Advertise on podcast: Happy Hour Hustle

This is the first episode of our series of Cohort Spotlights, where we are talking to the incredible women who make up the 2025-26 cohort for the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship.  Kirbay Preuss is the 3rd-generation owner of Preuss Pets, one of the nation's largest full-line pet stores. She's a fierce advocate for animals, she's on the board for one of the most prestigious groups in her industry, and she's been featured by Stephen Colbert...twice.  Maddie talks to her about what it's like running a family business, what she's learned over the years, and what's coming next. 

Fiona McPherson Grant spent more than 20 years building a career before deciding to go solo. In this episode, Kim and Fiona talk about what those first few months of working for yourself actually look like and how she's learned to say no.  They dig into the moment she realized it was actually working, how LinkedIn became a key business tool, and what she'd tell someone thinking about going out on their own. If you've ever wondered what it takes, this conversation is for you.

AI Mode is rewriting how people find information, and marketers and newsrooms are feeling it in real time. Maddie is joined by Charlsie Dewey, Digital Director at WOOD TV8, to break down what AI summaries mean for visibility, clicks, and keeping local journalism accurate in an AI-first world. They also get into how WOOD TV8 is using AI behind the scenes and what the shift to streaming tells us about where local news is headed.

You may have seen the New York Times asking whether women "ruined" the workplace. We're not treating that like a real question, because it isn't one. The workplace wasn't ruined by women; it was built with competition, ego, and protection of the incompetent, and it's finally collapsing under its own weight. In our latest episode, Kim talks about the systems that were designed to keep women out, the men who broke them, and the ones who stay quiet because comfort matters more than courage.

Fisher House is one of the best-kept secrets in the Veteran space. They are comfort homes where military and Veterans' families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment - saving them thousands of dollars and allowing them to be close.  Maddie visited Kate Melcher, Executive Director of Fisher House Michigan, and a veteran herself, to talk about the importance and impact of these homes, which have saved military and veterans' families an estimated $650 million in out-of-pocket costs for lodging and transportation.

For Christy Howden, building a business and building a community go hand-in-hand. She co-founded Wolverine Pickleball when the sport was just starting to be on the rise, and through grit, persistence, and a lot of hustle, she's built it into a world-class facility and a true place people want to be. In this episode, Maddie and Christy talk about what it took to get here, the roadblocks along the way, and why community has always been at the heart of what she's building.

You have to fight to protect your business. That includes planning for the worst-case scenario. Kim Bode's been prepping for almost 20 years, and her track record speaks for itself. She's outlasted chaos, recessions, algorithm changes, toxic clients, and whatever else got thrown at her.  How? By staying authentic. Listen to hear exactly how she navigated this mess—and how you can stay ahead when things go south.

Not every viral trend is good for your brand. Maddie sits down with Josh Mosey from Kent District Library to talk about his approach to having fun with social media, when NOT to post, and books... because we love books. 

Find out why (and what) we're drinking on this episode as we delve into gender bias, the challenges facing second-stage women-owned small businesses, and why the Small Business Association of Michigan is expanding the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship.

Taking care of your pets can sometimes be a full-time job, and if they need vet care, it could wipe out your entire paycheck. In this episode, Rachel Berkal, cofounder of Vetr Health, joins Maddie to talk about how her and her team are transforming the pet healthcare industry, providing at-home care, and keeping it affordable.  

Some ballot measures never make it to Election Day - and that's exactly the point. Many of the most consequential political battles happen before you ever enter a voting booth. In this episode, Kelli Saunders from the Small Business Association of Michigan joins Maddie to talk about two proposals they are fighting to keep off the ballot and why small business owners should be engaged now.

To AI or not to AI. Are we using it, just to say we're using it? Is it actually helping or hurting? We tackle these hard hitting questions and dig into why Kim threatened ChatGPT with bodily harm.

We get asked this question a lot: What does it take to land the internship?  We know it's competitive and overwhelming. But if you're willing to put the work in, businesses will reward you for that. And your dream job probably already told you what they're looking for.  In this episode, Maddie talks with former 8THIRTYFOUR Associate (because interns deserve a real title) Emily Feikema about what goes into preparing for interviews, and everything else that makes you stand out.  

When lawmakers become disconnected from real community needs, it often falls to visionary business leaders to create practical solutions. That's exactly what Mark Peters, CEO of Butterball Farms, did when he established The SOURCE 20 years ago in Grand Rapids. Kim got the chance to sit down with Mark to talk about the nonprofit, which began as a manufacturer's solution to childcare challenges affecting workplace productivity. It has since evolved into a comprehensive support system connecting community organizations, government resources, and private businesses. You can read more about the creation of the nonprofit in Mark's book The SOURCE. You can also check out The Retention Trap, which challenges leaders of small and mid-sized businesses to break free from a cycle that prioritizes costly wages and benefits without addressing the deeper issues that lead to employee turnover.     

The Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) has been a huge focus (and problem) for Michigan business owners as they work to ensure they are compliant with the new law by February 21. But with uncertainty and changes still happening with ESTA by the minute, a lot of business owners have more questions than answers.  To help, we brought in an expert. Lisa Cooper of Cooper People Group joined Kim and Maddie to discuss ESTA and what small business owners need to do NOW to comply. Lisa also provides some incredible resources for those who need help getting compliant before the deadline.