Making North Carolina

Jerry Neal, cofounder of RF Micro Devices, takes us through the highs and lows of his life as an inventor and entrepreneur. Joined by close friend Dustie Gregson, Neal explains his upbringing and what led him to cocreate a microchip that, at its peak, was in nearly every cell phone in the world.

Leigh-Kathryn Bonner of Bee Downtown shares her journey from beekeeping classes at NC State to the founding of her company, which installs and maintains beehives on corporate campuses across the Southeast. Bee Downtown clients include Delta, Cisco, Chick-fil-A, MetLife, Microsoft, Georgia Power and many more.

Get to know Algenon Cash, a news personality, consultant and community activist. Cash cofounded Wharton Gladden & Company, a boutique investment banking firm, with his close friend Derrick Minor. He describes his youth and early ventures that shaped him into the successful entrepreneur and community activist he is today.

Andy Zimmerman offers a tour of some of his properties in Downtown Greensboro. Then, in a conversation with business coach Jonathan Thill, he discusses his entrepreneurial career, from founding two of the world’s leading kayak companies to acquiring old buildings.

Follow Kamal Bell, founder and CEO of Sankofa Farms. At Sankofa, Bell grows leafy greens and vegetables for communities in food deserts and provides opportunities for young men to engage in agriculture-focused STEM. In a conversation with his parents and son, he shares his journey of becoming a farmer and creating positive change in his community.

Dustie Gregson shares how she became a successful entrepreneur and the lessons she learned along the way. With son Luke Gregson at the helm, learn how she went from running an interior design business out of her home to founding The Table, her successful restaurant and community space in downtown Asheboro.