In this episode of From the Basement Up, we hear about another serial entrepreneur, Zak Cassady-Dorion. Michelle says that Zak is the kind of guy you want in your corner. A go with the flow guy, Zak has been a problem solver with an interesting background.

Today on From the Basement Up we welcome Holly Mundon. Holly is a community hero. Holly Mundon has worked with individuals struggling with persistent mental health conditions for over 15 years. She has her clinical licenses in social work in two states, is a certified trauma specialist, and has a certification in chemical dependency. Holly has been both a social worker and a therapist, working with patients in hospitals and hospice. She understands the needs of both patients and their families struggling with trauma, grief, and mental health. Holly meets people where they are and helps them identify goals, so they can move forward to a state of satisfaction and total well-being.

We hope you enjoy listening as we discuss Holly's experience in her field, as well as hearing some helpful tips from someone who considers herself a lifetime learner. As she continues evolving both in her self and in her career, by going back to school, beginning a company in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic to aid essential workers, and always being someone to help those around her; Holly is going to continue to do wonderful things. We hope you enjoy this episode of From the Basement Up, and take away with you the many drops of wisdom Holly left us in today's episode.

Survive, Persevere, and Thrive! Thank you, Holly.

On today's episode of From the Basement Up, we sit down with Founder & CEO of Socket Lock-It™, Caitie Gehlhausen. 

Caitie is an inventor, college graduate, retired D1 athlete, a gen Z-er, a serial entrepreneur, and quite a successful businesswoman already in her first few years of founding and operating her own business. Caitie’s technique of observation gave her the perfect idea, timing, and tone for how she was going to get herself as an inventor (as we like to say) out of the basement. 

After having the time to see what her friends and family were missing, she took to her teachers and those around her to level up her idea, hit the ground running, and eventually make her way into the world’s largest retailer: Walmart. She isn’t stopping anytime soon, and today we get to hear how she’s gotten so far in her career already, where she plans to go, and what she’s learned along the way.

On this episode of From The Basement Up, Michelle and Emily talk with Nicole Snow, Founder & CEO of Darn Good Yarn. A New Jersey native, Nicole attended Clarkson University. She successfully started a business her first year and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Technology Management. Nicole moved on to spend two years serving in the U.S. Air Force. After launching her business, Around the Om, she eventually built Darn Good Yarn with a passion for creating a socially conscious craft and design business.

Darn Good Yarn is an online ethical yarn and clothing store. The idea started with recycled silk yarn, helping their primary goals to employ talented artisans around the globe with a safe employment environment, and save waste materials(which they have currently saved 2 million lbs). What's unique about this business comes from its values: Commitment, Sustainability, and Community.

Today, Nicole shares what it looks like to live by those values and build her business from the ground up. You'll hear insight into the process of turning silk into yarn and tips on starting your own business. Listen now!

Resources:

Darn Good Yarn: Values: https://www.darngoodyarn.com/pages/our-values

Nicole, Founder and CEO: https://www.darngoodyarn.com/blogs/darn-good-team/nicole

Takeaways:

09:00 - 10:37 🛫 How being in the Air Force shaped Nicole to do the work she's doing now

19:38 - 21:59 ♻️ The process of turning unused/wasted silk into yarn

22:24 - 24:00 💡 The Triple Bottom Line Framework

32:17 - 34:55 🎉 The Darn Good Fund

44:35 - 46:26 👏 Encouragement for mothers/domestic figures: You are more prepared to start a business than you think!

53:53 - 55:17 🧩 Words to live by - From Nicole

Today's episode of From the Basement Up highlights another Name Bubbles team member, Rob. Rob is the Automation Software Engineer & IT Manager at Name Bubbles.

Rob talks about his experience as an employee of over 13 years at Name Bubbles. Rob has many strengths, but among them are the abilities to problem solve and contribute to the company culture.

He values efficiency, the relationship we have with our customers here at the company, and the learning curve that has come with his role at Name Bubbles. Rob remembers stories dating back to when Name Bubbles was still in the basement, to designing the first website, to problem solving everything he could on the way. Rob highlights slowing life down and giving a moment to figuring out what the best next step might be.

Today we have the honor of sitting with one of our very own, JoAnna Schwartz the Business Development Manager here at Name Bubbles. JoAnna has been with us for a decade, growing alongside Michelle and the company itself. Through the first location, to our current home in Ballston Spa and helping to see a new location opening in Brighton, Colorado, she has seen Name Bubbles through it all. We get to hear our favorite Name Bubbles moments, and have some fun questions answered from someone who knows Name Bubbles as if it were home.

On this episode of From the Basement Up, Michelle talks with One World Cafe Co-Founder, Owner and Operator, Brandy Sullivan. One World Cafe is a proud, locally owned, cafe whose mission shines beyond serving the best fair trade organic, roasted fresh coffee. Today, Brandy shares stories and reflects on her own experience as an entrepreneur in her community of Moscow, Idaho.

One World Cafe's focus began with the community in mind, and after 17 years that mindset has not shifted. Moscow is well known for maintaining a high percentage of locally owned businesses in their town, and after years of needing a coffee shop, Brandy and a few friends decided to make that dream a reality.

She emphasizes the importance of needing to create a comfortable environment, where others can collaborate and either start or end their days. OWC is a place where people can relax, build relationships and enjoy the artwork, concerts, or quiet in their own home away from home.

In this episode we talk with Ghuan Featherstone the Executive Director of Urban Saddles. Urban Saddles is a non-profit organization that emphasizes connecting with the equine experience, yourself, and the community. It is a wonderful organization that takes the opportunity to provide the equestrian lifestyle, and today we get to learn the ins and outs, the intention and passion behind the movement, and where Ghuan sees Urban Saddles going in the coming years. We also get to hear a little bit of history, and some recommendations as to where we and our listeners can go to find more information.

Join us today with our special guest, Maya K. Grey. 

Maya is a fierce woman, lawyer, teacher, mom, wife, and entrepreneur. Originally from the Bay Area in California, she began her career as a teacher. After some time, she decided that she was ready to completely change her path and go back to school to become a lawyer. Taking her knowledge from her background as an educator, she ultimately chose family law. She worked for over seven years in a reputable and established law firm before her priorities began to shift.

In 2020, before the outbreak of COVID-19, Maya made another courageous decision to start her law firm. Needing more flexibility and work-life balance, Maya weighed her options and knew that starting independently was the right decision for her and her growing family. She needed change and wanted the ability to spend time with family, have time to go to the grocery store, or just run things the way she'd like in her own business and experience creating her parameters.

We hope you enjoy today's episode where Maya discusses how she realized she needed the change, what she did to make it happen, and how it’s going today. Thank you!

Listen to the trailer for the podcast, From the Basement Up. Michelle Brandriss, founder of Name Bubbles.com and subsequent serial entrepreneur, dives in with others who have found a gap or problem in the market space and found a solution.