Stacked Keys Podcast

She’s a free spirit and wasn’t made to work in a cubicle. Meet entrepreneur Taegan Crimwho started a company that provides a space for entertainment via a converted school bus. Her company is called BoHo Bus Events out of Birmingham, Alabama. Her slogan is that “We Bring the arty to You.” You will find her tenacity impressive and you get to walk through some of the process of their bus renovation and how she forged her career path out of college. The BoHo is her style and she’s ready to share.Coming back to Alabama from California Taegan brought her marketing background and launched her business. She found her market by putting the concept out there and the parties range from kids to senior adults. The coolest aspect about the whole idea is that she’s not stuck in one group or one style. She drives the bus some, but has the help of family to get her there. Her drive and mission statement is to be able to have an event for anyone so they can feel special and celebrated and have an event that is tailored to them.We talk about what it’s like to spend money and how to be organized. She says her personality is to be organized but she learned as she was growing up and watching her dad. She has a good support group around her. Learning from others and knowing when to ask for help is key. She has grown in the way to learn to work together.Taegan shares stories of how they roll and she shares one of the panic moments that happened in the first events and setting up. You will enjoy her energy and be inspired to follow your own dreams. We do talk about obstacles in life—nerves— and how she recognizes and deals with judgement. Watching people do amazing things with their life and not comparing yourself is a struggle and being an entrepreneur can make you question. For now she is growing and being consistent.We also talk about her personal life and dating an athlete who has his own limelight. They’ve dated long distance and have learned a bit how to balance. Her advice to young women is to follow who you are and take leaps of faith and within reason take risks. DOn’t define success by a monetary number.Tune in!!Song “STOMP” is used by permission of the artists Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Her alter ego is Wonder Woman. The strong and amazing persona that this warrior woman brings is a benefit. Women self defense and empowerment is the main focus for the guest today and that is her pathway into what her mission is today. She holds space for women who are in a vulnerable spot in their lives and she becomes the energy to help them though whatever they are experiencing.Meet Dawna Gonzales. She is a coach and a black belt in the jujitsu world. She explains that this sport reflects what you are going through.This is an outlet for her. She believes if everyone would find something that would feed their soul and make them be present, it would change the world.Her story of how she got into the sport through the door of boxing is one of just saying yes and being ready to challenge herself to the next level. We talk about Dawna’s path and it takes its own life. She says grappling comes in handy and she encourages you to get punched in the face at least once and realize that you aren’t made of porcelain and to realize that you can do so much more than you can imagine. She plants seeds to show you what you’re capable of…this is a language and you have to take classes and become fluent.She certifies coaches under her who can facilitate women self defense seminars and teaches the coaches her style and her seminar formats and how she markets herself—and teaches them how to teach. She works with gyms and domestic violence shelters. Follow along and you may find a place for you to get involved.We talk about all the aspects of Dawna’s life and how she balances her career and that of her husband to keep a great vibe within their marriage. She’s passionate to do her job and that fills her with love and energy. Tune in for a dip into her life and you are guaranteed to think about your own life.Tune In!Song "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Creativity, movement, singing and dancing are ingrained in this guest and such attributes feel as if they have always been a part of her. Natasha Collazos is our guest for the first episode of 2022. We talked when she was in the midst of some international travel and what an indepth conversation we had together! You’ll be drawn in to the exciting life she leads and the travel she’s incorporated into her life. We talk about Covid and how that impacted her thought process…but she says the best perspective is being with those you care about the most. She teaches Thai massage and Thai yoga and her partner, Charles Harriott teaches Jujitsu … much international and with BJJ Globetrotters. They get to travel together and launch a life they love. She’s a risk taker. You don’t have to be confined in a box and she says fear should not stop people from living. We learn about Thai massage—energy lines and marma points -- to help sustain the flow of energy throughout your body. She compares it to a subway system of the body with the choices and junctures. We get to dive into how her career shaped and the opportunities opened. She sees purpose in what she does. Helping others acheive body awareness can truly help connect body and one’s emotional self and that can lead to making impactful life decisions. We talk about coming into jiujitsu with a partner who is a black belt. How that feels on and off the mat. She never saw it as an intimidation factor, but Natasha puts more pressure on herself to forget she is new and learning. She says the journey is like a phoenix …where you break it down and build it back—time and time again. She started this path as her own journey and not for anyone else. The belts and her own journey make her tear up because of all the work she puts in as a whole. Natasha is a believer in self care. She focuses on the person in front of her in massage business, but that isn’t focusing on herself and that is important too to check in with herself—from water intake, to rest, exercise, tea time to journaling. She takes stock and has a list of what she wants in life and is doing it for herself. We talk about gym loyalty and learning from across the board and the opportunities involved in travel. You bring something naturally to the table and there is an exchange with those with whom you train.A constant that Natasha deals with is having boundaries both to respectfully honor them and to set them. She’s a giver and checking in with herself realizing how to set those boundaries takes extra work. Defining softness and being able to offer when appropriate and being mindful is okay to depend on one another. Tune in!Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

She loves the outdoors and essentially lives outside. Meet Winter Thorington who is a senior at Auburn University and is at the Forestry Wildlife Management school. She talks about her education and the way Covid has impacted some of her experiences. As she looked at her education, she needed to decide her direction to be one that would encompass her love to be outside and be able to have access to her horses. We talk about the challenges and the opportunities and even the aspects and considerations of going into a male dominated career. Winter is the only girl in the Forestry program and was the only female in her internship, but she says if you love doing the hard work, then what’s to be intimidated by? If you love it, then you will do it—no problem.Winter tells us about her love of horses starting in childhood and she got hooked from there and never got rid of the bug. The life lessons you can gain from that type of responsibility are priceless. She tells us about the humility that working with a horse can bring when you have to make tough decisions to put your horse over winning a show. The no days off are huge and involves early rise and feeding and checking and training the horse daily. Winter is on an equestrian team at school and we get a little insight into that discipline. Knowing how expensive horses can be and making a living with them is not the easiest life and that helped Winter decide that her career won’t be horses—they remain her hobby.Winter teaches lessons to offset her expenses and you have to work hard to keep it going.Tune in for this fantastic podcast episode!“STOMP” Music is used by permission from the artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Maria Schweitzer is a graphic artist, designer, storyteller and martial artist. She has a masters in fine art and she found herself into comics where she eventually landed in the genre of visual narratives. Today she draws comics and started a business called Rubber Bones— which is where she can display her amazing art, on rash-guards. We talk about that thrill of seeing her art on display on the mat in significant tournaments and on talented athletes. She develops stories and pulled drawing and writing together to find her career. Maria says that sometimes you don’t have to say much, you can show it. Her masters in fine art project took her down a road of a developing a character in who Maria saw herself…with two paths and learning to know how to own it. Her life was pulling together an artist and an athlete. She also explores the idea of life moving and changing. Just because you miss one opportunity, the dream itself is not gone, it may be just a different path. We explore the labels and social validation and how you can become who you are and accept that.We talk about how life cycles and how she gets into the creative zone and what projects she faces. Initially, Maria did an undergraduate degree project that focused on drawing movement and that is where she first took an interest in jujitsu. She started training the sport because in her opinion, her drawing was falling flat. As she got deeper into jujitsu she developed the idea to start a business she calls Rubber Bones that allows her to integrate her personality with loud and bright colors and fun designs on clothing used in the sport. It began by illustrating a horror comic for a friend who was putting on a tournament. With that idea, Maria saw she could create her own line and sell it. She saw she could bring other parts of herself to her world of jujitsu. It’s interesting to hear her talk about her decision process in working with her product functionally. You can trust her because she wears her product and competes in it too. You’ll hear discussion about her navigating and figuring out what can and can’t be controlled— which leads her toward trust. Giving people the information and not assuming saves time and money in her work. We talk about some mistakes and successes and lessons learned. As far as her future, she envisions what she wants and then tries to make that happen. Sports helped her learn that the outcome is determined by the work you’ve put in and she applies that principle today to put the little rungs in the ladder.We talk jujitsu and what it’s like to be female—as well as the in the art of jujitsu and the intimidation factors that one may face.This conversation is one that opens up the dreams and possibilities as one grows and follows her dreams. Tune in!STOMP is used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Strength and conditioning coach, as well as jiujitsu athlete describes this guest’s daily professional life, but she encompasses those same passions into her personal world. Meet Kiaya Jackson who can easily be described as a go getter and goal setter. After her school days she started looking for a fit that offered a mix of organized sports and personal athleticism where you push yourself to meet personal standards. She wanted to participate as a team and have comradery. She found jiujitsu but at first was not impressed. Time, money and the gym atmosphere were stumbling blocks she experienced as she began her search. However, it was an instant fit when she walked into 10th Planet Decatur. The big family atmosphere and connecting with athletes who were there for the same reasons makes the time spent at the gym fulfilling on many levels.We talk about intimidation and how that can be a part of the athlete’s mindset, but she was the girl playing with the guys in her childhood days— so she really never felt that or paid attention to it much. Kiaya recalls the big hair and bows tossed about and perhaps torn tights when she came in from playing rough—so she’s always held her own.A big topic for her is that of trust and who you trust— from those you train with to trusting the coaches and the whole environment. You’ll hear what it’s like on the mat and her moves and how she handles the "punch choke” from Coach Brandon Mccaghren and how he brings on signature moves. This line of conversation leads us to talk about the fun and respect the athletes have on the mat.Kiaya’s pathway in her career that changed from engineering to where she is today is enlightening and encouraging to young women following their dreams.Living your passions and not knowing what is coming next is part of her appeal. You’ll hear us as we talk about her strong confidence and where it comes from and that she wasn’t always so sure of herself. She talks about her daily routines and the discipline she implements to keep her anxiety at a distance and her determination focused. “When you decide to do something the nontraditional way and navigate your own set path, you have to stay on your course.”As far as her work, she is a believer that strength and conditioning is the way to prevent injury and Kiaya’s knowledge is up there with being able to help and create a balance.She always believed that she needed a purpose and that has evolved into serving other people. Kiaya found what she loves in athletics and is able to make it her career while having impact. Success has much to do with being satisfied and she is a much happier person with goals to be the best in her competition and in gathering knowledge to relate to others. She had to figure out what success meant. She wants to dominate at the highest level. She’s a performer and she puts on a show.

Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Maegan Schwindling joins the podcast and describes herself simply as a Jesus follower, wife, mom and she finds herself in business seats along the way. Having the alignment of who she is allows her to find balance. She knows the world of parenting hard core with three kids and making some decisions that are not necessarily where all of her peers find themselves. When she and husband TC find their family flow, it means that they have to embrace the natural movements and get through periods of time knowing that rest and reset is coming. We talk about stress and how you look at the day. We talk about family and adoption and how you create a loving and equal evironment for everyone under one roof...a lot of that attitude comes through allowing each individual to be an individual.It’s a fabulous conversation and talk about how to manage the day and the activities that drive the kids. As women, we may try to fit into a box and it took her 10-plus years to figure out what her family’s boundaries needed to be in order for her to lay her head down at night and say…"it’s okay." Accepting how you are wired and not sitting idle is a great place to be and we certainly discuss how the pandemic impacts that dynamic. We talk about career and that everyday for her is completely different—which is how she thrives. She’s a problem solver and for her that gives her the thrill and she opened her world beyond her hometown to incorporate travel and a job with a start-up company. By stopping her need to set specific goals to crack by every age and time slot, she was open to the opportunities as life changes.Maegan talks about mommy guilt and how badly she didn’t want to stress her kids out by her talking as a working mother-- how she worked so hard to not let her kids feel like she worked. She is committed to be available for their events and activities and to all and grow them, but now letting them see her work and both appreciate and pattern her work ethic is important and it shifted for her—though she still tries not to let them feel her stress. Her family now see the working mom and the healthy spot as well as the opportunities that come with her position. You’ll pick up gems from Maegan from how she parents and the dynamics of raising three--even chat about the carpool pickup conversations that she entertains even if they throw her off from a schedule she’d previously set. Do you have a group of women around you or couples? Maegan talks about the vulnerability to find friends and how that can change everything. It is work and risk, but getting deep relationships is worth the intentional work that it takes to find friends who can go through life’s seasons.In this episode we discuss adoption and her first tip is to be sure that you and your spouse are on the same page. There are practical observations that she shares that are useful for all to hear. She talks about the self work and how beautiful the journey is when you do the hard work. Tune In!!Music “STOMP” is used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

This 4th year educator is in high school teaching science. Meet Jessica Young from Georgia who teaches forensic science to seniors and environmental science to 9th graders. This professional balances being a wife and mom to include a life of teaching in the classroom. She takes all of her roles seriously and looks for methods to make the real world meet the academics. She has the scope of learners and that requires her switching gears a bit during the day. We talk about what exactly she teaches and how her courses can launch career choices for the seniors she is teaching. She feels satisfaction when something introduced to them begins to open doors for opportunity. TV shows create a CSI affect Jessica explains and that has impact on how someone looks at crime and therefor can create how they may function on a jury in a courtroom one day. That could affect us all.Educators are able to create excitement and Jessica realizes that her students who are picking electives are choosing to be in her class and she meets their expectations to learn beyond the book. She’s learning as she goes and looks to her veteran teachers to help her solve some of the obstacles in the classroom.We talk about her last year during covid in teaching an anatomy class and she was able to implement something she learned at a conference about introducing technology in the classroom. Off she went to work a 3-d printer into her classroom—which she found that her school actually already had and were waiting for someone too take hold and learn it. Jessica stepped up. e-Nable the Future is what lit her fire — The e-NABLE Community is an amazing group of individuals from all over the world who are using their 3D printers to create free 3D printed hands and arms for those in need of an upper limb assistive device. According to their website, “The e-NABLE Community is made up of  teachers, students, engineers, scientists, medical professionals, tinkerers, designers, parents, children, scout troops, artists, philanthropists, dreamers, coders, makers and every day people who just want to make a difference and help to “Give The World A Helping Hand.”Jessica started the process and she walks us through it on this episode. Two of her students stepped up to get involved and see the project through. You’ll hear about the delivery of the hand to the child selected. Her students were a part of the project from the beginning and delivered the final product to a local child. We talk about the future, the cost and what all is required. They have continued to be able to be of service and are getting the community involved. She also got the chance to get a group of students in the Extended Learning in Crisp County to join in learning for future projects.Coffee, prayers and having a great support system at home and having mentors all make up how she can handle all that is on her plate. Jessica's compassion comes partly from how she’s growing herself and it spills over to her students. The methods it takes to get material into the minds of her students she has changed up some of how she handles how she hands out work—a lot of students are working after school sometimes to put food on the table at home. Jessica is a super influence and when we talk about how to protect her own heart, she says that’s a tough one. She’s seen some of the greatest things and sometimes the worst. Tune in!Music "STOMP" used by artist permission Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Episode 112 What MotivatesThis episode features a mom and business owner who implements business lessons in every aspect of her life. Meet Mandy Eakin. She and husband Stephen have regularly worked together to make life happen and help them both rise to the top and reach their goals. They opened 10th Planet Perry in Perry, Georgia — a martial arts gym — which is Stephen’s passion and is a major part of both of their lives. They have switched roles along the way of who makes the most money and who is stepping up supporting the children at home. They have a nice ying to yang she says and have respect for what each partner needs to get where they want to ultimately land.Mandy learned the ins and outs of martial arts as a spouse and she knows that drive where fighters and martial arts practitioners across the board who find that passion may let everything else go to meet that need. It too is a balance they have found. If you don’t have a real passion or outlet of your own, you might not realize the commitment one is willing to make. Mandy gets it and has also trained in jiujitsu with Stephen and had to look hard to find her own time. Their son is on the mat too as he tries other sports activities as well. They get the pulls of parenting.In balancing daily and owning a gym she says with a laugh that they are still looking for that perfect balance. Working for yourself and starting a business from scratch can be tough and demanding to create your own drive to accomplish tasks. We talk some of those challenges, but Mandy says that they have to carve out time for themselves specifically and to be structured with the use of a calendar. Including the kids in that process to where they even ask about the calendar — making it core to the family. She says it is like step goals that you can measure and the rewards are great.Mandy grew up on a farm and much of her work ethic started there. There was little time to travel and the thought of the business came first. She has a love for travel and they incorporate that into their lives today. Sometimes it includes taking the kids, even on business, and sometimes it is a focus on just she and her husband.You’ll hear how they intentionally grow a sense and spirit of giving and sharing with others. She says a principle for both of their lives is to share from their overflowing cup. In being open and honest with their kids, when there are teaching moments she takes advantage of to teach lessons within society and daily living. Their parenting style is to give as much information as their kids can process and that helps grow compassion. In the program of their gym they have kids classes and they use a buddy system to be sure no one is left behind or confused—this gives the kids a chance to learn those small extra social cues to help someone else. In this episode we talk about the idea of introducing experiences to your children. Slowing down and just experiencing life going nowhere fast can give tremendous depth to parenting. Choosing to turn off technology and experiencing different. There is a lot to cover in this episode that you will treasure.Tune in!!!!Music “STOMP” is used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Get ready to feel deeply listening to this episode as our guest definitely stomps to her own drum. Meet Madeline Schulle who opens her life up on this episode and shares some of her most vulnerable self with you. This wife, mom, birth educator and birth doula, professional nanny and a gestational surrogate is amazing in her life direction and how she handles balancing it all. Madeline and her husband got married and within five months they found themselves pregnant and getting ready to be parents sooner than they had planned. Pregnant and not finished with her college education created a massive shift in their thinking. While they loved it and wouldn’t change it today, there was a bit of panic. They found marriage counseling early in their years because they pretty quickly decided they didn’t know what they were doing in marriage so they found fabulous counseling that gave them practical skills for communication. She talks about the Gottman Institute which utilizes research to provide resources of what is helpful in a marriage and to point out some of the ineffective tools that might be pulled in any relationship. This laid groundwork for their marriage, their parenting and then of how they would cope for a health condition called alopecia areata that Madeline found herself diagnosed to deal with day in and day out. This condition has resulted in total hair loss for Madeline. We discuss how you go through conflict and knowing how to get support and how to communicate through vulnerability. You will be changed to hear her story of compassion and love.Madeline’s perspective on family is that you take care of one another—that comes from her being raised in a military family often finding themselves far away from extended family and they learned how to enjoy each other’s company well. They learned how to pull up roots and move efficiently and how to make friends quickly. She credits that time of learning as where and how she began to care deeply for people and she translates that today into her career choices. Becoming a doula, which is a professional labor partner who helps to provide physical and emotional support to the birthing parents, set in as a passion after her first child was born in a natural birthing process. Today she educates, leads and provides emotional and physical support in the birthing process during that monumental event for families. To become a surrogate seemed like a natural progression for Madeline as she looks to care for a couple to help them to have a baby. This life changing decision is an amazing gift that we discuss both the process and how she feels in her heart for the parents and the child. This process requires strength, selflessness and commitment of monumental proportions.Her journey through her hair loss and seeing the things she has mourned—but didn’t realize that she would — like the wind blowing through her hair or even running a brush through her hair create a message for her to vocalize. Through her tears her story is moving and makes opening this world to understand for others compelling. Madeline takes what she’s dealt with and creates a path for growing compassion for others and opening a world for connecting.Saying that she is incredibly blessed and in all of the unique situations she encounters give her a way to normalize some of the topics and issues that hold stigma. Madeline tells her story because she wants people to know that hair loss is not a reflection of anything on you—morally or in any other way.Another message we cover rather completely is that Madeline believes that loving your job makes you a better spouse and a better mom. Not waiting on one part fo life to fill up so you can embrace the next is a theme woven through for this lady. Madeline says she is a whole person made of many pieces and that is where she continues to grow and have purpose. Tune in!Music “STOMP” used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff