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!

Follow Tiny Dog Press on Instagram!

Follow We Built This Life on Instagram!

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen on my website, follow and get in touch on Instagram (where I am most active), like on Facebook, or email [email protected] (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!

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:

·       Yorktown Spice’s website

·       SCORE Greater Baltimore (find a mentor + resources for small business owners)

·       SCORE main page (find small business resources in your city)

·       Where to Find Yorktown Spice in Maryland

·       Yorktown Spice on Amazon

Follow Yorktown Spice on Instagram!

Follow We Built This Life on Instagram!

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen on my website, follow and get in touch on Instagram (where I am most active), like on Facebook, or email [email protected] (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!

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:

·       Believe in Dog podcast

·       The Alternative Dog Moms podcast

·       Erin the Dog Mom 

·       The Dog Health Journal

·       Erin Scott Podcasts (coming soon!)

Follow Erin the Dog Mom on Instagram

Follow We Built This Life on Instagram

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen on my website, follow and get in touch on Instagram (where I am most active), like on Facebook, or email [email protected] (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!

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:

·       Samantha Wrap Dress

·       June Floral Dress

·       Floral Apron

·       Cookie Hello 

·       Get Well Care Package 

·       Cottage Kitchen

Follow Dare & Co. on Instagram

Follow We Built This Life on Instagram

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen on my website, follow and get in touch on Instagram (where I am most active), like on Facebook, or email [email protected] (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!

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:

·      Clymb, Ashley’s company that produces emotional health software for children

·      The Johns Hopkins Social Innovation Lab

·      Innovation Works at the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University

Follow Clymb on Instagram

Follow We Built This Life on Instagram

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen on my website, follow and get in touch on Instagram (where I am most active), like on Facebook, or email [email protected] (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!

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!

Follow We Built This Life on Instagram

6 Small Businesses to Support this Earth Day:

·      Good Juju

·      Marley’s Monsters

·      Branch Basics

·      Evolverie

·      Tradlands

·      Wisdom Supply Co.

Products Mentioned in this Episode:

·      Good Juju Shampoo Bar for Normal/Balanced Hair (Keep these bars on a soap saver—I use these inexpensive ones from Osmia)

·      Good Juju Conditioner Bar for Normal/Balanced Hair

·      Good Juju Laundry Strips

·      Who Gives a Crap Toilet Paper (They have recycled toilet paper and premium toilet paper made of bamboo. We used to use the premium version, and it is nice!)

·      Marley’s Monsters UnPaper Towels

·      Marley’s Monsters Bowl Covers

·      Marley’s Monsters Coffee Filter

·      Dish Washing Block

·      Branch Basics concentrate

·      Branch Basics starter kit (plastic or glass)

·      Branch Basics Oxy Boost

·      ThredUp

·      Tradlands Dresses

·      Wisdom Supply Co. Binders

·      Wisdom Supply Co. Notebooks

·      Wisdom Supply Co. Planners

·      Baltimore Compost Collective

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

·      History of Earth Day

·      Acure Recycling Program

·      How My Family Has Built a More Low Waste Lifestyle, We Built This Life Episode 8

·      How Designer Amy Homan Built a Sustainable and Ethical Fashion Company, We Built This Life Episode 7

·      National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes, and Recycling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

·      Mapping Urban Access to Composting Programs (I can’t find a master list of composting programs in the U.S., but you can search for your city/state/community)

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:

• Drink at the Well (The Well)
• Hon’s Honey
• Hon’s Honey Specialty Honey Flight
• Hon’s Honey “Warsh” Soaps

Follow Hon’s Honey on Instagram

Follow We Built This Life on Instagram 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen on my website, follow and get in touch on Instagram (where I am most active), like on Facebook, or email [email protected] (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!

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.

Yellow House Farm’s website

Follow Yellow House Farm on Instagram (Emma is not active on this account, but you can check out some old content)

Follow We Built This Life on Instagram

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen on my website, follow and get in touch on Instagram (where I am most active), like on Facebook, or email [email protected] (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!

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.

Follow Bliss Woodworks on Instagram

Follow We Built This Life on Instagram

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Bliss Woodworks, Kate Christian’s Baltimore-based small business specializing in custom woodworking projects and furniture and one-on-one classes
• Station North Tool Library, a nonprofit tool-lending library that offers 30,000 tools, 30 classes, and more
• Made in Baltimore, 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen on my website, follow and get in touch on Instagram (where I am most active), like on Facebook, or email [email protected] (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!

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!

Follow We Built This Life on Instagram

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Sela Designs Annie Hoop Earrings
• Sela Designs Known Necklace
• Sela Designs Leopard Cork Jo Earrings
• International Justice Mission (IJM)
• Ashley Shelly Luxury Lined Notebook – “You are Magic” in Lavender
• Ashley Shelly Planners (Daily, Weekly, Monthly)
• Once More with Love Annual Holiday and Celebration Stickers
• Once More with Love Sports & Fitness Stickers
• Once More with Love Prescription Pills, Medications, and Vitamins Reminder
• Once more with Love Wedding Stickers
• Beauty Heroes
• Integrity Botanicals
• SoBotanical Deep Repair Hand Cream
• SoBotanical Neroli Hydrolat
• SoBotanical soaps
• Persnickety Prints Photo Calendars
• Persnickety Prints ornaments
• Persnickety Prints photo prints
• Persnickety Prints holiday cards
• L. Kriss Studio for beautiful wooden creations
• Virginia Dare Dresses & Gifts Cookie Hello Box (the Cookie Hello can also include tea instead of coffee)
• Virginia Dare Dresses & Gifts Friendly Hello Box
• Virginia Dare Dresses & Gifts Farmhouse Christmas Box
• Tutti Frutti Clothing organic leggings
• Fair Indigo Women’s Organic Cotton Long Sleeve Crew Neck Shirt
• Fair Indigo Men’s Organic All-Cotton Long Sleeve Crew Neck Shirt
• Jaclyn James Company

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen on my website, follow and get in touch on Instagram (where I am most active), like on Facebook, or email [email protected] (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!

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.

Follow Nina’s Cookie Explosion on Instagram

Follow We Built This Life on Instagram

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Nina’s Cookie Explosion’s website, where you can order specialty and customizable cookies and doughs.
• WJZ story, “Coffee with: Nina’s Cookie Explosion”

**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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen on my website, follow and get in touch on Instagram (where I am most active), like on Facebook, or email [email protected] (but getting in touch through IG DM is better!)!