Seacoast Stories
Troy Farkas
Recent Episodes
To kick off the FINAL live edition of the show in 2025, beloved "Seacoast Stories" guest Jennifer Wilder starts the show by hyping up the audience before welcoming host Troy Farkas to the 3S Artspace stage.
After giving the rundown for the evening, Troy talks to Liars Bench Beer Co. co-owner Dagan Migirditch, who begins by telling the WILD story of how he discovered yoga in New Zealand. Then, the two talk about the early days of Liars Bench, Dagan's time working under Jay McSharry in the Seacoast restaurant scene, the revitalization of the West End of Portsmouth, and the dire state of housing in Portsmouth, and what can be done to fix it.
Then, previous podcast guest, marketing strategist and musician Laura Fox, takes the stage to play three of her signature love songs. After that, she and Troy talk about her recent decision to book a 1-way trip to Mexico, why she feels she needs to make a big change in her life, and more.
To cap off the evening, high-flying Seacoast businesswoman, Erin Holt of The Funk'tional Nutritionist, takes the mic to talk more about her long road to prominence, how her successful virtual business found its roots in the Seacoast community, how she's allowed others' limiting beliefs to define her, a rough year for business in 2025, and more. Plus, she fields several questions from the curious audience!
CHAPTERS:
- Jennifer Wilder introduces Troy Farkas (00:00)
- Troy's opening (06:50)
- Dagan Migirditch, Liars Bench Beer Co. (13:22)
- SPONSOR: 3 Bridges Yoga (37:50)
- Laura Fox plays live music (40:30)
- Laura Fox conversation (55:15)
- Troy looks back on a wild 2025 (01:02:32)
- Erin Holt, The Funk'tional Nutritionist (01:08:53)
- Erin Holt Q/A (01:32:35)
SPONSORS:
- 3 Bridges Yoga: NEW STUDENTS can use code "SSNEWBIE" to pay just $39 for 30 days! RETURNING STUDENTS can use code "SS5FOR50" to get a 5-class pack for just $50! Sign up here. Offer expires Jan. 5, 2026.
- The Coop at Earth Eagle Brewing: Portsmouth's new dive bar - open late six nights per week! Right next to 3BY.
Special thanks goes to:
- Lindsey Watson (photographer)
- Kevin Edge (photographer)
- Susan Plungis (photographer)
- Nick Eaton (videographer)
- Jennifer Wilder (hypewoman)
- Martin, Sarah, Sara, and Danny from 3S Artspace
Seacoast Stories LIVE! is happening THIS Friday, December 5 at 3S Artspace! Host Troy Farkas will speak to Dagan Migirditch from Liars Bench Beer Co. & The Funk'tional Nutritionist Erin Holt. Plus, live music from past guest Laura Fox! To see the Seacoast's No. 1 podcast in person, you can secure your tickets here.
In 85 episodes over the last 18 months, Troy Farkas has sat across from a litany of Seacoast standouts, from C&J Bus Lines President Jim Jalbert, to Vida Cantina's David Vargas, to The Funk'tional Nutritionist Erin Holt, and many other notables in between.
In these conversations, guests open up in ways they never have, often telling Troy things they've never said out loud before.
Well, now it's time Troy gets a taste of his own medicine.
Today, the owner of LANEY & LU and Ginger Fox Bakery, Jennifer Wilder, takes it upon herself to ask Troy the questions she's dying to hear answers to.
From the West End of Portsmouth, Jennifer and Troy talk about the very first conversation they had, which paved the way for the eventual launch of "Seacoast Stories" in June 2024. They also get real about the difficulties of making money in the podcast business, Troy's insecurities with Type 1 diabetes, the day that changed his life 13 years ago, and much, much more.
Plus, Jennifer and Troy team up for a special "Ask Me Anything" segment, where the two answer questions submitted by the listeners on social media!
CHAPTERS:
- SS Live on Friday! (00:00)
- Reflecting on Jen's two episodes (02:45)
- Jen interviews Troy! (12:45)
- The evolution of Jen and Troy's relationship (18:00)
- The struggles of the podcast business (25:05)
- SPONSOR: Studio H (34:00)
- Troy's approach to interviewing (35:20)
- Have you ever wanted to quit SS? (47:22)
- Troy's Type 1 Diabetes struggles (55:12)
- SPONSOR: Little Tree Education (01:04:10)
- Listener questions! (01:05:35)
EVENTS:
- Seacoast Stories Dinner Club! It's happening in Portsmouth at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, December 5, just prior to the next live podcast. Take the personality quiz here to get matched up with five Seacoast strangers for dinner. Bookings close Wednesday!
SPONSORS:
- Little Tree Education: Get 50% off your application fee with code SEACOASTSTORIES when applying your child for Spring/Fall 2026 at the Seacoast's top Montessori school!
- Studio H Salon: Get 50% ($100) off your consultation regarding preventative hair loss! Visit their website and type "STORIES" into the contact box to activate the deal.
BREAKING NEWS! We finally have a newsletter! For updates about new episodes, events, a BTS window into the show, and ways YOU can directly support the podcast, you can subscribe on seacoaststories.substack.com.
Seacoast Stories LIVE! is happening on Friday, December 5 at 3S Artspace. Host Troy Farkas will speak to Dagan Migirditch from Liars Bench Beer Co., as well as past podcast guests Laura Fox and Erin Holt. To see the Seacoast's No. 1 podcast in person, you can secure your tickets here.
Port City Pretzels is not what you think it is.
It's a much larger operation than you ever imagined it would be.
Seated on THOUSANDS of grocery store shelves across the country, Port City Pretzels have become a giant in the snack industry. With shelf space in WalMart, Shaw's, Market Basket, Hannaford, and many more, Port City finds itself competing against the top dogs in a world Suzanne Foley never imagined she'd find herself in.
Foley, the founder of Port City Pretzels, is the daughter of Eileen Foley, the longest-serving mayor in the history of Portsmouth ... and the creator of the dill ranch pretzel recipe - a recipe Suzanne perfected when she started her company in the mid-2010s.
Port City Pretzels began as a modest operation in Suzanne's kitchen, with the original goal of selling solely at tiny stores across the Seacoast.
But word quickly spread about the pretzels, and Suzanne, a high-flying businesswoman in a past life, decided to go all in - getting more space, hiring "unique" staff, and eventually bringing on her daughter, Eilee Marousek, to be her business partner.
On today's episode, Suzanne and Eilee join host Troy Farkas to discuss the early days of Port City Pretzels, why very few took Suzanne seriously at first, how the company blew up faster than she expected, and why the two need to see a therapist in order to keep their working relationship healthy.
Plus, how the business caught the attention of "Shark Tank" star Mark Cuban, and why Vice President Kamala Harris visited the facility during her presidential campaign!
CHAPTERS:
- Starting Portsmouth Pretzels (00:00)
- Rapid growth in the early days (14:15)
- Port City's commitment to hiring workers with disabilities (18:40)
- SPONSORS: Little Tree Education & Studio H (25:25)
- How PCP began to scale and grow across the country (29:12)
- What it's like running a family business (46:02)
- That time Kamala Harris visited the factory (55:12)
- How do you want to be remembered? (01:07:00)
EVENTS:
- Seacoast Stories Dinner Club! It's happening in Portsmouth at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, December 5, just prior to the next live podcast. Take the personality quiz here to get matched up with five Seacoast strangers for dinner.
SPONSORS:
- Little Tree Education: Get 50% off your application fee with code SEACOASTSTORIES when applying your child for Spring/Fall 2026 at the Seacoast's top Montessori school!
- Studio H Salon: Get 50% ($100) off your consultation regarding preventative hair loss! Visit their website and type "STORIES" into the contact box to activate the deal.
- To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins [email protected]! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.
Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.
Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.
In 72 hours, my life changed forever.
In August 2023, nurses rushed me to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, where they discovered my dangerously high blood sugar levels, the classic precursor for a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. I stayed for the weekend, and left the hospital as a completely different person.
Since then, diabetes has made my life extremely complicated:
Waking up sweaty in the middle of the night by dangerously low blood sugar levels. Carrying sugary snacks on me everywhere I go. Visiting the pharmacy every other day to pick up yet another (expensive) piece of diabetes supplies.
Nearly dying on multiple occasions.
That's the reality for a Type 1 diabetic, a reality that's intimately understood by actress Elle Shaheen (yes, that Shaheen). And this November, Diabetes Awareness Month, it's about time to shed a light on life with this disease.
Diagnosed at eight years old, Elle - daughter of N.H. politician Stefany Shaheen and granddaughter of U.S. senator Jeanne Shaheen - has lived with this disease the majority of her life. Even after 18 years of managing this disease, diabetes still haunts her every day.
Elle is the subject of the 2016 New York Times bestseller, "Elle & Coach," Stefany Shaheen's book about Elle's diagnosis, the effect of diabetes on their family, and the medical alert dog - Coach - that brought some much-needed relief to the Shaheen's chaotic lives.
From the West End of Portsmouth, we discuss our near-death experiences with diabetes, her work as an advocate, meeting President Obama, growing up with a medical dog by her side at all times, and whether researchers will find a cure in our lifetimes.
Plus, Elle's time in the Portsmouth theater scene, her Broadway dreams, and life in Hollywood during the entertainment industry's existential crisis.
To support finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes, you can donate here to Breakthrough T1D, the organization responsible for leading the fight against this disease.
CHAPTERS:
- What is Type 1 diabetes? (00:00)
- Living with T1D as a child in Portsmouth (07:20)
- Meeting President Obama during her advocacy work (13:20)
- Misconceptions of T1D (21:16)
- The mental health struggles of T1D (26:28)
- How Elle's medical alert dog saved Elle's life (36:45)
- My recent near-death experience (50:25)
- Elle's Portsmouth theater background & Broadway dreams (57:20)
- How do you want to be remembered? (01:13:20)
EVENTS:
- Seacoast Stories Dinner Club! It's happening in Portsmouth at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, December 5, just prior to the next live podcast. Take the personality quiz here to get matched up with five Seacoast strangers for dinner.
- Seacoast Stories LIVE! On Friday, December 5, the Seacoast's biggest podcast takes the 3S Artspace stage for an evening of community, connection, and conversation. Secure your tickets here.
SPONSORS:
- Little Tree Education: Get 50% off your application fee with code SEACOASTSTORIES when applying your child for Spring/Fall 2026 at the Seacoast's top Montessori school!
- Seacoast 2 Summit: How much is your home worth for a short/mid-term rental property? Find out here for FREE!
- To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins [email protected]! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.
Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.
Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.
Red McGrath dreamt of a food truck that handed out free meals.
Unfortunately, he didn't live long enough to see his dream come true. Red passed away at 29 years old.
But alongside her two surviving siblings, Caitlin McGrath-Levesque took it upon herself to carry out Red's life work.
That work is Red's Good Vibes, a top Seacoast nonprofit that hands out free meals - no questions asked - prepared in their signature red food truck. Additionally, they manage five (and growing) community fridges currently located in Portsmouth, Kittery, Berlin, Exeter, and Newmarket.
Since starting operations in 2019, Red's Good Vibes has served over 500,000 meals. They've changed lives, and have completely redefined the concept of giving freely.
From the West End of Portsmouth, Caitlin joins host Troy Farkas to discuss what happened to Red, the early days of Red's Good Vibes, why they received criticism during the pandemic, the power players they've received donations from, why they stick to their "no questions asked" ethos, and the expansion of community fridges.
Plus, the two discuss the incredible ways the Seacoast has stepped up in recent weeks to address the pause on SNAP benefits.
To learn more about community fridge locations and what kind of items you can donate, just visit here.
CHAPTERS:
- Opening montage (00:00)
- Seacoast Stories LIVE on 12/5! (01:45)
- Red's tragic passing in 2018 (02:46)
- SPONSOR: Seacoast 2 Summit (24:45)
- The chaotic early days of Red's Good Vibes during COVID (26:12)
- The growth of the food truck on the Seacoast despite the doubters (36:22)
- SPONSOR: Little Tree Education (50:20)
- The expansion of community fridges (51:55)
- How Seacoast businesses are stepping up to face food insecurity in tough times (01:03:25)
- Why giving back is "intimidating" (01:10:28)
- How do you want to be remembered? (01:17:32)
EVENTS:
- Seacoast Stories LIVE! On Friday, December 5, the Seacoast's biggest podcast takes the 3S Artspace stage for an evening of community, connection, and conversation. Secure your tickets here.
SPONSORS:
- Little Tree Education: Get 50% off your application fee with code SEACOASTSTORIES when applying your child for Spring/Fall 2026 at the Seacoast's top Montessori school!
- Seacoast 2 Summit: How much is your home worth for a short/mid-term rental property? Find out here for FREE!
- To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins [email protected]! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.
Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.
Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.