We Built This Life
How do entrepreneurs turn their ideas into thriving small businesses or side hustles? This podcast highlights small business owners, their origin stories, and how they built their careers and companies from the ground up. Host Jennifer Walker, a freelance writer and small business owner herself, talks to entrepreneurs about their successes and challenges, their advice for other small business owners, what they wish they knew when they started their businesses, and more. If you are a small business owner and entrepreneur, you'll gain insight and motivation from hearing stories from your peers. If you're a consumer who likes to support small businesses, you can listen to the stories behind some amazing companies--and gain inspiration for your own career and ventures, whatever industry you are in. Thanks so much for listening!
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Finding a Niche, Remaining Debt-Free: How Kari Miller Built Tiny Dog Press
10/04/2023
Finding a Niche, Remaining Debt-Free: How Kari Miller Built Tiny Dog Press
Episode 35 with Kari Miller of Tiny Dog Press is about growing a small business at your own pace, and more. When a friend asked Kari Miller to print his wedding invitations, she saw that his fiancé at the time had created an illustration of Baltimore’s “Greatest City in America” bench for their RSVP card. Kari thought the image would make a great card, and this was the beginning of Tiny Dog Press. In this episode, Kari talks about: · How she discovered her niche in cards even though she doesn’t consider herself a “word person”; · How she developed the theme for her cards; · How she navigates conversations about small business pricing with customers; · What she is most proud of (hint: it has to be do with finances); · How she works to keep her small business from being too all-consuming and ultimately find balance in her life; and more. Thank you for listening! Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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From Family Recipe to Small Business: How Tiera Chin Built Yorktown Spice
06/30/2023
From Family Recipe to Small Business: How Tiera Chin Built Yorktown Spice
Episode 34 with Tiera Chin of Yorktown Spice is about when a family recipe inspires a small business. In 2021, Tiera Chin was working full-time in the healthcare industry while raising two little daughters, the youngest of which was 4 months old at the time. This is also when she launched her new small business, Yorktown Spice, featuring her crab sauce that was inspired by family recipes. In this episode, Tiera talks about: · The actual steps she took to get her food product-based business off the ground, from food safety and thinking about how to make her product shelf stable to graphic design and marketing; · What she has learned about balancing time and priorities, particularly from juggling her full-time job, her role as a mom, and the launch of her business; · Facing fears and uncertainties as an entrepreneur and how she responds; · Her best advice for other entrepreneurs; · What she wishes consumers knew about small businesses; and more. Mentioned on this Episode: · · (find a mentor + resources for small business owners) · (find small business resources in your city) · · Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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From Hobby Podcast to Small Business: How Erin Scott Built the Believe in Dog Podcast and Erin Scott Podcasts
05/31/2023
From Hobby Podcast to Small Business: How Erin Scott Built the Believe in Dog Podcast and Erin Scott Podcasts
Episode 33 with Erin Scott from the Believe in Dog podcast and Erin Scott Podcasts is about when a hobby leads to a small business. In 2019, Erin became a cancer survivor and decided to start saying yes to the ideas that excited her. She started the Believe in Dog podcast to tell heartfelt stories about the powerful connections between people and their dogs. Believe in Dog is now a top 5 podcast globally, and Erin went on to co-host a second show, The Alternative Dog Moms podcast. Now, Erin is focused on leveraging the skills she’s learned as a podcaster into a small business, Erin Scott Podcasts, to help other podcasters launch their own shows. In this episode, Erin talks about: · How her cancer diagnosis and treatment led to her starting a podcast; · Finding confidence as a podcaster; · The conversations she’s had on her show that have stuck with her; · How she has found gaps in the pet industry market and created products in response to that, including the Dog Health Journal; · When she knew that advice she was giving as a hobby podcaster could be the beginnings of a small business; and more. Mentioned in this Episode: · · · · · (coming soon!) Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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Mental Challenges & Triumphs in Entrepreneurship: How Rebekah Murray Built Dare & Co.
05/19/2023
Mental Challenges & Triumphs in Entrepreneurship: How Rebekah Murray Built Dare & Co.
Episode 32 of We Built This Life with Rebekah Murray from Dare & Co. is about mental challenges in entrepreneurship—and the rewards that come with getting through them. In 2014, Rebekah Murray, an entrepreneur throughout her adult life, was looking to transition from international wedding photography to something new. Her parents suggested she start a clothing line. Three years later, Rebekah launched Virginia Dare Dress Co. with a line of timeless, high-quality women’s dresses. In 2020, she added heartfelt gift boxes to her offerings. And today (May 18th, 2023), she unveiled her new brand name: Dare & Co. On this episode, Rebekah talks about: · The various outlets she used to launch her company, from a Kickstarter to a Facebook focus group; · An unexpected outcome in her business due to customer interest; · How she has dealt with challenging life seasons while still being an entrepreneur who needs to keep her business going; · What success as an entrepreneur looks like to her; · Her best advice for other small business owners (I think anyone launching something in public will identify with this); and more. A Few of My Favorite Dare & Co. Products: · · · · · · Follow Dare & Co. on Instagram Follow We Built This Life on Instagram Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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From Educator to CEO: How Ashley Williams Built Clymb
05/04/2023
From Educator to CEO: How Ashley Williams Built Clymb
Episode 31 of the We Built This Life podcast with Ashley Williams from Clymb (@clymb_up) is about persistence and mindfulness and how these two skills were assets as Ashley built her own company. In 2018, Ashley Williams, a former educator and school leader in Baltimore City, founded Clymb (then known as Infinite Focus Schools), her company that produces emotional health software for school-aged children. In this episode, Ashley talks about: · The steps she took and resources she used to build Clymb from an idea to a thriving small business; · The benefits of learning emotional regulation and coping skills in childhood—and how these skills carry into adulthood; · How Clymb works to help children build these emotional health skills; · How Ashley has used these skills herself to respond to challenging feelings that came in her early days of entrepreneurship; · her take on an underrated skill in business—and in life, and more. Mentioned in this Episode: · , Ashley’s company that produces emotional health software for children · · at the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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6 Small Businesses to Support for Earth Day 2023
04/19/2023
6 Small Businesses to Support for Earth Day 2023
Welcome to Episode 30 of the We Built This Life podcast! I’m your host, Jennifer Walker, and I’m talking this week about six small businesses that make low waste or sustainable products and that you can support for Earth Day 2023. I’ll share my favorite products from these businesses or the products I am hoping to try in the categories of personal care, reusable items, cleaning, clothing, and planners. You can also check out the We Built This Life podcast archive for more ideas. Thank you so much for listening! 6 Small Businesses to Support this Earth Day: · · · · · · Products Mentioned in this Episode: · (Keep these bars on a soap saver—I use these inexpensive ones from Osmia) · · · (They have recycled toilet paper and premium toilet paper made of bamboo. We used to use the premium version, and it is nice!) · · · · · · · · · · · · · Resources Mentioned in this Episode: · · · · · · (I can’t find a master list of composting programs in the U.S., but you can search for your city/state/community)
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How Mandy Memmel Built The Well and Hon's Honey
03/16/2023
How Mandy Memmel Built The Well and Hon's Honey
Episode 29 of We Built This Life with Mandy Memmel of Hon’s Honey is about building relationships and community and helping women rise through social enterprise. After spending a decade serving the community of Curtis Bay in Baltimore, Mandy Memmel founded Drink at the Well (The Well) to provide an opportunity to build relationships, as well as a range of support services, for women experiencing trauma, including addiction, abuse, and/or generational poverty. Five years later, Mandy took the next step for her nonprofit and opened Hon’s Honey, a social enterprise business. Hon’s Honey offers local honey, bath and body products, and gifts, all made with raw local honey, beeswax, or royal jelly powder. But most importantly, the business provides stable employment and financial independence to women from The Well. In this episode, Mandy talks about: How the decade she spent mentoring women and building relationships in Curtis Bay led to this idea of opening a nonprofit, The Well, and how she has built trust in the community through the years; How The Well provides a range of support and community to women, from making sure they have basic needs to helping them build their own life plan through the COR Life Mentorship Program; How she got Hon’s Honey off the ground and developed the concept of The Hive for her business model; A critical thing to consider when hiring within the nonprofit world, and how Mandy approaches her role as manager to an organization with a number of employees; The challenges, what she is most proud of, and what she wishes she knew when she started her nonprofit and social enterprise business. Mentioned in this Episode: Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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How Emma Reisinger Built Yellow House Farm
02/12/2023
How Emma Reisinger Built Yellow House Farm
Episode 28 with Emma Reisinger of Yellow House Farm is about finding your place in the industry that interests you, even if the road is slightly winding to get there. Since 2017, Emma has owned Yellow House Farm, her small business that started as a tiny farm and CSA outside of her yellow house in Baltimore’s Waverly neighborhood. Today, the business has evolved to focus on ecological gardening and landscaping. In this episode, Emma talks about: How she found her place within agriculture and built Yellow House Farm while working as a line cook (which she describes as essentially working one job to support the other); Her business strategies for CSAs vs. farmers' markets; Her ideal clients, and how she manages people as a leader and a boss; How her business has evolved to focus on ecological gardening; and The romanticizing of farming as a lifestyle and the reality of her experience with finances as a business owner in the agriculture industry. Follow on Instagram (Emma is not active on this account, but you can check out some old content) Follow on Instagram Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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How Kate Christian Built Bliss Woodworks
12/12/2022
How Kate Christian Built Bliss Woodworks
Episode 27 is a small business story about saying yes to opportunities and having the courage to follow new paths. After moving to Baltimore in 2014, Kate Christian—who had worked as a business analyst, a boat captain, and as chief operating officer for a company that made at-home STD tests—got a gift certificate to the Station North Tool Library from her wife. She took a cutting board class, fell in love with working with wood, and ultimately found a new career path. Today, Kate owns Bliss Woodworks, which specializes in custom woodworking projects and furniture like vanities, bookshelves, tables, wardrobes, and more. She also teaches one-on-one classes on topics like buying rough sawn lumber and project planning, and offers private instruction in her large studio space. In this episode, Kate talks about: Her early careers before she discovered woodworking; Why that cutting board class was so pivotal for her, how she approaches her woodworking projects, and how she built Bliss Woodworks; Taking big leaps and when she knew it was time to do so, such as when she moved from a 200-square-foot studio space to a 1,200-square-foot warehouse; The psychological challenges of being a business owner, as well as her successes and advice for other small business owners; Evolving as an entrepreneur and what her vision is for Bliss Woodworks going forward; and more. Mentioned in this Episode: , Kate Christian’s Baltimore-based small business specializing in custom woodworking projects and furniture and one-on-one classes , a nonprofit tool-lending library that offers 30,000 tools, 30 classes, and more , an organization that supports makers and manufactures in Baltimore City (and is a great place for consumers to learn about Baltimore-based small businesses) Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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2022 Small Business Holiday Gift Guide
12/02/2022
2022 Small Business Holiday Gift Guide
Welcome to Episode 26! For this episode, I'll talk you through a fun holiday gift guide highlighting 10 small businesses in a few categories: jewelry, planners and stickers, skincare/body care, photos and related products, wood creations, clothes for kids and adults, gift boxes, and, briefly, home goods. For the most part, I’ve either already purchased amazing products from these businesses or I plan to this month. You can also check out the We Built This Life podcast archive for more ideas. Thank you so much listening! Mentioned in this Episode: (the Cookie Hello can also include tea instead of coffee) Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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How Nina Ross Built Nina's Cookie Explosion
11/20/2022
How Nina Ross Built Nina's Cookie Explosion
During the pandemic, Nina Ross’ full-time job suddenly became part-time, and she needed something to do with the extra hours in her week. Her family holds cookie parties every December, and these are some of Nina’s most cherished memories.So Nina started baking again to fill her free time and gave the dozens of cookies she made to friends and family. After a few months of this, Nina decided to turn her passion into a small business and founded Nina’s Cookie Explosion, a company that offers specialty and customizable cookies and doughs, in September 2020. In this episode, Nina talks about: How she got Nina’s Cookie Explosion off the ground and how her most popular products are not necessarily what she anticipated; How she balances her day job, which is now full-time again, with being a small business owner; How she builds collaborations both through organic connections and intentional outreach; Her big break when it felt like her business started to experience exceptional growth; How she views rejection as an opportunity for growth and learning; and more. Mentioned in this Episode: , where you can order specialty and customizable cookies and doughs. **Please note that I mistakenly said that Nina was supporting the Tyanna Foundation through her November Cookie of the Month. In November, she is actually supporting the Maryland Food Bank. Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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How Jaz Erenberg Became an Independent Community Artist and Muralist
10/17/2022
How Jaz Erenberg Became an Independent Community Artist and Muralist
While she was a student at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore-based artist and muralist Jaz Erenberg worked on her first community-centered art piece with the homeless population residing along Falls Way. Then, around graduation, Jaz was part of artist Michael Owen’s HOME Artist Residency. This opportunity allowed her to continue to focus on public art while painting her first mural, a large, quote-filled piece in Highlandtown that centers on the theme of “What is home?” Today, Jaz is an independent muralist with 25 brightly-colored works throughout Baltimore, including one on the exterior of her home in Upper Fell’s Point. In this episode, Jaz talks about: How she developed her style as an artist and the process behind five of her pieces and projects, including the Highlandtown mural and her work with the East Baltimore Midway neighborhood as a Designer in Residence with the Neighborhood Design Center; How she engages communities in her art, how this process has evolved over time, and how her background as a teacher has been an asset in her work; The time when she was contemplating leaving teaching to focus on her work as an independent muralist and how she reached this decision; What she wishes she knew when she started her business, her advice for other artists, and more. Mentioned in this Episode: , where you can see photos of her work and to learn about her services, including residential, commercial, and community murals. at the Neighborhood Design Center Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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How Michele Dickinson Became a Life and Business Coach
09/05/2022
How Michele Dickinson Became a Life and Business Coach
Michele Dickinson had been building her successful corporate career at a large investment firm for more than a decade. But after having her third baby in 2018, she started to think about her life’s purpose and began to feel she was meant to be doing something else. Michele ultimately became a life and business coach who focuses on helping women build legacies and make a difference in the world through entrepreneurship and online businesses. In this episode, Michele talks about: When she reached her own turning point professionally and began to feel a nudge to shift away from her corporate career; How she found her first client and refined her offerings, including private and group coaching, and a few examples of clients who have made major shifts while working with her; Building community on social media and how she strives to share vulnerably and authentically while also providing value; Money, pricing, and knowing your own worth; Finding balance as a business owner; a consultant at her corporate job, a position she held until recently; and a wife and mom of three. Mentioned in this Episode: , Michele’s Facebook group , a multi-author book. Michele wrote Chapter 11, “A Sixth Sense: The Call of the Soul.” Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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How Aaron Dante Built the No Pix After Dark Podcast
07/24/2022
How Aaron Dante Built the No Pix After Dark Podcast
For about a decade, Aaron Dante was one of the hosts of an annual party called No Pix After Dark. So in 2018, when he was planning to start a podcast to tell positive stories, he used the same name. Back then, the people who came to his parties—which had grown to about 1,000 attendees, including his college friends and their friends—naturally became his audience. Today, the No Pix After Dark podcast has nearly 200 episodes, and Aaron has several corporate partners and sponsors and just celebrated his third consecutive Reader’s Choice Award for “Best Podcast” from The Baltimore Sun. (Photo cred: Schaun Champion) In this episode, Aaron talks about: How No Pix After Dark’s focus shifted to Baltimore, and how he’ll be expanding to include areas outside of the city in episodes to come; Boundaries and how Aaron balances working full-time and being a dad to two young kids with his regular podcast schedule; How Aaron managed the time when he wasn’t sure he should continue his show—a common feeling after doing a project like podcasting for a while—and the experience that made him want to keep pushing forward; How he got his first sponsors and developed relationships that led to corporate partnerships; What’s next for the No Pix After Dark podcast, including the new season in the fall and some hints into a Patreon page that Aaron plans to launch; and more. Mentioned in This Episode: – Aaron interviews his mom, a breast cancer survivor ” – Aaron and his cousin Demetrius talk about being fathers and how this role has changed them. – Aaron interviews Karen, who at the time was recently diagnosed with COVID-19. This episode dropped on March 20, 2020, at the very beginning of the pandemic. and - Four guests talk about race, Black history, and the police. – Aaron interviews Simone, a Baltimore-based food blogger with CharmCityTable Subscribe on , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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7 Tips for Reaching Big Personal Goals
06/28/2022
7 Tips for Reaching Big Personal Goals
Episode 21 of the We Built This Life podcast is about 7 Tips for Reaching Personal Goals. Last month, I reached my big personal goal of 20 podcast episodes, which is a number I have been working toward since starting my podcast in September of 2019. In this episode, I talk about the steps I took to reach this goal, including: Finding time; Dealing with feelings of rejection and protecting the ego; Making adjustments along the way; and more. I also talk about why I started this podcast and my new goals going forward. Although I focus on the steps I personally took to reach my podcasting goal—I mainly speak in terms of my own experience so as not to seem like an expert—I think you can apply these tips to whatever personal goal you are working toward, whether it’s podcasting or something else. As always, thank you so much for listening! Mentioned in this episode: – She has a lot of content about goals including a book (Big Dreams, Daily Joys) and a recent podcast episode about how she keeps track of her plans (five episodes back at the moment). You can find both of these on this website. – Elise Cripe’s planner plus goal setting book. Subscribe on , , , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!
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How Theresa Cangialosi Built SoBotanical
05/26/2022
How Theresa Cangialosi Built SoBotanical
Theresa Cangialosi was drawn to essential oils in the 1980s, long before they were readily available in the United States. She was one of the first people to start an aromatherapy bar in the U.S. and has had some form of this type of retail space for more than 30 years. Today, SoBotanical, Theresa’s aromatherapy apothecary in Baltimore, has two retail locations and a warehouse; carries essential oils, as well as its own skincare, haircare, and specialty lines; and offers education and events on a variety of topics related to aromatherapy. In this episode, Theresa talks about: Her connection to essential oils, what it was like being one of the first people in the U.S. to open a business that focuses on aromatherapy; and how her business has evolved over more than three decades; The benefits of essential oils, particularly during end-of-life care; What she wishes she knew when she started her business; Her advice for other small businesses owners (hint: don’t let the need for perfection keep you from getting your thing out there); and much more. Links Mentioned in This Episode: (I’m actually not sure they offer the “soap bar” as mentioned in this episode, but here’s the collection of their soaps that are available online) Follow on Instagram! Subscribe on , , , , or listen on , follow and get in touch on (where I am most active), like on , or email !
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7 Tips for Eczema and Grover's Disease + Thoughts on Food Elimination for Skin Issues
04/27/2022
7 Tips for Eczema and Grover's Disease + Thoughts on Food Elimination for Skin Issues
Episode 19 of We Built this Life is Part 2 of a three-part series about my experiences with naturopathic care for skin issues and more. This episode focuses on my seven tips for dealing with eczema and Grover’s disease. I’ll cover resources, products (beauty, clothing, home), and supplements that I have found to be helpful in addressing itchy skin and rashes. Many of the products I mention are made by small businesses, which ties back in to the podcast’s original (and hopefully soon to be again) focus on entrepreneurs and small business owners. I’ll also talk about my experience with food elimination for skin issues, which is when you give up certain foods for a limited time and then reintroduce them to see if they trigger a reaction on the skin or otherwise. Basically, eliminating many foods at once did not go well for me, but I did successfully test a few foods, some of which did cause a reaction on my skin after being reintroduced. This continues to blow my mind. Finally, the disclaimer: This episode is intended to simply give an idea of one person’s experience with trying to heal eczema and Grover’s disease. Especially when it comes to supplements, please do you own research or talk to your provider to see if they will work for you. Thank you so much for listening! Mentioned in this episode: (I haven’t tried this, but could be a good option if you get very itchy in the heat) (I do not have personal experience with this brand, but this might be a good place to start in your research) for laundry detergent, hand soap, cleaning products* (I get this through my ND so I don’t have experience with the company linked here.) L’Amour et la Musique on and Vitamin E – lots of brands out there at different doses to investigate *This is an affiliate link. If you choose to use it, I thank you so much!
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Storytime: My Experience with Naturopathic Medicine
02/10/2022
Storytime: My Experience with Naturopathic Medicine
I'm breaking from this show's normal format today to tell a story about my experience with naturopathic medicine. I'll cover why I sought out this type of care (eczema, Grover's disease), how this type of care was structured, what tests I had done, and my treatment plan/recommendations from my naturopathic doctor (ND). This episode is intended simply to give an idea of one person's experience with naturopathic medicine. How this type of care is structured and more may and probably will vary depending on the ND, and all of the treatment recommendations mentioned here were tailored to me for my specific situation. Please take this episode as an example not health advice. Thank you so much for listening! Mentioned on this episode: – American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (I said “diet” on this episode, but it’s “detox”) Subscribe on , , , , or listen on , follow on (where I am most active), like on , or email !
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How Rachel Wagner Bought and Shaped FIT4MOM Baltimore City
05/30/2021
How Rachel Wagner Bought and Shaped FIT4MOM Baltimore City
Rachel Wagner’s career path changed in a pub seven years ago. That's when Rachel, a mom to one young daughter at the time, got to talking to another mom about how FIT4MOM Baltimore City, a company that offers fitness classes and community for moms, was going up for sale. The two decided to buy the business together. On this episode, Rachel talks about her journey from teacher to small business owner, her transition to sole owner of FIT4MOM Baltimore, and the biggest lesson she has learned along the way.
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How Jerron Johnson Built the Hidden Know-Hows Podcast
04/22/2021
How Jerron Johnson Built the Hidden Know-Hows Podcast
In this episode, Jerron Johnson, host of the Hidden Know-Hows (HKH) podcast, talks about growing up in a small North Carolina town that didn’t offer many options for young people in terms of activities and future opportunities and finding his place and his voice through writing. He’ll also talk about HKH, his podcast that focuses on conversations with creative people, and the episodes that have stuck with him the most, his biggest challenges and successes, and what he has learned along the way.
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How Mora and Henry Reed Built Zoe & Co. Candle Company
02/22/2021
How Mora and Henry Reed Built Zoe & Co. Candle Company
Parents Mora and Henry Reed had a big year in 2020: They got married and started their business, Zoe & Co. Candle Company, both during the pandemic. In this episode, Mora and Henry talk about how they began making hand-poured soy candles as a hobby and how an unfortunate job loss during COVID times led them to turn their hobby into a business. They’ll also talk about building a brand, getting out of their comfort zone, and how they balance being a couple, business partners, and parents.
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How Heidi Shenk Built Row House 14
01/27/2021
How Heidi Shenk Built Row House 14
Former teacher Heidi Shenk began designing greeting cards and other stationery-type products at night after long days in the classroom. After receiving a big order from a major retailer, she decided to focus on her company, Row House 14, full-time. In this episode, Heidi talks about her first career in teaching, that big break and how she transitioned to running a business, developing a style for her cards, where she finds inspiration, working with wholesalers/retailers, and more.
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How Davon Pulliam Built Tortuga Kombucha
01/05/2021
How Davon Pulliam Built Tortuga Kombucha
Davon Pulliam began making kombucha as a hobby while building his career as a chef. He founded Tortuga Kombucha in 2018 and now works on the business while being a stay-at-home dad to his young daughter. Davon talks about how his goal-oriented nature propelled him to be a chef by age 30, how he built his business and why he decided to highlight the flavors of the teas he uses in his products, and how he is shaping his business to represent what is important to him.
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How Kate Schauer and Nicole Santacroce Are Balancing Work and Kids During COVID-19
10/16/2020
How Kate Schauer and Nicole Santacroce Are Balancing Work and Kids During COVID-19
For Episode 12, I talked to two full-time working moms, Kate Schauer, whose son is 12, and Nicole Santacroce, whose kids are nearly 6 and 3, about how they are balancing work, virtual learning, pre-existing health challenges, anxiety, communicating with partners, and more during this time of COVID-19. I hope this episode offers other moms some commiseration, as well as ideas for specific tactics that can help them deal with these stressful, challenging times.
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10 Lessons I Learned in One Year of Podcasting
08/25/2020
10 Lessons I Learned in One Year of Podcasting
The We Built This Life podcast has been around for one year! When I started this podcast in May 2019, my goal was to complete 10 episodes. And in May 2020 I reached that goal. I’m calling this collection of episodes “Season 1” this, Episode 11, celebrates the 10 stories told so far. If you’ve never listened to We Built This Life before, this episode can serve as a brief summary of sorts of the first season. Head to https://www.webuiltthislife.com for full show notes for this episode!
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How Ashleigh Becker Built a Nonprofit Jewelry Company
05/29/2020
How Ashleigh Becker Built a Nonprofit Jewelry Company
Ashleigh Becker began making jewelry as a way to relieve stress after her first child was born. Today, her company, Sela Designs, sells handmade jewelry and donates 100 percent of the profits to charity. In this episode, Ashleigh talks about how she built her business while being a stay-at-home mom to four kids, the radical generosity giving model that Sela Designs is built on and why she gives 100 percent of her profits to charity, and what she wishes she had known when she first started Sela Designs.
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How Kenny Yee Built a Painting Practice
05/13/2020
How Kenny Yee Built a Painting Practice
Kenny Yee would often wander the streets of Chelsea in New York City, drifting in and out of galleries to look at art. Then he'd paint. Kenny sold his work then as a side hustle. Now an admissions counselor who still considers himself a serious painter, Kenny talks about his time as an art educator and a painter, how his style has evolved, and whether he’ll eventually have a desire to make his painting practice into something more or whether doing something he loves is fulfilling on its own.
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How My Family Has Built a More Low-Waste Lifestyle
04/24/2020
How My Family Has Built a More Low-Waste Lifestyle
When I was pregnant with my first child in 2012, I was interested in using cloth diapers to reduce waste (and save money), and I've been slowly making more swaps in our home ever since. In Episode 8, which releases around Earth Day, I talk about my favorite swaps--and the ones that I think have made the most impact--for the kitchen, the closet, and the bathroom, as well as the cleaning products we use and some swaps I’m thinking about for the future (like alternatives to conventional toilet paper).
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How Designer Amy Homan Built a Sustainable and Ethical Fashion Company
03/09/2020
How Designer Amy Homan Built a Sustainable and Ethical Fashion Company
In this episode, Amy Homan, owner of Evolverie, a sustainable and ethical fashion company, talks about the 16 years she spent working in collections, the rise and fall of her wedding décor business, and the ups and downs of designing and producing a fashion line. We also get into the financial challenges that can come with owning a business, the power of relationships, and Amy's commitment to building a socially responsible company.
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How Astrologer Adam Elenbaas and Clinical Herbalist Ashley Litecky Elenbaas Built Sky House Yoga
01/16/2020
How Astrologer Adam Elenbaas and Clinical Herbalist Ashley Litecky Elenbaas Built Sky House Yoga
Adam Elenbaas and Ashley Litecky Elenbaas own Sky House Yoga, which offers astrology and clinical herbalism services and, until recently, yoga. In this episode, they talk about how they met, decided to work together, and got married (in that order); how they made the difficult decision to close their yoga studio, which had been the anchor of their business; and how it felt after committing to less traditional careers on their own to find someone else on a similar life path.
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