To kick off the FINAL live edition of the show in 2025, beloved "Seacoast Stories" guest Jennifer Wilder starts the show by hyping up the audience before welcoming host Troy Farkas to the 3S Artspace stage.

After giving the rundown for the evening, Troy talks to Liars Bench Beer Co. co-owner Dagan Migirditch, who begins by telling the WILD story of how he discovered yoga in New Zealand. Then, the two talk about the early days of Liars Bench, Dagan's time working under Jay McSharry in the Seacoast restaurant scene, the revitalization of the West End of Portsmouth, and the dire state of housing in Portsmouth, and what can be done to fix it.

Then, previous podcast guest, marketing strategist and musician Laura Fox, takes the stage to play three of her signature love songs. After that, she and Troy talk about her recent decision to book a 1-way trip to Mexico, why she feels she needs to make a big change in her life, and more.

To cap off the evening, high-flying Seacoast businesswoman, Erin Holt of The Funk'tional Nutritionist, takes the mic to talk more about her long road to prominence, how her successful virtual business found its roots in the Seacoast community, how she's allowed others' limiting beliefs to define her, a rough year for business in 2025, and more. Plus, she fields several questions from the curious audience!

CHAPTERS:

• Jennifer Wilder introduces Troy Farkas (00:00)
• Troy's opening (06:50)
• Dagan Migirditch, Liars Bench Beer Co. (13:22)
• SPONSOR: 3 Bridges Yoga (37:50)
• Laura Fox plays live music (40:30)
• Laura Fox conversation (55:15)
• Troy looks back on a wild 2025 (01:02:32)
• Erin Holt, The Funk'tional Nutritionist (01:08:53)
• Erin Holt Q/A (01:32:35)

SPONSORS:

• 3 Bridges Yoga: NEW STUDENTS can use code "SSNEWBIE" to pay just $39 for 30 days! RETURNING STUDENTS can use code "SS5FOR50" to get a 5-class pack for just $50! Sign up here. Offer expires Jan. 5, 2026.
• The Coop at Earth Eagle Brewing: Portsmouth's new dive bar - open late six nights per week! Right next to 3BY.

Special thanks goes to:

• Lindsey Watson (photographer)
• Kevin Edge (photographer)
• Susan Plungis (photographer)
• Nick Eaton (videographer)
• Jennifer Wilder (hypewoman)
• Martin, Sarah, Sara, and Danny from 3S Artspace

Seacoast Stories LIVE!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is happening THIS Friday, December 5 at 3S Artspace! ⁠Host Troy Farkas⁠ will speak to Dagan Migirditch from Liars Bench Beer Co. & The Funk'tional Nutritionist ⁠Erin Holt⁠. Plus, live music from past guest Laura Fox! To see the Seacoast's No. 1 podcast in person, you can secure your tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In 85 episodes over the last 18 months, Troy Farkas has sat across from a litany of Seacoast standouts, from C&J Bus Lines President Jim Jalbert, to Vida Cantina's David Vargas, to The Funk'tional Nutritionist Erin Holt, and many other notables in between.

In these conversations, guests open up in ways they never have, often telling Troy things they've never said out loud before.

Well, now it's time Troy gets a taste of his own medicine.

Today, the owner of LANEY & LU and Ginger Fox Bakery, Jennifer Wilder, takes it upon herself to ask Troy the questions she's dying to hear answers to.

From the West End of Portsmouth, Jennifer and Troy talk about the very first conversation they had, which paved the way for the eventual launch of "Seacoast Stories" in June 2024. They also get real about the difficulties of making money in the podcast business, Troy's insecurities with Type 1 diabetes, the day that changed his life 13 years ago, and much, much more.

Plus, Jennifer and Troy team up for a special "Ask Me Anything" segment, where the two answer questions submitted by the listeners on social media!

CHAPTERS:

• SS Live on Friday! (00:00)
• Reflecting on Jen's two episodes (02:45)
• Jen interviews Troy! (12:45)
• The evolution of Jen and Troy's relationship (18:00)
• The struggles of the podcast business (25:05)
• SPONSOR: Studio H (34:00)
• Troy's approach to interviewing (35:20)
• Have you ever wanted to quit SS? (47:22)
• Troy's Type 1 Diabetes struggles (55:12)
• SPONSOR: Little Tree Education (01:04:10)
• Listener questions! (01:05:35)

EVENTS:

• ⁠⁠Seacoast Stories Dinner Club!⁠⁠ It's happening in Portsmouth at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, December 5, just prior to the next live podcast. ⁠⁠Take the personality quiz here ⁠⁠to get matched up with five Seacoast strangers for dinner. Bookings close Wednesday!

SPONSORS:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Tree Education⁠⁠⁠⁠: Get 50% off your application fee with code SEACOASTSTORIES when ⁠⁠⁠applying your child⁠⁠⁠ for Spring/Fall 2026 at the Seacoast's top Montessori school!
• Studio H Salon: Get 50% ($100) off your consultation regarding preventative hair loss! Visit ⁠their website⁠ and type "STORIES" into the contact box to activate the deal.

BREAKING NEWS! We finally have a newsletter! For updates about new episodes, events, a BTS window into the show, and ways YOU can directly support the podcast, you can subscribe on seacoaststories.substack.com.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Seacoast Stories LIVE!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is happening on Friday, December 5 at 3S Artspace. Host Troy Farkas will speak to Dagan Migirditch from Liars Bench Beer Co., as well as past podcast guests Laura Fox and Erin Holt. To see the Seacoast's No. 1 podcast in person, you can secure your tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Port City Pretzels is not what you think it is.

It's a much larger operation than you ever imagined it would be.

Seated on THOUSANDS of grocery store shelves across the country, Port City Pretzels have become a giant in the snack industry. With shelf space in WalMart, Shaw's, Market Basket, Hannaford, and many more, Port City finds itself competing against the top dogs in a world Suzanne Foley never imagined she'd find herself in.

Foley, the founder of Port City Pretzels, is the daughter of Eileen Foley, the longest-serving mayor in the history of Portsmouth ... and the creator of the dill ranch pretzel recipe - a recipe Suzanne perfected when she started her company in the mid-2010s.

Port City Pretzels began as a modest operation in Suzanne's kitchen, with the original goal of selling solely at tiny stores across the Seacoast.

But word quickly spread about the pretzels, and Suzanne, a high-flying businesswoman in a past life, decided to go all in - getting more space, hiring "unique" staff, and eventually bringing on her daughter, Eilee Marousek, to be her business partner.

On today's episode, Suzanne and Eilee join host Troy Farkas to discuss the early days of Port City Pretzels, why very few took Suzanne seriously at first, how the company blew up faster than she expected, and why the two need to see a therapist in order to keep their working relationship healthy.

Plus, how the business caught the attention of "Shark Tank" star Mark Cuban, and why Vice President Kamala Harris visited the facility during her presidential campaign!

CHAPTERS:

• Starting Portsmouth Pretzels (00:00)
• Rapid growth in the early days (14:15)
• Port City's commitment to hiring workers with disabilities (18:40)
• SPONSORS: Little Tree Education & Studio H (25:25)
• How PCP began to scale and grow across the country (29:12)
• What it's like running a family business (46:02)
• That time Kamala Harris visited the factory (55:12)
• How do you want to be remembered? (01:07:00)

EVENTS:

• ⁠Seacoast Stories Dinner Club!⁠ It's happening in Portsmouth at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, December 5, just prior to the next live podcast. ⁠Take the personality quiz here ⁠to get matched up with five Seacoast strangers for dinner.

SPONSORS:

• ⁠⁠⁠Little Tree Education⁠⁠⁠: Get 50% off your application fee with code SEACOASTSTORIES when ⁠⁠applying your child⁠⁠ for Spring/Fall 2026 at the Seacoast's top Montessori school!
• Studio H Salon: Get 50% ($100) off your consultation regarding preventative hair loss! Visit their website and type "STORIES" into the contact box to activate the deal.
• To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.

Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

In 72 hours, my life changed forever.

In August 2023, nurses rushed me to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, where they discovered my dangerously high blood sugar levels, the classic precursor for a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. I stayed for the weekend, and left the hospital as a completely different person.

Since then, diabetes has made my life extremely complicated:

Waking up sweaty in the middle of the night by dangerously low blood sugar levels. Carrying sugary snacks on me everywhere I go. Visiting the pharmacy every other day to pick up yet another (expensive) piece of diabetes supplies.

Nearly dying on multiple occasions.

That's the reality for a Type 1 diabetic, a reality that's intimately understood by actress Elle Shaheen (yes, that Shaheen). And this November, Diabetes Awareness Month, it's about time to shed a light on life with this disease.

Diagnosed at eight years old, Elle - daughter of N.H. politician Stefany Shaheen and granddaughter of U.S. senator Jeanne Shaheen - has lived with this disease the majority of her life. Even after 18 years of managing this disease, diabetes still haunts her every day.

Elle is the subject of the 2016 New York Times bestseller, "Elle & Coach," Stefany Shaheen's book about Elle's diagnosis, the effect of diabetes on their family, and the medical alert dog - Coach - that brought some much-needed relief to the Shaheen's chaotic lives.

From the West End of Portsmouth, we discuss our near-death experiences with diabetes, her work as an advocate, meeting President Obama, growing up with a medical dog by her side at all times, and whether researchers will find a cure in our lifetimes.

Plus, Elle's time in the Portsmouth theater scene, her Broadway dreams, and life in Hollywood during the entertainment industry's existential crisis.

To support finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes, you can donate here to Breakthrough T1D, the organization responsible for leading the fight against this disease.

CHAPTERS:

• What is Type 1 diabetes? (00:00)
• Living with T1D as a child in Portsmouth (07:20)
• Meeting President Obama during her advocacy work (13:20)
• Misconceptions of T1D (21:16)
• The mental health struggles of T1D (26:28)
• How Elle's medical alert dog saved Elle's life (36:45)
• My recent near-death experience (50:25)
• Elle's Portsmouth theater background & Broadway dreams (57:20)
• How do you want to be remembered? (01:13:20)

EVENTS:

• Seacoast Stories Dinner Club! It's happening in Portsmouth at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, December 5, just prior to the next live podcast. Take the personality quiz here to get matched up with five Seacoast strangers for dinner.
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Seacoast Stories LIVE!⁠⁠⁠⁠ On Friday, December 5, the Seacoast's biggest podcast takes the 3S Artspace stage for an evening of community, connection, and conversation. Secure your tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

SPONSORS:

• ⁠⁠Little Tree Education⁠⁠: Get 50% off your application fee with code SEACOASTSTORIES when ⁠applying your child⁠ for Spring/Fall 2026 at the Seacoast's top Montessori school!
• ⁠⁠Seacoast 2 Summit⁠⁠: How much is your home worth for a short/mid-term rental property? Find out ⁠⁠here ⁠⁠for FREE!
• To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.

Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Red McGrath dreamt of a food truck that handed out free meals.

Unfortunately, he didn't live long enough to see his dream come true. Red passed away at 29 years old.

But alongside her two surviving siblings, Caitlin McGrath-Levesque took it upon herself to carry out Red's life work.

That work is Red's Good Vibes, a top Seacoast nonprofit that hands out free meals - no questions asked - prepared in their signature red food truck. Additionally, they manage five (and growing) community fridges currently located in Portsmouth, Kittery, Berlin, Exeter, and Newmarket.

Since starting operations in 2019, Red's Good Vibes has served over 500,000 meals. They've changed lives, and have completely redefined the concept of giving freely.

From the West End of Portsmouth, Caitlin joins host Troy Farkas to discuss what happened to Red, the early days of Red's Good Vibes, why they received criticism during the pandemic, the power players they've received donations from, why they stick to their "no questions asked" ethos, and the expansion of community fridges.

Plus, the two discuss the incredible ways the Seacoast has stepped up in recent weeks to address the pause on SNAP benefits.

To learn more about community fridge locations and what kind of items you can donate, just visit here.

CHAPTERS:

• Opening montage (00:00)
• Seacoast Stories LIVE on 12/5! (01:45)
• Red's tragic passing in 2018 (02:46)
• SPONSOR: Seacoast 2 Summit (24:45)
• The chaotic early days of Red's Good Vibes during COVID (26:12)
• The growth of the food truck on the Seacoast despite the doubters (36:22)
• SPONSOR: Little Tree Education (50:20)
• The expansion of community fridges (51:55)
• How Seacoast businesses are stepping up to face food insecurity in tough times (01:03:25)
• Why giving back is "intimidating" (01:10:28)
• How do you want to be remembered? (01:17:32)

EVENTS:

• ⁠⁠Seacoast Stories LIVE!⁠⁠ On Friday, December 5, the Seacoast's biggest podcast takes the 3S Artspace stage for an evening of community, connection, and conversation. Secure your tickets ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

SPONSORS:

• ⁠Little Tree Education⁠: Get 50% off your application fee with code SEACOASTSTORIES when applying your child for Spring/Fall 2026 at the Seacoast's top Montessori school!
• ⁠Seacoast 2 Summit⁠: How much is your home worth for a short/mid-term rental property? Find out ⁠here ⁠for FREE!
• To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.

Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

***TRIGGER WARNING*** This episode contains discussion of sexual abuse, assault, and harassment. Listener discretion is advised.

Erin Snow just wanted someone to believe her.

But no one would.

When she tried to tell her peers about the sexual abuse she experienced at nine years old, everyone around Erin downplayed what happened.

No one listened.

When she refused to give consent to partners or experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, again, no one listened.

But then in 2019, after a divorce led her sitting in the ruins of a past life, she started dreaming of a place where women could be listened to, and actually heard.

Last year, Erin finally achieved that dream when she opened the Seacoast Listening Lounge in Hampton, N.H. Now, the former paralegal now spends her days listening to women's stories, and believing them.

From the cozy confines of Seacoast Listening Lounge, Erin Snow and host Troy Farkas discuss the traumatic experiences that have shaped Erin's life, her 20 years navigating New Hampshire's justice system, divorce, why she opened the Listening Lounge, and why she believes this concept could take off around the world.

To learn more, you can book your free consultation with Erin here.

If you or anyone you know experiencing sexual assault or domestic violence in Rockingham or Stratford County, HAVEN is here to help. They believe survivors, and their team works to empower them and meet them where they are. You can reach them on their 24-hour hotline at 603-994-(SAFE) 7233.

CHAPTERS:

• Sexual abuse at age 9 (00:00)
• Other experienced with sexual misconduct (12:48)
• A message from our sponsors (25:50)
• Good & bad from 20 years as a paralegal (28:52)
• Infidelity leading to divorce (39:55)
• Online dating after getting divorced (51:30)
• What is Seacoast Listening Lounge? (54:52)
• How do you want to be remembered? (01:10:37)

EVENTS:

• ⁠⁠Seacoast Stories Dinner Club⁠⁠ is headed to Hampton, N.H., on Wednesday, November 12. Meet your new best friends by ⁠⁠taking this personality quiz⁠⁠ and securing your spot today.
• ⁠Seacoast Stories LIVE!⁠ On Friday, December 5, the Seacoast's biggest podcast takes the 3S Artspace stage for an evening of community, connection, and conversation. Secure your tickets ⁠here⁠.

SPONSORS:

• Little Tree Education: Get 50% off your application fee with code SEACOASTSTORIES when applying your child for Spring/Fall 2026 at the Seacoast's top Montessori school!
• Seacoast 2 Summit: How much is your home worth for a short-term stay? Find out here for FREE!
• To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.

Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

One of the best Halloween parades in the country?

According to USA Today, that's exactly what the Portsmouth Halloween Parade is.

Each year, Seacoast Halloween fanatics descend upon downtown Portsmouth for the parade, donning detailed costumes and a community spirit that few towns in the nation can match.

With tens of thousands attendees present, the organization of the parade is a massive undertaking. And for a grassroots organization, the beloved annual tradition requires extensive amounts of support from the city of Portsmouth. Plus ... a lot of cash, too.

On today's episode, host Troy Farkas welcomes two parade organizers, Jonathan Day and Amanda Giles, to discuss why this parade is one of the Seacoast's top annual attractions. Plus, they talk about the 30-year history of the parade, why they refuse to take corporate sponsorship, the choosing of the Grand Marshal, the creative year-long efforts that go into raising funds for this event, how the community rallies together to make this event happen, and so much more.

CHAPTERS:

• Seacoast Stories LIVE on 12/5 (00:00)
• The history of the parade (02:00)
• Forgoing corporate sponsorship (12:45)
• Why the parade is so beloved (16:00)
• The small (but mighty) team behind the parade (30:44)
• BTS planning of the event (36:00)
• Plans for the 30th parade (50:52)
• How do you want to be remembered? (53:53)

EVENTS:

• ⁠Seacoast Stories Dinner Club⁠ is headed to Hampton, N.H., on Wednesday, November 12. Meet your new best friends by ⁠taking this personality quiz⁠ and securing your spot today.
• Seacoast Stories LIVE! On Friday, December 5, the Seacoast's biggest podcast takes the 3S Artspace stage for an evening of community, connection, and conversation. Secure your tickets here.

SPONSORS:

• LADIES! To learn more about what's going on with your hormones, you can get a FREE lab consultation with Dr. Whitney Elsesser by visiting the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holistic & Hormonal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ web site when you write "HORMONES" on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the contact page.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.

Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Jennifer Wilder found herself sleeping on the floor of her friend's apartment in Portsmouth.

On the eve of opening her second LANEY & LU location and Ginger Fox Bakery (formerly Sweet Dreams), Jen's life was unraveling behind-the-scenes.

Today, in Part Two of a two-part podcast, the iconic LANEY & LU founder (formerly Jennifer Desrosiers) takes us behind the CHAOS that swirled around the (delayed) opening of her Portsmouth location, a catastrophe she says cost her "hundreds of thousands of dollars."

Jennifer and ⁠host Troy Farkas⁠ also discuss the real reason Jen decided to close LANEY & LU (Exeter) earlier this year, the unexpected delays she faced in opening LANEY & LU (Portsmouth) and Ginger Fox, the struggles of the dating scene for an accomplished woman like herself, and why she recently changed her name!

CHAPTERS:

• Messy openings of LANEY & LU Portsmouth + Ginger Fox (00:00)
• Closing LANEY & LU Exeter (09:10)
• Becoming Jennifer Wilder (26:25)
• The struggles of online dating (34:34)
• The Wilder Way (41:55)
• How do you want to be remembered? (52:35)

Jen is hiring an Executive Coordinator for her growing portfolio of brands! If you're interested, apply here. And if you're a business owner in need of some 1:1 coaching, you can work with Jen by ⁠inquiring here.⁠

EVENTS:

• Seacoast Stories Dinner Club is headed to Hampton, N.H., on Wednesday, November 12. Meet your new best friends by taking this personality quiz and securing your spot today.

SPONSORS:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jennifer Bakos Photography⁠⁠⁠⁠: Small biz owners can get 10% off your first photography session by DM'ing Jenn ⁠⁠⁠⁠@jennbakosphoto ⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram! Just tell her you're a fan of the podcast 😊
• LADIES! To learn more about what's going on with your hormones, you can get a FREE lab consultation with Dr. Whitney Elsesser by visiting the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holistic & Hormonal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ web site when you write "HORMONES" on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the contact page.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.

Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.

*This episode contains references to sexual harassment. Listener discretion is advised.*

They told her no one would buy turmeric lattes. That she was crazy for leaving a $350,000 salary behind.

That she needed to have sex with her boss for any shot at career advancement.

Jennifer Wilder has heard it all. It's never stopped her before, and now, at 48 years old, nothing can.

Wilder (formerly known as Jennifer Desrosiers) is the "boss babe" owner of Seacoast favorites LANEY & LU and Ginger Fox Bakery. Before opening LANEY & LU in Exeter, N.H., 10 years ago, Jen lived a completely different life, having spent 20 years working in manufacturing, engineering, and plastics.

And now, in Part One of a two-part conversation, the Seacoast's top adventuress is ready to tell all.

From the West End of Portsmouth, Jennifer and host Troy Farkas discuss Jen's childhood, her "brutal" experiences with sexual harassment in her past career, and the health issues that led her to completely change course.

Plus, what she learned about herself during yoga teacher training, the vision that led her to create LANEY & LU, why the brand took off more than she ever imagined it would, growing her restaurant empire, becoming a role model for female entrepreneurs, and much, much more.

CHAPTERS:

• Jen Wilder's upbringing (00:00)
• The good, bad, and ugly from corporate life (11:34)
• The chain of events that led Jen to throw away her past life (20:00)
• How Jen became a leading voice in the female entrepreneur scene (32:38)
• Opening LANEY & LU in 2015 (42:52)
• The expansion of Jen's brand & restaurant empire (55:00)

If you're a business owner in need of some 1:1 coaching, you can work with Jen by inquiring here.

SPONSORS:

• ⁠⁠⁠Jennifer Bakos Photography⁠⁠⁠: Small biz owners can get 10% off your first photography session by DM'ing Jenn ⁠⁠⁠@jennbakosphoto ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram! Just tell her you're a fan of the podcast 😊
• LADIES! To learn more about what's going on with your hormones, you can get a FREE lab consultation with Dr. Whitney Elsesser by visiting the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holistic & Hormonal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ web site when you write "HORMONES" on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the contact page.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Personality quizzes, secret reveals, delicious dinners, and connecting with ... strangers?

That's the "billion dollar" company Portsmouth's Rae and Ryan Lambert believe they've just started.

Through their new app, DNNR, Rae and Ryan send like-minded strangers to dinner together. The catch? The attendees don't know where they're dining until the day of the dinner, nor do they know who they're dining with until they show up.

It's an idea they stumbled upon earlier this year after the Silicon Valley expats spent years taking "throat punches" while building their previous meetup app, River - which they spoke about on "Seacoast Stories" last year. Now, they've pivoted, and they're convinced that dinner clubs - like Seacoast Stories Dinner Club - will be a valuable tool for creators to build community and monetize their audience, while simultaneously helping strangers meet new people in a fun way.

From the West End of Portsmouth, the Lamberts return to the show to discuss the pivot from River to DNNR, how Seacoast Stories Dinner Club works, how their new business is already taking off in other parts of the country, Portsmouth's sneakily growing tech scene, and why they're convinced DNNR will become a very, very lucrative business for them.

Interested in attending the next Seacoast Stories Dinner Club? You can sign up here to join us in Exeter, N.H., on Wednesday, October 15 at 7 p.m. You can also read this recent Substack article about Seacoast Stories Dinner Club's success.

CHAPTERS:

• Why River struggled despite widespread usage (00:00)
• Pivoting from River to DNNR (12:30)
• SPONSORS: Jenn Bakos Photography + Holistic & Hormonal (25:28)
• The unique technology behind Seacoast Stories Dinner Club (28:15)
• What to expect at Seacoast Stories Dinner Club (33:02)
• Some of the challenges of operating DNNR (40:50)
• Why DNNR is a surefire success (46:12)
• How DNNR is expanding far beyond the Seacoast (58:55)
• Portsmouth's sneaky large tech scene (01:06:34)
• How do you want to be remembered? (01:08:18)

EVENTS:

• ⁠Seacoast Culinary Challenge⁠ at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, N.H., on Wednesday, 10/29. Join the fight against food insecurity by ⁠snagging your tickets here.⁠

SPONSORS:

• ⁠⁠Jennifer Bakos Photography⁠⁠: Small biz owners can get 10% off your first photography session by DM'ing Jenn ⁠⁠@jennbakosphoto ⁠⁠on Instagram! Just tell her you're a fan of the podcast 😊
• To learn more about what's going on in your body, get a FREE lab consultation by visiting the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holistic & Hormonal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ web site when you write "HORMONES" on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the contact page.⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started on a better path toward financial investment!

Investment and insurance products are Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate, Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS), LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFCS uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. 1 North Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63103.