#40 Lauren Rosenau is a professional wedding photographer based in Lynchburg, VA, who has been capturing wedding day stories for 16 years.

Her style is narrative, organic, effortless, energetic, and full of all the little life moments that make up the big day.

Although based in Central Virginia, Lauren's clients are from all over the United States, and some even ask her to travel to exotic locations around the globe.

Part of Lauren's success is definitely her skill and style, but a bigger part of it might just be her compassion, charisma, and ability to be a guide.

She's also funny as hell and, as you will hear, we had the best time laughing and getting to know each other's stories.

Please enjoy this deep dive into Lauren's creative career and the things that matter most in life.

Lauren Rosenau Photography Website
Lauren on Instagram
Lauren on Facebook

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#39 Cari and Seth Reed are the wife and husband team behind Remington Ranch, a regenerative farm located 30 minutes outside of Lynchburg in Gladys, Virginia.

Regenerative farming is a term that basically means working in harmony with Mother Nature instead of against her. The chickens, pigs, turkeys, and lambs are humanely raised without chemicals or GMOs. These animals also enjoy the grasslands and forests on Reed's gorgeous 45-acre property. The result is clean, healthy, super nutritious food that also creates rich, fertile soil. Talk about a win-win!

Now, I've met hard, hard-working, humble people before in my life, but Cari and Seth take the cake. Not only are they running a busy, super successful farm on their own, which includes end-to-end processing of the animals and attending farmers' markets on weekends, but they also have full-time jobs in local law enforcement.

It was an honor to sit down with these two and capture their story. There are so many inspiring nuggets on the beauty of hard work, living in concert with nature, and the mental and spiritual benefits of serving your community in a profoundly meaningful way.

Enjoy the show!

Remington Ranch Website
Remington Ranch on Instagram
Remington Ranch on Facebook

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#38 My guest today is Leidra McQueen. Not only does she have one of the coolest names, but she also heads up one of the coolest organizations: Lynchburg Beacon of Hope. This non-profit has been empowering young dreamers and seekers since 2011, preparing them for the big stage, both literally and figuratively.

Beacon's mission is to "inspire Lynchburg's youth to pursue post-secondary education or training, invest in their potential, and equip them to become contributing individuals to the betterment of our community."

Um... hi... I am so in love with this group and with Leidra. How could you not be?

When I attended their annual event, HOPEx, recently, I was lit up! Think TED talks meets Moth Storytelling. For 2 hours, I was spellbound, listening to inspiring stories from adults and young adults alike. Amy and I truly floated out of there and could not stop talking about what a transformational event it was.

And when I sat down to record my conversation with Leidra, all I could think of were the words "effortless" and "grace." Because when you are fully invested in a mission like Beacon's, you access stores of energy and power that are well beyond what you can possibly imagine.

Please join me for this wonderful conversation and get to know Leidra, a true beacon of light and hope.

Lynchburg Beacon of Hope's Website
Lynchburg Beacon of Hope on Instagram
Lynchburg Beacon of Hope on Facebook
Lynchburg Beacon of Hope on LinkedIn
Lynchburg Beacon of Hope on YouTube

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#37 Jessica Coleman is the founder of Creekside Therapeutics, a collective of talented, compassionate mental health professionals here in Lynchburg, VA. 

Their door is open to everyone, but there's a special place in their heart for the queer and neurodivergent members of the community.
I discovered Jessica and her team simply because of a post from a local difference maker, Kathleen Stafford. The fact that there are therapists who proudly serve the underserved seriously piqued my interest. 
And when I sat down to chat with Jessica to get to know more of her story, I was hooked. She is another example of a bright, loving, impactful soul who was drawn to Lynchburg and who is making a meaningful difference in the community.
There's clearly something in the water here, and I am honored to swim alongside someone like Jessica.
Please enjoy this wide-ranging and inspiring conversation about mental health, life's mysterious journey, work-life balance, and much more.

Creekside Therapeutics' Website
Creekside Therapeutics on Instagram
Creekside Therapeutics on Facebook
Creekside Therapeutics on LinkedIn
Creekside Therapeutics on YouTube

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#36 On today's show, I am not the host. Instead, I am being interviewed by former guest and all-around amazing human being Ken Arpino, the executive director of Wolfbane Productions here in Lynchburg.

Ken is sharp, funny, and came loaded with great questions like...

- What was your a-ha moment that inspired this podcast?

- What is one spot in Lynchburg where you instantly feel at peace and why?

- If you could only eat at one Lynchburg restaurant for the rest of your life, what would it be?

- What is a small-town perk you didn't know you needed until you got here?

- What ingredients are in the secret sauce?

- And so many more...

Join Ken and me for a wide-ranging, entertaining conversation that digs into my thoughts on Lynchburg and small-town living, as well as what I am all about with my coaching and this podcast.

Enjoy the show!

Barton Quigley's Website
Barton Quigley on Instagram
Barton Quigley on LinkedIn

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❤️ If you believe inspiring stories like this can empower others to create meaningful lives and impact the world, join the Small Town Secret Sauce Patreon Community and become an ambassador for possibility.

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#35 Stephanie Fees is the creator and owner of Scratch Pasta, a fresh pasta shop here in Lynchburg, VA. She is also the creator and owner of The Flour District, an artisan bakery, cafe and teaching kitchen, located right next door where my wife, Amy, is the COO.

These two businesses are shining examples that, yes, you can elevate style and taste and thrive in a small town that's dominated by chain restaurants and stores.

But to Amy and me, Stephanie is much more than a business owner. Her keen interest in potentially hiring Amy was one of the key reasons we took a leap of faith and moved from San Francisco to Lynchburg without jobs set up. Our intuition told us that we just needed to get here and that we would figure out the rest.

Not only did Stephanie hire Amy, she also became the first client of my off-leash dog adventure business. She is now a dear friend, and her family feels like our family.

I am excited to share Stephanie's journey from making and selling pasta out of her basement and at farmer's markets, to the gorgeous retail shop that's part of Bedford Avenue's incredible revitalization.

Enjoy the show!

Scratch Pasta's Website
Scratch Pasta on Instagram
Scratch Pasta on Facebook
The Flour District's Website
The Flour District on Instagram
The Flour District on Facebook

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#34 John Seinar is the current owner of Bikes Unlimited, Lynchburg, Virginia's oldest bicycle shop, which opened in 1967. John took over the current downtown location in January 2020 and recently opened Trailhead, a cozy, casual bar and restaurant right next door.

What originally attracted me to this story was the bike shop's longevity, which is no small feat, especially in a small town. I also wanted to know the story behind Pints After Pedals, a super easy group ride that encourages the community to come together, enjoy the local trails, and share a frosty brew at the end.

However, once I learned that John was also adding a restaurant to the mix, which is not for the faint of heart, I had a hunch that this man has the right kind of crazy and knowledge to be a successful entrepreneur here in Lynchburg. I had hoped to glean some insights and suggestions that could help other local small business owners thrive. I was not disappointed.

One of the biggest keys to John's success is his curious, playful, generous spirit. John is also competitive, but he doesn't take himself too seriously, which is incredibly rare. This allows him to learn quickly from his mistakes and spot new opportunities. I had a great time geeking out with John, and I am excited to continue following his journey.

Please enjoy this wide-ranging conversation about creating culture, raising the bar, serving others, and having a damn good time doing it all.

Enjoy the show!

Bikes Unlimited's Website
Bikes Unlimited on Instagram
Bikes Unlimited on Facebook
Trailhead's Website
Trailhead on Instagram
Trailhead on Facebook

Myke Barron is the President of Black Stag Group, which operates White Hart Cafe in downtown Lynchburg, VA, alongside his business partner Vic Stanley, Jr.

The White Hart is affectionately known as "Lynchburg's Living Room" and has become a cultural center for performing arts and music, especially on their famous Open Mic nights.

I have frequented the White Hart so many times since moving to Lynchburg in 2023. And Myke has always been there, flashing his bright, loving smile and a genuine desire to connect. I could instantly sense his depth of caring for all those around him - customers, employees, and open mic performers and guests.

The White Hart story has been on my list for this show for some time. But what began as an interest in the business soon became a deeper interest in Myke's story. And when it comes to his and his wife's journey of moving to Lynchburg is uncannily similar to Amy's and my story.

Sitting down to have this conversation with Myke, I felt like I was talking to a long-lost brother.

He is a gem with a huge heart that's infused in everything he does, including working to equip the elite Black Stag team to accomplish their mission: Curating Connection to Cultivate Change in Lynchburg and beyond.

Enjoy the show!

White Hart Cafe Website
White Hart Cafe on Instagram

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#32 Sam and Robb Foster are the delightful wife and husband team behind Frostfire, the newly opened sauna and cold plunge spa in downtown Lynchburg, VA.

As someone who has used cold exposure for many years now, I was stoked to discover this stellar addition to the local holistic health and wellness scene. I couldn't wait to dive into Sam and Robb's story, especially as first-time business owners bringing something out of left field to a small town in central Virginia.

But I was even more stoked to thoroughly connect with these two wonderful people. Sam and Robb are thoughtful, loving, and care a great deal about the overall wellness of the community.

Their entrepreneurial journey may be young, but Sam and Robb are old souls who bring wisdom from deep within their hearts. I could not be more excited to share their story and invite you to check out the transformational experience their spa offers the body and mind.

Enjoy the show!

Frostfire Website
Frostfire on Instagram

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#31 Michelline and Jawansa Hall are pillars in the Lynchburg, VA, community and have served it in many, many ways for most of their adult lives. They are such a delightful, loving couple with a huge heart for each other and the good of the folks living in the Hill City.

Michelline and Jawansa have worn a number of hats over the years, from their marketing firm, Blackwater Branding, to a variety of roles with local non-profits.  They are another shining example of the spirit of service that is clearly in the Lynchburg water supply.

Michelline is currently the Chief Programming Officer for the Academy Center of the Arts but also serves several other non-profits, including the Jubilee Family Development Center, the Poplar Forest's African American Advisory Group, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, and the Lynchburg Museum System.

Jawansa is the Creative Director of the University of Lynchburg and serves this region's Small Business Development Center as the Marketing & Branding Advisor.

This episode takes a different path, one focused on their personal relationship. But as you will hear, it's clearly part of the secret sauce for being such an active, fabulous pair of contributions to the community.

Enjoy the show!

Michelline Hall on Instagram
Jawansa Hall on Instagram
Jawansa Hall Website
Blackwater Branding
Academy Center of the Arts
Lynchburg Region Small Business Development Center
The Clifton Strengths Program that they use.
Wikipedia Site for Virginia Intermont College, where they attended school.
Jubilee Family Development Center
Lynchburg Museum System
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities
Poplar Forest Website

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❤️ If you believe inspiring stories like this can empower others to create meaningful lives and impact the world, join the Small Town Secret Sauce Patreon Community and become an ambassador for possibility.

😊 Thanks for listening! Please be sure to follow the show and leave a review!