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Kim catches up with Karen Scarpino, co-founder and CEO of Green Giftz, a Michigan-based high design and sustainable branded merchandise agency, over 35 years young.   Kim and Karen dig into 35 years of staying in business, how to keep evolving as people and markets change, and everything nobody tells you about owning a business until you're knee-deep in it. Karen's story is a masterclass in staying power: finding your niche, doing things differently than everyone around you, and knowing your own limitations while still loving what you do. She's also one of the most authentic voices in the small business community, and it shows. Grab your drink of choice - this one's full of hard-won lessons, lots of laughs, and even more heart. Connect with Karen: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-scarpino-3308b15/ Website: https://www.greengiftz.com/

Kim sits down with Kelsey Orchard, VP of Marketing and Communications at Fifth Wheel Freight, where she leads marketing, communications, and recruitment strategy, including Inside Freight, the podcast she launched to give the industry a voice. Contrary to what you may think, logistics is cool. Really cool. Kim and Kelsey dig into personal branding, Gen Z entering the workforce, misconceptions about logistics, spotting fake LinkedIn profiles, why your GPA doesn't matter anymore, and more. Kelsey's career path spans logistics, finance, and higher ed, with a focus on shifting public perception, supporting sales teams, and championing internal communication. These are industries everyone assumes are boring, but need savvy marketing the most; which is where Kelsey thrives. Grab a watermelon margarita - this one's full of real talk and even more laughs. Connect with Kelsey: LinkedIn Inside Freight Podcast

This week, Kim sits down with Meredith Klein, the woman behind the iconic hat and the Substack everyone in comms actually wants to read. Meredith is a communications executive with nearly two decades of experience at some of the biggest names in the game: Walmart, Pinterest, and Jet.com, to name a few. She's the author of Meredith & The Media, a wildly popular Substack on the latest news, moves, and trends in media, featuring exclusive interviews with leading journalists on what's driving their coverage. She's a PRWeek 40 Under 40 honoree and regular contributor to Inc. She's the person in the room who actually knows everyone and makes sure everyone else knows each other too. Basically, if comms had a connector-in-chief, it would be her.  Kim and Meredith talk about personal branding, networking without the ick, why "believe it until you achieve it" beats "fake it till you make it," and what it takes to really own your worth. Grab a martini (with extra olives) and get ready for some F-bomb filled wisdom. Connect with Meredith: Meredith & the Media Substack: https://meredithandthemedia.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-klein-4389666/

In this episode of Happy Hour Hustle, Maddie sits down with Brandon McCraney, Air Force veteran and founder and Master Blender behind Olde Raleigh Distillery in Zebulon, North Carolina. Brandon spent fifteen years just thinking about whiskey before he finally opened his doors, and even then it took four more years, a dozen rejections, construction delays, and a global pandemic to get there. Two years later, Olde Raleigh had already won Best Micro Distillery in the US. Brandon shares what it actually took to grow a business through COVID, the military discipline that kept him going when everything else said quit, and how working with people turned out to be the hardest part of the job. Connect with Brandon: Website: https://olderaleighdistillery.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonmccraney/ Instagram: @brandonmccraney and @olderaleighdistillery

In this episode of Happy Hour Hustle, Kim sits down with Alyshia Hull, a New York-based freelance journalist who writes for Business Insider, Fast Company, USA Today, Inc., and Entrepreneur. They cover why workplace authenticity matters, how culture is set from the top down, and the personality types that can either help or hurt you at work. The conversation also touches on the real AI risk facing today's workforce and the double-edged sword of freelancing…plus dogs, guilty pleasures, and whether cursive is a lost art. Read Alyshia's USA Today article here. Connect with Alyshia: Website: alyshiahull.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyshia-hull-a35b56a1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyshiahull/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@alyshiaHull

We're back with another cohort spotlight from the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Maddie sat down with Rachael Kaminski, Owner/Director of Confidence Beyond Hair Studio in Grand Haven, where she's on a mission to provide wigs and hair toppers to individuals experiencing hair loss due to various reasons, including cancer treatments, autoimmune disorders, alopecia, trichotillomania, PCOS, and menopause. They covered the importance of offering a service that makes individuals feel confident as they navigate their health journey. Rachel also shares what drives her passion behind her business and upcoming milestones. Connect with Rachael on LinkedIn. Learn more about Confidence Beyond Hair Studio

We're back with another cohort spotlight from the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Maddie sat down with Lindsey Potter, Owner/Director of Bright Light Early Care & Education in Battle Creek, where she's on a mission to redesign child care as we know it. They covered what it's really like to run a licensed child care center day-to-day, the lessons she's picked up across 20+ years in early childhood education, and how she's building something better for kids, families, and the future of the industry. Lindsey also shares what drives her passion for this work and why early care and education is long overdue for a reimagining. Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn. Learn more about Bright Light Early Care & Education.

In this episode of Happy Hour Hustle, Maddie sits down with Grace Gavin, co-founder of Know Honesty, three-time founder, and co-author of the book Know Honesty: Eliminate the Divide, Become a Masterful Communicator, and Connect with Anyone. Through her book, workshops, and keynotes, Grace helps leaders and organizations have the real conversations that actually make a difference. She and her business partner built Know Honesty around what they saw missing in workplaces everywhere: real communication. At the heart of their work are two simple but very different skills, being open and being honest, and Grace has spent years coaching leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs on how to practice both. Grace and Maddie get into why so many workplace conversations go sideways even when everyone thinks they're being reasonable, what leaders are actually missing when they say they want honesty, and the conversations most teams are avoiding that they really can't afford to.

We're back with another cohort spotlight from the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Maddie sat down with Rebecca Dutcher, founder and CEO of RED66 Marketing, a Michigan-based marketing agency helping clients build strategies that connect with their audiences throughout the buyer's journey. They covered what it's really like to run a growing marketing agency, the lessons she's picked up across more than 20 years in the industry, and how marketing can be used to solve real business challenges. Rebecca also shares what drives her as a self-proclaimed marketing nerd and yes, the RED in RED66 comes from her bold hair, and the 66? Her jersey number when she became the first girl to play football at age 8. Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn. Learn more about RED66 Marketing.

In this episode of Happy Hour Hustle, Kim sits down with Monica Gauthier, who has spent the past 11 years co-owning Groovy Donuts, and is now finally catching up on sleep. She started out studying fish disease and turned that into a successful career of early mornings at the donut shop and late-night baking. Over time, she built a team strong enough to keep the business running smoothly, even when she needed to step away to care for her dad in the hospital. They get into the unglamorous side of small business ownership, the unseen labor and the pressure to keep growing when growing isn't always the answer. They also talk about what it takes to build something worth selling. Monica sold her award-winning business to someone who had dreamed of owning it, and she did it on her terms. Want to know what she's doing next? Well, it's none of your business.

We're back with another cohort spotlight from the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Maddie sat down with Jody Hayden, co-owner of Grocer's Daughter Chocolate, a Michigan-based chocolate company with roots in the specialty coffee and chocolate industries going back to 2001. They covered what it's really like to be in the chocolate business, what she's most proud of, the lessons she's picked up along the way, and what's coming up for her and her team. Plus, if you haven't heard about the sugar bear, you'll need to watch this video now. Connect with Jody on LinkedIn. Learn more about Grocer's Daughter Chocolate.

We're back with another cohort spotlight from the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Maddie sat down with Caitlin McMahan, co-owner of Marcellus Metalcasters, a Michigan-based manufacturing company doing really impressive work. They talked about what it's actually like to run a foundry, what she's most proud of, the biggest lessons she's learned as a business owner, and what's next for her and her team. Connect with Caitlin on LinkedIn.  Learn more about Marcellus Metalcasters.

We're back with another Cohort Spotlight, shining a light on the incredible women who make up the 2025-26 cohort for the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Jenny Lashuay is the founder of BattleGR and BGR Event Center. She saw a need for experience-based fun and filled it. What started as an idea has grown into an indoor venue, a mobile party crew, and a full-on event center. Maddie talks to her about what inspired her to start her business, what's creating momentum for her right now, and what comes next.

Healthcare costs killing your small business budget? You're not alone, and there might finally be a solution. In this episode, Kim talks with Nathan Baar, founder of HealthBar, licensed nurse, and entrepreneur who's reimagining how small businesses approach healthcare. Nate's built a model that can help reduce your healthcare costs while actually giving your employees the kind of care where they know their doctor's name. Remember when that was a thing? We get into why our healthcare system is such a mess, how to navigate multi-state employees without losing your mind, and what it actually means to have concierge-level care that doesn't cost a fortune. This isn't insurance, it's something different, and if you're a small business owner struggling to compete for talent while keeping costs down, you need to hear this. There is hope, there is work being done, and you have more options than you think. Learn more at HealthBar's website or connect with Nate on LinkedIn. And check out 'Health'Care 2026, his conference coming to Grand Rapids this April for anyone trying to figure this stuff out.

We're back with another Cohort Spotlight, continuing our series with the incredible women who make up the 2025-26 cohort for the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Mary Barton is the founder of Equitable Accounting Solutions, a Detroit-based firm dedicated to serving women- and minority-owned businesses. She's a Forbes Best-In-State CPA, an Enterprising Women Champion, and she sits on multiple boards creating pathways into accounting for underrepresented groups. Maddie talks to her about building a business with equity at its core, what she's learned over 20 years in the industry, and how she's using her expertise to level the playing field for small business owners.