On the trail or on the job, Upstate podcasters put a modern spin on storytelling
Chrissy and Ryan McCrary get down to couples’ business. Griffin Donley’s passion project is a walk in the park—more accurately, along a quiet section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Sam Kleckley talks with the likes of an FBI agent who infiltrated a biker gang, and one of his first guests happened to be NFL Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion Brett Favre.
Live Life in Motion
These four Greenvillians are all storytellers. Nowadays, they’re called podcasters. “I love stories,” Kleckley says simply, echoing the others who share why they turned on their microphones. Kleckley’s Live Life in Motion podcast stems from his struggles with substance abuse and addiction. “I started thinking, gosh, I would love to share more inspirational stories around adversity or just people overcoming, coming out on the other side.”
Favre, one of Kleckley’s earliest guests, appeared on Episode 5 in December 2020. In the 70-minute show, the longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback openly discusses his Vicodin addiction. Now, with nearly 300 episodes, Kleckley says only about 25 to 30 percent focus on addiction.
Upstate Trail Talks
Griffin Donley and his wife, Elizabeth, have produced more than 100 Upstate Trail Talks since April 2023. Griffin records his guests, not in a fancy studio, but in an as-yet-little-used stretch of the Swamp Rabbit Trail, past the Greenville Downtown Airport. Occasionally, their 1-year-old son, Levi, joins the 40- to 60-minute taping strolls.
The Donleys started sharing their love for Greenville simply because they found the city and its entrepreneurs fascinating, Griffin says. “This was our way to get out, meet those people that are making the Upstate a really cool place to be, and give them the floor to share more about their business, why they’re doing it.”
Business Partner Partners
If you think about the world of podcasting—and more than half of Americans do, statistics show—these storytelling platforms involve people getting into other people’s business. That’s precisely what Chrissy and Ryan McCrary do with their Business Partner Partners, which they launched in 2023 and now comprises nearly 90 episodes.
“We realized that running a business as a couple has so many intricacies that other business owners don’t experience,” Chrissy says, noting that running a business can be lonely, with or without a spouse. “Our podcast serves as a safe space for people who are running businesses together to be like, ‘OK, these are common problems.’”
Naturally, they record their shows in . . . their business. The two own and operate Mountain Goat, a coffee shop and bar, which they opened on Shaw Street in 2020. They work other jobs, too, and they’re parents of 7- and 9-year-olds. So they cover everything from how they treat their staff to balancing family life while balancing the company’s books.
The local podcasters, with about 600 episodes between them, all tell the same story about their fulfilling—and demanding—online lives.
As Chrissy puts it: “It’s just been super fun to meet other people that are going through the same thing, to share and document our experience. If we weren’t enjoying it and feeling like there isn’t a benefit, we would definitely not keep doing it.”
Select Upstate Podcast Episodes
Live Life in Motion
Scott Payne: A Glimpse into the Heart of Undercover FBI Operations, Episode 227
Description: “From infiltrating the notorious Outlaws motorcycle gang to infiltrating extremist groups like The Base, Scott shares the intense realities of living undercover, facing not only external threats but also grappling with PTSD and mental health challenges himself. Scott recently released his book, Code Name: Pale Horse: How I Went Undercover to Expose America’s Nazis, and it’s incredible.”
Business Partner Partners
Fit Mom Method: Evolving and Adapting as a Business, Finding Fulfillment at Work, and the Mindset Behind a Thriving Partnership, Episode 78
Description: “Brandon and Emily Wiseman [in Colorado] founded Fit Mom Method to support busy moms not just in losing weight, but in transforming their mindset. In this episode, Chrissy and Ryan sit down with the couple to talk about their early relationship (they met at the gym—how fitting!), how they navigate business decisions together, the evolution of their business, and what drives their passion for helping women thrive.”
On the Trail
On the Trail with: Greenville Mayor Knox White, Episode 100
Description: Upstate Trail Talks celebrated its 100th episode with Greenville Mayor Knox White. “Griffin and Mayor White walk and talk their way through his GVL roots, what inspired him to run for local office, and the story behind projects like Unity Park and the Swamp Rabbit Trail.”
Podcasting by the Numbers
- More than 4.5 million podcasts draw some 600 million listeners worldwide, with an estimated 158 million in the US.
- Nearly half a million podcasts were added over a 90-day period in 2025, yet only about 14 percent of all existing podcasts actively publish content.
- 78 percent of podcasts report 10,000 listeners or fewer.
Sources: Podcast Statistics and Backlinko
