The Keri Croft Show

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The secret to success isn't about scaling at all costs—it's about still loving what you do 5, 10, 15 years in.

In this episode, I sit down with Nate DeMars, the founder of Pursuit, a Columbus-based custom suit shop that started as a project in business school—and turned into a purpose-driven brand that suits people for life’s biggest moments.

But this isn’t your typical startup story. Nate doesn’t chase venture capital, viral growth, or Shark Tank glory. Instead, he’s built a business on intention, integrity, and the wild idea that staying true to yourself might actually be the best strategy of all.

We talk about what happens when your business starts to drift from your values, and how Nate course-corrected to build something that aligns with who he really is. Think: partnerships with the Columbus Crew, indie bands playing in the storefront, and a suit donation program that’s changing lives.

Nate also gets real about navigating entrepreneurship in a dual-career household, the pressure to say yes to every “good” opportunity, and why going all in on community is the best marketing tactic in your toolbox. 

Nate’s story might just be the permission slip you’ve been waiting for—the one that says it’s okay to build a business that aligns with your passions, your lifestyle, and your definition of success. 

#TheKeriCroftShow #Entrepreneurship #PursuitSuitStore #ColumbusOhio #StartupStories #FounderLife

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What if the sh*t you’ve been through is actually leading you to your purpose?

On this episode, I sit down with Zach Thompson, founder of The Scatter Joy Project — a creative, nontraditional mental health nonprofit that’s helping people find affordable therapy, break through stigma, and connect to something deeper.

Zach opens up about:

✨Losing his uncle in middle school and hiding years of anxiety behind perfectionism.

✨Discovering he had the same rare heart condition — and how a defibrillator saved his life more than once.

✨Why facing mortality gave him a “permission slip to recreate” his entire life.

✨ How Scatter Joy Project went from a personal mantra to a full-blown movement helping people find real support (and real joy).

And yeah, we talk about what it actually looks like to turn your pain into power — and your story into something that helps others.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your rock bottom could lead to something bigger, this episode is for you.

Need support? Text SCATTER to 741-741 to connect with a free, 24/7 crisis counselor. Or head to scatterjoyproject.org to find affordable therapy and mental health tools that actually help.

Check out their NEW space — Scatter Joy Studio opening on May 17th in the Short North. 

👇 Drop a comment if this hit home — and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs this.

#TheKeriCroftShow #ScatterJoyProject #ZachThompson #MentalHealthAwareness #TotalBadass #GriefToGrowth #AnxietySupport #MissionDrivenLife #PodcastInterview #MentalHealthPodcast

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Joe Apgar wasn’t thinking about infertility at 21.
He was just trying to survive cancer.

But years later — in the middle of dating, adulting, and trying to figure out what his future might look like — the reality hit: cancer hadn’t just changed his body… it had rewritten his path to parenthood.

In this episode, Joe shares what it’s like to navigate male infertility after cancer, and how the emotional weight of “undetectable sperm count” followed him into relationships, and self-worth.

Oh — and we also go all the way in on how awful the sperm bank experience is. From traumatizing vibes to beige waiting rooms and zero humanity, Joe and I dream up what it would look like if someone actually revolutionized the process.

This episode is honest, hilarious, and really got me in my feels. Joe’s story is a reminder that love, family, and healing don’t always show up how you thought they would… but when they do, it’s magic.

🎙️ Share this with a friend, a partner, or anyone who needs to feel less alone in their story.

#TheKeriCroftShow #InfertilitySeries #MaleInfertility #OpenAdoption #ParenthoodAfterCancer #InfertilityAwarenessMonth #1in6 #SayTheThing #SpermBankTraumaIsReal #YouAreNotAlone #DatingWithInfertility #AdoptionJourney #JoeApgar

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What drives someone to carry another family’s baby?

In this episode of our Infertility Series, I sit down with two of the most extraordinary humans I know — Skye and Jason — the couple who helped bring my daughter Kyle into the world through surrogacy.

Skye opens up about what drew her to this path — a deep love for pregnancy and an even deeper desire to help someone else experience the kind of love only parenthood can bring. Jason gets real about what it took for him to get on board — from long, honest conversations to confronting what it really means to support your partner through something most people can’t wrap their heads around.

Together, they take us inside their surrogacy journey:
 🧡 How they explained it all to their young kids
 🧡 The awkward questions they got from strangers (which Jason low-key loved)
 🧡 What it’s like to carry a child you won’t bring home
 🧡 And how this experience made their marriage even stronger

Whether you’re curious about surrogacy, actively exploring it, or just fascinated by how far people will go to help someone else build a family — this conversation is for you.

And if you’re on the path I was on — overwhelmed by agency costs and wondering if you’ll ever find the right match — I’ve created a Find Your Dream Surrogate Workshop to help you do what I did. No agency fees. No gatekeeping. Just the real tools and support you need to take the next step. Find everything you need to know at kericroft.com/surrogacy-workshop.

🎙️ Listen to the full episode now —  I can’t wait for you to meet the people who changed my life.

#TheKeriCroftShow #SurrogacyJourney #InfertilitySeries #InfertilityAwarenessMonth #FindYourDreamSurrogate #SurrogacySupport #SurrogacyWithoutAgencies #1in6 #YouAreNotAlone #SayTheThing #ModernMotherhood #JasonAndSkye #FamilyIsFamily

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What happens when the fertility journey ends and there’s no baby?

Lana Manikowski lived that.
Seven years of treatments, zero viable embryos — and a whole lot of silence from the people who were supposed to help her through it. 

In this episode, we talk about:
 → Grieving what could’ve been
 → Redefining purpose when motherhood isn’t part of the story
 → Baby showers, holidays, and all the awkward sh*t no one prepares you for
 → Finding joy — even with a little grief in your back pocket

Lana is real, brilliant, and brave as hell.
And if you’ve ever felt like the only one navigating life after infertility — this one’s for you.

🎙️ Listen to the full episode now.
 💻 Download her free guide at lanamanikowski.com

📖 Get her book "So Now What?"  HERE

#TheKeriCroftShow #InfertilitySeries #LifeAfterInfertility #ChildlessNotByChoice #SayTheThing #YouAreNotAlone #InfertilityAwarenessMonth #LanaManikowski #PurposeBeyondMotherhood #OthersDay #1in6

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Jami Crist has lived through the kind of heartbreak most people can’t imagine — and somehow, she’s turned it into her superpower.

After four pregnancy losses — including a termination at 17 weeks, miscarriages, and a traumatic loss at home — Jami realized there was just a gapping hole when it came to pregnancy loss support.

In this episode, Jami shares her full story — from being adopted by her aunt at age five, to the patterns of instability that shaped her approach to motherhood, to the painful, relentless losses that nearly broke her.

But what she’s built out of the wreckage is extraordinary.

She co-authored The Losses We Keep, an anthology of stories from women who’ve walked the same path — giving voice to the grief no one knows how to talk about.

We also get into:
 ⚡️ What it’s really like to parent after loss
 ⚡️ The pressure to “bounce back” at work 
 ⚡️ Why most companies still don’t know how to support employees through miscarriage or stillbirth
 ⚡️ And what Jami wants every manager, friend, and family member to know

This one is about loss — yes.
But it’s also about legacy.
And the power of saying, “Me too,” when it matters most.

🎙️ Share this episode it with someone who’s ready to feel seen.

#TheKeriCroftShow #PregnancyLossAwareness #TheLossesWeKeep #InfertilitySeries #StillbirthAwareness #1in4 #WomensHealth #MotherhoodAfterLoss #SayTheThing #YouAreNotAlone #WorkplaceSupport #JamiCrist #GriefSupport

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This episode is sponsored by Pinnacle Fertility Clinic https://www.pinnaclefertility.com/

Use promo code KERI for 20% your first order at Fluff! www.thefullapp.co

Mention KERI for $100 off your first treatment at Donaldson

Use code CROFT for $25 off your first visit at Boss Gal Beauty Bar.

Book your appointment at Headspace by Mia Santiago today at miasantiago.glossgenius.com

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Motherhood doesn’t always follow the plan — and these three women are living proof.

In this episode of our Infertility Series, Melissa, Molly, and Simi share raw, real stories about loss, resilience, egg donation, frozen embryo failure, pregnancy over 40, and building families against the odds.

You’ll hear:
🧡 How Melissa naturally conceived at 43 after devastating losses
🧡 How Molly survived losing 13 embryos — and found hope again
🧡 How Dr. Simi and her wife embraced egg donation to grow their family

We break down fertility myths ("just relax!" 🙄), the toll infertility takes on mental health, and why there’s no one “right” way to build a family.

🎙️ Listen now and share with someone who needs to hear these stories. 

And if you want to join our infertility community—head to kericroft.com to sign up for our email newsletter.

#TheKeriCroftShow #InfertilitySeries #InfertilitySupport #InfertilityAwarenessMonth #PregnantAt44 #EggDonation #FrozenEmbryoLoss #1in6 #FamilyBuilding #YouAreNotAlone #ModernMotherhood

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Amy Nelson isn’t just an attorney and founder of The Riveter—she’s a force of nature. For years, she’s been in the ring with Amazon and the DOJ—and she’s winning. Oh, and did we mention she’s doing all this while raising four young daughters? Now, she’s bringing that same fire to our new monthly call-in show, Ask Amy. She’ll be answering your biggest, boldest questions about pivoting in business—no fluff, no BS, just straight talk for women ready to shake things up. 

In this episode, Amy gets real about what it actually takes to make a major career leap. What if your partner isn’t supportive? How do we communicate BIG family financial decisions to our kids? From looping her husband into the business plan to bringing in her mom as a third parent, Amy breaks down you can turn chaos into collaboration.

She torches the myth of “work-life balance” (spoiler: it’s BS), and offers tools to stay grounded, flexible, and focused—even when everything feels like too much.

And if you’re still waiting for a mentor to magically appear? Stop. Because sharing what you know to the world is how real mentorship and leadership begins.

This episode is for anyone ready to stop waiting for the perfect moment—and start building with what (and who) you’ve got. 

DM the show with your questions for Amy Nelson. Now hit play and let's get to work. 

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If there’s such a thing as a modern-day stork — it's Dr. Jain. 

Dr. Jain is an not just any reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist  — he helped create my family — and thousands of others — with a rare blend of brilliance, brutal honesty, and just the right amount of sarcasm.

This conversation is the opposite of clinical. We dive into:

 🧡 Egg donation and genetic curveballs 
 🧡 Why you shouldn't be so stressed about stress when it comes to infertility.
 🧡 The myths we’ve outgrown
 🧡 How fertility insurance coverage has made major progress — and where it still falls short
 🧡 And the truth about making peace with a Plan B that still leads to your dream

Dr. Jain brings the facts, the science, and the hope — reminding us that even if the path to parenthood looks wildly different than we imagined, there’s almost always a way forward.

This episode is for anyone navigating infertility, supporting someone who is, or just trying to wrap their head around the wild world of modern family-building.

🎙️ Listen to the full episode now — and share it with someone who needs a little less fear and a lot more clarity.

#TheKeriCroftShow #InfertilitySeries #InfertilityAwarenessMonth #1in6 #EggDonation #GeneticCounseling #FertilitySpecialist #IVFSupport #DrJain #InfertilityMyths #YouAreNotAlone #ModernParenthood #SayTheThing

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Use promo code KERI for 20% your first order at Fluff! www.thefullapp.co

Mention KERI for $100 off your first treatment at Donaldson

Use code CROFT for $25 off your first visit at Boss Gal Beauty Bar.

Book your appointment at Headspace by Mia Santiago today at miasantiago.glossgenius.com

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What happens when your doctor becomes your fiercest advocate — and ultimately, your friend?

In this episode, I sit down with my own OB/GYN, Dr. Kimberly Shepherd — a true BADASS woman who has single handily helped so many women like me along their infertility and pregnancy journeys.

I open up publicly about choosing egg donation — a topic that still feels taboo for so many. Dr. Shepherd and I get real about what it means to build a family outside the “traditional” mold, and why love — not biology — is what defines parenthood.

We cover everything from:
 🧡 Egg donation, IVF, and surrogacy
 🧡 Navigating infertility as a same-sex couple or single parent
 🧡 Talking to your kids about how they came to be
 🧡 And yes… we even get into the "juicy" OB/GYN questions no one wants to ask (but everyone needs answers to)

Whether you’re starting your own fertility journey, supporting someone who is, or just want to understand the many incredible ways families come to be — this episode is for you!

🎙️ Listen and share with someone who needs to hear:

#TheKeriCroftShow #InfertilitySeries #InfertilityAwarenessMonth #EggDonation #SurrogacyJourney #LGBTQFamily #ModernParenthood #DrKimberlyShepherd #FamilyIsLove #YouAreNotAlone #SayTheThing #1in6 #AssistedReproduction #IVFSupport

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Use promo code KERI for 20% your first order at Fluff! www.thefullapp.co

Mention KERI for $100 off your first treatment at Donaldson

Use code CROFT for $25 off your first visit at Boss Gal Beauty Bar.

Book your appointment at Headspace by Mia Santiago today at miasantiago.glossgenius.com