Sat, Jan 31 · 7 PM @ The Orange Peel

• Dolly’s 80th Birthday Bash — Sat, Jan 31 · 8 PM @ The Grey Eagl

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