It's easy to justify staying out of politics. Often debates lead to unproductive arguments that damage relationships and just aren't fun to talk about. People exist in all forms and have priorities all over the place; the folks we elect hopefully represent the majority of their constituents accurately and will advance their interests accordingly. That's how democracy is supposed to work.

Unfortunately for queer, non-binary, and other LGBTQIA+ humans, staying out of it is not a privilege we get to enjoy, because like it or not, our queerness takes us out of "the majority". Staying out of politics leads to the situation that is currently present in the Dakotas, which is why this episode is coming out right now. As they say; haters are gonna hate and hateful legislators are gonna hatefully legislate.

South Dakota recently passed a swath of anti-LGBTQIA+ bills, including criminalizing gender-affirming care for trans youth in record time; they went from proposed to law (signed sealed and delivered courtesy Governor Nome) within 7 days. That is insane. I have worked with state governments for years in my career and often you're lucky to get a response to an email within a week, so the idea 

North Dakota, always wanting to one-up their southern counterpart, is close behind with similar legislation.  These bills (summarized excellently here-thanks Faye Seidler Consulting) are going up for vote on 3-1 in North Dakota. They include criminalizing gender affirming care, criminalizing drag shows, and disqualifying trans athletes from participating in sports. 

Take a listen to this exceptional interview with the articulate, bold, and brave Dr. Mayson Bedient as we dive in on what gender-affirming care is, what it does for queer youth who contemplate transitioning to a different gender than they were born in, and how this legislation will effectively make the state uninhabitable for trans youth. 

To carry on with the rhyming scheme: 

This episode is not a debate.
It exists to inform and educate
so we can build momentum and change the votes of elected officials
before they institutionalize discrimination in our state

If you can listen and share, that'd be great.

PS- contact your representatives and remind them that queer people exist in ND and belong here and that this short-sighted legislation is going to continue to tip the scales against North Dakota becoming a hub for diverse, inclusive businesses and communities. Faye Seidler also has a handy tracker to see how each representative has voted historically that can be found here. 

This episode brings the first season of Business Lesbian to a close. Joining us in conversation are yogis, friends, and family (collectively: framily). The pro yogis are Ashleigh Smith and Gina Thiel, and then we have the OG BL’s: Molly Swanston, Meagan McDougall. Making her return to the pod in a new capacity (documentarian vs interview subject) is Morgan Allora, now humbly known as “Morgy Morg”. Tuning in, you’ll hear what to expect from Season 2 of Business Lesbian, and what Brittany will be focusing on during the podcast’s hiatus. 

Our guests are here today to discuss the theme of ‘Love Your Body, Love Yourself’, with a focus on yoga, mindfulness, and reading. Each guest gets candid about their goals for the year, mindset challenges they face, and supportive practices they’re implementing to help reach their goals. Join us as we wrap up our inaugural season with gratitude and enthusiasm for what the future holds. Spoiler alert-it’s sweet enough where we got Meagan to tear up. 

Key Points From This Episode:

•     What this episode signifies: the end of season one of Business Lesbian.

•     What’s next for Business Lesbian and its founder, Brittany Diederich.

•    Gina’s story of leaving her career, training as a yoga teacher, and pursuing a new path.

•    Ashleigh Smith, Brittany’s sister-in-law, and her experience with yoga teacher training. 

•    The rules of engagement. 

•    Welcoming Molly Swanston and Meagan McDougall back to the podcast.

•    Morgan Allora who is in the studio to photograph the episode. 

•    Brittany’s love poem to herself: ‘No Buts About It’.

•    Morgan’s annual goal to read 52 books per year.

•    Why you can expect more book-related content on Season 2 of Business Lesbian. 

•    Molly weighs in on the quality of this gathering based on the book, the Art of Gathering. 

•    Molly and Gina’s experience working together at a coffee shop.

•    Megan and Gina’s experience singing together eight years ago.

•    Ashleigh and Brittany’s relationship which began before they became sisters-in-law.

•    The story of how the Smith sisters coined the phrase ‘zomg’.

•    How Ashleigh facilitated Chelsea and Brittany’s first kiss.

•    The story of how Ashleigh and Gina met on a yoga retreat.

•    The role of sitting with yourself and allowing discomfort.

•    Brittany’s advice not to create a placeholder email as a new business owner.

•    Ashleigh’s goal to speak up in 2023.

•    Molly’s word for 2023: foundation.

•    Morgan’s decision to make focus her word of the year.

•    Approaching the day with an abundance mindset.

•    How yoga training and COVID have changed Gina’s mindset.

•    The role of yoga training in producing connectedness and spirituality.

•    Vata Season and pulling yourself back to yourself.

•    Phil Stutz’s teaching of a three-point pyramid.

•    Yin yoga, slowing down, and ayurvedic types. 

•    Dr. Anjali Bhagra’s recommendation to journal daily.

•    The role of the breath and why mindful breathing is yoga.

•    Why the physical aspect of yoga was originally developed.

•    Gardening and heirloom tomatoes.

•    How to know that a yoga class is right for you.

•    Where Gina teaches: Downtown Yoga and Yuj Yoga.

•    Ashleigh’s yoga home: Mojo Fit. 

Tweetables:

“They always

Today's conversation is packed with insight, wisdom, and a perspective that is so necessary at this point in history. On the show is Dr. Anjali Bhagra, who is a physician and clinical investigative internist at Mayo Clinic, as well as the Medical Director of the Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity! Our guest generously shares many of her thoughts on trust and bias, what is needed for meaningful allyship, and how to stand up for important issues in a professional setting. She also unpacks the goals she and the clinic have set for creating an environment of empowered belonging. We discuss curiosity and awareness, the power of acknowledging and apologizing in the process of repairing damages, and the power of numbers and data to convince folks. The last section of today's chat allows time to explore Dr. Bhagra's frameworks and some of the initiatives and events she is involved in.

Key Points From This Episode:

•    A brief introduction to the positions that Dr. Bhagra holds at Mayo Clinic. 

•    How we form our ideas about trustworthiness and the impact of first impressions. 

•    Looking back on Dr. Bhagra's decision to pursue medicine and her career path so far.  

•    Dr Bhagra's memories of helping her grandfather at his neighborhood clinic.

•    Choosing courage over comfort and transcending learned helplessness. 

•    Experiences as a mother and a professional; what has changed for women of color in the last two decades. 

•    Unpacking some of the leadership structures at Mayo Clinic and how Dr. Bhagra fits into these.

•    The initiatives that have been rolled out at Mayo to combat social issues and inequality.

•    Approaches to difficult conversations; Dr. Bhagra's strategies for the best outcomes in different scenarios. 

•    Healing hurts and offenses through acknowledgment and apology.

•    Lessons in the power of data and stories for resolving conflict.

•    Dr. Bhagra talks about the GRIT and RISE frameworks that she uses!

•    The progress that has been made at Mayo Clinic in their equity project, and information on the Rise for Equity Conference. 

•    Closing comments from Dr. Bhagra on the work still to be done and how everyone can contribute. 

Tweetables:

“It is striking to see how we trust somebody based on ability, even before we have spoken with them.” — @anjalibhagramd [0:07:22]

“Growing up, in my family, I always had a voice, I always found role models in my parents. I would say my mom is the biggest feminist I have known, and my dad supported that.” — @anjalibhagramd [0:15:27]

“Familiarity brings more empathy. Whenever we ourselves have gone through a situation, we can automatically connect with it at a different level, on a deeper level.” — @anjalibhagramd [0:22:29]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Anjali Bhagra

Mayo Clinic

Dr. Anjali Bhagra on Twitter

University of Minnesota 

GLOW

GRIT Conference

RISE for Equity

Today's episode includes an interview with professional cyclist Emily Schaldach as well as a surprise crossover with Hannah Stelter/Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue and a debrief on the episode with dear chums Meagan and Molly. Tune in for 75 minutes of fun!

There is no one way to exist in the world, and our guest today is an example of someone who pursues her passions without being set on a specific career trajectory. Emily Schaldach is a professional cyclist, writer, and researcher and in this episode, we get insight into all three pursuits. Emily shares her cycling history, training tips, and her most memorable cycling stories, emphasizing the importance of keeping it fun! We discover how Emily got into writing and what she prefers to write about, before getting a glimpse into the structure of college creative writing programs. In terms of her work as a researcher, Emily breaks down the fascinating topic of her current research and her inspiring job-finding strategy that got her in the door. Tune in to hear everything from Emily’s experience of queerness in the cycling space to her heart-stopping encounter with a moose, and so much more!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing professional cyclist, writer, and researcher Emily Schaldach.

• Emily reads the rules of engagement.

• How she feels she’s perceived by others.

• Emily’s training tips.

• Her relationship with adversity.

• Emily partakes in the “I’m a 10, but…” trend.

• Her relationship with social media.

• The structure of her work life and the fascinating topic of her research.

• Her job-finding strategy.

• The value of meaning over money.

• Emily’s cycling history.

• How her family influenced her, growing up.

• How to channel competitiveness in a healthy way.

• The best advice Emily received from her cycling coach.

• What motivates her to upgrade her equipment.

• The recommended mountain bike to start on.

• The longest ride Emily’s ever done!

• A recount of crossing paths with a moose on a cycle.

• Emily’s favorite race thus far.

• How she connected with Sarah Sturm.

• Emily’s trajectory as a writer and favorite content to write about.

• The structure of college creative writing courses, in Emily’s experience.

• Her experience of being queer in cycling and writing about it.

• Emily answers our rapid-fire questions!

Tweetables:

“You just have to do enough every day so that when you do want to do a lot, you’re able to.” — @emilyschaldach [0:03:55]

“I don’t need everything, I just need enough.” — @emilyschaldach [0:16:18]

“I’m always telling people, especially [those] who have kids, just keep it fun as long as you can.” — @emilyschaldach [0:30:14]

“I go through phases of having apprehension about talking about queerness but the more that I do it, the more fun it is.” — @emilyschaldach [0:54:35]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Emily Schaldach on LinkedIn

Emily Schaldach on Instagram

Emily Schaldach on Twitter

Emily Schaldach on Strava

Too Many Socks Newsletter

Sarah Sturm on Instagram

Business Lesbian

It’s been a minute since the last ruminates episode and there was a low-hanging fruit remix of our theme song that spurred this BL mini-sode into existence. Spooky lesbians anyone?

In this episode/Halloween, Meagan and Molly hop on the pod to catch up and share their Halloweekend shenanigans, Molly’s second (first?) Halloween as a mom, the transition of the seasons and the difference between indoor and outdoor fall, “Jim-bouree” and using marco polo as a way to stay close with friends when sustained real-time conversations are harder to chisel out time for. Also discussed are out-of-context serious interactions while people are in costume.

Exclusive story at the end of the episode about famous pilot Maverick Jim and his terrifying one-night-sand (not a typo) in Miami back in 1980.

Interestingly Brittany has crashed her bike yet again, which begs the question: do bike crashes correlate with ruminate minisodes?

Anoka, the Halloween Capital of the World (TM)

Scribble ladies? check. Body positivity? check. The announcement of a second business venture from a self-identified “zillenial” artist who is absolutely crushing the game? check-but this time using a satisfyingly smooth glass pen that you will be able to buy at Hannah Stelter’s “Scribble Lady Co” merchandise and art supply company. We got Molly back on the show to co-host the interview with Brittany, so this is a great episode! Can it get any better? Maybe if Brittany used the word “siiiiick” less, but like Hannah says-the best thing about life is when you figure out how to embrace imperfection.

As a young entrepreneur, Hannah is embracing imperfection while she paves her way in the art world. While on this journey, Hannah explains how her art has helped her redefine beauty standards and why she is so passionate about promoting unapologetic self-love. We hear all about the ins and outs of owning and managing a small business and how Hannah deals with delegation, customer service, and outsourcing people to do the jobs she hates. Hannah is helping us rethink the way we look at creating art: different ways of thinking, the power of imperfection, and the importance of fun. From watercolor pallets to sketchbooks and glass pens, Scribble Lady will soon be the new place to shop all things amazing art supplies!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Designed By Hannah: the original LLC for selling her art.
• Hannah’s new art supply company, Scribble Lady!
• How Hannah sources her art supplies.
• Hannah’s goals for her new business.
• How to break conventional watercolor techniques.
• Why we need to embrace imperfection.
• How Hannah created her unique, signature art style.
• Why she enjoys using the glass pen.
• Why using Apple is synonymous with artists.
• “I’m a ten, but…”: Hannah’s experience with the trend and online criticism.
• How She is growing her business.
• The progression of her business.
• Some learning curves from owning a small business.
• Hannah’s experience people with people management.
• When and why our guest is traveling around Europe.
• How Hannah ended up studying graphic design.
• Where did the Scribble Lady come from?
• How Hannah promotes body positivity and breaks beauty norms and standards.
• Hannah’s relationship with pole dancing.
• Artists that inspire Hannah.
• How to track your personal and business-related goals!
• Hannah’s daily doodle challenges.

Tweetables:

“The point of my new company is embracing imperfection and thinking about art in a different way: in a more approachable way, a less serious way, and in a way that is more fun.” — Hannah Stelter [0:05:10]

“I love the teaching I do now because I am teaching the people who want to learn exactly what I am teaching.” — Hannah Stelter [0:34:41]

“I keep the heads off [my drawings] because of the emotion coming out of the piece, but also because it’s not about anything else. It is about the body. It is about looking at the body, which is something a lot of people aren’t comfortable with.” — Hannah Stelter [0:40:55]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Hannah Stelter

Hannah Stelter on TikTok

Hannah Stelter on LinkedIn

Hannah Stelter on Instagram

Hannah Stelter on YouTube

Hannah Stelter Email

Hannah Stelter Portfolio

Scribble Lady

Therapy changed my life, full-stop. I suffer(ed) from anxiety, depression, and a pretty poor self-image; through therapy I was able to practice self-compassion, understand and love myself, and guide myself to a path that is so fulfilling. I really cannot advocate enough for this critical form of medical care.

I am so proud of this episode which highlights Natalie Reiter’s private counseling practice in Fargo, ND. 

Tune in to hear Natalie’s thoughts on the rules of engagement you hear at the start of every episode before sharing the details of the path that led her to work as a counselor today. She talks us through the therapy process and emphasizes the importance of building a relationship rather than applying a technique before giving listeners some ideas of what to look out for in the search for a counselor. We also discuss some warning signs that indicate that someone is not doing well and how to help someone find the help they need. We touch on where to find low-cost care, talk about what a sliding scale is, and Natalie shares what makes her feel luckiest to work in the mental health field. Tune in today to hear more. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to Natalie Reiter, owner, and founder of Prairieland Counseling Services.
• Important distinctions between counselors, therapists, psychologists, and social workers.
• Natalie reads the rules of engagement.
• What Natalie thinks of the rules of engagement and how they apply to other relationships.
• The educational path she followed before becoming a counselor. 
• What the process of becoming a counselor looks like and why it is different for everyone.
• Advice on what to look for when you are choosing a counselor. 
• An overview of the therapy process, starting with the first intake session.
• Why the relationship is more important than the technique or theory.
• The rewards of transitioning a client to a different therapist.
• Therapist credentials and what to look for.
• How being raised by parents who work in mental health inspired Natalie’s career.
• Warning signs that someone is not okay.
• What to do if you see these signs. 
• How to navigate resistance to necessary care. 
• Where to find low-cost care.
• What a sliding scale is and why it is always worthwhile to ask.
• Finding out what your insurance will cover in terms of mental health.
• Natalie weighs in on Megan Thee Stallion’s new song, Anxiety.
• How Natalie prioritizes self-care: through being creative and reading fiction.
• Why Natalie feels so lucky to do the job she does.
• The status at Prairieland: taking new clients.
• What Natalie loves most about her job.
• Her advice to listeners: give counseling a try!

Tweetables:

“Working with people across the lifespan spectrum gives my work a lot of worth and a lot of richness which I really appreciate.” — Natalie Reiter [0:02:27]

“The theory or technique that they use is not as important as the relationship you have. The relationship is the most important thing and having a foundation is imperative.” — Natalie Reiter [0:15:18]

“I feel incredibly honored to do my job. People come to me and tell me the hardest parts of their lives, and that to me is so honoring that I wouldn’t do anything else.” — Natalie Reiter [0:47:09]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Natalie Reiter on LinkedIn
Prairieland Counseling Services

Pacific Post Partum Support Society
Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too

Business

Our dog Mac was found with three siblings and his mom on the Turtle Mountain Animal reservation back in 2018; he came to us about 14 weeks old, still processing his de-wormer (which was gross, but necessary), but with a face that demanded forgiveness each time he pooped on the floor. Four years later, I still feel really grateful to Keith Benning and the whole team of staff and volunteers at Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue (TMAR) for this silly companion that brings me so much joy and the fact that they’ve delivered the same experience to thousands of others.

Very proud to have an episode highlighting Keith Benning and the admirable work he and his team are doing. They are currently building a new shelter building, a significant upgrade to their current facility which is run out of Keith’s garage, and I’ve agreed to help manage that project, so you’ll be hearing more from me about that as the project goes on. If you want to donate to TMAR and help them save animals or get this project fully funded, do so here. They need ~$1.7 million to completely fund the project, so it’s going to take a village of donors to do it!

Shownotes courtesy of We Edit Podcasts

Adopt, don’t shop! Animal shelters nationwide are full to capacity, so when you choose to adopt from an animal shelter rather than buying from a breeder, you are saving two lives; the life of the animal you take home and the life of the animal who gets to take its spot in the shelter. While he was working as a Deputy Sheriff, Keith Benning became aware of the high volume of stray, mange-riddled, starving dogs that roamed the streets of his county. Upon discovering that the nearest animal shelter was a two-hour drive away, Keith took matters into his own hands and founded Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue (TMAR) which has saved over 7000 animals to date (mostly dogs and cats, but also some horses, llamas, pigs, and even chickens). Tune in today to hear what it takes to keep an animal shelter going (this work is not for the faint-hearted!), the process that each animal goes through when it arrives at TMAR, the expansion plans they have for their facility, and how you can support their incredible mission!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The number of animals currently being cared for by Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue (TMAR). 
• People who make up the TMAR team. 
• Keith shares the founding story of TMAR.
• The first animal Keith rescued. 
• Advice for how to deal with a stray animal if you come across one.
• Examples of some of the many experiences Brittany has had with lost dogs. 
• The importance of not making assumptions.
• How TMAR helps communities during disaster situations. 
• The hard work that Keith and his team put into TMAR.
• Funding streams that keep TMAR running.
• Transparency as a value that TMAR upholds and how it has benefited them.
• The new TMAR facility that is currently being built.
• The process that an animal is taken through when it is rescued by TMAR.
• Circumstances under which TMAR will euthanize an animal.
• The types of animals that TMAR has rescued. 
• Adopt, don’t shop! 
• How you can support TMAR.

Tweetables:

“Every situation is different and you have to try and not make assumptions.” — Keith Benning [0:16:01]

“We’re not trying to stage anything or sugarcoat it. We’re just being honest about what it is and trying to educate people on what things are like behind the scenes.” — Keith Benning [0:21:37]

“A shelter can only save as many animals as people adopt.” — Keith Benning [0:37:53]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue

This podcast has officially entered “that’s showbiz baby” status in the sense that I have episodes pending publishing after corporate approval. My marketing friends warned me about this! That’s fine, no worries, but that means I don’t have a new episode for you this week or next, so count your lucky stars, you get to listen to me ruminate once again to fill the void whilst I create more content

In this episode, I discuss the magical community that comes courtesy of “friends of friends”, my wild ride to joining the Sons of Norway and how grandma Irene left a legacy there as well, and then how a fundraising effort through the NDCLC to support Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue led to me volunteering to manage the construction of their new facility. I also discuss a bike crash that reminded me that I am in a strange almost-uninsured purgatory and talk a little about COBRA benefits.

pronounced: good-buh-eye-bee-eye, translates to: Goodbye Industrial Builders, Incorporated.

I have been asked, many times, why I would leave a job I was good at, at a company that my family and I owned, when I had a bright and fairly certain future ahead of me. This episode is an attempt to explain that and process the end.

On Friday September 2nd, I had my last day at my family business after a 9 month notice. I stayed for so long so that I could always look back and say that I did my best to set them up for success. This meant navigating the company through the fever pitch of our construction season, writing a job description for what I do, and then hiring/training my replacement.

In that period I went through a million emotions. Pride for what I’d done. Sadness because something nice was ending and I didn’t know if I’d have the security and positive feelings in the future. Grief for the future I’d mapped out for myself at IBI. Anxiety at this fear that I’d be creating a fissure in my family that would change the dynamic forever. But today-I’m done. I’m happy. I’m at peace. I’m excited about the future.

This episode includes a conversation with my dear friend Molly Swanston (who you may remember from our first episode, Episode 1: BL: Origins featuring Meagan and Molly) as we discuss life in general as she guides me through processing what this end feels like. I don’t know if I have the bandwidth to have this conversation over and over again right now, so if you’re curious, I’d encourage you to listen to this. We talk about more than IBI, but that’s probably the central topic of this episode. I mean it when I say processing this has been a mental marathon. I’m certainly stronger as a result, but I need to move on now and maybe try swimming or something that’s easier on my joints for a minute.

I’m so grateful to the team at IBI, my friends in industry, and my family who I worked with for believing in me. I did a lot of things and developed passions I’d never have considered giving my time or energy to and I’m a better person for it.