On this episode of Business Voices Juneau, Juneau Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Becca Parks sits down with Midgey Moore, owner of Juneau Food Tours, to talk about building a business around food, tourism, storytelling, and the people who make Juneau’s culinary scene distinctive.

Midgey shares how a childhood fascination with cooking eventually led to a Juneau food blog, a career with Travel Juneau, and ultimately the launch of Juneau Food Tours. She talks about landing Princess Cruises as a partner in her first season, adapting a food-tour model to Alaska’s cruise economy, building a team of local culinary hosts, and expanding into Jeep tours, private events, and custom food experiences.

The conversation also includes the story of how Gordon Ramsay ended up filming in Juneau, why Midgey believes Alaska deserves to be recognized as a food destination, and how local chefs, restaurants, seafood, and entrepreneurs help connect visitors to the community.

Midgey and Becca also explore what it takes to succeed in Juneau’s food industry, why food trucks and pop-ups can create opportunities for new entrepreneurs, and what Juneau’s evolving food scene can mean for retaining people and building a stronger local economy.

Business Voices Juneau is the podcast of the Juneau Chamber of Commerce, featuring the entrepreneurs, leaders, businesses, and ideas shaping Juneau’s economic future.

Laura shares how she started at Caribou Crossings at 16, grew into increasingly larger roles, earned her MBA with support from the business, and ultimately purchased the company from founder and mentor Tanya, on January 1, 2020. Just months later, the cruise industry shut down and the new owner found herself facing an extraordinary test.

The conversation explores how Juneau businesses survived the pandemic, the importance of advocacy through the Juneau Chamber of Commerce and Alaska Chamber, and why small-business owners need a voice when government decisions affect their operations.

Laura also talks about Caribou Crossings’ commitment to Alaska-made products, its relationships with nearly 80 Alaska artists, the changing expectations of cruise passengers, and why she proudly considers herself both a local Juneau business owner and part of the cruise tourism industry.

It’s a conversation about mentorship, resilience, tourism, workforce challenges, supporting Alaska artists, and why Laura believes locals should rediscover downtown Juneau, not avoid it.

Marvel shares the unexpected path that took her from studying psychology in Australia to earning a graphic design degree—and eventually returning home to Juneau to build her own business. She talks candidly about making the leap from an in-house designer to full-time entrepreneurship, balancing creative work with the less glamorous realities of running a business, and figuring out how to build a career while raising two young children.

The conversation also explores branding, website design, SEO, podcasting, and artificial intelligence, including why Marvel believes AI won’t replace graphic designers but will dramatically change how they work. She explains how new tools are eliminating hours of repetitive production work while leaving the creative judgment and strategy to the designer.

It’s a conversation about creativity, technology, family, entrepreneurship, and the sometimes messy process of building a business that fits the life you actually want to live.

Race shares how Cedar Group grew from a small marketing and public relations firm into a 27-person company serving hundreds of clients across multiple states—and why that growth required more than simply landing the next project. He talks about forecasting, strategic planning, hiring the right people, building a strong company culture, and learning when an entrepreneur has to stop trying to do everything alone.

The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence, Canva, Adobe, and other new creative technologies are changing marketing and public relations—and why Race sees those tools as opportunities rather than threats.

There’s also some useful advice for anyone starting or growing a business: find good mentors, build a plan, surround yourself with people who challenge you, and don’t be afraid to admit when something isn’t working.

It’s a candid conversation about building a company, adapting to change, learning from failure, and staying connected to the community that helped make the business possible.

Charlie shares how he opened Valley Paint in 1986 after Juneau was left without a dedicated paint store, how he learned business through experience, and why customer relationships have become one of the most important parts of the work.

The conversation goes beyond paint colors and home projects. Charlie talks candidly about the realities of doing business in Southeast Alaska, from freight costs and thin margins to rising property taxes, credit card fees, hazardous waste disposal, and the challenge of keeping prices fair for local customers.

Valley Paint has become such a valuable resource for homeowners, contractors, artists, schools, and generations of Juneau families. From tracking paint colors for customers over decades to helping people avoid costly project mistakes, Charlie makes the case for why local expertise still matters.

Whether you are a homeowner, a small business owner, or someone who cares about the future of Juneau’s local economy, this episode offers a practical and personal look at resilience, service, and the value of doing business face-to-face.

Becca talks to Cliff about his 40-year award-winning career in radio and television, the long road to officially launching Alaska First Media, and why local radio still has a powerful role to play in Juneau and Southeast Alaska.

Cliff shares how a summer job at a local radio station turned into a lifetime in radio, television, country music, and community storytelling from Toronto and San Diego to building a new media future in Juneau. He also opens up about the recent transition from the previous ownership group, the creation of the new Juneau Media Center, the importance of rebuilding workplace culture, and the investment being made in studios, transmitters, news, digital advertising, and local content.

The conversation also looks ahead: expanding News of the North, supporting local musicians through Southeast Sounds, developing new digital tools like True Geo, and exploring the possibility of an Indigenous radio station for Southeast Alaska. At its core, this episode is about community and how trusted local media can help businesses, artists, leaders, and residents stay connected.

Lisa shares her remarkable journey from small-town radio in Canada to major-market broadcasting, entrepreneurship and community leadership in Juneau. In this candid conversation, she discusses overcoming anxiety through yoga therapy, building meaningful connections through Rotary and the Juneau Symphony, helping lead the Juneau Media Center, and the importance of staying present through life’s challenges.

It’s an inspiring story of resilience, personal growth and finding purpose through service and community.

Susan shares her journey from Nome to Juneau, including her work in the visitor industry, McDowell Group, the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, and now Huna Totem. She reflects on the value of good data, the importance of listening to communities, and the unique opportunities that come from building a career in Alaska.

The conversation also explores Huna Totem’s Auk Landing project, including its potential to reduce downtown congestion, improve passenger movement, support local businesses, and bring environmental benefits through dockside efficiencies and future shore power capability.

Along the way, Susan offers her perspective on mentorship, Alaska Native corporations, regional growth, the importance of community, and why Juneau remains a place where relationships, resilience and opportunity still matter.

Jessica shares how moving to Juneau, her background in short-term rental management, and a simple market need led her to launch Juneau Cleaning. What began with flyers, a basic website, and a willingness to take action has grown into a team serving residential, commercial, and seasonal clients across the community.

The conversation explores the lessons of starting before everything is perfect, the value of strong systems, the importance of communication, and how Jessica’s military background shaped her habits, work ethic, and standards. She also talks about balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, hiring in Juneau’s challenging labor market, using local tools such as bulletin boards and Facebook groups, and building a business with a long-term exit in mind.

It’s a practical and inspiring look at how one Juneau entrepreneur turned a gap in the market into a growing local company rooted in responsiveness, organization, and service. 

Meilani shares how an early business failure helped shape the discipline and focus behind the company she runs today, a data and economic publications firm focused largely on Southeast Alaska. The conversation explores how data can help communities cut through the noise, understand where the economy is headed, and make better decisions about housing, tourism, health care, the workforce, and long-term planning.

The episode also gets into the realities of running a business in Juneau: taking the leap, building trust, relying on relationships, doing excellent work, and creating a reputation so strong that opportunities begin to come through the door.

From AI and federal data interruptions to Juneau’s evolving economy and the very different housing challenges facing Southeast Alaska communities, this episode is a reminder that numbers are not just numbers. In the right hands, they tell the story of who we are, what is changing, and what we need to pay attention to next. 

Eric shares the long and colorful history of the Red Dog, from its early days as a postwar saloon with sawdust floors to its move down Franklin Street and its evolution into one of Alaska’s best-known destination bars. The conversation follows Eric’s own path to Juneau, how he and his wife first became involved with the business, and what it has taken to preserve the Red Dog’s character while continuing to grow.

This episode is also a thoughtful look at tourism, local business, and the balance between tradition and change. Eric talks about the importance of employees, the value of keeping the guest experience personal, and why the Red Dog has resisted becoming too polished or too automated.

From Wyatt Earp’s gun and old piano recordings to winter prime rib, cruise season crowds, and the role tourism plays in supporting Juneau’s broader economy, this conversation captures the story of a business that is more than a saloon. It is part of Juneau’s identity. 

Compelling Title Choices