Approximately three months ago, Simpsonville local and bartender Blake Webb along with recent transplant and former Comcast anchor Ray Carmen met at Sweet Sippin’ in Simpsonville. That meeting led to the launch of a new Facebook Live morning show called “Wake Up Simpsonville.”

“One night, we were just having a great conversation at Sweet Sippin’ and just realized how much we had in common when it came to personal growth and development and what we really wanted to see for this Earth and this world,” said Carmen. “We wanted to bring a new insight [and] a new, fresh breath of air, positivity and encouragement [to Simpsonville].”

Based on their shared interests, the duo created an hour-long morning show, which made its debut Nov. 2. Their first week saw 4,500 views, and in the second week 6,000 views.

Airing Monday through Thursday each week, Webb and Carmen hope the show allows residents of all ages to connect with existing and new businesses in the area.

“We [Simpsonville] have come a long, long way in the last 10 [to] 20 years,” Webb said. “The amount of people that are moving here from all over the world is tremendous, and it’s not going to slow down any time soon. We wanted to give people a place to connect with all these businesses that are coming into the area, the businesses that have been in the area and made Simpsonville what it is. We want to highlight that. We want to show people that this place is amazing. We want to accelerate their growth. We want to see Simpsonville become even more original [and] beautiful, and we just want to highlight some of the most beautiful people [and] minds in the area.”

In addition to putting a spotlight on local businesses, the co-hosts have segments on Monday and Wednesday to focus on personal growth. Their Mindset Mondays focus on tools and techniques to keep a healthy mind, while Wealth Wednesdays explore getting mind, body and spirit into alignment to produce wealth in relationships, career and purpose, said Carmen.

While the morning show combines businesses and personal growth, the co-hosts ultimately love hearing everyone’s story.

“I love a good story,” Webb said. “I love to hear the story of, say, an entrepreneur in the area. How did they start their business? What adversity did they face? Because let’s face it, if you are starting a business, every day is an uphill battle, and it’s inspiring when you hear of somebody creating success in their life. We want to be an outlet for people to tell their story.”

Wake Up Simpsonville also offers a replay of each show on their Facebook page.

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