Local to Legend

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Ciara Landroma, an entrepreneur, coach and van-lifer who finally said yes to her dreams and shed the expectations of other people a year ago to set off on her own adventure traveling the country, working on the road, and supporting women with finding financial freedom. She joins Emily to chat more about letting go of goals that weren’t really hers to begin with, selling it all and living in a van, and her new found love for content creation.A corporate, ladder-climbing professional got to the top and didn’t like anything she saw. So, she said goodbye to it all and drove away. Literally. Ciara Ladroma moves with a purpose to share how life can be absolutely delicious when you start to choose yourself. Ciara lives full-time in her campervan as she works and plays as a 100% digital nomad with her partner and their dog. Ciara creates wealth for Women, Queer Folx, BIPOC through budget & business coaching, as well as, a curator of multi-media content that inspires viewers to choose themselves and choose joy.  Tune in for topics like:Shifting from a work-first mindset to finding joyThe collection of moments that led to a radical shift in Ciara’s lifeWhy a month long challenge turned into 3 years of sober livingPivoting to focus on content creationThe question we should be asking ourselves regularlyNavigating others’ opinions of your decisionsThe Daily Moment programLinks from the episode:The Daily Moment programCiara’s websiteCiara’s InstagramThe Megan Ciara Show InstagramFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Tobi Parks, an entertainment and intellectual property attorney, majority owner and CEO of xBk, a Des Moines-based music venue, and Board Vice President for the National Independent Venue Association Foundation.Listen in as Tobi & Emily chat through Tobi’s experiences in the music world, both as an artist and on the business side. Tobi shares how her journey led her from rural Missouri to New York City and details her decade in the city working for Sony Music, touring with bands, marrying her wife and having children. Ultimately, a desire for a better city to raise kids and be closer to family led Tobi and her family to Des Moines, Iowa, where she immediately immersed herself in the music scene.Tobi walks listeners through her experience opening up xBk in the Drake neighborhood, her vision, the obstacles she had to overcome and what’s next for her (hint: it may just be right next door and involve cocktails). Tune in for topics like:Tobi’s background and music experienceMoving to NYC and spending a decade in the music industry thereThe trip that made Tobi change her mind about Des MoinesThe vision for xBkWhy the Drake neighborhood was chosen for a music venueWhat’s next for Tobi & xBkLinks from the episode:xBk websitexBk InstagramxBk FacebookFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Sue Honkamp, founder of Real Food 4 Kids, a brand dedicated to offering food education and hands-on cooking classes for kids and teens. Sue is passionate about getting kids involved in the kitchen and teaching them how to create wholesome, tasty meals for themselves and others.Listen in as Sue & Emily talk about Sue’s background at Oscar Meyer that led to a career shift and motivation to investigate the foods she and her family were consuming and the ingredients inside. Sue shares more about how she started her business, her pivots during the pandemic and all she has planned for the future, including new summer camps and cooking courses for teens.Tune in for topics like:Sue’s experience as a brand manager at Oscar MeyerWhy Sue was motivated to create her own food when her daughter required a feeding tubeThe one thing Sue hopes kids take away from her cooking classesHow to encourage your kids to try new foodsSue’s latest launch: Real Food 4 LifeKey takeaways from 6 years in businessLinks from the episode:Real Food 4 Life Teens Cooking CourseReal Food 4 Kids websiteReal Food 4 Kids FacebookReal Food 4 Kids InstagramFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Grace Rigdon, co-founder and COO of Deetz. Deetz is an app that you can use to see what’s happening around you right now in your very own community. As a fellow tech co-founder on a mission to support local businesses in every community they’re in, Emily and Grace dive into Grace’s journey into the startup space, her first business that led to Deetz, and how Deetz supports its users and small business subscribers.Tune in for topics like:Grace’s focus and ambitions as she started collegeHow Grace started her first business by stumbling into an entrepreneurship classWhat joining a tech startup company looks likeWhat Deetz is and how it worksLinks from the episode:Deetz app Deetz plans and pricingFind a credit union to partner with by visiting the Iowa Credit Union FoundationFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg, co-authors of new release, Self-Made Boss, a book designed to give small business owners an essential survival guide with stories and experiences from business owners and advice from industry experts. Whether you’ve been in business for 30 years or have been noodling on a new idea, this book will offer you tangible, actionable advice you can implement right away.Jackie & Lauren join Emily to discuss their experiences working with small business owners everywhere that led to the creation of Self-Made Boss. Jackie & Lauren scoured the marketplace for books that gave small business owners a holistic approach to running their business, but found very few. So they decided to write their own. They compiled stories and advice from business owners and experts, distilling them down into bite-size educational pieces that allowed readers to gain a new perspective on all aspects of running a small business from marketing to hiring to operations to taxes and beyond. Their writing style is approachable, offering pragmatic advice for anyone who picks up a copy.Listen to the episode to learn more about what you can expect from picking up a copy of Self-Made Boss and the journey Jackie & Lauren undertook to write it! Find Self-Made Boss at your local bookstore, Amazon, or wherever you find your books.About The Authors:Jackie ResesJackie Reses is the Chief Executive Officer of Luna Financial Group, a fintech building banking-related financial infrastructure for tech and crypto companies and the Chair of the Economic Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.  Previously, she was the Executive Chairperson of Square Financial Services and Capital Lead and Head of the People Team at Square.  She has been named one of Forbes “Self Made Women,” Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business” and American Banker’s  “Most Powerful Woman in Finance.”  She has held leadership positions at Yahoo! and was a Partner at Apax Partners Worldwide, one of the largest private equity firms in the world.  Reses serves on the board of directors of Endeavor, Affirm, and Nubank.   Lauren WeinbergLauren Weinberg is the Chief Marketing Officer of Square, where she leads global Marketing and Communications for the $100B company that provides business solutions for millions of small business owners all over the world.  She has been named on Forbes “CMO Next,” Brand Innovators “Top Women in Marketing,” and Fintech Hub’s “30 Most Influential Fintech Marketers.” Weinberg has held leadership roles at Yahoo!, MTV, and AOL.  She is an Adweek Executive Mentor and advises early stage startups.Tune in for topics like:Lauren & Jackie’s backgrounds and how they ended up at SquareThe inspiration behind the bookWhat’s inside and how to read Self-Made Boss Who they had in mind when writing the bookWhat Jackie & Lauren hope readers take awayLinks from the episode:Self-Made Boss websiteDownload your free excerpt hereBuy Self-Made Boss hereFind a credit union to partner with by visiting the Iowa Credit Union FoundationFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Lisa Even, founder of Even Connection and corporate culture junkie turned entrepreneur. Lisa joins to share more about her one million interview mission, upcoming conference, and how she’s striving to build more connection opportunities in the world.Lisa founded Even Connection in 2019 after years of building strong team cultures in the medical and financial industries. She decided it was time to take her expertise to more people so she opened up the virtual doors of Even Connection with the goal of helping people create positive ripple effects at work and beyond. Now her offerings have expanded to include:- Speaking (keynotes, conferences, retreats, breakout sessions, teams and departments)- Coaching (1x1) with people who want to create a greater ripple effect at work and beyond- Wave Workshops - work with teams on engagement, motivation, culture, and communication- Connection Conferences - one-day connection conferences, Rising Tides, for leaders and entrepreneurs who want to be inspired, connected, and impactful.Listen in as Lisa shares more about building her online business and the mission she’s on to interview one million souls. The next Rising Tide conference is coming up on April 28th in Des Moines, Iowa. Emily will be speaking! If you’re interested in attending, find the link to grab your ticket below.Tune in for topics like:Questions Lisa asks in every one million interviewThe Rising Tides ConferenceWhy you should read the Go GiverCreating roles and responsibilities in hiringWhy knowing where your strengths lie is crucial to your successLinks from the episode:Even Connection websiteLisa Instagram InstagramEven Connection FacebookLisa LinkedInBuy a ticket for the April 28th Rising Tides ConferenceFind a credit union to partner with by visiting the Iowa Credit Union FoundationFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Brooke Happe, owner of b.e. happe designs, an evergreen apparel brand. Brooke joins to share more about her unconventional business and life path, running b.e. happe as she travels the country with her family in an RV, crocheting hats and producing products.In 2015, Brooke stepped away from her role as a Doctor of Physical Therapy and opted to stay home with her two young boys and a daughter on the way. She started crocheting hats to keep her hands strong, intending to go back to work one day. But then more and more people started asking for the hats they saw Brooke wearing and b.e. happe was born. In 2019, Brooke and her husband decided they wanted to enjoy this season of life with young children for as long as possible so they sold almost all of their belongings, bought an RV and have been traveling the country ever since. She’s continued to grow her business from a one-woman-show to a team of twelve, selling her products directly to her consumers and through wholesale. Brooke joins to chat more about taking the leap and choosing a path that’s a little less traveled. She shares the experiences that led up to the change in her life and how she’s continued to stay happy on the road. Brooke explains why b.e. happe also offers a portion of their profits to children’s hospitals and child life services. Listen for a peek into her business and the reason why flexibility is such an important trait to have as an entrepreneur. Brooke hopes to dispel any misconceptions our listeners may have about believing you need to have all the tools, space and processes ready to go before you start. Just start! If you’re someone who likes to venture off the predictable path and do things a little differently, tune in to this episode with Brooke!Tune in for topics like:Brooke’s leap into entrepreneurshipWhat it’s like to sell everything and live the RV lifestyleHow to tap into the resources you already haveExternal factors to be aware of in your businessHow to live without regretsLinks from the episode:b.e. happe websiteb.e. happe Instagramb.e. happe FacebookFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Jessi Shuraleff, host of the podcast, This is My Truth and coach for women seeking to reclaim their stories and their voice. Jessi joins to share more about storytelling and how to actually use it in your business to drive sales and connections.At the age of 33, Jessi was handed a pivotal moment when her husband asked her one morning - are you happy? Her answer changed the course of her path. In that moment, she realized that while on the outside it looked like she had it all - successful leadership career at Google, two kids, supportive partner, beautiful house in the city of Chicago - on the inside she had become a shell of herself. She had lost her own voice. It was at that moment she realized she held the power to write her own story and that she would do everything in her power to reclaim her voice, own her story & always speak her truth.An effective storyteller & passionate people-first leader, Jessi spent 13.5 years at Google effectively building and leading strong sales & marketing teams partnering with some of the largest global brands in the world. Creating, building, and maintaining relationships is at the core of who she is and authenticity, vulnerability and storytelling have been the cornerstone of her skillset to get her to where she is today as a leader, a podcaster & a mom.Jessi walks listeners through how to discover their own stories and how to find the meaningful moments in your life. She breaks down the importance of writing your story down and how you should go about sharing it. Jessi also shares how you can use storytelling in your marketing strategy and why it’s one of the most cost-effective tools in your arsenal of tactics. She offers advice for cultivating know, like, and trust factors in your business that will draw in your ideal customer.If you’ve been curious about how to actually incorporate storytelling into your strategy, listen to this episode with Jessi!Tune in for topics like:Jessi’s moment of truth that spurred her into entrepreneurshipHow to get curious with yourselfWhy it’s important to write down your story and read it out loud (even if you never plan to share it all)Where to find your business whyShowing up on your personal profile versus your business profileHow to create little touchpoints in your business that will set you apartLinks from the episode:Jessi’s websiteJessi’s InstagramJessi’s LinkedInMoment of Truth podcastFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily dives into five different areas all local business owners can do some “spring cleaning.” If your business operates in a local community and you want to find organic, sustainable growth, these are the things to focus on not only in the spring, but a few times a year!Here are five areas Emily dives into:1. ONLINE PROFILESYour online profiles such as Instagram, Facebook, Google, and Yelp likely have an opportunity to get a little clean up. Whether you’re adding fresh photos to Google or you’re ensuring your tagline is succinct & consistent across all platforms, take a moment to look at everywhere you exist to ensure all new and repeat visitors are seeing the same thing.2. SYSTEMSEmily dives into two of her absolute favorite systems for business operations: Notion and LastPass. But this is an opportunity to look at your own systems. What tools are working for you? What can you ditch? Maybe upgrading your email marketing system will allow you to access more features that increase your revenue. Perhaps deleting those apps you got on your iPhone will free you from feeling obligated to do things that you keep ya know, not doing. Be intentional about the systems you choose and remove what no longer works.3. ANALYTICSTake a look at your Google Analytics and social media insights at least once a quarter so you can get an idea of what is resonating with your audience, where you can optimize your website, and where you can bake in some social proof. Analytics give us a snapshot of data to understand how our customers walk through our brand journey. Making decisions based on this can impact the bottom line of your business, while simultaneously adding more value to your potential and current customers.4. REVIEWSReviews are essential in building trust and authority in your community and/or your industry. Take an opportunity once a quarter (or once a month) to ask your customers for a review in the places that people discover you. For example, if you see 75% of website traffic coming from Facebook, might be best to get more reviews there. If 90% of your traffic comes from Google, get reviews there. Take those reviews and implement them in your content to get the most impact!5. JOY CHECKHow are you doing as a human? Are your services working for you? Your hours? Do you need to hire a part-time VA or intern to support some of the small tasks weighing you down? Is it time to find a bookkeeper? Business ownership is hard because of all the hats you need to wear. Ditch what no longer works, hire where you need help, or make a plan to take action when certain things line up in your business. If you’ve been looking for ways to grow your local business, you’ll love this episode! If you feel like you need more support, accountability, and how-to trainings, Local Business School was MADE for you. 🤩Links from the episode:LOCAL BUSINESS SCHOOL 🤩NotionLastPassFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and follow up with any ideas or questions that came from today’s episode. I’m all ears!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Morgan Chicchelly, founder of Des Moines Girl, a blog dedicated to all things Des Moines. Morgan joins the podcast to share more about building a local media brand that’s helped so many people discover new brands, places, and things to do in their city. Not in dsm? This story is still jam packed with value for anyone interested in building a micro media or online brand from scratch. Morgan grew up in Des Moines but spent the majority of her twenties on the East Coast. After returning to her hometown like so many did during the pandemic she discovered that so much had changed about the city she grew up in. She wanted to get to know her city better but struggled to find a place to discover new brands and activities beyond her own searches on Instagram and Google. So she decided to create her own, a blog and brand called Des Moines Girl.With a full-time corporate job, Morgan slowly built Des Moines Girl on the side, investing first in branding and then creating her website and social media presence on her own. She started by sharing topics she was interested in herself like all the happy hours in Des Moines, or best brunch spots or upcoming weekend activities and quickly gained a loyal audience.Morgan walks our listeners through how she creates a two way conversation with her followers and tips she has for others looking to build an engaged community primed to act. She also shares her advice for those just starting out and how to avoid burnout by learning how to fill the gaps between your weaknesses and strengths. If you’ve been curious about starting a local blog or social media account highlighting spots in your city, listen to this episode with Morgan! Tune in for topics like:The searches that spurred Morgan to create Des Moines GirlWhy it’s important to anchor your social media presence with a websiteWhat to do first when you’re ready to launch your brandA pivotal conversation & a question Morgan hadn’t considered beforeThe reason to wait before monetizing your brandHow to keep your why at the forefront of your businessLinks from the episode:Des Moines Girl websiteDes Moines Girl InstagramDes Moines Girl FacebookJoin Local Business School! Follow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Regan Doely, owner of Doe a Deer, a product-based business offering kitchen decor and home goods. Regan shares more about her leap from freelance to products, how she’s driven growth and what her expansion to a storefront has looked like.Reagan graduated from Grand View University with a graphic design degree and spent her first few years working in corporate graphic design departments. Feeling the itch to flex her creative muscles beyond strict brand guidelines, she started her side hustle, Doe a Deer. What started as a primarily freelance business designing logos and brands for other entrepreneurs quickly became part product-based as Regan began selling her stationery designs. A love for vintage kitchen decor like flour sack towels pushed Regan to begin experimenting with designing her own and eventually landed her at craft shows, selling her stationery, towels, and greeting cards. At first her freelance clients gave Regan the cash flow to be able to invest in buying stock of her products but over time she continued to grow the product side so that less and less clients were needed. Today her primary focus is on the products. Regan walks listeners through her experience growing her business and the steps she’s taken to drive that growth, especially her approach to wholesale. She breaks down some of the wholesale markets she’s tried and which ones are her favorite. Regan also shares her experience sourcing the perfect building and getting ready to launch her own storefront in Stuart, Iowa. She offers her advice for any new or aspiring product based business owners ready to launch their idea into life. If you’ve been curious about what it’s like to build your own product based business or launch a storefront, listen to this episode with Regan! Tune in for topics like:Evolution of Doe a Deer from freelance to productsWhen Regan knew it was time to leave her corporate jobThe story behind Doe a Deer’s signature flour sack towelsWhy and how you should prioritize your margins Regan’s advice for anyone dipping their toes into wholesaleHow to test the waters before opening your own storeLaunching F is for Fawn, new baby product lineLinks from the episode:Doe a Deer InstagramDoe a Deer websiteF is for Fawn InstagramShopifyFaireFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Andrea Metzler, owner of Art Terrarium in Des Moines, Iowa and Desert Rose Cactus Lounge in Bend, Oregon. Andrea joined to chat about starting a retail business and juggling two brands in two separate cities.Andrea’s career path has given her a wide variety of experience in many different industries. From using her degree in communications from the University of Northern Iowa to work in the film industry to joining her roommates' tech startup in Austin for real estate referrals to community building for a Des Moines co-working space, Andrea learned a ton. It was an idea to host an event in the skywalk for local artists, however, that sparked Andrea’s interest in opening her own space. Creating Art Terrarium was Andrea’s first voyage into entrepreneurship on her own and she quickly had to learn the ropes of running a retail business.Andrea walks listeners through her experience learning Shopify, sourcing inventory, hiring and managing people and what she does to work through challenges that arise. Just a few years ago, Andrea moved to Bend, Oregon, where she decided to open up another plant store, this one named Desert Rose Cactus Lounge. Now as owner of two stores in separate cities, Andrea had to cultivate a team she trusted and learn how to balance her responsibilities.If you’ve been curious about what it’s like to build, own, & operate multiple stores from afar, listen to this episode with Andrea! Tune in for topics like:Andrea’s career journeyOrigins of the Art Terrarium nameAdvice for business partnershipsTips for managing peopleHow Andrea manages two businesses in separate citiesWhat’s up next for Art TerrariumLinks from the episode:Art Terrarium InstagramArt Terrarium websiteDesert Rose Cactus Lounge InstagramDesert Rose Cactus Lounge websiteAndrea’s InstagramJoin the Local Business School waitlistFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Leah Longueville, founder & CEO of Polished Prints, a lifestyle brand dedicated to creating products that bring positivity to you, your children and your home. Leah shares more about how she grew her side hustle business printing sayings on onesies into a globally-recognized brand with products sold in over 700 retailers.Leah’s business started when she became a mom with her first daughter and wanted more time to spend with her. She got out of the tourism world and into freelance graphic design. She opened up her own Etsy shop where she could print onesies with sayings and designs that she made and also posted about it on social media. People started flocking to her product and Polished Prints began to grow organically. Leah hired a PR firm to help add fuel to the fire and eventually Polished Prints grew beyond Etsy into its own own website on Shopify, allowing them to control all aspects of the customer experience. Leah walks listeners through her learning curve of getting a grip on the world of manufacturing and how she pivoted in fall 2020 when her normal shirt vendor fell through. She also dives into the world of wholesale and why launching on Faire was the right move for Polished Prints. She offers crucial questions any business owner should think through before launching a new collection or wading into the wholesale world.If you’ve been curious about what it’s like to build your own clothing line and a peek into the world of wholesale, listen to this episode with Leah! Tune in for topics like:Shifting from hobby to businessThe first thing Leah outsourced When she knew it was time to switch from Etsy to ShopifyHow Leah found the right manufacturing partnerThe wholesale beast - pricing, volume, sourcing retailers, planning aheadThe unexpected part of Polished Prints that brings Leah the most joyHow understanding your customer can impact your business decisionsLinks from the episode:Polished Prints websitePolished Prints InstagramShopifyFaireFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Katie Allgood, the owner of a luxury rental company, The Good Co DSM. Katie shares more about starting a business during a pandemic, pivoting your offerings as you grow and navigating the complicated world of pricing.Katie’s business started in the summer of 2020 when she began outfitting a 68 VW bus with a photobooth that could be rented out for weddings and events. Since Katie had just moved to Des Moines, she had to build her network from scratch, and learn how to market herself and her business and attract her ideal clients. Katie walks listeners through her journey of establishing strong roots in her community and creating exceptional customer service. She also explains how she learned to navigate the often well-intended but unwarranted opinions of other people and how to determine if something that’s good for someone else is right for you. Listen as Katie offers her advice on how to price your services and all the elements that go into creating your packages and offerings. She also encourages others to go after the dream collaboration or clients they’re hoping to land by starting the conversation first. This was such a fun conversation with a delight of a human so whether you’re in the events industry, own a service based business or just want to learn more about Katie, tune in! Tune in for topics like:Starting a business in the middle of a pandemicThe connection that led to Katie’s first bookingThe element of surprise + delight and how to prioritize customer serviceLearning how to listen to your own gut in businessPricing complexity and how to navigate itSimple ideas you can implement to go after your dream clientsLinks from the episode:The Good Co DSM InstagramThe Good Co DSM websiteFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Whitney Shindelar, travel advisor and owner of Undiscovered Sunsets and Masters In Travel. Whitney joins to share about the travel industry, building not one but two businesses and honing in on your niche.Whitney walks listeners through her journey into the travel industry from working at five star hotels in Shanghai to filling for her own business just 24 hours after returning to the United States. She’s candid about the uphill battles she climbed learning how to become a travel agent and also run her own business, Undiscovered Sunsets. Whitney explains how the frustrations she felt about a lack of education led her to creating Masters In Travel, an educational marketplace, community and podcast for aspiring and current travel agents. Listen as Whitney explains the dramatic shift that occurred in both of her businesses when she became incredibly intentional about her focus. She offers her advice for niching down and why it’s not as constricting as some might think. You’ll also learn more about how to move past your fear of hiring and ways to slowly start outsourcing.If you’re interested in learning more about the travel industry and creating focus in your business, download this episode!Tune in for topics like:A trip to Germany that led Whitney to become a travel agentThe purpose of a host agencyCreating resources to fill the gap in education for travel agentsAdding unique revenue streams to your business How to actually create focus in your businessWhat to do before the inquiries flow inSimple ways to start outsourcing Links from the episode:Undiscovered Sunsets InstagramUndiscovered Sunsets websiteMasters in Travel InstagramMasters in Travel website Follow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Coral Thede, a creative storyteller, musician, writer and stand up comic known around Des Moines for her constantly sold out show, Tits Up! Coral joined to chat more about how she got into comedy and her beliefs in the power of trusting the process and believing in the journey. Coral takes listeners back to a monumental time in her life, losing her dad and then embracing Pantone’s Color of the year in 2019, Living Coral, as a sign to set out on her own adventure.  She bought a one way ticket to Germany and traveled all over Europe for three and a half months simply going wherever her journey pulled her to next. The experiences she had offered her many clarifying, defining moments that led her to where she is today.Listen as Coral explains how she came to terms with the fragility of life, how a binge watching session of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel led her to comedy and what she hopes her show brings to other people. Coral also discusses how she works through her own insecurities and what it looks like to give yourself permission to go after what you truly want.If you’re interested in learning how to trust where you’re headed next and want an inside peek into the stand up comedy world, download this episode!Tune in for topics like:Why the Pantone color of the year in 2019 changed her lifeThe moment in Paris that led her to her current house in Des MoinesListening and responding to the pings in your lifeHer Camp Climb experienceThe makings of her Tits Up! comedy showWhat keeps Coral going through tough daysWhy knowing your value attracts the right people to you Links from the episode:Coral’s InstagramCoral’s websiteBuy tickets to Tits Up! comedy showFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Mikayla Sullivan, an associate with ISA Ventures, an Iowa multi-stage venture capital studio. Emily first got plugged into the ISA world when she joined their accelerator in early fall of 2021 with her other company, the hummingbirds, a local influencer and brand matchmaking business. Mikayla joins the podcast to chat about the venture capital world and how to navigate it as a first time founder.Mikayla got her start by building her own company in college, KinoSol. KinoSol is an Iowa-based startup that creates creates solar-powered food dehydrators to reduce post-harvest loss around the world and has a mission to help end global food waste, improve livelihoods, and create entrepreneurial opportunities for subsistence farmers in developing countries. After six years running that business, Mikayla started at ISA, helping founders all over the state work on their pitches, improve their business strategy and connect to resources.Listen as Mikayla shares more about what venture capital is and why founders may seek it out. She goes into what makes ISA different from other VC firms and the resources they can provide. Mikayla explains what her team looks for when partnering with new startups and what the entrepreneurship lifestyle is really like. If you’re interested in scaling a company or pivoting into seeking out venture capital, download this episode!Tune in for topics like:What is venture capitalTypes of companies who should seek out venture capital fundsWhat differentiates ISA from other VC firmsThe three most important questions you need to ask yourself before pitchingHaving a give first mentalityOne of the biggest misconceptions early stage founders haveWhy generating revenue is always better than raising capitalHow to know which fundraising option is right for youLinks from the episode:ISA Ventures website ISA Ventures FacebookKinoSol websiteFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Jodi Frank from Culineer, an app designed to build a community for home cooks who want to buy directly from farmers. Culineer is set to bridge the gap in marketing for the $70B direct-to-consumer farming industry.Jodi got her start in medical communications working for Bristol Myers before leaving that job to raise her children. After teaching at a local community college in the marketing department, Jodi was ready to finally get to work on an idea she’d had brewing for a decade: an app that would make it easy to source local ingredients and find recipes while also connecting with your local community. That idea morphed into what is now Culineer.Listen as Jodi shares more about her journey to creating Culineer, from sourcing developers, to finding a design team, to figuring out the best business model and revenue streams. Jodi shares how her initial idea for her app evolved into supporting an untapped market, CSA’s (community supported agriculture). Jodi also explains the difference between crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter vs. the platform Jodi is currently using, Wefunder.Fellow startup lovers, sustainability advocates and curious humans, you’re going to love this one!Tune in for topics like:How the food industry has evolved in the past centuryFinding an untapped market and pivoting to serve itPutting together the right team and messaging to build CulineerWhy food deserts exist and how to decrease themHow to use the Culineer app as a customer and a farmerEquity-based crowdfunding - what it is and why it worksWhy Jodi wants to build a zebra rather than a unicornLinks from the episode:Invest in Culineer here on WefunderCulineer InstagramCulineer WebsiteUse code LEGEND to get 10% off all House of Wise productsFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Lyn Johnson & Sara Sparhawk, the co-founders and creators of West Tenth, a venture capital backed app and movement to support more women-owned, home-based businesses in local communities all across the country. By simply downloading the app, you can shop the talents of women in your neighborhood like to find a homemade pie for your thanksgiving dinner or a tutor for your middle schooler.Sara & Lyn got their start in finance together in New York City but went their separate ways, Sara to the tech startup world in Silicon Valley and then on to Amazon while Lyn stayed on the East Coast and worked her way up to CFO of a financial advisory firm. After Lyn made the decision to go back to graduate school, she started considering the idea of starting her own business and reached out to Sara to partner up. They both were passionate about closing the gender wealth gap and putting more money into women-owned businesses so they ideated until they landed on the idea for West Tenth: a marketplace that would allow women to monetize their talents and the average person to put more dollars into women-owned businesses in their community.Lyn & Sara offer up an honest look at their story on the podcast today, chatting about what it was like to build an MVP (minimum viable product), raise capital from friends and family before finding a VC that they aligned with, and a recent holiday campaign they did to put more dollars into women-owned businesses (‘tis her season).Tune in for topics like:Gender wealth gap - what it is and how it’s different from the gender pay gapHow to use West Tenth as a customer and a sellerThe growing pains that come with scaling your businessWhy the standards for women today are impossibly highHow West Tenth allows women to turn domestic skills into profitThe unexpected connection that led to the right Venture Capital firmWhat’s next for West TenthLinks from the episode:West Tenth websiteWest Tenth InstagramWest Tenth iPhone AppWest Tenth Andoid AppUse code LEGEND to get 10% off all House of Wise productsFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!

In this week’s podcast episode, Emily chats with Ashley K Stoyanov Ojeda, a community builder, business development coach, author, and founder of a nonprofit called Womxn Crush Music. With a background in journalism and public relations, Ashley has held roles in a variety of industries. But the common thread throughout them all is her heart & knack for helping people turn their passions into something tangible & profitable.After college, Ashley served in community marketing for Yelp, which taught her a lot about community building and how to connect local businesses to people in their area. Her time there inspired her to create her own community for women and non-binary songwriters in Portland called Womxn Crush Music. Within her first year as founder, she expanded to 16 different cities with over 50 volunteers. It’s now an international nonprofit and is almost 5 years old. The experiences she gained from creating a nonprofit led her into the startup world, making her a pro at building authentic communities for several different brands before landing in her current role at OwnTrail. As if that wasn’t a lot, she also coaches business owners and has seen major success. She also has a new book debuting in February 2022 called Jefa in Training all about business development and geared towards Latina business owners. Endorsed by celebrities like Eva Longoria, Ashley saw a gap in the marketplace for business owners she could relate to, she wrote her own!Listen to hear more about Ashley, her career journey, and her advice for current and aspiring business owners.Tune in for topics like:Ashley’s unique career journeyThe ins and outs of building a non-profit organizationAshley’s experience coaching business owners like Melissa Gallardo from Bonita Fierce CandlesWhat community building really means and how to do itThe process of publishing a bookAdvice for local business owners Links from the episode:Ashley's InstagramAshley’s WebsiteResource: Hello Alice WebsiteWomxn Crush Music InstagramMujerista WebsiteOwn Trail WebsiteBonita Fierce Candles WebsiteJefa In Training DetailsUse code LEGEND to get 10% off all House of Wise productsFollow me (Emily Steele) (Love Local) on Instagram for a little business + a little life, and a whole lot of positive energy!