About this episode

Ben Kinney discusses his journey in storytelling and business media, shaped by his childhood experiences and leadership challenges.

In this episode of Anything But Typical, Gary Frey and Ben McDonald sit down with Ben Kinney, publisher of Business North Carolina, SouthPark Magazine, and North Carolina Tribune. Ben shares how growing up as the son of a journalist, moving from city to city, and constantly being the new kid shaped his ability to communicate, adapt, and connect with people. What started as a life of transition eventually became a career built around storytelling, leadership, media, and relationships. The conversation explores Ben’s unexpected path from studying history and planning to become a teacher, to working in advertising sales, to stepping into leadership at Business North Carolina during a difficult season for the company. Ben also talks about the evolution of media, leading through uncertainty, surviving the Great Recession and COVID, and why authentic storytelling still matters in a world increasingly shaped by digital noise and AI. This episode is a thoughtful conversation about resilience, connection, leadership, and the power of having a real voice in business. In This Episode Gary, Ben McDonald, and Ben Kinney discuss: Ben’s childhood moving through Burlington, Winston-Salem, New…

People in this episode

Hosts: Gary Frey, Ben McDonald

Guest: Ben Kinney

Topics covered

• storytelling
• business media
• leadership
• resilience
• communication
• adaptability

Keywords

• storytelling
• business media
• leadership
• communication
• resilience
• Great Recession
• COVID
• authenticity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Business North Carolina, SouthPark Magazine, North Carolina Tribune

Places: Burlington, Winston-Salem, New York City, South Florida, Charlotte

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