Stand to Serve

Amber Polluck is part of a family of four who decided to dive into fine spirits production five and half years ago, an industry which was not prominent at the time in Wyoming. The Polluck’s main hobby as a family was to seek out new spots to eat and drink during their travels; to explore the best of the best in each new location they visited.

Amber and her brother, Chad, a spirits collector, went backpacking through Europe, exploring the food and beverage culture while they were there. When they returned the Polluck family decided to learn how to go into the fine spirits business for themselves. They were starting from scratch, but felt confident they would figure it out with enough commitment and practice. They each came from different industries and brought their own unique talents to the business. The result was the creation of a wonderfully quirky business and a new experience for their community of Casper, Wyoming.

Backwards Distillery is also active in their community. A large part of their community efforts goes towards Casper Pride, which is leading Wyoming in the LGBTQ movement. They have been instrumental in creating space in their community for causes that did not have space there and will continue to contribute to the forward motion of these causes. “There’s something to be said for businesses participating in the growth of their community, and making their community stronger.”

What’s next for Backwards Distillery? You’ll have to listen to find out! “This is a treacherous point for a small business: that gray area between staying stagnant and moving ahead.”

Amber’s interview is packed full of industry knowledge, and her passion for relationships and her community is evident throughout this chat over her signature cocktail! If you’ve ever wondered what goes into running a successful family business, and what it takes to make a consistent impact on your customers and your community, this episode is for you!

Jessica Simons has always been a creative soul and loved to paint and draw starting at a young age. She had a love for paper, even had a paper closet in her home, and had a dream of owning a stationery store. She started her entrepreneurial journey by setting up a kool-aid stand in her neighborhood but snagged her first real job as a photographer’s assistant where she held the reflector and learned to find the best light.

Jessica majored in graphic design, and fell into photography by starting to take photos for friends and family. She shot her first wedding in 2008, and dove into wedding photography because of her passion for couples and marriage. After starting a family, she decided to shift her focus from photographing weddings to photographing families. Jessica’s journey is teaching her lessons in learning to embrace where she is in her business, to trust her intuition, and to pursue the version of success that ultimately fuels her soul.

This conversation is raw, real and full of nuggets that can only come from a foggy morning chat over coffee. Jessica is relatable and full of wisdom - you don’t want to miss this one!

Today's guest is my dear friend and one of my favorite humans, Alyssa Crawford, of Alyssa Crawford Photography. I first reached out to Alyssa on Instagram to do a collaborative giveaway together. I've always admired this girl and what she's doing creatively and in her business, but once I got to know her better on a personal level, I fell in love with her work even more. I've learned so much from Alyssa's genuine heart of gold, and this episode has so many nuggets of wisdom! I can't wait to share it with you.

Samantha Schmeltzer is the owner of FIVE:thirty, a project management and website design consulting firm in Rapid City and the creator of The OWN, a network for female entrepreneurs that offers support services like administrative assistance, web presence, and office space. She also received the young entrepreneur of the year award from the South Dakota SBA. In this episode she talks about her previous career and how she realized that she would never achieve all that she wanted unless she created her own path. She's an incredible woman, doing incredible things, but she also has such a clear vision for how she wants to live her life and what really matters. You do not want to miss hearing what Sam has to say!

Sami Dietrich created a successful online boutique for her senior project in college. She leveraged social media in a powerful way and eventually opened a storefront when she found the perfect downtown location. Sami is a young entrepreneur who has made big moves. She's fearless, wise, and offers amazing advice for anyone looking to take the route less traveled. If you love an inspiring story about navigating entrepreneurship as a twenty-something, you don't want to miss this episode!

Jamie Gilcrease is an incredible woman. She runs a successful business, has cultivated a community where people show up for each other, and now is on a journey to help other women find success pursuing their passions! If hearing an inspirational story is what you're looking for today, then you'll want to listen to this conversation with Jamie.

Jackie Derksen and her husband plan on retiring at the age of 40 from side gigs like White Wooden Wedding Chairs and Bear Property Management. They're the epitome of what it means to be serial entrepreneurs. Jackie has such a clear and focused vision which drives every decision her and her husband make in their business. We had such an amazing conversation, you don't want to miss out!