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Willie
Willie Nelson might be my all-time favorite artist. He’s strange. He writes songs about a woman getting killed for touching a man’s horse, talking to the walls, and swimming down a river of whiskey. Above all else, he was a Nashville outcast who had to scratch and claw to carve out his own musical lane. This is how Frankly feels to me. I’ve seen so many “silver bullet salesmen” offering AI-generated fixes to trick businesses into buying a bill of goods. I’m fed those ads so
Cody Pelle
Feb 251 min read


The Small Business Dilemma
I want you to think of your all-time favorite small business. What makes them special? Maybe it’s a coffee shop that knows to get cranking on your double-shot oat milk latte the second you walk in the door. Maybe it’s a barbershop that has formed countless decades-long friendships. These places are the soul of America, and in my opinion, they have been tragically underserved. A small business must be nimble. If there’s even an ounce of fat on them, they won’t survive for long
Cody Pelle
Feb 112 min read


It's Not Just Some Creamy Whip. It's The Dari Bar.
Every time I try to tell an out-of-towner about the significance of the Dari Bar, I get the same “Oh yeah, every small town has a dairy...
Cody Pelle
May 9, 20253 min read


An Open Letter To Small Businesses (And Those Who Love Them)
I want to start by saying thank you. There may not be a more difficult time in modern history to operate a small business. Choosing to...
Cody Pelle
May 5, 20252 min read


Kindred Spirits: The Story of Second Sight
The first time I met Carus, he told me about a New Orleans-style jazz parade funeral he planned to throw for a goldfish. At that moment,...
Cody Pelle
Apr 18, 20252 min read


This Is Frankly Speaking.
America was built on family business. My first job was cooking steaks at my Grandpa’s place. Pelle’s Cafe in Silver Grove, Kentucky. Even...
Cody Pelle
Apr 14, 20252 min read


Little Respect For The Big Boy
High school jobs are interesting to say the least. My first gig was cooking steaks for my Grandpa’s place, Pelle’s Cafe in Silver...
Cody Pelle
Dec 16, 20243 min read


The King of Cincinnati: Three Brushes With Reds Royalty
The Cincinnati Reds last won a playoff series in October of 1995. You read that right. 29 seasons without advancing to the second round...
Cody Pelle
Oct 1, 20244 min read


The Barbershop: The Last Living Home Of American Manhood
A handful of things are meant to be held sacred in this life. A man’s relationship with his God, his wife, and of course — his barber....
Cody Pelle
Oct 2, 20233 min read
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